I received an email from a lady named Angelica, who plans to publish an instructional blog post about Google Analytics (GA), but she is a bit hesitant because she feels it won’t be comprehensive enough.

She admits she is afraid of coming across dumb because her article is not going to be as thorough as other bloggers who’ve written about it.

My first question to her was, “Who is this article for?”

She told me it was for new Webmasters.

Bingo!

This is a mistake many people make.  They worry about coming across as inferior to people they aren’t even writing for.  If your site is for beginning Webmasters, write for them.

Don’t concern yourself with the perceptions of people you aren’t even targeting.  As I said in this article, there will always be people who know less than you, and need your advice.  This is your target audience, and should be your main focus.

Let’s say the Site Overlay is Angelica’s favorite Google Analytics report. She could focus her blog post on that portion of GA by explaining how it works and how she uses it.   She could even preface that she is still learning a lot about GA, but wants to share one of her favorite features.

Let’s remember.  Her audience consists of new Webmasters, so chances are, many of them may not know a lot about GA yet.  That’s why it’s so important to keep in mind WHO you are writing for!

Instead of publishing a comprehensive article about the entire Google Analytics program, she can focus on the area she is most knowledgeable about.  Then at the end of the article she can invite her readers to share their favorite reports and features.

This accomplishes a few things…

1)  Angelica can appear as the “expert” on the part of Google Analytics that she is comfortable with

2) Since she knows who her audience is (important!), she is bound to teach several people something new

3) Inviting her readers to share their favorite GA report can spark a discussion and educate other readers

Now, sometimes it’s necessary to do a little research before publishing an article.  Of course, it wouldn’t hurt Angelica to learn a little more about GA to give the blog post more meat.

However, she shouldn’t feel that she has to know EVERYTHING about a topic in order to write a solid, polished article.  And she certainly shouldn’t compare her article to others who may target a different audience.

If I had waited until I knew everything about how to create a website, I would have never published 2CreateAWebsite.com.

I still don’t know everything (and probably never will), but I know enough to publish content that is relevant and appeals to my audience.

As I always say, focus on what you know, and let the content flow.  There will always be people who know less than you and desire to learn what you already know.

I’ve been testing Chitika on two of my sites for the past two weeks.

So far so good.  It’s a great compliment or alternative to using contextual ad programs like AdSense, Kontera, Infolinks, etc.

Here’s a video with an overview of how it works…

Note: Using Chitika and AdSense on the same site/page does not violate the AdSense terms.  It is perfectly OK to use both.

If you’re reading this post via e-mail, click this link to watch the video.

Even though I’ve had a Twitter account for a while, I didn’t become active until about 6 months ago.  Here are a few things I’ve learned.

Keep in mind, many of these tips are only relevant if you use Twitter for site or blog promotion.

1. Your Last 20 Tweets Say a Lot!

When someone goes to your homepage on Twitter, the first thing they see is your last 20 tweets (your recent Twitter stream.) So you have 20 chances to sell them on following you.

You want your Twitter stream to exude value and give potential followers a glimpse of what they will get as a follower.  You will be surprised at how many people use your recent Twitter stream to make the follow decision. I sure do.

Take a moment and look at your last 20 tweets.  Now look at them from the viewpoint of a potential visitor who may be thinking of following you.  See anything you might want to change?

Note: A lot of people use Twitter clients instead of Twitter.com, so they may see fewer than 20 tweets when they view your Twitter landing page.  Keep that in mind too.

2.  Make Your @replies Useful to Everyone

When you reply to someone, make the most of that reply so other followers can benefit.

If someone asks me what software I use to record my screen, I could simply reply with…

@username Camtasia Studio.

There’s a slight problem with this answer. My followers did not see the original question. So even if they know what Camtasia Studio is, they have no idea what I’m talking about unless they click the person’s username to find the question.

A better reply would be…

@username I use Camtasia Studio for my screen recording videos.  You can download a free trial here…

Not only have I helped a curious follower, but I’ve provided information that my other followers may find useful.

Thorough replies like this also add value to your recent Twitter stream as I mentioned above in #1.

Note: Twitter made an update in May so that when you begin a tweet (reply) with @username, the only people who see it is the person you are replying to and anyone who is following both of you.

So if you want everyone to see your reply make sure you do not start the tweet with @username.

3.  Use a Customized Landing Page

I used to link to my blog in my Twitter profile, but realized that doesn’t tell potential followers a lot about me.  At this level, most people really just want to know who you are and why they should follow you.

So I created a Twitter landing page to give people a quick overview of who I am and what they can expect if they follow me.

Some will argue that it’s best to link to your homepage for the “link juice”, traffic and earnings potential.  I guess my approach is more indirect.

I think it’s important to gain new followers and build credibility through content.  There will be plenty of time to promote my sites as I build up credibility.

Most people who buy from your site are going to be visitors who have grown to trust you — not potential Twitter followers who are just trying to figure out if they should follow you or not.

Get the follower now.  Make the sale later.

4.  Take Advantage of Direct Messages

If you get a lot of questions on Twitter, you don’t have to reply to everyone publicly.  Not to mention, a bunch of replies can clog up your Twitter stream.

I have been using direct messages a lot more since I read Marko Saric’s book, Twitter Marketing: How to Go Viral on Twitter, where he encourages you to “pick your tweets wisely” and to be careful about tweeting too much as it may become “white noise” to your followers.

5.  Mix It Up!

No one wants to follow someone who continuously brags about themselves or promotes their site in every tweet. (Yawn!)

Learn to mix it up and give your Twitter stream some variety.  Poll your followers, engage them, offer some words of wisdom, be funny. The key is finding the right balance.

Never lose sight of the fact that your goal is to provide VALUE to your target audience.  However, a fun or off-topic tweet here doesn’t bother most people, and many welcome the variety.

6.  Twitter is Not the Place for Hard Selling (For Most People)

If you’re going to promote products, affiliate links, etc. you really have to make sure your brand is solid and people respect you.

I don’t do a lot of affiliate link dropping on Twitter.  Quite honestly, I’m not comfortable with it.

I prefer to let my tweets do the PREselling and hope that my earned credibility will turn my followers into loyal site visitors and customers in the long-run.

Nothing wrong with an occasional site promotion or affiliate link here and there, but you definitely have to choose your promotions wisely and build the credibility first.

What have you learned from using Twitter?

I’m long overdue for a site review!  Click the image below to watch my video review of Kirk Schroeder’s site, ExtremeWealthGuide.com.

Would you like your site reviewed?  Click here to suggest your site.

Since the launch of my free e-book, The Perfect Site Guide last week, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how I created and secured the book.

So here’s a video that shows you how to create an e-book using Adobe Acrobat Professional.

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to subscribe to my programming YouTube channel where I focus more on coding, web design, using software programs, etc.

If you’re reading this blog post via e-mail, click here to watch the video.

It was time to breathe some life into my website tutorial that I was offering on 2 Create a Website.

When I wrote that guide some 5 or 6 years ago, it was current and relevant.

Well, the Net has evolved, and the book needed a major overhaul and face lift.

Who Is This Book For?

If you’ve already started your site and are getting decent traffic, making money, etc. this book probably won’t tell you much that you don’t already know.

There are some traffic tips that you may find interesting, plus you can take a look at some of my favorite tools that I use to manage and monetize my sites.

This book is really for people who are just starting out, or people who are struggling to find success online.  As the title suggests, it really is the “perfect guide” for people starting their first site or blog.

I focus on a lot of tools and techniques I used to create and promote my sites.  So the book is very personal in that sense.

50+ Pages for Free? Are You Serious?

You may wonder why I would write a 50+ page book and not put a price tag on it.  Well, the book is monetized with affiliate links so I would feel a little strange slapping a price tag on a book with affiliate links.  I’ve always felt this way, which is why I tend to offer my e-books for free.

And speaking of those affiliate links, I’d like to point out that I own and use every single product that has an affiliate link tied to it in this book.   That was an intentional effort on my part.

Offering the book for free was also a marketing decision.  I know that offering something like this will spread virally.  I figured if my old tutorial that was only 5 pages deep spread the way it did, this one should really take flight through the Netmosphere.

Special Offer Inside

There’s also a coupon in the book that first-time website builders may appreciate.  You can only access the coupon through the book.  I do not offer this on my websites.

Download The Perfect Site Guide Today!

Accessing the book is easy.  Just go to http://www.ThePerfectSiteGuide.com and you will be redirected to the PDF file.  (Must have Adobe Reader on your computer.)

I would highly recommend you go to File, Save Page As in Adobe after the book loads so you can save it on your computer.

Feel free to e-mail the book to your friends or offer it as a free download from your site.  (Selling is prohibited.)

Enjoy the book!

P.S.  This book will be updated often, so make sure you come back to http://www.ThePerfectSiteGuide.com regularly to ensure you have the most recent edition.

When I promote systems like Site Build It! or WordPress themes like Thesis, I’ve noticed it doesn’t sit well with some people.

A lot of the critics I’m referring to are programmers and designers.

Many of them believe that programs like SBI! and Thesis provide help and/or tools that you can get or learn for free (or cheap) by simply Googling the information or buying a couple of “how to” books.  Why buy Thesis when you can learn CSS from scratch?

Now, I have to admit this. Even if you set out to create your own site and use tools like Site Build It! or Thesis, you should still learn the fundamentals of HTML and CSS.

I have a basic understanding of both languages and I’m very glad I do because it has helped me greatly along the way.

However, what some people need to realize is not everyone wants to learn coding from scratch, and fortunately it’s not necessary to have success online.  Coding your site is definitely a part of it, but the other piece is marketing.

There are many 6-figure Bloggers and Webmasters out here who aren’t designers (I’m one of them).  We choose to outsource some or part of our work and use products like Thesis so we can focus on what we enjoy and do best.

I personally love writing and marketing much more than I love sitting and staring at code.  So tools like Thesis allow me to get things done faster so I can focus on what I truly enjoy.

I wouldn’t expect a product like Thesis to provide much value to a programmer or a designer who writes CSS from scratch.  But some people find great value with it.  I recommend it because I know there are people just like me.

Sometimes paying for tools is fine if they provide individual VALUE, and everyone values different things.

Below is my response to criticism often handed out by designers and programmers when they see people using or promoting web tools that make life easier for those of us who don’t care to become certified programmers…

UPDATE: For the record, I don’t let these people get to me.  I made this video to make the point that you don’t have to become a programmer to make a lot of money online.

So in a sense, these critical comments actually gave me inspiration to create this video so I can teach others.  It’s about turning negativity into opportunity and education. 

As your site grows, it’s easy to neglect some of the older content.  So it definitely pays to do an audit every now and then.

I must admit, it’s been a long time since I’ve completed one, and this is the next task on my never-ending To-Do list.

So what exactly is an audit?  To put it simply, it’s a thorough review of your site or blog that checks for the following…

1) Relevance & Accuracy

Are your articles/blog posts still accurate and relevant?  This is especially important if your site is in a niche that is constantly evolving.  Just recently, I found an article on this blog for Blog Rush, and this program was terminated months ago.

2) Monetization Opportunities

Check your older articles to see if there are places to add affiliate links for any programs you may have joined recently. It’s amazing how many opportunities will arise.

3)  Dated Info

As a rule, you should avoid phrasing that can become outdated.  For example, instead of saying “I joined 24 Hour Fitness 3 years ago”, you should say “I joined 24 Hour Fitness in 2006.”

Sometimes such phrasing cannot be helped depending on the article and the point you’re making, but it’s still good to check for outdated information.

4) Broken Links

It’s easy to delete pages and forget you have links to them on other pages.  Also, links to external sites may become broken due to site closures or typos. I use Dreamweaver’s broken link checker, but there are a ton of free broken link tools you can use online.

If you have a Google Sitemap (and you should for all your sites), there is a broken link report within your sitemap summary.

5) Promote Your Online Profiles

As the social media world grows, you’re probably developing quite a few profiles around the Web.  It’s good to remind people how they can stay in touch with you and keep up with your latest content.

I just created this page on 2 Create a Website that displays the many ways you can connect with me online.  I added it to my site’s navigation and linked to it from my Contact page so it’s easy to find. Eventually I will create a page like this for the rest of my sites and blog.

Also, don’t forget to clarify or explain functions that may be confusing. Yes, there are still a lot of people who don’t understand RSS.  Don’t assume they will click and subscribe just because you’ve provided a link.  A quick explanation never hurts.

Speaking of RSS, did you know you can promote your YouTube channel’s RSS feed by using the following format?

http://www.youtube.com/rss/user/YouTubeID/videos.rss

So if you have a channel you want to promote and/or want to subscribe to someone else’s channel via RSS, just use the above link and replace “YouTubeID” with the appropriate YouTube username/ID.

6) Content Re-organization

As you continue to add content, the organization of your pages may need adjusting.  It may have been logical three years ago, but perhaps there’s a better way to structure the content today. Look for ways to simplify and cut down on redundancies.

7)  Cross Promote Your Content

If you have a blog and use WordPress, you probably know that it’s super easy to cross promote your posts.  There are several related post plugins available that will get the job done easily.

However, if you have a static/HTML site, you’ll need to do this manually. Cross promoting your pages can improve your bounce rate (the number of page views per visitor before exit) and prevent older articles from getting buried.

8)  Unwanted Contextual Ads

One disadvantage to using contextual ad programs like Google AdSense is that you may lose track of the ads that show up on your site.  You might find some that are inappropriate, or you may discover ads from direct competitors that you don’t want to show.

Remember you can block domains from displaying ads on your site by logging into your AdSense account, selecting the AdSense Setup tab and clicking on “Competitive Ad Filter.”

—————-

Regular site audits will keep your content fresh, accurate and effectively monetized.  There’s always so much focus on writing new content, but don’t let your older articles get stale.

Remember, not everyone enters your site via your homepage.  So if someone happens to land on an outdated page, it can reflect poorly on your entire site.  First impressions are powerful and lasting.

I was reading, Darren Rowse’s blog, TwiTip.com, and came across an article that struck a chord with me. It was written by Skellie of Skelliewag.org.

The article is called How to Follow Everyone Back on Twitter Without Ruining Your Experience.

Skellie suggested that you follow everyone who follows you in order to grow your number of followers.  She admitted that once she began “returning the follow”, her follower rate increased.

Then she goes on to explain how you can use various tools like TweetDeck (which I love!) to group/filter the people you’re following.  In other words, put the people you are REALLY interested in in one group and the “others” in another group.

I interpreted that “other” group as people you really don’t care as much about, but you are mainly following them because they followed you.

Now, in Skellie’s defense, she DID mention that you will get the opportunity to meet new and interesting people with this approach, so she wasn’t just saying to use this technique for the sake of growing your followers.

But if I’m just going to filter most of them out into the “other” group with TweetDeck, what’s the point of following them if I probably won’t read most of their tweets anyway?  Over time, that “other” group could get massive!

Now, maybe some people who use this “follow all” strategy actually do read most of the tweets and if that’s the case, that’s great (and amazing). It just doesn’t seem very useful to follow hundreds or even thousands of people whose tweets may not interest me.

Of course, I understand the importance and advantages of having a large following, but it just seems a bit disingenuous to follow people I’m going to basically filter (ignore) to potentially boost my own following.

I’ve read about a lot of people doing this (not just Skellie). I guess everyone has their own Twitter habits and tolerance. (Mine must be pretty low.)

I am just not interested in following an obscene number of people with the main goal to boost my own follower count.  Also, I hope that people follow me because they value my tweets instead of just hoping I’ll follow them in return.

Actually, I turned off the “new follower email notification” that Twitter sends out because the emails were clogging up my inbox.  The downside to doing that is I could be missing out on interesting people to follow.  (Not to mention I didn’t even know my mom was following me! Oops.) 

So I may turn that notification back on to stay in the loop and return more follows to people who tweet about things that interest me.  But as far as Skellie’s “return all follow” strategy goes, I doubt I’ll be using it.

What do you think?  Do you return all follows?

I was having an e-versation with a woman the other day who was concerned about starting with affiliate marketing because she heard that it’s oversaturated.

When I hear people make statements like this, I wonder where or who they are getting advice from. Often times it’s from people who have tried and failed so they are quick to stamp the “It doesn’t work” label on it.

You have to be careful about who you get advice from.  Yes, there are many saturated topics, but I believe there is plenty of room in affiliate marketing for those who are creative, hard-working and innovative. Watch my video below…