How to Build an Online Presence Google Will Love!

Again, something I found on the Internet that I thought would be helpful to you!  Lilliet

                                                

With all the changes to Google many Internet gurus have predicted the end of SEO. Well, it's not the end per se, but rather a change from the way we used to market online. The reason Google is making these changes (also known as Penguin and Panda) is to help with authentic search. For years, many of us struggled to battle the black hat Internet marketing people who always seemed to find a way to push their project up in the ranking by using tricks to game the system in their favor. Now this time has passed. It doesn't mean that these marketing people aren't still up to their dirty tricks, but it does mean that the playing field has been leveled and it's becoming harder and harder to "rig" Google in your favor.

Why does this matter to you? Because you want to know how to prevent your site from getting hit by a Google update. If it does it could mean that you rarely, if ever, come up high in search results. Or, you could be banished to page 54 on a Google search and I can almost guarantee you, few people will ever dig through search results past page three. If you're that far back you'll never get noticed or, for that matter, get traffic.

Keywords Still Matter
The things that haven't changed with Google are keywords and backlinks. Both of these are still important though Google is becoming more intuitive, so if you're searching for keywords you may also want to search on a variety of terms for one keyword. As an example, the term "mobile phone" is also cell phone, iPhone, Droid, etc. Google is using a much more human touch to searches and they know that users don't always pop the exact keywords into a Google search. They'll pop in the keywords they are accustomed to using. When you're creating your keyword list, it's not a bad idea to expand the list to include this user terminology.

Content, Content, Content
The next piece of this new SEO world is content. You hear it all the time -- in fact some may think that this piece of website optimization has been a bit belabored. We know that we need to create helpful, unique, insightful content but more often than not, we just don't know how. Or we create a few posts and think, "This is great!" then the idea well runs dry.
Let's face it, when you have to generate content it's often not an easy process. Additionally, we all have other things to do like run a business, write the next book, or just have a life. The payoff however, is huge. Consider this: you wouldn't want to share anything that wasn't helpful, right? Why would you expect your readers to be any different? So incentivize your readers by offering them content they can't wait to share. This will really help to beef up the backlinks to your website. Here are a few ideas to help you generate content:

• Ubersuggest.org: This site is great. Just plug in your keyword and it'll come up with all sorts of topics you can write about. When I plugged in book and marketing, I got about fifty new ideas for article titles, blog topics, or tweets. Often we just need the idea to spark us and this site will really help you do that. Additionally, the whole concept behind Ubersuggest is to give you insight into searches so if you're writing blog posts that key into things that are getting high searches, you'll end up increasing your traffic dramatically. When you see the topic suggestion on Ubersuggest, you don't have to copy it verbatim but you should have the keywords in the title of your blog post and use them (sparingly)throughout the post, too.
• Google Alerts: Perhaps an oldie but goodie. Keep track of trends in your market and write about them. For example when Google Alerts popped up an alert about Penny Marshall's book only selling 7,000 copies (she was paid an advance of $800,000), I decided to write about it.


• Twitter: Here's a great tool I have used to generate content ideas. Go to Twitter's search bar and type in "how" + your keyword, or question and keyword, or why and your keyword. Any of these terms will generate a list of tweets that may help spark some ideas.


• FAQ's: If you get any kind of reader or client feedback, listen to what they are asking. This is a great way to generate ideas that will matter to your end-user. Client feedback, questions asked at the end of a presentation, or emails you get from buyers or potential buyers offer great insights into what their needs are and what you should consider writing about.

Social Media as a Defense Against Google Updates

Another great way to prevent your site from getting hit with a Google update is by pushing your content on social networks. This is a great place to build natural backlinks to your website and "social search" is getting to be a big topic these days. Google tracks links shared on Facebook, Twitter and others. So, in order to gain the benefits from these links be sure and push your marketing to the two top social media sites, meaning Twitter and Facebook. Next, you'll want to be sure and tie your blog into these accounts so that each time you update your blog, you'll be sharing this via social media.
The next piece is the elephant in the room, namely Google+. Though it's seen most of its users from the technology sector, I've seen numerous articles that cite that a solid presence on Google+ helps with search so keep that page updated. Generally I'll get on there once a day on my personal page; our company page is updated more frequently. Also adding a +1 to your website is getting to be a pretty big deal. Having someone +1 your post or blog entry can help increase its visibility in search.
Ideally the traffic to your site should come from both Google searches and social media, though a good balance would be an equal 50/50 split between the two. While getting search traffic is great, you don't want that to be your sole traffic generator. In an age of Google updates (a la Penguin and Panda) you want to reduce your dependence on search-only traffic. Don't believe me? When Google did their Panda update some sites, like quotes and song lyrics sites, lost 94 percent of their traffic because they were solely dependent on search traffic for their exposure.

SEO Tips for your Website
Finally, there are a few things you can do to your site to help beef up the searchability.

1. Title tags are always a great bet and often overlooked. Considering they carry some key SEO value, it's amazing how often title tags are forgotten. Title tags tell search engines what your site is about. I recommend using keywords here or relevant phrases. Not sure where your title tags are? If you're looking at a website, it's the top line, above the search bar. That's where title tags come in. Most websites say "home" or something which isn't helpful at all when it comes to search. Also, each page on your site should have a different title tag that represents that page. Title tags should be kept to 66 characters or less. To separate out multiple key word phrases, use a "-" dash.
2. Though I always encourage people to use keywords on their site, keep in mind that Google is now really cracking down on things like keyword-stuffing (where a keyword or phrase is used over and over again to rig ranking). So write for your user, not for Google.


3. Duplicate content: It's always been frowned upon, but now it can kill your search ranking, too. What this means is that you'll want to avoid duplicating content on your website, meaning using an About You page in different places, or replicating blog posts on other pages of your site, reusing content from a press release that's elsewhere on your website, etc.


4. Anchor text: When linking to other internal pages on your website, use anchor text (keywords) instead of just "Click here" or something like that, it'll help you get more keyword buzz.


5. When linking into your site, try to not always link to the home page. It's helpful to link to internal pages on your website. For example, when you're linking to blog posts, or items in your media room, etc. you should use internal pages. When you link to these internal pages, try hyperlinking using keywords; again this is called anchor text because you're essentially anchoring your URL via keywords and sending folks back to your website.


6. Images on your blog: These days we rarely put up a blog post without images. Just be sure that you name the image using keywords.


7. Images on your website: Each of the images on your website should be named. This is called Alt text. Using terms like 00006YT.jpg which is often how images are named by your computer (just a string of random numbers) will not help you in search. If you're not sure if the images on your site have Alt text call it up in Firefox or Chrome. Right click over the image and go to "Inspect Element" generally if there's ALT text it will say ALT= and this indicates ALT text. If you don't have it, make sure to take note of all images on your website and ask your web designer to add these.

It's a new age of SEO and what Google is doing is a really good thing. We all want to be able to find the things we need in search. The rules have changed, and knowing how to play by them will get you a site that's not only ranking, but is Panda and Penguin-proof.

                                           

Posted: 11/07/2012 2:49 pm  
Google , Google Plus , Google Plus Social Network , Search Engine Optimization , Seo , Small Business , Small Business Marketing , Website-Rank-Seo , Technology News   

 

This Blogger's Books from

Red Hot Internet Publicity: An Insider's Guide to Marketing Online (Volume 1)
by Penny C Sansevieri

How To Sell Your Books By The Truckload On Amazon.com
by Penny C. Sansevieri

 

 

Follow Penny C. Sansevieri on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bookgal

                                                                                                                                         

 

 

WRITING TIPS FOR CHRISTIAN FICTION AUTHORS.

 

A Christian author has a message to tell that's greater than any man-made story line.  There should be a greater purpose to what we pen, as our responsibility is to not merely entertain as secular authors do, but to proclaim the "good news" through writing, in this case fiction.

 

*****

If you are dipping your toes into the sometimes-tumultuous waters of fiction writing for the first time, you might be feeling a bit daunted right now. But there are certain rules and guidelines to follow that can help you keep your writing both focused and engaging (and, therefore, more publishable). Here are our top eight guidelines for beginning fiction writers:

Know your audience. Beginners sometimes want to appeal to the widest audience possible and so try to write for everyone. As a result, they let their work run off in too many directions and end up with a muddled mess of a story. But you can’t please everyone—a story that appeals to city-dwelling twenty-somethings won’t necessarily catch the fancy of a middle-aged man from the suburbs. Once you accept that, you can focus all of your energy on writing for the readers who will appreciate your hard work that much more.

Here’s a tip: Once you’ve decided who your audience is (specific gender, age group, etc.), reread your story with that audience in mind to make sure your focus is consistent. Remove any elements that could potentially cause any friction (unless that’s your goal!).

Know your genre. This goes hand in hand with knowing your audience. There are key elements that fans of certain genres will expect to find when they start reading your work. More often than not, genres can be divided further into subgenres that accommodate very specific motivations and plotlines. Keep it consistent. It is possible to write a successful cross-genre story, but you don’t want to mix it up too much. A supernatural romantic thriller, for example, could end up alienating fans of all three genres.

Create real characters. Make your characters human—give them nervous tics, phobias, a funny way of messing up clichés. Some of the most memorable stories have three-dimensional characters that readers can feel strongly about in some way. For example: A heroine who has to overcome her deep-seated fears before she can get what she wants is much more appealing than one who just breezes through without struggle. The former’s conflict is relatable (who isn’t held back by their fears?), therefore her victory will be that much more satisfying.
The same logic applies to antagonists. Why do we love to hate Othello’s Iago? Because his actions come from emotions we all know we’re capable of feeling: jealousy, insecurity, etc.

Just like you, characters should evolve over time. Everything that happens in your story affects them in some way. The changes to their progress (or lack thereof) can be significant or minute, but they must occur. Place your character in situations that force him or her to make difficult choices, mistakes, etc. You can decide whether the character should make the “right” or “wrong” decisions, but any character not evolving on some level is static and that will take away from your story’s momentum.

Show, don’t tell. Beginners often make the mistake of explaining what is happening instead of simply showing the reader. Think of it as the difference between watching a movie and having a friend describe a movie to you.
Rather than having the narrator mention that one character spent the night in jail for egging a neighbor’s car, give the reader the play-by-play of the character laughing gleefully while throwing the eggs (underhand, of course, because they were on the bowling team). Then show them crying to the point of hiccups when the cops slap on the handcuffs. This will paint a much more vivid picture for your readers and, therefore, make the story more enjoyable.
Want to take it one step further? Include a scene showing the neighbor using the character’s mailbox for batting practice—that gives your egg-throwing hero motivation, which adds to what we talked about in Rule #3.

Stick to the main plot. Beginners often get caught up in subplots they find interesting, but don’t serve to propel the characters forward in any real way. Your story isn’t a well-cast ensemble sitcom. Focus diligently on one main plotline, and if you do decide to add subplot elements to your story, make sure they relate to the main story and help propel your character to his or her inevitable end.

Let your scenes play out. Don’t cheat your readers by trying to wrap up every scene too quickly. Events in real life don’t often end neatly; chances are neither will events in your story. Instead, let the falling action of each scene sow the seeds of the following scene’s rising action. Propel your audience through to the next plot point—make them want to keep reading.
If you are going for suspense, cliffhangers are a plus. But there is a big difference between a cliffhanger and an abrupt, unnatural close, so make your choices carefully.

Learn the art of conflict. Creating a powerful conflict and weaving it tightly throughout the story is a tricky thing to master, and can take years of practice. The catharsis that a reader will experience at the resolution, however, is worth the struggle. Conflict is what makes us interested in outcome. And your conflict must affect your characters in a way that forces them to act and grow as a result. A story with a weak conflict that leaves the characters exactly as they were at the start won’t be satisfying; your story won’t make a lasting impression.
Here’s a tip: The best way to learn how to write conflict is by reading it. The next time you’re reading a short story or novel, take note of how the author presents the main conflict and the specific ways in which the characters react to it.

Revise your story. Revising is an important part of any writer’s process, but there is much debate as to the best approach. Some writers like to finish the whole piece before starting any major rewrites. Only when the work is completed are they able to assess the story as a whole and recognize its flaws. Others prefer to rewrite as they write, finding it easier to tighten the laces as they go. A revision early in the story can clear the path for engaging plot points down the line that wouldn’t have been possible had things been written differently. Try both methods so you can feel out which one works best for you.

Read more at Writer's Relief

Related on HuffPost:

MAKING GOD PROUD.

Have you been working hard on your manuscript?  Have you gone over it numerous times to get it just right?  Does it reveal the message you wanted to get out?  Does it reflect the glory of God working through and in you?

When we work hard at creating something, we feel a sense of satisfaction over completing our given task.

God enjoys creating things too. He especially enjoys creating miraculous works in His people. When our full desire is to please Him with all we do, our work will bring Him glory. When we see ourselves as God's servant, given the privilege of acquainting others to God through our writing, we honor our Lord.

God is the ultimate Creator. He creates a good work in us when we submit to His workmanship. He is gifted, talented, all-knowing and wise. Humble yourself and ask God for His wisdom. This will keep your work going in the right direction -- to glorify your God.

YOUR CONSTANT COMPANION.

I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed — you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people and, alas, of all failures, as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin — if makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am habit!

 

- Author Unknown

Good or bad habits are formed in as little as 21 days.  You determine your habits, not others.  If you want to be a Christian writer who influences others positively, then start by developing Godly habits that propel you to fulfill your dream. 

The book of Proverbs is an excellent place to start your journey of making good habits. Start by examining  what Solomon had to say about wise and unwise living.  Solomon asked God for wisdom, and God was so pleased with his request, that He gave him more wisdom than any man before or since.

The book of Proverbs is God's gift to us.  With wisdom you will not only develop better habits, but  you'll discover what you should be leaving behind.  Surrender to God and ask Him to help you "let go." Experience the freedom that He offers. You'll never see the fulfillment of your dreams without the positive habits that will carry and keep you in that place God has called you.

HOW TO AVOID BAD WRITING.

Here's another resource that adds value:  Lilliet

Here are some tips on avoiding the pitfalls of bad writing:

1. Be Fresh

 The purpose of metaphor and simile is to evoke recognition by comparison or allusion. Write these analogies to aid your readers with your clarity of vision, not to serve your ego, and avoid clichés.

2. Be Clear

 When drafting expository fiction or nonfiction, record your voice as you spontaneously describe a scene or explain a procedure, transcribe your comments, and base your writing on the transcription, revising only to select more vivid verbs and more precise nouns and to seek moderation in adverbs and adjectives.

3. Be Active

 Use the passive voice judiciously.

4. Be Concise
Write tight.

5. Be Thorough
Accept that writing is the easy part; it’s the revision that makes or breaks your project — and requires most of your effort.

Related Articles

Vivid Language Paints a Picture
Write To Be Scanned
Voice: An Opportunity to Scream without Opening Your Mouth

From: www. dailywritingtips.com

Publishing "How-to" for the Non-Fiction Christian Book Author

I came across this while doing some research and decided to share it with you because it has a wealth of knowledge for every aspiring Christian author.

Enjoy and learn! Lilliet

 

 

Publishing a Christian Non-Fiction Book

Buffy Naillon, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Apr 9, 2010 "Share your voice on Yahoo!"

The Christian publishing market presents Christian writers with a large sub-niche in major publishing for which to write. The Christian book market represents a multimillion dollar chunk of the publishing industry with both Christian and non-Christian bookstores selling religious books. Additionally, the Bible provides a wealth of information to draw upon for book themes and to support your research. The aspiring Christian writer will never run out of inspiring themes about which she can write.

Getting the Ideas Down on Paper
Brainstorming for ideas is one of the best ways to help you to select a theme for your book. Let's say that you are interested in what the Bible says about friendship. You might select different Bible verses and stories about friendship. Take notes about your findings as you go; these ideas become the beginnings of your research. If you are really stuck for a theme, you might also consider asking your friends, family members and members of the clergy their thoughts on the subject to get the process going for you. Ask them what verses they like, ask them their perspectives on the subject at hand and use them for quotes in your book-with their permission, of course. Additionally, people can become the basis of a mailing list, which is important for the marketing aspect of your book. Using email to contact them is the most expedient, but you can try phone or a return mailer, too.

What are the Book's Themes?
Once, you've selected a theme for your book, you can start looking for Bible verses and stories that support your book's theme. If you've participated in Bible studies over the course of time, it's likely that you know a number of them already, but if not, helpful resources exist to help you locate them faster. All of this experience should help you to develop a Bible study based upon your research. To help you write your Bible study portions, you may find it helpful to read other Bible studies that have been written.

Getting Started Writing
Many writers find the challenge of writing begins with the blank page, so help yourself out by bypassing that; make an outline of your book once you have all your material, interviews, Bible study materials and quotes compiled. The act of making an outline helps you clarify your thoughts and see what might be missing in your information. Once you've done this, you'll be more prepared to write a rough draft following the outline of your book. In this stage, don't worry about making mistakes in your writing, just get the words on the page.

Revising your Rough Drafts
Once the draft is complete, let it sit for awhile so that you can look at it with fresh eyes. Once your eyes and your mind have had a chance to rest from your writing, go back and revise and redraft your manuscript. The simplest way to do this is to print out the book and read it page by page, making correction notes. Writers sometimes tend to correct as they go, but this isn't always the best practice. It's helpful to know what you originally wrote down in case you need to go back again to recapture a thought that was lost in the editing process, but you realize that you don't want left out. Additionally, you may find it additionally helpful to have a friend read the outline to determine if the material is understandable.

Final Thoughts on Traditional and Self-Publishing
Finally, you're going to want to decide how you're going to sell your book, whether by self-publishing or via a publishing house. Each has its advantages, but self-publishing requires that you do more of you own marketing and foot all the costs. However, going with a publishing house demands that you give up some of the control of your book. Regardless of the route that you take, you should develop a marketing plan. If you self-publish, you'll know the next step. If you go with a publishing house, you'll have a bit of clout coming into the book selling process, because you're giving the company a leg up in terms of making sure your book gets sold. In either case, this is where mailing lists, social media sites and passing out business cards comes into play. Below are some links to some helpful sites to help you market your non-fiction Christian book.

 
Moira Allen, Selling Your Non-Fiction Book, Part 1, Publishing World
April Wilson, How to Publish a Christian Non-Fiction Book, eHow
Jesus Journal, Tips for Christian Writers, Jesus Journal

BE ORIGINAL IN YOUR WRITING AS A CHRISTIAN AUTHOR.

During your learning process you will  be looking at what others write and searching the Internet for help on writing. While research is necessary, you will become plagued with doubt if you look too closely at others or the success they've achieved. 

The vast majority of books on writing and book marketing are written by non-Christians. While I have received excellent advice with straightforward information in "how-to" books, they aren't written from a faith based viewpoint. They don't bring God glory because He's not part of the success equation for them.

You'll be tempted to work harder then necessary if you don't remember that with God, success takes time, as He's more concerned with perfecting you  - then your writing.

As a Christian author, you write because you believe God has given you a message to share with others. Certainly, you want to improve your writing skills and become the best writer you can be. But try to avoid the trap of comparing yourself to others, as this will take away from what God has called you to do.

In other words:

BE ORIGINAL.

Always use your own words. Say what you believe God wants you to convey to others. Don't worry about whether it is as popular as what many "successful" Christian authors are writing. Don't just jump on the bandwagon because you want to jump start your writing career.  Much of what is written today is extremely light in content and lacks real spiritual substance. Dare to let God mature you into the person He has in mind, and you won't be writing stuff that years down the road may embarrass you.

BE YOURSELF.

After writing awhile, you'll discover your own rhythm, your own writing style and voice. Even in non-fiction writing you will have developed your voice. Let yourself explore different writing styles and learn from them, but eventually, with time, you'll fall into a writing style that will be all your own. That's when you'll be comfortable being who God made you to be and that confidence will be reflected in your writing.