Have you ever noticed that when you are focused on something it seems like everyone in the world is? Right now I am upgrading websites that were just 'hovering' in cyberspace until the search engines 'resolved' them. This basically means they actually stopped and took a serious look at the content.
It seems that everyone has been picking my brain lately about content management systems and authors web sites.
So - here is my brief on the world of creating a web image for yourself.
1. Don't make your own. Yes, I made the http://www.enspirenpress.com website, but you'll notice that there are a few hundred dollars of graphics on it, and I had help from a professional.
2. Content management systems are not a good idea for anyone wanting to start a viable Internet business - unless you pay to have the code changed.
Most people think that search engines do not read the template code. They believe search engines (to be accurate - crawlers or spiders) skip the template and go to the content ... wrong.
CMS, content management systems are a great idea. The problems is that the web templates are on every single site that uses the CMS. In some cases the template has so much code that the crawler never reaches the content before tagging the website as a duplicate and leaving.
There is a solution. Pay someone to change the code enough that the crawlers do not recognize it. This can be as simple as changing some table sizes, image names, meta information. Even changing the line 'powered by mambo' to 'this site is powered by the software program mambo' is enough to make the crawler slow down and take a second look.
3. Do not use free templates - for the same reason. They appear in hundreds of websites. Unless you can learn how to change enough of the code to make the template look different to the crawler, then free templates are not a good idea.
This is why it is worth buying a $50 template, or signing up for one of the services that let you download all the templates you want for $50. You do not need a $200 or $1500 template to make a good impression. All you need is something crisp, and clean code.
With Web 2.0 coming out, you can buy a optimized template - but they are very plain. We made our own at http://www.inspiredauthor.com. We made our own because we have the ability to make the template change through the site, so crawlers keep seeing different links, link bars, and even graphic names.
If you want to get tons of hits - get a Web 2.0 template
Avoid flash and swish web templates Maybe when Vista is the most popular operating system, the average computer can view these sites without crashing, but currently - too many people have trouble.
Most people have not even downloaded the new javascript - if you are one then go do it now at www.java.com - it will take a while, but your browsers will work better.
Next I am going to discuss the benefits of content management systems and I am going to help all the frustrated Wordpress users solve some of their problems.
My 'teaching blog' for people who want a 'real' freelance writing career.
Novel Writer Magazine
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