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cjwntrsm
Joined: 26 Sep 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Southern California
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 Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:19 pm Post subject: Request for Help, Advice -- Confused Newbie |
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Hi Rosalind and moderators,
This is Chris from Southern Calif. again. I had posted a long convoluted thing in Newbie Corner in which I was trying to communicate too much about my concerns in ways to approach a site -- sorry! I'll try again here. Thanks so much, everyone.
My problem is that I don't know which of many approaches to take in getting something made which will be small (at first), as simple as possible, yet hopefully get a little traffic for affiliate marketing. I'll try to keep this shorter and will try to separate my thoughts:
1) I'm wondering if a Squidoo Lens, even just by itself (not necessarily linking to a main site), could be a good way to have an article that reviews a merchant website, and then link to the merchant. Probably this wouldn't be much but would have content, would be keyword optimized.
2) I have content and lots of ideas to make some small sites, and all content is certainly related (some topics more than others). I'm not sure though, if the themeing is tight enough for a "static blog" approach, sometimes called a silo. Question: assuming building in Wordpress, can you have a small static site (with or without a blog attached) layout anyway WITHOUT such tight topic themeing as I see in examples of niche sites? Sorry, not sure if I'm expressing this right.
3) If it turns out that a strict "silo" niche site approach (not sure what to call it) is NOT the way to go, could I still possibly have a small WP site with some pages static but with a blog attached? And would such a site serve as a foundation to make an "authority site" as the blog part of it keeps growing with categories and posts?
4) Also, could an authority site be mainly a WP blog (categories and posts) without many static pages. If so, I'm not sure what the benefit of a "static blogging" niche site (in WP) is if someone doesn't have topics that lend themselves to a tight silo page structure in the first place?
5) Could some of the things I envision be accomplished using the new Blinkweb as compared to WP? I'm only thinking of Blinkweb to make it as easy as possible -- I'm truly a dummy!
As you can tell, I'm all over the place in my thinking. Yes I want to learn to build something good, hence the long term authority site inclination. Yet there is also urgency to get SOMETHING out there small, immediately, to hopefully get some kind of simple small cash flow started if possible. So I'm also thinking of Squidoo, Blinkweb, etc. it doesn't have to be either-or, I just want some sense of direction.
If you could please give an answer, any kind of advice, just so I can start "giving myself permission" to move forward in some manner, I'd appreciate it very much.
Chris |
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cjwntrsm
Joined: 26 Sep 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject: Request Advice from Jim, Griff, Others -- Confused Newbie |
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Hi again,
I know you guys are really busy, but I would really appreciate a response to my post above from Jim, Griff, other moderators, Ros, members. This is a great forum and I'm anxious to get feedback. There may be no right or wrong way to approach site building, but any opinions or advice on above post would be great. Take care,
Chris |
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Griff Grumbein
Moderator
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 355
Location: Off-Grid
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:10 am Post subject: |
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Hello again, Chris! 
Even the best intended advice often winds up going awry  , therefore I will merely observe and quote. Perhaps the answer you seek may be found within:
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...so I can start "giving myself permission" |
Er...who's in charge?
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...are there any hard and fast rules that dictate... |
Only in TOS (Terms Of Service) agreements, and your own personal values. Putting "yourself" in it is what will make it stand apart and be successful.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...My problem is that I don't know which of many approaches to take in getting something made which will be small (at first), as simple as possible, yet hopefully get a little traffic for affiliate marketing...As you can tell, I'm all over the place in my thinking... |
You are not the first, nor will you be the last to encounter being overwhelmed with options, and feel indecisive about which direction to take. You have recognized this, therefore: FOCUS! At some point, you must decide on a single course of action and follow it through from start to finish. It is the only way to know if something will work for you or not. Better to start and finish one thing, than to start many and finish none. ANY result equals knowledge and experience gained, the latter choice provides nothing but time lost. (A well-aimed rifle hits a farther target faster and better than a well-aimed shotgun.)
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...I’ve done a little preliminary homework and...have a...site set up on WP on Hostgator... |
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...I have content and lots of ideas...and all content is certainly related... |
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | I’m thinking that some sort of small WP growing blog (categories and posts to cover a whole range of related content)... |
This is your (for lack of better words) "General Niche Topic"; your "springboard" to:
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...yet with some Pages which could be static... |
Your "Targeted Sub-Niches" (which can take on any guise you choose; squeeze pages, static or active pages, etc.)
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...I just want some sense of direction... |
IMHO, you have answered many of your own questions in your posts, and have already begun some of the "leg-work". Why slow the momentum? Look how far you are right now as compared to 2 days ago. I reiterate: maintain your focus.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | ...I don’t want to mess this up...I’m looking for extreme "idiot proof"... |
If it has to be perfect, it will never happen.  Every time the world "idiot-proofs" something, it in turn, creates better idiots. 
And now, since you asked for it, (you glutton for punishment, you, heh, heh)!
My advice: RE-READ Rosalind's S.A.H. through focused eyes, and use what will best benefit your current momentum.
*Judges?*
Best Regards, and P2P! 
Griff
p.s. Bold and italics in quotes are mine.
~(G)Q |
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Jim Hutchinson
Moderator
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 573
Location: Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:41 am Post subject: Re: Request for Help, Advice -- Confused Newbie |
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Hi Chris
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | My problem is that I don't know which of many approaches to take in getting something made which will be small (at first), as simple as possible, yet hopefully get a little traffic for affiliate marketing. |
The reason you are so confused is because there are so many ways to approach a new website and online business. The choices you make will be determined by your business model, what you can get done on your own (to begin with) and what you will outsource to someone who has more experience in the areas in which you lack knowledge.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | 1) I'm wondering if a Squidoo Lens, even just by itself (not necessarily linking to a main site), could be a good way to have an article that reviews a merchant website, and then link to the merchant. Probably this wouldn't be much but would have content, would be keyword optimized. |
This could be a good option since Squidoo is a popular site, has many options for building lenses and monetizing them, all without any programming knowledge. It just takes time to learn your way around.
The knowledge base and some lenses dedicated to building better lenses are great resources for learning how to make the best of your site.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | 2) I have content and lots of ideas to make some small sites, and all content is certainly related (some topics more than others). I'm not sure though, if the themeing is tight enough for a "static blog" approach, sometimes called a silo. |
While I have never heard of a static blog being referred to as a silo, you can have multiple blogs, each with a tightly knit theme. You can start with one blog on a broader theme and create categories to narrow the topics into sub-sections. That is the most popular method of building a site around a broad theme.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | Question: assuming building in Wordpress, can you have a small static site (with or without a blog attached) layout anyway WITHOUT such tight topic themeing as I see in examples of niche sites? Sorry, not sure if I'm expressing this right. |
WordPress has the option to build static pages. Once created, a link to them would be on the menu. Each static page would appear to be its own topic. There are plugins available for WordPress that allow you to switch themes depending on the page you want it on. That way the entire site does not have to look the same, even though all the pages are interconnected.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | 3) If it turns out that a strict "silo" niche site approach (not sure what to call it) is NOT the way to go, could I still possibly have a small WP site with some pages static but with a blog attached? |
Yes! That is what WordPress is built for - building static pages in various categories and having the related articles in each one.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | And would such a site serve as a foundation to make an "authority site" as the blog part of it keeps growing with categories and posts? |
Providing the site is focused on a strict topic, it can be an authority site. That site can grow with its sub-topics that are closely related to the primary topic.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | 4) Also, could an authority site be mainly a WP blog (categories and posts) without many static pages. |
An authority site can have strictly articles without static pages. All the articles would be focused on one topic.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | If so, I'm not sure what the benefit of a "static blogging" niche site (in WP) is if someone doesn't have topics that lend themselves to a tight silo page structure in the first place? |
Static pages are used for primary topics. They would be linked on the main menu, such as you see in the red bar at the top of this page. Below that are the sub-topics. In a blog, those would be in the side bar.
Static pages can also be used to rotate on the main page. For example, if you created 3 static pages that were similar, you could rotate them weekly to see which one draws visitors deeper into the site better than the others. In other words, use them for split testing.
[quote="cjwntrsm"]5) Could some of the things I envision be accomplished using the new Blinkweb as compared to WP? I'm only thinking of Blinkweb to make it as easy as possible -- I'm truly a dummy![/qote]
I have no experience with Blinkweb other than going through teir demo, but have experimented a lot with WordPress. Blinkweb can be used for building static sites that include blogs, through the use of point and click, drag and drop for the design. The layouts appear to be very limited.
WordPress is the platform I use for all my blogs. It can be made as easy or complicated as you want with the use or non-use of plugins. Once you know your way around WordPress, you can make it look like a regular website, while still being dynamic.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | As you can tell, I'm all over the place in my thinking. Yes I want to learn to build something good, hence the long term authority site inclination. |
You have a lot of ideas, which all generate questions. Narrowing what you want to accomplish will help you decide which platform to go with, how much flexibility you need and how large you want to build it, will help guide you to the choices.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | Yet there is also urgency to get SOMETHING out there small, immediately, to hopefully get some kind of simple small cash flow started if possible. |
That right there is key: Get your thoughts together, make a solid plan and put something out there. If you later feel a different choice would have been better, change it. At least you will be moving forward.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | So I'm also thinking of Squidoo, Blinkweb, etc. it doesn't have to be either-or, I just want some sense of direction. |
A Squidoo lens would be a good start while you are building your main site. Start by building a page or two there, monetize them, add some promotions to get people there, then start setting up your main site. That way there is the potential for getting some income while you work on your site.
| cjwntrsm wrote: | | If you could please give an answer, any kind of advice, just so I can start "giving myself permission" to move forward in some manner, I'd appreciate it very much. |
It appears that you have a good idea on what you want to accomplish, have some choices to make and are looking for others to back up your decisions.
By doing the research and asking for advice on where to start, you already gave yourself permission to move forward. You just have to decide where to start. I hope these answers, along with those from Griff, you have a direction to follow. |
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cjwntrsm
Joined: 26 Sep 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: Thank You Griff and Jim! |
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Hi, Chris here again,
Wow. I can't begin to thank both of you for taking that time with such great advice and support. Thanks especially for your take on "idiot proofing"! You have both not just dug into all the conflicting directions I've been thinking about, but, more importantly, you've given me the affirmation I needed to hear. I needed to believe in myself that I could do this, and to be able to focus and actually start something. You're incredible, and I thank you so much, Griff and Jim. I'm pretty sure I will start a Squidoo lens, while working on a blogsite at the same time. I'm sure I'll have questions as I move forward, and I will read Rosalind's SAH again.
Thank you so much, all of you. Take care,
Chris |
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Griff Grumbein
Moderator
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 355
Location: Off-Grid
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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You're welcome, Chris,
Glad to know it helped, but you should really thank yourself, too. After all, you took the initiative to start the ball rolling. 
Please keep us posted on your progress as everyone can benefit from your experiences, and never hesitate to "ask & answer".
P2P ,
Griff |
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