Let me ask you…
Tue, Jun 3, 2008
Well this morning was interesting to say the least. I awoke to a whole new round of visitors, a butt load of traffic from who knows where, and numerous things that need my attention both planned and un-planned. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed if I’m being honest here so read through this and tell me what you think I should do. Bloggers block sucks, and it’s not writing that I’ve got trouble with. It’s all the little extras. Anyway, in the spirit of sharing what I learn about blogging, I wanted to do a reversal Q&A session.
Since your collective minds, are much brighter than mine alone, it makes sense to ask… What would you do?
The origin of PB… just so you know.
I started this blog sort of on accident. Cassey bought me this domain as a joke, and one day by accident wrote a comment on another blog using “Piss Biscuit”… I got nailed with compliments on what a cool and off the wall name it was. So like anyone would have done a light bulb went off and blog was born. The day, was May 28, 2008 that I decided to actually get my theme tweaks finished, and start posting. Yep, just the other day.
I had for months been trying to build a blog that was fitting of my personality… and after a number of attempts, nothing. I guess you could say nothing was gained except the knowledge of what not to do. I’m giving you a history because I want all of you to know that this was never meant to be some sort of “make Money Online” blog. It was never meant to be a website that teaches folks how to become rich. It simply was a blog about my thoughts and in some cases, my professional opinion. Of course I hope people find what I say interesting and useful, but in know way do I want to be the next ProBlogger or John “Chizzle” (that’s his gangsta name… LOL!).
What should I optimize this blog for?
AP, Justin, Bryan, Grizz, Zania, and a handful of others have made it quite clear that some great discussion is going on around here. I agree 110%. Justin directly pointed out that Google was probably loving all the chatter around these parts and giving the blog some “googly-points” which naturally got me excited.
Great right? but then it hit me. I don’t have the all in one SEO pack plugged in, I haven’t optimized anything at all besides the permalinks! I haven’t used anchored keywords, direction indexing or any of that other SEO stuff to help increase PB’s popularity. So my first question to you is.
What should I be telling Google PB is all about? My title says “The Piss Biscuit | A Little About Alot” and I just don’t think it’s fitting to make best use of such an important part of the blog.
So there is my very first dilemma. I know one thing that dissapoints me about OMG is wathcing the rise and or fall… Since we can’t manage to get that… I guess we can just do it here… Minus the focus on making money part of course. If it happens it happens, but I’m not chasing financial freedom at this point.
Advertise or not to advertise?
As you all have already noticed, I’ve got some advertising here. Three of them work, and one goes nowhere. The ads up there are all websites of people I know, and none of them are paid… I like sharing my traffic with friends. That said, I had two e-mails this morning from some folks who want to pay top advertise on… and I quote… “such a really cool place”… and the crowd roars!!! LOL… Okay so there is no roaring crowd, but there are two fellas who wanna advertise… question is, do I do it?
I know most of you are going to say why the hell not… you must be drunk! The fact is like I’ve already said this isn’t a make money online blog and that wasn’t my intent. I wanted it to be a daily stop for bloggers to vent a little steam, get a laugh or just cry themselves to sleep after a good argument. I want to try and keep if fun and interesting and avoid dragging my attention away from hanging out with all of you.
Top commenter plugin?
As suggested by “Blogs for Beginners” on my “What’s ahead on the biscuit” post I’ve thought about the “Top Commenter” plugin… what do you think? Is it something you guys would appreciate. I hate those blog community widgets that look like iphones so please don’t suggest that one. But do you think having a top commenter area would inspire even more participation?
How to attract more readers?
I’m not talking about SEO or, advertising… I’m talking about organic and linkback visitors. Magnus and Adii have for example have added this blog to their “showcase”. It’s been one of the most active links I’ve got out there and I’m so very appreciative… however, the conversion rates are a bit off according to what I think they should be. I know that people coming from a link like that are really only coming to check out the theme, but heck, they are theme shopping… that means they either already blog, or want to blog… both are the perfect visitor for PB. So my final question is, how do you think I should attract more visitors to sticking around. If they click on the “Piss Biscuit” link, I want them to stick around a while… not just hightail it out a here. How would you do this?
Closing arguments…
I built this blog on my personality. I write how I feel. I teach what I know. I’ve met some really cool people, made a few friends… and even earned a few beers in this amazingly short time.
The big guys out there are so busy with their poop flinging and money making antics that they really are no fun and every secret they reveal is only a secret if it mans more affiliate click through dollars. Tainted information in my book.
To me, there is nothing to learn and nothing to teach when I read “Shoemoney’s Q &A Rounds” and see answers like… I will not disclose… I will not answer that… I’ve got another project earning me $140,000 a month, but I ain’t telling you anything more about it… I mean get fricken real dudes!!! The big guys are hiding things from the very people that made them who and what they are today… I am not that guy and never will be. Yes, Some things will have to remain private… but in genreal I want this to be a fun place. A different place. So can you guys give me a hand and let me know what you would do.
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
PB – You always seem to post just as I have returned home from work and it is a joy to sit down take 10 mins to read through your new posts and follow some of the superb comments that you have built up on your newly established blog. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, what you have here is incredibly exciting because it is something new. Your branding is great, the name an all time classic and your writing style fluid, funny and always a quality read.
In answer to your questions, I think if you re-read this post yourself you’ll find that you already have a pretty damn good focus and I think you should stick to your instincts. With all the MMO blogs out there re-hashing the same old info it makes a really nice change to visit piss biscuit. There is something for everyone here and whether you come to look at themes or learn something about web design, whether you come like I did because the name intrigues..the point is that people will enjoy your site.
“The fact is like I’ve already said this isn’t a make money online blog and that wasn’t my intent. I wanted it to be a daily stop for bloggers to vent a little steam, get a laugh or just cry themselves to sleep after a good argument. I want to try and keep if fun and interesting and avoid dragging my attention away from hanging out with all of you.” Says all it needs to say right there.
As far adverts, widgets and plugins just keep it simple. Don’t let all that get way of why people come here. Sure you are going to advertise at some point but don’t fall in to the trap like most poeple do of just putting up any old crap. Don’t sell out for the sake of it.
You seem to have a good game plan and my advice is this….keep doing what you are doing!
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I agree 110% with AP. I think I spend more time here than my own blog, which is concerning to say the least. The brandability of the name is spectacular, and the blog is getting a great amount of interaction at the early stages, which is all you can hope for.
I’m not going to write a huge post here telling you to do this and that, when it’s really quite simple. Experiment. Test one method, then another, then another and document your results. It’s quite easy to tell what is working and what’s not. The biggest mistake you can make as a blogger is becoming stagnant. So, keep toying around, and keep up the early success.
If it were me, instead of becoming a MMO blog, as you obviously don’t want… I’d turn it into a blogging soapbox. Talk about what you read. You are fantastic at providing commentary, and your opinions on certain situations… run with it.
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
AP: You’re awesome dude! I appreciate ALL the killer comments you put up. I feel the same way about the widgets n’ stuff, so I’ll look into it a bit further before making my call.
Ohh, I forgot to mention too… I still haven’t been able to decide if I want to use the featured post scroller at the top either. I’m kinda liking the layout like it is. It keeps enough of the fresh topics right in your face. I hate digging around for stuff.
So what do you think the blog’s title should be? Keep it? I’d kinda like to here from Justin on the subject matter too… he’s got his SEO act together!
Tomorrow I’m going to do something really fun, I’d do it today, but I don’t want to “overpost”.
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:12 pm
@ Bryan: Again, bravo with another awesome and very supporting comment! It means the world to me. I’m glad that you like the name and branding… I really wanted something different and coming from you, I’m quite confident in it.
I love the “soapbox” idea! I can see it now in big lights… The Piss Biscuit | A blogger’s soapbox!
As for spending more time here… send me a 125 X 125 banner… I’ll try and help make it worth your while
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
@ PB – Yeah, I think Justin is the go to man on the titles and seo. Like Bryan I think I spend more time here than my own and could do with help in that department too. Looking forward to tomorrow!
@ Bryan – The soapbox idea rocks! Good thinking
You got anything coming on your site today????
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
@ AP & Bryan: I’m not really sure how it is supposed to work, but if you guys are interested in some sort of guest posting thing… you can always write some off the cuff stuff piss biscuit style. That would let you guys play here and yet still be productive… LOL… might even give me a break to do some office work… I don’t want to lose my cushy job yet!
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
haha… I might take you up on that when I have some off-the-cuff stuff to post!
AP – I’ve got a video post that’ll be on the site shortly. It’s something that’s going to make you guys a TON of cash… just waiting on it to upload to youtube and revver.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:34 am
First thing first, thank you for even mentioning about me suggesting the use of top commentators. It’s not a novel idea though, I just thought that you are and I believe you will always be, a great commentator yourself and pretty good at evoking more comments from the like of Brian, Grizz, AP and the rest of great people who joined the OMG debate. It’s sort of rewarding those people who join you in the dialog.
Anyway, your site is always the first one I would check on my RSS reader each morning each day since I came to know you. Sort of asking myself what’s the new biscuit for the breakfast. My point is, if I may borrow it from AP, ‘keep doing what you are doing!’ You are already great at making people stick around at the first hello.
If I were to suggest, without a doubt ‘A Blogger’s Soapbox’ is a fantastic and unique branding (don’t take that away) but from the SEO standpoint, are you sure that’s going to your main keyword? Perhaps, Justin could provide you with a better analysis on that.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:48 am
@ Yan: Thanks for the killer compliments. I’m glad I’m not the only one drinking coffee and reading PB first thing in the morning! I know that the top comment plugin wasn’t new, but it’s something I wasn’t all to sure about using. The funny thing is, it’s just something I was hesitant about… and I really don’t know why.
As for the blogger’s soapbox… I love it. But I totally agree that it may not be the very BEST for SEO… I can’t imagine people would be searching for “A bloggers Soapbox”… non the less, it’s been changed for now and until someone like Justin comes up with another solution that I like just as much… I think it’ll stay like this for now.
It’s almost 1:00 a.m. my time right now, so come morning, I’m going to be doing something special that I’ll need everyones help with. So make sure you revisit in a few hours if ya can! And hey, thanks for another great comment.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:48 am
PB, one of your newest post “I’ll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours! happens to land on my reader. But it’s nowhere to be seen here. You have a change of mind, haven’t you?
June 4th, 2008 at 1:04 am
No not actually… LOL! I posted it early and I didn’t realize it before I left the office! Don’t worry, I’ll have it back up in a jiffy!
June 4th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Okay, it’s back up! Sorry Yan!
June 4th, 2008 at 1:39 am
No worry. I just thought it was a post reserved for your RSS readers only. Till I see the 404 page.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hi PB,
I’m glad you are sharing your thoughts about the title you want to give your blog, because, when I linked to you, I wasn’t sure exactly what to put in the “title” text, so I put what you had there at the time – ‘a little about a lot’. I wondered at the time if this was the best way I should be linking to you, in SEO terms, but as I was in the middle of writing the post anyway, I just left it at that.
A blogger’s soapbox sounds better – not perfect SEO I’ll agree, but it does fit the emphasis of your blog very well. I just wonder about the apostrophe in the title though – it could get screwed up in some readers…
Just my two cents
June 4th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Hi Zania: I love the soapbox… just need to figure out how and what to optimize the site under. I could use, the ” / ” to remove the funky characters in “blogger’s” but it kind makes other stuff look funky too. At this point, I’m focused on making getting the blog setup… then I’ll work on feeds, social profiles and what not.
I’m always open to thoughts and suggestions so please by all means, let me know any time you think of something. You’re awesome!