WP Htaccess Control Wordpress Plugin

A reader asked me the other day what Wordpress plugin I use for htaccess control. I emailed back that I really have not ever used a plugin for that and that I usually do it manually. The more I thought about, the more useful I thought it might be for those that do not have that much experience working with .htaccess files. I am currently testing the WP htaccess Control plugin right now and so far, so good. This plugin is for the more experienced user that understands htaccess, but is easy to learn and use. I would use it on a test site before using it wide spread as I said earlier, I am currently testing it myself. If you want to read up more on what .htaccess is and does, you can start here. If you know of a better one, shoot it on over to me.

Don't Stop Panning Once You Find Gold

I surely was not alive then, but I am pretty sure when the California Gold Rush started and forty-niners were panning for gold, that they did not stop panning or switch locations once they found a nugget. They probably panned even faster and had the woman, children and family dog panning in close proximity. Surely where there was one gold nugget, more was close by. The same goes with niche site building.

I am blessed with a love for stats and gifted at reading them. I devote most of my Friday every week to pouring through stats. When I see a new site or an old site strike a gold nugget, I am quickly on top it. This is easily spotted by a huge uptick in sales in the niche or a new niche that is finally seeding well and developing strong organic traffic.

I try to dig fast to see what is being bought, the demographics behind the visitor and where they came from. I will then create more content or blog post on whatever site it is as well as increasing the syndication as well of the site if it is not already fully syndicated. I look at my keywords coming in to see if I can expand on them or better formulate the content to cast a broader net. In addition I try to see if anything is going on trend wise in the news or related media to have caused it.

Many times all that is needed is more content, perhaps new models have been released or new brands. The site is obviously doing something right, it just needs more of it. It is our job to continue to pan to find out what that something right is. Don't rest on your laurels, pan faster.

Google Query Operator Refresher

I think we get caught up with other aspects in this business that we often times overlook the simple or obvious things we should know. Such is the case with Google Query Operators. A ton of newer webmasters do not know what a powerful tool Google is outside of just regular search.

Stephan Spencer has an excellent refresher post up on Search Engine Land that covers her top Google Query Operators along with the format and a brief description of use of them. This is a great post to bookmark and use as a handy reference for future use as well. The daterange operator for instance is one I never knew existed until now. Great post.

Using The Keywords To Websites Plugin As A Place Holder

I bought the Keywords To Websites Wordpress plugin right out of the chute when it came out and have been toying with several ways to use it best. First and foremost, it can build a several page site with a push of the button. Just put in the keywords and go. Obviously these sites are spammy and thin, but it can start the time clock ticking on a new domain as you get these pages indexed in Google. Ultimately what I think I will use it for is a place holder of sorts as I either write the content myself or farm it out to one of my 5 writers I use. I like 200-250 word product reviews, features and benefits type content and can compile it slowly and not get in a hurry with it. I can upload it as I get it back from writers or as I write myself and slowly transform the site over from a thin site to a thicker site over a 90 day to 120 day time frame. I can always use the Vice Versa plugin should I need to convert the post to pages and the redirection plugin should I need to 301 any URL's as well. In the mean time, if it makes some money, fine. My main priority is just getting the clock ticking on it in the search engines as I put no pressure on my sites to earn for the first 90 days as I have posted repeatedly before. I consider this plugin a great place holder plugin that takes no time to use other than keyword research and can be used as a stepping stone to turning a site into a real surfer friendly, money making site down the road. Or you can just use it as it was intended, the choice is yours.

WordPress Popup Scheduler Plugin

I am starting to get more into extensive email opt in list building on some sites of mine and have been researching the various popup Wordpress plugins that I could use to show an opt in form that has the most options of when to pop it and where to pop it. I came across the WordPress Popup Scheduler plugin thanks to post by Amit Bhawani who has a full review of the popup as wll as one in use on the very page. I look forward to giving this one a go and best of all it is free. You can install this straight from your Wordpress plugin dashboard by just search for the term, WordPress Popup Scheduler. There are quite few things you can do with like popping ads, RSS feed subscriptions, Twitter feeds in addition to opt in forms. Handy plugin for sure.

Rand Fishkin On Outsourcing Content Creation

It has been a little while since I have pointed to a Whiteboard Friday video by Rand Fishkin, but in the most recent episode, Rand goes over the methods he recommends for outsourcing content creation. Good stuff.

I outsource to many writers for content including Need An Article. I have a few writers there I like.

Whiteboard Friday - Outsourcing Content Creation

Two Wordpress Plugins I Was Reminded About

I had a few emails asking about the Top 40 Wordpress Plugins post the other day and folks are wondering why I let certain ones off. I posted at the end that I left some fringe ones off, but was reminded about the SEO Smart Links and GoCodes plugins. Once again, I do not use these on every site I build, but that does not mean they are not great and useful plugins. In my opinion, both of these should be used together to automatically create cloaked links for predetermined anchor text automatically. SEO Smart Links allows you to determine how many automatic links will be created per page and GoCodes will let you track how many times that link is clicked. They go great hand in hand as you see. I could probably;y of built that list to 80, but I wanted to give everyone a great starting point of what plugins I use both paid and free. By all means,keep sending me ones you think I missed or should see as I love finding new plugins to play with. I might not of seen the one you send me.