The Marketing push continues
There’s so much to do, even to optimise a simple thing like a single post on my website.
I can see now why I never get many views for my blog posts, I’ve been missing out on so many things which will improve my visibility. I thought that by using tags and categories I was being clever, that I’d conquered it. Take that google search!!!!!!
Which says a lot about my previous understanding of how it all works!
Focus keywords, Snippets, Alt-text,
Slugs and Metadata
These were just words of some foreign language. Until recently, I had no idea what any of them meant. Except for slugs, but then I found that wasn’t what I thought it was. Consequently, I was either not using them at all or not using them properly.
Now it’s no good me spending this post telling you about how to optimise your website. I’ve only just scratched the surface myself. The only way to get things done, as I always used to say at work, is to learn to do them yourself, under supervision if possible. If that’s not an option, then by use of the best reference information you can lay your hands on. Once you have the basics, practice until your fingers bleed. It’ll feel strange for a while then, suddenly, you’ll be away.
I don’t have an expert sitting beside me, but I do have a very good source of information, there are lots of generous people who have gone through the same journey before me. I say generous because they have shared their experiences, left a wealth of knowledge and advice online to pick the best bits from. Like the book I mentioned last week, and all the blog posts that you find by using the very techniques you are learning.
At first, it seems like an uphill battle, like you will never get to the point where you understand it all. That’s the part where you give up or push through. I’ve chosen to push through. Once I’m a bit more comfortable with what’s going on as I write and optimise each new post I can go back. I can take a look at all my older posts and do the same to the best of them. There are three years of weekly posts to check, optimise and update, plus all the pages of information as well. That should keep me out of mischief for a while. And the other great advantage is, that if you do it and later find out that what you’ve done is wrong, you can keep changing it until it works.
Once you learn how it becomes an exercise you can do whenever you have a few spare moments. If you only have ten minutes, you can optimise a post.
And the writing of Cornerstone content continues, which I can use to pull everything together.
What’s next?
While I’m doing that, I can turn my attention to social media. There is a need for me to improve the way I use it, to advertise and showcase myself, to create interest and increase my visibility. I’m currently operating sporadically on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But with few followers and little engagement. That also has to go on the list of jobs.
Referring to my list from last week, almost everything relating to new projects or half-written stories is now on hold. I have a back catalogue to promote and a presence to establish first. There is one exception, more of that later.
I need to show people that I’m about more than writing. I’m a pretty good cook and take some great pictures on my walks and coffee shop visits too.
In other news
My next release, Life and Other Dreams has had its first review. I sent out 25 advance copies at the end of November and I’ve spent the time since agonising over the reaction I was going to get.
As a result, I know that 4% of the people who have it, like it. Which sounds like a shampoo ad.
Pre-orders for Life and Other Dreams are now live, you can get the book on February 15th, full TWO WEEKS before the official launch Date. Just click here to go to the pre-order page.
Ribbonworld is also steadily climbing the rankings,
When I eventually get back to writing, I have three novels to edit, before I attempt to finish any of my works in progress. Once I’ve got to grips with the marketing, that’s where I’ll be.
It’s the last Showcase before Christmas on Thursday, then I’ll be taking a break. I’ll be back on Monday the 31st with a roundup of 2018 and a look forward to my plans for 2019.
Have a great Christmas everyone.
