Website and Blog Optimization: Not for the Amateur

My dream of optimizing my website, https://sites.google.com/site/millerswrappedexpression/, and blogs (this blog plus http://paintcreaterepurpose.blogspot.com/) has been shot down. Finding that I can't took nearly a day.

My biggest road block? I'm not familiar with HTML and using a free optimizer requires that I do. I could wing it but I risk screwing up my website and I have no friends to help me here in town. According to the free optimizer instructions, if I don't know HTML then I should find a web master to help me. So much for retaining independence.

So, what do I do now? The answer: Continue researching using key words like optimizer. That said, it is one of the basic necessities for getting a website known. Use key words people most likely would search.

Next, I will find other websites like mine and ask for a reciprocal link.

I already have my blogs and website URLs in the signature of my email which is helpful.

As for my blogs, I have begun clicking the share button to share them on a social network.

For both my website and blogs, I have taken advantage of AdSense, a free add-on that puts advertisements on my sites according to content. According to my account, people have visited my sites and I have had click-throughs which has earned me about ten dollars. Still, it's exposure.

Many people have the information I need. I find it all over the Internet. It's simply a matter of reading, studying and using the information I find.

If you can't afford a website and you utilize free space offers on your own with no help from a web master, expect to use the basic of basic methods to get traffic moving through it.

Dream of Making/Earning Extra Money or Income

I dream about making extra money all of the time. Some questions I ask myself are, "What can I sell on Craigslist?" "What legitimate websites offer opportunities to earn extra income?" "How can I optimize my website and blogs using the tools Google (and other search engines) offer?"

Using Craigslist was easy but a hit and miss endeavor. It involves testing items to sell. Last Spring when I started my garden I decided I would test selling young, three inch tall sunflower and tomato plants. Once they were to height, I listed them in two separate listings for $2 each. The listing titles simply said, "3" Sunflower Plants", or "3" Tomato Plants".

To my surprise, I sold them all and had to plant more to sell. I concluded young plants generate interest as Spring gets underway; that next Spring I will plant other flowers in addition to the sunflowers and vegetables in addition to the tomatoes. I will also ask $3 for the young seedlings upping the price by $1.

On the other hand, I have listed two solid wood end tables. These I listed at $10 each. The post generated interest but nobody was willing to pay $10 each for solid wood end tables. I'm not willing to go down on price because they're solid wood. That people don't want to pay my asking price leads me to believe people who can afford new furniture don't shop Craigslist.

I have also tested hand painted wine bottles, new teddy bears, Styrofoam(TM), plastic vases, homemade candles, etc. None of the items sold.

The thing about test marketing is this: The success (selling the item) or failure (not selling the item) depends on many factors like the time of year, consumer confidence, if people are able to get out and about to purchase (i.e. is there a virus going around or is there flooding), if what you're selling is desirable. There are more factors to consider but you catch my drift.

But I'm not letting up testing unsold items on Craigslist. I will continue listings those unsold items but I will change the verbiage, pictures, or pricing. Any one of these changes might make a difference as to whether I sell the items or not.

The other two questions I asked myself (see first paragraph) I am still researching. I'm sure to find the answers at some point.