Best WordPress Plugins: WordPress Automatic Upgrade
Sep 11, 2008 Uncategorized
I have decided to start a new series for this blog relating on best plugins available for your WordPress installation. To start with, I will be talking about the WordPress Automatic Plugin.
One of the main steps in maintaining a WordPress blog is trying to keep the publishing software up-to-date, which is often forgotten by some WordPress users. Admittingly, I am one of those few who always choose forget or must I put it, neglects upgrading.
The main reason why I always neglect upgrading my WordPress install is I think that the steps on upgrading itself is too tiring for me. I think the job is tedious, especially because I have to manually upload the the files on my host’s server. Also, the compatibility issues on plugins that always tie up with WordPress’ new installation makes me cautious on upgrading.
Good thing, there’s a plugin available that will do the job seamlessly. WordPress Automatic Upgrade, as the name implies, automatically upgrade your WordPress database to the latest one without the need to manually transfer the files to your server.
WordPress Automatic Plugin does these important steps in updating your database:
1. Backs up the files and makes available a link to download it.
2. Backs up the database and makes available a link to download it.
3. Downloads the latest files from http://wordpress.org/latest.zip and unzips it.
4. Puts the site in maintenance mode.
5. De-activates all active plugins and remembers it.
6. Upgrades wordpress files.
7. Gives you a link that will open in a new window to upgrade installation.
8. Re-activates the plugins.
I have used it personally on my other blogs and it worked as expected. However, I still advise to:
1. Create your own backup file.
2. Always consider plugin compatibility issues. To avoid future problems with the upgrades, always consider reading user’s experiences at the Support Forums.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Tags: Plugins, Upgrading WordPress, WordPress, WordPress Automatic Upgrade
10 of the Best FREE ways to Promote Your Website
Aug 31, 2008 Uncategorized
1. Yahoo! Answers. Browse over the site for unanswered questions related to your website or any topic you are knowledgeable about and have relevant links point back to your site. It’s a quick way to build back links and actually have targeted users viewing your site.
2. MySpace.com. Create a myspace account and start marketing to the users. Some quick tips for MySpace are:
a. Never spam
b. Join as many relevant groups as possible and participate within the groups.
c. Post interesting bulletins that provide useful information
d. Send friend requests to users within the groups you’ve joined.
e. Use graphics in your posts to catch the attention of the reader.
f. Use catchy titles, anything boring will be ignored.
g. For non-targeted friends, you can look into friend trains such as friendstorm.net
h. To automate friend adding, comment posting and bulletin posting you can check friendbot.com and madderadder.com
3. Yahoo Groups. Join a Yahoo! Group related to your interest or website. You can then promote your website to your co-members.
4. StumbleUpon. The golden rule, “Do unto others what you want to others to do unto you” applies on this social bookmarking site. You can ask your friends or other bloggers and website owners to stumble your pages so you can likewise do it to theirs. Some members of webmasters forums are exchanging stumbles with their co-members. Perhaps you can join them.
5. Social bookmarking sites. You can also submit your post to other
social bookmarking site like Del.icio.us, Furl, Simpy, and other high PR similar sites.
6. Squido.com. Create a lens in Squido.com and start promoting your site through it.
7. Site maps. Always have a site map for all your sites, and ensure the site map is submitted to Google. You can create a free site map using the following site: http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/. Once your site map is created, then upload it to your site, then submit it to Google using the link below: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/siteoverview?hl=en
8. Submit To Directories. Most people already do this, but just in case you haven’t, you should submit to directories. You can find a list of directories at StrongestLinks.com. By submitting to these directories you can acquire back links and more traffic to your site.
9. Tell a Friend. You can install a tell a friend script to your site that will allow users to “refer” your site to their friends and colleagues. The downside to this is that some spammers try to manipulate tell a friend scripts. Be sure the one you use actually has “image verification” to limit form manipulation; otherwise you may find spammers trying to use your form to send spam. The technique to attract users to use your tell-a-friend box is to create good content.
10. Article Promotion. Promote your website through article marketing. Submit articles to well-ranked sites like Article City, E-zine Articles, Go Articles, etc.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Blogging For Traffic Tip #8 - Write Posts That Are Very Topical For The Times
Jul 7, 2008 Uncategorized
One of the best ways to get a sudden burst of traffic is to write about something that is hot right now or in the news. This is a great way to get a sudden burst of really interested traffic.
You can find out whats hot now by watching the news or use online services like Google Trends, Yahoo Buzz or Ebay Pulse.
These sites give you lists of searches that are very popular online right now. Some of the hot topics right now are
* Xbox 360’s
* Midterm Elections
* Halloween
* PSP
Popularity: 21% [?]
Tags: Blog, Blog Tips, Blog Traffic, Blogging
Blogging For Traffic Tip #6 - Be True To Yourself And You Will Never Worry About Money Or People Again
Jul 7, 2008 Uncategorized
A lot of people just starting out, especially in the affiliate marketing game write blogs to earn affiliate commission, and there is nothing wrong with that.
What you want to avoid is promoting affiliate programs just because they pay out larger commissions even though the products might not be of the highest quality. Never promote a product you have never bought or tried yourself. You have to like and really want to tell other people about it.
Popularity: 24% [?]
Tags: Blog, Blog Tips, Blog Traffic, Blogging
Blogging For Traffic Tip #3 - Create Content That Is Timeless
Jul 2, 2008 Uncategorized
If you want your blog to be around for a while and you want readers to come in 5 years time and still find your content relevant to them, you need to make sure the content is timeless, whether they read it in 3 months, 3 years or 30 years.
This not only means you don’t have to keep updating your content every 6 months which will save you time, it also helps with other people who you may allow to use your content on their websites. They are sure not going to update your content for you.
I wrote an article 5 years ago that I’m slightly embarassed with having my name on. It was cutting edge at the time, but now, it’s so old it’s funny.
Some topics however, will always be timeless. Find those, write on them.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Tags: Blog Tips, Blog Traffic, Blogging Tips
Blogging For Traffic Tip #4 - Write For Your Visitors As Your #1 Priority Not Search Engines
Jul 1, 2008 Uncategorized
While you should be optimizing your posts and your blog for search engines, and I talk about this later, your main focus should be on writing for humans, not bots.
Keep this in mind always. Don’t try and repeat your keywords all over your blog posts to the point where it does not make sense.
This might work sometimes for search engine ranking and you may get some extra traffic, but they won’t stay long if the content is obviously geared for search engine ranking. People have a short attention span and won’t waste it on junk.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Tags: Blog Tips, Blog Traffic, Blogging Tips
Blogging For Traffic Tip #2 - Create Content That Gives People A Plan Of Action
Jul 1, 2008 Uncategorized
Want to get people to not only read your blog but follow your word blindly and do your bidding for you? I kid you not, people will fall over themselves to do what you say if you do this. You just have to tell them what to do.
This is the greatest idea, especially if you are preselling an affiliate program via your blog.
Every one of your posts you write should give people an action that could be taken by the reader.
IE, every idea you give the reader, they should be able to go and implement in their business right away.
I’m not sure who I read this from but I remember reading that the best way to sell a product or an affiliate product, especially in the Internet marketing arena is to give them a plan that they can follow and implement straight away and then give them the resources to do that with.
A lot of people write ebooks or articles or blogs that are very informative but don’t really presell what they are trying to promote.
Giving people a plan they can follow straight away after reading what you wrote will give them that incentive to buy that recommended product from you instead of another affiliate.
Popularity: 7% [?]
