9 Comments to “Done These Lately?”

1. November 7th, 2005 at 3:29 am
   indeterminacy said

   I think the html description and keywords section in my blog has helped me to show up in particular searches. Recently I noticed that technorati has a new thing where you can add tags to your blog. The first step is to have claimed your blog in technorati.com, then you add the tags, which help your blog to be found based on certain search patterns. Since I haven’t tried it yet, I’m not sure what happens next, but maybe it’s worth a try. Then there’s something called “Blog Finder” in technorati which is completely new…

2. November 7th, 2005 at 7:17 am
   Martin (HomeOfficeVoice) said

   I’m always on then look out for like-minded blogs to work together with - although in my niche (Web-based Home Businesses) there’s more shonks than good ones.

   I’m always tweaking with my keywords, using WordTracker, Overtures and Google’s keyword tools. What I find (or learned at some good seo forums) is that keywords we might think off are not the ones that our potenial readers will choose. Think combinations of 3-4 words, phrases that make litle sense, misspellings etc., I’m always learning …

   A little off topic, but what I’m trying to implement right now (currently driving me nuts) is a “notify me of additional comments via email” feature.

   It’s one feature that many big blogs don’t have - best example Darren’s Problogger.net - he gets constantly double figure comments on each post yet does not have this feature.

   I think without this feature you could be losing out on return visitors who leave a comment then move on.

3. November 7th, 2005 at 8:57 am
   indeterminacy said

   Well, I think I figured out how technorati.com’s Blog Finder (beta) works. First you have to have claimed your blog in Technorati. This involves pasting some html / java script code into your template. Then you can log into your user, click “account” on menu bar (top of screen), click “configure this blog” on account page, then fill out the form with the categories you’d like to be in. It pays to look at the categories that Technorati feature on their front page, especially if your blog “authority” is high enough to get you on the first page (20 blogs are listed per page). After you enter all your keywords, click “ping your blog” to tell Technorati about it, then go look for yourself.

   There’s also something called “Technorati Tags”, the tab left of “blog finder”. But I’m still not sure how that works. I included some tags in my blog template, but I don’t seem to show up in the tag lists. Is this a photo related tag? They talk of flickr and buzznet. I’m confused.

4. November 7th, 2005 at 9:27 am
   pcunix said

   I notify people of comments in email if they have requested that feature. But I have not yet added it as an option while writing a comment - I need to do that.

   I have guest authors, too, and notify them of comments made on their posts - again, only if they have requested this..

   Indie: Technorati tags aren’t photo related. See my http://aplawrence.com/Web/technorati.html

   As to tweaking, oh my, yes: I’m constantly adding new ways to navigate and find content. I of course have a Search box, and a site map. I also put a “Related pages” link, and have index pages for each major subject and some specialized searches too. Each page carries a “Older - Newer” link also for those who want to browse temporarily.

   That’s all at my main site. My other sites aren’t big enough yet to need all that, but I’ll add it as they get larger.

5. November 7th, 2005 at 9:31 am
   ME "Liz" Strauss said

   Hi Martin and Indie,

   Martin, I’ve been following that SEO (Search Engine Optimization)conversation about key words that pull your listing to the top. It really does require changing your mindset to the readers’ point of view and to their spelling. If they type “dialog” and you used “dialogue” you’re not totally out of luck, but you’re losing.

   On the comment alerts I find they can help, but with too many comments, as Darren has it’s almost easy to hang out at the blog and go roaming, because back matching the text takes too much rereading. Word Press is the best at that I think. I agree that it’s important to respond to comments–all of them–to keep readers involved in the conversation. I’ve been places where I took it personally where my comment for whatever reason was skipped over.

   Indie, I’ve had some great luck with the Beta Blog Finder at Technorati. Noticing that the keywords are alphabetical, I paid special attention to what my first three were because those are the only three that show in the listing. I get referrals from several categories–some not on the list–inspiration, philosophy–to my personal blog several times a week usually from European readers. I have no clue how T. sorts the blogs listed under the hourly updated tags–I file that one under the mysteries of Technorati. (There are so many of those for me. )

6. November 7th, 2005 at 10:05 am
   Mike said

   I have not only found ( and am always looking for ) new blogs to follow, but I make a point of doing a post for eveyone else to read, when I add someone to my blog roll.

   There’s no fear of losing a reader, as I figure they’ll appreciate my finding them some additional info and hope I’ll be a filter for them in the future.

   Title tags, keywords and archives are being ignored, so I’m looking for all the advice I can get.

   I’ll be reading your article on archives and giving my readers the goods in a post tonite.

   Thanks for the teachin’ !

7. November 7th, 2005 at 10:38 am
   ME "Liz" Strauss said

   Hi Mike,
   What a great idea–calling attention to when you add a blog to your blogroll.

   Hope what you find in the article Watch What You’re Doing helps for a start with your archives.

   I’m learning as much as I’m teaching.
   Liz

8. November 7th, 2005 at 3:56 pm
   Jennifer Grucza said

   I’m a little confused about configuring your blog’s tags in Technorati. I added a few for my blog, but then I went back later to look at them, and they weren’t there - it looks like they weren’t saved at all. Anyone else seen this?

   Answering your questions (in reference to my other blog, Perfect Fifths):
   Yes - found other blogs in my niche
   Yes - tweaked title tags
   No - I really need to set up my archives, and to make my front page only show the latest post with links to the others, to encourage people to click-through to those individual post pages

9. November 7th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
   ME "Liz" Strauss said

   Hi Jennifer,
   Ah, Technorati, you and everyone else I think. I’ve found some really interesting stuff for my post tomorrow that covers the whole Technorati issue. But so far I haven’t heard of tags disappearing. I’ll keep an eye out for that and maybe someone reading will have a word or two to add.
   Liz