what else on blog domains?

[ponygirl]

I'm just wondering what else everyone does with their blog domains...if you have a blog at the root, do you put up other stuff too like galleries, fs, stuff not completely related to the blog itself?

I don't know if I'm making myself clear lol, but I'm just not sure that I want to 'clutter up' my blog domain with freesites, for instance. I thought it was good for SE to have more pages, but I've got pretty good PR now, without a huge amount of pages.

any comments or advice?

[walrus]

You probably have a lot more pages on your blog than you realize. All of them linked together in a pretty natural way. Each post not on the index is a page. Each category is a page. If you are tagging your posts like I do...then each tag is a page. They can add up pretty fast.

[Ms Naughty]

I now have two blogs and both of them aren't on the root of the domain - they're in separate "blog" folders. The index pages go to linklists.

I'm thinking having a freesite here and there on your blog domain can't hurt - it will help bring traffic to the domain, maybe people will stay and look around at what else you've got to offer.

[walrus]

Originally Posted by grandmascrotum

I'm thinking having a freesite here and there on your blog domain can't hurt - it will help bring traffic to the domain, maybe people will stay and look around at what else you've got to offer.

I've thought about building freesites around my blog and using one of the main page links to link back to a relevant post on blog. But that would mean I'd have to go back through that embarrassing newbie stage and learn how to build an effective freesite.

[ponygirl]

Originally Posted by walrus

You probably have a lot more pages on your blog than you realize. All of them linked together in a pretty natural way. Each post not on the index is a page. Each category is a page. If you are tagging your posts like I do...then each tag is a page. They can add up pretty fast.

I never thought of that...yes, I would have built up quite a few pages then. It's so different, I'm used to making my own folders and subdirectories, not having them made automatically

Originally Posted by grandmascrotum

I now have two blogs and both of them aren't on the root of the domain - they're in separate "blog" folders. The index pages go to linklists.

I'm thinking having a freesite here and there on your blog domain can't hurt - it will help bring traffic to the domain, maybe people will stay and look around at what else you've got to offer.

It's the traffic issue that I'm looking at...how to bring more traffic to the blog. Since mine is on a root, I thought it should stay 'separate' but really, I'm tying it into my LL all the time, so now I'm looking into different ways to do that, and of course I thought of freesites too. (I love your blogs, by the way, they're awesome! )

Originally Posted by walrus

I've thought about building freesites around my blog and using one of the main page links to link back to a relevant post on blog. But that would mean I'd have to go back through that embarrassing newbie stage and learn how to build an effective freesite.

that's an interesting concept...I was wondering about mixing porn surfers and blog readers - can people surfing for porn pics read? j/k
I just always thought of them as quite a different audience, and was planning to send my blog readers to the LL, not the other way around really. But I'll have to play around with a few different ideas now.

btw, building freesites isn't that hard, learning to blog effectively has been much harder for me - we're always a noob at something

thanks for the feedback!

[Simon]

Originally Posted by ponygirl

...I was wondering about mixing porn surfers and blog readers - can people surfing for porn pics read? j/k
I just always thought of them as quite a different audience, and was planning to send my blog readers to the LL, not the other way around really.

This is just IMHO and I may be completely wrong about how to do things.

My philosophy...

Surfers who come in at gallery level are offered many links that will filter them into the link list or blog, for those who don't mind missing the immediate gratification of galleries for the added content available in most free sites, and for those who like to read and aren't in a hurry to get off right now, maybe because they already have.

Surfers are encouraged to check out the link list and blog if they're surfing gallery pages. Surfers are encouraged to check out the blog if they're on link list pages.

Surfers on the blog have links available to get to all sections but only the blog itself, the link list, sponsors or trades are promoted on the blog. Blog surfers are never sent back to the TGP/MGP sections.

Surfers on the link list have the blog suggested to them, and have a link available to go to the gallery sections, but going (back) to the gallery sections is never promoted anywhere on the link list pages.

Surfer values:
3 Blog surfer
2 Link List surfer
1 TGP/MGP surfer

Always try to move surfer to higher value and try to prevent surfer from "losing value."

Again, this is just IMHO. YMMV.

(all standard disclaimers apply)

[ponygirl]

ok, let me see if I get this

Originally Posted by Simon

Surfers who come in at gallery level are offered many links that will filter them into the link list or blog, for those who don't mind missing the immediate gratification of galleries for the added content available in most free sites, and for those who like to read and aren't in a hurry to get off right now, maybe because they already have. Surfers are encouraged to check out the link list and blog if they're surfing gallery pages. Surfers are encouraged to check out the blog if they're on link list pages.

basically, give them choices - if they're not looking for the quick fix, they may be interested in browsing or reading. So you're linking to the blog/LL from the galleries, right? that would be like making a freesite with links to the blog on it, like I do now with my LL.

Originally Posted by Simon

Surfers on the link list have the blog suggested to them, and have a link available to go to the gallery sections, but going (back) to the gallery sections is never promoted anywhere on the link list pages.

Surfer values:
3 Blog surfer
2 Link List surfer
1 TGP/MGP surfer

Always try to move surfer to higher value and try to prevent surfer from "losing value."

you mean from 1 to 2 to 3 or the other way around?

I know this is just one opinion, but I need all the info I can get to make informed changes

Originally Posted by Simon

(all standard disclaimers apply)

that is really funny

[Preacher]

Very interesting Simon.

Ponygirl, I've built some free-sites with my blog link in a couple of key areas as an experiment to see how well the traffic parsed. I think if you tell them it is a blog up front -- like I did -- you won't get many click throughs. Using Simon's example, my theory is that the tier 2 surfers really just want more tier 2 porn.

But I guess if you could find an acceptable way to blind link the destination, like just putting in the blog's domain name as the link and not describing the type of site it is, you may be able to convert those tier 2 surfers to teir 3 -- again using Simon's example.

I could be way off on this, it's just the traffic patterns I noticed in my own very limited testing.

[ponygirl]

Originally Posted by Preacher

I've built some free-sites with my blog link in a couple of key areas as an experiment to see how well the traffic parsed. I think if you tell them it is a blog up front -- like I did -- you won't get many click throughs. Using Simon's example, my theory is that the tier 2 surfers really just want more tier 2 porn.

that's what my thoughts were too...so I'd send my FS traffic to my LL and have links to the blog there. I figured if they were looking for pics, they wouldn't want to go to a blog, but if they were surfing a LL then they may be looking for different things.

Mind you, if you did tell them it was a blog link, the click thrus may not be big but they'd certainly be targeted, wouldn't they.

so far, this is a good discussion, I'm getting lots of ideas

[ronnie]

Have you exhausted all possible ways of getting traffic to your blog? That would be my first avenue. I agree with Walrus, the pages can add up pretty fast. I have so much unfinished crap so I've never thought of doing anything else with the blogs I have on the root. But I've just kept posting away, well not always me making the posts, but anyways, I've found they continue to grow with traffic. That is, the ones that are interesting.

I would rather see them grow with SE traffic or reader traffic. I guess I see my blogs as something that grows over time. Sure much better than a submit and forget free site that will die out pretty quick. I personally would rather make more posts on my blogs, or make more blogs, than spend that time making sites, but thats just my opinion...

ronnie

[ponygirl]

Originally Posted by ronnie

I would rather see them grow with SE traffic or reader traffic.

yes, me too. I guess I'm just used to being able to instantly divert traffic when I build something new, like a hub. I just didn't really like the idea of linking to my blog from a freesite, so wanted to see what everyone else was doing.

I don't think I've exhausted all other methods of getting traffic to a blog, not by a long shot, but the 'rules' for blogs are so different than what I'm used to. I definitely think I need more hardlink trades, and to submit to more places, but I was also worried about how many hardlinks to add. Again, still in that freesite mode where I only put so many on a page. I guess I just have to get out of that fs/LL mode of thinking.

Obviously I'm still very much in the learning stage.

[walrus]

Originally Posted by Preacher

Very interesting Simon.

Ponygirl, I've built some free-sites with my blog link in a couple of key areas as an experiment to see how well the traffic parsed. I think if you tell them it is a blog up front -- like I did -- you won't get many click throughs. Using Simon's example, my theory is that the tier 2 surfers really just want more tier 2 porn.

Now mind you, I'm speaking kind of out of my ass since I don't dabble in free sites but I think the turn-off for a free site surfer is the actual word blog. It's got this geeky, newsy kind of connotation to it and unless the surfer had been exposed to a porn blog, they may not be thrilled about visiting it. Thats one of the reasons I said above to link to a specific post and not directly to the blogs front page. If your linking to a post that is similar to the freesite, it eases into the transition a bit.

For Ponygirl, I would think that the blog title "One Perverted Chick" and a little teaser like find out why this "niche" turns me on type of thing would be a prefect lead in to one of her posts on the subject. Let them know that they are moving to a blog without actually calling it a blog. Also, I wouldn't think that would be considered blind because they would be getting exactly what they were told was going to be there.

I think I agree with Simon....except I see no problem linking from a post to the "main" page of a freesite where the surfer only has two choices of where to go, to the sponsor or back to the blog

[Simon]

Ponygirl - I should have been more clear on my value scale.
The #3 is the higher value in this case, so I want to convert my arrivals from gallery surfer to free site visitor to blog reader whenever possible.

TGP/MGP >> LL >> BLOG
(but not the other way around)

Walrus - I agree and I do sometimes send blog readers to a free site.
But it has to be a good free site. Otherwise I'd rather grab some pics and/or video clips and write a blog post using them, then encourage the reader right to the tour page.

One thing I do to "lure" more of the right kind of people to a blog that isn't on the root, directly from a warning page that is there, is to add a Feedburner "Buzz Boost" on the warning page with half a dozen excerpts from the blog. I also use their "Headline Animator" buttons on some other sites to entice those who read to drop by. (The button would be linked to the blog url.)

[ronnie]

Originally Posted by ponygirl

yes, me too. I guess I'm just used to being able to instantly divert traffic when I build something new, like a hub. I just didn't really like the idea of linking to my blog from a freesite, so wanted to see what everyone else was doing.

I don't think I've exhausted all other methods of getting traffic to a blog, not by a long shot, but the 'rules' for blogs are so different than what I'm used to. I definitely think I need more hardlink trades, and to submit to more places, but I was also worried about how many hardlinks to add. Again, still in that freesite mode where I only put so many on a page. I guess I just have to get out of that fs/LL mode of thinking.

Obviously I'm still very much in the learning stage.

Ya it is hard, you know when you build a free site within a day or so you'll have good traffic and after doing it for a while you might have pretty good idea how much. Although I have some free sites that are quite old and still get traffic, it's not vast amounts, they sure drop off. I guess blogs are something you let mature. You do your best to SEO you posts and your sure to hit at least a few here and there. Most of mine get steady traffic, over time probably much more than a large number of free sites altogether.

You could always be picky on who you trade with, alexa can give you some idea if there's traffic on a site or blog.

ronnie

[Preacher]

First of all, I agree with Walrus' idea on the cat specific linking. So if the free-site is Asian based, link to an Asian post without calling it a blog. That's a great idea!

Originally Posted by ponygirl

...but the 'rules' for blogs are so different than what I'm used to. I definitely think I need more hardlink trades, and to submit to more places, but I was also worried about how many hardlinks to add...

Two questions here actually. One is what are the rules on hardlink trades as far as limits go. Ever seen Boogie's blog? If you have you'll know that there are no set guidelines for outbound links in 'links/blogroll' sections and I've never seen a trade declined because of it.

The more important question is what will I gain from these hardlink -- read non-organic links-- trades.... that's the tough one. It is my theory that based on current se algorithms and reported reciprical trade penalties, I don't think 'hardlink trades' can be looked at as search engine boosters any longer. I would look at the traffic of the place you plan on linking to and treat it as a traffic trade. The unfortunate thing about this is that it makes submitting to more high trafficed blog listing sites more valuable then merely a link trade with a partner blog. I say that is unfortunate, because I would much rather link to a fellow blogger then to blog hub/index/link dump etc...

Mind you that's not going to stop me from linking to my fellow bloggers, and this of course is just a theory.

[walrus]

Originally Posted by Preacher

The more important question is what will I gain from these hardlink -- read non-organic links-- trades.... that's the tough one. It is my theory that based on current se algorithms and reported reciprical trade penalties, I don't think 'hardlink trades' can be looked at as search engine boosters any longer. I would look at the traffic of the place you plan on linking to and treat it as a traffic trade. The unfortunate thing about this is that it makes submitting to more high trafficed blog listing sites more valuable then merely a link trade with a partner blog. I say that is unfortunate, because I would much rather link to a fellow blogger then to blog hub/index/link dump etc...

Mind you that's not going to stop me from linking to my fellow bloggers, and this of course is just a theory.

I pretty much agree with your theory which is why I think the pingback topic is a good and timely one. Trackbacks / pingbacks and comments are organic links and thus much more valuable than link exchanges and although grandmascrotum may be having some type of problem with her little group, I think doing something like that is becoming more important, long run.

I personally think the problem she is having is that it is scheduled and not random. In other words, Google is able to see a pattern to it and if nothing else begins to wonder about it.

But then again, thats just my opinion and we all know how much opinions are worth!!!

[ponygirl]

Originally Posted by Preacher

Two questions here actually. One is what are the rules on hardlink trades as far as limits go. Ever seen Boogie's blog? If you have you'll know that there are no set guidelines for outbound links in 'links/blogroll' sections and I've never seen a trade declined because of it.

yes, I've seen that and that's cool.

Since I'm so 'SE challenged' lol, I generally look at link trades as traffic trades anyway. I didn't want a whole bunch of directory listings, I'd rather have the blog links too. I always check out the other blogs when I'm surfing a blog just to see if there's anything interesting, and I rarely surf blog directories, so in my mind, blog links are more valuable.

Walrus - I've been following that pingback thread and I must admit, it's pretty confusing to me I think I have to find out more about it so I know what I'm doing

[walrus]

Originally Posted by ponygirl

yes, I've seen that and that's cool.

Since I'm so 'SE challenged' lol, I generally look at link trades as traffic trades anyway. I didn't want a whole bunch of directory listings, I'd rather have the blog links too. I always check out the other blogs when I'm surfing a blog just to see if there's anything interesting, and I rarely surf blog directories, so in my mind, blog links are more valuable.

Since I have two blog directories...that really hurt

Originally Posted by ponygirl

Walrus - I've been following that pingback thread and I must admit, it's pretty confusing to me I think I have to find out more about it so I know what I'm doing

I'll spend some time thinking about a good explaination of them today. Seems there is enough confusion I could add it to my tools site.

[ponygirl]

Originally Posted by walrus

Since I have two blog directories...that really hurt

but I have yours listed...you're special
actually, my point was for the tons of them that have seemed to spring out of nowhere...everyone's jumping on the bandwagon I guess.

Originally Posted by walrus

I'll spend some time thinking about a good explaination of them today. Seems there is enough confusion I could add it to my tools site.

that would be fabulous - I really relied on those tools when I started up & still refer to them. They're a great resource, thanks for taking the time to do them.

[walrus]

Originally Posted by ponygirl

but I have yours listed...you're special

Hmmm they told me that when I went to school too! Put me in special classes....gave me a special education...so I do feel honored.

Originally Posted by ponygirl

that would be fabulous - I really relied on those tools when I started up & still refer to them. They're a great resource, thanks for taking the time to do them.

I've been roped into doing a feedburner thing too so I'll post both of them on the tools site in the next couple days.

[Halfdeck]

From looking at how Google parses pages for snippets, I've noticed it does its best to ignore HREFs (i.e. blog rolls, nav links) that aren't embedded in unlinked text on the first pass. This behavior is probably completely unrelated to indexing pages, but its my way of saying that like Walrus pointed out, I believe blog posts that link to you are way more powerful than reciprocals links sitting lifelessly on blogrolls.

Aaron Wall recently laid out a few criterias for reciprocal links: relevance, traffic, and audience demographic, saying (I'm paraphrasing here) "link as if search engines didn't exist. Link for your surfers." Something like that. Don't get me wrong. I'm not endorsing what he wrote, but if you want some food for thought, check out 101 ways to build link popularity in 2006. I know adult sites are a different cup of tea than mainstream sites, but there might be a few good reminders on the list for bloggers.