Blogging Basics: A Little of This and Little of That

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Just a few things that are on my mind today. I love doing the Blogging Basics posts on Wednesday, but when I have a massive event going, I don’t have time to compile the research for this weekly post.

Today, I have been talking to a lady who has a site loading pretty slowly and it got me to thinking.  #1 – I know my site could load MUCH faster and soon, I am going to be redesigning my blog.  I love my header and might be keeping it, but the background etc has got to go… or at least parts of it.  As cute as it is, it is seriously slowing things down.  Anyway, it got me to thinking that I should just make my Blogging Basics post this week about random tips that are running through my head and being doled out via email.  You readers like random tips, right?

Tip #1 – You want your Alexa ranking to improve?

Install the stinking Alexa toolbar.  Seriously!  Crystal and Company has seen her Alexa drop by 200,000 in 3 weeks!  Thrifty Mama Bee noticed this morning that hers had gone from over 900,000 at last check to 424,052!  I am not a genius (don’t tell my kids or husband that though as they clearly think I am) so I don’t know WHY it works, but using the tool bar while visiting sites (including your own) helps their Alexa ranking.

Tips #2 – Have You Updated Your Stats?

Are you paying attention?  Google finally decided to roll out a new page rank update.  Have you checked yours? Have you updated your stats to reflect the change?  I did!  The Alexa toolbar that I use with Chrome shows my page rank so I went to sleep with a PR 3 and woke up with a PR 4  – I went to changing stats and marking big huge smiles everywhere. LOL!

Tip #3 – Are People Complaining About Your Site Being Slow?

Well, my site could still stand to be faster – remember? See above!  But, it is much faster than it was thanks to some awesome people pointing me in the right direction.  Pictures, by golly, will slow you down faster than your feet falling asleep!

1. Get all those buttons off your sidebar and onto their own page – make a link that says “networking” or “blogging buddies” or whatever and link everyone up there.
2. If you have to have pictures, host them on your site not on Flickr, Photo bucket, or by taking other’s hosting links.  By “on your site” I mean more of those on your sidebar.  Your buttons that you want people to take, the ads that you’ve sold, your affiliate buttons, you cute twitter bird and facebook heart, etc

That should be enough little tid-bits to keep you busy ‘til next time.

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