How to thank me?

30 Billion for the account lol

RapportNaija:


Damn see review! God Bless you bro, as in, how do I even thank you for taking the time to analyze a blog like that? You are one of a kind. We should connect past this level I swear... I dont know you but I like you already! Wow! Thanks

How far, Your review is ready at https://www.nairaland.com/3780329/site-improvement-yarns-how-get

RapportNaija:
http://rapportnaija.com

Traffic na him man want

My people at rapportnaija.com.

How far na?

Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long... without too much "senrenre", let's begin.

[If you just want to read about how to get more traffic, you can skip right to the end. If you want to know my thoughts on the site, just keep reading]

As usual, we'll begin with Design and Layout.

I. Design And Layout

I gotta say this: Hats off to you for creating something this good using the Blogger platform. I personally found Blogger tedious to use and a bit limiting (I'm a Wordpress guy).

But... and a big FAT one (hehe).

I still think your design could be much much better if you switched to Wordpress. There's just so much more functionality and plugins that make Blogger look like Wordpress's dumb cousin.

No offence, Blogger lovers reading this, but yes, I don't like Blogger. I dey house, come beat me.

To switch from Blogger to Wordpress, check this link- http://www.fabulousblogging.com/2014/01/the-beginners-guide-to-moving-your-blog-from-blogger-to-wordpress/

Anyway, on to more pressing issues:

(a) Your Site ID and your URL don't match.

This confused me initially. Swear down I thought I was on the wrong site.

I had to recheck the URL a few times to make sure I was on the right site. It ticked me off a little because it's kinda obvious.

Please, and please. Your URL has to match your Site Title. This is non negotiable.

Imagine if you typed in "www.google.com" and saw at the top of the site- " Larry Page's search engine". That would be "forked" up.

Change your Site Title to "Rapport Naija" or if you must include the Ink and Pen's thing, then try it this way: " Ink and Pens Present- Rapport Naija" or something like that.

The fact is you're not doing yourself or your visitors any favours by confusing them.


(b) Yes, you have a tagline... but you're trying to do too much.

You've undoubtedly heard this before, but sometimes "more is less and less is more."

Your tagline: "We deliver Nigeria News Headlines, Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Flash fiction, Short stories, Political Opinionated articles, Motivational articles, Love Relationship/Dating Tips, Health and Fitness Tips, and Music."

That's a lot. And I get it, you're trying to target young people who spend a lot of time looking for crazy, interesting news articles and the like.

But here's the thing, everybody is doing that.

Most blogs, after the rise of the Great Linda Ikeji Blog, have sought to create such greatness for their blogs and follow in her steps. They also write about News headlines, poetry, short stories, political opinionated articles, motivational articles, etcetera shmetcetera.. you get my point.

To stand out in this area, you need to come at it from an angle... hmm, before I go too deep on this, let's move on.

All you need to know for now is that the tagline is way too wordy for a tagline. Think of an angle for it.


(c)Your Header Area

There's a lot going on there. Site name and tagline, which are great for the header area but there are a few issues:

(i) Your Call to Action is not clear.

You just have a "Subscribe" button underneath the tagline (and one that shows up as you scroll down). Anybody reading that would be like "Why?". And because you haven't told them why, they won't.

You'd be better off putting your Call to Action as an Action Bar of a different colour at the top of your site- something that makes it stand out from the rest of the page and draws the visitor's attention. Then have some text there like " Don't miss out on the latest outrageous news happening in Nigeria and the world, be the first to know, Subscribe to our blog" attached to that.

Obviously, that's a bit long, but you get the idea. Attach a reason with some emotion to it and they're more likely to subscribe.

(ii) Your Ad in the header.

Putting the ad right there below everything in the header interrupts the flow of your page a bit. Would be better if the order in your header was:

- Call to Action Action Bar
- Ad
- Site Title
- Tagline
- Menus

Then content

That would definitely be better. But don't take my word for it, try it out and see if that's better.


(iii) Your Primary navigation menu

This is a key element of every website. It's where your users go when they want to find something.

I'm not psychic or anything but when you look at your tagline, when your target visitor comes to your site, the last thing he's looking to do is "Advertise with you".

First, he's looking for those news, short stories, and the rest that you promised in your tagline.

Looking at your menu, I get it, you want to make money through affiliate marketing for Jumia and co. , but if you place that above improving usability of your site for the user, you'll lose visitors fast.

You should ideally have the different categories up there, so if they want to read News, they go to that section, or if they want Short stories, they'll go there.

See where I'm going with this?

Putting the link to Jumia Market there... that's just ... I have no words

Think about your user. What brought him or her to your site. Make it easy for him to do what he wants. Let your primary menu guide the way.

(iv) Before I forget... that little thing at the top left corner of your site that looks like a drop down menu, but when you click, a left side bar opens showing a couple of ads ... Yeah, remove that thing totally.

That thing is annoying, because it makes the user think there is a menu there and when you click, there isn't one; just more advertisements.

That does one of two things- either makes the user feel stupid, or feel like he's been duped, neither of them good. To be honest, I almost left after seeing that.

It's just like you're trying to use every opportunity to get a click, and you don't care about the user at all.

And the fact is if you continue to make users feel this way, they'll go to other sites that don't make them feel duped.


(d) Your right sidebar

If you read my last review, you should know what to do here.

But in case you don't, I'll summarize:

- Like say one ad from smeMarket hub no dey enough, you gas repeat almost the same ad at the bottom.

Oga, bet why?

Instead of a Categories link, or Archives, or anything that can help us find a way around your site, it's two ads that are almost the same. It's like you want to almost guarantee that we click by force.

REMOVE one of them or remove both of them.

Move one to the left side bar (where you placed those social icons), then do like I said in my last review:

Arrange it this way:

- Search field + search button
- Recent posts (like 2 or 3)
- Categories: This can be in form of a drop down menu with each link as a Category and showing the number of posts in it.
- Blog Archive: Just the months and years (and the number of posts in each)
- Then the Social Media buttons (which we still get yarns on top)

This will help us, your visitors, to better use your site, and we will thank you for it by spending more time on your site and actually clicking your ads.


(e) Coincidentally, the only ad placement that was dope was the one immediately after the first post.

That's how you sneak an ad in there. It doesn't really stick out like a bad haircut and yet it is there, catching our eye as we move down the page.

Another way to put an ad, would be to mask it as a call to action, like have a little chat box that comes up at the lower right with text saying "Did you know you could get 10% or 20% of these deals? Don't miss out, check them now!" and have it link to items on jumia or sme market hub that have had price cuts.


(f) Your Footer- What's going on here?

This could have been a great place to put a call to action or an ad, but it's just blank, empty?

Put a call to action, asking visitors to subscribe.. Sure, some people might not scroll down to the footer, but for those who do, give them something to do.

Also a form of secondary menu would make sense here, so we have options where to go rather than having to scroll back up again.


Now. Let's talk about ...

2. Content

Like I implied earlier, the niche you have chosen is very competitive, so you have to take a unique angle.

A few examples:

- BellaNaija (www.bellanaija.com) talks about news also, but they have built a rep for covering dope weddings. Sure, they talk a lot about other forms of news, but you know if you want to see news about weddings, you gotta check bellanaija.

Also, check out how they place their ads on their homepage. They're too slick with it, I didn't even think of it when I was talking about ads.

Lesson learned: Placing an ad with equal size as the display of a post makes it stand out less as an ad.

If you look at their primary nav menu, you'll see they have their categories up there. Smart move.

- Listverse (www.listverse.com), while not actually a news site, specializes in crafting list posts, mostly about unbelievable things and facts in various fields. They could just come out and write boring articles but they spiced it up a little and created a niche of their own.


My point is: Yes, you can write about news, and everything you put in your tagline now, but you have to come up with a unique angle, a unique voice for approaching the topics that makes you stand out from the crowd of bloggers in your niche.

Then, once you have that angle, let your tagline reflect it.

And let your content follow that angle. There's a reason Perez Hilton is Perez Hilton. You might not like his style, or what he says, but he is unique and that's why he is a celebrity blogger.

Find your unique writer's voice and show us visitors that you're not just telling us plain old boring news-as-usual.


- Your Headlines

Went through some of your headlines. They're not bad, and some of them are just too good to not be clicked.

I see you're employing the "Sex Sells" strategy. Nice, but you also need to work on other angles. Generate a bit of controversy, don't be afraid to stand out, speak up and have an opinion.

I'm not a pro when it come to Entertainment News Sites, but if you follow celebrities, and find some who are making fashion faux-pas, you could use that to create a section "Celebrity Fashion Fumbles of the Week" or "OMG, What was Rita Dominic wearing?" or "Why Banky should not marry Adesua"

Headlines like that, are certain to draw attention.

Just an idea... think about it.


NOW, let's talk about what you've been waiting for- TRAFFIC!!!

[DISCLAIMER: The ideas about to be shared are the ideas of this writer which have yet to be tested for a news site. You can try them out and let me know how it goes]

Okay, obviously you know there are two ways to get traffic- Organic, and Paid.

I'm going to assume when you say traffic, you mean "organic" traffic i.e. you didn't have to pay for ads or run a PPC campaign.

For that, you'll need SEO and social media (which I'm going to assume you already know, judging by the amount of social media icons you have on your site's pages)

But before that, I need to make an important point:

"All the SEO and social media exposure in the world will not epp you if your content sucks, your site is unattractive and difficult to use."

So you should definitely fix those issues first.

Onward.


SEO: A typical SEO plan would involve:

- finding target keywords and identifying the ones with high volume + medium competition
- Using those keywords in your H1 header, and sub headings, putting it in alt text of your images and media, and sprinkling it in your text
- Getting backlinks from reputable sites, and blogs within your niche
etcetera shmetcetera

That's all well and good for any normal site, but for news sites, I personally don't think SEO is the way to go.

Sure, try and do SEO where you can, but ultimately in my opinion, you'll get more traffic optimizing for humans rather than search engines, and promoting on social media.

What the hell do I mean by optimizing for humans?

The simple way to optimize for humans:

- Find "hot" news: Basically anything people have begun to talk about and carry on their head. Keep your eyes and ears open for trending news. You might not always be the first to know, but you can always join the party and benefit from the traffic it will generate.

- Put a unique spin on it and craft an eye-catching headline.

- Craft great content: That is interesting, and basically not the boring, same old, regular news type of gist.


Then Social Media.

A lot of the time I see these people who try to promote all those "Man rapes girl in church" type of news to me on Facebook.

I end up blocking them without clicking on the news. Well, because I have no interest in that kind of news, or any kind of random news for that matter. (Yes, I know I am weird).

Now, this is where we dive into left field- the land of experimentation.

If I was running a site in your niche, and I wanted to use social media to drive traffic to my site, this is what I would do:

(i) I will look for Facebook pages of my competition, write all of them in a list.

(ii) Then I'll look through the list of people who like their page, and figure out what their average ages are, what their interests are, other pages they have liked.

(iii) Obviously I'll create a Facebook page for my site, invite people on my Friend's list to like, etc, normal tinz. And when I create one of those earlier mentioned great posts, I'll promote it using Facebook Ads, targeted to the people who like pages similar to my own.

(iv) When I post on IG, I'll use hashtags related to the subject or the celebrity that have a huge amount of posts with those hashtags. Those hashtags usually have a lot of people paying attention to that niche, which is why there are a lot of posts with those hashtags.

(v) Post content consistently and at least 5 times a day. Like I said, less is more and more is less. Being a news site, you can post a bit more than other types of sites, but I think if you're always posting something every 5 minutes, people don't get to read the last post before you post another and another and at some point, they give up. That's on Facebook and IG though.

(vi) On twitter though, the story is a bit different. Here you can post more often than on the others as each post has a 140 character limit. You can basically post up to 3 times in an hour, and still get RTs, follows, etc

(vii) I would get about 20 people I can trust, and get them to share my content twice a day. If I have money, I'll pay them to do this. If not, I'll employ the powers of persuasion.


Mehn, that would have to do... If you have any more questions or clarifications, just send me a message.

Feeling the headache of a thousand years... Wrote this at one seating, no energy to edit. I don run.

Happy Hustling!

Thanks man, I'll try it out.

muhammad76:



I must first solve a problem of you, i.e. screen recording software. Have you tried Camtasia Studio? I no you must give it a try! You can download the portable version from here > http://downloadbull.com/portable-techsmith-camtasia-9-0-3-free-download/
You need configure some audio and video settings from the preferences, choose the devices and get the desired recording. If you want to go for a simpler software then CamStudio a good software for recording the screen.

No, not at all, but I'm going in order, from the first to the second and on like that

HawkToBar:
@CopyCracker Hope you don't mind reviewing my small blog.
www.sabiguy..com

Hi, daamazing, your site review is ready. Follow this link- https://www.nairaland.com/3774890/what-techredirector.com-should-improve-site

daamazing:
Wow,
Techredirector.com
Thanks

Okay, my first review in a while, and yes, I remember I said I was going to do video too.

Allow me first. I'm still looking for a perfect screen recording software. And by perfect, I mean FREE

DISCLAIMER: If I come across as a bit harsh, no vex o. I have a weird way of trying to be helpful . That, and I'm still making some of the mistakes I point out to you so naturally I'm still pissed

Anyway, so I went to techredirector.com as requested and hmmm....

How do I say this?

Guy, work full ground.

No Lie.

Let's begin:

One thing that usually is the last thing most people think about when building their website is the most important, but somehow easy to forget about.

That person is the user.

When I got to the site, well, I couldn't quite figure out what it was for.

I mean, it's obvious that it's a blog, but for whom?

Marinate on that for a minute... I'll go into more detail as we go on.

1. Design And Layout

First of all, I think it's great that anyone can simply use a CMS, build their website and start their blog out of the blue.

I love that kind of ginjah, so kudos on the blog design.

The theme is really clean and there's a lot of white space not cluttered with ads. This enhances comprehension and makes your site visually appealing.

Now on to the issues:

(i) No tagline

I love your logo, but the whole logo without the tagline is like a sachet of granulated sugar without the label.

I mean, we look at it, like "Hmm, that looks like salt".. "or is it?"

In real life, that's not really a problem. You can just walk over and taste it to tell the difference.

Online. That's another story.

There's a lot of distractions and the average user doesn't quite have time to figure out if your site has what he wants.

In a world with Big Daddy Google, when they can just click back and go to another site.

EVERY body goes to a website for a PARTICULAR REASON!

If you don't make it obvious what the purpose of your site is, and who it is for, your visitor will be confused and confused visitors do one of two things-

(a) LEAVE or,

(b) struggle through your site trying to understand what it is about and if you have what they want, and if you don't or if they get frustrated, they LEAVE.

Just like you would if you felt a supermarket you walked into didn't have the Gucci watch you were looking for.

Your tagline is a great place to make it clear who your site is for and what you offer.

And it's in a great part of your site- above the fold (the site that the user immediately sees without having to scroll)

Oga, bet why you no take advantage of am?


(ii) Featured Slider

I love featured sliders. They give your site this "tech" swag and you can use them to draw the visitor's attention.

Only sometimes they don't, which is what is happening on your site.

First of all, the coolest thing about featured sliders is you can basically use it to display content or copy (sorry.. big english) above the fold.

Yes, above the fold.

To see the content in some of the slides on your featured slider, I have to scroll down. And when I do, I see "BattleField 1 Game Review" and some text underneath it and a picture that states that "No Image Available".

Yes, no jokes. "NO IMAGE AVAILABLE" in a featured slider on your Home Page!

I wanted to punch myself when I saw that, but I settled for a pinch (less painful)

Fix that.

Move your logo to the left (which is where most people expect the logos to be) and this should move your primary navigation menu and hopefully your slider upwards.

Then please get an image for that slide.

The content on that has its own issues but we'll get to that later.


(iii). Your Primary Navigation Menu

Now, I think it might be because you placed the logo at the top, but if you look at it, you'll notice it's a little to the left and it's not like there are many items there. Not really a major issue but it's just... well, it doesn't look too good.

If you must have the logo, shrink it down to about 200x200 pixels, and move it to the left. That should fix that.

Also, I don't know if you noticed, but you have a Menu item called "Menu" . What is that all about?

Should I talk about that one too?

Your About Us Page should also be in this menu, instead of just in your footer, and if possible a Contact us page and a contact form.

You should add those.


(iv). Okay, I don't know what to call this one... Fake drop down buttons from Aba (no offence intended) or what?

Right below your primary navigation menu and at the right side bar, there are some buttons. One looks like the arrow down, the middle one looks like "pause" and the other one looks like the arrow up.

I really don't know what they're supposed to be for, and considering nothing happened when I clicked them, you should remove them.

They serve no purpose, unless you count confusing the visitor as purpose.


(v). Your right sidebar dey madt! And not in a good way.

Yes, I know I commended you on not over populating your blog with ads.

The issue here is you replaced them with "scatter-scatter"

First of all, before we come to that, you have only one search button on that whole page. That is an issue.

It means, anytime the user wants to search for something, they have to come all the way to the top of your site.

Not good.

You need to have a search field in that right sidebar.

Also, while it's probably cool to developers and designers that you click on the button and then it transforms into a field with the words "Type in and hit 'enter' " , it's really pointless.

Your visitors are web-savvy, and that is just one click more than necessary.

Replace that with just a field and a search button beside it. Trust us, we will know what to do.

I know, maybe I should have made that a separate number... LOL

Okay, back to the side bar.

You have way way way too much going on there.

I literally didn't know what to click on. Now I don't know whether it's because your post headlines are not powerful (we'll come to that) or just because everything there is scattered.

Here's what I'm seeing:

- 1 post about tech inventions
- 1 post on a phone review
- Social Media box
- Popular/ Recent posts/Comment
-Then a whole list of not one or two but almost all your "Popular posts"
- Then Blog Archives

Too many places to click make man go CRAZY!!!

And I had to spend at least 5 mins looking at each link thinking about whether to click or not.

An average user would have gone on to another site.

Try arranging it this way:

- Search field + search button
- Recent posts (like 2 or 3)
- Categories: This can be in form of a drop down menu with each link as a Category and showing the number of posts in it.
- Blog Archive: Just the months and years (and the number of posts in each)
- Then the Social Media buttons (which we still get yarns on top)

If you think about it from the point of view of a user who came to the site looking for something, that's a better way.


(vi). How to Make A Right Footer? Kidnap David Beckham... lol

I'm just messing around. Let's talk about your footer section.

I vex for you small here.

Why the hell do you only have a call to action box in the last place it is likely to be seen- your footer?

Are you deliberately trying to have nobody sign up?

Some people don't even scroll that far down a page.

And the colour choice is just wrong. It doesn't stand out at all.

Also you don't give me a reason to give you my e-mail. There's no incentive. Like I read "Follow By E-mail" and I was like "Why?" and I couldn't come up with an answer.

There are many incentives you can offer: free ebooks, tutorials, updates, whatever but don't just ask me for my email like the way dem boys be asking guys : " Your money or your life."

And you need to have the Call to action show up at the top of your site or as a popup that comes in after I've spent like 5 seconds on the site. Yes, popups are annoying but they work well, which is why they haven't gone into extinction. Use them.

Now, back to the footer:

- Your Profile: Take it off there. Substitute for an "About the Author" box at the end of your posts

- Why are your logo, About Us page and Contact forms hanging too low below? Are they digging for oil? Move them up and reduce all that extra space.

Mehn... just clicked your About Us page and let's just say you don't have an About Us page.

You need to work on that page. Let me not go on another long rant.

- Categories down here makes a lot of sense, and the protected by DMCA thing is a nice touch (You gas yarn me how you arrange that last one )



2. Content.

(i) It's all about Your Audience

I'm not going to talk too much here.

I think majority of the issue began with not figuring out who your target audience is, what their desires are and what their problems are.

This will then inform the kind of content you produce and help you craft content that is relevant to your readers who will then reward you with their time, attention, likes, shares and if you want, $$$ .

Your content is in the tech niche, I get, but are you writing for gamers? for hackers? for older people who don't know how to use computers or mobile devices? or for computer science students looking for a history lesson?

Let's just say I'm having trouble understanding whether it's a tech news site or a site about history of tech.

I'll say you should narrow down your target audience and figure out who they are, how old they are, what they want to use tech to achieve, and what their problems are, then create content for them.

This will influence everything from your headlines to what shows up in your featured slider... everything is about the audience.

Think of it like the Igbo trader-apprentice relationship. The reader is your apprentice. How will you help him be successful?

What will you say?


(ii). Your headlines suck.

Let's keep it real.

Take any of your headlines and ask yourself this: "Why will anybody want to click this?", "How will this headline benefit them?"

If you cannot figure out a major benefit to your reader( and by that, I mean, a solution to a problem that has been causing your audience headache) from the title, then there's a good chance there isn't one.

Now, then why should they click if there isn't a benefit to them?

When you write headlines, you need to keep in mind the audience and craft a headline that tells them the benefits of reading the post.


(iii) You're not doing keyword research or SEO.

This all comes back to your audience, their desires and their pain points.

When you know that, then you can research keywords, craft content around those keywords and optimize for search engines.

I would talk about why SEO is important, but I think you can find that anywhere online.

You should come back to SEO after you have figured out your target audience though.



Now, let's talk about some more issues before we call it a wrap:

1. Are you blogging for fun or as a business?

By fun I mean- You don't want to make any money from it.

If you are blogging as a business then you need to decide on what product or service you are selling using the blog.

2. Promotion on Social Media

Your Pinterest and Google Plus links in that social media box lead right back to your homepage. Not cool.

If you don't want to use Pinterest and Google Plus for your business, then don't put the links in the social media box because people usually click them.

Your Facebook page: You have about 453 followers (if I'm not wrong) but these are not targeted.

How do I know? Well, the content you post there shows you're trying to appeal to everybody- posting random things that don't tie in any way to your service which you haven't really decided on. That page is to better engage with your customers by letting them know info relevant to their interests in tech.

Everybody loves to laugh, yes, but you are not running a comedy blog. You can joke and all, but stay your own lane.

Your IG : Here you can promote your content with screenshots or videos, and appropriate hashtags (these basically tie into your niche and the customers you want to serve).

Twitter: You need to have a separate account for your company, and tweet regularly.

My advice would be to pick two social media and use them. It's a pain in the ass trying to manage too many social media accounts and that just takes from time you could use to be creating.


Wow, this has been a long rant. I might do a video review on this site on Youtube sometime later this week, but for now, hope this has been helpful.

Make I go chop now.

Happy Hustling!

Okay.
I recommend getting your domain name and hosting with Whogohost (www.whogohost.com).

You can simply go to the site, follow a few steps and with about 10K, get both hosting, and domain name with security protection.

They will send you an email with your cpanel log in details.

I will need those details so I can log in and build your blog.

I prefer Wordpress so that is what I'll be using.

If you require just set up (by which I mean design, creating an About page, inserting a contact form and a link to subscribe), I can do that for 20K (10K before and 10K after).

If you require blog posts as well, I charge 2K per blog post of at least 500 words.

If you're interested, you can reach me on this number- 08147018718

If not, I wish you the best of luck

ogele:
[/quote][quote author=ogele post=55960245]

Hi, guys.

Like I said in my last post, I'll be reviewing any website or blog for free.

All you have to do is post your website or blog url in the comments and I'll give you a full in-depth analysis and review.

This review will talk about your:

- Design

- Layout

- Content

- Search engine optimization and traffic analysis

- Areas for improvement and what you can do about it.


I'll put the review up here as a topic and if I have enough time, put it up in video format on Youtube to make those errors easier to spot.

Yes, this review will be absolutely free.

Just leave your website or blog url in the comment and I'll get to it ASAP.

Let the posting begin.

Very helpful. Amazing post.

I just wanted to add to the testing part.

I think it also helps to show the site to a few people and watch how they use the site, so you can improve it and make it easy to use.

Because all the amazing features in the world will mean nothing if the web user is so confused by the site that he clicks the "Back" button sharply

PulseWeb:
The stages are:

(1) Specification Stage.

At this stage, the client (the person who needs a website done) tells the designer or developer the functionalities and features they want their website to have. This stage is crucial because if the designer doesnt get the specifications correctly, he might end up designing something out of the spec of the client. The client also needs to be realistic at this stage with the specification, no voodoo or magic feature requests. Once the client and designer are on the same page, the specification stage is then passed.

(2) Design & Development

At this stage, the designer / developer takes the specification from the client, uses it to design the website. Some developers create wire-frames, some dont (I dont) , I always create the site from my understanding of how the site should look like and the layout agreed in the specification from the client.

(3) Testing & Feedback

Once the designer believes he’s done with the site, he sends the link to the client to take a look at it. Once the client sees it, he may have some changes or updates he wants on the website, at this stage – he tells the designer the changes he wants (this is also called feedback) , while checking for little errors and ensuring the website is on par with the specifications submitted initially, the client is also testing the links, pages and how responsive the website is.

(4) Iteration & Deployment

Once the designer gets the feedback from the client, he takes it and implements the changes. Sends the link of the updated website to the client and when the client is 100% happy, the designer deploys the website and it goes live.

#thepresidentialhustle

That's a really tough niche to crack.
What's your url?

jaydee1o1:
I blog about ent news

Hi, Ogele.

Before giving you a quote, I wanted to find out a few things.

1. Will the hosting be free or paid?

2. Do you want it built using Wordpress or Wix or any particular Content management software?

3. Would you also require content fir the blog?

4. Would you also like to optimize it for search engines?

Please get back to me on these.

Thank you.

ogele:
Please i need a professional to create a blog for me. I want to know what it will cost to create a very good blog. i need a detail analysis, I already have a name for the blog. and if their are questions you will need to ask me please free to ask ok.

Thanks man...

IbnMajaah:
Wow nice one bro..you really made sense in this write up and hey! nice site

Let's face it.

Whether you agree or not, releasing an eBook is one of the best ways bloggers can make money online.

Especially if you have authority within your niche and have built a huge following.

Imagine if Linda Ikeji came out with an eBook today about how to build a succeasful blog... Shii, she'll be counting her money by the millions.

But that's another story.


So if you’re a blogger reading this, thinking


“How can I create an eBook?”


This post is for you.


By the end of reading this, you will have a simple step by step process you can follow from start to finish in just 7 days.


[DISCLAIMER: I no talk say make you release the eBook in 7 days o! Unless you want to do like I did and give it away for free]


Without any more “senrenre”, lets begin.


The 5 Step Guide to Writing An eBook in 7 Days.


Something to consider- Ideally you should write about an area you’re perceived as an expert in.


Reread that again.


The emphasis on the last part is deliberate.


You don’t have to be a pro to write about a topic.


Sometimes, not being a pro is an advantage as it allows you to bring a unique point of view to the subject.


You do need, however, to be perceived as a pro. Meaning you should know the lingo, and have some experience in the matter.


I wrote about setting up an online business because I have done it.


And I’m still doing it.


So also your topic, unless its fiction, should be something you have some experience in.


That experience can help you give examples of what and what not to do in a way that tells the reader: “My guy/girl, I sabi dis thing.”



Step 1- Do Your Research


There’s nothing more annoying than reading a book and the author seems like he doesn’t know what he is talking about.


Before you start writing, try to get knowledgeable about your topic.


I’m not saying you should read a whole library of books, but you should at least have read 2 or 3 books written by experts in the niche you want to write about.


This helps you in 2 ways:


(i) You learn the lingo and you can use that to let the reader know you know what’s up.


(ii) It makes writing easier because the words will suddenly flow easily.


It’s like back in the day when we over-read Ababio. Chemistry exam became beans because we just came and poured everything we had over-read on the paper.


So don’t skip this.



Step 2- Pick a Pain Point


I was watching a video on Youtube the other day.


Grant Cardone (a real estate billionaire or millionaire) was interviewing one online marketing guru, Giancarlo Baraza.


Giancarlo said: “....anything that is pain is MONEY!”


True that.


And with your ebook, you need to find a pain point- something that was either a struggle for you to get through and that many of your target readers are going through.


Find that, make that what your book is about, and you won’t find it hard to sell your book (as long as it is marketed properly).



Step 3- Start writing.


I know some people will say you should draw up an outline, and I do believe you should draw one.


But…. And a big fat BUTTTTT.


Sometimes when you cant figure out all the parts of the outline, it can lead you to waste time trying to figure out the outline.


Time that can be used to write the book.


I had the good fortune that my book was almost completely written in my head before I started writing so my outline was almost partially completed.


I got stuck at some point but what I discovered is once you start writing, you begin to figure out more angles and more things to include.


But that wont happen if you dont start writing.


Picasso said: “Inspiration exists, but it must find you working.”


I second that motion.


Start writing. And sometimes you might find yourself stuck at one chapter and you don’t know how to continue.


Skip and go to the next section. Yes, you read that right.


You’re the writer. And nobody says that you have to write the book in order.


I’m not saying you shouldnt write in order if you can. Im saying youre in charge, you make all the rules.


Do what works for you. As long as you dont stop writing, it’s all good.



Step 4- Set a Deadline, Tell everybody and Promote the book before it is done.


Thats exactly what I did.


Parkinson’s law states that: “A task will swell in perceived importance and complexity in relation to the time allocated to its completion.”


[I totally stole that from the 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss]


The fact is about a month before I released the ebook, I told my bestfriend I was going to do it.


He nodded his head like “yeah yeahh..” and we continued drinking our booze.


2 weeks after that, it still hadnt been written.


When it came close to a week after that, I just got mad one day, and decided to do it.


I wrote a Facebook post about it and mentioned it would come out in 7 days.


I got active with my Instagram and spread the word.


I wrote about it on my blog. Chatted on Whatsapp about it.


Everybody who was talking to me during that period knew what was up, and they were waiting.


With that kind of attention and pressure, I felt like the world was watching and I could not afford to fail.


And I didn’t.


Granted, it wasnt perfect (I’ll get to that later) but I did it anyway.


I think you should understand Parkinson’s Law a bit more now.


Set a deadline. And set a goal of pages you need to write each day, and keep going till you get it done.


Also, have some form of countdown that you publicly announce each day as a form of reminder to people and yourself about the book.


[If you’re not releasing the book in one week, you should still set a deadline for the release of your book]


This will help hold you accountable.


Plus the look people will give you if you fail… that should be enough inspiration.



Step 5- Craft the title, create the Cover, proofread, edit and package it up.


Most people prefer to craft the title before they release the book.


I think you should leave that for the end.


Why?


Because when you first start writing, you have no idea of the scope of the book and if you picked a title in the beginning, when you get to the end, you might find out that the book went way beyond the scope of the title.


So for me, do that at the end.


Also the book cover…. If you be Richy Rich, by all means, hire a pro to do it for you.


But if you’re a hustler like me, mehnnn download the  Wattpad Covers app on your mobile phone and do it yourself.


All you need to do is take a cool picture, put some text over it and your name at the bottom and you’ll have the cover.


No long thing.


Then it’s time to proofread for errors and edit.


You should read your draft once from beginning to the end and once from end to beginning.


This way, you’ll easily uncover errors and be able to edit them appropriately.


You might also get a few ideas on things to change and things to add or remove, which you can then do.


When you’re done with editing, then you can create your outline.


At this point, you know your book from cover to cover and creating the outline or the chapter titles will be piece of moi moi.


When you’re done, show it to someone you trust (who also speaks Good English, unless your book is in Igbo or any native dialect) and ask them to help you look for errors.



Bonus Tips:


When you’re writing, just write. Dont edit.


There’s this tendency while writing, to want to go back to correct mistakes as you make them. Don’t do that. It breaks your writing flow and interrupts your trail of thought.


Don’t look at me like that, we are all guilty of this.


When you’re writing your ebook, breaks in transmission like that could make you forget ideas that were at the tip of your pen, and you might not be able to remember them after the break.


So just write knowing that there will be time for editing later.



2. Word is cool but you should write with Google Docs (docs.google.com)


I know.


Lovers of Microsoft Word want to kill me now.


Wollup.. Wollup… Hear me out first.


When you write with Word, at the end you’ll have to go through one weird process of trying to convert your  doc file to a pdf.


If you write with Google Docs, you can simply download your book as a pdf and voila, it’s ready.


I don’t know about you but I’d rather save myself the stress of trying to figure out how to convert a Word doc file to a pdf.


3. Make sure to set up your site’s upload limits before launch day.


I had to learn this the hard way.


I always thought my site was alreadyvset up to handle all media file sizes till 20minutes before I was supposed to release the book.


Wordpress wan come Bleep my style up.


I saw max upload file size is 2 MB.


I almost fainted.


Sharply I googled and found a way. I did it.


The size increased to 68MB but it still did not accept my upload.


Then I realised the change needed to be made at the server level in my php.ini file (that one na very long thing).


I wasn’t able to find the file and eventually had to upload the file on dropbox.


[Check this (to see what I mean) : https://www.dropbox.com/s/e9qsp2xyh2871sm/DontDull.YouCanSetUpYourOwnOnlineBusinessInOneWeekend..pdf?dl=0


Look at that ugly link. But at least I did it either way.


My advice is to discuss with your hosting provider and figure all this out long before the release date.


4.  Stop trying to be perfect. Just get it done.


Perfection is a myth. Stop chasing after it.


Do what you can to create the best resource you can create, market it, generate a buzz then release it and let the chips fall where they may.


“Imperfect execution beats perfect procrastination”- Steve Harris


No excuse. Just produce.


Don’t worry about the critics. Whether you do good or bad, they will criticise.


So just do you and let them do their own thing.


Aristotle said “The only way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing and be nothing.”


True that.


So f**k them. There are no statues erected to critics.


In the spirit of execution, I have finally got my shii together and put up my web development and internet marketing site (www.fayarspark.com).


I know it’s not perfect and all, but its up there.


Whatever improvements it needs will be made as I go along.


So yeah, I’m open for business in any of the areas listed on the site, just let me know on this number- +2348147018718.


I will also be reviewing websites for FREE so if you would like me to review your site, simply post a comment with your domain name and I will get to it as soon as possible.


Although I’ll prolly turn it into a video series on Youtube to make it easier to show what I’m talking about and help you better improve your site.


Anyway, hope this has been an interesting read, my fingers are hurting, so I gotta go.


Happy Hustling!


See you at the top.


Peace.

Okay.

I know I've been away for about a minute.

I've been grinding, working and I actually just released an ebook on How to set up your online business in one weekend.

But that's not the point of the post. If you want the link to that, you'll have to let me know after.

Now, I know I said I was hiring, and in a way I am, just not the way most people might think- where you just do one sharp sharp work and make sharp sharp money.

So if that's you, you don't have to continue reading.

I want to create a team of content creators, website developers, app developers, SEO experts and social media marketers to work on projects on a freelance basis.

I'm building a website development and internet marketing firm and I know damn well I can't do this solo.

So if you are:
- An amazing content creator

- An awesome web developer

- A SEO genius

- A crazy-good app developer

- A social media marketing guru


I'm looking for you.

NOTE: This is not about a one time hustle for chicken change. I want to build something great here so if I like your work, we can make this a regular arrangement.

No, I don't need your CV. I don't care about whether you got one amazing certificate from some course you finished or whatever.

What I want are motivated people who are amazing at what they do, and can deliver on time.

If that is you, send me a message on whatsapp +2348147018718 and let's talk.

Wow... hats off to you. I just checked it out and it's like an entirely different blog. Compared to what you had before, this is a major improvement. Keep up the good work.

Temolad:
I've taken to this review and it helps me a lot. You can as well [url=temolad..com]check it out![/url]

Hmm, so you just re-spun my content with content spinner software... Good luck with that

ashwinceejo:
It is nearly grow to be cliche.

If you've spent enough time across the blogosphere, you have probable heard this endless times.

Content material is king.

However it really is simplest part of the equation. http://dlktech.co.in/

Due to the fact simply having top notch content material in your weblog won't routinely remodel you to the subsequent linda ikeji.

Okay, maybe she's no longer a top instance, seeing as she specifically posts about celebrities and different weird stuff. But you get my factor.

Just having terrific content is not going to unexpectedly make you viral.

So the new line need to be "content is king, and site visitors is his navy preferred."

The no longer-so-new components is this: first-rate content + site visitors = blogging achievement

Experience unfastened to invite linda ikeji in case you suppose this system is garbage.h

Now, for the sake of novice bloggers studying, let's speedy outline "visitors"

Site visitors (in relation to blogging) is clearly the amount of individuals who go to your website and examine your blog posts. If you're interested by being a a hit blogger (emphasis on a success), you will need to pressure site visitors for your weblog http://realtimeproject.in/

No, I'm just working my way up slowly. Do you know how to make that happen?

babatee126:
This post deserve front page. Do u av any idea abt nairaland algorithm 4 frnt page?

Thank you man and I will

ccffwx:
I'm with you on this man. Please cc me in your posts always, don't forget. Thanks!

Let's face it.

Nowadays, every Tom, Dick or Ekaette has a blog.

They're everywhere on the internet, taking up space and clogging up the blogosphere.

And right now, it's almost nearly impossible to stand out as a blogger.

Nearly impossible, but not impossible.

If you decide to start a blog today, you'll quickly find out there's a lot you don't know and need to learn.

A few days back, I got a message from someone trying to figure out how to start a blog.

My first reaction was to say "Google it" lol.. nahh, I'm just kidding (or am I?)

Well, I "googled" it and there are a lot of resources on the topic. I mean the resources on the topic have resources.

It's like a traditional polygamous african family of resources out there.

So why am I writing this?

Why create content on a topic so many people have already written about?

Basically, because that topic is evergreen, and no matter how many years pass, as long as the internet exists, people will always want to figure out how to start a blog.

And like I said in this article- (http://500nairawriter..com.ng/2017/01/5-secrets-that-ugo-c-ugo-can-teach-you.html), evergreen content makes you appear like an expert in your niche, and improves your SEO.

So yeah, I'm writing this.

There's also something Gary Vaynerchuk once said: "Because you weren't the first doesn't mean that you can't be the best."

Wise Words to hustle by.

Before we go any further, I want to mention that not having all these things figured out is still not a reason to hold off on starting that blog. Starting is how you eventually get it done.

It reminds me of this quote from Zig Ziglar:

" You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."

True that.

Now, let's talk about the things you should consider before starting a blog.

1. Why Do You Want To Start A Blog?

Yes, the unavoidable "Why" question.

There really is no getting around this question.

So many people get into blogging for the wrong reasons. They be like "Linda Ikeji got a house in Banana Island. I want to get a house in Banana too so lemme start blogging."

I know, it's all about the money and all, but trust me, you need to have some other reason apart from money for getting into blogging.

For me, it's being able to freely express myself while being creative. On the business side, though, it's part of a plan that will eventually help launch my other business and create the life of freedom from the regular 9-5 that I'm looking for.

What is it that makes you want to put your fingers to the keyboard?

Why do you want to start a blog?

And stop saying Money. Because News Flash: Blogging is not a short term cash generator, and you probably won't make "shi-gbain" in the first couple of months or even years.

So you really need to have a stronger "Why" than money or you won't be able to push through the times when it's hard and there's basically no "Ta-ta for yan-yan".


2. What is your niche?

I think I have over over-emphasized this in my review posts.

When you decide to start a blog, it means you have something to say about a definite topic.

RE-read that. A definite topic.

You're basically saying: "Hey, guys, this is what I think about x"

X, being the topic.

Now, there are no general topics for everybody. Check with whoever the authority on topics is.

The fact is, each individual person is different from the next. Yes, even identical twins are different from each other. So, each individual person has different interests and desires than the next individual.

There is no way to create a blog for everybody. You can't please everyone, but you can please some.

Seth Godin calls it creating a tribe.

A tribe is basically a group of people united by a certain interest. And that interest usually lies within a niche, that if you tap into and satisfy, can yield maximum returns both in traffic and $$$ for your blog.

I hear you thinking:

"But what of Linda Ikeji? She writes for everyone."

Nope. Even Linda Ikeji writes in a particular niche.

So yeah, this is definitely No.2 on this list.


3. Who is your audience?
[s]
It's easy to just come up with an article on any topic[/s]. Actually, Scratch that.

What I'm trying to say is this- Writing is the easy part.

Getting your content read is more difficult.

And the only way to get your content read is to write about the interests of your audience. But that won't work quite well if you don't know who your audience is.

Just as most men are less likely to read a blog about wedding dresses, women are less likely to read a blog about cars.

I'm not saying it's impossible; it's just less likely.

Also, you're more likely to push a camel through the eye of a needle, than you are likely to get a housewife to read a blog about Financial technology. (Brief shout out to www.macksonwakama.com for showing me such a term exists)

Figure out:

- How old your typical reader is.
- What they do/ want to do for work.
- What their wants are, what they desire.
- What they are afraid of.
- What they struggle with everyday.
- Where they hang out online.

And you'll be one step closer to creating a blog that won't suck monkey nuts.


4. What kind of value will you provide to your target audience?

This is basic in business. It's all an exchange of value. Time for money, time for knowledge, time for entertainment, etcetera.

With blogging, you're trading in attention and time. Your readers offer you your attention and time and in return, you have to give them something.

Something worthy of the attention and time they're giving to you.

Without something of value, your readers will be clicking the "Back" button faster than you can say bounce rate. And when majority of your readers spend a lot of time "back-clicking" from your site, you start losing that SEO love, and your site will fall so low in rankings that searching for it might almost be as difficult as digging for oil with a shovel.

Okay, Tomi, slow down with all the similes.

Now, just like with most content online, there's 3 basic forms of value a blog can provide:

- Entertainment: Basically make the readers laugh, intrigue them and make them want to congratulate you for a good show (if a blog was a concert)

- Information: Do this by telling of current events, or opening your reader's eyes to a new way of looking at things.

- Education: Teach your audience something they have always wanted to learn, or teach them how to deal with a problem they might be facing.

I currently don't think there are any other forms of value that can be derived from content, but feel free to let me know in your comments if you know any others.

So yeah, when your audience gives you their attention and time, you better have a worthy reward.


5. How to reach your audience.

While figuring out who your audience is, you should also have an idea of where they are most likely to hang out online.

Could be Facebook, or some weird forum that most people have never heard about.

Doesn't matter. Figure it out and once you find them, you need to come up with a strategy to better reach them.

An easy one (easy, because most people use Facebook) would be to create a Facebook page, and invite people to like, but most people (myself included) generally ignore "Page Like" requests on Facebook.

You could also create a community that revolves around your blog niche. That helps you better engage with your audience, as communities tend to help with the whole "creating a tribe" thing.

There's also using sponsored posts to get your page in front of more people likely to be interested in your niche. I personally haven't had much luck with that, and not for lack of trying.

Just because for some reason, despite putting my perfect account details in, the transaction failed every single time.

If anybody knows why that is happening or a way around that, please let me know.

Now, on to the next.


6. How you will generate traffic.

I once said wrote in a previous post: "Content is King, and Traffic is his army general".

Fact is, all the amazing content in the world won't mean sh*t if nobody reads it.

That's one of the most unbreakable rules of blogging.

A blog without an audience is like a choir coordinator without a choir, like a pastor without a church, like a government without the people.

A blog without an audience is not a blog.

Yes, you read that right.

Before starting out, figuring out how to get people to see your site will save you a lot of headache in the long run (and also help you get to the $$$ faster).

There are many methods you can use to generate traffic and I already wrote about some of them a bit in a previous post (which you can see here: https://www.nairaland.com/3568123/5-ridiculously-simple-tips-increase ) so we won't go into them now.

You absolutely need to figure this out though when you're starting a blog.


7. How you are going to make money from your blog.

Okay, maybe this one is a bit presumptuous. I mean, some people just blog for fun na. Abi?

Well, this post is not really for "funbloggers" ... I mean, of course I enjoy blogging for fun just as much as the next guy but I'm also hustling for that pay day too.

So, any "funbloggers" out there who think a blog should be kept pure and unspoiled by money making intentions, I offer my sincerest apologies (not) but this post is for people serious about making money online.

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about this point.

Here's the thing.

Just like in any business, if you don't know how or can't figure out how a business is going to make money, it won't.

Plain simple.

And I know most of you reading this (just like me) are not into blogging just for the fun.

We all need money. It is what it is.

Now, there are various means to make money from your blog, and I will probably go into them in detail in a later post or you can just do a Google search (if you can't wait for me to post on it).

For now, here's a few ways:

- Affiliate marketing
- Selling a service
- Consulting services
- Selling a product
- Selling your blog

Keep your eyes peeled for my next post though. I'll go into more details about how you can make money from your blog.


There you have it, 7 important things to figure out before you start a blog. When you start a blog though, you might face the problem of not being able to come up with blog post ideas. You might feel like you have "Writer's block" or whatever they call it these days.

Here's a slightly not-so-politically-correct tip:

"Writer's block doesn't exist... unless you believe in it."

I don't. I have written a post on how I never really get Writer's block how I deal with Writer's block. You can check that out here:

http://500nairawriter..com.ng/2017/02/how-to-never-run-out-of-topics-for-your.html

Okay, hope this post helps, and I gotta get back to my day job.

Yes, my day job sometimes continues on the weekends.

Happy hustling. See you at the top.

Peace out.

** Drops pen and strolls over to 500nairawriter..com to do a bit of editing before heading back to the Hospital.***

Yeah, it takes up too much of my time for my hustle. I charge N5,000

kingelemide:

To be honest i don't expect you to. Writing Long articles like dat for free is time wasting. How much do you charge for review

I'm sorry. I don't do free reviews any more.

babatee126:

You can now re-review my blog latest post.

Thanks for your comment, man but I don't do reviews for free any more.

Emmysky:
Please Review Techvoy.com.ng. Thanks

Hi, your review is ready

Temolad:
Review my blog please @ http:///M8

Hi, your review is ready

technestng:

Please review my blog also http://technestng.com.

Okay.

I've been away for a minute.

I humbly apologise to everyone out there who has been reading and expecting a review or a post from me on a topic (Fizzymidasquil, that means you).

I'm sorry.

The struggle is real in this time of change.

Make una no vex abeg.

Now, let's do this:

For today, I have something different in mind.

I'll be reviewing three different sites, all in one post.

I know I titled this "Simple, Short and Sweet" but fact is, I never really know how long a post is going to be till I start smacking my keyboard.

I will say this though. Get a chair and get comfortable because I have a lot to talk about.

Without further ado, let's begin.


1. Temolad blog - /M8 or temolad..com

I. First things first, I think you need to get rid of that "/M8" URL whatever that is.

A URL should give your visitor an idea of what your site is about.

I mean, on the surface, it seems spammy, like something those people trying to market a product (or offer you some "get rich quick" scheme) send you and tell you to click it.

Then it redirects to temolad..com.

It doesn't make sense. Get rid of it.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule like "www.google.com".

But those are in situations where you're trying to build a brand around a name.

And if that's what you're trying to do, temolad..com offers you a better name.

Like me though, you still need to get hosting and get rid of that ..com extension.


II. Your tagline

Article "Plannet" World.

2 main issues:

One, "Plannet" is misspelled. The first thing your visitor sees on your site is a misspelled tagline.

That is doing you no favours.

Two, what exactly does Article Plannet world mean?

I mean, it sounds like a stockpile of random articles. It doesn't tell your reader that your site is for him, leaving him confused.

And you know what site visitors do if they get confused?

They either click the back button or the little 'x' at the right hand corner of your site tab in their browser.

Either way, you get no love.

Here's what you do- Get a better tagline that tells your visitor that your site is for him or not for him.

Not for him?

Yes, you read that right.

You can't please everyone, so you should figure out who your audience is and only write for them. Everybody else is secondary.


III. Simplicity.

Steve Jobs once said "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

I concur.

Once you scroll past that tagline, it becomes a bit more clear what your site is about. It seems like a cross between Lifehack (www.lifehack.org), Tiny Buddha (www.tinybuddha.com) and Dumb Little Man (www.dumblittleman.com).

While your site is not necessarily my cup of tea, I can see the idea behind it because I once had a blog in that niche.

I love how simple your site is to navigate through. It's not cluttered with confusing ads or pop-ups. To read a post, you simply scroll down and click on it.

Easy. Simple. I love that.


IV. Your About Page

While reading through it, I kept asking myself- "Who is Prof Temolad?" , " Why should I care?"

I looked through your Google + profile and you don't look like a Professor. So where is the Prof Temolad coming from?

I feel you're better off dropping the whole Prof Temolad act and just telling us a real story. You know, like who are you, what are your experiences and what inspired you to start writing the blog.

Like they always say, "Real recognise Real".

If you want real visitors that keep coming back for more and more, you have to be real.

And unless you have obtained some Ph.D or the highest level degree in a particular field (which you can show us), you are not a Professor.


V. Grammar and Spelling

Your posts have more than a few mistakes in either spelling or grammar.

Now, that is not enough to ruin your site, but it can slow things down a bit.

Of course, writing for the internet gives you more leeway to break a lot of typical grammatical rules, but there is absolutely no acceptable excuse to type "five fundamental fact" and forget about the 's' that shows that it's more than one fact you're going to write about.

You're obviously trying to appeal to an intelligent audience so you need to get this sorted out.

It's annoying having to correct your mistakes while we are reading. It slows down the reading, disturbs the flow, and makes us really question your "Professor-ship".


VI. Your big blocks of text

I think I have written a lot about this. And I can't seem to stress this enough.

Nobody reading online sees a huge block of text and goes: "Oh wow, I can't wait to read all that".

Well, maybe just the people who are really really interested in what you have written. Actually scratch that. Let's say maybe just people who know you will be on their case if they don't read what you have written.

Keep it down to two sentences a paragraph, with an occasional one sentence paragraph.

This makes your posts easier on the eyes for your readers.


VII. You are too liberal with Italics and Bold text.

Italics. Bold.

They're really cool. Really a good way to make your words look really interesting.

But just like with every good thing, too much of it can be bad... very very bad.

In your posts, the italics and bold filters were not the welcome distraction from the mundane text.

They became the mundane text!

Use it like a spice.

I mean salt is good, but if you put in wayyy too much salt in any soup, it will no longer be soup. It will be sea water.

Make sense?


Okay, there are still other issues like what your long term plan for your blog is, etcetera shmetcetera, but I feel you can take these things I've pointed out and make a few changes that will help your blog become better.



2. TechCorb (www.techcorb.com)

First of all, Tech Corb why?

I looked at your site a few weeks back and I was ready to write an awesome review because I felt you were doing an awesome job, but then you change it up to this?

I mean, the green layout and design was kicking more ass compared to this.

I know, I know.. I came late to the party, but damn, does that mean you should not remain cake for me?

The layout on this new site is just not it... as compared to the previous one.

I was really looking forward to writing a great review and pointing out the amazing things you were doing (and hopefully finding out who your website designer was) but then you had to go and ruin everything.

Whatever, let's talk about your new site.

I. The Color Scheme

Now, for most people who didn't see that green, elegant site you had before, this pale blue or off blue might seem cool.

But trust me, it isn't.

Your audience is gamers and techsavvy peeps. The pale blue is a bit dull. Go back to the green.


II. I love that you identified your niche (for the most part)

You picked out a target audience and you created content they will be interested in. That's Step One when you're trying to build a great blog.

Find what your target audience wants to know. Give them the info.

Awesome.


III. You need more content in that Reviews section.

I think this is pretty obvious. No need to explain further.


IV. Your Science and History Pages.

I don't really understand how those pages serve you.

You could make an argument for the Science page but the only article you have on there is about something that scientists find interesting.

Your audience is not really composed of the scientists that the article is for.

And the History page? Like really?

I mean, your site is not about history. It's about the present. It's about what is happening in tech and gaming right now. Either keep the History articles to a bare minimum or get rid of it.

You are not Wikipedia. Don't try to be.


V. That Find Us On Facebook "thing" at the right bottom half of your page.

That looks like it was a link that was supposed to take the visitor to your Facebook page... except it doesn't.

It's currently not even a link. As such, it serves no purpose.

Either link it to your facebook account or remove it and replace it with social media buttons.


VI. Your posts are actually at a good length considering gamers might not really have the time to pour through "textbooks" of text.

There was one I had beef with though- The Ghost Rider MOD one. It just seemed like you were not interested at all, or you just slept on your keyboard.

Don't just write for the sake of writing. Either put out great content, or don't put out anything.


VII. You could also offer tutorials, cracks and cheat codes for different games.

Now, as long as it's not illegal, I think this is a perfect way to attract more gamers to your site.

Get a sizeable following and you could easily come up with a product to sell to some of them that will make you a lot of $$$ easy.


I do believe you need to go back to that previous design with the awesome layout and all. As soon as possible.


3. TechNest-Nig (www.technestng.com)

First of all, great work!

You picked a niche and from what I see you have created content that spans over any and all things involving technology from mobile to startups and so on.

There are just a few issues I feel you need to address and you'll be golden.

I. Your title bar says "Bringing technology to live". That last word should be Life.

It's not a major dealbreaker but you should rectify that.


II. Your home page looks a bit crummy.

I'm not sure if that's the right word, but let's put it this way, you have way too much going on on your home page.

Every page is supposed to serve one purpose only.

Your home page is supposed to be like the entrance to your house.

Do you hang washed clothes, cook, sell akara, sleep and shit in front of your house?

I don't think so.

I'll point out these issues and how you can rectify them as we go on.


III. That space at the top of your page.

I don't know how you did it, but the ads you place there take up much more space than the title of your site.

Your site title is at the far left corner, barely noticeable and the ad stands out more.

Not a good look.

Change that. Try to put your site title in the center and make it a bit more prominent.

Also try to work your tagline in there.

It tells a visitor that needs info on tech that he or she is in the right place.

And the ad.. if you can't completely get rid of it, make it smaller in comparison.


IV. Your left sidebar.

(a) the newsletter widget

I feel you could better display that, but not in the left sidebar. Make it a pop-up message that says something like:

" You don't have to be left out anymore. Sign up for our newsletter and Get updates on the latest in tech"

and then underneath, have a button that says "Yes, I want those updates" and then another that says "No, I prefer to remain ignorant" or "No, I would rather be a JJC"

Then when people click on the Yes button, it should then link to the sign up form that should just have two fields: One for the Name and the other for the email address.

(b) You don't have to repeat the "Follow on instagram" thing when you already have "Follow:" with the symbols of the different social media accounts.

(c) That " Answer it quick" game and the other pic below it serve no purpose ... except pissing visitors like me off.

Get rid of it.

(d) New year was a month ago. You can retire the Happy New Year banner now.


(V) Your right sidebar

That place is basically begging to be arranged. like for realllll.

(a) The Google badge should come lower down the page. Preferably after the rest of the things there.

(b) It's a cool design you have there for arranging your posts and all, but it's not really intuitive.

I mean when I first saw that, I didn't know what it was.

I wasn't even interested in clicking on it.

I feel you're better off just arranging them as follows:

- 2-3 recent posts
- Popular posts
- Categories

Easy peasy


(c) No need to have MORE written at the top. Put "Search" there instead.

When we see More there we are stuck trying to figure out "More what?"

Search, at least, will tell us we can search for things there.


VI. Don't let your page suffer from "Adson's disease)

Yes, I totally just coined that phrase.

You have ads up and I can see they are about tech. Please ensure it stays that way.

It's easier to sell bibles to Christians than it is to sell pork to Muslims.

Get it?

I hope you do because your site looks like it is doing great already and it's only going to get better than great.



Okay, I know I said Simple, Short and Sweet and this looks like a 3 hour read.

For that, I'm sorry... or not.

I write it as I think it.

And sometimes things get a bit longer than I even know when I start writing the post. Feel free to comment, point out any things I missed, etcetera shmetcetera.

Now, lemme go and get a midnight snack.

Happy Hustling!

Your review is live!

0lumuyiwa:
Nice thread, please check my blog and give your professional tips.

Olumuyiwaolayinka.

Thanks bro

Okay.

I'm going to try something a bit different this time.

Or maybe not.

As usual, I'll offer my disclaimer- I'm not a pro. You should get a pro's opinion if you disagree with my review.

For me, the point of a review is to point out things you can do better on your site. Things that can help you and your business.

And when it comes to this site, I'm not going to mince words- There's a lot you need to change to do better with your site.

So, let's begin:

1. Your colour scheme

That orange and grey colour scheme really doesn't do much to encourage me to continue down your site. I don't know, but there's something about that grey that sort of dulls the site experience for an average user.

I mean, it doesn't have to be too "shiny" with super colours and all.

But your site should really sparkle and draw a user in.

So, please change the colours.

If possible, try to have some white in there. Your content, which should be typed in black, will be easier to read against a white background.


2. Your text size

Okay, I officially dare anybody reading this to go to the site at olumuyiwaolayinka. and try to read the content without having to squint a little bit.

Is there anybody that didn't have to squint?

Exactly.

Your text size is too small for the average ADHD-afflicted web surfer. It requires us visitors to squint.

And fact is, a large majority of us wouldn't.

We'll just hit the "Back" button and leave.

Increase the size just a bit and you'll be golden.


3. Your URL

Your URL is how people are supposed to find you.

So it makes it harder to find you when your URL isn't exactly user-friendly.

It needs to be something easy to remember like www.cnn.com or www.facebook.com or www.google.com or yahoomail.com.

Your URL is tough to remember and the . extension further worsens it.

Fix that. Come up with a better URL, buy the domain name and get web hosting.

No story. Just do it.


4. Your tagline- EVERYTHING POLITICS, ECONOMY, OPINIONS, INTERVIEWS & LIFESTYLE, WE REMAIN THE NO. 1.

Normally, I encourage wearing many different hats and trying different things.

Oh wait, no I don't.

When you say "Everything Politics", you have carved out a huge niche. And then you add on economy, "opinions" (What is that?), interviews and lifestyle, that's way too much on your plate.

As a matter of fact, they are no longer on your plate. Some of them are already " drip drop, drip drippity" dropping on the floor.

I looked through your site and couldn't find one single interview, lifestyle or "opinions" ( I still don't understand what this is) themed article.

In my honest opinion, I think if you want to write about politics, you already have a lot to write about or report.

Why add on other fields when you haven't completely covered one?

I think you need to narrow your niche down.

Also the tagline that appears at the bottom of the photo on your home page? The one that says "Your No.1 trusted blog for everything"?

That just sounds tacky, doesn't tell your potential readers that your site is actually for them and doesn't really add anything to your site. Remove it.


5. Your photo

If it was a personal site, it would make sense to have your photo on your site. (And if that was the case, you need to put up a better photo)

But you seem like you're trying to write in the News niche so pleaseee take your photo off.

Your readers are supposed to come to your site for news. When they see your pic, there's the possibility that some readers would just leave.

I mean, your URL is your personal name, and then your tagline says you're about news in politics, economy, etcetera shmetcetera.

And then we get to your News site and see your face on the home page.

That's like me going to CNN's site and seeing a picture of Ted Turner on the home page.

Not good.

Take it off, unless you want to have that as your personal site (in which case, you'll need to make a huge overhaul of the site).


6. Your content isn't unique.

Now, you might get a bit offended here but before you do, try to keep an open mind.

I looked at a few of your articles and they basically look like you just went to www.punch.com.ng or the Guardian's website, copied and pasted what you saw there.

That is not good enough.

You put your name on your site. You said it's the No.1 blog for everything, but yet, don't write with a unique voice?

How are you going to become No.1 when you sound like a copy?

You need to find your unique way of reporting News.

The News niche is already crowded with almost a million blogs writing about the same things in the same way, except for a few who actually report certain stories first.

For me, writing like the crowd is not going to earn you a huge following.

Because when we read your content, we start to think maybe we already read this at another site and then we leave.


7. Way too many words per article for a News Blog

I mean, you're already reporting News (on a regular basis) that will already attract a lot of attention.

For a writer's blog or a blog in most niches, long form content helps to make you seem like an expert.

Keeping it short and sweet at about 300- 500 words is the way to go. Then you could always have another post underneath with something like:

"MUST READ: How Donald Trump bla bla bla" or whatever you want to write.

So they leave that article and go to the next article.

Also see this post on what makes a viral article as well as get your content shared and read- http://neilpatel.com/blog/how-to-give-your-content-wings-we-analyzed-11541-viral-articles-from-2016-to-uncover-the-secret-formula/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email


8. You write about everything News

I mean, you are not Linda Ikeji.

And if you're trying to be, you really should stop. Because there's already like 5 million naija bloggers trying to be the next Linda Ikeji.

Everybody has a blog dedicated to reporting what Kim K did or that one Lagos hotelier turns a worker into a sex slave or whatever.

I get it. Sex and Gossip sells.

Linda Ikeji taught us all that.

The problem is when you say your site is about everything politics, economy, lifestyle, etc and then start posting news like this, you just seem like another Linda Ikeji- wannabe.

All those types of "news" are none of your business.

You should be focused on telling us about power shifts in our government and how it concerns us, how the economy is changing and how we can benefit from that.

Not talking about two chicks kissing snakes or whatever.

I mean, have you ever heard of Perez Hilton writing about the global economy?


9. Text widget in your footer section of your page.

It reads:

"TEXT WIDGET

This is a text widget, which allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. You can use them to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. Edit them in the Widget section of the Customizer."


Whatever that is, get rid of it.


10. Your blog stats

Having a particular place displaying your stats- 27,621 hits.

That's just tacky, and amateur-ish (if that's a word).

Putting that on there is like trying to boast to your friends or whoever that you get traffic.

Here's a secret- A rich man doesn't have to tell you he's rich.

In the same vein, when you put that up there, it makes it pretty obvious that you're not really getting that much traffic.

I mean, it's even hard to believe that figure when most of your articles don't even have any comments at all.


11. And my final one...

What is your purpose for blogging?

What will bring readers to your site?

What's unique about your site?

You haven't really figured that out yet.

What is your site centered on? Is it to educate, entertain or inform? You need to figure out these questions soon, because right now, it really isn't doing anything except reporting news in any way different from about a million other blogs.


Okay, now I'm done.

Okay, I know.

I haven't written any posts in a while. And there's about 4 more sites I have to review right now.

Truth is, I've been a bit more busy than usual recently with my day job and my personal hustle. Add to that the fact that I'm on call today so let's just say I'm trying to squeeze this into the little breaks I get.

It literally feels like 24 hours isn't enough for all I want to do ...

...but I can't complain.

Here's what I'm going to do though.

I'll keep writing these posts and all, but I'm rethinking doing any more site reviews.

Why?

Short Answer: 'Cos they take up a lot of my time.

So after these 4 sites I have left to review, I won't be doing any more free reviews.

If you would like me to review your site, you'll have to part with a small sum of 5k and I'll do your review.

Other than that, I won't be doing any more site reviews.

Okay, now that that's been said. Let's get back to this post...


So you've decided to start writing online. I applaud you.

Most people can't make a decision and stick with it so just in case nobody says it:

"Wehdone sir.. Wehdone Sir" (in Falz voice)

But now you have a new problem.

What kind of writing do you want to do?

So this post is to make things a bit easier for you to figure it all out.

Without further ado, let's dive in:

1. Article Writing

This is your basic run-of-the-mill article writing.

This could mean writing articles about anything- from business articles, to articles about gardening or love or whatever.

Even professional articles in the field of Law, health care, fitness, fashion, Forex, etcetera shmetcetera.

As long as there are people interested in a particular field or niche, there's always going to be a need for content.

A need that, by the way, far exceeds the ability of the market to produce quality articles.

So, if you have any knowledge in any field, you can always do a Google Search for sites within that niche.

Then take the sites, type each of them into the Google search bar, add "write for us" at the ending, and then hit enter.

You'll quickly discover opportunities for article writing that you have been missing out on for most of your life!

And don't worry, about whether you're a pro or not. If you're able to prove to the client, that you can craft the article he needs, then you have a higher chance of getting the job than even the pros.


2. Blogging

Yes, people, there is a difference between article writing and blogging.

An article can basically be written plain and straightforward... You know, like that Chemistry textbook I mentioned in my previous post on increasing blog traffic. Depending on the niche, it may or may not need to be anything special.

But you can't afford to blog like that.

Trust me.

Blog originates from what was known in the first days of the Internet as a " web log". Somewhere along the line, it got shortened to blog, but a web log is what it originally is.

A great example of a log would be in the movie "Avatar" when that paralysed dude (I forget his name) had to keep recording this videos and he'll be like " It's Day so so and so, here's what I'm learning bla bla bla".

That's what a log is. A blog is just a log that's online and in written form.

The basic gist is that a blog, in its simplest form, is a conversation between you and your audience.

Sure, if you start off and create a blog, you might not have much of an audience, but this fact still holds true. A blog is a conversation between you and your audience.

It has to be engaging.

So, if you find that your writing skills (like mine) are more conversational and centered around creating engaging content, then blogging might just be a perfect fit for you.

You could guest blog, or you could get paid to ghost blog or you could create a blog of your own and earn money from Ads on your blog or gigs that come as a result of the exposure your blog is getting.

Any whish way na Blog.


3. Ghostwriting

I know rappers always make fun of other rappers who use ghost writers, and you were probably thinking about that when you saw "Ghostwriting" as number 3 here.

Well, Ghostwriting is more than writing rap verses. Actually ghostwriting basically means one person gets the credit for writing a book or an article, that someone else (who he paid) actually did.

If you're the type of person who doesn't really like the spotlight, and you prefer to just be behind the scenes, this might work for you.

I mean, you do the work and get paid, yet still maintain your anonymity.

It has that appeal of being some kind of James Bond of writing online, you come in, do your work, and then leave without a trace.

I have actually ghostwritten a lot, let's just say I'm not really a fan though... especially when it's something I love.

I once ghost-wrote a book for a "friend" (who shall not be named) and then he parades the book as his, and I got nothing, no credit, no $$ in return.

Let's just say, that experience steered me away from ghostwriting.

If you don't mind doing all the research, creating content, delivering it and remaining out of the spotlight though, this might just be the thing for you.

I think it could be great, as long as you do get compensated properly.

P.S. This obviously can merge with other types of writing jobs.


4. Web Content Creation

As long as the internet exists, there will always be websites.

As long as there will always be websites, there will always be web pages.

As long as there will always be web pages, there will always be a need for content on those web pages.

A few months back, I was trying to find an eye clinic in Abuja. I did a Google search, and then clicked on one of the sites that ranked at the top of the Google Search engine result page... and I was pissed off.

I'm really obsessed with words so when I see shitty content, I get mad.

It was like they weren't even putting in any effort.

Terrible grammar here, punctuation error there, and boring ass descriptions that could make anyone prefer to watch paint dry than read their content.

And that's when I realized there was a need for home page content.

I placed an ad for that right here on Nairaland, and I actually did a couple jobs writing web pages. And I earned some sweet cash.

Now, I'm not even close to being "Super-Writing-Man" or anything like that. I just have a basic understanding of grammar and punctuation, plus a few big words I can use to get a point across. That's it. And I earned money doing it.

The not-so-fun part though is having to create content for pages within niches I actually have no interest in.

Apart from that, it's actually one of my favourite writing jobs to do.


5. Copywriting

I'm still in the learning phase on this one though.

Copywriting basically is "writing that sells".

It doesn't matter what it is, a product, a service, a business... whatever.

Great copywriting can sell it.

You know when you go to a web page to order an ebook or a product and you see these long pages that describe the benefits of the product and somehow convince you to buy?

That's a form of copywriting.

Or you get to a page that tells you to enter your email address in order to get some free ebook or product?

That falls under copywriting.

With this form of writing, there's a shit ton of opportunities and business to do. And money to be made

A simple Google search on " How much freelance copywriters earn?" will absolutely open your eyes forever.



So there you go, 5 types of online writing jobs you can do. Pick one or a combination of a few to better your chances of getting writing jobs.

And any more types of writing jobs online you can think about, please add them in the comments section.

Speaking of writing jobs, I recently wrote an article on how to land your first writing job on Upwork, you might want to check it out here:

http://500nairawriter..com.ng/2017/01/land-your-first-online-writing-job.html


My next review is coming soon.

Till then, Happy Hustling!

I'll get to it before this week runs out

Temolad:
Review my blog please @ http:///M8

The review is live now.

napoleon77:
Nice writeup on increasing traffic!!

Please help me review my site http://macksonwakama.com

Many thanks

Okay, Wow.

I landed on macksonwakama.com after a lovely meal and some love play ( ...shh, don't tell anybody) and I'm loving this site.

Once again, I'm an amateur so you might still want to get a pro review after this.

Anyway, from what I have seen so far, you're the real deal.

I mean, I'm not really into Digital banking news and all, but I actually enjoyed going through your site and reading a few of your posts.

So let's begin:

The Good

Branding

1. Your site is exactly what the tagline says it is.

The tagline is "The Latest Digital Banking, Banking Innovation and FinTech News" and when I read through your site, that is exactly what I found.

You have figured out your niche. And you write articles focused on that niche. That's great for your branding.

Props.


2. Your content is tailored to your specific audience.

I obviously can't tell what's so great about "The Nigerian FinTech Landscape" but your target audience (which I think are mostly digital bankers or people involved in Financial Tech) understand what you're talking about.

Your content is well researched, and you also link out to authority blogs in your content.

Those two ingredients are great for On Page SEO and I hope Big Daddy Google's ranking love is shining down on your site for that.


3. You are obviously versed in your niche

The way you write, it's obvious that you know what you're talking about.

And then I read through your About Section, I realized you've actually worked in that niche for about 13 years.

That's some valuable experience right there. I'd talk a bit more about doing something with that later.


Content

4. Your content is split into categories.

This makes your site pretty easy to understand and look through.

So much eye candy for your target audience.

This is a great feature.


5. Your blocks of text are broken up with great images.

Sometimes a picture communicates more than a thousand words, and you make use of great, engaging images.

As I looked through, I found myself wanting to see what each image was about.

If you haven't already, you need to add alt text to those images to make them rank in image search.


6. Your content is top notch, quality and informative.

Your reporting is backed by research from respected sites and is just top quality. You write in huge blocks of paragraphs, but I can't be mad at that cos you're a news site, and you break it up with interesting images here and there, so my eyes take short breaks in between the huge blocks.

Okay.

I don't think you need me to toot your horn any more so let's get into the Not-So-Good-Could-Be-Better Category:


* The ad that appears above your title (That University of London Ad)

Not really a good look for your site. There's so much advertisement online these days that when a normal everyday internet browser gets even a whiff of an ad, they might leave.

That ad shouldn't be the first thing that welcomes a visitor to your site.

Move it somewhere else.


* Also, that Treehouse ad embedded in that photo makes it seem like you're a programmer learning to code.

Remove it.

Try to also ensure that the ads you display on your site match with what your content is about. That way, they're more likely to convert about.

When you want to sell pork, you don't take it to a party organized by Muslims.

'Nuff said.


* Above that widget in your side bar that shows your tweets, there really is no need to write "Twitter" there.

You could just write "Latest Tweets". Your target is definitely internet savvy and they'll get what tweets are without you having to say "Twitter"


* Beneath your posts, the share icons are enough. You don't need to have a separate "Tweet" or "+" share thing below them.

* I'm not really a web designer or developer... yet, but the design feels a bit bland.

It's not really a big issue but I feel it could be improved on a bit.


A few ideas (you can skip over this if you're fine with what you have already):

- Okay, your site is great, but what are your plans long term?

I feel you could tailor a few of your posts more to how the news in Financial tech apply to the common man. You know, so at least people like me would come to your site for info on how Fintech can help us or... I don't know. It's just some thing to think about and maybe test to see how it works out for you.

You could turn all your knowledge and use it to build authority in your niche and monetize that, bringing you more $$$ from your blog.

- If you haven't already, you should submit your site to Google News

This will work wonders for your SEO. You can find out more here- https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-to-get-your-website-listed-in-google-news-in-2016/159701/ and here- https://support.google.com/news/publisher/answer/40787?hl=en


You're doing a lot right already. Hope this review helps in some way.

Now, I'm tired, but going to go work on my sites.

Peace out. and Happy Hustling!