Comments on: Don’t Rely on Sidebars and Headers to Guide Your Visitors http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/ Work from Home and Run an Online Business / Over 400+ Articles Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:23:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: How To Make Visitors Stick Around — Track Forward http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-71958 How To Make Visitors Stick Around — Track Forward Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:50:00 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-71958 [...] finish with a link to the inspiration for this post, which was called Don’t Rely on Sidebars and Headers to Guide Your Visitors. A closely related thought, but certainly not quite the [...] [...] finish with a link to the inspiration for this post, which was called Don’t Rely on Sidebars and Headers to Guide Your Visitors. A closely related thought, but certainly not quite the [...]

]]> By: Hayley http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-71382 Hayley Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:52:13 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-71382 Great post. I'm also trying to use the "in-context" text link strategy. Actually it's something that Site Build It has been touting but I've been a little skeptical of it, particularly since I don't personally like to click on in context text links (I always end up 20 pages away from where I started). Hayley webmaster: <a href="http://www.onlinemoneystartup.com" title="Online Money Startup">Earn Money Online - OnlineMoneyStartup.com</a> Great post. I’m also trying to use the “in-context” text link strategy. Actually it’s something that Site Build It has been touting but I’ve been a little skeptical of it, particularly since I don’t personally like to click on in context text links (I always end up 20 pages away from where I started).

Hayley
webmaster:
Earn Money Online - OnlineMoneyStartup.com

]]> By: stumbleupon magic http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70856 stumbleupon magic Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:46:34 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70856 I am also a blogger. I have tried links in sidebar. But they didn't work as you said. For me best place in a blog is at the beginning or at the end of the post. it's always a best practice to wrap the post with the product link. I am also a blogger. I have tried links in sidebar. But they didn’t work as you said. For me best place in a blog is at the beginning or at the end of the post. it’s always a best practice to wrap the post with the product link.

]]> By: CompuWorld http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70652 CompuWorld Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:52:34 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70652 I have also noticed that and that is disappointing to me as I had many of my good posts in my sidebar. I recently plan to get my site redesigned and I am working hard on the kind of design which lays most of the emphasis on the content. I guess if I work hard so that my content stays for a longer time on the homepage then the idea may work. Having the popular posts in the sidebar although might be a good idea as it attracts readers. To force readers to click on your sidebars one must opt for images to link to various posts or categories as that attracts the reader more.. I have also noticed that and that is disappointing to me as I had many of my good posts in my sidebar.

I recently plan to get my site redesigned and I am working hard on the kind of design which lays most of the emphasis on the content. I guess if I work hard so that my content stays for a longer time on the homepage then the idea may work. Having the popular posts in the sidebar although might be a good idea as it attracts readers.

To force readers to click on your sidebars one must opt for images to link to various posts or categories as that attracts the reader more..

]]> By: Case Study: How to Gradually Promote a Product Using Multiple Blog Posts » Net Business Blog http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70498 Case Study: How to Gradually Promote a Product Using Multiple Blog Posts » Net Business Blog Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:51:48 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70498 [...] I wrote about not relying on the header or sidebar to guide your visitors. Instead, use the content area to guide your visitors because many internet users don’t pay attention to the header or [...] [...] I wrote about not relying on the header or sidebar to guide your visitors. Instead, use the content area to guide your visitors because many internet users don’t pay attention to the header or [...]

]]> By: Dee Barizo http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70377 Dee Barizo Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:08:15 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70377 Yeah, I like how Steve Pavlina words his call to action :) Also, what is the script called? Do you have a URL? Yeah, I like how Steve Pavlina words his call to action :)

Also, what is the script called? Do you have a URL?

]]> By: BizDevMarketing http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70363 BizDevMarketing Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:00:54 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70363 This works great for CTAs, especially on blogs. One blog has a script that identifies new visitors; at the end of the most recent post displays "looks like you're new here - why don't you sign up for our RSS feed?" I always pay more attention to CTAs at the end of a post, or within a post. I love Steve Pavlina's "Find this information helpful? 'Donate To Steve' so you can enjoy the spirit of giving, too." This works great for CTAs, especially on blogs. One blog has a script that identifies new visitors; at the end of the most recent post displays “looks like you’re new here - why don’t you sign up for our RSS feed?”

I always pay more attention to CTAs at the end of a post, or within a post. I love Steve Pavlina’s “Find this information helpful? ‘Donate To Steve’ so you can enjoy the spirit of giving, too.”

]]> By: Dee Barizo http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70216 Dee Barizo Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:14:58 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70216 Blogs are tricky because most people expect the front page of blogs to be constantly updating. With this in mind, I do think mentioning the contest on every post is overkill. I would try to mention it every 2-3 posts. And don't do more than one announcement post for your contest. The rest of posts with your contest link should have informative and useful content. Somehow you have to relate the content to the contest. I'll have a post today about promoting a product (or contest) through your blog without drastically changing your blog's focus. <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/NetBusinessBlog">Feel free to subscribe</a> if you haven't already :) Also, I noticed you have <a href="http://www.advicenetwork.com/">a traditional home page</a> while your blog sits on a subdomain. However, I didn't see a mention of the contest on your home page. That's the perfect place for it because traditional home pages are perceived to be static pages (meaning they don't change much). Blogs are tricky because most people expect the front page of blogs to be constantly updating. With this in mind, I do think mentioning the contest on every post is overkill.

I would try to mention it every 2-3 posts. And don’t do more than one announcement post for your contest. The rest of posts with your contest link should have informative and useful content. Somehow you have to relate the content to the contest.

I’ll have a post today about promoting a product (or contest) through your blog without drastically changing your blog’s focus. Feel free to subscribe if you haven’t already :)

Also, I noticed you have a traditional home page while your blog sits on a subdomain. However, I didn’t see a mention of the contest on your home page. That’s the perfect place for it because traditional home pages are perceived to be static pages (meaning they don’t change much).

]]> By: Thomas Sinfield http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70193 Thomas Sinfield Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:49:45 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70193 This is a great point. I haven't been linking much to my older posts, but I think I should be. It gives your reader the perception that he is reading more 'new' material. This is a great point. I haven’t been linking much to my older posts, but I think I should be. It gives your reader the perception that he is reading more ‘new’ material.

]]> By: Advice Network http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70187 Advice Network Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:17:31 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/dont-rely-on-sidebars-and-headers-to-guide-your-visitors/#comment-70187 sorry, I messed up the formating. He said this: "I'll definitely do it if that's what you're thinking, because it is your blog - but I also have to admit that I find it a bit tacky. I agree that it will boost the Page Rank a bit, but also think it will turn off readers at the same time. I've always been one to think that self-promotion needs to be done in a very tidy manner in order to be effective. By linking to yourself, you're essentially trying to take advantage of those scam sites that post links from wherever - however, while you are doing that, you're also visibly putting links to yourself that real people will be seeing all the time. I definitely think that a link to the blog contest or front page should be up there every week - but also believe that it would be overkill to do that in every post." sorry, I messed up the formating.

He said this:
“I’ll definitely do it if that’s what you’re thinking, because it is your blog - but I also have to admit that I find it a bit tacky. I agree that it will boost the Page Rank a bit, but also think it will turn off readers at the same time. I’ve always been one to think that self-promotion needs to be done in a very tidy manner in order to be effective.

By linking to yourself, you’re essentially trying to take advantage of those scam sites that post links from wherever - however, while you are doing that, you’re also visibly putting links to yourself that real people will be seeing all the time.

I definitely think that a link to the blog contest or front page should be up there every week - but also believe that it would be overkill to do that in every post.”

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