~Katy (@kat_taf)

LOVE that you’ll offer your ebook gratis — many thanks to you and to Naomi for making my life easier by sending a link to a pal who’s asked instead of having to make sense of something myself.

LOVE that your comment/replies are so helpful, too. We know it’s a lot of work (hell, it’s exhausting just keeping up with you!) and we appreciate it from both of you.

I don’t want to speak for her, but let me have a shot at it, because I think I understand.

Naomi is suggesting a trick to getting your site crawled by Google.
Older domain names are “better” in Google’s eyes, and get preferential ranking for seniority. The clock starts ticking on your domain’s age the minute Google finds it… not when you put the site up. If you simply buy the domain and put NOTHING up there (if you’re not ready to launch a site, as she says), Google will never find it. So your domain isn’t aging, which you want it to be.

You may have gotten all of that. But I wanted to underscore that (if I’m reading this right), the point is to GET A LINK TO YOUR SITE. It soooooo doesn’t matter where that link is (within reason). It only matters that there IS A LINK somewhere on a site that Google already knows about.

So why does this matter? Because you can BURY the link where nobody will find it. In fact, you really only want Google to find it, which it will.

Most setups would allow this. Really only something extreme like a PETA site linking to a fur coats blog would be a major faux pas. If you only have two sites and they clash THAT BADLY, you have a pretty unique situation. You could bury the link in a deep, cobwebby old post on most sites and nobody would ever know.

Still too much? Then put up that single page she mentions and then Digg it. Include your keywords in the title of the Digg when you submit it and include the URL. Presto: Instant link with keywords in the anchor text on Digg… where it will be found right away.

Actually, I was referring to this comment:
Then go to an old post on your blog, one that no one reads, and add a bit at the end. Have it say something like, “Wanna see a lame site about knitting pet loin cloths? Yeah, me neither.” Yes, it’s stupid, but you can take it down in a month.

Why would you do this if your blog had nothing to do with your niche site, or worse, clashed? For example, you run a vegetarian blog. But your new niche site is all about bacon. I mean, who doesn’t like bacon, right? So why would you put a link (even if temporary) on a vegetarian site that says “Thinking about a fatty slice of salty bacon? Tempt your taste buds over at JonnysBacon.cmo”?

Strangely, I haven’t thought to link here from TEIH. It’s overdue for an overhaul anyway, so we’ll see what I can come up with. I need to change SOME of the layout/buttons to go with the new direction.

Good looking site, nicely written, with just the right balance of humour and some good info. I guess the info is good, I’m not diabetic (or a person with diabetes), but it is sound info nonetheless. Agree with most of what has been said, I too am blah blah blah and basically it’s nice to see you struggle through it so my lazy ass can just copy/paste to my own situation. Especially with The Google stuff. More of that please. A minor thought- maybe I’m daft, but I couldn’t find a link to this post from TEIH. As usual, please try to make things as easy as possible for your devoted readers. I don’t have time to always be bookmarking every freaking site you show up on. Have a link from your blog- less work for me, which is what all of this is about anyway.

I like your format for delving into this. It’s a nice approach also of “do it now and get it going” especially when presented in such a helpful manner. Also, I know you live in Shinola, Ohio, but at least get some kind of fake tan. Kee-rist.

@ Jeb – Thanks! I do hope you’ll follow along.

@ GP – Great notes, as always. Really starting to think you’re totally right about my “phrase.” THIS IS WHY I SAY PEOPLE ARE SEEING WHAT I’M DOING, NOT WHAT IS RIGHT. I hope nobody thinks I’m a teacher about this stuff. I mean, I’m getting instruction from Naomi and OBS, so hopefully I won’t fuck up too bad. But the domain and the research? I’m the one who picked it. And it’s retarded. Maybe it will pull some traffic (since that’s the point), but I will need to get a more brandable domain name. I’m just tired of buying shit. I need to sell shit (and, GP, totally off-topic, do you have thoughts on that email where I asked you clarification on “selling shit”?)

Naomi will determine the regular post date and how it happens, but I’ve been assuming Mondays. That’s when I have them submitted by.

I hate the size of the tagline too, and in that grey. It’s that way in the template, which means I’ll have to get in there and customize to fix it. Which I can do; it’s just annoying. Why the hell would they make it so small?

I’ve definitely heard the “diabetic”/”person with diabetes” debate, but I’ve always HATED the word “diabetes” for some reason (probably due to Wilford Brimley and “diabeetus”), so it’s repugnant when it refers to me. But in this case, “diabetic” modifies “weightlifter,” not me personally. It’s “the type of weightlifter you’re dealing with, here.” Hopefully the easily offended diabetics who visit will also be ardent grammophiles. (If that’s a word.)

LASTLY! The WordPress thing will be free, at least for now. Naomi’s idea, and I love her for it.

I’m actually thinking of doing regular webinars (also free) on stuff like the WordPress thing. I build websites for a living, so if people are interested, I could show them how to set up a shopping cart, start a mailing list, maybe even do basic work with Photoshop or Dreamweaver. Sort of a “be your own V.A./web designer” thing.

I agree with Casey’s #2, #3 and #5 points. My first thought — oh wait —

YAY JOHNNY FOR SUCH A SWELL yadayadayada — you get it —

– my first thought was that it was too long, but I think the subheads will help there.

LOVED the funny;
LOVED Naomi’s asides/clarifications;
LOVED the video subtitles and that you did it at all — now can you sit up straight, please?

HATE the keyword “phrase” which is totally is NOT. “Weight diabetes”? There’s a coma missing between two related topics, but it ain’t a phrase in any way, Mr. Wordsmith.

LOVE the tagline: “Don’t just manage your diabetes. Kick its ass.”
(And I saw a one-man show starring the guy from ARLI$$ (he played Kirby) but it’s about his life own with diabetes, called “DIABETES: My Struggles With Jim Turner.” So I’m an expert on the subject. )

HATE the domain name, because, I may have mentioned that I can’t imagine anyone typing that into a search engine without a comma — so I know you saw keywords and if you think that seeing your domain as just your keywords is worth seeing that nonsensical pairing, then fine, it’s none of my beeswax. (Who goes looking for “weight diabetes”? Maybe it was their reaction after hearing the diagnosis: “Wait — diabetes?”)

LOVE the site NAME: “The Diabetic Weightlifter” is great. GO get http://www.DiabeticWeightlifter.com” since that will become who-you-are to people who are trying to remember that cool guy who could pump with one arm, etc. (But it with “the” too, but not exclusively. Point both to your terrible domain name and I’ll get past it.
(I know there’s a rift in the diabetic community as to are they “people with diabetes” or “diabetic persons” and all, but since you call yourself a weightlifter, rather than a person who lifts weights, I’d keep it consistent.)

Did I mention that the JOURNEY thing was inspired comedy? THAT was brilliant.

LOVE that you wrote a whole thing on WP, would love to buy a cheap DL of it and send it to a pal —
LOVE that Naomi saved me from having to read it right then.

LOVE that you’re keeping the details in chronological order,
LOVE that you motivate like I nurture (ha!),
LOVE that you’re doing this: easy to follow, good level of detail, long but will feel shorter when you organize better — big props.

Walking through these foundational steps you’re taking is very helpful – it’s like having a study buddy or running partner…a little more motivation and comradery. Good stuff. I plan to walk the path as well…sometimes along side of you (but maybe in the bushes, where you cant see me).

Keep on keepin’ on. And thanks for sharing.