RPGBA Update Q1 2012 - RPG Blog Alliance

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Message from discussion RPGBA Update Q1 2012
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Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:29:04 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: Re: RPGBA Update Q1 2012
From: Chuck <grogt...@gmail.com>
To: RPG Blog Alliance <rpgba@googlegroups.com>
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As far as SEO and driving traffic goes. I wonder how much current
traffic is from non-RPG BA members? Just a thought and not a very
complete one.  Sorry, I'm just a bit sleep deprived right now.

On Mar 22, 3:11=A0pm, Geek Native <gamew...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I suppose an alternative could be StumbleUpon. I'm not sure if an RSS
> subscription is possible there, though.
>
> On Mar 22, 8:09=A0pm, arcaneshield <arcaneshi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > If it brings more hits to my site I'm willing to give it a try.
>
> > On 3/22/2012 3:08 PM, Geek Native wrote:
>
> > > I'd really be interesting to see whether we could club together $10 a
> > > month to use the self-serve on Outbrain.com.
>
> > > I know the team but really I think the service may work better than
> > > AdWords. If we feed it the group RSS feed then cost-per-click
> > > recommendations for our posts appear on other blogs and some high
> > > profile media properties when their content matches the posts we've
> > > been writing.
>
> > > I appreciate it's a bit of an experiment but I'm tempted by it becaus=
e
> > > it goes after content readers (and sharers) matching them by interest=
.
> > > I'm not sure what the search frequency on AdWords would be on keyword=
s
> > > for people looking for RPG thought leadership blog posts. I mean; how
> > > would you search for that sort of thing?
>
> > > Very open to other ideas! Love to hear them.
>
> > > - Andrew
>
> > > On Mar 22, 7:57 pm, Francis Bousho<dungeonb...@gmail.com> =A0wrote:
> > >> There are a crapload of us, if we all pitched in five bucks, or even=
 just a
> > >> dollar we'd have some pretty decent mileage.
>
> > >> I haven't done as much testing as I should with Google Adwords campa=
igns,
> > >> but they are insanely cheap. I'm not sure about Facebook Ads, but it=
 can't
> > >> hurt to create a chipin page for 100-200 to pay for a Google Adwords
> > >> campaign and go from there. If we find it generates a decent enough
> > >> exposure then it wouldn't be too hard to keep going. Also, Google ev=
en
> > >> occasionally passes out free credit with them, I have gotten about 2=
00
> > >> dollars worth of credit with them just by having used their service =
in the
> > >> past.
>
> > >> On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 8:01 AM, Jeff<kd7...@gmail.com> =A0wrote:
> > >>> Honestly, it's a 154 RSS vs about 120 website. I'm not sure if a fu=
nd
> > >>> raiser would produce enough currency IMHO.
> > >>> On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 05:55, Jonathan Jacobs<jonathan.jac...@gmai=
l.com>wrote:
> > >>>> You could have a fund raiser and then use all the money raised to =
pay for
> > >>>> a Google Adwords or Facebook Ad campaign.
> > >>>> [just an idea]
> > >>>> How much of the RPGBA traffic is via RSS subscribers vs. website
> > >>>> visitors?
> > >>>> **********
> > >>>> Jonathan Jacobs, PhD
> > >>>> (c) 240 447 4039
> > >>>> *LinkedIn* |http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanjacobs
> > >>>> *Facebook* |http://www.facebook.com/jacobsjon
> > >>>> *Foursquare* |http://www.foursquare.com/nevermetpress
> > >>>> *Twitter* |http://twitter.com/nevermetpress
> > >>>> *Nevermet Press* |http://nevermetpress.com
> > >>>> *"You have read everything, drunk nothing" -- =EF=BF=BDluard*
> > >>>> On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 8:49 AM, Jeff<kd7...@gmail.com> =A0wrote:
> > >>>>> The more I think about the problem, the more I'm convinced it's n=
ot
> > >>>>> really an SEO problem. Since the RPGBA at it's core is just an ag=
gregation
> > >>>>> site, SEO is not really going to be appropriate in the first plac=
e. From
> > >>>>> what I can tell, most SEO punishes this types of sites. This of c=
ourse
> > >>>>> makes sense, after all the RPGBA isn't the original content provi=
der. So,
> > >>>>> the problem is that we need other types of exposure/promotion. No=
w how to a
> > >>>>> accomplish that is going to be the real trick.
> > >>>>> Jeff
> > >>>>> On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 11:05, Jonathan Jacobs<
> > >>>>> jonathan.jac...@gmail.com> =A0wrote:
> > >>>>>> Another approach to add some limited permanency to the site woul=
d be to
> > >>>>>> use another service such as PostRank to deliver a =3Dslowly=3D c=
hanging "best
> > >>>>>> of" feed. Basically this would provide an automated way to post =
(for
> > >>>>>> example) the five best articles (according to PostRanks' algorit=
hm) on a
> > >>>>>> separate page. Post these as full-feed articles as well. This wo=
uld help in
> > >>>>>> terms of searchrank and pagerank for the site in general.
> > >>>>>> (FWIW - I use PostRank already to filter the entire RPGBA and RP=
GBN
> > >>>>>> feeds inside Google Reader and generally only look at posts with=
 a PostRank
> > >>>>>> greater than 7.5+, with 100 - 200 posts per day this has worked =
like a
> > >>>>>> charm.)
> > >>>>>> **********
> > >>>>>> Jonathan Jacobs, PhD
> > >>>>>> (c) 240 447 4039
> > >>>>>> *LinkedIn* |http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanjacobs
> > >>>>>> *Facebook* |http://www.facebook.com/jacobsjon
> > >>>>>> *Foursquare* |http://www.foursquare.com/nevermetpress
> > >>>>>> *Twitter* |http://twitter.com/nevermetpress
> > >>>>>> *Nevermet Press* |http://nevermetpress.com
> > >>>>>> *"You have read everything, drunk nothing" -- =EF=BF=BDluard*
> > >>>>>> On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 6:43 AM, Chris Tregenza<Ch...@6d6firebal=
l.com>wrote:
> > >>>>>>> SEO came up the last time stats were discussed and I suggested =
some
> > >>>>>>> changes. These are based on my real world experiences running 6=
d6 and other
> > >>>>>>> sites, and they include really simple things =A0such as tiding =
up your
> > >>>>>>> meta-tags and getting some static content then mentions your ke=
ywords.
> > >>>>>>> At the moment, the vast majority of the site (from Google's poi=
nt of
> > >>>>>>> view) is temporary, constantly changing content. This makes it =
hard for
> > >>>>>>> Google to associate the site with keywords. The way round this =
is to pick
> > >>>>>>> three or for keywords (or key phases) and ensure they are repea=
ted several
> > >>>>>>> times on the page - in META tags, in text and in headings.
> > >>>>>>> My original message is below.
> > >>>>>>> Cheers
> > >>>>>>> Chris
> > >>>>>>> P.s. I support the idea of five simple categories. If you choos=
e the
> > >>>>>>> category names well, they can help in the SEO.
> > >>>>>>> ----- Originally Posted 10/12/11 ----
> > >>>>>>> Thanks for posting these guys! It is a shame that other well kn=
own
> > >>>>>>> networks don't do the same.
> > >>>>>>> Looking at the stats, the site seems to attract very little in =
the way
> > >>>>>>> of new traffic via Google searches. Over the last month, most o=
f those are
> > >>>>>>> for the "RPG BA" or "RPGBA" =A0and a scattering of random stuff=
.
> > >>>>>>> I think this can be improved to attract people searching for ro=
le
> > >>>>>>> playing blogs and other generic, RPG terms.
> > >>>>>>> The main problem with the page from an SEO point of view is tha=
t there
> > >>>>>>> is too little consistent text relating to the keywords you want=
. =A0I suggest
> > >>>>>>> the following changes:
> > >>>>>>> In your HTML:
> > >>>>>>> * Change the Description META tag to "RPG Bloggers Alliance"
> > >>>>>>> * Change the Keywords META tag to "RPG Blog, role playing site"
> > >>>>>>> Next add a section of text to the page about the RPGBA that con=
tains
> > >>>>>>> the desired keywords. This should be about 200 - 400 words long=
 and contain
> > >>>>>>> the keywords once every paragraph. I would place the text at th=
e bottom of
> > >>>>>>> the left hand column, under the donate tag. Remember this text =
is for the
> > >>>>>>> search engines, not humans, so it doesn't have to be exciting t=
ext, just
> > >>>>>>> valid English.
> > >>>>>>> Here is my quick attempt at some text. Please use / edit / disc=
ard as
> > >>>>>>> you see fit:
> > >>>>>>> ----
> > >>>>>>> [H1]The Home of RPG Blogs[/H1]
> > >>>>>>> The RPG Bloggers Alliances is the home of role playing blogs. R=
un by
> > >>>>>>> bloggers for bloggers, our mission is simple - to provide the o=
ne-stop
> > >>>>>>> place where role player's can find a wealth of =A0news, views a=
nd reviews
> > >>>>>>> about old and new role playing games. Whatever tabletop RPG you=
 are
> > >>>>>>> interested in, from the greats like D&D to kids role playing ga=
mes to the
> > >>>>>>> latest hot indie game - you will find a role playing site for y=
our needs in
> > >>>>>>> the Alliance.
> > >>>>>>> [H2]Over 100 Role Playing Sites[H2]
> > >>>>>>> Founded by some of the leading RPG blogs, the alliance is suppo=
rted by
> > >>>>>>> bloggers old and new. It has given new bloggers an easy way to =
find a
> > >>>>>>> readership and allowed more established RPG sites to reach a ne=
w audience.
> > >>>>>>> The RPGBA's open admission policy ensures that it carries the w=
idest
> > >>>>>>> possible range of role playing sites, all focused on tabletop g=
ames. With
> > >>>>>>> thousands of visitors every month looking for the newest and la=
test in role
> > >>>>>>> playing games, it has helped create a social and lively communi=
ty of gamers.
> > >>>>>>> [H2]Adventures In Role Playing[H2]
> > >>>>>>> With such a range of role playing sites, there is a non-stop va=
riety
> > >>>>>>> of content. There are reviews of the latest role playing books,=
 discussions
> > >>>>>>> on rules, homebrew modification for existing games, angry rants=
 about
> > >>>>>>> certain big-name publishers, thoughtful insights about what mak=
es us
> > >>>>>>> gamers, self-published adventures, free RPGs and so much more. =
=A0Everyday
> > >>>>>>> sees nearly 100 new RPG blog posts all about tabletop RPG games=
.
> > >>>>>>> [H2]Drink Your Fill of RPG Blogs[H2]
> > >>>>>>> Take advantage of the RPGBA's RSS feed to drink from the fire h=
ose of
> > >>>>>>> RPG blogs. Or make the Blogger's Alliance your home page for a =
constant
> > >>>>>>> stream of role playing news. Of course, all the blogs featured =
on RPGBA
> > >>>>>>> have their own RSS feeds. No matter what RPG you play and no ma=
tter how you
> > >>>>>>> get online, there is always a role-playing site for you on the =
RPG
> > >>>>>>> Blogger's Alliance.
> > >>>>>>> ----
> > >>>>>>> I've tried to focus on the keywords "RPG blog" and "role playin=
g
> > >>>>>>> site", which according to Google, are reasonably popular search=
 terms and
> > >>>>>>> pertinent to the RPGBA. I've thrown in some other keywords in a=
s well.
> > >>>>>>> The RPGBA home page doesn't seem to use much in the way of head=
er
> > >>>>>>> tags. I recommend you do for the text above because Google trea=
ts properly
> > >>>>>>> headlines
>
> ...
>
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