Like many people who shoot their mouth off on the internet, I’m too dumb / busy to always practise what I preach! I’ve been thinking about this blog and how it has done in the 18 months since I started it. Most sites will enjoy a gradual build of traffic as more and more top quality content is added.
So how do Affiliate Stuff’s Organic Traffic Stats Look?
I think we will refer to this sort of look as an “SEO Flatline”! This is in contrast to another blog I’ve been running for around 6 months, and working on steadily for the past 12 weeks or so: -
As you can see, there’s a most pleasing gentle upward curve in my Google organic traffic. A stark contrast to my blog which is clearly “in the SEO doldrums”.
So What Did You Do Wrong Kirsts?
Well, I didn’t take all my own fabulous advice! I haven’t done anything to deal with the duplicate content or weak linkage structure issues that the WordPress platform seems to cause.
But Now I’m Drawing My Line in The Sand
I thought it would be a neat wee experiment to see what the effects of following my own advice turn out to be. Just how much traffic have I been missing out on? Could I have been top of the blogging pops?! This weekend I am going to add a bit of SEO bling via a variety of excellent plugins such as Joost De Valk’s Meta Robots and RSS Footer plugins which no self respecting blog should be without *ahem* 
In 3 months time, I’ll report back and let y’all see the results… if it’s a success it’ll be proof positive that all these WordPress plugins we all keep banging on about really do super charge that SEO!
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:57 am
I can also recommend Headspace2 over the allinoneseo pack, and YARPP..
I wrote a post with some of the WP plugins I use on every install here http://www.thehodge.co.uk/programming/technology/things-to-do-after-youve-installed-wordpress.php
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Hey Dom, I’ll give Headspace a whirl. I’ve been using Rob Marsh’s similar posts plugin on other blogs as I couldn’t get YARPP to work, but I’ll give it another go for comparison!
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
What off site SEO do you do? You mentioned in the comments of another post that you don’t do article marketing, so what methods do you employ?
January 23rd, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Hi Kirsty,
Thanks for adding the iPhone plugin. It’s brilliant! And thanks for your always helpful blog.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Hi Nicola,
The only off site SEO I do is a bit of link building and that’s pretty much it!
January 26th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
how do you go about link building? I’ve read varying advice which includes article distribution and building up link farms, but it seems like my time would be better spent working on my main site. I’m floundering a bit with the link building part of this!
January 27th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Are the spikes not due to the fact that you get an increase in traffic after you have done a post?
January 28th, 2009 at 12:04 am
@ Nicola, well to be honest a lot of the time I know a good group of people who will give me links. I also try to set up a few link exchanges, but beyond that I’ve just been letting the sites do their own thing. I’ve just decided to use Content Now to build links for me. Will see how that goes.
@ Andrew, yeah that is why there are spikes. But the traffic never grows as other blogs do and thats clearly not right!
January 28th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Thanks for your reply – theere’s so much info on link building it’s hard to know the best way to go about it.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:51 am
Kirsty,I HAD to stop by and make a comment.. I LOVE your blog I have been reading up on making money thru affiliate websites for 2 solid years now.I have read every ebook, every paper back book, every program there is out there..lol. ( you need ANYTHING just email me I will send it to ya!) I spent a small fortune just studying I think I had bought every ebook there is…LOL.. I just finished Rosalind Gardners 2 books and Yaniks Silvers 2 books so when will I start?? Hmmm don’t know..LOLOL.. I LOVE what you are doing and I cant WAIT to see where you are going with this…Good luck and I will be watching closely…Tina
January 30th, 2009 at 9:24 am
SEO is tough. Hang in there.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future. Feel free to check out my blog on the 36 Best WordPress plugins for 2009.