Grow Your Writing Business Ready for a Good SOAPing - Can You Help?
Easton Ellsworth of Business Blogwire has launched a new round of SOAP. SOAP (Scratch One Another Program) is easy and fun. It’s basically a free critique, and gives you valuable insights and other perspectives for your blog. I learned a lot by looking super closely at someone else’s blog as well.
I had such fun last time and learned a lot. I SOAPed Engtech and was SOAPed by GP. As soon as I saw there was an encore round this month, I signed up straight away. I was so quick off the mark 
that Easton has deemed that Grow Your Writing Business is first in line to be SOAPED.
My SOAP Request
Blog Traffic: “I am developing a small growing community of regular visitors, who really motivate me, but I would also like a much broader audience. Any tips welcome.”
Blog Design: “I would like a less busy looking blog, but need some advertising. Any tips welcome.”
Blog Search Engine Optimization (SEO): “Use one of my actual posts to point out things I could have done better. Show me how to write the post (and the heading) more effectively for SEO (without making it sound artificial).”
Other Blogging Tips: “How to encourage and develop a conversation with commenters interacting with and referencing other comments.”
Want to offer some SOAPy tips for Grow Your Writing Business?
You can -
1. Post a comment at this post at Business Blogwire
2. Do a post on your own site and link to Business Blogwire
3. Leave your comments & suggestions here on this post
Want to have your own blog SOAPed?
Just head on over to Business Blogwire and sign up. Easton’s rules are that anyone can SOAP, but to be SOAPed you need to have a business aspect to your blog. Check out all the details.
I’d Love to Hear Your SOAPy Tips
I would very much value any insights or tips readers have, as I am committed to taking my blog to the next level. Most of all I want to increase traffic and provide a quality blog for my readers. Thanks to all. 
SEO tip: validate your XHTML. For blogs it is pretty important to be valid. There are accessibility issues to consider too. People with disabilities read blogs and the tools they use (screen readers, hand operated devices, etc) might not be able to decipher a messed-up code. On the other hand, if someone wants to access your blog from a PDA or mobile phone (and it’s a matter of months till more and more users will do this) they’ll be a bit in trouble. Don’t forget to add an alt tag at your pictures. It’s called SEO for images and it might help in image search. I get some traffic from Google image search on my sites, so you can trust me on this one. Another problem is your url format: http://www.growyourwritingbusiness.com/?p=190 It would be better if you go to your wordpress settings in options/permalinks and change the permalink structure from default (as you have it now) to date and name based or custom – just name. I’d also suggest that you include in the post slug a keyword variation instead of the same keywords of the title.
Then I’d consider doing a little branding. Have a logo of a kind. If you are going so much for the PR and technorati rankings, why don’t you add a technorati button to your site? Place it somewhere visible.
To be honest, your entry comes just at the right time for me. I plan redesigning eWritings, giving it a branded identity, a logo and many new features… Your entry gives me an idea: to ask my readers for suggestions. I think participating in this SOAP will be beneficial for eWritings too!
Hi Mig
Wow! Thanks so much for taking going to so much trouble with your great suggestions and thoughtful critique. I really appreciate that. I’m pleased that I’ve inspired you to line up for SOAP too.
QUESTION FOR MIG OR OTHER READERS:
With the permalink format, I knew I should change, but was holding off as I read that the next WP upgrade promises a redirect on these. If I change now, will I lose all the links I have to these pages from outside sites? (because the URL link will be different)
I’m not really!!
hung up on Technorati & PR but in the absence of a stats system (something else I need to attend to) it is some indication of progress. As you pointed out in the last post, it’s visitors and readers that count, which reminds me I need to add MyBlogLog too… so much to do… but exciting, all the same.
I will study all your suggestions and attend to them. Again - thank you so much. All the best with your own blog redesign.
Yvonne
For stats you could use Google Analytics. It’s made for AdWords, but it gives pretty good info even if you don’t run an AdWords campaign. I use it and I’m quite happy with it.
Thanks Mig - Is there any merit in having more than one stats program or is that overkill? I’d be interested to hear which stats programs readers use, and whether they use more than one to give broader information.
I don’t know about that. I just know it’s not worth to pay for a stats software, as long as there are so many free.
Great goals, Yvonne. It does help when we can focus on written goals instead of simply having them in our heads.
Does anyone else have any SOAPy tips for Grow Your Writing Business? The more froth & bubble the better. I’d love to hear your suggestions & input.
Nope… seems no one does.
But… take a look at my site when you have the time. I have a new theme. And some small changes…
I’ll write about it later on today, but you can already criticize it. Thank you for all your help.
LOL. I hope someone else will add their tips… I’m an optimist.
Your new theme looks great - a good choice.
Hi Yvonne, I finally got a chance to check this out. thanks for letting me know about it. I don’t have any tips as I am still trying to learn myself. But there are some tips here I will try myself. To answer you on my money update on how I keep up with all the programs. I just keep a list and go down it. It’s the adding everything that gives me trouble.
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