Anyone Developing at the moment?

[bonusmedia]

I think the big risk is you get caught in the meantime before you fatten it up. Its going to be impossible to justify any sort of value add when you have 2 sentences of unique text on a page and you're an affiliate of an affiliate.

From Googles point of view, what exactly have you added to the user path that couldn't have been achieved by going to the 'real' affiliate of Wish.co.uk or whoever in the first place?

If you can't answer that then you have a business model Google hates and you shouldn't expect any mercy via algorithms, or manual reviews.

I don't know what the answer to that question should be - there isn't any obvious standout as to how you add some actual end user value here.

Are you suggesting comparison sites and aggregators have no value? My results say otherwise.

The main value right now is the ability to view, filter and compare all the available products in one place. That is a considerably better user path than visiting 20 different sites via Google results.

There is nothing to get 'caught' for - we're not doing anything dodgy. Google does not hate affiliates who give users what they want and respect the guidelines. I've never had any kind of penalty.

I offered it as an example of a development for the thread and constructive criticism is welcome but it's far from a finished product / model.

There's plenty that could be done to fatten this site up - and it's a great name. Like you say, the risk is that the site grows too slowly and gets overtaken.

Ideas:

* A course of articles taking you through the typical process of learning to fly (edit: I see there is already a ground school - exactly the sort of thing, just needs a lot more content)
* Video explanations of flight effects
* Q&A from flight instructors
* Series of expert interviews with flight instructors

There is plenty to do on conversion too.

Thanks Martin. All of that and more is on the way, videos might be a bit further down the line.

---

As I said this is a sideline, it is at an early stage and it's a long term project which my brother is running with some guidance. He is doing brilliantly so far and I am confident it will do well.

It may well take a year or more to get anywhere in organic results and that's fine. My long term view is that in this market a quality site on a 'ronseal' EMD for the biggest keyword is going to do well.

For me the domain's value is much more than any algorithm advantage - it's simple, memorable, authoritative and conveys exactly what users will find. Organic results are just one piece of the puzzle.

---

Responsive design - depending on the market it's worth considering a mobile first approach, I think a lot of people have been caught out by how quick the shift has been

 

[Retired_Member38]

I think without a bit more depth to it you're running the risk of falling foul of the quality rater docs (leaked copy here).

Personally I'd probably keep all the affil links out of it until you were comfortable with how it was content wise. As you're losing no income while it has little traffic anyway surely?

 

[Admin]

Google mobile-friendly

You can use this tool to see if Google thinks you are Mobile Friendly or not:

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/?url= (put your domain URL here)

It's not Wordpress that makes your site compliant, it's the WP template / CSS that you use.

If you need a template that complies just go to WP Themes from your sites Admin and search for "RESPONSIVE" and choose any one, there are plenty of free ones.

Admin

 

[Systreg]

I've just been told by PM about a WP plugin called WPTouch that gives users the option to view in mobile or desktop format, seems to work ok, so I'll install that on all my WP sites, as the theme I use is a couple of years old at least and I'm not sure it's mobile friendly.

[edit]

I've just checked one site on the test link Admin posted above, it uses the same old WP theme I normally use, and it says "Not mobile-friendly", I checked the other one I installed WPTouch on and that says "Awesome! This page is mobile-friendly".

 

[Admin]

Try it on one site before you do all of them and read the reviews on Wordpress.org mixed responses.

I still think you are better have a mobile ready theme than a plugin but try it and let us know how it goes

Admin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Systreg]

I hardly ever use my phone but, if I do, I only look at desktop versions of sites, I don't like the look of mobile enabled sites, I like them to look the same as they look on my laptop.

I can't be bothered getting a mobile responsive theme, I'm used to how my current theme settings work, so I'll just go with the WP plugin I was given, I suppose as long as the Google test link says they're fine, that'll do.

I didn't check any reviews for the plugin, I have now and some of the negative 1 star reviews are people moaning about it not having the stuff the paid for pro version has etc, the free version works fine for me, so no problem.

 

[Systreg]

Anyone know how I can do this?

I have a html site and pages are named as domainhere.co.uk/example.html

To make a new site on WP, how do I make a page end in .html?

I added a test page on WP and get:

domainhere.co.uk/example

I clicked to edit that permalink url and changed it to domainhere.co.uk/example.html, when I click ok to save it, it reverts back to domainhere.co.uk/example-html with a hyphen instead of a dot, any ideas?

 

[Edwin]

Are you suggesting comparison sites and aggregators have no value? My results say otherwise.

Here's a good example of a comparison/aggregator site that seems to do what it does well. It's US-based, so is the subject matter, but the example is still valid:
http://www.summercamps.com/

You only have to see how far you need to go down the categories before you hit free listings to know that it must be doing pretty well on the ad front!

(I am not holding it up as an example of great web design - but it provides a real depth of useful information that it would take a parent basically forever to find out any other way)

 

[accelerator]

Can I just say that contrary to popular belief around here, I do think design is very important, and good design can make a big difference to a site.

However, when people tell me I should do a full redesign of LowPrices.co.uk, I say no because I don't see the ROI. With this particular site, the aim is to just get people on to the site, i.e. get my traffic up. Once they hit the page, the aim is to get them to click off via an affiliate link as soon as possible. That's it. Whilst people slate the design, I remind them that I am making sales from this site. I would make more sales if I could get more traffic, which I am working on.

One advantage my site does have is that it's old. So, I don't want to change anything, because over time, being old starts to have its advantages in terms of search results. Attempting a redesign could possibly affect some of these "aged" advantages, which I certainly don't want to risk.

Rgds

 

[Tricky1]

Once they hit the page, the aim is to get them to click off via an affiliate link as soon as possible. That's it.

I wouldn't stay on there long enough.. straight for the back button

Maybe thats because I build sites daily.. what is the bounce rate.?

 

[AssetDomains]

Anyone know how I can do this?

I have a html site and pages are named as domainhere.co.uk/example.html

To make a new site on WP, how do I make a page end in .html?

I added a test page on WP and get:

domainhere.co.uk/example

I clicked to edit that permalink url and changed it to domainhere.co.uk/example.html, when I click ok to save it, it reverts back to domainhere.co.uk/example-html with a hyphen instead of a dot, any ideas?

There are definitely plugins that do this a quick Google should lead you in the right direction this is old but may still work
https://wordpress.org/support/topic/permalinks-with-html
The alternative is a plugin to 301 your old style URLs to modern wordpress style pretty links.

As for being responsive just get a responsive theme.
Base theme designed to be added to yourself
https://wordpress.org/themes/responsive/

Generally google will throw up a load of these type of reviews

http://premium.wpmudev.org/blog/30-free-responsive-and-stunning-wordpress-themes/

Finally buy a nice responsive theme from themforest or this from elegant themes can be handy for easy modifying.
divi

If you don't need WordPress look at getting a free bootstrap layout and moving your content over

 

[Murray]

Whilst people slate the design, I remind them that I am making sales from this site.

How much money has lowprices made you in the past three months?

Would be good if you could surprise people.

 

[max99x]

Can I just say that contrary to popular belief around here, I do think design is very important, and good design can make a big difference to a site.

However, when people tell me I should do a full redesign of LowPrices.co.uk, I say no because I don't see the ROI. With this particular site, the aim is to just get people on to the site, i.e. get my traffic up. Once they hit the page, the aim is to get them to click off via an affiliate link as soon as possible. That's it. Whilst people slate the design, I remind them that I am making sales from this site. I would make more sales if I could get more traffic, which I am working on.

One advantage my site does have is that it's old. So, I don't want to change anything, because over time, being old starts to have its advantages in terms of search results. Attempting a redesign could possibly affect some of these "aged" advantages, which I certainly don't want to risk.

Rgds

So you think design is important but also have one of the worst site designs I've seen on Acorn. You say you don't want to do the design because you don't see the ROI but ultimately if you improve the design your visitors are likely to not click straight back out.

Your site seems to really hold no value other than getting people to click off via aff links straight away, Google will not like this, your site looks like an incredibly thin affiliate site and so getting traffic increases will be incredible hard for you in Google.

The advantage of age and design have no correlation, you think all the old sites that are out there are ranking because of the old design, no they are ranking because of content, links, quality etc. You don't see John Lewis design looking like it did on launch as they didn't want to change it because of risk of losing 'age' benefit.

I don't want to sound brutal but I think you should either quit working on lowprices, or completely get it redesigned and revamped. Purchase a nice WP theme, start writing some quality content and add value to the user when they arrive.

I think your main issue really is duplicate content, you site is FULL of it.

First page I went to on your site: http://lowprices.co.uk/product.php?p=3130370357

I then Googled the description and the results are tons of sites with the exact same content (See here)

Second your URLs.... I mean product.php?p=3130370357 ? Seriously ?!

Honestly there is so much you could change and need to do, it's the very basics such as no duplicate content, good on site SEO, etc.

I'm saying this as it's a cruel to be kind thing, i don't want you wasting hours of your life on a site and doing it the wrong way, so many people have advised you stuff like this before, it's written all over acorn about good content, no duplicate content, your site design etc but you've not done a thing different....

 

[accelerator]

How much money has lowprices made you in the past three months?

Would be good if you could surprise people.

Not a huge amount, but I think that's down to traffic rather than site design. Also, lowprices is not my primary site, it's just one I keep going in the background.

Conversion wise though, the site converts OK. I can't give numbers because I don't track them that closely for this site.

 

[accelerator]

I think your main issue really is duplicate content, you site is FULL of it.

First page I went to on your site: http://lowprices.co.uk/product.php?p=3130370357

These pages and urls are generated by an off the shelf price comparison solution. I think I have them all blocked from search engines. If you look at the pages given on:

http://lowprices.co.uk/site-map.php

Then you'll see they are a different type of page design (more traditional), and these are indexed by Google, plus they are unique.

Please remember I only mention lowprices here for a bit of fun, I'm well aware that the site has some shortcomings. It's just the site where I add EVERYTHING. I then work on other niche targeted sites.

Rgds

 

[max99x]

Not a huge amount, but I think that's down to traffic rather than site design. Also, lowprices is not my primary site, it's just one I keep going in the background.

Conversion wise though, the site converts OK. I can't give numbers because I don't track them that closely for this site.

And no traffic is due to the content, design and overall site, trying to increase the traffic without fixing the first things is pointless

 

[BeachLife]

Once they hit the page, the aim is to get them to click off via an affiliate link as soon as possible. That's it. Whilst people slate the design, I remind them that I am making sales from this site. I would make more sales if I could get more traffic, which I am working on.

You could also make more sales with the existing traffic, with a better design. Your bounce rate must be high.

One advantage my site does have is that it's old. So, I don't want to change anything, because over time, being old starts to have its advantages in terms of search results. Attempting a redesign could possibly affect some of these "aged" advantages, which I certainly don't want to risk. Rgds

I think this paralysis is quite common with websites, though normally in a successful site. If you are afraid to change anything you'll never get any real traction. Besides, changing is easy and quick. If something doesn't work, undo the change.

 

[max99x]

Not a huge amount, but I think that's down to traffic rather than site design. Also, lowprices is not my primary site, it's just one I keep going in the background.

Like MensShirts , DubaiHotels, Freenetbooks , Barbodos flights etc ? All which have same awful design, layout, content issues etc?

Honestly you're doing what people were doing about 10 years ago, it worked then but it definitely doesn't work now.

Please please please take the advance from members on here We're trying to help

 

[accelerator]

Just playing devils advocate here so no offence meant. Does mentioning ROI not tell a story?

When I mention ROI, I mean my time is better spent on other projects than doing a redesign of LowPrices.co.uk. I just keep LowPrices.co.uk going in the background, as I do most of my "old" sites.

 

[max99x]

When I mention ROI, I mean my time is better spent on other projects than doing a redesign of LowPrices.co.uk. I just keep LowPrices.co.uk going in the background, as I do most of my "old" sites.

i'm really hoping you have a site which makes you a few £x,xxx a month which doesn't look like Lowprices and it has fresh unique content, value to user etc and just don't share with us and you do all this to wind us up... haha