I know you want to make your website better. You want to make it more popular and get plenty more traffic to it. You're prepared to do what it takes to provide a great visitor experience.
I know, you have time challenges. And I know you would prioritize your tasks to make your site successful, if only you knew which ones require top priority. You want to make the right changes to your site and then be rewarded by making money from your website.
I know, you know you have to do the above and more to make your website successful. So why is it that you website does you such a disservice? How do I know it does?
If your site was doing the best it possibly could you wouldn't be reading this right now. In that case your site would be called Google or MySpace or Facebook or Wikipedia.
That's how I know. If you don't own any of those sites then here's what you need to know ...
Whether you want to climb the Everest or build a skyscraper or do anything else, it all happens with just one little step then another and another, until you get there. You may have heard the expression "the journey of a thousand miles begins with one little step".
Making your website a real winner and a money spinner is no different. Find something that needs fixing. Fix it. And move on to the next.
It will not be long before you see real results. And you will see results while your friends are running after that "next great opportunity", that "secret formula". You know what I'm talking about.
So what can you do to your site that you haven't already done? Get one friend who hasn't seen your site to take look. Let him/her get a glimpse of the site for 5 - 7 seconds, no more.
See if he/she can tell what it's about. You'll be amazed at how many people can't tell you the answer. Why is that important?
Well, that's approximately how long new visitors to your site hang around before deciding whether to stay or not! And the average time all your visitors stay is just 7 seconds. That average includes all those who do decide to stay.
Obviously the others stay even less than 7 seconds. Fix your website so the visitors can immediately see the prime benefit of your site for them. Who is them?
"Them" are your most wanted visitors. So your website must talk to the people you most want to stay around and do business with you.
What else can you do for a money making website? Find a tool that shows you what your website's ranking is in the major search engines for your primary keyword relating to your niche.
For reasons of impartiality I cannot recommend you a tool here or else people would spam these article sites. Search for phrases like "website ranking tool", "search engine ranking tool", etc.
Once you find your rank, do a search for your keyword. In the results pages go to your entry and observe the text that appears below your link.
Is that what you really want people to see? Is it really compelling for search clients to want to visit your website in preference to all others listed there?
The answer in pretty much all cases is no. So fix it. Oh and note, while you cannot tell the search engines what text to use, contrary to popular belief, you 'can' influence the tone, context and sometimes even the text itself. So do your best.
What else can you do? Well plenty. How about, not having fancy menus that appeal to your ego but confuse the 'buyers' and the search engine robots both. So the buyers don't buy and the robots don't give your website credit for this factor.
But that's not all. You could among many others, find out what the latest website structure is, favored by both people and the search engines. Quick hints: table-less design, sitemaps for humans and search engines, a simple little thing called RSS, etc.
There's more, if you want to know. The answers are all available online. But you've got to want to make money online. If you do then you must start that journey with just one little step. Take action and more action, step by step. Your friends will think you've found that secret magic for "making money from a website"! And I'd say, you really have.
Increasing longevity can be, and often is, a blessing. It offers extra time for retirees to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Travel and hobbies can be explored after the kids have all flown the coop and early retirement is opted for. Many individuals are in much better shape physically as they enter the "Senior" category--due to better health practices and fitness programs.
The early years of such a life style are often uncomplicated and full of adventure for those interested in creating it. The specter of the years ahead producing a "winding-down" effect may drop by fleetingly and haunt the twilight hours, but most of the time it is set aside, to be dealt with "when the time comes."
Something that is not often noted is that when that time arrives others may have to do the deciding. More often than not, it just isn't easy to face the need to down-size living quarters, seek help with the house and yard or face the fact that other arrangements need to be taken into consideration. The optimal time comes...and goes. Why would someone who is well and active want to think about such things? Who wants to look down the off-putting road that is the beginning of the end?
Practical people! People who want to be in charge of their lives for as long as possible and want to continue to make their own choices and decisions about their future. People who are fine-tuned to their adult children's full schedules and limited free time and want to alleviate pressure. People who respect their kid's opinions but who also want to create and preserve a mutual, reciprocal plan for problem solving.
The very best time to start to address future needs is when they are just that. There are an increasing number of retirement centers in all kinds of locations and in many different sizes and shapes. There is an amazing spread in what they offer and what they cost. Some have religious affiliations, and some have a professional connections. There are retirement centers that are non-profit and those that are for profit. For those who love to volunteer in their own community, the non-profits often have a lot more to offer to enhance the sense of "extended-family." All of them have brochures, tours, and staff to answer questions. And no choice has to be permanent. If it doesn't fit...we can look further. Some are even certified as "continuing care" or "full service" retirement centers with assisted care and nursing home facilities as part of the campus. Way, way down the line that might mean not having to leave a familiar community when you most need support.
When couples or individuals enter into their own search before there is any necessity to hurry the process, it can be a liberating experience. Many have found that so much is being offered that they want to move in and become part of the community while they are still relatively young and active. All retirement communities aren't "fossil farms"! For instance, the Warm Beach Retirement Community in Stanwood, Washington, which is a non-profit, continued care facility, has many residents that move in as soon as they reach the minimum age of 62. It's not uncommon for them to have people there for 20 or 30 years! Some even start out as "snow birds," spending their winters elsewhere.
Many retirees are finding that facing up to the problem reduces it to non-problem status. In most cases their offspring are delighted to honor their parents choice to lead active lives with peers. As a result, the days of "what are we going to do about Mom and Dad," may be, happily, drawing to a close.
Both Sami Fab & Luise Volta are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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