Not a Bright as Some

[Lynn Terry]

To start, I am not understanding your need to have 2 websites and 3 blogs all basically on the same topic. My advice is to combine ALL of this into ONE blog.

Blogger - you can just leave that there. Don't delete it. I have an old blogger blog that is still live, and every now and then I update it with links to my "real site". No big deal.

Your other 2 domains: acommonpath, lifechange4u - "a common path" doesn't really resonate with me in regards to life change or improving my quality of life. In my quest, the one thing I want to get away from is the mainstream ideals and the am more interested in the "path less traveled". Given the option, I would move everything to the domain LifeChange4u.com - for that reason.

Both websites are very plain, and would need a more professional web design or template. It's much easier to make a blog look pro with free wordpress themes. So I recommend you ditch the websites altogether, and do everything on the wordpress blog at LifeChange4u.com. Also put it on the root domain, instead of in the /blog directory.

Once you do that, and just ignore the blogger blog, you have ONE "site" to focus on - the wordpress blog on LifeChange4u.com. Much easier, don't ya think?

Here is what I would do:

Copy any content you want to keep from acommonpath. You can copy it into text files on your hard drive.

Then forward that domain with a 301 Permanent Redirect to LifeChange4u.com. That way if anyone goes to that site, it will take them straight to your one active site.

Assuming your domain is registered with a registrar, and not the host (?) you can cancel that hosting account once you forward the domain. Unless it's the same account as LifeChange4u.com (?).

Next, get a very nice free wordpress theme for LifeChange4u.com, and let's get started putting that together as your main focus.

[StephenT]

Phew! So much to digest! I am trying to get it all in my little pea brain! The original intent on the two sites was that they would be different, but they aren't. I wanted to try to take them in two directions covering a wider range of interest. commonpath was supposed to be more spiritual and Lfechangeforu was more practical. The reason for the three blogs was sorta the same, except the blogger post that I had and started to do as you suggest, btu then thought, "it's one more place for people to visit and possibly click a link.

Ok, for theme, do I look for 2 column, 3? Are lots of colors better than a more stoic? What works?

You can tell I'm new at this! Thanks for the suggestions! Now I just have to figure out how to do all that.

[karonthackston]

StephenT - in case you still need the info:

on page - Actually on the page. Design elements (banner, navigation, etc.), your copy (text), images, etc. would all be considered on page elements.
off page - Things in the code usually. Can also refer to backlinks (links from other websites to your website). Things not on the page.
hyperlinks - Typically an http://www. link. Although some people also group anchor text links into this category. Anchor text links are links where you click words instead of the actual www link. This is an anchor text link.
internal links - Links on your site that point to other pages of your site. A link on your Home page that points to your Services page is an internal link.

[StephenT]

Thanks Karon! I can use all the help I can get!

[angienewton]

Choose a 2 column theme. As far as colors, it really depends but my initial thought would be warm colors, not too bright but not too drab. Probably doesn't help huh? LOL

[Lynn Terry]

I agree - I prefer a 2-column theme. A 3rd column tends to clutter the page and take the emphasis off the content.

[StephenT]

Now, I understand what Lynn is saying and I intend to follow her advice, or at least most of it (I can't ruin my reputation as a rebel), but there are questions!

If I put everything on a blog, can I still have pages for different products and do they load up just like on a web site? What I mean is, how do the links get put on the page where someone sees it. What about selling my own product? I read a lot about multiple streams of income (not that I really have income). It all comes from one blog, or we work on that later?

I have several articles over on ezine and they all point to commonpath. Do I redirect those to lifechange?

I have no idea how to do a 301 Permanent Redirect.

Do I keep the website, lifechangeforu and work on it in the background for future use? I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of running it all from a blog site. Part of my problem is that I feel so out of control on WP. Most everything there is php and I am barely html literate. That doesn't mean I want to do all the designing, it just means when something breaks or isn't right, I don't know how to fix it!

Enough questions for now. I'll run along and do the few things I can and wait with bait on my breath for your answers!

[Lynn Terry]

Hi Stephen,

You will not need to update any links as long as you do the 301 Redirect. No worries - we'll help you with that. Where did you register the domain?

You can do almost anything with WordPress, including adding PAGES instead of posts. And you can still upload HTML files to your domain too. Here is an example of an HTML page I created and uploaded to ClickNewz.com (which is a blog on the main domain):

http://www.clicknewz.com/keyword-research.htm

But you can also create pages in WordPress.

First things first, make sure you get all the content you want to keep off of acommonpath, and saved into text files on your hard drive. Then we'll do the redirect. That way if someone clicks on or types in that URL... it will take them straight to LifeChange4u.com

[retta719]

I had SEOFS printed out this weekend and put it in a binder. Technically, this is my second time reading, I read it on my computer, but found myself going back to it again, which led me to have it printed out like a few other members have done.

I started reading it in it's printed out version this weekend, and I'm definitely "seeing" things that I didn't pick up before. Definitely worth the $9 at FedExKinkos to get it printed and hole punched.

I've got it in a binder with a highlighter and a pen, planning out some revisions to my existing site and taking notes on things to do better on future sites.

[StephenT]

Hi Stephen,

You will not need to update any links as long as you do the 301 Redirect. No worries - we'll help you with that. Where did you register the domain?

Ok, another question. I have a local business for Yoga and Reiki that uses the same name Common Path. Is there a way to keep that site just for local updates and advertising, or have I screwed it up past doing that?

That domain is registered with Register.com