Jimmie's Online Empire

Don't think of your online work as separate entities -- a blog, a Flickr account, Squidoo lenses, etc. Instead, think of each piece of content you create as part of a large web -- your empire. The way you web those pieces together is through interlinking.

For every post or article I write, I am always thinking in the back of my mind about other relevant articles that I can link to.  In the words of my blogging friend Barb, "I am my own best referral system." Make that happen with deliberate interlinking.

Use specific anchor text for every link.

I always use specific (keyword) text for my links.

Use links to add value to your content.

Obviously, you don't want random links just for the sake of linking. Links are most powerful when they are linking to other sites similar in content. I normally write my text and then read over it, looking for words that my reader may not understand or that I've explained more fully elsewhere. Those are the things I link to.

Don't overlink.

Too many links overwhelms the reader. Even if they don't click on a link, the visual impact of so many links slows reading. Each link causes a split-second, silent question, "Do I click or not?" Don't hamper your reader with too much of a good thing.

Link Lists and Sneeze Pages

Besides naturally interlinking your online work, two other powerful strategies are link list posts and sneeze pages. 

Link list posts are blog posts that are basically just a list of links. These are most effective when the title mentions a number, for example Ten Ideas for Summertime Projects. Write a brief introduction to your list as well as a short blurb for each link in your list. These are a great way to showcase your work on a single theme that spans various publishing platforms. 

Sneeze pages are resource pages on your blog that link to lots of content that may otherwise be hidden deep within your archives. Make the sneeze page itself have valuable content rather than just being a list of links.

Read Katinka's Marketing Spiritual Blog

I love all of her blog, but the post 20 tips on how to interlink your online properties is especially relevant. She gets far more technical that I have been here. Read the article a couple of times until you can understand it. Revisit it occasionally to make sure you are internalizing the principles.

If you use Etsy, be sure to read How to Build an Online Empire Starting with Etsy. I don't sell at Etsy, but the principles are the same for any site.

I've noticed there are two kinds of online writers. Some struggle with generating ideas to write about. Others have lots of ideas but little time to write. (I certainly fall in the second camp.) I get ideas from everything and everywhere. 

Here is a list of inspiration sources for me. Your niches will be different, but try to apply the ideas to your own life and writing.

1. What we are doing in homeschool

• books we read
• activities we did
• freebies we used

2. What I cooked today

Stop and take photos instead of rushing through the steps. And voila, a quick page!

Examples:

• Homemade Calzone
• Chicken Croquettes
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

3. Products I use

From the kitchen to the bathroom, a product review page is easy to write if you are passionate about the product.

Examples:

• Calphalon Stainless Steel Dutch Oven
• Two-Tiered Dish Drainers
• Dish Drying Mat

4. Questions asked on forums

My entire narration problems series was based on a single thread at a homeschool forum I read. The questions and answers shared there provided a starting point for me to branch from. Obviously, I didn't copy the conversations. Instead I took those concepts and elaborated on them far beyond what was said in the forum. But the inspiration for the pages came from that simple discussion among moms.

5. My own questions

What am I wondering about? I have successfully turned my research into a page.

6. Places I go

Whether it's daily spots or special once in a lifetime places, each deserves a bit of online fame.

Examples:

• Dragon in the Sky Shadow Puppet Theater in Beijing, China
• Backermann's Bakery in Whiteville, TN

It should go without saying, but it truly needs to be said again and again: be persistent in building content online.

Don't let a week go by without creating something -- a blog post, a lens, a hub, a wizz. Time is precious, and we writers have so little of it. But the beauty of online work is that it builds incrementally with every new article you post. As you interlink them, you find that slowly your small drips are creating a sturdy web of an empire.

You can read more of my tips for Time Management for Online Writers.

Start today. And remember slow and steady wins the race. I am not the fastest writer. But I write quality, and I've been consistently adding to my empire for about four years.