One of the things I want to do in 2021 is to revive CrossingColorado.com. I have my work cut out for me as it’s been torpedoed by Google and abandoned by me. And it makes me feel bad, honestly. However, I started with a few adjustments and planning.
Over the past week, I’ve been taking a look at what’s on the site and researching why it lost so much traffic. And like I mentioned in a previous post, yes, I do have my project notebook next to my keyboard.
Minor Adjustments So Far
A few of the minor things I’ve fixed so far include mostly clean-up. Things like removing the Google+ social link, adding a database cleaner, and fixing the “Home” link on the nav bar to name a few.
I still have to tackle some of the bigger things, such as finding a new theme that fits the site.
Today, I am revamping the permalink structure to get rid of dates in the URLs and setting up 301 redirects. I just hope it goes smoothly. But since I don’t have to worry about featured snippets with CrossingColorado, I shouldn’t see any real loss in Google.
Especially since the visitor rate keeps dropping, anyway.
For the most part, though, it seems the reason CrossingColorado has sunk to the bow is because of content. I’m looking into improving the EAT score for Google, but a lack of new and updated articles is really hurting the numbers.
Planning Out the Content
Content, content, content…that’s what makes a website. Well, that’s what drives its traffic, anyway. Sure, you might be able to reach a few visitors sharing on social media. But the vast majority is going to come from Google.
This means I’ll have to set up the same kind of content marketing strategy I use for clients.
Blog Posts
Surprisingly, a lot of the older articles still get a bit of traffic. I even had one person comment on a post written back in 2016. So, it’s a good thing I am refreshing the slugs for the website.
I also need to go through and figure out a layout for what comes next. In addition, I’ll go through Search Console, see what articles have the lowest position in Google search, and revamp them first.
And that’s probably one of the more time-consuming adjustments. Not only do I need new articles, but usually I have to do complete rewrites for pieces that are several years old.
But, like I’ve said before, it’s only going to help me reach 1 million words in 2021. Plus, I have a few people interested in helping me create content.
Side-by-Side Experiment
Starting January 1st, I’m writing three blog posts per week for Vocal.media. Using relatively the same niche as CrossingColorado, I’m comparing income streams.
This means I’ll be driving the content for both on similar topics. The fun part is rewriting each so they are not the same article.
Eh, it’s what I used to do on Textbroker on a daily basis. I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve written regarding Machu Picchu or biometric scanners. Each one being completely unique, no less.
Still, this experiment is going to help me stay focused on the health and fitness niche, I think. This is a good thing if I want to keep momentum throughout the year.
YouTube Videos
Having the YouTube channel has made a massive difference for WriterSanctuary.com over the past two years. It’s one of the reasons why the site has more than doubled its visitor rate in 2020.
And, the videos are often showing in Google search.
The problem is that I’m not sure if I have enough time to put into making more than one video per week for CrossingColorado. Which is better than nothing at all, I suppose.
This will probably be one of the biggest adjustments in 2021. Well, aside from the blog content, anyway.
In reality, I’m going to do the same thing I did for WriterSanctuary…use the videos to accentuate the blog. That’s how the channel started, and I’m nearing 1,000 subscribers while not maintaining the best schedule in 2020.
The best part is that I think I’m getting a decent handle on streamlining the video editing process. The last two videos only took two hours each to make. Perhaps I can do them during the weekend and set up a publishing schedule on Mondays or perhaps Fridays?
I don’t know yet, but I’m working on the details over the next week or two.
Getting Serious About My Own Health
The biggest reason why WriterSanctuary.com has become my flagship is because of the expertise and seriousness I have for writing. I am a freelance writer, and I share everything I learn.
I can’t really say the same about my health and fitness.
Sure, I’ve lost 80 pounds so far. But it’s taken me more than six years! And it’s difficult for many people to take someone like that seriously.
If I can exude the same confidence for health as I do for writing, I’m sure I could flip CrossingColorado pretty easily. And there’s the rub.
I still have an issue with impostor syndrome in many regards, especially when it comes to fitness. How can I help others when I can’t even help myself?
At least with WriterSanctuary, I am a professional freelance writer who has made a lot of money over the years. What am I when it comes to fitness?
Anyway, I need to get out of that mindset if I want this website to succeed. After all, I want to reach 220 visitors per day by December of 2021.
Still Got a Long Way to Go
So, that’s where I am so far. I have 20 items on my list of immediate fixes, and I’ve addressed six of them. Oh, I’m sure I’ll find more adjustments over time. But, it’s a good start.
I probably won’t see any massive movement in visitor traffic until probably May, depending on the type of content I add and the revamps.
However, I am excited to see where this goes. It’s going to be a very fun year!