I'm an Organizationally Challenged Dinosaur
Awhile back I reviewed my site, trying to see it from the point of view of my readers who are bouncing after 1 or 2 pages and never clicking any of my affiliate links. I wisely assumed that it was my fault, and not theirs, so I set out to analyze why.
I concluded that I had two major problems. First, I didn't have very many sales links for them to follow. I was so caught up in being helpful and informative that I forgot to send them to buy the tools and materials to create their own cool stuff. Second, the navigation on my site just didn't inspire further exploration. I needed more interesting photos to guide readers further up and further in.
Easy, I thought! I'll just reorganize the menus and add more links.
What really happened was that I would spend an entire, very intensive day re-writing and organizing and linking... and eventually I had to sleep. When I did that-- sleep--I forgot where I was when I left off.
I tried outlines. I tried word maps and venn diagrams and Evernote and the Inspiration app and NONE of them worked.
Something interesting happened when the new year arrived. I realized I was old. Not in a bad way-- just that I had learned how to organize my thoughts using old-fashioned paper and pencil. I was trying to use the cool new technology (which I love, but which I did not learn to use when I was 3 like my kids did) to organize my thoughts.
I bought a pack of 3x5 cards. I went onto my site and made a card for each page I had published. I looked at the page, and added to the card what it needed. More photos? Affiliate links? Links to other pages? Update the formatting? How-tos or videos? More writing? Less writing? And what new keywords did it inspire when I read the page?
Most of my topics I could expound on for many new pages. So I wrote them down, too. And then I made a new card, with a colored stripe across the top, which gave a proposed title for a new page, for every one of those new inspirations. On those, the first thing I wrote was "KR" for KEYWORD RESEARCH!
Now, I can write new pages, new posts, edit old ones, go take photos to add, research keywords, or whatever I am inspired to do each day. If I don't already feel like tackling one of the pages...I'll just pick a card and start being productive anyway! When you have ADHD, that's as organized as you get!
I'm very excited about this. It sure worked today. I wrote a new page, a new post, and edited many pages all day long today, without getting distracted or wondering what to do next.
Go with what works for you. If the method of organization you're using now isn't getting it done, then move on. Or, as in my case, move back in time and use dinosaur tech to organize your website.
Happy Marketing!
--Kelley
Recent Comments
3
Just SUPER, Kelley!
I'm 'old school' myself, and I appreciate the inspired organizing solution you shared here. Hey - you take the cards that Life deals you...and make notes on 'em!
Thanks:)