The Basics

I don't know about anyone else, but this is what worked for me. Follow these nine simple steps and you'll start ranking in no time.

1. Log in every day (hmm - not too hard!)

2. Check your notifications tab - the square with the globe. If it is green with a number, you have some notifications from Wealthy Affiliate. Check them out and:

3. ...respond to any comments on your personal profile, not just with a 'like' but a 'thank you' or 'you're welcome' etc. If a profile comment is from a new connection (follower) I quickly check their profile and if I find we share something in common or their profile story is particularly interesting, I leave a message on their profile page. All this usually takes me about 10 minutes or so. Next...

4. ...look for any questions or comments that you are interested in or that relate to your stage in the training. To start with, you might only read the questions and answers but when you have a bit more experience (a week or two!) you most likely will be able to start answering some questions yourself. I don't always answer or comment on everything as that would be too time-consuming. Just two or three is enough.

5. Check your followers button (the square with three heads). This gives you the number of followers you currently have. If you have a new follower in your list (it will show a green 'follow' under the person's thumbnail), then follow those people back. You also might like to click on their picture, go to their profile, and again - if you find something interesting in their profile, then leave a comment, like, welcome them and thank them for the follow!

6. Add new followers. You will always find a row of profile thumbnails of people you can follow. I add at least 10 new followers every day - you will find about half of them follow you back.

7. Like things. Yep - it's pretty easy. Even if you don't want to spend time commenting on or get involved in discussions, then 'like' comments. It gives other people credit and is one way we 'pay it forward'.

8. Be polite, friendly and thankful. Everyone likes good manners, so be on your best behaviour - please and thank you, you're welcome, thank you for your help, thank you for the follow, pleased to meet you, welcome to Wealthy Affiliate...

9. Update your profile and if you haven't already done so - add a picture - preferably of yourself. This is a very sharing community and members like to feel that they are communicating with a real person - not a car or a flower or a building! I didn't believe this at first and for over 3 months, I was a very small ladybird. Then a member here blogged about profile pictures and how important they are, so I did a bit of an experiment. While I was a ladybird, I got just over 500 followers. In the 6 weeks since I changed my picture to a real one, my followers have more doubled. So it really does work. And a short profile story, updated occasionally, also improves your rankings.

Moving right along now...