February 10, 2010 by Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Filed under Blogging Resources, blog and social networking, business, networking, wahm, wahm tips, work at home
Blogging Tips
Internet Tools
I’ve been doing some blog tweaking lately. Recently I’ve installed the Alexa Toolbar. Apparently it’s working out well as my Alexa rating has been steadily decreasing. Also, I’m toying with the idea of switching to the Thesis theme, even though I’m not too good at coding.
There are numerous tools available on the Internet to assist in online business blogging. A valuable tool that you should use is the Alexa Toolbar. Even better - this tool is free.
If you have a blog, you might want to consider adding the Alexa toolbar to improve your stats. Theoretically, the Alexa toolbar isn’t spyware as it doesn’t retrieve any private or personal information.
Alexa is owned by Amazon, and ranks sites from 1 to 5,000,000 and sometimes higher. Ranking #1 has the most traffic while anything below 250,000 and you should be getting some decent traffic levels. Right now my current Alexa rating is 74,800. This information can be used to determine how well your advertising campaigns are going and how your traffic levels are growing over a period of time. Since I write product reviews and have a PR Media Kit, I monitor these statistics and update my Media Kit periodically.
This information can also be used to determine how your fellow bloggers are doing and keep you one step ahead of them. The tool provides you with essential information regarding any site you’re looking at, including your own. If a company approaches you claiming they have lots of traffic, you can just pull up their site and review the Alexa statistics. This allows you to verify who’s receiving a significant amount of traffic and who’s feeding you a line.
So now you want to know how do you use this tool? First, you download the Alexa Toolbar as follows:
1. Go to Alexa.com
2. Click “Download Alexa Toolbar” at the top of the page.
3. Click “Install” on the next page.
Reload the page you are viewing and the toolbar will appear across the top of your browser.
If any of your readers have the Alexa toolbar installed, any time they visit you, it will help your rankings. In turn, when you visit their sites, you’ll be building back links while helping your fellow blog buddies out.
Why not try an experiment for a month – download the toolbar and monitor one of your sites. Once you see the data you receive and the way it can be interpreted and used, you won’t know how you survived without it!
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Deal-ectible Mom on Wed, 10th Feb 2010 5:56 pm
I have the Alexa tool bar but haven’t messed with it much…I’ll start using it! Thanks..great post!
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Creative Junkie on Wed, 10th Feb 2010 5:58 pm
I get why Alexa can be beneficial but I have to admit, I resent the importance placed on its stats by advertisers. I have no idea how Alexa figures out my rating but it goes up, it goes down, it goes all around, with no rhyme or reason. Even when my traffic is increasing, my Alexa rating will rise – wth?
I hate that advertisers place so much importance on an Alexa rating – what if half my visitors don’t even have the toolbar installed? It does not accurately reflect my traffic.
I hate the fact that I have subconsciously connected my self-worth with my Alexa rating.
Look at what Creative Junkie hopes you’ll read: …Welcome to the Barfiarrhea
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Shop with Me Mama (Kim)
Twitter: shopwithmemama
on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 1:03 am
Thank you for this post. I recently installed the alexa tool bar and really like it! I kind of agree with creative junkie on the whole reflecting who you are, because it is not all that accurate. but, I like it just the same!
Look at what Shop with Me Mama (Kim) hopes you’ll read: …Sing Along with Barbie DVD Review!
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 1:24 am
Creative Junkie ~ I agree that advertisers do place emphasis on Alexa ratings. It does help each person who blogs to have it and my point is that if it’s installed, we help each other out on the rankings.
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 1:25 am
Kim – I use several different methods to track my stats, and no two are the same!
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Tracy Guenther on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 2:38 pm
Thank you for this site information. I have not heard of it, and I have much work to do on my blog. Very informative…thanks!
Look at what Tracy Guenther hopes you’ll read: …TRAVELING TOTS ART TOTE – Instead Of Talkin’, They’ll Be Chalkin’ – Amy Butler Midwest Modern Fabric with Pink Polka Dots
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Tricia Meyer on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 4:30 pm
I agree that regardless of how we feel about the metric itself, installing the toolbar does seem to help on our own sites. My best site is only at 150K right now, so I still have a way to go. But I had uninstalled it on Explorer when I kept having Explorer problems. I heard that it is less obtrusive when you use Firefox, so I recently switched to Firefox and added it on. My ranks have been consistently coming down ever since! (down the good way…)
Look at what Tricia Meyer hopes you’ll read: …5 Ways Twitter Helps My Business
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Holly - The Work at Home Womanh on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 5:34 pm
I downloaded the Alexa tool bar many months ago, and I will say it has helped my ranking. But I agree with Creative Junkie – I don’t think it’s that accurate, even though my traffic has been gradually increasing, my Alexa ranking has decreased.
My advice is to not obsess over the numbers, focus on creating quality content and cultivating relationships, when you do something that you love the rest will fall into place.
Look at what Holly – The Work at Home Womanh hopes you’ll read: …25 Top Rock Stars of the Web
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Dimes2Vines on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 9:14 pm
Thanks for this info!
Stopping by from Fri Follows – I’m a new follower whether late or early, I am here!. Love to have you stop by:
http://dimes2vines.com
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Brandy
Twitter: brandyellen
on Fri, 12th Feb 2010 5:22 pm
I am not a big toolbar fan but did install this to test it out and I tweeted about your page using the Twitter button on the Alexa toolbar too! Thanks for the great article!
Look at what Brandy hopes you’ll read: …Wordless Wednesday: My 2 Favorite Boys
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Tammy on Sat, 13th Feb 2010 2:34 pm
I have so many toolbars installed, what’s one more, lol! I guess I’ll see what it can do for me. Thanks Cindi.
Look at what Tammy hopes you’ll read: …Giveaway: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
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Karen & Gerard Zemek on Sat, 13th Feb 2010 2:36 pm
I have enough toolbars already and don’t really care what traffic other blogs are getting. Since I don’t monetize my blog, I don’t see any point in adding this toolbar.
Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!
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Rachael @ Empowering Mommy on Sat, 13th Feb 2010 10:20 pm
I have had it installed but never knew what it was good for. Thanks for explaining it to me. I don’t feel so dumb now.
It makes sense – a little bit anyway. I’m not fond of it and am thankful most PR don’t take it into consideration.
Look at what Rachael @ Empowering Mommy hopes you’ll read: …CVS Deals – 2/14 – 2/20, 2009
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Sun, 14th Feb 2010 2:41 am
Hi Tammy ~ I don’t have too many toolbars installed, but found that I can hide the ones I don’t use. This one is beneficial to all bloggers, although stats may differ from one to another. It doesn’t hurt to use it. It can only help.
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Sun, 14th Feb 2010 2:43 am
Rachael – Glad I was able to help to explain it! No questions is ‘dumb’ – we all have a learning curve! Every PR company is different in what they’re looking for.
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Sun, 14th Feb 2010 2:44 am
Hi Karen – Thanks for visiting from SITS Saturday Sharefest!
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Katie
Twitter: EllisFan14
on Sat, 20th Feb 2010 10:28 pm
thanks for the info – I’m going to download it now! My Alexa ranking has been at a standstill lately.
Look at what Katie hopes you’ll read: …Small Talk Six – Let me do it!
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ConnieFoggles
Twitter: ConnieFoggles
on Sun, 21st Feb 2010 10:55 pm
I can’t believe after all this time of blogging that I didn’t have the Alexa toolbar downloaded. I think what happened is I had it on my desktop but forgot to add it on my laptop. Phew, I feel so much better now! As much as I hate stats they’re a necessary part of blogging.
Look at what ConnieFoggles hopes you’ll read: …Day Two – Disney Social Media Moms Celebration
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The Redhead Riter on Tue, 23rd Feb 2010 8:14 pm
I think I will download this tonight.
Look at what The Redhead Riter hopes you’ll read: …Giveway – Here All Along, Lori Newman
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Erica Mueller on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 5:28 pm
The Alexa toolbar may be fun, and helpful for bloggers, but companies putting such an emphasis on it is ridiculous. One blogger could have 100 readers, half of which have the Alexa toolbar installed and have a much higher Alexa ranking than the next blog with 1,000 readers and fewer of them have Alexa installed.
In order to get an Alexa ranking the people who view your site have to have the toolbar installed and running. So, unless you think you can bribe all your readers to install Alexa I wouldn’t count on having high or consistent Alexa rankings.
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 5:34 pm
Erica, I think you’re correct in your analogy.
Furthermore, IF you have the toolbar installed, you would see that my ranking is now down to 66,265 from the onset of this post.
Bribe? I think you’re absolutely RUDE to insinuate that I was bribing anybody.
I make suggestions. Whether my readers choose to act on those suggestions is up to them.
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Erica Mueller on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 5:40 pm
Oh, Dear!! I did not in any way mean to insinuate that you’re bribing people to sign up for Alexa to up your ranks!!! I’m sick just thinking that I came across that way…
I know you were suggesting it on the grounds that it’s helpful in other ways, for bloggers!
I’m just saying, in general… some people are really worried about their rankings and I see them asking why in the world their rankings are so bad and I have a hard time telling them it’s not really something they can change, unless they can get their readers to install Alexa.
Sorry if I came off wrong! I love you and your blog!
Look at what Erica Mueller hopes you’ll read: …Trackle.com – Find It. Track It. Share It. 60-day Free Trial
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 5:48 pm
Erica – Apology accepted. Yes, I agree that there are many factors that affect rankings; Alexa is just one of them.
However, for bloggers who are concerned about improving their stats for business purposes, having the toolbar installed is a means to assist them.
Even for bloggers who don’t monetize their sites but write for personal pleasure – if their blog is submitted to a blog directory, the higher up they are found in the blog directory, the better their chances of being found and gaining new readers.
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Ileane @Blogging
Twitter: Ileane
on Sun, 7th Mar 2010 10:01 am
I’m using the Chrome browser and I don’t think they have an Alexa extension yet.
However, I probably wouldn’t use it anyway. I’m using a couple of extensions like Chrome SEO and SEO Site Tools to get an idea of the Google Page Rank and Alexa rank are on some other blogs that I visit but that’s as far as I go.
I’ve heard countless stories about how unreliable the Alexa ranks are and honestly I’ve never heard of anyone that was turned down by an advertiser because of the Alexa Rank. Perhaps this applies to Amazon Affiliates, (which is not something anyone should worry about) but I haven’t confirmed that.
It’s always good to try things for yourself and I see that you noticed a negative change in your rank already. Testing is an important part of blogging because what works for others might not work for you.
One more thing, an issue came up last month where some Alexa reviews were missing. Alexa contacted me via Twitter and admitted that there was a problem and the reviews were restored. It’s interesting that they never realized the problem until my friend and I started tweeting about it. LOL!
Thanks for the conversation, it’s a good one to have.
Look at what Ileane @Blogging hopes you’ll read: …Diigo Extension for Google Chrome Browser
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Moomette's Magnificents (Admin)
Twitter: Moomettes
on Sun, 7th Mar 2010 5:07 pm
Hi Ileane ~ Thanks for the info on Chrome. I’ve debated installing it but decided not to tempt fate with Murphy’s Law. While I agree that I haven’t heard of any product reviewers being turned down for Alexa rankings, I still believe in optimizing my site and rank through whatever means and SEO I’m able to.
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