More Answers and an Article

This morning I once again visited Yahoo! Answers. The returns on this have consistently been low. I'm getting more traffic from the answers where I reference my site in the actual answer instead of the source, but it's still pretty low. Still, this is one of the easiest things to do and when I'm still waking up (like when Daylight Savings Time kicks in) it's a good option.

Lately when I've been answering questions on Yahoo! Answers I've been using the questions as potential post idea. Some of these ideas will turn into articles on my actual site while I've been posting others in the service eZine Articles. I was very reluctant to post anywhere but my site (because, shouldn't it be on MY site!) but lots of people who know lots more than I do are always recommending this type of activity so I try to do it from time to time.

Let me just say that as a service I think eZine Articles is really great. It has a nice interface and publishing tools. This is the main reason I've been hesitant to try some of the other services (which I know I should be doing).

Anyway, the traffic I get from eZine Articles is only slightly better than what I get from Yahoo! Answers. The great thing about eZine though is you also get to create keyword links in your articles as well which is great. I really do need to be doing more of these but with only an hour on most days, it seems I just don't have the time!

Initial Results of Yesterday's Yahoo! Answers

Well, my different approach yesterday with including links in my post instead of just in the source has resulted in additional traffic (very small but it's still there). However, there was one thing I didn't expect but probably should have: the only ones generating traffic are those where I was voted as the best answer.

This is what seems to be happening: I offer an honest answer in an attempt to really help the person and each time talk about a post where I discussed the same issue. The person who asked the question does not look at my website but they still vote me as the best answer. Other people then come along and see me as the best answer and assume that part of the reason the "asker" voted me the best is do to my posts so they come to my site.

So from my test yesterday, to generate any traffic I will need to a) have the best answer and b) get more people to view the question after it has been answered. Not what I expected but I'll take it. Hey, I like being voted the best answer anyway!

Another Approach to Yahoo! Answers

Today I decided to give Yahoo! Answers another try. Last time I answered a few dozen questions and listed my site as the “Source” and I’m pretty sure it generated no traffic at all.

This time, I found questions where I had relevant posts and in the text of my actually answer I cited these posts. I only answered 5 or 6 questions but I’m hoping that this few questions will help more than the previous batch since I’m making the links prominent.

Yahoo! Answers: 30 Questions Answered

My first attempt at some SEO has been answering questions at Yahoo! Answers. This place is the wild west of advice with some absolutely insane advice being thrown around and people more than willing to insult someone's question any way they can.

Still, I've tried to take answering these questions very seriously and I have been selected as the best answer several times already. Still, as far as traffic goes, I'm not seeing anything to speak of. I've seen two recommendations for SEO regarding Yahoo! Answers:

1. Answer the questions and link to your site (as long as it is relevant to the question) as your "source"


2. Answer the questions but don't link to yourself as the "source". Instead, include a link to your site in your profile.

Well, I've been trying to take a combination approach. I link to my site in about 75% of my Answers and always take the time to give the best answer I'm capable of. Still, the system is baffling in that I can try to really help someone by writing up an answer for 10 minutes only to see the eventual "best" answer being selected is:

no,no,no...lowl. Wy woud you do thta?! lol

Right.

Anyway, nothing good out of it yet but I'll keep trying. One note for anyone who tries this: You have to be at Level 2 for your links to work. At level 1, they just show as text. You gain levels by visiting the site and answering questions. The good news is that I included URLs to my site when I was Level 1 and when I hit Level 2, the text turned into links.

For those interested, you can see the questions I'm answering in my profile.