Please Review

[Dave]

Please stop nit-picking on Holyman's website.

Give the guy an f***ing break

I think the site has a lot of potential anyway.

Please explain Holyman... why you believe this site has so much potential compared to starting out fresh with expert guidance.

I'm really curious as to why you believe this?

I'm definitely not saying I have all the answers and that you MUST listen me. Sometimes I don't have a clue.

I just think this thread could become a fascinating and educational discussion for all of us..... from both sides of the fence.

If I can make a few suggestions.

You have no htags at all.

I wasn't even going to get into search engine optimization with RidgePoker.

I noticed something negative as well....I'm not pointing a finger or accusing you of anything...for all I know you could have a deal worked out with FTR but your page here:

http://www.ridgepoker.com/avoiding-tilt/

is a copy from here:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/Avoiding-Tilt.html

I just mention it because since its dup content you won't get any traffic from it and will probably hurt your sites seo as a whole....and another strat page is from cardplayer as well.

Don't know .....and don't care.

Again

Why Holyman, do believe that RidgePoker.com is worth all your time and effort?

I'm not putting you down man...your site is better that 95% out there....... just asking.

[Holyman]

As I said, I know there is a ton of work to do, but the site is making good money so I guess I'm doing something right. I use to do a lot of tutoring and as my schedule got more cluttered I recruited some other high stakes players to become tutors. It's a great deal for the students, the site, and me. There is some private sections on the forum just for tutoring. The forum is full of people I've know for a while, we are a tight nit group, and we are getting some new members which is great. I use the forum to do some special promotions, freerolls, etc. It seems to me that every site now days has a "subscribe list" or something like that. I mainly just use the forum for that.

The site itself is ranking great for my selected keywords and I'm getting some good organic SE traffic. I was lucky enough to work with Randy on a few projects that taught me a ton about SEO. The guy is a pure SEO genius. That said, I know I have a lot to do though.

Overall, I think with some changes, more content, and more effort it will be a nice site. I plan on advertising a couple more unique features of the site, but I wanted to fix the little stuff first. Also, I knew you guys would give me a nice kick in the ass to get working on these issues.

Dave, do you really think the site has no chance to do anything?

Thanks again everyone!

[kaus]

I seen that when I was browsing your forum and was thinking about it lastnight. why not make a direct point on your homepage to let people know you have these members on hand. Include pictures some info on them etc. Make it stand out a bit. I think its great if you are able to do this. Have them write you weekly articles.

You have 5 or 6 of them on hand, if they dont mind submitting a pic have a column specfically deducated to them...a few notes on the area that they are strongest in etc. I would click on that to read more about them.

Another suggestion...I would make these people available, not something that needs to have an application and approval to have access to them (unless I misunderstood the whole private tutoring thing)

I was lucky enough to work with Randy on a few projects that taught me a ton about SEO. The guy is a pure SEO genius. That said, I know I have a lot to do though.

Completely agree and he makes some things seem alot easier than what you read on those SEO forums

[Holyman]

I have had the same thing in mind Kaus. Like I said, it took a bit to get everything off the ground. I actually have some bios ready to put up on the tutors. They already have some students and I really need to get off my ass and promote them more. I like the idea of pics too..

The tutors are regular members of the forum, and contribute freely in strategy posts. I see what your saying about making it more open though. .


Again, thanks for all the great advice. I'm making some updates now.. Keep the comments rolling and I'll post back soon with an update.

[Dave]

Dave, do you really think the site has no chance to do anything?

No, I didn't mean that at all.

It's just that your homepage looks like hundreds of other sites out there and my first impression is no different.

I agree with kaus 100%.

If you're making all your money from tutoring and a close nit group of high-stakes players why not showcase that fact on your homepage....and every page, big time to attract new members?

I browsed your website for quite awhile..... much longer that your average web-surfer would and had no idea this was the main attraction that makes your site very different from all the rest.

My mistake.

[Holyman]

That is encouraging anyway. I started on some updates today. Added some H tags (I actually thought I had already done that).. The site is good on the SEO side, but you are 100% right about it looking generic and not having a defined niche that I am pushing. These are all rookie mistakes on my part and I knew people like you would give it too me straight.

This is actually the second site I built, the first one I made about 10k off of and sold when the US laws changed, plus I knew I had way too much to learn and needed to re-group.. I've actually been on PAW since before it was PAW and I think I'm starting to understand some of the finer points of the business.

So I guess I do have a niche, I'm just not marketing it properly and using the resources I already have. You guys have defiantly opened my eyes to what I should be doing.

I'm going to update the site with everyone's suggestions, get the new unique content up, and post back for another round of scrutiny.

Thanks again to everyone especially Kaus and Dave!

Please post more comments if you have them..

[kaus]

Originally Posted by Holyman

So I guess I do have a niche, I'm just not marketing it properly and using the resources I already have. You guys have defiantly opened my eyes to what I should be doing.

I really think the whole tutor thing will work for you. Myself I have met some great players that I still turn to for advice. I have known them online for about a year and a half now. One is a financial investor and the other some kind of engineer ( dont know what but hes freaking amazing when it comes to numbers) I still chat with them on a fairly regular basis discussing hands.

Why?

Because I trust their opinons, they have guided me...one went as far as giving me his own starting chart to limit that took him months of analysing his own games which he will only do by hand. Yeah they are anal but they are also good players.

The point is if you can get these members of yours to show people that "ya we are solid players and know our shit" you will find enough people that will see you as being credible for advice therefor hanging around like I have for well over a year.

[Holyman]

Ok, I've made some changes and completed some updates. Everything is not quite the way I want it yet, but it is getting better.. I know I still have a long ways to go, but I just wanted to thank everyone again for helping me out..

Go ahead and take a look and see what you think..

[kaus]

Bump your Tutor stuff up more so it's visable as soon as the page loads. You want people to see it and if they can not they may click away. Not saying that is what they are doing but how many people do you think come to a site and leave right away? Using this gives one more thing for them to see right away.

Also just a side note and it probably has more to do with CSS but I would make the text in the bottom two tables the same as the rest and maybe a new pic instead of the one you use in your intro - what about one of yourself?

It's getting there!