This video was created by the WordPress experts!

Hope it is helpful for you.

Well there is a button on the tool bar that will make it real easy. Let’s assume you want to create a copyright symbol.  This is what you do.

Select the subpanel on your tool bar.

Select the Custom Character Button-Looks Like a Horse Shoe

Choose the Custom Character You Need

Click on the Character You Want and it Will be Inserted Into Your Post Wherever Your Cursor is Located

For example, if I want to place the copyright symbol in my text I will write the text then click on the symbol for it to be inserted next to my text.

How to Add Custom Characters to Your Blog, 2010©

NOW THAT WAS EASY WASN’T IT?

Well this is a quick tutorial to get you back on your blogging feet!.

1.     Go to the dashboard of your blog. Now there are several ways to do this and I did a short video for those of you who need a reminder.

Please note that this video is referring to a WordPress.com hosted site. But the same applies to a WordPress.org self hosted site. I do not, however, recommend that you have Meta options on your site if you are on a self hosted WordPress.org site.

3 Ways to Sign into Your WordPress.com Site SHORT VIDEO

2.    Yes, you can skip the video and just type in the name of your blog site. But this time add a forward slash and wp-admin.
The wp stands for WordPress and the admin means you are going into the administrative area. I like to call it behind the scenes. OR You can add /wp-login.php Personally I always use wp-admin

So this is what the url structure will look like:

If you are on a WordPress.com site it would be  http://www.myblogsite.wordpress.com/wp-admin

If you are self-hosting your site it would be http://www.myblogsite.com/wp-admin

3.   Now, you will see the following login waiting for your User Name and Password. But remember you have misplaced or forgotten it. So observe the read arrow pointing to the phrase Lost your password? Go ahead click on it.

Login for WordPress blogs

4.     After you click on that link it will ask you to enter the user name (if you recall it). If you don’t  try to recall the email address you used when you first signed up to blog. Hint: If one email does not work try another. The system will send you a new password. Just go to your email and grab it.

5.    But HALT WAIT, DO NOT PASS GO

You will actually receive two emails. The first will ask you to verify that you actually requested an email change. Why? Well anyone can use your user name or email, request a change and then go in and reset the password. YOUDON’T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. So, if you get a message like that and you DID NOT request it. DO NOT VERIFY IT.

But since you have requested it right after reading this post VERIFY the first email. Then you will get an email with your new email.

Request for email or user name

6.   Now go in and key in your new password along with your user name.  If your browser is set to remember cookies(not the choc. Chip kind of cookies) you can select the option for the computer to remember your login details. However, there are times when you or someone else, may go into your browser options and choose to delete all cookies. Oops, your password is gone again. So I strongly suggest that you write it down in a special notebook just for your specific blog.

In the next post I will show you how to change your password inside your dashboard. Would that be helpful?

Meanwhile, get back on those blogging feet and start blogging!!!!

How many of you are using Google Alerts as a source of blog food?

Ok, I admit that sounds like a question I ask folks when I am doing blog training. But it is a critical question. Many of us are not tapping into this powerful, I mean powerful resource.

Ok, what is Google Alerts?

As defined by Wikipedia:

The Google Alerts is a content monitoring service, offered by the search engine company Google, that automatically notifies users when new content from news, web, blogs, video and/or discussion groups matches a set of search terms selected by the user and stored by the Google Alerts service. Notifications can be sent by email, as a web feed or displayed on the users iGoogle page.

Google Alerts are available in plain text as well as HTML. In October 2008 Google also made alerts available as RSS feeds.

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU

Develop a Google Alert for”

• Topic Area of your blog
• Your name
• Blog Titles

Try doing a comprehensive notice everyday for a week. You can always edit it. Then blog every day and include the title of each blog post in your alerts.

Glean from some of the news listings and other blogs and add them to site as a blog post. Remember to provide all links included in that blog post and credit to the authors

Are you up for the challenge?

Please share some of your results.

PS Use an email address that can tolerate the traffic.

There you will have several upgrade options if you pay for them. The one I am referring to is 14.97 if you host your domain with WordPress.com and 9.97 if you use a domain name you already have.

To illustrate this feature I just upgraded a site I have in WordPress.com called Rosies Blog Class. Now, the url is http://www.rosiesblogclass.wordpress.com. I purchased a domain from WordPress.com which is http://www.rosiesblogclass.com.

So, if I am teaching a workshop or speaking to someone about blogging I can send them to http://www.rosiesblogclass.com and it will redirect to the site.

So, if you have a site on WordPress.com that you want to send folks to when you are not online, consider this handy upgrade.

PS Remember if you are hosting with WordPress.com and not self-hosting with a WordPress.org blog platform YOU MUST MANUALLY BACKUP YOUR SITE. Do not expect WordPress.com to do it for you. I strongly suggest that you maintain a folder on your hard drive with everything you post on your site.

If anyone has other solutions let me know.

But in case there is someone else reading this that has an old WordPress.com blog hanging out there is cyberspace. This is what you do:

• Sign into your dashbroad
• Click on Settings in the Admin. Panel on the left
• Click on the Delete Blog Option

But just remember, if you keep it you can always make it a private blog shut off from the search engines. You can choose the option to invite folks to view your posts. PLUS this is a good option if you were writing a book or collection of poems not ready for prime time. Think about it.

Reason 1 – Saving Money on Your Monthly Online Budget

By Toolie

Now we’re down to the number 1 reason to manage your websites and
blogs: money. It’s simply less expensive to learn how to handle most
website and blog tasks than it is to pay someone to do them for you.

The most obvious cost to your business is any ongoing website or blog
maintenance you’re paying to a web designer. I’ve heard from clients
that they’ve spent anywhere from $75 to $600 a month on maintenance.
The difference in pricing is related to the amount of work done in
those contracts.

•  A $75 a month charge included 1 major update a month, in this case,
my speakers association chapter adding their monthly meeting to the
site.
•  The $600/month charge was for website hosting, maintenance, and
keyword optimization; that’s what my dentist pays to maintain his page
1 Google status in his geographic area.
I hope your webmaster costs are either zero or somewhere between those
two numbers!

What other costs might there be? Well, you remember the true story of
my client whose website was shut down by a disgruntled team member,
yes? She directly lost revenue because her website wasn’t available.
It would have been difficult on short notice for her to replace the
site she had planned, but if she’d had control of her domain, she
could have pointed it to an alternate site until things were resolved.

What about creating opportunities BECAUSE you have HTML and CSS
skills? The Internet likes speed! Being able to come up with a custom
page on your website or blog that specifically addresses a new
opportunity provides a huge advantage over your competitors who can’t
or don’t provide such targeted information.

In fact, imagine being able to send to a prospect in email the URL of
a specially created web page on your website. Wouldn’t you sit up and
take notice if I said I have a message just for you at  such-and-such
a page? With a simple tool, I created custom pages with individual
names on them  for the folks on my mailing list, using a simple HTML
page and a tool that merges names into those web pages. Like so many
other highly-targeted messages, custom web pages have a big impact.
And this technique is easy and inexpensive to do.

So with basic HTML and CSS skills, you can not only save maintenance
costs, you can create opportunities for new business in targeted,
memorable ways. I hope by now that you’re all out of excuses now for
putting off  earning something that can make you money.

It’s time! The product is now available for purchase. There’s no time
like the beginning of a new year to make a difference in your business
by learning HTML and CSS. Head on over to
http://www.ICanFixMyWebsite.com and get all the details of this
program. I look forward to working with you in our coaching sessions,
and getting 2010 off to a great start.

You can choose to have $10 of the product price donated to the Red
Cross for Disaster Relief to Haiti. Just choose Yes on the Order Form
(near the bottom), and I’ll take care of the rest. — Toolie

The “I Can Fix My Website” program is up and running! Get your copy
right now at http://www.ICanFixMyWebsite.com.

Toolie®

GOOGLE

That’s right just enter the term article directories into Google and you will get a host of selections. Now, if you want to narrow your focus to match your blog niche then search on something like, “article directories for baby boomers.”

Once you get the site look in the category listings for your blog food topics. You will have the option of posting the html or the text porting. But always remember to keep the entire article and the links intact along with the authors name.

Now to give you an example, I am posting an article on blogging for your reading pleasure. Enjoy and tell me what you think of this kind of blog food. Will you try it?

Corporate Blogging: 7 Best Practices by SONU1

Blogs have become one of the hottest communication tools on the Web. Offering the opportunity for anyone to create their own free Web site, encouraging opinions and interaction, blogs provide forums for individuals to create their own highly personal presentations to the Web audience. They also provide for consortia of all types to experience the sort of online community feeling that was pioneered by early newsgroups and by the phenomenal success of AOL in the 1990s.

Blogs have reached into the corporate and government sectors as well. What started out as an outlet for teenage expression and grassroots journalism has turned into a lucrative communications tool for small and large businesses alike.

Corporate Blogging refers to a company producing or supporting a blog that it uses to accomplish business objectives. As with anything, there are certain best practices to be followed to ensure your company reaps the maximum benefits. These seven tips guidelines will help make your blog a success.

1. Fine Print. Blogging can lead to legal issues. Companies should have real concerns about liability, exclusions and limitations, and indemnity. Although there are laws that protect against libel, misappropriations and other injuries suffered as a result of posts on the Web, companies can still be held vicariously responsible for statements made by employees that are harmful to others. Since there are so many legal issues surrounding blogs, it is imperative that the site has some sort of disclaimer and limitation of liability.

2. Know What Your Doing. Senior management should be educated by the corporate communications and legal department about what blogs are and how they might affect business. That way, they can be contributing members of the blog, further improving employee relations. Their support and participation is often what makes a blog more effective.

3. Create blogging policies. In any medium where an employee is sharing information, there is the possibility of leaking trade secrets or financial information. Blogging also has a tendency to become personal. A company should have a list of policies regarding blogging to ensure that trade secrets are kept secret and personal lives do not become public. Policies may include keeping financial information from being posted, as well as severe consequences for anyone using the blog for negative publicity.

4. Avoid the Marketing Blog. Making your blog into a blatant marketing campaign is a bad idea. Customers are looking for real answers and honest opinions. They will pick up on insincerity instantly. Use the blog for what it is for, transparency. This is an opportunity to make a real connection with your customers. Do not ruin it by filling it with empty advertising.

5. Keep It Fresh. Blogs are usually judged by their amount of new content. Easy to add on to, they are designed to be updated constantly. To keep your readers coming back, make your content relevant and timely. Do not forget, content can include anything from product releases to job openings, recent news to thoughts from the CEO. It is practically impossible to run out of material.

6. Reinforce the company s core values. Use your blog to reflect your company s inner soul: its mission, goals and direction. A blog is just another medium by which you interact with your customers and employees. It’s another part of the brand experience. It should be consistent with the impression the company wants to make.

7. Encourage employees to use it. Create an atmosphere where they are comfortable asserting their opinions and concerns. You will be surprised how the quietest employees will speak up when given such an opportunity. With all communication, blogging can become negative, so remind employees of the public nature of the blogs and the ramifications for their actions.

Did you find this article useful For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to Internet Business, do please browse for more information at our websites.
http://www.allhottips.com
http://www.bookstoretoday.com

Article Source: Articles for Boomers

The following points, in my opinion, make this a good post:

• An engaging picture that draws you into the post
• An engaging title that clearly tells you what the post is all about
• The inclusion of the word VIDEO. When this title is seen in the search results some may select this post if they are more  visual learners.
• A good pre-video narrative that explains what you are going to view in the video
• A well done and SHORT video that leaves you with memorable bit-sized content that is easy to chew
• Good font size
• Header (2) size sub-headings which increases the ease of reading
• Excellent action steps after the video

Now that is this baby boomer’s opinion, what do you think?

What do you think?

Does your blog post provide a good landscape picture?

Many new bloggers often wonder “what makes a good blog post?” I have my personal views on the matter. So, I decided to share my observations of posts by professional and non- professional bloggers, in a new series.

I personally think that a good blog post is a lot like a landscape picture. It should have views of the sky, ground, mood, and activity in the picture and perspective that goes beyond the picture. Now that activity can be people, animals or things.

Yet, if you observe some good posts please share them so all of us can continue to be in an active learning mode. After all, isn’t that what baby boomers do so well?

To start the series I want to share a recent post by Heidi Caswell, one of my baby boomer blogging buddies. The post is called,  Blog Hopping for Jewels

Why I like this post

• She used a great picture with a caption
• She had a powerful use of metaphor which she carried throughout the entire post
• She used text to link her url’s
• She opened her links in new windows
• The post made sense
• She asked us to comment by sharing more posts
• She shows activity providing excerpts  or personal views of the blogs (Jewels)

Did I leave anything out?