Category Archives: Blogging Lessons

How to Get Blog Food-Articles

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This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Blog Food-Videos

Articles found on article directory sites are great sources of blog food.  Where do you find article directories? I am glad you asked.

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.
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Article Source: Articles for Boomers

What Does A Good Blog Post Look Like?-John Hayden

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This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series What does a good blog post look like?

In part two of this series I want to feature a blog post I saw by John Hayden. The post is titled; How Facebook turns active users into community managers – without paying a dime (video)

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?

What Does a Good Blog Post Look Like?-Heidi Caswell

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This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series What does a good blog post look like?

Does your blog post provide a good landscape picture?

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?


How To Add Your Facebook Fan Page To Your Blog

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Facebook makes it real simple to add your Facebook Fan page to your blog. After all your Facebook Fan page gives you an opportunity to showcase your business, niche, causes and other areas of interest. There just might be others that share the same interest or need your service.

I have presented the steps in screen shots below.

1. Sign into your Facebook Page and click on the Wall Tab then click on the fourth link on the left under your logo.

Promote Your Facebook Fan Page 12. Select the Facebook Page you want to promote by clicking on the drop down options. Also, complete the other options.

Continue reading →

Hackproof Your WordPress Blog NOW!

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We woke up one morning and found out that one of our sites had been hacked. A red glaring warning sign appeared on Firefox and Google marked it as a dangerous site. This can happen to you. As much as I want to be intimidated by all the code talk I just cannot afford stop and moan about it. I guess it must be a boomer thing. I must keep asking questions and perserve.

 I have posted an insightful presentation on WordPress Security that was part of a presentation at a WordPress Conference.  Some of you, although you are long time bloggers, may still shy away from this critically needed stuff. DO NOT IGNORE IT!

I am also reviewing a four hour security seminar I took with Cathy Perkins. It must be done  in bit sized peices so it is good to stop, do then listen again.

I am not going to say it is easy and I would much rather be at Starbucks with a cup of Latte, at Barnes and Noble, or in the Virgin Islands. But I know what it feels like to have a blog hacked. So I am forcing myself to schedule this task and follow the steps so clearly explained in the Security Teleseminar. I am still trying to figure out how I am going to reward myself. If anyone else out there is doing the same thing and was in Cathy’s class please let me know.

Meanwhile, view the video below. You may not understand all of it, I am still learning also, but listen anyway. Write down your questions and post them after the video onthe WordPress TV site or here where someone smarter than me might answer.

But regardless if you do it your self or hire someone just secure that blog!

Easy Instructions for Setting up AmazonS3 for Videos, Podcasts and Images

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This is the best instruction I have read for setting up AmazonS3. I actually followed it step by step and it worked! Now, note that there were a few bumps so if you can get someone to work and do it when you are alert. OOPS, I am going too f ast. Oh, allow me to pause and explain what AmazonS3 can do for you.

Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a web-service, part of the Amazon family of products. that enables you to store and share large amounts of data online. This is a free to join, pay-as-you-go service with no minimum fees that makes it very attractive to small businesses and individuals who need to host their videos online.

All stored data, images, videos and podcats, can be made available via the web-browser, just like any web site on the Internet. The prices are cheap, I mean very cheap. You will see the prices when you sign up. You will not believe them. No sign up fee and you only pay for the usage.

 That means you can use it and spare your bandwidth. Now, I know someone is saying why not use Youtube or other free hosts?Well, AmazonS# is the solution when you want to have video uploaded that may by accessible folks on a membership site, etc. Ssometimes you may not want the ads that come with a free hosting site.

There are other uses but allow  me to have  an excellent blog post talk about what AmazonS3 can do and how to get it installed. Be sure to view the video and also to view the videos on Amazon. Also, there are already 56 comments to the post. If you want to include a comment do it right away. Comments will be cut off after 90 days.  But be  sure to read the comments because there is a LOT of information there.

Ok, get started now by reading the post on Problogger on AmazonS3.

Tell me what you think.

Google Page Rank, Alexa and Textlink Ads Communication Error

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Recently I sent an email to a fellow boomer blogger and raved about their Google Page Rank, Alexa rank and suggested using Textlink Ads. I got an email back saying thanks but it was all gooogly gook.

Shame  on me, Ms. Communication Expert, Trainer, Presentation skills expert and baby boomer to do something so stupid.

So,  to all my readers I now ask for your forgiveness when I have just threw out terms without defining them.

So, I would like to begin by defining the terms Google Page Rank, Alexa Rank and TextLink Ads. I promise to make this painless.

Google Page Rank:

Google gives a numeric value from 0-10 for each webpage on the Internet. This rank tells you how important Google thinks your site is to them. This numeric value is complicated and you math genius should explore this in more depth.
Now, I have downloaded a free page rank tool and placed it on my tool bar. Hence, whenever I am at a site I can see what rank it has according to Google. If you want to place one on your tool bar you can by just putting the term “Google Page Rank Toolbar” into ____(You are correct, place it into Google.)
If you don’t want to put the tool bar on your site there are sites that will allow you to key in the url and get the page rank for any site.

Alexa Rank

 According to Wikipedia, Alexa ranks sites based on tracking information of users of its Alexa Toolbar for Internet Explorer and from integrated sidebars in Mozilla and Netscape.

They went through a complete overhaul in March of this year(2009) and added some really cool features. For example,  you can go do a review of a site and then post it directly on your Facebook page.  Go give it a try while you see what rank they have given your site.

With Alexa you want the lowest rank you can get. But, note that they have big time competitors. There are other companies that rank your site also like  Adgooroo-really great if your are a search marketer doing serious affiliate marketing, plus more.

 Compete.com-visit and key in  at least 2 other sites to compare with your competition.

 ComScore-Another awesome site for serious search marketers plus more

 Hitwise-All I can say is take the tour!

 Netcraft-Ok I confess I enjoyed keying in sites to see what host they were using. But there is a great about of information on this site and tools you can use.

You can start by visiting each site and learning from their blogs.

Finally, there is Textlinkads. I have their ads on two of my blogs and make money from them. That makes me one of their publishers.

Who are they? Well this is from their About page.

Located in New York City, Text Link Ads is the premier targeted traffic and link popularity ad firm. We specialize in placing static html links on high quality, high traffic web properties. Our clients have seen a dramatic increase in targeted traffic, brand exposure, and organic search engine rankings with our service. We currently work with a wide range of clients from Fortune 500 firms to individual website owners.

I have had a good working relationship with them and they make their payouts to my PayPal account every month.

You can click on the graphic below if you want to get started for yourself.  Was this clear, what did I miss?

Migrate Your Blogger Blog to WordPress.com(Hosted)

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You can easily migrate your Blogger blog to the hosted WordPress.com. Now, note I did not say WordPress.org. WordPress.org must be self-hosted. That means you pay for monthly hosting.
Whereas, WordPress.com is hosted and you do not pay WordPress.com for hosting the site.
I always refer to WordPress.com as the homeless shelter. It is great for starting your sitess and getting a good feel for blogging. But at some point you will, hopefully, move to an apartment or a house. Thet would be WordPress.org.
But WordPress.com , like Blogger.com will give you instant internet presence. I am thankful for how that has helped me and others.

7 Ways to Put the B Back In Your Blogging-Part 3

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This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series 7 Ways to Put the B Back in Blogging

Blog With Pictures

As Long As There Is Life-Hold On!

As Long As There Is Life-Hold On!

This picture reminds me of blogging. This weed is working itself around a steel gate. It has decided that it wants to live. How often do we see our blog dying because of lack of traffic or your decreasing interest or energy?

This weed is a powerful reminder to keep finding ways to hold on to the reason you started blogging. As long as that blog has life on the internet KEEP BLOGGING.

I am challenging myself to start using more of the pictures I am taking in my blogs. The question is why?

  • Pictures add color and excitement to your blogging. .
  • You can make comparisions or contrasts with the image and your blog posts
  • Pictures can motivate you and your reader.
  • It will motivate you to take more pictures.

Meanwhile, if you want to read a short tutorial on how to add pictures check out one of my sites I use for folks I am coaching when they are just getting started in blogging.  In this post I am using WordPress.com and the info works on WordPress.org also. If you want help with Blogger let me know.

You can read that short poston adding pictures to your blog from your computer right now.

Any comments?

I Did Not Lie-I Just Updated An Old Blog Post With New Information

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I just made some additons to an old post about adding video to a WordPress.com site.Why, because I made an incorrect statement based on my current knowledge and experience at the time. I said you could not embed video into a WordPress.com site from Youtube.

Don’t think I did not try without some heartburn.

I searched and found out that you could not upload unless you upgrade.  And so far, was only able to use the embed code from Viddler. But guess what, I found out you can embed if you just disable the visual editor on your profile page.

But if I am talk geekie let me know and I will do a quick video to show you. Meanwhile, here is the updated post.