Google Reader has been a well liked and well used Blog feature for many years. Bloggers around the globe relied on Reader to help syndicate their content and in turn was able to automatically keep hundreds of thousands of readers engaged with their blog. On the flip side, Google themselves made the argument that, “Usage of Google reader has declined, and as a company, we’re pouring all of our energy into fewer products.”

Whether or not Google is providing a viable case for this decision does not seem to change the fact that there’s no way around this disappearance. As a contingent, smart bloggers need to start preparing for life after Google Reader to keep their readers engaged and stretch their content as far and wide as possible.

For most, readership losses are going to take place, but if you take the appropriate steps, you can minimize the negative impact by utilizing some innovative and effective strategies:

Take control of your syndication:

Email should be the front-runner as an alternative to Google Reader, and should already be a strategy being used in your marketing plans. Sending email subscribers updates on recent blog posts, and combining it with putting together a weekly Newsletter, will help maintain the level of traffic and engagement.

I would recommend MailChimp as a tool to use for this initiative. They provide Daily and Weekly RSS subscription list building and gives you total control over the look and feel of your distribution which is a major plus! If you start thinking outside the box, you can even implement related ads or up-sells to these RSS distros and maximize the ROI of your efforts.

RSS Reader Alternatives:

There are many alternative RSS feed options that are afforded to you as a fallback to Google Reader. Of the many, I personally would recommend 2 that really stand out and would be a reliable option to integrate with your blog.

1. Feedly is the number one choice for most Google Reader users as over 500,000+ blogger have made the switch to date. They also have some pretty good Social Media features built directly into their tool.
2. NewsBlur is a not so widely known RSS tool. They have a free and paid service (depending on the size of your account) and is very similar to Google Reader. They also allow some out of the box customization and will help you to stand out to your readers and increase the value of the tool overall.

I’m pretty sure that most experienced bloggers have made the necessary changes to scale into a new RSS tool at this juncture. However, if you have not done so by now, I would strongly suggest making haste as you would not want to wait until the last minute. Though this is not a daunting task, technology can sometimes be unpredictable and you would not want your traffic to suffer as a result.

What tools are you switching to as a result of Google Reader retiring? If you have any questions on other solutions or how to make a hassle free switch just ask via the comment section below section.

The unfortunate thing about goals, is that most people do not reach them. We let life get in the way, and allow time to rob us of that which we set our sights on. As, a result, we lose focus and in many cases the desire to endure towards the finish line. Eventually our goals become distant memories and regret sets in. What once were thoughts of aspirations and accomplishments turns into what ifs and what could have been.

So, how can I keep going and ensure that I reach the goals I set before me? It goes without saying that if you have a goal, you should write it down and make it plain. This is the first and basic step towards reaching your goals. However, how does one get from the first step to the finish line? Here are a few ways you can ensure that you reach your goals:

Do not set limits on what you can accomplish. Many times, a person’s goal is a watered down version of what they really want. They set the bar low from the beginning and as a result, there is no passion towards attaining the set goal. Do not sell yourself short, write down what you really want to accomplish and believe that you can obtain it.

Embrace the fear of discomfort. Many times we get a bit fearful when embarking on a goal due to the fact that it’s taking us out of our comfort zone. This is completely natural and one in which you should embrace wholeheartedly. If you are not forced to get uncomfortable you will never grow. The great thing about this is if you accept the challenge, the uneasiness will eventually go away and you would have found that the challenge will become easier as you endure.

Educate yourself. Whatever the goal is, you must take the time to research and educate yourself on how to better achieve it. Search out other who might have mastered that particular goal and study their methods. Find like-minded individuals who are embarking towards the same goal and share your experiences. You may be able to edify each other and lessen the bumps and bruises that comes from hard mistakes.

Expect Challenges. Expect the road to be difficult. Expect to be tested and in some cases rejected. Do not think the road will be easy. Condition your mind in such a way that when the fiery darts and arrows of the journey are coming at you, you are armed and prepared to take them on. Most goals are never obtained due to lack of preparation and unrealistic expectations. If its something worth having then its worth fighting for. Do not expect not to fight!

Never ever ever ever ever give up!! No matter what happens do not stop. Most times, people quit right when they are on the brink of a breakthrough. The only way to not succeed is to quit.

Above all do not get discourage if you are not where you want to be, in the time you think you should be there. Most goals, especially if they are big ones, take time. Give yourself time to grow and develop through the process. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Question. What goals have you set that you have yet to achieve? Are you still working towards them or have you given up? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

If you asked a dozen internet experts back then what the term Web 2.0 meant, you would have gotten a dozen different answers. I remember back in 2005 when a Job recruiter was giving me a phone interview and asked me, “Do you know how to code in Web 2.0?” After a slight chuckle I spent 10 minutes explaining to her that Web 2.0 was not a computer language you code in and I went further in depth as to what it really was. After an uncomfortable pause she reiterated her question, “So, can you or can you not code in Web 2.0?” To which I simply replied, “Yes!” and got the job.

The fact is, Web 2.0 was a solution to a major problem. During the late 90s the Web was in a state of flux and on the verge of collapse. During this time, countless Businesses were riding an enormous wave of enthusiasm that pushed their stock valuations into the stratosphere all while never having made a penny. Billions in venture capital were given to unqualified, inexperienced entrepreneurs to fund ideas that were down right ludicrous. Needless to say, this business practice was not sustainable and many businesses proved to be unsuccessful causing many investors to lose their minds in the process.

The Internet at this point was labeled a failure and no self respecting company should considered leveraging the web as a viable business tool. At least, that’s the message mass media was projecting at the time. However, the fact was the web was not broken. The way in which it was being used was simply incorrect. So, during a brainstorming session O’Reilly Media publisher Dale Dougherty coined the phrase Web 2.0 to describe a new Web environment that had emerged after the big crash. While many internet companies had declared bankruptcy, few remnant sites managed to survive. Soon after, new Web sites were popping up almost daily, many of which used drastically different models than the commercial sites that had existed and failed before.

Still, no one had a clear definition as to what Web 2.0 clearly meant. But, it did not matter. You see, people only wanted to know that that web was improved. That it was not as it was before during the crash. Simple put, Web 2.0 gave a fresh and new perception of the internet. Sometimes, when we fail or get knocked down, we think that we need to rebuild and start over from scratch. Not always true. Sometimes you just need a different perspective and try an alternative method of reach your goal. Sometimes, instead of re-formulating it, all you need to do is market the product differently. The internet did not change, the way we used it did and look at the dividends being paid off in today’s society because of it.

Question: How do you deal with failure? Do you start-over or build off the experience? here.

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on how life has a unique way of staying inconsistent. No matter how hard we try to create routines and organize our daily endeavors, life will predictably develop unpredictable circumstances that, if not prepared, will throw us off course. Thus, I find that being laser focused is ever so important now more than ever.

I don’t know about you, but it never fails that when you are on the brink of a break through, or on the cusp of realizing the fruition of a goal you become the target of a well designed life altering change to throw you off course. Well I am here to say to you, no matter what it is, no matter who it is, stay the course and finish your race.

These challenges that we face on a day to day basis have one thing objective and that’s to make us stronger. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and in order to exercise our determination and expand our borders we must become uncomfortable.

Forgive me for ranting in this post. Normally I would have some bulletined solution on how to overcome life’s obstacles, or how to ensure you stay focused, but in this case I just want to acknowledge that challenges are to be expected and embraced. You will never grow without them. Also, the way you handle may be unique on your circumstance.

The important thing is to know that there are no limits to what you can do. Whatever life throws at you, you have the ability to overcome. I encourage you to stay the course you have set before yourself. Read edifying scriptures and motivational books. Stay connected with like-minded individuals and have faith in yourself.

Question: How are you dealing with the current obstacles in your life? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Network Marketing is built on a team-building philosophy and has a fairly simple business model. Recruit, Train, Repeat! Perhaps the single most frequent cause of failure is the mistaken belief that we must manage our downline distributors instead of train them.

The problem starts after a new associate recruits ten to fifteen distributors, and they start devoting all of their time towards making those few people successful. In doing so, the new associate starts playing caretaker to all of the organizational causes of the entire downline. This, of course, creates a false codependency by doing for others instead of teaching and encouraging them to do for themselves,

The Management trap introduces two specific problems for the business builder:

1. It creates weak and lethargic distributors because someone else is doing the work for them.
2. While managing others, the networker is not leveraging his/her time appropriately and losing out on prospecting and recruiting more frontline distributors.

If you stop recruiting before you’re earning enough to live comfortably, then you will undoubtedly lose valuable ground. And what’s worse, because Network Marketing is a business where leading by example is exemplified, your distributors will emulate you and suffer the same issues. You will then have a downline where everyone is managing and no one is prospecting and/or recruiting.

Rather than putting on the managerial hat, you should be a supporter instead. This approach is more more inherit in the network marketing arena and delivers more overall value. It involves responding to legitimate requests on the part of any and all of your associates to help close a serious prospect. It also come into to play for times of motivation and encouragement when needed.

As I stated earlier, Network Marketing is a fairly simple business. Once you have a product that you believe in and have a desire to prospect and recruit, it all works out to your benefit. Do not fall into the management trap, do not allow your team to become codependent. Remember the old saying, “Give a man a fish and he eats for one day, teach a man to fish and he will never go hungry.”

Question: How do you train those who report to you? What methods do you use to avoid codependency? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

If we can control our thoughts, concentrating on the right ones, we will be on the highroad to solving all of our problems. A great philosopher who rules the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius summed it up in eight words — eight words that can determine your destiny: “Our life is what our thoughts make it.”

It has always been widely believed that your thoughts could manifest your physical outcome. If we think happy thoughts, we will be happy. If we think miserable thoughts, we will be miserable. If we think fearful thoughts we will be fearful. If we think sickly thoughts, we will become ill. Thoughts of failure, will cause us to fail. And wallowing in self-pity will ultimately cause those everyone to shun and avoid you.

Norman Vincent Peale once said, “You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are!” This is not to say that positive thinking alone will solve all of you life’s problems. No, life is just not that simple. However, positive think is a launching pad towards getting you in the right direction.

Life always has a way of knocking us down, delivering an unexpected blow that derails our current progression. The problem for most that that they stay down, while the successful driven few get back up and keep on moving. We sometimes feels that our situation is unique and that nobody could possibly understand our circumstance. But even in the bible, it is stated that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

It is vitally important to place positive images and thoughts in your mind. Your success, your future and your overall outcome is dependent on it.

Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. NIV

Question: Do you allow negative situations/thoughts to consume you and block your success? Or, are you thinking on positive matters to push through life’s circumstances? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Self doubt is a stumbling block for many of us, and one that is nurtured seeking validation from others. I believe that countless aspirations have been dampened due to a limited belief system. We sometimes feel that he have to be identified by others in order to claim the success we are seeking.

Muhammad Ali did not wait for anyone to call him greatest! He first, placed that label upon himself. What followed, is that to this day he is considered the Greatest of all time. That is no coincidence. Self confidence is a powerful tool and one that must be exhibited in order to be successful.

Here are five steps to building self-confidence in your respective endeavor:

1. Know you that you have the ability to achieve the goals you have set forth. Demand of yourself persistence and continuous action towards this attainment.
2. Realize that the dominating thoughts of your mind will eventually reproduce themselves outwardly and become a reality.
3. Any desire that you persistently hold in your mind will eventually seek expression through practical means. Therefore devote ten minutes daily thinking on these desires.
4. Have a clearly written down description of exactly what you want to achieve and do not stop until you have developed sufficient self-confidence to attain it.
5. Engage in transactions that will benefit all whom it affects and as a result attract like-minded individuals whom you wish to cooperate with.

As you could imagine, this auto suggestion technique can work both ways. Just as how you can reproduce positive attributes physically through the conditioning of your mind, the same can be done if you harbor negative thought and self-doubt.

Understanding that your thoughts are powerful and can manifest your results is the key to your ultimate success.

Question: Do you truly feel that you have the confidence to accomplish your goals? If not, what’s holding you back? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

The problem, that I feel every blogger goes through from time to time, is finding the right image size and getting it to fit just right in your post. There are many sources out there and a variance of picture art to choose from. But, if your image is not optimized correctly, it can take away from your entire layout and have the reverse effect in which it was intended.

To compensate for the lack of optimization, some bloggers seek out larger images to fill up the real estate at the top of their blog post. However, this can have an adverse effect by pushing the content further below the fold on the web page causing the reader to scroll down to see what was written.

Instead, what you should do is concentrate mainly on the right image, no matter the size. Whether the image is small, long, short or wide, the importance is having the text wrap conveniently around image.

Doing this utilizes the real estate of your post very effectively, by having your image and content share the same space. Your readers can immediately delve into the content and consume the material. This also, helps for those readers who may have accessibility issues as well. We sometimes forget that there are readers who benefit from having easier access to our content, and adding extra steps to consume the context does not portray a user-friendly experience.

Another point to consider is that your post layout does not only impact the reader’s experience on your blog, they are also sent out as RSS feeds as well. However, when you optimize your images correctly you will have a consistent layout across your post, RSS reader and RSS emails.

Here is a 2 step method I use to optimize the position of small to medium sized images for my blog posts and RSS feeds.

1. Set my image alignment to None. This strips away all WordPress alignment stylings, giving you an empty canvas to incorporate your own. See example.
2. Add my alignment styling in the Advanced settings section of the image editor. “The exact styling should be: display:block; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; float:left;” See example.

Incorporating this inline styling technique allows your image to carry the optimization into any RSS reader and or RSS email platform. Your text will wrap comfortably around your image eliminating any white space.

Here is an example of one or my posts. You will see how the image is properly optimized across multiple mediums using the simple 2 step process:

• Blog Version
• RSS Reader
• RSS Email

That’s it folks!

Question: Are you optimizing your images effectively? What are some challenges/solutions you’ve come across for better image layouts on your posts? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Of course, you must use this in its proper context, but many of us fall victim to the petrified syndrome. You know that condition where you feel so overwhelmed by the task at hand, you’re looking at it in its entirety instead of taking it one day at a time.

Well, in Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”, he stresses the importance of living in day-tight compartments. This phrase was actually taken from Sir William Osler, who lived a life that encompassed organizing the world-famous John Hopkins School of Medicine. Becoming Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford (the highest honor that can be bestowed on any medical person in the British Empire). Being knighted by the King of England. And when he died, had two large volumes containing 1466 pages to tell the story of his life.

The reason why I love this philosophy so much is because it forces you to do today’s work superbly, today! In an address Sir William gave to a graduating class at Yale, he referenced an ocean liner he had traveled on to cross the atlantic ocean – and how, at the press of a button, the captain could shut off various parts of the ship from one another creating water-tight compartments.

He related this to his day-tight compartment philosophy urging that we should learn to, at the press of a button, compartmentalize our life’s journey. By conditioning ourselves to shut off the past – the dead yesterday. And shut off the future – the unborn tomorrows. We will be able to focus entirely on the task at hand.

This is not to say that we should not prepare for tomorrow! Not at all. But, he does state that the best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today’s work.

Question: Do you find yourself distracted by past or future events? What are some method you use to stay focused? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Do you want a psychic reading? A design for your Facebook Timeline cover? A business logo? What about a 800+ retweets? Well you can get all of this and more for $5 a pop! I know, I know, this sounds like a really bad ad on a local TV station infomercial. But, that does not dispute the fact that this site is not only sustaining itself, it’s growing at a rapid pace!

It took me awhile to check out this website but, when I did, I found that even though there are some outlandish services and requests – if you sift through some of the noise, you can find some really good services.

The cool thing about the site is that they have 1000s of people ready to promote your business and/or product. There are a large number bloggers who are using this website to help boost their traffic, some of which have generated over 10,000 unique visits in a single month.

I am not sure if I myself would delve head first into this phenomenon, but I do think the concept is very intriguing. In order to partake of any of the sites benefits you will have to create an account (no sign up cost). Once your account is created you are afforded 2 options.

Option #1 grants you the ability to sell your services. Almost any service.

1. You are guided into creating a “Gig” for a small service you are willing to render.
2. After sharing your Gig on the Fiverr website you will be notified when your services are requested.
3. Fiverr credits your balance with $4, after which, you have 48 hours to successfully deliver your work.
4. You then withdraw your earning, using Paypal and repeat for the next client.

Option #2 grants you the ability to buy services.

1. First step is finding a “Gig” you like and ordering it.
2. Pay $5 dollars via Paypal or major credit card.
3. Track your sellers work progress, exchange files and communicate.
4. After the work has been completed you are given a 48 hour grace period to ask for any changes.
5. Provide feedback and review.

And that’s all there is to it! The concept is very simple but effective. Fiverr has been documented on Wall Street, NBC News, Yahoo Finance, LifeHacker, Fox News and Cnn Money.

I think its definitely worth a look. Its cheap and the ROI can potentially be a big benefit to any small business.

Question: Have you taken a look at Fiverr? What are some of your thoughts and or experiences with it? You can leave a comment by clicking here.