We Blog Better

How To Get Your Blogging Confidence Back

Evelyn Parham — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:00:04 +0000

You would have never guessed that I was nervous wreck about my first post (July 22, 2010), here at WeBlogBetter. Well, my blogging confidence was at an all time low right after the post went live.

Sometimes it gets that way, especially when I step outside my comfort zone. But the true test comes when you perform, execute and follow through with the task at hand.

You must have confidence in yourself, if you don’t, then no one else will.

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines confidence as 1 a: a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way 2: the quality or state of being certain

Your blogging confidence has taken a blow and it’s time for you to make a comeback.

Here are some tips that will help get your confidence back:

1. Stop comparing yourself to others. Comparing yourself to some one else will kill your confidence quicker than anything. You are unique, so continue in your uniqueness.

2. Fake it until you make it. If your confidence hasn’t arrived, then act like you already have it. Sooner or later, (hopefully sooner) you will find yourself doing things you never thought you could do.

3. Believe in yourself. Do you remember the little engine that could? He kept saying, “I think I can, I think I can, I think can.” When your confidence gets low, just remember the little engine that could.

4. Keep blogging. If you enjoy blogging, then don’t let your lack of confidence keep you from doing what you love.

Please share a time when your blogging confidence took a blow and how you got it back?

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Become a Better Blogger

How to Quit the Blogging Comparathon

3 Ways to Turn Recommended Reading Lists into Cash

Tia Peterson — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:00:47 +0000

One of the common pages found on business blogs is a Recommended Reading page. In theory, it’s a great idea, and many consultants and business owners are on the right path when they ask for advice on how to monetize those lists.

My advice is to think beyond Amazon affiliate links. Creating a huge list of books linked to Amazon is okay, but there are better and more effective ways to entice people to buy the books. Here are a few creative ideas that you could quickly put into place.

1. Create a Book Review Series

Not only are series posts a great way to keep yourself blogging regularly, but by creating a regular book review series, you are opening up a new potential revenue stream. If you’ve got 20 books you plan to recommend, space out those recommendations over time, creating lots of future content. Then, update your Recommended Reading page with your books as you review them (this will keep that page constantly fresh).

Dedicating an entire post to a single book (where you use the title of the book in the post title) will help with search engine ranking for that book, especially if it’s a bit obscure. Do your due diligence with bookmarking and promoting it through social media, too. You may attract a new set of readers to your blog who are especially interested in the book.

The idea is to review the book and encourage people to buy it. Talk about why you like it, how it helped/inspired/educated you, and why your readers should purchase it as well. Always include an image of the book, which you can get from Amazon or whatever affiliate program you are working with.

Simple book review on page SEO:

Use the title of the book first, and then add : Book Review. Example, Live What You Love: Book Review.
Make sure the images have an alt tag that is the exact title of the book.
Don’t overdo it with using the title of the book throughout your post. For every 100 words, use the title only once – two times at the most.
Use the title of the book in your meta description at the very beginning.

Bonus Points

Include a brief review or two from other book readers. This is easy to do if you use Amazon as an affiliate program, as they make customer reviews available to associates to use.
Include information about the publisher, number of pages, and where to buy the book.
Try Chris Brogan’s style of video reviews for books. Showing that you actually own a physical copy of the book helps readers trust that you’re not just putting up a fake review for some cash.

2. Launch Book Giveaway Contests

This is a great strategy for both personal and business blogs. Everyone likes to get something free. If you are really recommending a book, you probably won’t have an issue with giving one of them away free, right?

Try launching a book giveaway and make the contest entry simple. For more popular books and best sellers, make the entry a little more interesting by asking readers to leave a comment that answers a question related to the topic at hand. If your blog readers are mainly other bloggers, and the book is popular, try asking them to write a post related to the topic.

You could also require contestants to subscribe to your newsletter, become a Facebook fan, follow you on Twitter, or even ask them to come up with creative re-tweets for the post. Feel free to get creative!

How to Monetize:

Include a brief review of the book, along with an image and pricing information in your contest description.
Remember to use your affiliate link everywhere else you put the book title.
Include a sentence encouraging readers to buy the book if they can’t wait until the contest is over.

3. Add Suggested Reading to Every Post

This is especially good for consultants who freely give great advice on their blogs. Add a section at the bottom of each post (or at least the relevant ones) called Suggested Reading, and include a large image and a decent recommendation for that book. Include the price of the book and where to buy it.

Make sure that you talk about why you are suggesting the book. You may also want to include your favorite quote. Whatever you do, make it different and interesting. Try putting this section in a box with a different background color from your blog so that it stands out.

As you add new books, be sure to update your Recommended Reading list page (again, to keep that page being refreshed regularly).

Resources

Useful Plugins and Widgets

Amazon Reloaded for Wordpress
ReviewAzon for Wordpress
GoodReads Javascript and Javascript-free Widgets (not monetized)

Book Affiliate Programs

Things to Remember

Don’t forget to include and test your affiliate links.
Tell your readers that you make money from those purchases. You can do this with a general earnings disclosure somewhere on your blog, or you can flat out tell them in the post (using something like ‘affiliate link’ in parentheses). Just be sure you tell them. In the U.S., this is a federal regulation you must adhere to as a blogger or website owner.
Always include images of the books. Even if you go the regular route of putting your books in a list on a page, include images.

Other Creative Ways

What other creative ways have you used to monetize recommended reading beyond the standard list on a page? If you have tried any of the above, let us know how well it worked for you.

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Become a Better Blogger

Free Magical Blogging Tip Revealed

Jean — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:00:21 +0000

No matter where I go these days, when folks find out I write a blog for beginning bloggers they want to know if I have a magical tip to help them blog better. Up until now, I’ve had to shake my head and say, “Sorry, but no. There is no magical blogging tip.”

Turns out, I was wrong. There really is a magical tip that lets us grow our blogs without shrinking our sanity.

What is it, you ask?

Wait for it . . .

Get ready . . .

The free magical blogging tip is to focus on the blogging process instead of the desired outcome.

Well, that was a bit of a letdown, wasn’t it? :)

Sorry about that, but this truly is magical stuff.

See, the truth is, most of us blog backwards. Our blogging looks something like this:

We focus on our desire to have 100K subscribers by next Tuesday.
We sit down to write a post worthy of being Stumbled, Tweeted, and hung in the Blog Post Hall of Fame.
As we wrestle with our headline, that shiny post idea we had loses a bit of its sheen.
The pressure of our big goal squeezes in on us.
Our inner critic drops in to tell us our post is destined for the Blog Post Hall of Shame.
We feel stuck and stymied, unable to move beyond that headline that needs to be just right.
Fear and self-doubt waltz through the front door as our creative energy slips out back.
Time drags as we stare at the still-blank page.
Deflated, we turn to chocolate, Cheetos, and a few games of Facebook Farkle.
Hours later, the post still isn’t written, and we feel miserable inside and out.
We dread our next blogging session.

Yikes! That’s enough to make me want to write an ebook called, “Confessions of a Zero-Figure Blogger.”

Lucky for us, we don’t have to work that way. Instead, we can use our magical blogging tip. Here’s how it looks in action:

We schedule a time where we can write distraction-free for 30 minutes.
As we sit down to write, our mind is occupied with possible ways to structure the post.
We set a timer for 30 minutes to help maintain focus.
We begin writing, letting the words flow, even if they don’t follow our preconceived plan or look pretty.
We connect with the feel of the keys moving under our fingers and get lost in watching the words appear on the page.
Our inner critic drops in, and we say hello but keep our fingers moving.
Fear and doubt knock at the door, but our creative energy has locked it tight.
Bored stiff, our inner critic curls up in the corner for a nap.
We’re ‘in the zone’ now–not so much ‘doing’ the writing as ‘being’ the writing.
The timer goes off. Wow, that time sped by!
We go on about our day, fired up by doing work we love.
We can’t wait til our next process-oriented blogging session.

And, really, it’s just that simple.

But it’s also hard. Process-oriented blogging is a career-long practice, just like meditation is a life-long practice. And we humans tend to get frustrated and fall away from even the most magical tips and techniques if we don’t feel we’re doing things right.

Truly, there is no one right way to practice process-oriented blogging. But there are a few ways to make it easier:

Start small. Keep your focus sessions to one, 30-minute period per day at first. Then, add on 5-10 minutes per session as you feel ready. Remember to take regular breaks to keep yourself fresh and firing on all cylinders.
Be gentle. Your mind will drift to thoughts of the 10 other posts you still need to write or whether or not this post will really be any good. Be okay with that. Notice when your mind drifts to these thoughts, but don’t follow them down a path that leads to nowhere. Just keep working and let the party in your head go on without you.
Plan. Process-oriented blogging doesn’t mean letting go of your goals and plans. No, there’s a time for plans, stats, and goals. Use these things as guidelines and tools to give direction to the projects you work on in your focus periods.
Diversify. Process-oriented blogging isn’t just for writing posts. You can use it when responding to comments, reading other blogs, and networking. Immerse yourself fully in the activity, without thoughts of what you might get from the experience or how you might mess things up. Just dive in and swim!

The true magic in this tip is that as you engage fully with the work you do, you’ll eventually craft more powerful posts and build stronger, more authentic relationships. And it’s through those things that all you desire will move closer to you without stress and struggle on your part.

Not to mention, regardless of what happens with traffic or income, you’ll always be a winner because you’re unwrapping and enjoying your earthly gifts and talents to the fullest.

And that, is magical indeed.

Your turn: Have you experienced the magic of process-oriented blogging? Ready to give it a try?

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Become a Better Blogger

Why Mom Bloggers Make the Best Hosts

kieshaeasley — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:00:58 +0000

Guest post by Eric Rea

Have you noticed that the hottest bloggers on the block right now are mom bloggers? I have. Here’s what I’ve learned about mom bloggers that helps them amass huge followings to their blog. They are excellent hosts.

These women throw killer events (have you seen the parties and swag at BlogHer??) both on blog and in real life. Here’s what you can learn from them.

Host a Twitter Party
My friend Jyl started #GNO on Twitter (Girl’s Night Out). She started with a unique hashtag and a small group of friends. Now she attracts brands like Office Max and the Make a Wish Foundation. Hundreds of women join in her often sponsored weekly twitter chats. For example, come up with a catchy name and invite some friends for weblog and we could be sharing blogging tips and gaining new followers in the process.

Give Something Away
There’s nothing like free to sell your blog. Mom bloggers are pros at the giveaway. They get a sponsor who donates the gifts, then hold a contest to win it. There are a few things you have to do to enter – like follower her on Twitter or comment on her post. She usually gives ways to earn extra entries when you do additional things like subscribing to her newsletter (or the sponsor’s newsletter), subscribing to her blog, retweeting about the contest, or liking her Facebook Page.

Hold Real Life Events
There’s nothing like real life events to build relationships with other bloggers. Those relationships pay off in many ways. Mostly it’s great to feel a part of the community. I’ve heard of a social media day out for mom bloggers held at a nice Utah Resort. Other Utah bloggers recently announced they are hosting a “cupcake conference” this summer. The event quickly “sold out” and they are heroes to both the sponsors and the bloggers for thinking it up. The media usually loves this sort of thing, so invite them to come.

Oh and another thing mom bloggers are good at – taking lots of pictures at the event and posting them on their blogs.

Whether it’s holding a contest for the best guest post or hosting dinner when bloggers are in town for a conference, think of how you can be a good host. Hosting events not only gives you something to blog about, the relationships you build by being a good host will last long after the event ends.

What on or offline events could you host to bump up visibility for you and your blog?

Eric Rea is a college student from Canada who loves Blogging and Sports. He spends his free time working on his own blogs and playing sports. You can follow him at @ericwilliamrea.

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Become a Better Blogger

Blogging Tip: Be the Early Bird

kieshaeasley — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:00:59 +0000

Guest post by Eric Rea

You might wonder what birds have to do with blogging (besides a reference to a certain blue bird online). You know who gets the worm, right? The early bird. In blogging, as in life, it pays to be the early bird.

There’s only one chance to be first. When you’re first, two things happen. One, there’s less competition. Two, you get extra attention and buzz (and by that I mean traffic).

Here are 3 ways for bloggers to be early birds:

Be the first to participate.
Disney was the first one to advertise on Twitter’s new deal feed (called @earlybird – a charming name). In the case of the reader, the early bird gets the deal. For advertisers, the early bird gets the buzz. Just about every time someone writes a blog post about Twitter’s newest offering, Disney get mentioned. Not only do they get extra buzz, Disney’s image looks fresher because they are connected with Twitter – which makes them look very hip.

Be the first to call a trend.
People love trends. Be the first to write about a new trend (if you’re a lifestyle it could be how spices like turmeric are the newest health craze). Do it well and you might own that trend. You get to be the expert that everyone else references. Blogger Dan Zarrella did this with an in-depth post about getting retweets on Twitter. Now just about any time someone writes about retweets, Dan’s post is mentioned.

Be the first to give practical advice about the newest social media platform.
Just about every new social media site starts out the same. First, the early adopters move in. Then they tell everyone else how to best use it. For example, I know someone who wrote a book about how to use LinkedIn to find a job. Since he was the first to write about LinkedIn to find a job, his book did quite well. The next fifty books about LinkedIn, not so much.

You don’t have to get up early to get the worm. But you should look for opportunities be first. First to participate in new offerings, first to spot new trends, and first to give your readers tips on using the newest social media web site. Oh, and there’s an opportunity to be first right now – by being the first to comment on this post!

Eric Rea is a college student from Canada who loves Blogging and Sports. He spends his free time working on his own blogs and playing sports. You can follow him at @ericwilliamrea.

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8 Ways I Promote My Blog

Evelyn Parham — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:03:58 +0000

Blogging is not easy. I actually believe it is one of the hardest jobs one can have. It gets even harder in my neck of the woods, but I continue pushing. Why? Because I am passionate about putting information out here that will help others change their lives.

Let’s check out how I promote my blog.

Posting regularly. Regular posts will get your links out there and help improve your Alexa ranking. If you are not posting, then don’t expect anyone to visit, comment and share your posts. Note: I was slack in posting in the month of June and my site suffered for it, but I realize that 5 days a week posting and promoting is what it takes.
Sharing posts on Twitter. If you don’t promote your posts, then who will? I shared a few of my top posts, this past weekend and to my surprise I got a few re-tweets. It is good to share your posts, but don’t over do it.
Feeding posts to Facebook. I use Networked Blogs to feed posts to my Facebook page. I also send posts and links from twitter via Hoot Suite. There are so many ways you can get eyes for your posts.
Visiting Yahoo Answers. Answer a few questions in your niche on yahoo answers. While doing so, drop a helpful blog post link from your site that will provide more information to those asking questions. You may even gain a few subscribers by doing so.
Uploading videos to You Tube. This can help drive more traffic to your blog, especially if your videos are helpful and informative. If you are camera shy, just know that you can make videos without ever your face.
Starting a podcast show. Blog Talk Radio is a free service that you can use to promote the information that you share as well as drive traffic to your site. It is a great way to meet other people in your niche too.
Joining a blogging community. This is a good way to meet other bloggers and help others get their information out there. You help them, they will help you.
Making appearances everywhere you can. Show your face on as many sites as you possibly can. Do this by commenting (don’t just say great post) on other blogs, participating in other social media avenues, and guest posting. Just get out there and get it done.

I’ve given you 8 ways I promote my blog, but I couldn’t list every thing that I do, because if I did, you would be reading forever. So, the ball is in your court. What are some ways you promote your blog?

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5 Tips on Using Categories and Category Pages Effectively

Tia Peterson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:00:29 +0000

Categories are the table of contents for your blog. On the surface, your list of categories says to readers, “This is the sum of what this blog is about.”

On a deeper level, they help shape ideas for posts and keep your content focused. At the meta level, they help search engines structure and sort your content for better indexing.

Needless to say, categories matter! Here are some tips to help you manage them effectively.

Consider Whether Or Not Old Categories Still Fit

Perhaps you originally started blogging about personal motivation, for example, but have now settled into time management or making money. To avoid burying posts in unrelated categories, reconsider what your categories are. If necessary, create new ones and reorganize your content so it makes better sense. You can always create a category called “Old” or “Retired” and put the posts that don’t flow with your blog anymore there.

Resist the Urge to Keep Adding Categories

If you constantly add categories as you go, you run some pretty big risks. Your blog could become unfocused, with content that is seemingly all over the place. You could also end up with this giant list of categories that resembles more of an index than a table of contents. That’s fine, but if you want to keep your content in check, try glancing at your existing categories before adding new ones. You may already have a category that your new post fits into just right.

Think Long Term

I created a list of categories before I even had content to put in all of them. It was an exercise in planning. It’s good to think about where you want your blog to go. Try putting together a list of between 5 and 10 topics that you want your blog to cover. Even if you don’t have the content for all of those topics yet, you will have a nice framework for future content.

Use Categories as Primary Navigation

When your category list is defined and manageable, you can display it prominently as navigation for your readers. This doesn’t work as well when your category list is huge, which is why keeping it simple will go a long way. The idea is to help steer your readers in the right direction quickly.

Consider Customizing Your Category Pages

One way to help your category page search engine rankings, as well as to provide a better experience for your readers, is by placing unique, introductory content on the category pages. You can create a description for each category and then configure your theme so that the description is displayed (in most themes, category descriptions are not displayed by default).

Your Turn: Using Categories

What have I left out? How do you use categories? Do you feel they create a better experience for readers (e.g., getting them to stay on your blog longer, find relevant content, etc.)?

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How to Quit the Blogging Comparathon

Jean — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:00:24 +0000

Imagine running a marathon with your undies in a twist, a noose around your neck, and smoke stinging your eyeballs.

Just how far do you think you’d get before you stumbled, choked, and crashed?

Granted, that scenario might seem too kooky to contemplate, but the truth is, that’s what it’s like when you run the blogging comparathon.

And sooner or later, we all take our turn in that race.

One minute, we’re blogging along, finding our rhythm, setting our pace . . .

And then . . . . . WHOOOOSH!!!

Some bodacious blogger streaks out of nowhere, rockets past us, and leaves us sputtering in a big cloud of dust from::

his skyrocketing subscriber count.
her towering traffic stats.
his dazzling new site design.
her prolific posting schedule.
his surging product sales.

And that’s when it happens . . . .

Still hacking up dust, we set out after that sprinting blogger with grim determination. We hadn’t planned on moving this fast or going in this particular direction on our marathon, but we’ll be doggoned if we’re going to let another blogger get a leg up on us.

The trouble is, with all that dust hanging around, we can’t find our footing.

And before we know it, we’re completely off the marathon path and running on the jagged, twisted, comparathon trail. Our inner critic spurs us on from the sidelines, pelting us with verbal abuse for falling behind. So we push on harder and faster until we’re panting, straining, and clutching at our sides.

Bitterness over our position gathers our undies in a painful twist as we limp onward. A noose of unrealistic expectations tightens dangerously around our necks, and thick, acrid smoke from a smoldering pile of envy curls into our eyes.

Ah, yes. Just another day in the blogging comparathon.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get off this comparathon course once and for all.

If you’d like to quit the comparathon too, here’s how to do it:

See beyond the dust. What exactly was it that kicked up that big cloud of dust and set you off on the wrong trail? Did a fellow blogger post an amazing income or traffic report on their site? Did a blogging friend share news of a boost in subscribers? Did someone you know land a juicy guest post? How did this event make you feel inside? Acknowledging our feelings is the first step towards a healthy course correction.
Let the air clear. Things are rarely as they appear in a cloud of dust. Once the dust settles, we can see that stats are just numbers, and money is just paper. We’re the ones who give those things meaning in our lives. So, what do things like lots of subscribers, special attention from a pro blogger, or a guest post on a major blog mean to you, really? Do they represent status, freedom, love, or power? Perhaps, they mean prestige, success, or security to you. This isn’t about judging yourself or labeling these things ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ It’s about touching your truth.
Get your bearings. Comparing ourselves to others and chasing after their dreams instead of our own can take us far, far off course. Get a fix on your current position by asking yourself a couple more questions–Are you deriving your sense of self-worth from your blog’s performance and the attention that brings? Do you think the world will somehow run out of money and subscribers if you don’t grab your share today? Again, don’t judge yourself or your answers. Just see clearly what you’ve been running towards or from.
Set a new course. Sit quietly now, and remember your original reasons for blogging. Look back at those original goals and time frames and see if these things still resonate with you. Also consider what you want in other areas of your life in terms of balance, connection with others, good health, etc. Take your time with this process, looking inward and not outward as you make adjustments to find a satisfying, sustaining blogging path on which to run your marathon. Continue to consult your inner compass until you find your own ‘True North.’
Run your own race. Now, fortified with a strong sense of direction and inner strength, you’re ready to return to the trail and cover the distance in relaxed, powerful strides. Yes, other bloggers will zip past you on a regular basis, but that’s okay. Just wave them on and wish them well. If you feel tempted to catch up with them, read through the questions from up above again, and let those, and your inner compass guide you to blogging victory.

See you on the trail :)

Your turn: Have you ran in the comparathon yet? What was it like for you?

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Become a Better Blogger

The New WeBlogBetter Team

kieshaeasley — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:00:54 +0000

I’m happy to announce that WeBlogBetter now has a team of writers diligently working together to bring you a wider variety of blogging tips and tricks.

I’m super excited about this awesome team of writers! Each will be bringing fresh perspective and new insights to help you blog that much better.

Each member has a wealth of blogging knowledge to share with you.
Please join me in welcoming each one to the team.

Jean Sarauer

of VirginBloggerNotes, is an awesome blogger who has caught my attention with her hilariously catchy blog post titles and her puzzling ability to make her presence known. Everywhere I go in the blogosphere, I’m met by her smiling gravatar.

Evelyn Parham

Coming to you from the Health and Raw Foods niche, is Evelyn Parham or EvelynParham(dot)com. I’m very excited to see what she’ll bring to the table – no pun intended. I think the perspective she has to offer will help you think about blogging in fresh and inspiring ways.

Tia Peterson

of Bizchickblogs, will be offering practial blogging tips that anyone can put into action.

So there you have it, the newest members of the WeBlogBetter Team. To learn more about these awesome bloggers, check out our “Meet the Team” page.

If you have blogging questions you’d like to see answered here on WeBlogbetter, use our new “Ask a Question” form and we’ll do our best to answer it.

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Become a Better Blogger

What are you doing to build your blog’s community?

kieshaeasley — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:00:46 +0000

It takes a whole community to grow a blog.

Having a faithful group of return visitors who are willing to share your content makes all the difference when it comes to promoting your blog. It’s not such an uphill battle.

The key is to make the people who visit your blog feel like they are a part of a mutually beneficial relationship. In today’s TIP Team post, I reveal a few tricks for doing just that.

Clever Tricks for Building Community Around Your Blog

If you enjoy it, please be sure to leave a comment and RT. Thanks!

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Become a Better Blogger

Is your Blog’s Theme Turning your Visitors off?

kieshaeasley — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:00:04 +0000

I’m not very technical when it comes to the designing aspects of blogging. Yeah, I can make minor changes to the code when necessary and can follow really good step-by-step instructions, but when it comes to CSS and creating something from scratch, I’m very design-impaired.

I’ve been very fortunate, I haven’t had to deal with that since this blog used to be owned by a very capable designer – Brandon Cox. I realize everyone is not that fortunate, so I wanted to share this information with you. By now most bloggers know that poor design can greatly impact how well your blog performs.

It doesn’t matter how great and original your content is, people are turned off by bad design. That’s because sight is the strongest sense we have. When someone stumbles on your blog, if it doesn’t appeal to their sense of sight, they aren’t going to read a single word.

Even if you reveal the secret to immortality – no one is going to read it if your blog is unappealing. There are some nice free themes out there, but you must be careful, because you want your blog to stand out as original as possible.

But that doesn’t mean you need to add learning CSS and how to design to your to-do list. There are many beautiful premium themes out there and I’m discovering that many are very affordable.

I’ve decided to share a few screen-shots from Obox with you since they are currently running a special during the next few weeks. They are currently offering a new subscription discount price of $15 per month for access to premium themes.

Check out these themes for design-impaired bloggers

Where are some other cool and affordable places to find great themes?

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Avoiding Obnoxious Product Launch Syndrome

kieshaeasley — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:04 +0000

Why I chose to do a “soft” product launch

I’ve read a good hand full of posts recently about how people are sick and tired of product launches. I’ll be honest, I totally understand.

I’m a blogger, but I’m a human being first and I’ve always been the kind of person that prefers to shop when I’m not being prompted to BUY!BUY!BUY! every five seconds.

I’m the person who goes into a store and instead of being glad that salespeople are eagering asking if they can help me, I’m often put off by it. I prefer to have to look for them when I need help – Am I totally backwards or what? I know people who get irritated when salesmen don’t break their necks to serve them. I’m the exact opposite.

That’s why instead chosing a complete over the top product launch – I’ve chosen a simple product “release.”

So if you’re wondering why you haven’t seen pop-ups or a parade with fireworks, sirens, bullhorns and whistles – that’s why – because I prefer a more low-key approach – to spare you from a nasty bout of “obnoxious product launch syndrome”.

A few weeks ago, I released:

A Step by Step Guide to a Better Blog -

A comprehensive guide for the newbie. It is available for purchase as an ebook, and will soon be released in print, also. I reveal my methods that I believe almost anyone can apply to any niche.

It’s available for you to check out at your leisure.

Subscribers have already received a special preview copy with a special subscriber-only discount code – if you would like to preview the book, just add your name to the list. There’s no pressure to purchase anything. If you’d like to join me in promoting this book, sign up for the affiliate program.

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10 Ways I like to Thank Twitter Followers for Retweets

kieshaeasley — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:00:44 +0000

Have you ever grown tired of seeing a flood of @mentions…@mentions “Thanks for the RT!” on Twitter?

I have to say, it’s not the most interesting thing to read.

Even though it’s a nice gesture, it doesn’t always convey the weight of what a retweet really means to me. It really falls flat in comparison to the real gratitude I feel when I see an RT @mention pop-up on my screen.

My Twitter followers may not always know it, but many times, instead of taking up space in the stream just to say “thank you,” I like to go beyond those two simple words.

When I see someone has retweeted or done something to promote a post of mine, I like to return the favor in unexpected ways.

I do it because I want to get to know the people who thought enough of me to follow me on Twitter and tweet my posts. I want them to know that I really care about who they are and what they do. No one can really know you care until they see your actions, so I make it a point, whenever I can, to say thank you in ways that go above and beyond.

Instead of saying “Thank You”… sometimes I…

Follow back if I’m not already following
Visit their Twitter profile
Retweet something noteworthy from their stream
Visit their blog or website
Subscribe to their blog
Comment on a blog post
Retweet their blog post
Stumble their blog post
Vote for their blog post on BlogEngage
Link to their blog post

These are just a few of the ways I say thank you. It’s really all just a good practice for engaging with others on Twitter in general.

What other creative ways could you add to say “thank you” and make your followers feel special?

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I'm also available for blog startup, content writing and consultation services.

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Become a Better Blogger

10 Blogger Must Reads

kieshaeasley — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:00:21 +0000

How to Write When You’re Scared Spitless

Finding the Off Button: Resting the Blogger Mind

How to Optimize your Site to Make the Most of your Keywords

How I Got 253 Twitter Retweets on 5 Posts

Getting Mass Traffic from StumbleUpon: A Definitive Guide

7 Simple Ways to Engage your Facebook Fans in 3 Minutes or Less

No, You Cannot Guest Post on My Blog

20 Dead Simple Ways to Promote Your Blog

5 Ways to Drive Visitors Away from you Blog

13 Quick Tips to Write a Successful Post

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Visit my other blog, Highly Favored for Christian inspiration and church newsletter tips.

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Does Article Marketing Work for you?

kieshaeasley — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 10:00:02 +0000

Although article marketing via ezine submission is not my favorite mode, I’ve come to realize that there are people who still rely on the traffic and exposure that comes from sites like ezinearticles.com and others.

I no longer submit to ezines because it can be a time consuming activity, but when I first started blogging, I recall that I did have a few posts that performed well. So I’ve decided to share what I did to get the best results in today’s T.I.P. Team post over at TheInfoPreneur.

I still stand by the opinion that guest posting on a well-trafficked site is more effective, but if you still prefer article marketing, check out the tip I offer in:

Article Marketing that’s not a Total Waste of Time

Please RT the post and be sure to leave your comments.

Thanks and have a wonderful weekend!

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I'm also available for blog startup, content writing and consultation services.

Visit my other blog, Highly Favored for Christian inspiration and church newsletter tips.