Finding The Money

Make More Money Today: a Checklist for Bloggers

2010-04-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Add targeted affiliate links (CJ, Linkshare, Clickbank) to an old post that still gets search engine traffic
Analyze posts with a high bounce rate (use Google analytics) and give your readers more to do there -- like forking over the cash, or reading your other posts
Ask me -- and other social types -- to Stumble, Digg or Delicious your best posts (include links, please~)
Join Blogengage and submit your best recent post
Read 5 Little Known Ways to Grow Your Blog
Get an influencer's attention, but consider it carefully. "First impressions" and all that
Read 10 Creative Ways to Make Money Blogging
Develop a better social media philosophy to promote your business
If you use Adsense, check out Infolinks -- you might like it a lot better.
Follow these Twitter users -- they're boosters:

100 Ways to Write a Better Blog Post

2010-03-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

There are three simple rules for how to write a killer blog post; unfortunately, nobody knows what they are.

Let's do 100, instead. Time to upgrade your trusty blog-writing toolbox with your choice of the many ways to write it, get it read, and get it linked better.

Sections

How This Post Will Help You Write Better Posts

• Choosing Your Topic
• The Writing Process
• Editing and Re-writing

• Plan and Prepare
• Content Writing
• Blogging Fundamentals

• Copywriting
• Readability
• The Final Rule

Your Tip Here! Conclusion

How This Post Will Help You Write Better Posts

Blogs are about getting your posts read. Readers. Visitors. Traffic. Marks; whatever you like to call them. Unless your blog is called “masturbatory meandering”, someone out there needs to know and care about what you're writing. Are your posts getting read?

Blogs are about good writing. People might want to kiss you, kill you, talk about you, break their keyboard over your head or slap your ass with it; it's all good -- if they stay conscious and keep reading. Are you writing good reading?

Blogs are about getting your posts linked to and talked about. Otherwise known as Social Proof, herd instinct, buzz, or the reason you smoked weed in high school. Search engines in particular want to know if you're considered one of the cool kids: are your posts getting linked?

Good blog posts incorporate all these elements. In this post, we'll cover them all (and more) so you can get busy writing kick-ass posts that people love.

• The List •

Choosing Your Topic
“What topics would you write about for free?” - Darren Rowse, Problogger.com

1. Stay in Your Theme

Write within the bounds of your blog's theme. A post might be well-written, but if it's off-topic, readers won't care about that. If someone likes one of your posts, they'll read more of them: will they get what they expect?

2. Write the Post You Want to Read

If you could read the perfect post for you right now, what would it be, and what would it do for you? Does that post exist? If not, write it yourself.

3. Write What You Need to Say

External things can influence your topic choice: popularity, profit, viral potential, alcohol, etc. But are the things you think and feel about the most influencing it, too? These are things you need to say, and how to choose a topic that sets you apart.

4. Find Out What People are Asking

Answering questions is part of what blog writing is all about, but what are people asking? Find out by studying sites like Yahoo! Answers and Google Trends.

5. Write a How-To

How-to articles are wildly popular on the web; there are even popular articles on how to write a how-to. Can your topic be written in a how-to format?

6. Make a List Post

Top 10 lists, step-by-step guides; any valuable list people can find will get tons of traffic and links. If you don't hate traffic and links, choose a topic that will work well as a list post. Further reading: How to write a list post.

7. Create a Resource

A resource post is a repository of knowledge that people can bookmark and reference repeatedly (being bookmarked and referenced repeatedly is how blogs have sex). ChrisG calls resource posts “Pillar content” because they're practical, useful and have long-term appeal (like a pillar for you blog).

8. Choose a Topic You're Enthusiastic About

A truly good post can take days or weeks to write: what's going to keep you (legally) going when the writing gets tough? It's worth taking the time to find a topic you'll enjoy writing, learning, and thinking about.

9. Pick a Challenging Topic

Tough, challenging topics will improve your blog-writing skills and make your post more valuable. They also qualify you to play music from Rocky III in the background while you rise up to the challenge of your rival.

Plan and Prepare
“Spectacular things take planning and patience.” Liz Strauss, Successful Blog

10. Have a Goal

Every writer should have a goal; what's yours? Is it self-education, the joy of writing, engagement with readers, more blog traffic, money, mad bling or all of the above? Set a goal to help determine why and what you'll be writing.

11. Be Inspired

When you've chosen an ambitious goal and a challenging topic that you're enthusiastic about, by definition you must now be inspired. (If not, figure out what step you've missed because you're arguing with the dictionary at this point, not me.)

12. Know Your Audience

Can you describe your audience? The more you know about them, the better your posts will be. Read blogs (especially comments) and forums in your niche, and use Google Analytics to find out where visitors come from, how long they stay and what content interests them.

13. Research Your Post

Will your post be a fresh cornucopia of valuable information or a stale can of re-hash? Research makes the difference. In-depth research can reveal what your readers need to know but may never find out (without your kind assistance). Google and Wikipedia are good places to start.

14. Make Your Post In-Depth

When you research a topic well, you can get a sense for how in-depth it's been covered on the web. Challenge yourself to write a post that's more in-depth than anywhere else.

15. Use What Worked in Your Other Posts

Read successful posts you've written in the past and figure out what made them good. Writing style, readability, catchy headline, or something else? How can you bring those same elements into your new post?

16. Be Willing to Put in the Work

A blog post that takes 15 minutes to complete won't be your finest work, and that's okay if your goals are modest. If your goals are ambitious, however, you'll need to commit to the hard work that ambitious goals require.

17. Make Your Post Unexpected

Maintain the enthusiasm of your regular readers by making your post a pleasant surprise, especially when that surprise includes them. Example: make a good post better by writing one that could easily stand on its own, but is also a showcase of your readers' blogs and posts.

18. Use an Outline

Use an outline to keep up your writing flow. An outline is anything that lays out the main concepts and structure of your post, like a map that will guide your writing. For instance, on this post, I wrote all the subheadings first, organized and ordered them, and then filled in the details. Here's how to make a real outline (if you must).

19. Use a Word Processor

Sometimes using the post editor of your blogging platform makes sense, but at other times it's pure masochism. Any time you need to structure your post, work with long bullet/numbered lists, or just get tired of web editors, use something like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice (free).

20. Read, Read, Read

Read many blogs and articles, on a variety of subjects. Read as much as you can without becoming that angry internet troll who's seen it all. Creativity is only half of the equation – inquiry is the other. Read and learn, and then write and teach; it's yin-yangy (which I'm told is a good thing).

Copywriting
“If no one reads, all is lost.” - Brian Clark, Copyblogger.com

21. Understand Copywriting

Copywriting is writing to persuade people to take some kind of action; usually to buy something, but it can also be to link to your post, leave a comment or agree with an opinion. For bloggers, the place to start learning the basics of copywriting is Copyblogger.com.

22. Write a Good Headline

A good headline is a promise, much like an unopened bag of Cheetos is a promises of orange tastiness within. Good posts deliver exactly what the headline promised, just as a Cheetos bag delivers real Cheetos and not, say, prunes. For further reading, see: How to Write Headlines That Work

23. Use a Call to Action

Whether your goal is to get comments, links, more visitors or a sale, you'll need what copywriters call a “call to action” to fully realize that goal.

Example of a call to action: If you'd like more useful articles like this, subscribe to Finding The Money.

Further reading: 10 Techniques for an Effective Call to Action

24. Write Your Headline First

Visitors usually decide to read your post based on the headline alone: if you stray from the promise of the headline, many of them will lose interest. Write your headline first and regularly check what you're writing against it

25. Write for Readers

Any time a reader sees something in a post that has no value to them, you risk losing them. To write for readers, follow this simple rule: for every sentence you write, ask yourself: “What's in it for them?”

26. Build Trust

How to build trust with readers (instead of scaring them away):

Get to the point immediately

Avoid hype, stick to the facts

Don't use “marketese”, be sincere

~~Offer free hugs. If you're attractive.~~

27. Explain the Problem and Consequence

If you're addressing a reader's problem, do they understand the consequence? If not, they won't see the value of your solutions. For Example: “Whenever possible, say 'thank you' when someone links to your post; otherwise that person may never link to you again.”

28. Use the Copywriting That Works on You

You click on headlines, read good posts, and buy things on the internet all the time, which means that someone's copywriting is working quite well on you. This is real-world education. Save this stuff, take notes, and start making it work for you in your posts.

29. Be Credible

A blog writer's credibility is always on the line (and should be). If you make make an assertion, give your reasons -- or better yet, proof. For example: “[Assertion] Most work-at-home opportunities are scams. [Proof] In fact, the aptly-named “Project False Hopes” from the FTC found that 95% of work-at-home offers are scams.”

30. Make Your Post Compelling

How much of your post do you want a visitor to read? All of it? Me, too. The answer is, make your post compelling by remembering these simple rules (stolen from Copyblogger):

The purpose of the headline is get the first sentence read

the purpose of the first sentence is to get the second sentence read,

the purpose of the second sentence... etc

Or, just use sexy pictures.

31. Turn Scanners Into Readers

You've written your post to be read, but internet readers are master scanners. Use subheadings just like headlines to capture interest, and scatter valuable and attention-getting elements throughout your post (especially in the middle).

32. Make Your Post Timeless

If someone reads your post three years from now, will it still have impact (make money, get links, etc.)? Consider writing it in a way that won't sound dated or irrelevant later. Further reading: 5 ways to make your blog timeless.

The Writing Process
“Listen, feel, and let the experience flow.” - Lorelle

33. Just Write
The secret to writing a blog post is to write, write, write. Staring at an empty page? Write on it. Whatever you write can be improved, but you can't improve on nothing (it's logically impossible, isn't it? Someone smart help me out here).

34. Write Without Distractions

Focus is important while writing your blog post; do your best to minimize distractions. Some people listen to music on headphones (like the Rocky III soundtrack – it gives you the Eye of the Tiger), some write late at night. Do whatever you can to enable concentration.

35. Motivate the Palahniuk Way

"When you don't want to write, set an egg timer for one hour (or half hour) and sit down to write until the timer rings. If you still hate writing, you're free in an hour. But usually, by the time that alarm rings, you'll be so involved in your work, enjoying it so much, you'll keep going." - Chuck Palahniuk's "13 Writing Tips"

36. Don't Have a Deadline

Deadlines can be counterproductive when they tempt you to publish a post that isn't really complete. If at all possible, chuck the deadline and commit to publishing when it's really done.

37. Work on a Self-Impose Deadline

Yes, the last tip was not to have a deadline (what's so wrong with doublethink?), but if the lack of one is allowing the process to stretch on and on, it's better to set your own deadline and commit yourself to meeting it.

38. Don't Worry Too Much About What Others Think

All bloggers and all writers receive negative criticism, and the better ones take risks anyway. Listen to any criticism that helps you communicate better, but don't modify your writing just to avoid it.

39. Don't Give Up

If you feel the urge to forget the whole thing and try something else, you either haven't been listening to the Rocky III soundtrack I keep suggesting, or you just need a break. Getting through tough spots will make you a better blog writer and it will show in your posts.

40. Don't Take Shortcuts

Taking shortcuts leads to mediocre posts. Your post is going to be badass when you're through, not mediocre -- so no shortcuts for you. If you feel like rushing through just to get it done, it's time to take a break and come back when you're feeling more energized.

41. Don't Be Self-Critical in the Writing Phase

When you're putting new ideas into words, being self-critical will kill your creativity. There's plenty of time for self-criticism during editing and re-writing.

Content Writing
“I don't mind reading about someone's cereal if it's written in a way that doesn't put me to sleep.” - Heather Armstrong, Dooce.com

42. Be Original

Anyone can write a blog post, so you need to give people a special reason to read yours. Don't worry too much about being perceived as original; just say what you need to say; that's pretty much what originality is.

43. Be Authentic

Be like your readers: they have personalities, opinions and flaws. And bullshit detectors. Be authentic.

44. Write Conversationally

Blogging is about conversation and interaction, and blog readers are looking for it. Lectures and prose are great, but between you and me? Let's have a conversation.

45. Deliver the Best Info First

Internet readers want instant answers, and will read the rest of your post if you produce the goods first-and-foremost. This is where the “inverted pyramid” comes in: deliver your most valuable information first, and expand from there.

46. Be Smart, Not Bookish

Big words and academic references don't impress blog readers. More impressive are bloggers smart enough to explain complex ideas in simple ways.

47. Use Examples

Readers need to know how your solutions and concepts work in the real world. Provide examples of your explanations whenever you can.

48. Be Fresh -- Avoid Cliches

Cliches are like a poison that saps away originality from your statements. Find fresh ways to express common ideas and your readers will stay awake.

49. Be Informational, Not Condescending

Condescending posts makes visitors grouchy, and then they stop being visitors. Try to read your post from a stranger's perspective, and get feedback from others to ensure that your post is coming across the way you want.

50. Use Humor

Because it's funny. Besides making your post better, it helps people lose weight, endure more pain, live longer, relieve stress and get in trouble at work. Humor saves the world; seriously.

51. Use One Idea Per Paragraph

Readers lose interest in paragraphs that have too many different concepts in them. Using one idea per paragraph will keep your writing tight and your reader interested.

52. Make Your Solutions Usable

A usable post is a good post. Can your readers apply the solutions you offer? Use step-by-steps, tutorials, and examples whenever you can.

53. Use Direct Quotes

A well-placed, relevant direct quote is not only valuable for getting your point across, it adds credibility and authority to your idea (and you).

54. Explain and Break it Down

Unfamiliar technical terms, acronyms and jargon tend to be off-putting to readers. If you can't avoid using them, make sure to explain them for readers who might be new to the subject.

55. Use Analogies and Comparisons

Analogies and comparisons get your point across in ways that other explanations can't. For example, compare the following statements – which one best gets the point across to a more general audience?

"Anyone who asks how much RAM your monitor has doesn't know computers, because RAM doesn't go into monitors"

"Asking how much RAM your monitor has is like asking how much gasoline your tires have."

56. Use Short Words

You could say: “Whenever possible, use short words instead of long words because they increase readability.”
But you should say: “Short words are easy to read. Use them over long words if you can.”

(The second line even has a higher word-count.)

57. Use Fewer Words

Unnecessary words reduce the impact of your writing. Here's an example:

Pretty good: “If it is at all possible to cut a word out, you should always cut it out.”
Way better: “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.” (George Orwell)

58. Speak Plainly, Don't Mince Words

Self-censoring and euphemisms come across as a blogger who isn't straightforward. The KISS rule doesn't mean "Keep It Simple, Sweetie", for instance. If you need to be careful about your language, find more plain-spoken ways to explain familiar concepts.

59. Write to One Person

Bloggers sometimes write like they're in front of a crowd, but blog readers don't want to feel like an audience. Picture one person who has the characteristics of your audience, and write to that one person.

60. Tell Stories

Stories capture our imagination, and can turn an otherwise dull explanation into something memorable. Bloggers are writers, after all: we might as well tell stories. See: “Tell a tantalizing story to kick off your blog post.”

61. Be Positive... Like Hemingway

"Be Positive, Not Negative." - Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway obviously didn't mean to be upbeat (you can be depressing if you want); he meant to make your sentences add something (like an explanation or an alternative), not merely take away. We'll use his quote as an example. If you say:

"Don't be negative": you'll only take an option away
"Be positive, not negative": you'll take an option away, but add an alternative

62. Write A Rough Draft

Blogging is a technical medium, which makes it tempting to write, organize, edit, and re-write all at once. That's a lot of mental gear-shifting. Get all your thoughts flushed out in a rough draft, and worry about the technical stuff later.

63. Use A Thesaurus

The thesaurus has several uses; one is to expand your vocabulary and another is to find inspiration. If you regularly use the dictionary while writing a post, try looking the word up on the thesaurus while you're at it. You'll often find words that expand your thinking on a topic.

64. Be Enthusiastic, But Not Obnoxious

Enthusiasm will help you write a better blog post, and it'll show naturally. Avoid excessive exclamation points, exaggeration, and all-caps; they'll make your enthusiasm seem forced.

65. Use Introduction, Body and Conclusion

After the headline, your introduction is the most important part of your post. It tells the reader what to expect, giving them incentive to read the rest (anticipation).
The main body of your post should contain what the introduction promised (reward).
The conclusion summarizes the post and suggests what the reader can do with what they know (like handing over the cash).

66. Use Good Grammar and Punctuation

Good grammar and punctuation matter, but feel free to creatively break the rules when you need to (you want to know when you're breaking the rules, though). Here's how to improve grammar in your posts:

Write your posts in Microsoft Word for its grammar proofing

Read a lot

Read these: quick and dirty grammar tips, and guide to grammar and writing

Readability
“No one cuddles up with their laptop for a long leisurely read.” - Lifehacker

67. Organize Your Post Consistently

Once a reader gets the idea of how your post is structured, they'll know how to find the information they're looking for. If the structure changes abruptly, they'll skim, skip over or just move on.

68. Use Subheadings

Ever come to a post looking for information, only to find a long diatribe with no subheadings? Ever gotten the hell out of there? Me, too.

69. Use Bullet points

Use bullet points whenever appropriate, like when:

Listing multiple answers to a question
Describing elements of an idea
Whenever you can get away it; it's easier to read

70. Use Bold and Italics

Use bold and italics to make yourself more clear. Compare the clarity of these sentences:

Using bold and italics is a way to tell readers what you think is important.
Using bold and italics is a way to tell readers what you think is important.

71. Create White Space

White space (space between paragraphs, images, subheadings, elements of a post) is the difference between whether your post gets read or skipped over. When's the last time you heard that a post had too much white space? Save eyeballs; err on the side of white space.

72. Use Short Paragraphs

Internet readers appreciate concise, fun-size pieces of information. Keep your paragraphs to three sentences or less and you will get more readers.

73. Use Images

Not only do they get more attention to your posts, images make them easier to read. They can replace whole paragraphs by setting the emotional tone or context. Further reading: “How to position images in your posts”.

74. Make a Long Post Into a Series

When you've written a long post, it can be beneficial to split it up into a series. You'll encourage return visits to your blog while keeping people from being scared away by huge posts. (Tip: If you like scaring people, though, just write a post like this one.)

75. Make an Index

People want information as quickly as possible. If your post is a long one, make a click-able index (using internal links) to help them find what they need ASAP.

Editing and Re-Writing
"The simple truth is that even gifted writers can’t write a perfect piece on the first try " - Mason Hipp, Freelance Folder

76. Don't Publish Until You're Happy

If you think your post is complete, but you're not happy with it, it's not actually complete. Figure out what's making you unhappy and then re-write, re-write, re-write until you're satisfied.

77. Cut, Cut, Cut
Mercilessly cut out any sentence that:

Isn't interesting
Doesn't reflect the headline
Isn't necessary

78. Read Your Post Out Loud

Reading your post out loud reveals the flow of your sentences and checks your choice of words. If a sentence is awkward to say, it's often awkward to read, too.

79. Get Reactions From Others

Feedback from friends and family will give you fresh eyes to catch jarring breaks in flow, unintended tone, and grammar problems.

80. Skip the Boring Parts

Think about what you tend to skip when reading a blog post; leave those parts out if you can.

81. Sleep on it

Re-read your post when you've been away for a while; sleep on it, if possible. Things will strike you differently and you'll catch problems.

82. Proofread

Read through your post repeatedly and correct any mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. When you've read through it at least twice without seeing problems, you're done. Further reading: Quick Edit and Revision Tips

83. Check for Redundant Words

When reading through your post, check for redundant words and see if you can make them more varied (the thesaurus can help here.)

84. Know When You're Done

You could edit and re-write forever. When you are basically happy with the post, you should be close to publishing.

Blogging Fundamentals
“You need to build a community around your blog, and make readers feel part of it.” - Daniel Scocco, Daily Blog Tips

85. Ask Good Questions

Asking good questions makes people think, and then they want to talk to you and link to you. A post that engages readers is a good one.

86. Update your post

Keep your ideas alive: anything you find that would enhance a post you've already written should be added as an update.

87. Ask for comments

If you want to know what your readers think, asking them is the best way. At the end of your post, invite readers to comment.

88. Always Respond to Comments

When you respond to comments, it encourages more comments, and comments are content. In addition, the more feedback you get, the better you know your audience, and the better your posts will be.

89. Add Updates Based on Comments

When someone takes the time to write a well thought-out comment on your post, add an update that showcases their offering (with a link to their blog, if appropriate).

90. How to Use Keywords

When someone performs a web search, they're asking a question with keywords. Is your post using keywords to properly answer? Search engines need to know what your post is about, and using your keywords in the url, title, and body of your post is a good starting point. Further reading: Keyword Usage and Targeting

91. Link Out to Get Links

A blog post that generates links is a good blog post. One of the best ways to get links is to give them. Link out to other blogs wisely, provocatively and generously in your post and you'll receive links in return. Further reading: 101 Ways to Build Link Popularity

92. How to Create Friendly Links

If you're just selling something, a simple “click here” link will do. If you're linking to other bloggers, however, some methods are better than others. Search engines look at the anchor text (the text of the link) as an indicator of how relevant the link is to certain keywords. For example:

To make a blogger like you: Liz has a good post on what makes a blog compelling.
To make a blogger love you: Liz asks “What Makes a Blog Compelling?”

93. Fix Your Call to Action

Are your visitors taking action on your post (linking, commenting, buying, etc.)? If people aren't responding to your call to action, figure out what's going wrong and fix it.

94. Be Polite, Use Hat-Tips

Giving your fellow bloggers credit makes them happy; not doing so makes them sad. If someone drew your attention to something new or interesting and you're writing about it, give them a hat-tip.

95. Attribute Your Sources

Plagiarism is bad, mmkay? Always link to the source if you're quoting another person's content.

96. Correct Any Mistakes Instantly

Any time you find inaccuracies or mistakes, correct them right away. Yes, it will make your post pop up again in feed readers – nothing wrong with that.

97. Keep Visitors Reading

Any visitor who reads your post to the end is likely to want more. At the end of your post, add related posts you've written.

98. Keep Them Coming Back

Give your readers incentive for return visits. For Example:

Promise an upcoming, related post
Remind them to check back for updates

99. Make Coming Back Easy

At the end of your post, make sure it's easy for a visitor to subscribe to your blog and bookmark or share your post.

100. The Final Rule

"Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous."
- George Orwell, Politics and the English Language

101. Your Tip Here!

What are your favorite tips for writing better blog posts? Have any advice on choosing topics, copywriting, writing, readability and getting your post linked? Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Conclusion

First, congratulations for somehow getting to the end of this post. You deserve a gold star and marshmallow-only Lucky Charms. Seriously.

I hope you've gotten lots of ideas for writing better blog posts here; the internet needs more of them. There are over 100 million blogs now, and what really matters are the posts. It's what we really have to offer. Without original, useful, authentic posts, it's all just business and window dressing.

Make the internet better: keep writing better posts.

Your turn: let's talk. (Sass, smart-ass comments, beat-downs, fawning all encouraged)

How To Annoy The Entire Blogosphere

2007-04-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

1. Ask a blogger for a favor, especially if you have no intention of reading their blog.

Bonus points for starting your request like-a-so: "Hi, I don't read your blog, but would you mind..."

2. Use messaging on social networking sites (StumbleUpon, MyBlogLog) to ask people to visit your site.

Bonus points for not visiting the sites of those you ask.

3. Sport the dollar signs in your eyes with pride. Whether it be links, traffic or money, we're all here to serve you. Demonstrate your dedication to self-enrichment with every comment, email and post.

4. Avoid writing comments that resemble actual conversation. Comments that begin and end with "Great post!", "I agree!", or "Ditto!" are best.

Bonus points for fawning.

5. Copy another blogger's content.

Bonus points for not linking to their original post. They love that.
Gold star for submitting your copy to Digg.

6. Borrow heavily from another blogger's post, or repeat their news. Perform no hat-tip. After all, noone wears hats suitable for tipping anymore.

7. Write sponsored reviews without disclosure. People need mystery; fill that need.

Bonus points for reviews that are irrelevant to your readers. People need variety, too.

8. Have a unique perspective on spam: if it isn't Viagra or a Nigerian scam, assume everyone wants to hear about whatever it is you're selling. This frees you to:

Promote your link with every comment
Send cut-and-paste messages on social networking sites
Use a blogger's contact form to promote your site/blog/product
Et cetera

9. Focus on memes, contests, link-lists and any other masturbatory link-building scheme you can find. Bask in the ensuing irritation from every visitor not involved in the link-mania.

Bonus points for regularly featuring link-building posts devoid of actual content
Gold star for having more links than visitors.

10. Do everything on this list while fundamentally agreeing with the Golden Rule. Now that is annoying.

Kind thanks to all who contributed to this post via the "What Frustrates You The Most About Blogging?" thread: Liz, Steven, Jonathan, TK, Lora, Matt, and everyone.

Need more Bad Advice?

The 1-Step Plan Guaranteed To Get Readers For Your Blog

2007-04-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

This article is for those who have read metric tons of "how to get traffic" articles and either:

have yet to see encouraging results, or
just want to find out what this so-called "guaranteed 1-step plan" is.

The typical list we're familiar with looks something like this:

Use social networking
Link effectively
Comment well
Be active on forums
Blah
Blah
Blah to the Blah

That's all fine advice (especially the "blah" part), but we'd all appreciate more than recycled versions of the conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom is valid as far as it goes, but also tends to be overly-general and far from guaranteed. Let's change that.

The 1-Step Plan To Get Readers For Your Blog

Have A Conversation With One Person

As in, two-way communication. Dialogue. One-on-one. A real, actual conversation.

You might link to other blogs, write good content and comment all over the place, but how often do you actually connect with someone else through a real conversation? ("Good post!" followed by "Thanks!" doesn't count)

Fire-and-forget comments, impersonal messages and unqualified links look exactly like what they are (i.e., lame), and are generally returned - if it all - with about the same level of enthusiasm. A real conversation, however, takes a little time, thought and effort; the end result often being friendship. A good link may get you some traffic, but a good relationship is more valuable by far.

So, who to talk to? If what primarily interests you about someone is getting in on their traffic mojo, you really have nothing to talk about (as far as they're concerned, anyway). If they make you think or inspire ideas, however, you've chosen the right person. You can start these conversation any way you like:

Links
Comments
Contact Forms
Email
Private messages on forums or social networking communities

It doesn't matter, as long as your goal is to connect with another person who shares your interests, as opposed to trying to get links or traffic from them. In terms of networking, the rewards you're looking for come as a natural result of investing in - and building - relationships. Ask any successful blogger and they'll tell you the same.

Want more readers for your blog? Connect with one person. Have a real conversation. Repeat. If you know what friends do for each other, then you know what a friend can do for your blog.

It's guaranteed.

The Commenting Cool Kids

2007-04-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

The people listed below are but a small selection of the outstanding commenters here at FTM, each of whom has a blog well worth checking out.

The comments section of a blog is where its true life is. While monologuing has its place (particularly when a would-be hero lies helpless in your clutches), dialog is the true key to success in the world of words that is the blogosphere.

For challenging us with your unique perspective, raising the level of dialog, or just being plain sassy, I salute you:

Ms. Q: An amusing muse

Jonathan Philips: Reservoir of positivity

Liz Strauss: The original SOB

Avinash: Just cool

Jesse Somer: Bane of the impetuous

Kumiko: Certifiably enthusiastic

Andy Beard: Remarkably sane

Two Knives: Whose blades are not ceremonial.

Are You Tired of Blogs About Making Money?

2007-03-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Jesse of Blogspoke is; I, myself, am not. I've been talking to him about it at his blog, and I think it's a great conversation to have.

Sure, blogging-for-money is a wading pool of low expectations. Low barrier of entry, little-to-no risk and, frankly, full of folks easily amused by splashing around without accomplishing much of anything.

However, it's full of potential; and - as I told Jesse - although it's easy to get snarky about all the wannabes out there (which I do on occasion, and could be accused of being one, too,) there are people out there with a vision for how they want it to be, who raise the level wherever they go. Walking the talk, so to speak.

Technology will eventually get us to a place where our online activities become a part of - or even integral to - how we earn our income. Will that future have room for lowest-common-denominator thinking, writing, and marketing to the level that it exists online today? I don't think so; but getting there will be a process, and people who are long-term thinkers will shape it. That's how we'll turn the wading pool into something with depth.

I'm not tired of money-making blogs or blogs that make money - I just want them to evolve into something better. I know I'll be thinking about how to raise the level; will you?

Here's a Quick Way To Know If You're An Underpaid Blogger

2007-03-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

Scenario #1
If you:

Regularly create high quality, valuable content
Actively promote your blog
Don't make a reasonable hourly wage

You are UNDERPAID.

Scenario #2

If you:

Spend more time checking ad/earning stats than creating high-quality, valuable content
Are more interested in monitoring traffic than promoting your blog
Also don't make a reasonable hourly wage

Whatever trickle of income (if any) you're making is JUST RIGHT - get used to it.

If you are a Scenario #1 blogger: Keep doing what you're doing; you will likely be rewarded sooner or later. You are a winner.

If you are a Scenario #2 blogger: Punt the ads, get off the daily traffic rollercoaster and spend your time doing something productive; like building and promoting a blog you can be proud of. Winners do it.

That is all.

Speaking of the Blogging A-List: Calacanis Interviews PayPerPost

2007-03-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering what the deal is with PayPerPost, this may be a good starting (or ending) point.

PayPerPost, in essence, connects advertisers with bloggers who are willing to review their product (positively, of course) for money. Controversy has arisen over PayPerPost's initial failure to require disclosure of paid postings (shill much?), and it continues as various "A-listers" claim that their new disclosure policy just isn't enough.

On the other side, some are saying that the A-lister bourgeoisie just doesn't like the idea of empowering "blue-collar bloggers". Huh.

All of this leads to Jason Calacanis' recent interview with PayPerPost's founder, Ted Murphy. The result?

Calacanis seemed: insincere and condescending.

Ted Murphy seemed: either unprepared, an ineffective debater, lacking in vision, or any combination of the above.

But PayPerPost is becoming quite the popular little item, anyway. There are bloggers who were counting Adsense pennies a short while ago who are making significant monthly income now. But is it "polluting" the blogosphere? (Because, you know, the blogosphere is the last bastion of honesty and integrity on the internet - hee hee.)

Earlier this month, Problogger asked "Do you read paid review posts?" The general response was in the negative. But then, many of us don't watch commercials, either; or listen to pitches from radio hosts. Is PayPerPost the same thing? I'm not quite sure.

All You Need To Know About the Blogging Bourgeoisie

2007-03-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

Is an elite cadre of blogging gatekeepers keeping us all in our place and limiting our blogging potential?

Pshaw.

However, if you have too much time on your hands ( :D ), you may have been following a theatrical little debate that pits the "A-list" against "blue-collar" bloggers. Oh yes, you know where this is going.

It all started with one blogger's annoyance at the trend of A-lister's who have taken to bashing poor ol' PayPerPost.

What follows is a (ridiculously) paraphrased version of the debate, including links to the appropriate ~~whines~~ ~~tirades~~ posts:

DeepJive: PayPerPost isn't evil. The A-list is just an elitist aristocracy who has no need for it.

Calacanis: BS! If there was an A-List, which there isn't, all it would take to be an A-lister would be to stop being such slackers. And then you'd be on the A-list. If there was one. But there isn't.

Lorelle: Yes, there is.

Calacanis: NEGATIVE, dummies. Stop whining.

Jim Kukral: You're all wrong and all right. Like that paragon of philosophically deep movies, The Matrix; the A-List both exists and does not exist. Oooommmm...

Webomatica: Jason's partly right, though; slackers don't make the A-list. Hard work alone, however, probably won't get you there either. After all, most of us have to write really good content to get links; Scoble can write about Earl Grey tea and bloggers around the world will swoon.

Gaping Void: Uh, no, Jason's all-the-way right; and you're all so wrong that I'm going to make a cartoon about how whiny you are.

Rebecca: Calacanis both sucks and blows. He's in denial. He's the Bill O'Reilly of blogging. Not only does the A-list exist, but hard work isn't even close to being all that's necessary for success.

Loren Feldman: Uh-huh. I have one word for you so-called "blue collar bloggers" - Waaaaa.

CopyBlogger: Funny, Loren; but you know, the A-list does exist. It just doesn't matter.

DeepJive: Uh, thanks for all your thoughts, but this isn't even really what I meant in the first place. :(

Update: Andy Beal of Marketing Pilgrim fame wants your RSS feed:

"I’m not claiming to be A-list, but I do realize there are a lot of great blogs out there, that don’t get the attention we do, so I’m sharing the love."

What Frustrates You The Most About Blogging?

2007-03-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Whether you're a seeker, slacker (hi!), yang kee, cash-quester or ray gun robot, you've got expectations for this whole blogging thing.

You could be happiness incarnate, but expectations can still be an irritant; especially when they fail miserably in the "jibes with reality" department (even if your name is blog).

I know what my frustrations are (and in an upcoming post they shall be revealed), but I don't know all of yours. So, an open question to all bloggers: what frustrates you the most about blogging?

You've Got That Certain Something

2007-03-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

There's something different about you.

In France they'd call it je ne sais quoi (translated: "I don't know what"); but you wouldn't. You'd call it "that certain something" because your readers don't speak French and you're not pretentious.

Others say you "push the envelope", but you wouldn't because you avoid cliches.

People respect your indifference to what others might think; but you're not indifferent — you're just willing to take risks.

They call it "originality", but you'd call it "saying what you need to say"; you couldn't care less if it's been said before.

You'd say that everyone's got that certain something. If you're different, it's because you refuse to hide it.

Your Monday Cup O' Inspiration - 3 Steps to Get Your Blogging Groove On

2007-03-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

Some of you already have your Monday groove on. All I can say to that is, damn you. For some of us, "Monday" and "brain-dead" mean the same thing. Although a hot cup of French roast may take us out of mono-syllable land, our creativity just may need a kick-start.

Having recently re-discovered how to count to three (I heart caffeine), please allow me to share three simple steps for Monday inspiration:

1. Snag some posting inspiration right here. 101 good posting ideas? Oh yeah. Something here will get your creativity flowing.

2. Don't write it yet! First, check out Copyblogger's latest series wherein Brian rewrites and comments on user-submitted headlines - here and here (hey, one of those titles looks familiar...) Especially note the way he transforms author-centric or neutral titles (read: ZZZzzz) into magnetic headlines that resonate with others.

3. After following steps #1 and #2, you should have a pretty good idea of what you want to do. Let me suggest one thing: write the headline first. Make it magnetic, make it something that intrigues you; then write the post. Try to make every sentence retain the focus of the headline, and make sure that by the end, the headline's promise is kept.

I hope this works as well for you as it does for me. If not, you can try my plan B: a triple-short white chocolate mocha. If nothing else, your post will be memorable.

Even Easier Ways To Repel Those Pesky Readers

2007-03-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

You may have read "How To Make Readers Avoid Your Blog Like The Plague". While most of that (clearly excellent) advice was easy enough to integrate into your blogging habits, some of it required actual work. Do you need more work? Pshaw.

Submitted For Your Approval

5 NEW items that:

Will send readers running for the hills
Require absolutely no effort!

1. Don't Provide Email Subscriptions

There are still too many people who prefer to receive posts by email (as my email subscribers will attest). If you were to take the 10 to 30 minutes required to provide this option, you'd be running the substantial risk of increasing your readership. Ouch.

2. Avoid Research

Any amount of research will make your posts far too valuable. When I declared that "Winners Use StumbleUpon", for instance, it generated way too much interest. I could have repelled so many more readers just by changing the headline to "StumbleUpon: A Service" and following up with "I like it." Live and learn.

3. Discover Something Valuable? Take No Action

Anything that piques your interest, makes you think, or compels you to learn more has far too many good things going for it. Sharing it with your readers might require research and creative thinking when explaining how it applies to them. If you were to do that, people might start thinking of you as a resource for fresh and unique ideas. Not the best way to stunt your blog's growth.

4. Ix-nay On The Risk-Taking

Many readers like writers who have a clear voice. Luckily, most of us don't begin with such a voice. To find it, we'd have to take risks and get out of our comfort zone.

We all know where our comfort zone is because we know when we're leaving it. Are we uncomfortable because we're unsure of the outcome, or because we don't really believe in what we're doing? Too much thinking - too much work. Not only is it too much work, but it's work that leads to a clear and confident voice. Readers like that too much.

5. Do. Not. Network.

Just because I like reading Liz Strauss, Andy Beard and Chris Garrett doesn't mean I have to actually talk to them, does it? Talking is work, and it leads to learning, inspiration, linking back and forth, and so on. That way lies too many readers.

Just because I notice good things about Avinash, Sania Wyatt, Jon Phillips, or Two Knives doesn't mean I should link to them as a conversation-opener, does it? Conversations with new people leads to broader horizons and new ideas; making you just too damn appealing to avoid a larger readership.

That is all.

And A Question For You:

What drives you away from a blog?

Blogged Out: A Blog Traffic Experiment

2007-03-14T04:21:00.000-07:00

Got a tip via ChrisG for the Blogged Out Project. The author, Darren Cronian, will be sharing his best techniques for blog promotion and is asking other bloggers to get involved and contribute as well. Darren - like many of us - isn't a professional blogger, but has learned a few things about earning money through blogging (as have you and I).

Besides the knowledge exchange, this sounds like it could be a good way to network with other like-minded bloggers. Let's check it out, shall we?

Slacker-Friendly Ways To Increase Your Blog's Exposure

2007-03-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

It's not that you aren't willing to invest time promoting your blog - you are. Indeed, you spend so much doing so that you haven't got much left.

Have you, therefore, hit a wall in the amount of exposure you can generate for your blog? Not if you can tap into some slacker-friendly ways to broaden your community.

To that end, here are a few examples of services and techniques that work. I invite you to add your own favorites, too.

Slacker-Friendly Services: Communities

Now, I'm not promoting a self-centered view of online communities, where the only goal is to receive and not to give. However, if you truly understand and believe in the value of your blog (do you ?), then even limited community participation can pay off. Does your blog sell itself?

Here are two such communities that are sending traffic my way:

SpicyPage
A Digg-like voting site for blogs that I joined recently. Setting it up is quick and easy, and possibly all you need to do. While active community participation will undoubtedly increase your exposure, good blogs sell themselves here.

PlugIM
A new-ish service I joined recently. This is also a Digg-like community, but the content is more focused on marketing and promotion. Conveniently, you can set it up to auto-submit new posts from your RSS feed. If you regularly post in these themes, PlugIM will increase your exposure, even if you can't spend as much time there as you'd like.

Slacker-Friendly Techniques

Another way to increase your online exposure is to invite your readers to network with you, as well as offering reciprocation when possible. If your favorite bloggers offered easy ways to network with them, would you?

Show Your Readers Where Else to Find You
If you're (for example) a Stumbler, Digger, or have a MyBlogLog community, consider providing the links to your communities on your blog.

These kinds of services become more valuable depending on how many friends/members you have, and many of your loyal readers would be happy to hook up with you there; especially if you're providing interesting content there that isn't on your blog (see my StumbleUpon page, for instance). Providing these links for your readers is pretty light in the time-investment department, but the rewards can be great.

Social Voting Reciprocation
This isn't something I actually do at the moment, but Andy Beard does, and I think it's worth talking about.

Specifically, if you add him to your Technorati Favorites or vote for him at SpicyPage, he'll do the same for you (provided your blog is on the up-and-up and isn't overly naughty). Once again, this is a way you could increase your exposure without the need to invest a lot of time. I'd be interested to know what others think about it.

Increase Your Exposure: Slackify

There's only so much you can personally do to promote your blog. When you hit that wall - and you've probably hit it many times - it becomes essential to start thinking of promotion and networking in new ways. Slacker-like ways.

I'll leave you with two:

If you build a blog that sells itself, it'll do great in many communities, even if you don't have the time to participate as much you'd like
If you invite your readers to network with you, and make it easy for them to do so, they will

5 Strange Secrets Of My Success

2007-03-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sania tapped me for this thing. I'm not a frequent visitor of sites with slogans like "Create Life In Your Image!", but I do jump at chances to be perverse.

Have you ever been to Los Angeles? I live here. If you get the chance, spend a day in Malibu (you know, the city Mel Gibson "owns" - hee hee) or take a walk down Santa Monica's Promenade (try to avoid bearing a passing resemblance to any star - it sucks). When you do, you too may develop the narrow-eyed view of the word "success" that I have. There's self-improvement, and then there's masturbation - the latter often masquerading as the former here.

SO, avoiding success-language kitsch, allow me to share my everyday top-5:

1. Fail Upwards
I make (among other kinds) a blogging "mistake" almost every day. Huge or tiny, they're all forms of failure, so-called. Regardless, things are still moving upwards (see #2).

2. Don't Sweat Persistence, Just Be Unreasonably Obstinate
I think persistence in reaching goals is great, but when it includes short-cuts and reconstructing your voice for highest profit - not so much. Therefore, blind stubbornness in doing what you've decided to do, in your own way, works best for me. Integrity or bust, if you will. It may not be the surest path to riches, but you can sleep at night.

3. Flee the Comfort Zone
I can't speak for others, but whether or not you end up looking foolish, this is where you learn the most. This applies to writing/blogging, making music, or anything creative.

4. Fake It
Otherwise known as "confidence". I think the greatest heroes are also the biggest fakers - ditto on the most confident. Real confidence is a key element to good self-promotion; that is, seeing yourself in the third person and projecting appropriate confidence based on mutually-appreciated objectivity (not bravado). Personal insecurities don't go away - self-consciousness, thankfully, can.

5. Conduct Inane Research
You know those random curiosities that pop into your head for about five seconds and then disappear? Yeah, I follow up on those things; whether it's whatever happened to the Karate Kid or how long psychotropic substances have been illegal. The funny thing is that as you dig deeper, you often mess up and actually learn something useful that can be shared with others.

Besides, you're not an American if your head isn't filled with useless trivia.

No taggage this time, but if you decide to follow suit with a post like this on your blog, drop a link in the comments or contact me and I'll try to include you here.

A Free Ebook Worth Reading? (Or My Review of Chris Garrett's "Killer Flagship Content")

2007-03-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

I've read a number of ebooks - paid and free - and have come to rely on their nigh-monolithic failure to approach the charm of, say, your typical dentist's drill. Therefore, Chris Garrett's excellent ebook, "Killer Flagship Content", has slightly screwed up my whole idea of God, right and wrong, the universe, etc.

I already subscribe to Chris' blogs because I like his writing. Had it been almost anyone else, the mere utterance of the words "ebook" and "killer" would have ended the story right there; but it wasn't just anyone, so I decided to scan it. Then I read it. Then I started taking notes. In other words, it was the hotness.

Atypical of free ebooks, there's no sales language or anything to buy (unless you consider "sales" to be one invitation to subscribe to his RSS feed, which I would encourage anyway). Instead, it gives practical advice that can get you thinking about new ways to distinguish your blog from the rest.

Who Should Read it?

Whether this ebook is for you depends on how well you can answer these questions:

Why should someone read your blog over others with a similar topic? Can you easily point to something that represents your blog's unique value?
Does your content adequately convert visitors into loyal readers?
Do people often link to you when your topic is being discussed?
Do your readers regularly spread the word about your best content?

These issues (and other important ones) are addressed in 14 pages of easy reading. Is "flagship content" a radical new concept? Not really (what is?), but it's an under-utilized concept that can make almost any blog a better one. "Even 'Exotic Sock Puppets of the World?'" Yes, even.

My only criticism: while easy enough to scan or read, it could use an editing makeover. The grammar made me wince at times. Also, there were a couple of somewhat butchered words right at the end, which isn't the best note to end on (yes, that is me ending a sentence with a preposition - I disagree with that so-called rule).

Closing Thoughts

I was familiar with the idea of "flagship content", and could recognize it on various blogs, but its practical value never quite made sense to me. Reading through Chris' ebook brought on the realization that content I'd already written could be built up and tweaked into something of much greater long-term value.

Bottom line: Whether your blogging goals are financial, personal, or you're just starving for attention (hi!), this is one free ebook worth reading.

To get "Killer Flagship Content", subscribe to Chris Garretts' RSS Feed here (the link is in the feed).

Here's A Way To Comment With Style

2007-03-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

On the subject of self-promotion and commenting, here's one method: write a comment that outshines the original post (see comment #1).

Great self-promotion? Read it for yourself and see if you agree.

Update: The excellent commenter was Sania Wyatt.

What Everybody Should Know About Self-Promotion

2007-03-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

Contrary to (un)popular belief, self-promotion and good karma are not mutually-exclusive. Read on if I didn't just blow your mind:

ChrisG - Comment!

According to Chris, bloggers don't comment well or often enough. No, no they don't. Additionally, they often miss the point of commenting entirely.

As you well know, you can't swing a cat in the popular blogosphere without hitting a few clumsy attempts at self-promotion (e.g., "Hey, check out my blog at www.ignore-me.com"). These individuals are missing the (evidently) arcane karmic secret: the best self-promotion is about giving, not receiving.

Take the advice in Chris' post, and whether your comments are three words or a paragraph, analyze them like any post you would write. Ask: "What am I offering to the conversation, and why should anyone take the slightest notice?"

Successful Blog - Truly Unique and Outstanding Blogs - Recap Week 1

Speaking of clumsy self-promotion, Liz's quest to find 200 one-of-a-kind-OMG-hotness blogs has turned up a number of cases in point.

Nominating yourself for a list like this is, let's say, not the karma-conscious way to go. This, again, is an opportunity to contribute something to a good conversation; and if you do truly add something of value, it could be good self-promotion as well.

Liz is eager for more exceptional blogs to add to the list, by the way; if you know of some blogs that fit the bill, share the hotness.

Two Knives - The real true story of what happened, including details previously not mentioned

Money-making blogs aren't the only way to learn how to make money online; you can learn important things from any good post. This one is an amusing example of the power in candid stories that pique your interest and hold your attention to the end. Now that's self-promotion.

How To Make Readers Avoid Your Blog Like The Plague

2007-03-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

Never analyze your blog from the perspective of a first-time reader
Whether in design or writing, show no passion
Be as wordy as possible
Always link to well-known blogs, never to obscure ones
Write uninteresting titles
In all things, avoid variety
Focus on frequency of posts - not frequency of good posts
Don't reply to comments
Post infrequently
Avoid displaying personality at all costs
Provide only a partial RSS feed
Be self-congratulatory
Avoid paragraphs and white space
Make links open in a new window
Never add pictures to your posts
Write about what everyone else is writing about, but add nothing new
Fill your sidebar(s) with irrelevant pictures, widgets and ads
Frequently post outside of your blog's theme
When you link to other blogs, provide no compelling reason to actually visit them
Never, ever say thank you

Why Squidoo Might Be For You (or Why Everybody Hates You)

2007-03-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the top Google result for "laptop bags" is a Squidoo lens? Now, why didn't you think of that? Never fear, there are many more opportunities to write about such thrilling, unique - and frankly, damn sexy - topics on Squidoo. If you possess the vision.

Are you destined for the upper echelons of Squidoo society (c'mon, admit it - those lenses are pure gold)? If the following list describes you, you just might be.

The very mention of "niche keywords" engenders in you feelings not unlike hunger or lust
You see no incongruity in the following sentence: "The Wheel, Cuneiform, and Adsense" (except the deeply flawed order)
Your favorite websites tend to begin with enormous headlines and end with multiple payment options
The concept of unique content is a real turn-off
You feel the term "snake oil" is merely a tool of the envious
You know that this is just a damned lie
You are an enhanced homo sapien; this includes immunity to cold stares, ire, and the concept of individuality. You also lack the capacity to love

Why Not To Have Guest Bloggers

2007-02-28T13:59:00.000-08:00

Having a guest blogger can be a winning situation for everyone involved. In theory:

The blog owner wins because he gets free content and possibly a break
The guest blogger wins a free link and possibly new readers
The readers win fresh content from a new perspective

That's the theory. In practice - and please correct me if your experience differs - guest bloggers are usually (not always) akin to a big rickshaw full of ZZZzzz. Yeah, a rickshaw.

Here is Rowse saying how to get one, and here is ChrisG saying how to be one.

And here are some reasons not to have guest bloggers (any one of which can cause your readers to catch the first rickshaw to anywhere else):

Failure to Meet Expectations

Regular readers develop a perception of your blog, and consequently, expectations for it. If we read a guest post that doesn't meet our expectations (or is boring, which they usually are), not only are we going to come away with a negative experience, but we could also develop a negative perception of your guest posts in general (i.e., "Bleh, another lame guest post. I'll pass.)

Just Not Good Enough

General calls for reader-submitted posts: Worst. Idea. Ever. This might be a nice thing to do for your more self-promotional readers, but even the cream of the crop here tends to be sub-par compared to what we expect of your blog.

If you can't find someone who has impressed you enough to approach personally, we probably won't be impressed, either.

Good Blogger, But Wrong Blogger

If you wouldn't link to their blog in the first place, spare us the pain. There's more than one reason you might not link to someone else's blog, even if you're a fan. Their content, style, or sensibilities may not be appropriate for your readers (or minors, you sick, sick individual).

Even if they're successful or well-known in a general sense, it doesn't necessarily follow that we'll be interested in what they have to say. Again, expectations: what are they, why are you looking for a guest blogger, and do those interests conflict?

In Sum

Having guest bloggers is a double-edged sword. Bloggers (especially popular, busy ones) are becoming increasingly seduced by the allure of "outsourcing"; however, there are so many blogs out there that finding good ones is getting tough.

So, if you're going to act as a direct filtering agent, be a damn good one. Otherwise, consider just letting the post frequency slide while you're away. We'll forgive you. Really.

This is The Greatest and Best Post In The World... (tribute)

2007-02-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

You had a personality (and it didn't suck)
discovered something new that made us want
to try our luck

No "How To" post for love of Digg,
it's something new you said -
no millionth link to Problogger (which we've already read)

You made us think, or maybe smile
(sans web-A.D.D crap),
you made us STOP, or be inspired -
no sugar spinal tap

The title hooked, the promise kept
to rss we fed it,
and there was no link to Copyblogger (we've already read it)

What Blog Networks Fight About

2007-02-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

Read Why Blog Networks Failed. Yes, the post itself is interesting. Yes, your eyes will glaze over long before the 84th comment.

No, you will not be able to reclaim any brain cells lost whilst researching blog networks.

That is all.

Winners Use StumbleUpon

2007-02-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

Cool points are hereby awarded to StumbleUpon. Think of it as a mid-point between del.icio.us and Digg, with a great social element. Here's why winners use it:

It's fun, and the toolbar is actually useful.
It's easy to integrate into your blogging/surfing habits.
It connects your blog to a larger community.
The 'Stumble Effect' is arguably better, and far less painful than the 'Digg Effect' (traffic over time as opposed to all at once)
The friend/contact mechanism makes much more sense than, say, MyBlogLog's.
You get ME as a buddy. (This clearly should have been #1)

The Basics and More

The Basics: There's really not much to using StumbleUpon (I like this). There's a toolbar you'll use to find, vote on and review new pages, and there's your profile page which includes a mini-blog that catalogs your Stumble activity.

The Toolbar: The main functions of the toolbar are the "Stumble" button, which takes you to various websites within your areas of interest, the thumb up/thumb down buttons (i.e, 'this is cool'/'this is ass') and the 'reviews' button, which lets you see the reviews of a page and/or add your own.

The Profile Page/Mini-Blog: This page describes who you basically are and shows (via the mini-blog) the pages you think are worth visiting.

If you aren't regularly writing reviews for the pages you like/dislike, you are going to look fairly boring, as your mini-blog is just going to be a list of post/article titles; and if all your recommended pages are from your own site, you're just going to look lame. If you are writing reviews of the various cool sites and articles you find (including your own site's best stuff), your personality will be much more apparent, leading people to follow your links, vote positively for you, and add you as a friend.

About Friends: Where friends and contacts currently mean very little on a service like MyBlogLog, they're highly significant in StumbleUpon. Who you choose as friends will determine much of what you're shown when you click the 'Stumble' button, as you'll be seeing the pages they've voted positively for. Likewise, if they befriend you in turn, they'll be seeing your submissions.

Since you have a limit of 200 friends at any given time, spamming the friend button is counter-productive. If they don't have similar interests, you're going to be seeing a lot of pages you aren't interested in; and they're highly unlikely to make you a friend in return.

And More: This is a good guide to promoting your site with StumbleUpon.

Social networking is all but required for promoting your site these days. There are right and wrong ways to do this. Don't look at StumbleUpon as merely a tool for self-promotion; instead, put in the effort to actually join the community. Winners do it.