On July 17 Bloggers Unite from around the globe will unite unite for human rights and make a statement that all people are born with basic rights and freedoms - life, liberty, and justice!

Let’s come together and all blog about Human Rights. There are dozens and dozens of human rights issues that you can write about. The one you choose is up to you.

Topics to Consider
*The wrongful imprisonment of journalists covering assemblies.
*Governments that ignore the plight of citizens left tot he mercy of gangs.
*The censorship of the Internet in order to prevent freedom of expression.
*Harsh punishments that include torture, forced labor, and starvation.
*Sexual assault against women by members of military or militia.

Learn More About Human Rights
There are many organizations that promote human rights and work to protect people. We’ve picked three to help you learn more and find breaking topics.

Amnesty International (www.amnesty.org/) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. They work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity.

Human Right Watch (www.hrw.org/) is dedicated to protecting human rights of people around the world. They stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, uphold political freedom, protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice.

Youth For Human Rights (www.youthforhumanrights.org) is an independent non-profit that educates people about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace.

We have an entire group discussion dedicated to Bloggers Unite www.bloggersunite.org/discuss where you can add more organizations that you think are worth including.

How To Join Bloggers Unite!
To join, simply click on Join this Event.
Add an Action Badge to your blog by clicking on one of the choices from below.

Then, on July 17th, write a blog post that shares awareness about human rights.

If you are a blogger who is trying to create a strong online presence and possibly a vibrant online community around your blog, then you know it is no easy task and one that takes a lot of time and determination.  Yesterday, as I cruised around the web looking for information on blogging and social media strategies, I came across a great post by Chris Brogan called 19 Presence Management Chores You COULD Do Everyday, which gives a great rundown of some online “chores” you can do each day to manage your online presence by utilizing Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, visiting blogs and engaging other bloggers.

This post got me thinking about a few things.  First of all, I have to be much better about promoting the great work done by all my fellow bloggers here at BlogCatalog. Second, I thought I should share some tips on how you can use BlogCatalog to manage your online presence.  So, here it goes:

1. Spend time creating (or editing) your Blogcatalog profile. From your avatar to your written description, your profile is letting people know who you are and why they should read your blog.  So, spend a little bit of time and make sure that everything you include in your profile helps to create or reinforce your desired online identity.

2. Pick 3 to 5 BlogCatalog bloggers and go visit their blog and leave a comment. Now, don’t just go skim it and leave a comment like “nice blog, be sure to visit mine.” Take some time, read a few posts closely and leave the author a valuable comment.

3. Join in the discussions. While the discussion area is a very active part of the BlogCatalog community and new discussions are always popping up, it seems that a small percentage of members regularly use this area. Starting a new discussion or joining an existing one is a great way to make some new friends. By starting intelligent discussions pertaining to your blog’s subject you can get people interested in what you write about and position yourself as an authority on the subject.

4. Add your social networks to your BlogCatalog profile. Share your tweets, diggs, stumbles and status updates with all of your BlogCatalog friends simply by adding your social networks to your profile.  After they’re added, all of your friends can see what you’re up to just by logging into BlogCatalog and checking their News Feed.

5. Add the BlogCatalog Newsfeed Widget to your blog. This widget keeps track of the networks you participate in and shares your latest activies on digg, delicious, stumbleupon and many more! You may not have the time or the energy to write about everything that interests you, but by adding this widget your readers get to know your interests better and it’s a simple way to help suggest new articles for them to read.

Do BlogCatalog members have any more suggestions on how to use BlogCatalog to help create or strengthen your online presence? Any general suggestions on how to manage your online presence?

Why Audio?

Mary-Lynn Foster and George Krueger are co-hosts of The Bigg Success Show at BiggSuccess.com. Find them at their site or here on BlogCatalog (biggsuccess).

Are there benefits to having audio on your site in addition to text? We think so! That’s why we do a podcast along with a blog.

ML - Prior to Bigg Success, I was in radio broadcasting for eighteen years as an on-air personality. I love audio! We built our own studio to produce the show and allow me to do freelance voice work and production.

G - I teach Entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois. Podcasting was a natural extension.

ML - Why did we choose audio over video?

G - Because we have faces for audio!

ML – I think we could pull off video. But here’s why we chose to add audio:

• Reach a busy audience on the go. The main reason is we considered our target demo. Bigg Success is designed for bigg goal-getters – people reaching for their next level of success. They live life on their own terms and that means they are busy!
• Content how they want it. We want to make it easy for our audience to consume our content. So we provide our shows in written format for those who prefer to read. The audio component lets them listen when they are “on the go.” That’s also why we keep our daily shows to around five minutes or so. It can easily be consumed during a quick errand run. Some listeners load up a whole week’s worth of shows on their iPod and listen to them all in one fell swoop.
• Easy to record, produce, and upload. Audio is an inexpensive way to communicate one-on-one with our listeners. We host our audio files with Libsyn for less than $20 per month. You can use free audio software, like Audacity, for recording and editing.
• Increases your influence. Another great bonus to having an audio show is that we get to do interviews! For example, we talked with Seth Godin when his new book Tribes came out. Our audience gets to hear us talking with influencers rather than just reading the interview on our blog.
• Differentiates you. There are a lot of blogs out there. We think adding a podcast differentiates us. Another benefit to audio is that it allows our personalities to come out which helps build our relationship with our audience.
• Richer form of communication. When your audience hears you say it, you communicate a message more fully than you can with just text. When you podcast, people get to hear you share your knowledge and tell your story. That builds trust.

How To Get Started

You can use a free service like Utterli or TalkShoe. If you prefer to store files, you can do so for free at DivShare or Box.net. Then just embed the audio file on your blog.

Play around to find your style. Just start!

Do you use podcasts or another form of audio on your blogs?  Is it something you are interested in or think you may start doing in the future?  We’d love to hear what you think!

A notion that I have heard repeated at conferences and in discussions is that video, which is already prevalent in the world of social networks, will be the next big thing in the world of blogging. Yet, when I spend time searching out and reading blogs, I find that most of the time I don’t see any video being used. When there is video, a lot of it is just clips embedded from YouTube rather than original content produced by the blogger. Don’t get me wrong; there are a decent number of bloggers utilizing video and these numbers do seem to be increasing. I just feel, however, that the hype about video being the next big thing for bloggers might be a little over done.

What do you guys think about video on blogs? Is it something you will use on your blog? Do you see a lot of videos being used on blogs you visit? Do you think that more and more bloggers will start using videos on their blogs? Do you think having videos on your blog is valuable?

We’d love to hear what you think!

Bloggers Unite to support Human Rights in Iran on Monday June 29th.

Violence, arrests, crackdowns and media blackouts continue to increase in the aftermath of the recent Iranian presidential elections. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Iranian_election_protests

On Monday June 29th, we ask Bloggers from around the globe to Unite for a Free Iran. Please JOIN this event and use your blog to educate your readers and spread the word about how we can help support a Free Iran.

For more information on this eent or for some suggestions on how you can help, please visit http://www.bloggersunite.org/event/free-iran

This Monday we’re sharing how Karl of Work Happy Now feels about blogging and all the opportunities it brings. Here’s what Karl had to say about his blog and the subject he blogs about–work happiness:

Work Happy Now was created to help people work happier from the inside out. When people take 100% responsibility for their work happiness, they take control of their careers. I used to blame other people for my unhappiness. My co-workers were rude or my boss didn’t listen well enough. When I finally figured out that it was up to me to create the life I truly wanted, I decided to start Work Happy Now.

As I investigated my own unhappiness I realized that results, relationships, and reflection were the most important elements that were lacking. On a personal level, I began exploring the reasons why I couldn’t master these concepts. I also began to realize that companies can do so much more to foster happiness amongst their employees. They can take relatively simple actions to make their employees to happier. When companies do this they will be rewarded with engaged, productive and motivated people.

I hope to help change the way companies are run and how individuals interact in their work environments. We have so much potential for happiness at our jobs; we just need to make it a priority and not allow anyone to control us through fear.

1. When you’re not blogging, what do you spend most of your time doing?
I’m a Yoga and meditation addict. Both practices help keep me grounded and sane. I love hanging out with my wife and cooking a nice meal. We are expecting our first child very soon. My dog is a huge inspiration to stay active. She makes sure that I don’t blog all day long without getting outside and appreciating the present moment. I also have a full time job, where I can practice all the techniques that I write about.

2. What websites do you spend most of your time on?
Besides Work Happy Now, I enjoy browsing around BlogCatalog, Twitter, Google (best research tool ever created) and any blog that helps me write better posts (see my heroes below).

3. What do you blog about?
I blog about optimizing work happiness. I believe we need to develop ourselves personally and professionally. If we don’t continue to grow, we become stagnant and bored. So we need to stay curious and keep trying, interacting, and laughing until we die.

4. Who is your hero?
Wow, I have so many of them. My father and mother are two of my biggest heroes. In the blogging community, I love StevePavlina.com, SethGodin.com, Leo of ZenHabits.net, Alex the Chief Happiness Officer–all are brilliant thinkers and writers.

5. Do you listen to music to inspire you or when you write? What do you listen to?
I usually listen to classical music. Bach is my favorite. The pacing is totally in tune with my thought process.

6. Why is being happy at work so important to you?
I need to do work that means something to me. If you don’t do work that is worth doing then you need to dig down and find what really gets you excited. Then create a plan to make it a reality.

7. When do you feel like your blog became successful?
When my site became interactive. People from all over the world began asking me questions about their work situation. One person wrote me an email telling me that she had tried medication, but it didn’t help with her depression. She told me that my site has helped her change the way she thinks. She is actually happy at job she used to hate.

I’m able to help people with their lives. There is no better reward.

Karl Staib writes about unlocking and kicking open the door to working happy at his own blog: Work Happy Now! If you enjoyed this article, you may like to subscribe to his feed, follow him on Twitter or read one of his most popular articles, How to Change Your Company’s Office Culture.

Guest Post by MadAboutGifts
Read the author’s blog at Mad About Gifts or Mita Jain’s Original Workshop

Hey, how are you? Yesterday, my Grandma and I went shopping, and we ate fortune cookies in a restaurant. Mine said: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

I think it applies to bloggers in a couple of ways.  First of all, our posts are our way of sharing our light with others. Don’t just blog to fulfill an agenda. When you blog about stuff you want to really talk about, your blog will shine the most and you will start getting more readers because the truth is that even online people can gauge whether you are talking rubbish or being genuine. Don’t underestimate your readers. Light their candles too.

Second, do you think a single blogger could know it all? Perhaps, but what’s the point of knowing it if we don’t share it with others. Websites like BlogCatalog are such places where we all can share our knowledge with others. Tell people what you know. It’s not that if you tell them how to increase their Google page rank, then your own rank will get eaten away. In contrast, chances are that your rank would improve as your goodwill spreads.

Have you watched the movie Kung Fu Panda? If not, go and watch it. I loved the line from that movie, “the secret is that there is no secret.” Don’t think that if you have some secret as a blogger, you have to save it until you die. You have to share. If you don’t share, chances are someone will discover it anyway, but if you do, you might gain another friend, another reader, another follower and more. Light the candles of your fellow bloggers too!

Here’s what StillThinking (Still) has to tell us about herself on her BlogCatalog User Profile:

I am an unemployed architect in Chicago, victim of recent economic downturn. I began my blog with the intent of having a place to put my daily observations, thoughts, quirky moments, and occasional bits of fiction. I am very liberal, very opinionated, occasionally incoherent. I love to write, and since I am now unemployed, writing has kept me positive, centered, and optimistic.

After reading a bunch of Still’s blog posts, like Why the French Live Better (I  love this one), we wanted to know a little more about her.  So, we asked her to be our next participant in Member Monday!  See how she answered our questions and get to know one of your fellow bloggers a bit better.

1. When you’re not blogging, what do you spend most of your time doing?

This is like an online dating profile.  When I am not blogging, I can be found cycling along Lake Michigan on sunny days.  I love my bike and am pretty fearless about zipping in and out of Chicago traffic.  I am looking for a job right now, but the economy has made job hunting a little discouraging.  I love to cook, eat out at ethnic restaurants, walk around my Chicago North Side neighborhood with a coffee.  I’m really looking forward to summer street festival season and I love the CUBS!

2. What websites do you spend most of your time on?

I spend most of my time on BC, Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm and Craigslist.  Recently, I have discovered online video streaming and am totally hooked on Doctor Who.  Netflix rocks.  Geeks Unite!

3. What do you blog about?

I have a personal blog and I write about my beliefs (liberal), my experiences (both good and bad) and my travels (Paris in the springtime!).  I try to write as honestly, simply and clearly as possible about the events that have shaped me and what forces are influencing my life now.  That is actually my writing mantra: keep it simple and honest.  I write about growing up with eating disorders, child abuse and depression, but I also try to put it into perspective with my life now.  I am still learning to embrace optimism and to accept responsibility for my own decisions.

4. Who is your hero?

My hero is President Obama.  He is a brilliant, self-made man of integrity who overcame adversity through excellence and personal achievement. Last November on election night, I cried and cried with happiness.  I didn’t make it down to Grant Park before they closed it off and I ended up watching his acceptance speech on TV.  The President is facing a momentous task in trying to correct the course of this country.  Bush was 8 years of heartburn for me and 8 years of having to defend my beliefs against the onslaught of “you’re either with us or against us” autocrats.  I do worry that it may be too little, too late and that the reputation of this country has been irreparably damaged.  I don’t believe Obama is the American messiah, but I do believe he is the best man for the job of President.

5. Do you listen to music to inspire you or when you write? What do you listen to?

I do listen to music while I am writing.  I love Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, Ben Folds, Coldplay, Rilo Kiley, Pete Yorn.  I am currently on a Magnetic Fields kick after I saw them perform in Wisconsin at UWMadison.

Fortune: He who hurries cannot walk with dignity.

Have you ever checked your stats and saw that your visitors were still returning despite the fact you haven’t posted anything new? Did it make you feel worse than the way limburger cheese smells? Did you find yourself rushing to throw a post together just to have something new for your visitors to look at? If so, let me guess — it turned out to be a bad idea?

I can’t count the number of times I have thrown something together in a rush just to have a fresh post for my visitors to read. It never fails, I end up regretting the hastily made decision. Every post that was rushed turns out to be lacking in so many ways. I fail to get my point across as clearly as I would have liked. There tends to be more errors than I care to admit (I counted the use of your instead of you’re three times in one hurried post and could have kicked myself). And on top of it all, each rushed posts ends up taking away from my blog instead of adding to it.

Sure, fresh content is a must have for a blog to be successful, but thoughtless posts are not. I have learned that my readers read my blog because of the way I tell a story. It doesn’t matter if I post everyday or every few days as long as I tell the story. When I rush to create a post, my words become meaningless and it becomes apparent to the reader (and my readers are the kind who will email me and say “‘try again”).

We need to make sure we aren’t rushing our posts, but allowing them to come naturally. Getting caught up in trying to post daily will leave a blogger burnt out and spinning his or her wheels. Nothing good will come from spitting out new content just for the sake of something new to look at. A rushed post is never a good post — and the fortune said so.

It is that time of season again when all the delicious berry bushes flower like a young woman. Their fruits are readily available across the nation (except in the loser states like Wyoming) so we must put them to good use. We have already made a cobbler and a pie so today we are going to make a bad ass compote to pour over some vanilla ice cream. Jealous? You should be. Good thing this recipe is so easy even your inept ass can make it. Let’s begin:

In a small saucepan combine 12oz of blackberries, 1 1/2c of water, 3/4c sugar, and the juice from 1/2 a large lemon. If you cannot find blackberries in your crappy state or country, you can subsititute anything that ends in berry. If you must use frozen berries be sure to defrost them and drain them or else you will end up with a total mess on your hands and everyone you know will laugh at your inability to cook even the simplest dish.

Simmer the mixture over medium heat (that would be ‘5′ on the knob, genius) for 45 minutes. Be sure to stir it between glasses of wine. “Literally?” No, not literally jackass. I was just implying that you have a drinking problem, Lushy McDrinksalot.

And there you have it. A lovely accompaniment to some sweet vanilla ice cream. Too bad you will screw this up and resort to using Smucker’s Goober on yours. Eat it.

Father’s Day is right around the corner and so I thought I’d take a moment to see exactly what this holiday is all about. I assumed that Father’s Day was another one of those holidays dreamed up by Hallmark executives in order to sell more cards and gifts. What I discovered, however, is that Father’s Day was actually thought up by Sonora Smart Dodd, a woman raised solely by her father after her mother had died.

According to various sources, Dodd came up with the idea for the holiday while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at her church in 1909. Since she had been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, she decided that there should be a day to honor fathers and thank them for their love, dedication and sacrifice. Because Dodd’s father was born in June, she decided to hold the first Father’s Day celebration on June 19, 1910.

Father’s Day began to get some attention in 1913 when a bill was presented to Congress by Rep. Hampton J. Moore of Philadelphia, PA., a father of eight, asking that the first Sunday in June be “designated as Father’s Day” and that the rose be “regarded as the emblem,” (NY Times, 10/3/13). Calvin Coolidge was the first President to support the holiday, but the holiday didn’t get real national recognition until President Lyndon Johnson made it a federal holiday by issue of a proclamation in 1966.

So, now that we know a little bit about Father’s Day history, let’s get to the good stuff: gifts! Here is a list of BlogCatalog’s Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts. All of these great gifts for Dad are guaranteed to put a big smile on his face:

1. Dad-To-Be Set

This Diaper Dude bag is made from 100% recycled water bottles and comes with a 100% organic bamboo “Produced locally” onesie as well as a copy of The Baby Owner’s Manual, which is full of great tips to get new dads through the first year. $98.00

2. Ride in a NASCAR Racecar

Give Dad the thrill of his life by giving him the chance to do some laps in a real NASCAR racecar. Even dads who may not be huge race fans will love the chance to rip around the track in one of these mean machines. $119.00

3. Gas Grill

A gift that any chef or casual Bar-B-Q fan will love.  A sleek, shiny new gas grill will be the perfect addition to Dad’s back yard. $200-$1000

4. Steak Dinner

A way to a dad’s heart is through his stomach right?  Definitely not the best gift for a vegetarian dads, but for every other dad out there a bad ass steak dinner is a gift he will be licking his lips for. $25-$10

5. Baseball Tickets

Sunshine, a warm summer breeze, a cold beer, a hot dog, and America’s Pastime, what could be a better gift? Price depends on team and where tickets are purchased.

6. Blu-Ray Player

What can we say?  If you want to give dad the ultimate home entertainment experience, then you need to give him a Blu-Ray player. Enough said. $200-$500

7. Massage

Massages and spa services are usually given to moms rather than dads, but hey dads like to relax too! Give him a gift certificate to a local spa and let him choose his preferred method of relaxation. $150

8. Mr. Beer

Tired of Dad spending all the family money on beer?  Well then get him a Mr. Beer brewing kit!  Soon he’ll be crafting delicious brews at home and the beer money can go towards more important things…like pretzels! $49.99

9. Ballpark Pens

Not just any ordinary pen, these ballpark pens have a piece of salvaged wood from a stadium seat inlaid at the top. Designed to look like a bat, each pen is engraved with the stadium name, stadium time line, and each comes with a card of authenticity. $180-$260

10. Bike Gear Clock

Add a bit of masculine style to the room with this awesome clock made from recycled bike gears!  The perfect gift for any gearhead or adventurous dad types. $64.00

Sources for father’s day historical information: Wikipedia, Morning-Glow.com, theholidayspot.com

]]> http://blog.blogcatalog.com/announcements/fathers-day-history-and-gift-ideas-too/feed/ http://blog.blogcatalog.com/announcements/fathers-day-history-and-gift-ideas-too/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theblogcatalogblog/~3/m7Ki7eMOrwI/ http://blog.blogcatalog.com/blogcatalog-spotlight/member-monday-noetic/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:35:14 +0000 jaybetee http://blog.blogcatalog.com/?p=412

Noetic is one of Blogcatalog’s newer members and I love the choice of screen name.  According to Noetic’s About page, Noetic means “of, relating to, originating in, or apprehended by the intellect,” (thefreedictionary.com).

The purpose of Noetic’s blog is to foster creativity.  The topics can range from keeping your hands healthy to designing your creative space.  While Noetic.net is a newer blog, we’re digging what is posted there so far.  We had Noetic answer a few questions so we could know what makes this cultivator of creativity tick.

1.  When you’re not blogging, what do you spend most of your time doing?

Work.  Making money and paying the bills.

Outside of that, I try to get as much done as possible.  Tai Chi, reading, finding new music, composing, playing piano, etc.

2.  What websites do you spend most of your time on?

BlogCatalog!  Also:  BBC news, checking all of my eleven e-mail accounts, reading DrMcNinja, and finding new and interesting sources of knowledge.  I’m very big on reading comprehensive articles on a variety of subjects.  I recently discovered scholar.google.com and I think it’s fantastic.

3.  What do you blog about?

Creativity.  I’ve made it a goal in my life to encourage myself and everyone I meet to be more creative and utilize their mind and body more comprehensively.  The blog is very new, and I’m only just now confident in the design.  Hopefully, I can continue to find new content.

4.  Who is your hero?

I don’t really have a hero or an idol.  When I strive to meet an ideal, it is important to set my goals based on my own life and needs.  There are certainly others that have succeeded in achieving an optimal life, but if I spend too much time thinking about their accomplishments, I distance myself from my own reality.

5.  Do you listen to music to inspire you or when you write?  What do you listen to?

Absolutely!  Music is my main inspiration.  I will listen to anything that is new or interesting to me.  I have covered the gamut from every decade of American and most modern international pop to Indie, Punk, Dance, Experimental Electronic, Jazz, Fusion genres.  I’ve also studied music theory and composition very extensively.  Some of my favorite “classical” composers are Beethoven, Satie, Ligeti.  Unfortunately I can’t often listen to music when trying to focus on something, since I can’t divide my attention very well.  I get mentally absorbed into whatever I listen to.

Well one of our members, davehambo, recently posted an e-booklet titled “Blogging for Newbies.“  The booklet was published to provide additional information after an interview davehambo did with BBC Radio Stoke on May 24, 2009. It’s a nicely done booklet that has some information on how to get a blog started and has a bunch of links to blogs that readers can reference for ideas about style & content.

Congratulations on the interview and thanks for sharing the information!

“Nothing gives a person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.” This is the quote from the fortune cookie I got with my lunch today and it got me thinking about how bloggers handle negative comments left on their blogs.

Receiving negative comments about your blog posts is an unavoidable part of blogging.  If you blog about how cute kittens are, you’ll eventually get a comment from some dog lover who feels it his responsibility to inform you about the uselessness of cats.  If you blog about how beautiful flowers are, expect a negative comment from an allergy sufferer explaining how flowers are ruining her life.  The point is that no matter what you write about, it is inevitable that you will receive some negative feedback.

The best way to handle negative feedback is to be prepared for it and to deal with it intelligently and eloquently. That being said, you have three choices about how to deal with a negative comment someone leaves on your blog: ignore it, delete it, or respond to it.  The way in which you decide to deal with a negative comment is totally up to you because, after all, it is your blog.  You should, however, put some thought into what course of action you choose so that you maintain a conversation area devoid of spam and inflammatory remarks while not stifling the engagement between you and your readers.

Ignore the Comment
If someone leaves a comment that isn’t complete spam and isn’t wholly inappropriate, but you still feel is solely meant to cause trouble or start an argument, then it’s probably best to just ignore the comment.  Most of these comments are just left by trolls “who post controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community…with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.” (Wikipedia).  It’s no use fighting with them and best to just leave them alone.  Do not feed the trolls!

Delete the Comment
If a comment is obviously spam, delete it.  If a comment uses foul or inappropriate language, delete it.  If a comment attacks an individual or a group of people, delete it.

Respond to the Comment
Responding to a negative comment is the best choice if the author of the comment makes a valid point to which you can intelligently respond.  The key when responding to negative blog comments is stated in the quote above: remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

By staying cool and crafting a response based on facts not on emotion, you are able to provide a classy response that will get your point across while protecting your reputation and your personal online brand.

Time is on your side here.  If a comment really ticks you off, then take some time, wait until you are calm and then craft an informed, rational response.  It is well worth taking that bit of extra time rather than throwing up an emotionally fueled comment that may embarrass you later.

How do you deal with negative comments on your blog?  We’d love to hear your tips on how to deal with this situation.

Well, in actuality we think that she will be a great addition to the team.  And, although she won’t be delivering caramel macchiatos or making sure we have clean clothes for our Friday night dates, she will be making some very valuable contributions to the team. Terry will be tracking BlogCatalog in the media and on the web.  She will also be working with our advertising team, contributing to the BC blog, interacting with the BC community via groups and discussions, and whatever else we can think up for her.

Jason recently had a chance to ask Terry a few questions and we wanted to share her answers with all of you so you can get to know her just a little bit.  Also,  if you want to know more about Terry and how her internship is developing, stop by her new blog  Feelin the Love and see what she’s up to. We’re sure she’d love to hear from all of BC’s awesome members and would appreciate any tips you have on the best way to get started on a new blog!

Jason: How old are you?
Terry: 22 years old

J: Where do you go to school?
T: George Mason University

J: Gunston is the George Mason mascot’s name right?
T: Yes it is!

J: Is Gunston a good name for my next son?
T: It’s old school. Gunston has a smart person ring to it, which is good.

J: What is the weirdest job you’ve ever had?
T: Honestly, I haven’t had any weird jobs. The only thing I can think of is when I worked for the Madison Marketing Group. It wasn’t a weird job but they had weird traditions such as ringing a bell at the end of the day, running around the circle giving high fives for receiving a certain amount of applications.

J: What is your favorite recreational activity?
T: Going to Concerts!

J: Ever been on a trip an exotic destination?  If not, what was your favorite trip?
T: When I was 12 years old, my family and some friends rented a sailboat and sailed around the Caribbean.

J: What do you hope to learn from your BC internship?
T: Since I am completely new to blogging and marketing on the internet, I hope to become more comfortable in the blogging community, learn more about marketing to the social web and making a measurable contribution to the development of BlogCatalog.com.

J: What most excites you about the internship, other than working with me ?
T: I had no idea how much knowledge I would acquire from working with Blogcatalog.com. I feel like I have been opened to a whole new world in the blogosphere. I  have already gained so much insight into using the internet as a business tool from talking with [the BC team,] reading Marketing to the Social Web and just spending more time on the computer.

J: What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of this internship?
T: The most challenging aspect of this internship will be learning to blog. I am already comfortable learning and applying new material because being a college student gives me that mentality, but exposing my thoughts and opinions to the world is quite intimidating to me.

J: What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
T: One of my best friends is Turkish and her mom has fed me some pretty weird stuff. I don’t know what it is called but it tastes amazing! I have also eaten Escargot which is pretty weird too, I suppose.

J: Do you have a favorite sport team?
T: HHHHAAAIIILLL TO THE REDSKINSSSSS and of course the George Mason PATRIOTS – GO MASON!!

J: Are you OK about working with an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan?  Fly Eagles Fly!!
T: I suppose…jk

J: Do you have a nickname?
T: My mom has a nickname for me..but its kind of embarassing so I’m just going to say no

On May 8th, we announced that BlogCatalog members had the privelege of entering a contest to design a piece of promotional material for the release of the movie What Goes Up.  Well, many of you responded, and as of yesterday the producers of What Goes Up have chosen their winners!

So, without further ado, the winners are:

Placements were decided by the producers of What Goes Up  and descriptions of the individual projects are provided courtesy of the What Goes Up Movie Blog:

First Place — “Countdown” by The Polybore Press

Second Place — “What Goes Up Campaign” by Joren M.

The bus stop shelter is only the the beginning of this campaign. Joren has been busy introducing Holland to What Goes Up with promotional material ranging from small posters to bus stop shelter signage for the better part of a month.

In addition to promoting the movie across The Netherlands, his original treatments of signage, posters, single CD covers, and T-shirts have been shared across the Internet. You can see most of this campaign material featured here. Or, anywhere in Holland. Seriously!

Third Place — “Obi-Wan Kenobi” by Omar M.

Omar M., the 22-year-old who authors Random Nothingness, found himself entertaining a lifelong dream to create movie posters as he worked on his submission. And, according to his post, his submission was called “Obi-Wan Kenobi” because this is his “only hope. (ha!)” The producers appreciated how he adapted the title treatment arrows into the poster design.

Fourth Place — “Imaginary Book” by Meki.

Meki (also known as WagerWitch on BlogCatalog) has a hobby that includes creating fictional book covers for family and friends, and designed a future book cover for an adaption of the screenplay written by Jonathan Glatzer and Robert Lawson. Considering Meki had never seen the film, the producers thought it was intuitive to include the coffin about the title. You can see the work on the new The Choice Movie Reviewer too.

Fifth Place — “Joy is What Goes Up” by Footiam.

Footiam wrote a comparative contrast post that expressed his displeasure for price increases but hope for a future theatrical release of What Goes Up in Malaysia. “It is not simply a joy for Americans who will get to see the movie first but I do think it would be a joy for just anyone who gets the opportunity to watch the movie,” he wrote.

Honorable Mention — “Flying Girls And Talking Dogs” by Tony H.

Although Tony didn’t make the submission deadline, The Insider Team gave him an opportunity to finish his work on an animated Flash file. While quirky, it successfully presents a series of unexpected events. See for yourself.

Congratulations to everyone who participated! And, thank you to the producers of What Goes Up for allowing the BlogCatalog community to take part in such a great contest!

You can read the official article about the contest and the winners on the What Goes Up blog.

This week is my one-year blogaversary at Midwest Moms, so it was an honor to be asked by BlogCatalog to write about Mommy Blogging.

Mommy blogs are amazingly varied. Some are revealing, like faithfully-kept private diaries. Some are funny enough to bring tears to your eyes. Their authors can be alternately irreverent and reflective, offering a unique perspective on the challenges of parenting.

Whatever the personality of your particular Mom-blog, here are a few tips to keep in mind to make it successful and keep it real at the same time.

Find Your Niche.
Every mother’s experience is unique, but some aspects of your family life can help you relate to other moms like you. If you keep your writing authentic, then your blogging voice will be your own voice. If you want a family readership, write in a family-friendly way. If you are a single parent, write about issues single parents face. If you are naturally funny, add humor to your blog. Writing in a way that is true to your experience will help your blog be its best.

Keep Your Audience in Mind.
Is your blog a virtual scrapbook of photos and funny stories? Tell your family about it and invite them to participate. But don’t be surprised if you reach a broader audience. A blog is public and yours will find a readership. What you say and how you say it will build the kind of readership that is right for you.

Pay Attention to Privacy.
Many mom-bloggers use pseudonyms for friends and family members. This is quite important if you are blogging about your children. It’s not just basic safety, but also respect for their privacy. The last thing your son needs is Mom outing his deep-seated fear of Elmo, especially when his buddies on the football team might know your blog url. I remember going frantically back through Midwest Moms the first time my son’s teacher said,”I love your blog!” It was a wake-up call to how public a blog really is.

Write when you have Something Important to Say.
Many people start blogging because they have something that draws them to share their experience. Thoughtful writing is a joy to read, even years afterward. On the other hand, writing that degenerates into a daily log of complaints or rants will lose readership. So write when you feel drawn to share something important, and your blog will benefit.

Reflect and Evaluate, Even in Heavy Traffic.
Over time, especially when corporations large and small come calling, Mommy-blog authors can feel pressure to increase their readership. They make small decisions over time that can change the character of their blogs. I’ve seen great blog authors decide to increase traffic by writing reviews and hosting giveaways, even to the exclusion of other content. It is a route that is not without payoffs, but a part of me always feels sadness for the unique perspective lost when an excellent writer becomes a paid advertiser. Still, I respect each blog author’s right to make her own choices. As you grow as a blogger, be sure to take the time to reflect and evaluate from time to time. Don’t give in to pressure or relinquish control of your blog; guide it along the path you choose, even if that means you give up ‘free swag’ to do it.

Network with Other Moms and Mom-bloggers.
List your blog on BlogCatalog in Mommy & Family. Visit and participate at sites like BlogHer, Twitter, and Twittermoms. They can help you form strong connections with other women who are doing the same thing you are. Participate in discussion boards and ask questions of other bloggers. When I first started blogging, I learned so much from the other bloggers here at BlogCatalog. From the nuts and bolts of layout, widgets, and feeds to issues of copyright protection and stolen content to feedback on my layout or header, the bloggers at BlogCatalog are a generous group when it comes to advice. If you’re willing to ask the question, you’ll usually find an answer (or two… or twenty…) So, building and making the most of your blogger network is an absolute must.

Finally, Read, Comment, and Learn.
One of the best things a mom-blogger (or any blogger) can do is to read other blogs in the same genre. You will get to the point where you understand all the jargon and can zero in on quality content and dedicated writers right away. And you will grow from the experience. I find that my skills as a mother have developed as a result of my exposure to other parents’ perspectives. You may find another mom or dad can provide answers to a problem you have, like potty training a toddler, chores, sleeping problems, or siblings who argue. But, you also just might find that you have cleared a hurdle another parent is struggling with — that’s the time to share your own wisdom. Being generous and thoughtful in your advice and comments can help you to forge relationships and grow as a Mom.

So, get started and enjoy yourself. If you haven’t already, list your Mommy Blog here at BlogCatalog. And come by Midwest Moms anytime to chat.

I look forward to meeting you.

- Midwest Mom

_________________________
Julia Kelly writes as Midwest Mom here at BlogCatalog and on her own blog, Midwest Moms. She is a mother of three living in Central Illinois, and blogs about motherhood, gardening, and her hilarious daily adventures raising her brood. Follow her on Twitter at Twitter/MidwestMoms .

Section 3: 9 Areas of Your Blog that You Can Improve

To help you simplify the process of improving your blog, we’ll break things down into nine blog-related areas. We’ll cover each area in more detail in Section 4.

1.   Content: The words, images, sounds and/or videos that make up the substance of your blog.

2.   Design: The way you organize and present your content to your audience.

3.   Community: The people who like your blog and how they interact with it and each other.

4.   Traffic: How many people see your blog’s content on a regular basis.

5.   Subscriptions: How many people are subscribers to your blog posts and any newsletters or other regular publications you may have that are associated with it.

6.   Search presence: How easy it is for people to find your blog using search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Live.

7.   Social presence: How prominent and influential your blog is among social media users (like Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, YouTube or Twitter users).

8.   Conversion: How well your blog generates the results you want (like making money, making friends, or making a difference in the world).

9.   Value: Whether your blog is actually worth the time/energy/money.

With these different areas of your blog in mind, you’re ready to tackle some serious questions about each one.

Section 4: 50 Questions to Help You Evaluate and Improve Your Blog

We’ve talked about 9 areas of your blog, and we have 5 questions for each area, so that’s 45 questions. At the end of this section we have 5 key questions to ask yourself about your blog to help you with your overall blog improvement plans. So in all, that’s 50 questions to help you take your blog from here to there!

Each of these questions will help you figure out where you are, where you want to go and how to get there - which, if you remember, are steps 1-3 of the blog improvement method described above.

You may wish to have your blog visitors or friends answer these questions as well, just to give you a better idea of what to do.

4.1: Content

1.   How targeted is your content?

2.   How unique is your content?

3.   How remarkable is your content?

4.   How appropriate is your choice of media (text, audio, images, videos, etc.)?

5.   How regularly do you publish new content?

4.2: Design

1.   How useful is your design?

2.   How pleasant is your design?

3.   How unique is your design?

4.   How simple is your design?

5.   How remarkable is your design?

4.3: Community

1.   How vibrant is your community?

2.   How influential is your community?

3.   How easy is it to get to know you through your blog?

4.   How easy is it for people to get to know each other through your blog?

5.   How effectively does your community promote your blog?

4.4: Traffic

1.   How many people visit your blog each month?

2.   How much time do people spend at your blog each month?

3.   How much attention does your blog receive compared to other websites in your niche?

4.   How quickly is your traffic increasing over time?

5.   How quickly is your traffic increasing compared to other websites in your niche?

4.5: Subscriptions

1.   How many people subscribe to your blog via RSS or email?

2.   How many people subscribe to any newsletters or autoresponders associated with your blog?

3.   How many subscribers does your blog have compared to other websites in your niche?

4.   How quickly is your subscriber count increasing over time?

5.   How quickly is your subscriber count increasing compared to other websites in your niche?

4.6: Search Presence

1.   How much traffic does your regularly receive from search engines?

2.   How many high-quality backlinks to your blog are currently indexed by search engines?

3.   How compelling are the search listings for your blog and its articles?

4.   How quickly is your search presence increasing over time?

5.   How quickly is your search presence increasing compared to other websites in your niche?

4.7: Social Presence

1.   How much traffic does your regularly receive from social media websites?

2.   How compelling is your blog’s presence on social media websites?

3.   How likely are social media users to become regular subscribers to your content?

4.   How quickly is your social presence increasing over time?

5.   How quickly is your social presence increasing compared to other websites in your niche?

4.8: Conversion

1.   How much what people see on your blog is intended to get people to do things? (e.g. advertising that you want people to click on, material that you want them read and act upon, etc.)

2.   How compelling is the converting material on your blog?

3.   How unique is the converting material on your blog?

4.   How successful is the converting material on your blog at achieving its goals?

5.   How does your blog compare to others in its niche in these respects?

4.9: Value

1.   How satisfying is your blog to its target audience?

2.   How addictive is your blog to its target audience?

3.   How indispensable is your blog to its target audience?

4.   How valuable is your blog to its target audience?

5.   How does your blog compare to others in its niche in these respects?

4.10: Overall

1.   Why do you really want to improve your blog?

2.   How much energy/time/money are you prepared to spend to improve your blog?

3.   Who will do the actual work - you, a friend for free, a paid contractor, etc.?

4.   What are the potential risks and rewards of your efforts?

5.   What do you hope will happen as a result of your blog improvement efforts?

Refer to some or all of the 50 questions above every time you do blog improvement work. Eventually, they will become a natural part of your thought process.

Easton Ellsworth helps companies, organizations and individuals use blogs and social media intelligently. information on easton and his work can be found on his blog Visionary Blogging.

We got the very talented Easton Ellsworth to write this 5-section piece on how to imporove your blog.  We will be adding a couple of sections to our blog for the next 3 days.  So, check back for each new installment!  Here is the Introduction, Section 1, and Section 2.  Enjoy!

How to Improve Your Blog
a free guide by BlogCatalog

Welcome to our free guide on how to improve your blog. No matter how experienced you are as a blogger, this simple step-by-step guide will help you make your blog even better.

If you haven’t started your blog yet or just want to refresh yourself on the process of starting a blog, please see our free guide on How to Start a Blog.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide.

Section 1: 5 compelling reasons to improve your blog
Section 2: How to improve your blog in 5 simple steps
Section 3: 9 areas of your blog that you can improve
Section 4: 50 questions to help you evaluate and improve your blog
Section 5: Recommended resources and further reading

Section 1: 5 Compelling Reasons to Improve Your Blog

There are many reasons to consider improving your blog. Here are five of the most common ones:

1.   You want your blog’s visitors to enjoy your blog more.

2.   You want to attract more readers to your blog.

3.   You want to make money (or make more money) with your blog.

4.   You want to feel more satisfied with your blog.

5.   You want others to see your blog as more valuable.

In the end, all of the above reasons may actually just be means to an end.

For instance, maybe you want to attract more readers to your blog in order to get more people to join your organization and change the world somehow.

Or maybe you want others to see your blog as more valuable in order for you to be able to sell it to someone at a higher price.

Section 2: How to Improve Your Blog in 5 Simple Steps

The bad news: Improving your blog is not always easy.

The good news: The blog improvement process is usually simple in nature.

Here is a basic five-step method to help you improve your blog. It’s a pattern you can follow no matter what kind of changes you want to make to your blog.

You’ll notice that you can apply these steps to improving your home, your car, your bowling average or just about anything in your life.

That’s because improving a blog, like improving most things in life, is a challenge of the mind more than anything else.

Step 1: Figure out where you are.
Step 2: Decide where you want to go.
Step 3: Decide how to go there.
Step 4: Go there.
Step 5: Repeat steps 1-4.

Next, we’ll explore each of these blog improvement steps in more detail.

2.1: Figure out where you are.

Take a close look at the current state of your blog. What do you know about it? What seems to be working well? What seems to be a point of weakness?

Remember that you can always ask other people to evaluate your blog too. BlogCatalog has an entire discussion area dedicated to blogging help if you’d like to start there.

Try to measure and quantify everything you can about your blog and keep track of it on a regular basis. This can really make figuring out the state of your blog a lot easier.

For example, if you want to increase your blog traffic, the first thing you should do is find out exactly how many people are really visiting your blog - and who they are. There are many free or cheap blog traffic analysis tools - Google Analytics, Performancing Metrics, Site Meter and Statcounter, to name a few - that you can use to help you determine where people are coming from when they find your blog, how long they stay on your blog, and where they go when they leave.

2.2: Decide where you want to go.

Once you know where you are, you can set a clear goal to get somewhere else.

For example, if you want to improve your blog design and you know from all the research you’ve done that most people who visit your blog love the color scheme but hate the layout, then maybe your goal can be to switch to a different layout in the next 14 days. Once you make the change, you can ask your blog visitors again how they like the layout.

When deciding what to do and where to go to make your blog better, you may sometimes find it hard to determine whether something is really worth the time, sweat and/or money to improve. Here are five simple questions you can ask yourself to help you make these decisions:

1.   How important is it that I improve this aspect of my blog?

2.   How urgent is it?

3.   How easy will it be?

4.   How quick will it be?

5.   How inexpensive will it be?

For instance, let’s say you’re trying to decide which to improve first: your blog content or your blog design. After asking yourself the five questions above, you decide that you want to work on improving your content first because it will probably be easier and cheaper for you to do, but it will probably make the same difference (or perhaps a greater difference) than working on your design right now.

2.3: Decide how to go there.

This is sometimes the trickiest part of blog improvement. It may require a lot of thought to figure out how exactly to go about improving your blog. You may even decide that you need professional help to make your blog better. It’s not unusual to get frustrated at this point.

But don’t panic! You started your blog. You’re in charge of it. If something’s broken, you can fix it (or have someone else help you fix it). If you have a blog improvement goal, you can strive earnestly to accomplish it.

In Sections 3 and 4 below, we’ll share lots of tips to help you decide how to actually “go there” and improve your blog.

2.4: Go there.

Here’s where most bloggers fall off the wagon. They simply give up because this step can take a lot of work.

But go means go. Go means move. Go means work. There’s no other way to make your blog better than it was before, or to get better results with your blog.

So don’t let anything distract you. Don’t let anything stop you. Pause as needed to catch your breath and make sure you’re still on the right track, but don’t stop. Go go go.

Stuck? Exhausted? Don’t panic if you haven’t reached your blogging goals yet. The important thing is to try as hard as you can, day after day.

2.5: Repeat steps 1-4.

Never stop trying to improve your blog. This, coupled with sincere thought and hard work, is the real secret to achieving success in your blogging efforts.

You may find it helpful to perform a blog improvement routine on a regular basis. For example, every six months you could do a major overhaul, and once a month you could make a few minor tweaks. Find a rhythm that suits you.

Remember that each blog is unique, and so is each blogger. And the Web and people are always changing, so what may make blog improvement easy and worthwhile today may be pointless or impossible a year from now.

So, every time you decide to make another push to change something about your blog, you need to take into account the primary elements you encountered when you started your blog: its intended purpose, topic and audience. Everything you do to improve your blog should be in harmony with all of those primary elements.

Enough theory. Let’s talk stuff.
(Check back tomorrow for the next installment.)

Easton Ellsworth helps companies, organizations and individuals use blogs and social media intelligently. information on easton and his work can be found on his blog Visionary Blogging.  

Welcome to our free guide on how to start a blog.  If you have never blogged before or if you just want to refresh yourself on how to get a blog started, this guide is for you!  We hope it helps you get involved in the awesome community here at BlogCatalog!

There are many ways to start a blog. This brief guide offers one simple pattern for starting a blog.

Step 1: Pick a Purpose

Here are some reasons that you may want to start a blog:

• To share your ideas and opinions
• to make money
• to teach, entertain or inform people
• to make friends
• to make a difference in the world

 
For each blog you create it is good to have a strong sense of that blog’s purpose and what you hope to accomplish with it.  If your sense of purpose is strong then everything else tends to fall into place naturally.

Step 2: Pick a Topic

Once you have decided on a purpose for your blog, choose a theme that will help you fulfill that purpose.  For example:

•  If your purpose is to relieve stress then pick a topic that you find really stress free.
• If your purpose is to make money then pick a topic that will lead to people buying things from you or responding to marketing/advertising on your blog.
• If your purpose is to make friends then pick a topic that is inviting and you enjoy conversing about with friends.

In general it is good for a blog to have one central topic.  That way you can focus on satisfying one particular audience.

Step 3: Pick an Audience

With a purpose and topic in mind for your blog, you should be able to decide who your blog is for.  Try to imagine the perfect visitor to your blog.  What is she like? What does she want that your blog can give her?  What problems does she have that you can solve through your blog?

For example, if your blog’s purpose is to help you sell ear plugs and your topic is going to be how awesome your custom made ear plugs are, then perhaps your ideal audience is a person who works at a busy airport or in a loud machine shop or at a shooting range.  Maybe that person suffers from hearing loss or headaches because of their loud environment and they want to know where they can find good ear plugs that fit their ears just right and keep all the noise out. 

Now all you have to do is satisfy your audience over and over. 

Step 4: Make Content

The way to please your blog’s audience is to create content that solves their problems.  Try to create a few articles made up of some combination of text, images, sounds and/or videos that solve different problems that your audience may have. 

For example if your blog topic is the latest news about Barack Obama’s dog, you could:

• share a YouTube video of the dog playing fetch
• show some photos of the dog and President Obama
• share an audio recording of the dog barking at Hillary Clinton
• Write some tips on how to care for a dog of the same breed

The blog post ideas above would solve the problem of not knowing much about the president’s dog.  And your audience will keep coming back as long as you keep giving them what they want.

Step 5: Pick a Place for Your Content

Now that you have written or made some blog posts for your new blog, it’s time to put them somewhere on the Web. 

First you need to come up with a name for your blog.  For instance, the Obama Dog Blog. 

Next you need to decide on the URL for your blog.  Here you have two basic options:

• host your blog at your own domain, like obamadog.com
• use a blog host like Blogger (obamadog.blogspot.com) or WordPress (obamadog.wordpress.com)

If you host