Blog To Great

TWITTER's New "Twitter Lists" Tips and Ideas

BLOG TIPS - As they continue to improve their product and offerigns,  Twitter recently released a beta version of their new,  Twitter Lists.  As they say, “a great way to organize the people you follow and discover new and interesting accounts.”  Great we're not sure yet, but we agree with the list concept.  It's still in Beta, so you might not find it yet on your Twitter account, so let BtG tell you... 

Facebook has lists that let you organize your friends,  Twitter Lists is primed to let you do more than that.  It's already a neat tool for business and marketers, Twitter Lists gaves us some new targeting opportunities, and might also evolve with new online social marketing potential as it expands.

Like Facebook, you can categorize people on your Twitter Lists and add them to one or more of your private lists, as determined by you,  on lists that you name (and can edit later).  Though with Twitter Lists you can create public lists if you decide to.  I suggest you start off with private lists, get comfortable then go public later.   You can also find out what lists you are on (and in this way find other cool, like minded Twitterers !!!  Unlike Facebook,  you can add anyone to your lists (provided that person hasn’t protected his / her updates), making for a great way to find and follow people.

Adding Photos to Your Blog Posts

Blog Tips-  You've written another great blog post in your blog's niche.  What can you do now to make the post more interesting and better for SEO purposes?  Why not add a photo, artwork or video to the post?  Using other media in your post will not only improve your the blog's presentation, it helps keep the reader interested and can help you get more traffic.

In addtion to using your own photos (always have your camera handy), one of the best places to get some image help is Google.  Enter your keyword, and click search image. Go to the site pointed by google, right click, and save as...  Make sure to name the image with something appropriate to your blog and blog's keywords. You can name it with Music_news.jpg or Blog_tips.jpg for example.  Don't save as Photo1.jpg and similar generic names.  But before actually using the image and posting on your blog, check with the source site to make sure the photo is not copyrighted, and if it is, obtain permission before you use it, and give credit to the photographer and/or artist.

Naming the photo with a keyword is important in order to make it  SEO friendly.  When others search for images, an appropriate name will make it more likely that they will find yours image and visit you post / blog.  It's a great way to get additional visibility to your blog.

Here’s a simple guideline to add an image to your post:

1. Use jpg, png or gif format.
2. Don’t use too many images in one post. One or two images will suffice
3. Don’t use images that are too large. 400 pixels wide is big enough

And, make sure you've created a special folder for BLOG IMAGES to easily find them later for possible re-use.

It's so easy, but not used by many blogs.

Live Nation's New Affiliate Program

BLOG NEWS - Concert promotion company, Live Nation has launched their own affiliate program  through Commission Junction, good to consider for your blog, but if you're a ticket broker or reseller, don't bother trying to sign on.  The huge firm says in its “Advertiser Details” page at Commission Junction: “Ticket brokers and other companies involved in the resale of tickets are not permitted. Companies, websites or newsletters that promote ticket presale passwords or access codes are not permitted.”   The company's only quietly launching their site, by advertising and taking applications on their CJ page only, while leaving their own official affiliates site empty, with a “ Live Nation Affiliates Program coming soon!” header.

But before you rush to sign on, note that LN is offering only 1.5 percent commisstion on sales, considerably lower number than the industry average of around 7%. So, bloggers should consider that for a ticket purchase of $350, you'd make just $5.25.

If you're interested in signing up, bloggers must first register with Commission Junction to participate in Live Nation’s affiliate program. Commission Junction tracks orders through referral cookies, but these cookies expire after 45 days, allowing for receipt of commissions on customers who purchase tickets up to 45 days after their initial visit to the site.  

No word yet on which Live Nation events will be part of the affiliate program.

GOOGLE AdWords Expands its Mobile Reach

     BLOG NEWS- This week, Google unveiled a new feature for AdSense mobile that enables you to tap into the smartphone mobile browsing experience by allowing them to run larger AdSense ads that are readable on more expensive mobile phones. When consumers use a Palm Pre, iPhones and "Android" running phones (no Blackberries yet), or those will full HTML browers the feature will display.

So take note when you activate you AdWords campaigns to check the box in Step # 3.  This will activate the feature to run the ads will on the higher-end mobile phones. It says-: "iPhones and other mobile devices with full Internet browsers."

Before this, AdSense mobile for publishers only allowed you to get smaller text and image ads on their Web site content.

Google hopes that the new feature will help advertisers reach with consumers on the 177+ million mobile units that are estimated to ship out this year, says Google Software Engineer Danielle VanDyke. VanDyke posted on the official Google blog, citing Gartner's global smartphone sales estimates as rising 27% in 2009.  And what blogger wouldn't want their blog ads to reach a percent of that market? 

Do You Write Good or GREAT Blog Posts ?

       BLOG TIPS- How to write a good vs a great blog post is one of the primary issues in blogging.  In order to rise above the average blog posts that are out there, I've learned that you need to determine what you want to say before you even start the post.  If you don't have a guide, a roadmap before you begin there's a good chance your post (and your blog) will wander aimlessly and your readers will quickly lose interest. Once you’ve decide on the post topic, set your goal. Will your post inform your readers, make them think, ask a question or start a debate?  In this way, you're able to stay on target during the post and reach your goal.

Truly great posts are clear in their topic and goal.  Good posts only accomplish one of the tasks, but not both.  So know what you what to say before you say it!

When, and only when, you’ve decided on the topic and the goal, you can start writing. Don’t be overly concerned about sentence structure, grammar, etc just now; put all of your coherent thoughts down-  you'll edit and fine tune later.

After you expressed your thoughts, and made your point clearly, go back and clean up the post; edit your post and make sure your writing is clear and conversational.  Remove the typos, grammatical errors, repetitive statements, etc.   Quality is important in blog writing, even more important than quantity.  Remember, just because you've writing alot doesn't make it a good post!  Does it express your thought, cover the topic well and reach the goal?

Then, when you're done -- go back and re-read the post from start to finish and verify that it reads how you intended it to. If you need to step away for a few hours or a day, go ahead.  When you're sure you've been clear and concise, you can post it.  How the readers react will let you know if you did a good job, so make sure to ask for comments !!!

Social Networking Usage Climbs, Is Your Blog Ready?

     Blog Tips -  Blogging continues to get a boost as Americans nearly tripled the amount of time they spend using social networking sites and blogs like Facebook and Twitter says a new Neilsen study.  Another study shows that these users tend to be more affluent, and urban based.

In August 2009, 17% of all Internet usage was spent at a social networking sites.  That's a big increase from the 6% in August of 2008, says the first report.    “This growth suggests a wholesale change in the way the Internet is used,” Jon Gibs, vice president, media and agency insights at Nielsen’s online division, said. “While video and text content remain central to the Web experience – the desire of online consumers to connect, communicate and share is increasingly driving the medium’s growth.”

In a seperate Neilsen Claritas study, it revealed that users of social networking sites sku more urban, and more affluent. According to the report, Facebook users are wealthier than MySpace users (no surprise, since teens/young adults use MySpace more than older adults).  An interesting point is that, overall, the blogging and tweeting community isn’t necessarily more affluent, just more urban and are more likely to be in major cities like NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.

Good info for use with your marketing efforts and social networking work to promote your blog.  As people and consumers continue to use the internet more and more for social interaction, your blog needs to be part of the trend in order to reach the right reader/customer.  Are you active on Facebook, do you Tweet regularly?   Check out the full reports!

SEO Won't Work By Itself, Some Tips to Help

     BLOG TIPS - In the quest for increased blog readership, you'll likely use SEO techniques at some point in your blog career, either on your own or by hiring someone.  Fine, but without great blog content SEO will not help your efforts.  Most SEO techniques will get your blog additional clicks, but what happens when the reader arrives at your blog but they are disappointed by the content.  You could actually do more damage with SEO, by attracking readers that may leave negative comments or tells others they didn't like your work!

Instead, remember the basic rules of blogging in order that your SEO efforts truly enhanced your blog and you get the results you desire.  Some tips-

Effective Blog Post TITLES - You're writing for real people, make sure your titles peak the readers interest and make them WANT to read on.  Also keep in mind the keywords that folks may use to find the content you're writing about

Post NEW & INTERESTING Content- Seems obvious, huh.  Post what others will want to link to and talk about. If all you do is repeat the same topics/issues covered by other blogs, people will notice and not regard you very highly.  Post content that's new and unique with your own style.    If your blog covers news, make sure you've added your own "spin" to make it personal (see next tip) and interesting.

Add a Personal Angle - Most readers like to know who the author is.  Add personal stories, anecdotes from your own past.  The core information in a post can be the same, but it's much more interesting to the reader if the author has added some "heart" to the story.  What's your feeling on the topic?  Why do you feel that way?

Again, human beings read our blogs, so personal stories hit home with readers and enable them to relate to you, and the post.  Plus, they're more likely to return to your blog as you develope a relationship with the reader.

Engage the Reader - Ask for their response, reaction, reply, comments.  They'll have one, but you need to let them know you're interested in what they feel....

So, let me know what you think...  and offer your advice.  Please comment below.

TWITTER Tips to Help Your Blog

     BLOG TIPS- There's still a debate among some on the Blog vs Twitter issue.  We posted on this previously and so I'm surprised that some haven't found how Twitter can be an asset to your blog efforts and that it won't replace blogging.  It's great to see so much info out there on how Twitter is the Blogger's friend and can be used effectively (and creatively) to promote your blog and expand your readership.  As you know, to gain readers, you can spend time or money to promote your blog - I'd rather invest the time and see the money benefits grow !!

As with blogging, the core principles of good social media practices, and in particular with Twitter, still apply - stick to your niche, don't be annoying with what you write (constant links to affiliate offers, for example), say something new (or at least RT appropriately) and build a following !

Interesting post on the topic @ Successful-Blog.com

Blog Action Day 2009 Announced !

    BLOG NEWS - The next Blog Action Day topic has been voted on, and the topic/issue is ----Climate Change!   And, the new Blog Action Day website is now up & running, check it out and register at BlogActionDay.org .

 In order to be part of this year's event, all you need to do is commit to writing one original blog
post, on October 15, on the issue of climate change.  More than a dozen top blogs, including Mashable, The Official Google Blog, TMZ,  Autoblog, Music News Net and Daily Blog Tips, have already registered.  

As in the past, the event won't be successful with the big blogs alone.  All bloggers,
everywhere, of all types, sizes and niches are needed since this topic impacts everyone on this planet.

At the BlogActionDay site you'll be able to learn more about the issue of climate change and take a look at sample topics you may consider writing about' for example  -- the connections between climate and clean energy, how are food choices impact the climate,  green products, health, government action/ination, and transportation. 


Working together, we can make BAD 2009 the biggest social change event ever on the web.  Register now @ BlogActionDay.org.  Make sure you and your blog are taking part !

Looks Like BRIGHTCOVE is NOT For Sale, This Year

     BLOG NEWS- It appears that video content and ad platform Brightcove will not be sold to Google or anyone else in the near future. In a recent interview with PaidContent, Brightcove CEO Jeremy Allaire said "We're not for sale."

The news end the rumor that started last week when Mark Glaser of PBS MediaShift tweeted that a deal was likely and Brightcove had a $500 to $700 million selling price. The deal would have given Google added credibility with major media firms as it and broaden its video offerings to business.  

Allaire also said to PaidContent:

We don't comment on rumor and speculation. All I can say is, we're focused on building a global, independent company, and that's the path that we're on... We're in a fortunate place in that we've got a business that we've shown can be a sustainable business, it's in a market that is growing, we have a lot of cash on our balance sheet. We don't need capital. That puts us in a place to continue to be independent.

Google Unveils Its DoubleClick Ad Exchange

     BLOG TIPS- The much discussed Google Ad Exchange is launching.  Their Ad Exchange is their latest, and biggest tool, so far, in the on-going struggle over the $15 billion display ad market (banner ad and video ads that are on most blogs / websites).  Google launched its new DoubleClick advertising exchange today, it's the open "ad marketplace" that it's been working on since early 2008.

"Better technology can help make display advertising work better for all involved," Neal Mohan, Google's vice president of product management, said in a statement. "We're focused on growing the display advertising pie for everyone. The DoubleClick Ad Exchange is a major part of that goal."

Google's exchange lets bloggers and Web site operators offer space to ad agencies and ad networks to enticing them to bid on the space in a live, automated auction system.  This way, advertisers can get a wider choice of ad space and be able to target ads more accurately to the most appropriate prospects. With this system, publishers look for increased ad revenue rather than the low $$$ you get from most ad networks 

More @ GoogleBlog

Don't Ignore the "Long Tail" for Your SEO Needs

     Blog Tips -  Don't make the common blogger mistake of ignoring the demand curve of search queries and the long-tail search phrases used by searchers.  SEO expert,  Rand Fishkin describes these as the unique searches people do when looking for content or your specific products. While individually, these terms might only have around one and 10 searches per month,  they could collectively bring you nearly 75% of your search traffic.

Fishkin says most foks focus only on one or two keywords without considering the huge amount of traffic in the "long tail" and how easily you can capture more.  Fishkin feels the long tail market is still untapped with current efforts "so comparatively little and reward, 75%, so potentially massive, that's it's dangerous to approach the equation" and not spend SEO efforts in the tail.

See his full post, at SEOMOZ.org

Web Hosting and Domain Name Sales !!!

     BLOG TIPS - With Summer winding down, some great Web Hosting deals at 1&1 are about to end ! They're still offerring a 1 YEAR FREE promotion, but it ends Monday, August 31st.  Don't let the chance to save money and grow your web business pass you by !

And don't forget about 1&1's amazing domain name prices!  They're offering Popular Domains at special prices and the first year of registration on a .us domain is only $2.99! They also have .org and .info domains for only $4.99, AND .com, .net, .biz domains for only $6.99. And you earn $2.50 per domain package purchased!

Take advantage of these offers to create additional blogs and / or a full website to expand your blog presence !!!

Twitter Denied Patent on "Tweet"

     BLOG NEWS - In a setback to Twitter, the US patent and trademark office has declined their request, applied last month, for ownership of the world 'tweet'.  The office noted that many companies have already applied for patent rights of similar names.  The authority has got applications seeking patent of TweetMarks, Cotweet and Tweetphoto, which are quite similar words and would lead to confusion in future. The Social Networking site, Twitter, is a valuable tool for Blog promotions, marketing and a great way for Bloggers to network.

In response the the Patent office decision, Twitter founder, Biz Stone stated: "We have applied to trademark tweet because it is clearly attached to Twitter from a brand perspective but we have no intention of 'going after' the wonderful applications and services that use the word in their name when associated with Twitter."

More at TopNews

Publicity Tips and Sales Ideas for Your Blog's Success

          Blog Tips - Whether you want better personal or business publicity for your blog, or increased sales, you should  know about John Chapin (CompleteSelling.com ) and the book he's co-authored, The Sales Encyclopedia, (order here thru BtG).  BtG found it very helpful, in its clear, easy-to-digest style, John and the other authors provide a comprehensive guide that will enable you to gain the equivalent of years of experience, and remind veterans of why their game stays sharp.  A great number of tips, that will benefit your blog, and other facets of you life !

You can also hear Laurie Pehar Borsh's interview with John on this podcast at Blog Talk Radio, to learn more-