Thursday, May 22, 2008

Blogs, like all forms of writing, are an art form.

http://hillelstoler.com/2010/01/03/free-google-adwords-promotional-code-coupons-2010/
by: M6.net
Writing…Blogs…Blogs are on-line journals where people express themselves through writing. Writing…Writing is the process where one puts down words of a language in a format that others can read. This process has not been around very long; to use one of my writing teacher’s favorite sayings: “Writing has only existed for one day in the one year that humanity has existed.” Speaking and thinking come much easier than writing. These processes just flow out naturally like a river of consciousness; sometimes we hardly have to think about doing them. Anyone and everyone can write words down on paper but that doesn’t mean it’s ‘good writing’, myself included. Like most things in life, our society already takes writing for granted which is proving to expose more of our ignorance. Writing is a new form of expression, and if we want to do it in a way that the masses can connect with our ideas, we have to think much more simply and clearly about this art.

Now that was quite a big paragraph, you’ve got to wonder if I really needed to say as much as I just did to introduce this article on the best way to write your blogs on the Web. I didn’t even mention this main idea, and that’s what an introduction paragraph is meant to be for. This is a common mistake in many blogs out there. We try to get too many ideas across in one paragraph, sometimes even in one sentence! The key, as in all things in life-is to keep it simple. Simplicity means that readers won’t get confused about what your journal entry is actually about. Introduce your main general topic at the start, and use the subsequent paragraphs to discuss separate ideas that relate to this topic. Try to tie everything up in the concluding paragraph, your main argument and the reason why you’ve written in the first place.

Grammar and sentence construction are not easy systems to master, especially if you come from a school system that spent more time telling you about historical battles and quadratic equations than on how to read and write. This is a real problem. When we speak we can get messages across to others easily, but if we put these words down on paper, the writing just isn’t interesting and doesn’t connect with people’s curiosities and fascination. When you write you are not talking to a close friend. You can’t use slang and colloquialisms that only your local community can understand. The aim is to connect with all the people in the world, so let’s make it crystal clear and enjoyable to read.

Your computer has spelling and grammar checks, as well as access to a thesaurus. Use them, but remember that the machine can’t decipher all the intricacies of language. Language is a world in itself, and much of its territories are undiscovered by the masses. So, again keep it simple. Short, precise sentences with single ideas are great. Many words in the English language have the same meanings (synonyms). Use the thesaurus so you don’t repeat the same word over and over throughout the text. It keeps the story fresh and doesn’t turn the reader off. There’s nothing more boring than repetition. Using different words can be a lot of fun and a learning experience, just make sure you use a dictionary (also on the computer/Internet) to make absolute sure of the word’s definition.

Readability…Simplicity…Make your blog accessible by all people. You can even take into consideration that many readers will have learned English as a second language. As I’ve said in previous articles, keep to the point-don’t go on tangents. Stick with the article’s topic, and definitely stay within the realms of your blog’s main area. If your blog is entitled “Jazz music”, people who go there don’t want to hear about how your football team won on the weekend! Please be consistent. How irritating is it to visit a blog that hasn’t been written on in months or years?

I hope these little tips will help you on your quest to producing ‘good’ writing that brings new friends and acquaintances of similar outlooks into your world. If you want people to read, the aim is to produce an emotional reaction in your reader. Pretend you are writing to another form of yourself, if it were not readable, interesting and fun…would you stick around?
About the author:

M6.net
http://www.m6.net
Leaders in Web Hosting, M6.net is a strong company that has pioneered in the web hosting industry since 1997. The company started with nothing more than a few web sites and even fewer clients. It is now hosting over ten thousand web sites across more than one hundred countries around the world.

BLOGS! What They Are... And WHY They're Becoming A POWER

by: Cory Threlfall
BLOGS! What a crazy name for the "NEWEST" Internet
marketing trend to hit the Internet.

But, I like it.

It makes this new form of communication kind of mysterious
in a way, though, BLOGS have been around for quite some
time and only recently have been recognized as a VERY
valuable asset to Internet marketers.

Recently, I was visiting some Internet marketing related
Forums and noticed many of the threads having similar
"Subjects" saying... "What the heck are BLOGS?"

So, I did a little research and this is what I came up with
since I was Very curious myself.

I think it's best that I clearly define to You exactly what
a "BLOG" is so that as I go through this article with you,
you'll have a clear picture in your head of what a Blog IS
and so there won't be any confusion.

A "BLOG"(A.K.A. Web Log) by definition is:

A combination of online diary and/or guestbook. You sign up
for a blogger account and then you enter the information
You want on your Website. Then you can set it so that only
you can place entries on it or so that anyone can. Then you
can either keep a private journal or you can have a place
where your readers can get together and place entries to
each other or to you.

So... there you have it in a nut shell.

To simplify it even more let's just say BLOGS are a place
to go and post your personal thoughts that you can share
with your subscribers and/or readership and receive
feedback.

Now, for the purpose of this article, now that you know the
true definition of a "Blog", I'm going to share with you
some reasons WHY they're becoming a widely recognized
"POWER TOOL" for Internet marketers around the world.

So, with that said, lets go to Reason #1.

Reason #1. Great way to stay in touch with your subscribers.

Blogs are a great way to stay in touch with your
subscribers and/or readership and builds regular readership
Traffic to your little community where you can interact
with them.

It also helps build rapport, which in turn, will help
develop that TRUST in You, Your Products and/or Services
that You recommend.

Reason #2. It's a great way to get "Feedback".

Blogs are a great way to get Feedback from your
subscribers/customers simply because they have the ability
to leave comments on each "Post" you make which will then
help you find what it is they're looking for making YOU
look like a "Hero" in there eye's and putting $Money$ in
your pocket.

Reason #3. Can be managed by ONE individual.

Blogs require NO "HTML" experience, making it easy for
ANYONE to get started.

Most "Blog" communities online use what is called a
"WYSIWYG" HTML editor.

Did I lose you there with the "WYSIWYG" abbreviation. That
simply stands for... "What You See Is What You Get".

It's one of the easiest HTML editors to use, making it easy
for You to get started right away.

Reason #4. Your able to list your "Main" website details.

When you sign up for your Blogger account you're given an
area to set-up your "Personal Profile" where your able to
list your Main website and URL, plus, any other personal
information you wish to share that will be displayed on
your Blog.

Reason #5. A great way to publish "Information".

This is probably ONE of the Biggest benefits to Blogs
because you have the ability to post informative
information in the form of "Articles and/or Reviews" for
your subscribers and/or readership which will make you look
like an Expert on the subject and giving you INSTANT
credibility in the eye's of your reader.

Reason #6. You get your own URL.

That's right, you get your own URL you can use in all your
promotions and/or on your personal website if you have one.

This feature is great, especially for people just starting
out and don't have there own website up and running yet.

-----------------------------------------
Here's my Blog for you to take a look at.

It's called... The Internet Wonders Blog.
http://theiwe.blogspot.com
-----------------------------------------

Reason #7. Search Engines love them.

Search Engines love Blogs because they are so "Content
Rich" and are always being updated on a Daily to Weekly
basis.

When you compare a regular static website, which might be
updated on a monthly basis, to a Blog, which is updated on
a Daily to Weekly basis with NEW content, you'll gain favor
with the search engines with your Blog.

The S.E. "Spiders" will then gladly stop by to munch down
on whatever NEW content you posted and Index your website
more often since that is what Search Engines love and are
constantly looking for.

Reason #8. The ability to use RSS with Blogs.

A powerful feature about Blogs is the use of RSS(Really
Simple Syndication) that allows you to Instantly send your
Blog highlights to your readership upon publication which
will keep your reader up to speed on your business and your
Products and/or Services.

Not only that, RSS also gives your Blog more exposure to a
wider audience of subscribers building a bigger readership
in less time.

By simply adding an human element to your business through
the use of a "Blog", IS a great way to build rapport and
gain the trust of your subscribers and/or readership, which
in turn, will turn them into buying "Customers".

Well, there you have it, "BLOGS! What They Are... And WHY
They're Becoming A POWER TOOL For Internet Marketers".

I hope this article clearly answered the questions you once
had about "Blogs" and the benefits of starting one of your
own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CBmall. The #1 Info-Product site on the NET! Visit Today=>
http://www.internetwondersezine.com/cbmallsearch.htm
-- Or if you want to get MORE 'Insider' marketing Secrets,
visit Cory Threlfall's BLOG called... The Internet Wonders
Blog at -- http://theiwe.blogspot.com or subscribe his Free
newsletter at -- http://www.internetwondersezine.com

Blogosphere Networking

by: Thom Singer
Blogosphere Networking
Blogging seems to be taking over the world, or at least everyone seems to be talking about blogs. However, there are a surprisingly large number of people who have no idea of blogs, blawgs, blogsphere, etc....

I was recently at a social gathering with some very educated and sophisticated individuals. In the conversation I mentioned my new book (“Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Keep and Grow Your Business Relationships” and my blog (“The Business Development / Networking Blog”). Everyone immediately understood the concept of a book.....but the idea of a blog created many a puzzled face.

I was asked a lot of questions (some folks had heard of blogging, others had not). The following are the top questions, and my feeble attempt to answer them:

1. Why did you start your blog?

I started it as an experiment to help educate myself about blogs. My company is interested in having an industry focused blog, and I decided to take it upon myself to jump into the blogosphere and get my feet wet. In addition, I write a recurring column for Professional Marketing Magazine, and I thought that regularly writing a blog would give me some good practice and help me uncover themes for future articles. I also felt I could use it to help promote my new book.

2. Has it been worth it?

Yes!!! On all three of the above reasons I have exceeded my goals. I now understand the commitment involved if we create an industry blog. I have already created a lot of positive material that can later be turned into articles for my marketing column. AND.....I have sold a bunch of copies of my new book .....even before it is released.

3. Are all blogs the same?

NO. There are as many types of blogs are there are writers. I have categorized them into three types, but I am sure others would have arguments about these areas:

A. Corporate Blogs. These are hosted by companies to promote their products and services or to communicate with clients.

B. Philosophical / Content Blogs. In this type, an individual (or group of individuals) writes on a specific topic and shares their opinions with the readers. Topics can range from business to sports to politics to religion, etc.... I would put The Business Development / Networking Blog in this category. The blogs from which I learn the most are philosophical/content blogs.

C. Diaries. In these blogs people record their daily experiences the way one would write in a diary. Some of these can be quite entertaining, as they allow the voyeur in each of us to look into someone else's private world. However, reader beware...some of these can reveal a bit more than you want to read (or see).

4. Why would I want to read blogs?

They are a great way to discover information on any particular topic or variety of ideas. Many bloggers have very good sources of information and they certainly have opinions. As with any media source, you need to beware of the authors intent and ulterior motives. Also, blogs can just be interesting to read.

5. What have you learned from writing your blog?

Like the term "World Wide Web" only a decade ago, "Blogs, blogging and the blogosphere" are the new new thing, and are not just a "fad". If people are not yet aware of blogs, they will be soon. More and more blogs are created every day and blogs will soon touch everyone who surf the internet.
Having your own blog, however, is not for everyone. You must be committed to writing on a regular basis, and not shy about sharing your opinions. I have learned that a blog can go stale if you do not make posts on a regular basis.

I also learned that when you blog, you are actually networking. At first it seemed like this was one sided, until I began to hear from people who were regularly reading my blog. I have developed new friendships with many bloggers who write about similar topics. Often one blogger will email another with a compliment or suggestion, and they will begin to correspond regularly. Just like any other type of business friendship, the relationship grows over time. This blog-networking leads to mutual understanding and respect between the bloggers and then can lead to business relationships and referrals.

6. Should I start a blog?

That is a question every person will have to answer for himself/herself. I
would suggest you begin by reading other blogs and getting familiar with what is out there in blog-land. If you believe that you have something to say...then by all means, start a blog. But remember to be patient and persistent. Like writing a book, it takes time and there is no guarantee that you will become widely read. However if you are dedicated, you will uncover many unexpected benefits from your blogging experience.

If you are interested in easily learning about blogs, I suggest you start by reading the posts and links in the series called “31 Days to Better Blogs" at www.problogger.net, hosted by Darren Rowse. This is the best collection of advice to the experienced and novice blogger.

Don’t forget to read my blog at www.thomsinger.blogspot.com.


About the Author

Thom Singer is the author of "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Keep and Grow Your Business Relationships" (www.thomsinger.com), and write "The Business Development / Networking Blog" (www.thomsinger.blogspot.com)

Blogging's Future: Up, Up and Away?

by: Dr V P Kochikar

Beyond a doubt, blogging has a bright future. It's tempting to get carried away by all the exuberance being generated.

Bill Gates says blogging "will fundamentally change how we document our lives". Technorati's CEO David Sifry says that there are 11 blog posts being made every second!

While this may well be true, we must resist the temptation to get carried away. Let's analyze blogging's prospects as a 'personal technology', or a technology that individuals use to improve their effectiveness or productivity, or simply to have fun.

All successful personal technologies that gain widespread use (be it the humble pen, the telephone or the iPod), bear certain hallmarks: they are easy to use, fulfil a basic need, and provide a new way to express an existing behavior or habit. Technologies that make the cut on these three respects tend to 'take-off', with their use surging steeply*.

Blogging certainly fulfils a basic need, the need for self-expression and social interaction. It is also more powerful in many respects than other technologies that meet similar needs - the telephone, email or online chatting - in that it is more 'permanent', and allows visibility to anyone who can access the Web. It also provides a new way to exercise our natural propensity to form groups with like-minded folks, by allowing us to form 'virtual communities' on the Web. It also allows people to 'discover' others with similar tastes, wherever they may be in the world.

Well, that leaves ease of use. I am afraid blogging is somewhat less stellar in this respect - while it is simpler than creating personal Web pages, it still lags far behind the telephone and email in ease of use. So, ease of use is the first thing that needs to improve about blogs (I hope the blog tool-makers are listening).

If one is tempted to argue that blogging is already very successful, one only needs to pause to consider the numbers: by most estimates there are around 80 million blogs in the world as of today, while the number of telephones world-wide (fixed-line and mobile) is around 2 billion. This is not to take anything away from the success of blogging, but only to establish (an admittedly somewhat crude) benchmark!

However, we've looked at only half the picture so far - becoming successful. Success brings its own problems, and sure enough, blogging too will need to overcome a couple of challenges that success brings with it:

Better ways to manage 'blog clutter'.

Even with the current number of blogs out there, it is becoming difficult for people to navigate the blogosphere. Telephones or email don't need to solve this problem as they are 'push' technologies, which means that you *want* to restrict who can contact you using these technologies. However, if blogs are to truly live up to their promise of allowing the 'discovery' of like-minded folks, then blog search engines should (and will) get smarter.

Search is of course not the only way to manage clutter - for example, Business Week's Heather Green talks about creating 'influential blogger' lists.

Blogging needs to find ways to enable diverse communication needs

Blogging tools already do a half-decent job of allowing the sharing of digital content. However, as camera phones proliferate, sharing pictures and movies will increasingly become mainstream. Also blogging from heterogenous devices (phones and home appliances come to mind) is likely to need support.

Of course, this piece only addresses blogging as a 'personal technology'. Analysis of its prospects in business - which are fledgling at the moment - is the subject of a different discussion altogether!

_______________

*This is driven by Metcalfe's Law, which holds that the usefulness of something increases exponentially as the number of users goes up.

About The Author

Dr. V P Kochikar’s (read his blog at www.webquarters.com) current areas of interest are in Strategic Foresight, the Impact of Technology on Business and Society, Knowledge Management and Technology Risk Management. He has published widely and serves on the editorial advisory boards and review panels for several international journals and conferences. He has also lectured in a guest capacity at business schools and industry fora in India, the US and the UK. Dr Kochikar has been profiled by Knowledge Management Review magazine, and interviewed by, among others, BBC, Business Today magazine, and the Economic Times. He holds a PhD from IIT Madras, a Bachelor’s in Technology from IIT Bombay and a Master’s in Technology from IISc, Bangalore. Dr. Kochikar is a member of the IEEE Computer Society and the Information Resources Management Association (IRMA).

Blogging- Vent, Sell, Promote and Earn Cash

by: Laura Hickey

There are many stress techniques out in the world today. Everything from working out your anger to counting. If you’re fed up with trying the same methods, try blogging. Blogging on many websites is free and can be fun. There’s no age limit and many have no entry limit. Instead of the old method, try blogging with a free online blog. You can make it private or public. Sometimes public is good because you’re still anonymous but you can receive feedback from others who have the same frustration. Then again you may get some cruel feedback. If you do, you can delete the comment/note.

Blogging can also help you become a better typist. How? If you have a lot of anger/emotion built up inside yourself, you will have a lot to write out. Writing a lot means you type more which can help improve your typing skills. An example of a blog helping is:

Let’s say you’re in school and you got an awful grade. You can go onto your blog and vent how you feel it’s completely unfair, that you spent hours on the assignment. Or let’s say you have a dreaded "family" visit and you sit there for hours with a fake smile while listening to these relatives who bore you out of your skull. Once they leave, log into your blog and vent how much you hated the visit. Allowing yourself to fully vent (I don’t suggest putting actual real life names because they could find your blog then, perhaps make it private) can help you get things off your chest and avoid things building up.

If you have google ads you can have them on your blog and have a chance of earning some cash on the side. Or on your blog you could sell an e-book. Blogs can also sell your services by showing what you can provide and samples. Search engines often times picks up on blogs. The more you update, the more a search engine will pick you up.

Lastly a blog can just be for you to keep others updated in your life or your business. One of the most well known blogging places is http://www.blogspot.com Check them out, if you don’t like, you can delete your blog. Happy writing!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Hickey- Freelance Writer and Author of the Children's Book: Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids.
http://www.laurahickey.com

Blogging on Ecademy will boost your web site

by: Graham Jones
For many people blogging is the way in which they are able to update their web site with new information and fresh content. As such, blogs are a great way of gaining returning visitors to your web site.

However, there are other places you can post blog entries which can also affect the popularity of your web site. One such place is Ecademy.com.

Ecademy is the world's largest online network of people in business. Once you sign up as a member you get access to the blogging system within Ecademy. This allows you to post entries to the Ecademy blog. You can post anything, as long as it is not an advertisement.

However – and here's the important part – if your blog entry on Ecademy includes a link back to your own web site you will benefit. That's because Ecademy is one of the world's most frequently updated web sites; it changes every minute. As a result it is adored by the search engines who re-index Ecademy several times a day in some instances.

This means if you post a blog entry on Ecademy, include in it some keywords related to your site and have a link to your site in your signature, you will be indexed by the likes of Google. Once your link is seen within Ecademy you get a bonus benefit. Not only is your link followed through by the search engines, but because your link is on a high profile site, your site is seen more favourably.

However, you need to ensure that your entry on Ecademy is real content – no keyword stuffing for instance. If your entry is not useful it can be removed by the Ecademy staff. Even if it is allowed, Google will not see your site as important if your blog entry isn't focused on what your site is about. But if you post entries onto Ecademy which are directly related to your web site you will see search engine benefits.

Furthermore, you'll also see many people visit your site as a direct result of your link in the Ecademy blog. So, don't just think of blogging on your own site; add your blog postings to Ecademy as well.

For more answers to blogging questions you can get a free guide to the Top 15 Questions About Blogging from: http://www.infoselling.com/blogging/howtoblog.htm

About the Author

Graham Jones is a psychologist who has specialized in the way we use the Internet. He is an author of 27 books and thousands of articles. He runs Infoselling.com where you can get a FREE report on how to sell your own information products, ebooks, reports and articles online.

http://www.infoselling.com

Blogging for Profits - Finding the Gold hidden inside your w

by: Dr.Mani Sivasubramanian

"How are you going to profit from your blog?" asked my cousin. I could tell him almost 33 different ways! "Do you blog?"

It was my cousin asking this question. Of course I did. My weblogging started in November 2001.

But I was an 'off-and-on' blogger. To me, a blog was like a bad tooth. Y'know, you can't help seeking it out with your tongue. But when you find it, "Ouch!"

My blog was like that. Each time I set out to make a success of it. And after a week or two, backed down, beaten.

Until I discovered the secret that helped me crack the code! Now I enjoy blogging - because I know how to do it right.

"What's your business model?" I asked my cousin.

He stared at me blankly. I tried again.

"How are you going to profit from your blog?"

He looked at me as if I was mad.

"What do you mean 'profit'? Blogs aren't profitable!" he exclaimed.

I smiled quietly. Of course, that's what everyone says - including the 'gurus' of online marketing.

But I knew better.

"Yesterday, my blogging earned me $170" I said.

His look said it all. "Liar"

"I'm not kidding" I continued. "I can show you THIRTY ways to profit from blogs."

"Name three" he countered.

"Well, you could ask your blog community to make a donation every now and then."

"Hmm... that's a thought. But why will they give me money?"

I explained how he could make his blog valuable to visitors, involve them in his agenda, so that they'll be happy to participate in his ventures and support them.

"You could use a direct selling model to earn money. By including a powerful sales letter for your product or service, specifically focused on the benefits a buyer will get from it. Add a way to order - and hey, presto. You're set to make a tidy profit from your blog."

He was now listening carefully, nodding his head in agreement.

"Or you could get paid for displaying ads targeted to your visitor's interests."

I was on fire now. Explaining the steps he needed to take to create value on his blog. Telling him how to make it appear valuable to users. Showing him exactly how to leverage his experience at blogging into money in the bank.

When we finally finished a couple of hours later, we made a list. I had suggested exactly THIRTY THREE ways to profit from a blog. My cousin was ecstatic.

"You simply MUST tell others about this."

A book about profiting from blogs - now that was a *cool* idea.

I spent some time looking for other books or resources teaching profitable blogging. Zilch. No one else was telling people about these powerful secrets!

That's when I read blog expert, David Winer's post:

"Another problem with books about blogs (blooks?) is that as I read them I want to comment, more than any other kind of book. Well, how do you do that? Will these books be on the Web? Will they have paragraph-level permalinks?"

Flashbulbs exploded in my mind.

Why not a book on blogs that's *ITSELF* a...

BLOG ?!

The result is my blogBook, "Blog Profit Ideas Exposed - 33 Quick Tips Blog Publishers Can Profit From" http://www.EzineMarketingCenter.com/blogbook/

It's the first of its kind, and presents the content of a 'book' in the form of a 'blog'.

Now YOU can annotate or remark on any of these ideas or tips. Share YOUR experiences or reservations about them. Post any modifications or tweaks YOU feel will make them more effective.

blogBooks make books uniquely reader-friendly in a very personal way. What will emerge? The resulting 'composite' blogBook, annotated with reader comments, will be far more enriching and valuable than my own writing.

PLUS - I can keep adding to the blogBook as and when I find, hear about or use a new Blog Profit Idea! This blogBook will be a living thing that grows and morphs over time...

A personal publishing form of online journalism, the 'blog' has become a medium to share anything you may care to. Today it has also become a publishing format for electronic books. Only time will tell if it's here to stay. Until then, keep blogging - profitably!

About the Author

Why are some people getting rich with email newsletters? Dr.Mani Sivasubramanian has created the *ultimate* guide- "How to Create your own Profitable *Killer* Email Newsletter ... In just 14 Days! FREE details: http://www.EzineMarketingCenter.com/ezinelaunch/ FREE email course: mailto:freezine@ezinemarketingcenter.com