01.31.07
Posted in General at 9:49 pm by Paloma Cruz
Assuming that you’ve made the decision that you want to be a successful blogger, Darren Rowse (the six figure blogger) has added his tips on How To Market Your Blog in 2007. The shortlist:
Get Your Own House In Order
- Write well, write consistently, don’t give up
- Become an expert on something
- Design is more important than you think
- Get Your SEO On
- Publish full feeds
- Do interviews with other bloggers
- Break important stories
- Have a contest
- Publish original research
- Put out Press Releases
- Work your long tail
- Answer your comments, in your comments, and off blog
- Spend time to create links and trackbacks
- Get Your MyBlogLog widget and work it, work it, work it (in a nice way)
Getting the Word Out
- Join a blog carnival
- Join blog network
- Participate in forums
- Participate on larger blogs in comments
- Join Blogburst
- Participate in Darren’s contests
- Submit to blog directories
- Submit to Google sitemaps
- Submit to article directories
- Get interviewed
- Get listed on a news aggregator, or blog aggregator
- Create free stuff for yourself and give it away
- Create free stuff for other people
- Pay for pub
Connect, Connect, Connect
- Make friends with other bloggers
- Guest blog
- Volunteer, intern, scut-monkey your way into a blogger’s graces
- Get hired
- Network in person
- Join virtual groups
- Cross promote
Make Social Media Work For You
- Facebook
- Join Helium
- Yahoo Answers!
- Create a Squidoo Lens
- Use MySpace Marketing
- Get Dugg / Netscaped / Reddited / Stumbled upon
Oh, wow! I can’t even count the items listed that I never would have thought about. Of course, that means I’m not doing them.
Providing full feeds? I wasn’t doing that, I am now. I think I’m going to go through this post, item by item, and start some positive new activities.
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01.30.07
Posted in General at 9:48 pm by Paloma Cruz
Tony Hung has a rather lenghty but very insightful post on what it takes to be a successful blogger. The shortlist:
- Putting in the Time and Commitment.
- Willing to Market The Blog
- Be Interesting
- Realize Its Not About You (its About Them)
- Focus
Ironically, I know what I’m doing wrong… I’m just not willing to change. Of course, unwillingness to change is a topic I should probably take up with a therapist about work, personal life, etc., etc., etc. Anyway, read the post, improve, and be successful.
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Posted in General at 9:41 pm by Paloma Cruz
Tired of your 9-5 job? Try being a professional blogger. ProBlogger has a job board that can help you find that paying blogging gig. Sports bloggers, video game bloggers, and podcasters are just some of the “help wanted” listings you’ll find there.
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01.29.07
Posted in General at 12:30 am by Paloma Cruz
I haven’t really gotten into Second Life, but it’s on my list of things to do. What is Second life?
Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 3,031,536 people from around the globe.
- From the moment you enter the World you’ll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Once you’ve explored a bit, perhaps you’ll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business.
- You’ll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow residents. Because residents retain the rights to their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other residents.
- The Marketplace currently supports millions of US dollars in monthly transactions. This commerce is handled with the in-world currency, the Linden dollar, which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online currency exchanges.
Welcome to Second Life. We look forward to seeing you in-world.
Forward Blog has a review of CaseCamp Second Life:
All in all: CaseCamp Second Life was an excellent experience. The presentations were interesting and all taught me something, I was fully engaged throughout the event, I met some cool people and enjoyed some socializing. All from the comfort of the lounge. This is the future people!
Shel Holtz give his opinion on the potential of this new technology:
You don’t have to get excited about the culture of Second Life as it now exists in order to understand that the underlying idea could well be the kernel of the Internet’s next significant evolution. The reason to embrace Second Life now is to understand the principles so your organization can be ready when the transition begins. (Remember all those companies that shrugged off the Web for years saying, “Who needs a website?”)
I think that transition is inevitable, although I certainly could be wrong, but here’s the issue: If I’m right and your organization hasn’t figured it out, you’ll be playing catch-up while your competitors are out in front. If I’m wrong, you really haven’t lost anything.
BlogWrite for CEOs points us to a Fortune article on this topic which “makes the point that the 3-D virtual world of Second Life is not ‘eye candy’ and may represent the ‘next phase of the Internet’s evolution.’”
Enough, I think, to put this on your radar.
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01.25.07
Posted in News at 12:06 am by Paloma Cruz
A round-up of recent links and posts throughout PalomaCruz.com:
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01.24.07
Posted in General at 11:53 pm by Paloma Cruz
LifeHacker has some tips on creative ways to hide data in files. I can’t think of a reason to use these now, but I’m keeping the post bookmarked for later.
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01.18.07
Posted in General at 11:24 pm by Paloma Cruz
I finally found a paragraph (posted by someone else) that explains why you/your organization/your company needs one:
Do No harm: Are you prepared for an employee at your company to write on a blog that your company “sucks.” Are you prepared for a more thoughful but candid assessment by an employee? A policy should give your employees the freedom to express themselves, but parameters of what they can say and how they can say it. It should also give employers guidelines for employees who cross the line. Employees are after all employees. Everything does not go. Blogging is not permission for an employee to say anything he or she wants – even if that employee thinks it’s in the company’s best interest.
I think I need to put “create blogging policy” on my to do list for some of my friends/colleagues/clients… and myself.
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01.17.07
Posted in News at 12:55 am by Paloma Cruz
Have you met the blogs of the year? According to The Blog Herald, these are some of the best of the best:
Topic Area Categories
Best Media Blog The Raw Story
Best Technology Blog Engadget
Best Sports Blog Kissing Suzy Kolber
Best Military Blog Blackfive
Best Law Blog The Volokh Conspiracy
Best Business Blog - Club for Growth
Best LGBT Blog Pam’s - House Blend
Best Parenting Blog - Breed ‘Em And Weep
Best Educational Blog - Michael Bérubé
Best Science Blog - Pharyngula
Best Medical/Health Issues Blog - Respectful Insolence
See the full list.
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01.12.07
Posted in General at 1:59 am by Paloma Cruz
It took me 5 days to finalize my New Year’s resolutions. I considered not even doing it this year… again.
My tech resolutions include improving (or just plain acquiring) PHP skills, learning to podcast, and posting regularly.
Let’s see if it happens.
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