Generating Free Blog Traffic via Blogger Forums
Blog forums are great ways to generate free traffic to your blog. You know for a fact that you won’t be beating a dead horse since all the users are there because of a shared interest in the topic.
Some examples of such forums include Blogger Forum, Bloggeries and Blogst Forum. A Google search will yield a vast number of results. Be sure to check how active any forum is prior to registration — that way you can start with the busiest.
Remember to carefully read any forum’s rules prior to posting and abide by them. Also, don’t spam the boards with multiple posts just containing the link to your blog. All that will do is alienate potential visitors.
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Social Media Marketing – Basic Terms
The Internet provides an incredible opportunity for companies and businesses to reach their target audiences in a wide variety of ways. Using social media and networks to connect with customers is one of the fastest growing areas of Internet marketing. Some of the language used in social media is new and can be confusing. Following is a list of some of the more common terms and their definitions.
Speak Up and Make Money! – January 2010
Welcome 2010!
Well it’s finally here … 2010. I’m not trying to “date” myself, but I remember watching movies when I was younger about the year 2010, and they were all about building colonies on the moon and other planets being taken over by alien robots and other far out Sci-Fi ideas. While we may not have colonies on the moon or other planets, the Internet has certainly changed our lives in ways that weren’t even imagined 10 years ago. Back when I was watching those movies about living on distant planets, the idea of being able to conduct business all over the world … without ever leaving my home sounded just as farfetched to me. Look at Twitter. Business relationships are being formed and developed 24-hours-a-day, all over the world by something as simple as a program that will allow you to send 140 character or less messages back and forth via your computer or phone. It all started with a simple question: “What are you doing?” Imagine that!
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Tips for taking your message to the masses…
by Lou Bortone
It’s never been more difficult to get your message heard above all the noise online … If you hope to make your message “stick,” here are a couple of keys to keep in mind…
1. Cut to the chase – That’s the old Hollywood movie expression for getting right to the action. The same is true online: Get to the point. Be succinct. We’re living in the age of Twitter and 140 character communication, so keep it short and sweet!
2. Be original – Express yourself and be authentic. Copy cats and ‘me too’s’ get lost in the shuffle. You need a compelling message delivered in your own, unique way. What makes you different? Can you pass the “who cares?” test? Stand out and get noticed.
3. Be relevant – Make sure that your message is interesting and compelling to your target market. Connect with your audience. One way to do this is through Online Video, which is personal by nature.
4. Make ‘em laugh – Humor sells. It’s not easy to be amusing, but it’s one of the best ways to ensure that your message is not only heard, but shared. It’s no coincidence that the vast majority of viral videos are funny.
5. Be entertaining – If you can’t be funny, at least be engaging. Entertain, inform or inspire. Add some personality to your message. Again, video is a great way to get your message across in a unique and entertaining way. Be memorable!
Lou Bortone is a long-time marketing and branding consultant who helps entrepreneurs build breakthrough brands on the Internet, with services such as online video production, video branding, coaching and creative support. Lou is a former TV executive who worked for E! Entertainment Television and later served as the Senior VP of Marketing & Advertising for Fox Family Worldwide, a division of Fox in Los Angeles. Lou is an author & ghostwriter of 6 business books, a Guerrilla Marketing Coach and a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach.
Creating a Blog — WordPress Style
by Terry L. Green
The world of the Internet is constantly evolving, from its terminology to its software. The Internet is changing the way we communicate, and opening a whole new world of social media. Blogging is one such constantly evolving method of communication, and WordPress is one of the leading platforms people are using to blog.
Evolving Software
WordPress is a free, web-based software that is open source, which means its basic code is available for developers to build upon and alter at will. WordPress is the successor to b2\cafelog, the original blogging platform, but this blogging child has evolved beyond its blog roots. Its open source flexibility means that programmers across the globe have altered its functionality until WordPress has become a content management system (CMS), or a program that creates, edits, and manages website content, as well as blog content. The best part about WordPress is that it doesn’t require knowledge of PHP or HTML code to use it. WordPress is a basic templating system, where the blog or website creator chooses the look and rearranges the content. And now, with the addition of a simple, but brilliant plugin, you can easily turn your WordPress blog into a membership site!
