Blogging 101Tips for Christian Bloggers
Drop Your Card
I read through hundreds of post on blogging and post the best here. I do the digging so you don’t have to.
Check this post Dates on Blog Posts - Should You Have Them? from ProBlogger Blog Tips:
Last week in my post exploring how to make blogs sticky I suggested (in point 14) that one technique to consider is to remove the dates from your blog posts. My theory is that dates can either add to or take away from a post. Let me explore this a little further:
When you put a date on a post you signal to your reader when the post was written. This is useful to readers wanting to make a judgment on how relevant the post is for them at any point of time. It signals to them that a post is current or recent when the date signals that it was written within the last weeks and signals to them that a post could be dated when the date is years back.
The Problem of Dates on Posts
The problem is that when you have a post that is ‘timeless’ (ie it doesn’t really date because the tips you give or the principles that you talk about will always apply) a date can act as a distraction to your reader. They arrive at the post and see that it was written in 2006 and a little warning bell goes off in their mind that what they are reading is not ‘current’.
As I mentioned in last week’s post - I’ve had comments numerous time on ‘old’ posts saying things like “this is old” or “this is out of date” even when the post was anything but out of date.
When a reader has this reaction no matter what your post contains - it’ll seem ‘old’ to them and you lose reader engagement. This might only happen to a small percentage of your readers but over time this adds up.
On the flip side - when a reader arrives on a post that IS recent and sees the date showing this you can actually get a good reaction because they get a sense that what they are reading is the latest thinking that you’ve had.
So dates can be good and bad. They can make a post seem dated or cutting edge.
So What’s a Blogger to Do? Should You Have Dates on Posts?
The key question to ask when it comes to whether or not to include the date of authorship on a post is - ‘is it relevant to the post?’
Check this post Dates on Blog Posts - Should You Have Them? from ProBlogger Blog Tips:
Last week in my post exploring how to make blogs sticky I suggested (in point 14) that one technique to consider is to remove the dates from your blog posts. My theory is that dates can either add to or take away from a post. Let me explore this a little further:
When you put a date on a post you signal to your reader when the post was written. This is useful to readers wanting to make a judgment on how relevant the post is for them at any point of time. It signals to them that a post is current or recent when the date signals that it was written within the last weeks and signals to them that a post could be dated when the date is years back.
The Problem of Dates on Posts
The problem is that when you have a post that is ‘timeless’ (ie it doesn’t really date because the tips you give or the principles that you talk about will always apply) a date can act as a distraction to your reader. They arrive at the post and see that it was written in 2006 and a little warning bell goes off in their mind that what they are reading is not ‘current’.
As I mentioned in last week’s post - I’ve had comments numerous time on ‘old’ posts saying things like “this is old” or “this is out of date” even when the post was anything but out of date.
When a reader has this reaction no matter what your post contains - it’ll seem ‘old’ to them and you lose reader engagement. This might only happen to a small percentage of your readers but over time this adds up.
On the flip side - when a reader arrives on a post that IS recent and sees the date showing this you can actually get a good reaction because they get a sense that what they are reading is the latest thinking that you’ve had.
So dates can be good and bad. They can make a post seem dated or cutting edge.
So What’s a Blogger to Do? Should You Have Dates on Posts?
The key question to ask when it comes to whether or not to include the date of authorship on a post is - ‘is it relevant to the post?’
7 Incredibly Intelligent Ideas for Blogging More Efficiently
Posted by admin and filed under Blog Buzz
Check this post 7 Incredibly Intelligent Ideas for Blogging More Efficiently from Sucessful-Blog.com
Be a Power Blogger. This week, b5 business bloggers were discussing ways to bring more value to our readers. The question was barely asked when Eric Eggertson offered an answer on how to blog with power and more efficiently. …
“This site is intended for beginning bloggers with basic questions. If you’re looking for more advanced how-tos, there are hundreds of such sites available.”
Useful information about blogging without any of the useless fluff.
The Blog Bloke scours the internet to provide you with interesting, practical information about blogging technology, social networking, blog tips, tools, news, software, security and privacy issues, reviews and news commentary (to satisfy his need to vent).
The Blogosphere is Rigged Should Your Business be Blogging? 10 Ways to Know if You are a Blogaholic 10 Tips to a Successful Blog 10 More Tips to a Successful Blog Linking Etiquette/Ethics for Blogs: The Last Word 10 Killer Ways to Increase Blog Traffic and Stickiness 10 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Your Blog Are You a Remarkable Blogger? Part 1 10 Online Safety Tips for Bloggers » Read more of the best articles from Blog Bloke…
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- How to Easily Spot NoFollow Links
- DoFollow Diver Now Searches 500 DoFollow Blogs
- Now You Can Listen to Great Link Building Tips
- Link Building Tip: Link Building for Non-Blog Websites
- Link Building Tip: Super Easy Free Backlinks…Super Easy
- Link Building Olympics: A Link Building Competition of Sorts
Entercard works! But I almost missed the boat becasue I did not understand this simple way to build traffic. I was busy focusing on buying ads instead of reciprocating Entrecard drops. I’ve received a ton of hits on my homeschool blog becasue I finally understand.
I would love to see homeschooler and Christian bloggers sites jump on this wagon. If I’m going to visit blogs I want to visit Christian blogs (There are not many avaialble).
Here are the simple directions so you don’t miss what I missed.
- 1. Sign up free and get an Entrecard widget on your blog.
- 2. Visit Entrecard sites, especially U drop I Follow sites.
- 3. Sign in to Entrecard daily click on Dashboard then click on your inbox to see who dropped their card on your site.
- 4. Reciprocate. Always reciprocate your Entrecard drops.
- 5. Soon you’ll be receiving hundreds of drops a day.
Here are helpful articles and guides written by RandomBlathering on getting the most out of Entrecard.
- Fast Entrecard Drops - A Detailed Guide. How to drop 300 Entrecards in 15 minutes.
- Dropping with Firefox. How to use Firefox to drop Entrecard’s faster than ever.
- Entrecard - A Beginner’s Guide. What it is, what it does, how to use it to your advantage.
- Getting Entrecard Drops - A Detailed Guide. How to get lots of drops on your card every day.
What is Entrecard?
Entrecard is a free advertising exchange network. Its like dropping a business card on any blogs you visit. Users can advertise their own Entrecard ad on any blog in the Entrecard network for free for a certain number of days. Ads are paid for through Entrecard Credits earned by exchanging cards.
To get started with Entrecard, simply sign up on the Entrecard website. Once your account is activated, click on the “Get Code” tab to copy the code for the specific widget you want to use on your blog. Simply paste that code into a widget on your blog and you can start earning credits.
When you join Entrecard, you’ll have the opportunity to create your own 125×125 business card. This card will also serve as your ad when you advertise on another site in the network. You can change your card’s appearance at any time. Remember, this card is your ad, so try to create something that users will click when they see it.
Check out this post from Guide To Blogging:
As per a comment posted here the other day I recently joined BloggrZ.com and from what I’ve seen of it so far it’s going to be a wonderful new service for both those that love to visit other people’s blogs as well as those want to build the readership of their own blogs. By installing the BloggrZ Toolbar you can easily explore other blogs and get your own blog visited.
(from: Exploring The World Of Blogs)
Great question, eh?
Heather at Spiritibee answers this question by giving 10 ways to improve your blog to get more traffic.
Thanks, Heather. I’m getting the traffic and subscriptions but no comments 
I’d like to add Fruit of the Spirit Friday and Spiritual Sunday to the list of memes Heather suggests.
Come visit my Heart at Home homemaking blog. It has a new scrapbook look. See you there.
What if you looked at your blog’s readers as potential girlfriends or boyfriends? Wouldn’t you do everything you could to get their attention? to get them to respond to you?
In honor of Valentine’s day, The Blog Herald offers 9 Ways to Romance Your Blog Readers.
- A Reality Check on Blogging for Money - a post that has struck a chord with quite a few on some of the less publicized aspects of blogging for money.
- 7 Types of Blog Posts Which Always Seem to Get Links and Traffic - a great post by Skellie which I know a few bloggers have used as the basis for their weekly posting cycle.
- 10 Remarkable (and Free) Wordpress Themes - if you’re looking for a new template for your blog but don’t have the budget for a professional design then this list might be one to start with.
- Give Your Readers Room to Participate in Your Blog - sometimes when your blog posts are comprehensive you might actually be crowding your readers out and not giving them space to participate.
- 14 Essential Mac OS X Applications for Bloggers - I reveal the most used applications in my own blogging workflow.
- Don’t Just Have a Blog - Learn to Think Like a Blogger - a lesson from my health and fitness kick that applies to bloggers too.
- 9 Benefits of Twitter for Bloggers and How to Use it - a popular mini-series of posts looking at how I’m using Twitter to improve my blog, drive traffic and build a brand.
- Using StumbleUpon to Get on the Radar of Other Bloggers - the story of how one StumbleUpon user got on my radar by Stumbling one of my posts.
- Why My Wife Would Make a Great Internet Marketer - the title says it all. A glimpse at what I think makes a good internet marketer (and no she’s not started a blog despite my pleas).
- The Costs and Benefits of Running a Competition on Your blog and how to run one - how to use competitions to build traffic, community and interaction on your blog.
#1: Leave comments
When you leave a comment on someone’s blog it creates a link back to your site and is a great way to be the first step in building a relationship with the blogger. Almost every time you leave a comment, someone will visit your site. Be sure that you’ve got to have something to add or it is considered spamming comments (very rude).
2: Participate in forums
Visit forums you are interested in and join in relevant discussions. Include your blog address in the signature. Please do not just show up and say “Hey, visit out my blog.” Establish credibility by participating in discussions.
3: Email other bloggers
When you’ve written something you feel good about or feel is relevant to another person drop them a line and tell them about it. Don’t do it to get a link, do it without expectations. Share only your best and relevant posts. Include a summary of your post and why they might be interested.
4: Submit your site to relevant blog directories
There are thousands of blog directories. Most directories allow you to submit your site for free. It’s very easy.
5: Join a Meme or Carnival
Memes and carnivals are a lot of fun and easy writing prompts to get your creative wheels turning.
Need More? Read This.
Wayne Smallman really likes StumbleUpon. So much so, he made a list of 5 essential things you ought to know about StumbleUpon…
I’ve only been on StumbleUpon since May 2007. And in that time, I’ve attracted some interesting friends and reviewed some interesting, funny, informative and sometimes amazing websites and ‘blogs.
What makes StumbleUpon unique amongst the other social bookmarking services is the extended dialogue you’re able to create out of reviewing a website or ‘blog.
Internet entrepreneur Caroline wrote about her blog commenting strategy. This effort brought in almost 700 direct visitors resulting in a large growth of RSS subscribers.
Her goals:
1. Grab the attention of the readers
2. Grab the attention of the blogger
3. Develop my personal brand
4. Create some backlinks
The steps:
- Create a Hit-List for Early Commenting
- I Mark all Blogs Using Top Commentator Plugins
- I Mark all Blogs Using a Do-Follow Plugin
- Place New Blogs in My Hit List for Testing
- Re-Rank & Purge Fortnightly
- Go With My Gut Instinct
I created a hot list on my Blog Bridge RSS reader. This way my favorite blogs to comment on will be in one place for a quick viewing.
Read Do You Have A Blog Commenting Strategy? for the details.
How to Build a Somewhat Successful Blog: 16 Lessons I Have Learned
Posted by admin and filed under Blog BuzzCheck out this post from How to Build a Somewhat Successful Blog:
My blog has almost 4000 subscribers via RSS and email and a few thousand visitors a day. And over these last 12 months I’ve learned a thing or 17 about blogging. Some of these 17 lessons may be of use for you even if you are not a …read article
(From: How to Build a Somewhat Successful Blog: 16 Lessons I Have Learned)
Check out this post from WebGeek:
Improved Technorati Authority can contribute to increased visibility, traffic, and reputation in the blogosphere. Technorati rates your Authority based on the number of blogs that it detects linking to yours in the last six months. It lists these sites as “blog reactions”.
(from: Technorati Tip: Improve Your Authority)
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| #1 | Problogger | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 36 |
| #2 | Copyblogger | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 35 |
| #3 | John Chow | 6 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 32 |
| #4 | Quick Online Tips | 6 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 30 |
| #5 | Daily Blog Tips | 5 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 29 |
| #6 | Lorelle on Wordpress | 6 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 29 |
| #7 | Dosh Dosh | 4 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 27 |
| #8 | Performancing | 7 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 26 |
| #9 | Weblog Tools Collection | 6 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 26 |
| #10 | Blog Herald | 6 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 26 |
| #11 | Blogging Pro | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 25 |
| #12 | Successful-Blog | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 24 |
| #13 | JohnTP | 6 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| #14 | Engtech | 6 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 21 |
| #15 | Bloggers Blog | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 20 |
| #16 | Andy Beard | 5 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 20 |
| #17 | ChrisG | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 19 |
| #18 | Converstations | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 19 |
| #19 | The Wrong Advices | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 15 |
| #20 | Business Blog Wire | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| #21 | Alister Cameron | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
| #22 | Blog About Your Blog | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
| #23 | Blogtrepreneur | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
| #24 | I Help You Blog | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| #25 | Build A Better Blog | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
These blogs all provide rich content and extremely useful information for writers:
- Copyblogger, by Brian Clark: Holding the number-one spot for the second year running, this site excels at teaching the art of writing.
- Freelance Writing Jobs, by Deborah Ng: For writers seeking new work, this site is your sole destination and maintains a top spot in our contest from last year.
- The Renegade Writer, by Linda Formichelli and Dianna Burell: Are you a freelance journalist looking for inspiration? Look no further.
- Web Content Writer Tips, by James Chartrand and Harrison McLeod: With a focus on making more money as a writer, this blog is full of helpful how-to articles.
- Web Writing Info, by Courtney Ramirez: This excellent blog looks at social networking and emerging web-based opportunities for writers.
- The Golden Pencil, by Anne Wayman: Wayman, a second-year winner, examines how to go for the gold as a freelance writer.
- Catalystblogger, by Jennifer Williamson: Williamson writes about the pains and trials writers face.
- Freelance Parent, by Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry: Two moms provide excellent perspective on writing with a dash of parenting.
- Write from Home, by Amy Derby: Derby provides fresh commentary and advice on writing.
- Copywriter Underground, by Tom Chandler: This site, a second-year winner, provides regular doses of inspiration for copywriters.