The Importance of Blog Design

Blogging Tips May 31st, 2008 Say Something (1)

Billboard saying “One night stand.”

Blogs have increased popularity over this past months.  Many people have started to create their personal blogs to express their thoughts and feelings.  Internet companies have also started their blogs to inform consumers on the latest product news and reviews, yada yada…

Because of this, blogs are also being used as internet marketing media.  Before, internet marketing was done by placing banners and links on popular websites, such as news and information sites.  Links were also included on newsletters and marketing letters sent to the members of their mailing lists, again yada yada…

Many people spend time, sometimes too much time, reading blogs (I am guilty of this).  People read their friend’s blogs, their favorite author’s blogs, blogs on topics that they are interested in, and blogs on product reviews.  With the increasing popularity of blogging, it is even feared that people rely on blogs to get the latest news. Hell, I do. I rely on my my favorite AM blogs for the latest am news.

While getting news reports from blogs isn’t reliable, some people look for product reviews through blogs.  In some cases, this is more dependable.  While it is true that some media persons are being paid to write good reviews about a certain product, blog writers write about their actual experiences on products and services from a company. Since there are many people who read and start their own blogs, blogs are a good medium to market a product.  With the increasing blog traffic means increase in product sales, of course, yada yada…

There is plenty info out there on the net on how to get blog traffic and such so I won’t get all into it here… download the blog profits blueprint if you are serious about making money from blogging… just click that ginormous banner in the sidebar.

When you have increased traffic on your blog, you should try to keep you visitors coming back and recommending your blog to friends and colleagues. This can be done by having informative or amusing content and good blog layout and design.  You may develop your blog’s content or you can also acquire the services of a web content writer to provide you with the blog articles.(Out source that crap but then you will lose your personality in the writing.)

The blog’s layout and design also plays a big role.( if you noticed I got a new and final blog theme done from Mike over at BlogThemeMachine.)  While most of the companies offering free blog hosting (something that I don’t recommend doing, get Hostgator $7 bucks hosting) offer pre-selected templates, there are also some that allows customization that if you utilize this feature correctly can increase your blog’s traffic.

Here are a few tips to make your blog stand out from the millions of blogs out there that have standard designs.

* Customize the banner

The banner usually has the most generic designs that are common to the blogs from a blogging company or service.

You can personalize this banner by having a graphic with the dimensions of the banner.  You can also edit the graphic so that it will also include the title of your blog.

In this case, you can create your own graphic or you can purchase professional looking graphics online for less than $10.

* Personalizing photos

Of course, most of the photos that you will be posting will be your own.  However, if you don’t customize the photos before posting them, you may miss maximizing the enhancing benefits graphics can add to the page.  Adding photo borders can help the photo stand out from the page.

It can also add to the design of your blog.  You can choose a standard border or you can also create your own border which can be associated with your blog’s templates.

* Add a favicon

Don’t you think sites with icons on the address bar before the website’s URL are cool?  Many people do.  These favicons add a professional look to the URL.  These easy to do using photo or graphic editing softwares.

* Check out blog templates, layouts, backgrounds, textures and skins from sites

There are sites that offer free blog templates, layouts, backgrounds, textures and skins.  You can make use of these so your blog will not look generic like most of the blogs hosted by the service provider.

* Include RSS feeds

This is a cool way to inform people with newsreaders about your blog headlines.  Tutorials on RSS feeds are available on the internet.

* Audio makes your blog more personal

Not only does audio personalizes the blog; it can also keep your visitors coming back.  You can try having streaming radio stations, mp3 file or playlists loading with your blog.

* Advertisements

If you have signed-up with Google Ad-Sense, which I am sure you would like to do, make sure that the ads are conveniently placed that these will not hinder your readers’ ease in accessing the information on your blog. Try using these tips and you can definitely increase and retain traffic on your blog.

A 1 Year Learning Experience

Internet Business, watever May 29th, 2008 Say Something (0)

So just about a year later from getting into internet marketing and knowing what I know now, I am changing “my major”. I hear from a lot of people out there, that there is only a small percentage of people making “their living online” and anyone else that is trying… well it will never happen. They are just playing “the game”. I find myself doing that now.

I mean people can go out and buy those ebooks or home study courses but nothing ever happens. I mean the reason those “gurus” are even selling that information is because that info is not needed anymore or is outdated. Realistically speaking, there is no step by step “how to” make money online. YOU have to take the risks and put yourself out there in a manner that gets YOU noticed. Pretending, if you will. From all the things that I learned this past year from going to seminars, meeting everyone that already has this “game” figured out and being suckered into buying those ebooks and courses, I figured out that they will not make my money for me. I have to do it myself and put in the work. Not that I have not made money online, because I have and everyone can do it… the main issue is people want to make a living online and quit their day jobs. Not only do that, but enjoy what they are doing and not feel that they are scamming people. I feel that those seminars I went to, was nothing but a scam fest. Yes, I have befriended most of these people but I still feel that the products they sell that teach people how to MMO, obviously doesn’t work. If it did, why don’t’ they have every single person making the money they promise people could make. Or make sure it does happen? REALISTICALLY, that just doesn’t happen. The excuse used is people never take action. Well, some people do take action and still can’t figure it out.

So, what should they do?

Should they buy every product out there promising them riches until they can make money or should they give up?

Well, my turn around came when I was spending a ton and never making enough back to break even. I have been scammed up and down… yet I fell for the MMO dream. So, to answer the question of giving up… don’t. I can tell you that right now YOU do not need to spend anymore money online to learn HOW to make money online. Tongue twister. Whatever though… everything you need to know and learn is FREE online. The only thing is you need to do is, go search for it, organize it and try to make sense of it. Of course, there is a price on that. Hence the making of ebooks and courses. People pay for that free info packed and organized together nice and pretty. So stop paying for those ebooks, home study courses, outdated audio presentations, interviews and high priced coaching programs. Note: the coaching programs are only helpful IF you are already making a living online and you want to expand your income. If you do keep buying those things, then your stupid.

You have to dare to be different and take risks. No matter how you decide to make your living online, make sure you are ok with putting yourself out there and not be afraid to lose money. Thats it. My journey has changed and I am now putting all of my time towards ppc affiliate marketing. Now, I know that the risk is HIGH. There will be money lost and that is something that I am willing to dive into because I have chosen not to give up. I will plug away at this until I can make it work. Even if its and extra $100 a month, I would be happy. That is my first goal. I don’t care if it takes me hundreds to attain that, I will. Let me tell you that all the info I have learned in that last month has been insane. ALL the info came from the 3 blogs I read. These blogs have an enormous amount of free info to get anyone started. Peep out my blogroll. Thats it yo. What I do is take all those blog posts and guides and make my own AM guide. I take what they say and interpret it into terms I understand. Make it work for me.

Memorial Day - Remember Who Gave YOU Freedom

Personal May 26th, 2008 Say Something (1)

This has everything to do with affiliate marketing. If it were not for these mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, bf, gf we would not be able to do these things online or offline. Able to do any of the things in your daily life. Appreciate what they do for you and thank any Military Uniformed person who crosses your damn path.

Come Home Safe April Renee Castro. Come Home Safe ALL of you.

This is real. Sometimes they are not so Lucky. Sniper shot at the troop right in the window. Good thind for those bullet proof windows… He would be dead.

“Relaxing with a Mental PDA” - 5 minutes daily program to Stress Management

Personal May 26th, 2008 Say Something (2)

Some things that I am learning to realize…

We all have this favorite expression when it comes to being stressed out, and I wouldn’t bother naming all of them since it may also vary in different languages. But I don’t cuss… ;P so when it comes down to it, I think that it is how we work or even relax, for that matter that triggers stress. Ever been stressed even when you’re well relaxed and bored? I know I have.

Since Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time, but as they say– every minute counts.

Managing time

Now that I am heading into the ppc affiliate marketing realm, I need to manage my damn time a bit better than I do now. I can spend three hours online and accomplish nothing. Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.

To improve your time management:

· Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
· Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
· Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
· Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don’t commit to what is not important to you.
· Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
· Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies

It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. (like anyone actually does that, but it can help) With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.

Lifestyle

Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress.

Try to:

· Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations. (by far the hardest thing to do)
· Have a sense of purpose in life.
· Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.(watever ;P)
· Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.(like any junk I can find)
· Get moderate exercise throughout the week.(seriously, go to the gym or at least work out. I do.)
· Limit your consumption of alcohol.(I never drink!)-peep my youtube videos
· Don’t smoke.(PLEASE-it’s disgusting-no offense to my homies who do smoke, I tell you anyway.)

Social support

Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health. Very true. I know from personal experience that the majority of people I tell about what I am doing have put me down. The support of your CLOSE friends is what counts, seriously.

Changing thinking

When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body’s stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.

· Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.(can you really do that?)
· Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
· Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
· Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated ( I am %100 guilty of doing this, I think I am always right and i tend to treat people like a kid when they so something I don’t think is right.) Its all a learning experience. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.

Even a blogger like me can get stressed even though we’re just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you’re the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working fool or parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life.