5 Ways to Add Content to Your Blog
If you have a blog you can sometimes find it hard to come up with topics
and relevant information to write about. In fact it can become downright
frustrating to put together content especially if you’re in a
specialized niche market. Here are 5 things you should always think
about that can get the creative juices flowing.
1. Write on a buzz topic
Whatever the niche market, there will always be some buzz around
a specific topic at some time. The trick is to find out about it
early and make frank and compelling contributions to the discussion.
Always try and put a new twist to the topic and add a new dimension
to the topic that no one else has thought about. But how will you know
when something is happening in your industry? Always keep your ear to the
ground. Subscribe to other blogs in your niche especially the
authoritative ones. You should also contribute in forums related to the
topics in your niche blog so that when a new interesting topic comes up
you’ll know about it and be able to write about it. Scanning the
forums will also give you other ideas as to what to write about based
off the questions others submit.
2. Create a video
An interesting way to add content to your blog is to create videos about
a topic and embed it into your blog. The videos that really do well
are those that offer instruction on some tricky task or give breaking
news in an informative manner. For example, SEO expert Brad Fallon has a
video blog called the FreeLineReport which gives Web 2.0 news in a short
2 minutes. Another example is that of internet marketer, Michael Cheney
who offers internet marketing advice in a blog called ConfessionsOfAMarketer.
The good thing about using videos on a blog, or any website for that
matter, is that it will greatly increase the time each visitor stays
on your site. And it doesn’t have to be an expensive venture either.
Using a digital camera with motion camera capabilities for close up
disussions is standard for many video bloggers. Also the use of screen
capture software to make moving screen tutorials is commonplace.
You can pay for Camtasia Studio from TechSmith or use the open-source
CamStudio to do screen capture videos.
After you’ve created you’re video, upload it to one of the popular
video sharing sites, example Youtube or Viddler, then use the embed tags to
include it on your blog. This way, whenever others see your video and want
to share it they will also embed it into their website. This can cause a
viral effect and a massive boost of traffic to you original blog article.
3. Recycle other articles
If you prefer to stick to the written media recycling articles that you’ve
sent to article sites, example EzineArticles or GoArticles, may be one way
to go. You could also search for articles related to your niche on these
article sites and use them. But ensure you leave the original author’s
signature box with a link back to their site. Another way to gather articles
is to pay for private label rights (PLR) articles. This is the better option
because the articles become your own to do with what you please.
4. Use a ghostwriter or contributed author
You could hire the services of a ghostwriter, someone you will give the
privilege of contributing to your blog after paying them. They can be
sometimes helpful if you’re looking to write topics related to specific
keywords in your niche. However try and look at their track record and
articles written beforehand.
Also you could strike up a partnership with another blogger in your niche.
And if they contribute regularly to the niche you can propose to trade
articles at intervals. If you use wordpress, just set up a user account for
them so they can post articles when they feel like it.
5. Use ShareAPost
A new service that came out this year offers users the opportunity to share
their blog post with others with a blog. The service is called ShareAPost and
it is free to use for now. You simply sign up for an account, then when you
spot an article from another user in your niche which is relevant you can
send it to your blog using a user account you set up in your Wordpress blog.
These five techniques are a quick rundown of ways to think about gaining
content for you blog. Now what do you think is another way? Don’t be afraid
to leave you comments.
Like this post? Publish It On Your Own Blog
New Search Engines Cuil and SearchCloud try to unseat Google
When it comes to web searching the search engine at the top of the list for most people is Google. In fact it presently commands over 60 percent of the search market followed by Yahoo and MSN. So when I heard that some ex-Google employees have taken steps to create a search engine of there own I had to sit up and take notice.
The new search engine is called Cuil and presently boasts to be the search engine with the highest number of pages in their index…..over 120 billion and counting. The founders of Cuil include former Google employees Anna Patterson, Russell Power and Louis Monier. Patterson and Power worked on Google’s “TeraGoogle” search index and Monier specialized in search engine design. To further stand out from Google, Cuil is experinenting with a magazine style spread for their search results. With this style they have their search results presented within three columns on the webpage varying from the single-template, 10 result per page results that Google offers. Maybe with this style webmasters may have an equal opportunity to get their website links clicked once they show up on the first page. (Just maybe). Right now only testing will provide answers to the question of user responsiveness to the layout of the results page. Presently Google’s pages show greater clicks for the first 3 results on the page than any other, meaning a lot more traffic for showing up in the top 3 for a search term.
On a side-note, Google software engineers Jesse Alpert and Nissan Hajaj, in a blogpost on the official google blog http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/we-knew-web-was-big.html seemed to make pre-emptive comments related to Cuil’s insistence that they have the largest index for search engines on the web. They said that Google scanned more than a trillion webpages but didn’t index all of them because “many of them are similar to each other, or represent auto-generated content …. that isn’t very useful to searchers.” Google has only about 8.2 billion web pages in their index.
Another new search engine came into the fray this week. This one is based off the new search initiative that allows users to create their own search engine using Yahoo BOSS. It is called SearchCloud and it allows searchers to specify which keyword or keyword phrase is more important. The idea behind it is that with a weighting going to each search term the searcher includes, it will improve search relevance in relation to that specific user. However, it remains to be seen how well this user influenced search works in practice. Check out a review about the search engine from TechCrunch here: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/28/searchcloud-weights-keywords-to-improve-search-relevance/
Check out a video on how to use SearchCloud here:
What Is The Best Way To Get Traffic On The Internet Today?
You may not believe this, but even though traffic from searches is still very good, there are other excellent options open to you. Having spent a great amount of time targeting search engine traffic, I became quite familiar with the subject of search engine optimization and although many marketing experts would suggest it is difficult, it really is not the case. Nonetheless I am pleased to say there is a way of finding a mix of traffic without having to completely rely on the work of the search engines to get results.
Blogging is a super way of getting traffic, but this has to be done in the right way and needs to be updated at regular intervals. When you blog, you must, of course, social bookmark your post to the top directories, and for your guidance, some of these are listed below.
1. Digg
2. Onlywire.com (with this method you will get into twenty two directories with one simple click)
3. Propeller
4. Stumbleupon
Carry out a Google search for The Authority Black Book. When you download this information, which is free of charge, make sure you read and understand it. This will tell you all you need to know about using blogging to drive excellent quality traffic in high numbers on a daily basis to your blog.
Another way of getting great traffic is to use Article Marketing. These days if you write for traffic and get your articles into a few of the best article directories, there is no worry about duplicate content penalties.
The top 5 article directories for your articles to appear in are as follows:-
1. Ezinearticles.com
2. AssociatedContent.com
3. Goarticles.com
4. IdeaMarketers.com
5. SearchWarp.com IdeaMarketers.com
No doubt by now you will have noticed the theme taking place here. It’s the theme of getting traffic from your social booking marking directories and from article directories too.
The job of search engines is to give their searchers new and relevant material. You can easily do this for your visitors without having to be concerned with the search engines now or at any time in the future.
It’s a great feeling when you know you are getting traffic every day and will continue to do so even if Google were to totally rearrange the top ranked sites in the blink of an eye, as this will not affect you and your traffic at all.
Source: Internet Marketing
A Closer Look Inside
For those who want a closer look inside Mini Site Profits Exposed check out this video from my youtube channel.
Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/v/sHM7hU0O9RM
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Mini-Site Profits Exposed Review
I Was Pleasantly Surprised
When I first came across Michael Rasmussen’s FREE Mini-Site Profits Exposed
Videos I honestly wasn’t expecting much . Products released in the internet
marketing field are a dime a dozen. To top it off, it was free. I totally
expected a lot of rehashed information or something average.
I was pleasantly surprised with well thought out and presented videos
which as concisely as possible brought out a lot of information.
They are 12 videos of stellar production quality. They have powerpoint
presentations as the background and contain illustrations and images to
keep the viewer actively involved with the videos. Each of the videos is
also broken up into segments to make it easier to follow. The videos cover
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is even a final video on how to blast as much targeted traffic as possible
to your mini-sites once completed.
There also seems to be an excellent support system set up for the site. I
had a little problem logging into the membership section after signing up. I
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Here is a Breakdown of the Video Contents
VIDEO 1 - INTRODUCTION
This videos introduces you to the entire course, as well as the teacher himself. You’ll
learn what you can expect from the course, and why it’s structured the way it is.
Michael realizes that you may not have heard of him, and so he spends some time
establishing his credibility with you by sharing some of his biggest successes. It doesn’t
come across as bragging at all. Michael explains that, in order for you to get value from
the teachings, you need to have faith that the teacher actually knows what he’s talking about.
VIDEO 2 - THE BASICS
This video will introduce you to the basics of mini site marketing. This will set the
foundation that all future learning will rest upon, so it’s important to pay close attention
to this one.
You’ll learn:
* What mini-sites are, and what makes them different
from regular content sites.
* Which businesses they work well for… and which ones
they don’t.
* The right mindset to have when it comes to creating
mini sites as part of your online business strategy.
* And the different tools you need to get started.
VIDEO 3 - SQUEEZE PAGES
This is probably one of the most useful videos of the entire course. Every Internet
marketer needs to build an email list, but how do you do it? What is the best way
to capture the most opt-ins?
The answer is ’squeeze pages’. This video will teach you:
* Why using a squeeze page is far superior to other
opt-in methods.
* The single most important thing you must include at
the top of your squeeze page to skyrocket your opt-in
rate.
* The secret structure of a squeeze page, and why most
marketers get it wrong (which costs them a LOT of
money).
* The most important to include in your opt-in process
that will make sure that people actually receive your
email.
After watching this video, you’ll know everything you need to know to start
building a massive opt-in list right away. This will probably be the first video
that you ‘take action’ on. You’ll be so excited about the possibilities, that I
guarantee you’ll go and create your own squeeze page right away.
VIDEO 4 - MINI SITE COPYWRITING - PART ONE
Nothing happens until the sales copy is written. Graphics alone will never sell a
product, but sales copy alone WILL. This video begins to demystify the mysterious
process of writing words that make people whip out their credit cards and buy.
Specifically, you’ll learn:
* Why you need to learn copywriting, even if you “hate
to write”
* What a compelling offer looks like, and how to tell
the difference.
* How to write an eyeball-grabbing headline that
practically forces your readers to go through your
entire page.
* A simple trick you can use in your opening to make
your reader want to learn more.
There is no skill that is more important to your success than the ability to write
killer sales copy. Make sure you pay extra attention to this video, as well as…
VIDEO 5 - MINI SITE COPYWRITING - PART TWO
This video dives right into the individual components of a killer sales letter. You’ll learn
how to create the “secret structure” of a mini site sales letter that makes big money.
Specifically, you’ll learn:
* How to create captivating body copy that draws your
reader into the sales letter.
* Bullets that force your reader to keep reading the
whole page, and makes them insanely curious and want
to buy your product
* How to take the risk off people’s shoulders, so
they’ll feel safe buying from you.
* How to craft your ‘call to action’, and get people
to whip out their credit cards and buy immediately.
* The secrets of writing a killer P.S. that helps seal
the deal, and flip your prospect into a buyer
instantly.
This video covered a surprising amount of detail, especially considering that this course is not
specifically about copywriting.
VIDEO 6 - HOW TO AUTOMATE THE DELIVERY OF YOUR INFOPRODUCT
Unless you want to be chained to your computer, you must learn how to put your
mini sites on autopilot. The only thing you should be doing is driving traffic, and
letting the site itself do all the work, including the work of instantly delivering
the product to the customer.
This video will walk you through the process of automating your product delivery, so
you can just relax, and collect the money. The best part is… once you have this
automated system set up, you never have to touch it again.
VIDEO 7 - HOW TO “GROW” YOUR SALE
This video is guaranteed to be an eye opener for almost everyone who watches it,
even the experienced marketers. Michael dives into some of the most effective
‘upselling’ techniques that I’ve ever seen.
Nowhere else on the Internet have I seen such a thorough tutorial on how to
increase the ’size’ of your orders. You’ll learn:
* The psychology of ‘upselling’, and how to use it
make your customer spend even more money with you.
The best part? He’ll think it was his idea!
* The absolute best time to upsell your customer. This
one will surprise you when you realize how much money
you’ve been leaving on the table by skipping this
step.
* 5 simple techniques to increase your profit by up to
100%.
If you’ve already got a mini site that’s up and running, this video will make a big
difference for you right away.
VIDEO 8 - CREATING AN AFFILIATE SALES FORCE
If there’s one thing I’ve noticed that all successful marketers have in common, it’s
that they have a great affiliate program. They create a program that allows other
people to make good money by promoting their products, and they get to just sit
back and relax,while everyone else is doing the hard work of promoting FOR them.
If you’ve ever dreamed of having an army of motivated sales people working hard
to make you money, then you’re going to love this video. Michael will teach you:
* What an affiliate program is, and how to set one up
very quickly.
* Exactly what tools you need to give your affiliates
(most people miss the mark here, so pay extra
attention to this part).
* Why merely having an affiliate program is NOT enough
to convince people to sign up, and what you can do
instead to have people eagerly trying to become one of
your affiliates.
* How to motivate affiliates to sell for you.
VIDEO 9 - MINI SITE MISTAKES TO AVOID
Let’s face it… it’s not enough to explain what you should do. You also need to
know what mistakes you should avoid. Michael has already made these costly
mistakes, but you don’t have to. You’ll learn:
*Why people do judge a book by its cover… and how to
capitalize on that for your mini-site
* The single biggest reason people don’t buy from a
mini site, and how you can apply this ‘instant fix.
* The single biggest thing that will kill your
mini-site (it’s not what you think, and making this
mistake is a surefire way to drain money from your
bank account FAST!)
* Two list building mistakes that’ll cripple your
long-term profits.
VIDEO 10 - SECRETS OF CREATING A PRODUCT FUNNEL
This video will walk you through the process of designing a product line that will
make you a TON of money. There’s a lot more to it than you’d think, which is why
this important concept (which was taken from direct marketing) gets it’s own video.
After watching this video, you’ll understand why you can’t just have a single front
end product, and you’ll know exactly what to do in order to get your customer to
keep buying more and more expensive products from you… completely on autopilot!
This video is a MUST for any serious marketer who wants to make a lot of money
from their online business.
VIDEO 11 - OUTSOURCING SECRETS FOR WORKING LESS, AND MAKING MORE
The title of this video says it all. You’ll learn all of Michael’s secrets for getting top notch
freelancers to help you create your mini site empire in record time.
Let’s face it, you can’t be an expert at everything that mini sites require. For example,
it’s really tough to be a top notch graphic designer, while also mastering HTML, and
then becoming a killer copywriter, on top of also creating the product itself.
And the list goes on and on. If you want to be efficient, and begin making money as fast
as possible, outsourcing is the secret to making it happen. This video will show you exactly
what to do, as well as some common (and very expensive) pitfalls to avoid.
VIDEO 12 - TRAFFIC STRATEGIES
Let’s face it… it doesn’t matter how great your mini site is if you don’t get any traffic
coming to it. Getting traffic can be one of the most confusing and mysterious parts of
making money online IF you don’t get the proper education.
Thankfully, Michael really dives in, and gives you a lightning fast education in this area.
Specifically, you’ll learn:
* How to use Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising to get
targeted traffic fast.
* 3 ways to get targeted traffic without spending a
dime.
* 2 ways to leverage the experience and contacts of
other people to explode your traffic.
* 3 traffic strategies to avoid like the plague!
By the time you’re done with this video, you’ll know what to do right away to begin driving targeted
visitors to your mini site.
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