Blogging for Good in the Modern World: create blog

Showing posts with label create blog. Show all posts

13 March 2009

Discover what your readers are interested in with Skribit

Winning blog content is “the must” in order to attract visitors to your blog and create favorable conditions for its monetization. However, getting ideas for your blog articles is not easy. Sometimes, you have a temporary mental block, restricting your ability to deliver interesting and fresh content, your readers are expecting from you. Let your visitors assist you in making your topics choices and decision making. Free service from Skribit will provide technical abilities and user interface for collecting opinions in convenience of your own blog.

You just add a small widget that sticks to your blog sidebar with title “What Topic Do You Want Covered?” And your blog or website visitors can easily type in the topics they want you to blog about and present on your pages.

List of suggested topics is already displayed in the blog sidebar. Here is how Skribit look on a sidebar of a blog - from Problogger Blog (click to enlarge):

Blogging Ideas with Skribit Widget

Paul Stamatiou created the service as a tool to help cure blogger’s block (writer’s block for bloggers) a little over a year ago, and already it boasts more than 4,000 blogs using it and gets about 4 million hits per month. “For me it is a backup plan when I really can’t think of something to write. If I notice something that has received a lot of votes in a very short amount of time, I’ll take that as a note that my readers really want to read about it and I’ll change my plans and blog about it,” Paul said. “Then there are the times that, for a few weeks, I won’t have any clue about what to write, so I’ll just rely on it.”

Besides getting newer topics to blog on, you can also get sense of what your blog visitors expect from you and your blog.

Sign in to the site and start using it in a matter of minutes: Skribit Homepage.

01 October 2008

How to include social bookmarking submission after every post?

Every blog owner will benefit from sustaining the readers on the blog content. To reach this goal, it should be offered an easy and convenient way to subscribe to the blog through RSS reader and to allow submitting it to the Social Bookmarking sites. Social Bookmarking is indeed a great way to increase the blog exposure, bringing multiple benefits to the owner. Not just the reader preserves the post for further review and follow-up, but also the bookmark itself starts its own independent way of online existence. It will be indexed by Search Engine spider and will allow one more point of access to the blog content. It is just multiplying your blog exposure legally, with no additional efforts, and with no need to post duplicate your content on multiple sites.

Bloggerplugins offer a nice way to include small buttons after every post, allowing direct submission to the most popular social bookmarking sites with one click, without leaving the blog post.

To enable this option on your blog you should go through several simple steps of blog template code update:

1. Enter Blogger template in Layout section.
2. Choose Edit HTML.
3. Before doing any code modification, backup the entire template to the safe, easy identifiable location on your Hard Drive. If anything goes wrong, you can easily come back to your original template without loosing your blog structure.
4. Expand the widget template.
5. In the template:
a. Locate

<head>

b. Replace with

<head><script src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/simpletricks.js’></script>

c. Locate string

<p class=’post-footer-line post-footer-line-3’>

d. Place the following code below that line:



<style type=’text/css’>

.bookmark img { border: 0;

padding:0px; }

.bookmark a:hover {

position: relative;

top: 1px;

left: 1px; }

</style>

<span class=’bookmark’>

<table align=’left’ border=’0’ cellpadding=’0’ width=’100%’>

<tr>

<td style=’vertical-align:middle’ valign=’middle’ width=’30%’>

<div expr:id=’"sbtxt"+data:post.id’>Bookmark this post<a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.bloggerplugis.org">:</a></div><script type=’text/javascript’>showsbtext("sbtxt" + "<data:post.id/>",0)</script>

</td>

<td>

<a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",19);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’StumpleUpon’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_stumb.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",6);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Ma.gnolia’ border=’0’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_mag.gif’/></a>

<a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://digg.com/submit?phase=3&url=" + data:post.url’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",1);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’DiggIt!’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_dig.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://del.icio.us/post?url=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",2);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Del.icio.us’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_del.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&Description=&Url=" + data:post.url + "&Title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",3);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Blinklist’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_bli.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=" + data:post.url + "&=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",4);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Yahoo’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_yah.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=" + data:post.url + "&t=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",8);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Furl’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_fur.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?url=" + data:post.url’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",9);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Technorati’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_tec.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.simpy.com/simpy/LinkAdd.do?href=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",10);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Simpy’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_sim.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.spurl.net/spurl.php?url=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",11);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Spurl’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_spu.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://reddit.com/submit?url=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",17);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Reddit’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_red.gif’/></a> <a rel="nofollow" expr:href=’"http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?op=add&bkmk=" + data:post.url + "&title="+data:post.title’ expr:onmouseout=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",0);"’ expr:onmouseover=’"javascript:showsbtext(’"sbtxt" + data:post.id + "’",20);"’ target=’_blank’><img alt=’Google’ src=’http://files.bloggerplugins.org/icon_sb_goo.gif’/></a>

</td>

</tr>

</table><br/>

</span>



6. Save the modified template.
7. If the operation was successful, you should see the line of social bookmarking icons after each post.

23 September 2008

How to Create a Killing Blog Post Title?

There are some many ways to improve your blog in terms of readability, search ability, attractiveness, organization, and so on, that the newbie blogger feels completely overwhelmed with amount of the available information and massive recommendations, sometimes controversial. Little-by-little, you start developing your own style, adopting some recommendations completely, rejecting others, and modifying the remaining group to accommodate your strategic goals, aesthetic and ethical views, and personal common sense. For me, it is probably time to seek improvement of my blog titles.

Hendry Lee is offering 10 templates on how to create killer titles for your blog posts that nobody could resist but got interested in the post content. Definitely, that does not present the complete solution. You cannot fit all your posts in one of the offered schematic forms. However, these templates give you overview of the killer titles generation approach. In many cases, you can use them “as is”, but be sure not overdoing that, following the internal voice of your personal common sense.

How to ____

This is at the top of the list for a reason. It is simple yet very effective. It can be used almost for any technical (and not only) post.

Example: How to Win Friends and Influence People.
This is the title of Dale Carnegie’s book. It includes double benefits within a single title, which works extremely well.

____ Proven Strategies to ____

Fill the first blank with a number. This title works because it is specific. It also promises something in the content the readers can find and use. The effectiveness of the title, of course, depends on the benefit you include in the second blank space.

Example: 7 Proven Strategies to Save on Tax.

Here’s a Way to _____ That Has Never Failed Yet!

This one is taken from an email subject line that generated a staggering 60% open rate. It works for sales copy and it can be used for blog post title too.

Example: Here’s a Way to Lose Weight That Has Never Failed Yet!

Do You Make These Mistakes in ____?

Maxwell Sackheim wrote this headline. It became a legendary 40-year control ad. Many copywriters believe this is because of the headline.

What’s account for its stunning success? It is the word these.

Combining these and mistakes intrigue the audience to continue reading and find out what these mistakes are. Including the answers in the copy or content is important as well.

Example: Do You Make These Mistakes in Designing a Web Site?

(Attention: ____,) Don’t ____ Until You Read This

In the first blank, you insert your target audience. Insert something desirable in the second blank space. The impact is much like the fourth title template above but with a qualifier. You may create a second variation by omitting the Attention: ____,” part.

Example: Attention: Newbie Blogger, Don’t Quit Your Job Until You Read This.

Who Else Wants to ____ (in ____)?

Social proof is a powerful and effective psychological trigger to influence your audience to make a decision (like in buying a product). This same headline and title template has been overused in certain niche because it works. The second blank adds specificity into the title, usually a phrase that shows the readers how they could benefit by reading on.

Example: Who Else Wants to Drive 10,000 Unique Visitors to Their Blog in Two Hours?

Need a ____?

A simple formula that identifies an unfulfilled desire the readers want to achieve. You can also rephrase the question to make it a problem instead of desire. Using this title template allows the readers to resonate with it immediately, even if they scroll down the page quickly.

Example: Need a Marketing Makeover?

Stress Free ____

Insert a challenging problem the reader wants to remedy immediately. Something easy that fixes a problem without a lot of struggle is always appealing. You can also rephrase the title to include a desire instead of problem.

Example: Stress Free Ways to Improve Your Productivity

Make ____ Work for You

This template promises to solve or fulfill something. In the previous template above, you emphasize on the benefit of the solution (stress free) but this one focuses on getting the problem solved (finally).

Example: Make Real Estate Investing Work for You.

The Secret to ____ (is Simply ____)

Everyone wants to know a secret. It immediately puts him/her in the loop. Make sure you have something important and exclusive in the blog post though. Another twist is to immediately tell there is no secret at all to stress the simplicity of the solution, sort of a hidden benefit.

Example: The Secret of Selling Your Product on eBay

There is one more point: it is good to include one or two important keywords from those you target, but do not duplicate the same name in labels and keywords as you use in your title, as it might be considered rude by the Search Engines.

As you see, I have chosen for the title just one of the offered templates. However, you can do your home exercise and easily apply each of the offered templates to our topic of discussion. And remember, that title is just starter. If your blog post content does not match the striking title, or it is just boring, you lost it, as you could not keep your visitor at your virtual home for more than couple of seconds.

Blogging for Good in the Modern World

13 March 2009

Discover what your readers are interested in with Skribit

01 October 2008

How to include social bookmarking submission after every post?

23 September 2008

How to Create a Killing Blog Post Title?

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