You are stuck in the doctors office waiting for them to call you back. Sure they charge you an arm and a leg for their time but disregard yours. Don’t waste this chance to find some blogging inspiration. You are stuck in a room with a great tool at your fingertips: magazines.
A magazine can be filled with 100s of ideas for you and your blog, even if it’s on a completely different subject. You can use magazines to find great color schemes, learn more about layouts, find out about what people are wanting to learn, and best of all find great headlines and post ideas!
If you have never tried using a magazine for inspiration. Grab a magazine, a pen and paper or I like me your phone or tablet. (Don’t have a magazine check out magazine covers on Amazon.com.)
You are going to start creating headline formulas and build a list of post ideas.
Use Eye Catching Keywords
Original Headline: Have a Stress Free Summer (Good Housekeeping)
Basically Stress Free is your keywords here. So your formula will be Have a Stress Free ________. When I write my ideas down on my tablet if I don’t have an idea instantly I will leave blanks.
My Examples:
Blogging twist: Have a Stress Free Editorial Calendar
Kids twist: Have a Stress Free Play Date
Weight loss twist: Have a Stress Free Date Night on a Diet
Original Headline: Sexy Hair Made Simple (InStyle)
Your formula: ________ Made Simple
My Examples:
Blogging twist: Categories Made Simple
Weight loss twist: Grocery Shopping Made Simple
Social Media twist: Facebook Pages Made Simple
Create a List Formula
Original Headling: 285 No-Fail Ideas to Scrapbook (Creative Keepsakes)
Quickly create your formula: # No-Fail Ideas to ________. I don’t actually add the numbers until I start brainstorming and come up with how many items I will have in my list.
My Examples:
Blogging twist: 10 No-Fail Ideas to Blog Posts
Weight loss twist: 5 No-Fail Ideas to Get Your Exercise
Social media twist: 8 No-Fail Ways to get Followers
Original Headling: 12 Sneaky Tricks to Peel Off the Pounds (SELF)
Formula: # Sneaky Tricks to ________.
My Examples:
Blogging twist: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Get Comments
Weight loss twist: 13 Sneaky Tricks to Healthy Snacking
Vlogging twist: 3 Sneaky Tricks to Awesome Videos
Great Phrases
Original Headline: Pasta Salad! How to Create your Own (Food Network)
The basic formula: ______! How to Create your Own
My Examples:
My blogging twist: Headers! How to Create your Own
Kids twist: Bubble Wands! How to Create your Own
Social media twist: Icons! How to Create your Own
Original Headline: More Energy Instantly (Men’s Health)
The basic formula: More _______ Instantly
My Examples:
Blogging twist: More Subscribers Instantly
Weight loss twist: More Protein Instantly
Social media twist: More Privacy Instantly
See how quickly and easily you can start building ideas and creating great eye catching headlines? The best part of this is you can do this in a few minutes or for a half an hour. It’s quick to pick up and put down.
What’s your favorite way to find blogging inspiration? Have you used a magazine for inspiration before?
A chronic disease of that many bloggers have caught is cluttered-sidebar-itis. Have you caught the disease? Let’s talk about how much is too much in your sidebar and how to know what you should add and what you shouldn’t. Even taking a look at my sidebar I realize I need to do some spring cleaning.
The best way to start is to look at your sidebar and ask yourself:
How does this benefit me, my blog, or my readers?
Could I put this somewhere else on my blog?
Does this blend with my blog design or does it distract?
5 things you should have in your sidebar
Social Media – You need people to know how to connect with you! I would put this in your #1 spot on your sidebar. Don’t know how learn, it’s really easy.
Call to Action – Call to action is a great place for one specific goal you have your blog. Are you wanting more Facebook Followers? Add a Facebook widget. Looking to sell your eBook show it off in your sidebar. The key to this section though is to only have one call to action.
Search – If your readers can’t find what they are looking for in a few seconds you are going to loose them. Make it easy and include a search on your sidebar. Make sure this is close to the top also, no one is going to search for a search box.
Paying Ads – The keyword here is paying. I know you love your bloggy friends, but this is valuable space! Don’t overdo your ads. Make sure you are charging enough for your space that you don’t look like your selling out to your readers. I would limit your ads to about 4-6 ads.
5 things to consider putting in your sidebar
About You – Share a little something about you or your blog. Make it short, if you want to say a lot link it to your about page. Make it interesting, this would be a good place to use your tagline. You created it to catch new readers, use it here to take
Featured and/or Popular Articles – If you want both on your sidebar make sure you use a tabbed widget so that it doesn’t fill your whole sidebar.
Categories or Tags – Same above you should have one or the other not both in your sidebar.
About Video – This is the newest and coolest thing to do. Instead of an about you section have an about video for your site.
Polls – Polls are great way of interacting with your readers, learning more about your visitors, and giving your readers something to look for updates on.
5 things to delete from your sidebar
Blog Roll – I know you love your friends and have some great blog finds, but really the best place to share these is on their own page.
Badges or Community Buttons – You are using up valuable space to give these communities free advertising. Create a page about the places you have memberships and awards you have received.
Too Many Ads –
Ugly Widgets – Just because your favorite website offers the option for you to add their widget it may not be the best to do it. Unless you are getting something from the widget and you have the option to make it look good and look seamless just don’t add it.
Your WordPress Login – Unless you have an open sign up for your WordPress there is no reason for you to have the login in your sidebar. It’s really easy to bookmark your login page and take out this section no one but you uses.
Okay now it’s time for me to get busy and clean up my sidebar. I hope you will join me and do a little spring cleaning!
What do you have in your sidebar? What is a must keep and what is a must go?
Have you ever come across a blog you loved what they were saying but just trying to read it exhausted you?
You have 3 seconds to impress your readers. Even if you have caught them by your web design and your headlines if you haven’t take these 5 simple steps in improving your blog posts your readers are going to leave.
1. White Space
In art and design there is a term called white space. This does not mean literally the color white. But just empty space, with nothing in it. This gives the eye a place to rest.Make sure that your blog design has space between each line (aka line-height). You also want to have a good amount of space between your paragraphs. Putting space around even your images will make a difference fo your readers when looking at your blog.
2. Short Paragraphs, Short Sentences.
When someone looks at your blog and see a wall of words, they become overwhelmed and tired just thinking about reading your blog post. Most readers only skim posts but if they see the wall of words they may just skip it all together. Use short sentences.
Make your paragraphs are short. They should only be a few sentences each. You cannot overdo paragraph breaks!
You can even make a paragraph just one sentence.
3. Edit, Edit, Edit
Make sure and edit your posts. Read your posts out loud and really listen to what you are saying. Can you write your sentences shorter? Can you use less words to make the same point? Less is always more and in blogging this is even more true.
4. Use Your Tools!
Use the edit tools in your blogging control panel. Make the key point in a paragraph bold. If you want to emphasize a point put it in italics. Most readers only skim text on websites. These emphasized points may catch their eye and encourage them to read more.
5. Lists
Use lists whenever you can. If you are joining in on the 31 days to Build a Better Blog then you have just learned that lists are great blog posts. But make sure even your lists are easy to follow. Try using bullet points or number your list. Make sure each item has its own line! Even when making a list and then expanding on each point your list item should have it’s own line.
Your Turn
Try out some of these tips on your next blog post and take a look at the difference. Does it look nicer to you? Did more people stop and comment on your post? Did you notice people even commented about something in the middle of your post vs the beginning and the ending?
I would love to see your posts showing off your editing skills, please comment and share your experience with me.
How do you make your customers or readers remember you and your blog or business? How do you make them know instantly that they have arrived at your website, twitter feed or facebook page?
You create a logo that your visitors remember and associate with you and your business. Branding can be one of the most important steps when creating a business. Sometimes this can even make or break your business.
One way that you brand your business visually is by creating a logo for your company.
I have heard advice throughout the web on how to make a logo or brand for your business or blog. Not all of these suggestion for logos are good ideas.
We will be talking about 4 ways of creating a brand or logo and the pros and cons of each option.
1. Use your picture
I’ve actually seen a few suggestions to use your picture to represent you, your blog or your business. The thought behind this is that it is more personal. People really like to see a face behind a business.
You could also do this for very cheap by just taking a photo of yourself, but unless you are an excellent photographer I would not recommend using your own photos. You don’t want to use a bad photo to represent you and your business.
What is the first impression a bad photo is going to give? Is that photo going to be remembered? In a good way?
Another issue with using your photo is that your personal image and your face are constantly changing. Think about your drivers license. Do you still look like that person in that picture?
If you are using your photo on your business cards (and even as a blogger you should have business cards) or on your website or your twitter you will want to keep it up to date. With business cards this can start becoming expensive.
This also runs into the trouble where you are trying to make a “look” that your readers or customers remember. But it will make it harder for them to remember your logo if it is constantly changing.
Let’s now talk about the biggest issue with using your picture. This is not a logo. A logo should be simple, clean, and should be able to go from color to black and white (think photocopy). Obviously a photo is not a logo. It can be used in your branding but you should have a logo that can stand alone also.
2. Use a stock image or premade logo
Something I see constantly, especially in the blogging world, are “logos” created from stock images. This can be an inexpensive option especially when you are starting out.
But everybody is doing it and don’t be surprised when you are browsing the Internet and you find somebody using the same logo as you.
You will also lose a little bit of that personal feeling when people see an image that closely represents you but isn’t quite right. Then if they happen to find the same image on another website they will feel even less connected to you and your brand.
Stock images also have limitations on their licenses. Make sure and read the fine type. You may be limited to the number of printings you can have or limited on where and when you can use the image. Be careful.
3. Hire your brother or a friend
This could be a great option for you. A friend may offer to create a logo for free or a discounted rate. But you have a couple negative outcomes that could show up.
Sometimes your friend may think they know how to make a logo, but you may find that they don’t create it in the correct format so you may have to have it redone in the future. Or if the format is incorrect you may find you cannot use it for different marketing peices including posters, banners, stickers, t-shirts, etc. Logos should be created as a vector, not in Photoshop, and your designer should give you the original files.
You may also find that if your friend does create logos professionally that you will be at the bottom of their to do list. Your friend is still running a business and many freelancers over commit themselves. Doing a free or discounted logo is not going to be high priority for them.
You may find that nothing has been worked on for a month and you are still waiting for your logo. Or you may find that they rushed through your job just to get it out of the way and it is not up to par to their typical work.
4. Hire a professional
Hiring a professional designer will be an investment and this investment depends on the logo and the designer you work with. Talk with the designer and find out if you will work well with them.
Some basic questions to ask:
How many mock ups will I recieve?
How many revisions?
Do you charge by the hour or by the design?
When you hire a professional designer for your logo you will find that they will spend the time with you to find out about you and your business. They will create a logo that is completely unique and will represent you and your business. When you see the final work you will be proud and say this is me, this is my business!
A professional will also make sure that the files will be in the correct format and may give you the logo in multiple formats for printers and for further work down the road. They should also get you the matching colors and fonts for other branding including your web design.
A professional can also help you learn more about how to make your logo usable in multiple formats including web, print, large or small, black and white or color.
Whichever way you go make sure that you pick a logo that you love and will love for a long time. Make sure that when you see this logo that in an instant you recognize it, it pops at you and that it truly represents you. Then use your logo everywhere: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, website, blog, business cards, stationary, and anywhere you can mark your presence.
More Questions?
I’m always happy to help with questions so feel free and ask here in the comments or email me at (unicornbeauty (@) gmail.com)
After last nights Comment Cocktail Hour I had one of the ladies, ManWifeDog from Man, Wife & Dog, ask me about how to clean up her comments section of her blog. I always love to share with people how to simplify the look and feel of their blogs. This has been one thing I have been starting to write about over at Unicornbeauty, my design blog, but I wanted to share this one with you right away.
Step #1
Make sure your version of WP is up to date! The current version is WordPress 3.1. WordPress has built in some great commenting features. We used to have to have special plugins to be able to reply to comments and make sure the people who commented knew we replied. Now that is all built in.
Step #2
Deactivate all the comment plugins you currently have installed. You may decide you want some of these back but the fewer plugins you have installed the better. And you don’t want any of your plugins to start having confllicts.
Step #3
Look at your comments on your most current post. Does everything look nice and clean?
When I am working on my blog or a clients’ blog I will have the dashboard open in one tab and the actual blog open in another. This way I can quickly check my changes.
Step #4
Before we start installing plugins you need to sit back and think about your readers.
Do you have a lot of readers from twitter? Then you will want to let them link up their twitter accounts. Do you have a facebook page? Then you will want to encourage your facebook friends to share or like your post. Are your readers usually other bloggers? Well you will want them to be able to share their link and give them encouragement to comment.
Step #5
Now that you know who you are targeting now is the time to start adding plugins, but remember less is more!
Here are some great comment plugins:
CommentLuv
“Plugin to show a link to the last post from the commenters blog by parsing the feed at their given URL when they leave a comment. Rewards your readers and encourage more comments.”
CommentLuv is great way to encourage your blogging comments to comment even more. Of course, they love the free advertisement of their most current blog post! I like it because I can instantly jump to a blog post to share some comment love.
Subscribe To Comments
“Allows readers to receive notifications of new comments that are posted to an entry”
Another very similar plugin to this is Comment Reply Notification. These plugins just give your readers an option to know if you or someone else has commented on your blog post. And really your goal with comments should be to interact with your readers and to start conversations with them and between each other.
Twitterlink Comments
“Plugin to show a link to follow the comment author on twitter if they have entered in their username at least once in the comment form”
I have a lot of twitter followers and readers so I added this to my blog so that they have the option to share their twitter id and page. This is also a tool for me for Comment Cocktail Hour.
Step #6
You would think that we are done, but I would say that social media sharing is a part of commenting these days. Make sure that you have a clean and precise “call to action” for your social media lovers. Remember again less is more!
I use an all in one social media plugin:
Sharebar – “Adds a dynamic bar with sharing icons (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that changes based on browser size and page location. More info and demo at: Sharebar Plugin Home”
Sharebar is kind of because you can adjust it to fit just perfectly with your layout and you can have it float as your reader scrolls. This plugin also gives you multiple social media options, but don’t overwhelm your readers with options. Know your readers and where they are most likely to share your posts and only set these up.
Also, in the past I have used Sexy Bookmarks which is also a good multiple social media option. I would say your choice between these two would depend on your theme and style.
Step #7
Delete all plugins you deactivated earlier and are not using. Remember you don’t want to have to many plugins installed. This can cause your site to be slow, cause conflict problems and it just makes it harder keeping your current plugins updated. You can always reinstall anything you want back later.
Are their other plugins you would recommend? Or are you looking for a plugin to do more and you haven’t found it yet? Feel free and let me know in the comments!
As I was organizing my documents in Google Docs I found a PDF I had received from Problogger, 9 Things to Do to Get Your Blog On Track in The New Year. I instantly added this to my to do list today. I need to read this! I read it and I knew what I wanted my objectives to …
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