12 Things You Really Should Know About SEO

From the very beginning of the Internet, the number one challenge which all of us have faced is how to attract qualified visitors to our websites. Throughout the boom years, one of the most popular solutions was to get massive funding, relatively easy to get in those days, and "buy" traffic, by various means.

As an iconoclastic young developer, with

Blog Marketing: Guerrillas stalk the Internet

Blogs, are often defined as frequent and ongoing publications of personal thoughts and opinions of the Internet or websites. And, of course - all of certainly know what Marketing is. We are constantly bombarded with every sort of Marketing ploy through almost all forms of electronic media and print media as well. Blog Marketing is an exploding tactical and strategic process on the Internet whereby personal opinion and marketing coalesce to advise, promote, guide, persuade or dissuade any or all of us in our purchasing decisions.

24 Tips and Strategies on How Everyone Can Blog Right andGet

By the end of 2004 blogs had established themselves as a key
part of online culture. "Blog readership shoots up 58% in
2004 6 million Americans get news and information fed to
them through RSS aggregators But 62% of online Americans do
not know what a blog is." - Pew Internet & American Life
Project

Tip #1 - How and Where Should I Start?
You should begin your blog with a free blog hosting service
such as Blogger (http://www.blogger.com), or other similar
free services such as JournalHome.com, LiveJournal.com or
Blog-City.com. The learning curve for using such free
services allow you to spend more on developing your content
rather than worrying about the advanced areas of scripting,
hosting, or programming.

Blogging for Dollars

Blogging for dollars might sound like the latest game show or some new drinking game, but it's the latest craze to hit the Internet. Bloggers began blogging for a number of reasons, but as the blog movement has increased in popularity, they have found ways to monetize their blogs and are seeing their commitment pay off.
Whether a blogger's focus is to communicate with customers or just to have fun, they have begun looking at ways to earn revenue from their blogs. The most popular ways for bloggers to earn some added cash for their pet projects are:

1. ) Google Ad-sense in Blogs
Google Ad Sense allows webmasters to dynamically serve content-relevant advertisements in blogs. If the visitor clicks one of the Ad Sense ads served to the blog, the website owner is credited for the referral. Webmasters need only to insert a Google-generated java script into the blog or blog template. Google's spider parses the Ad-serving blog and serves ads that relate to the blog's content. Google uses a combination of keyword matching and context analysis to determine what ads should be served.

2. ) Affiliate Programs (Product Endorsements)
Affiliate Programs work when an affiliate web site receives income for generating sales, leads, or traffic to a merchant website. Generally, bloggers will mention or endorse specific products and if site visitors purchase the product, bloggers will receive a portion of the sale.

3. ) Product Promotion
Businesses use blogs to detail how specific features or product add-ons can increase functionality and save time. Content-rich product promotion will help with search engine placement.

4.) Banner Ads
While less popular than in the past, websites with high traffic levels can still earn decent revenue by selling banner space.
As the Internet evolves bloggers will continue to seek out ways to monetize their opinions and thoughts. Daily journals and online blogs have become more than just a communication means to many.

Blog It And They Will Come.

If you're hoping for a "Blog it and they will come" field of
dreams, you can forget that. Recent statistics from blog
search engine Technorati show that a new blog hits the
Internet every 7.8 seconds! Sheesh, talk about having to
rise above the noise level to be heard, how in the world are
you going to get eyeballs glued to your blog when there is
so much competition out there?

Unlike e-zine subscriptions or auto responder mailings, it's
not the quantity of visitors that counts, it's the quality
of the visitors as well as how often they return to continue
reading your blog.

Quality, in this case, refers to how often they click on
revenue-generating links in your blog and how often they buy
something that you're blogging about. Of course, if you're
operating an altruistic blog that has no revenue-generating
features, then you are only concerned about how often the
readers return to bask in the illumination of your
knowledge, expertise, biting sarcasm or humor.

Either way, those are the two measurements of a successful
blog. Now don't get me wrong, the number of readers is
important, of course, but it's better to have 1,000 faithful
readers who return regularly than it is to have 5,000
readers who come once and you never see them again after
that.

There is no free traffic!

I love when bloggers say "I won't pay for traffic. I can get
it for free". Nothing is "free" my friend. You will either
pay for traffic with money or you will pay for traffic with
your time. Neither way is "free".

So what you have to do is decide which of these situations
describe you best:

A) You have more money than time.

If you are so blessed, then you need to develop an
advertising plan to help you spend your money wisely. An
advertising plan requires you to research the different
advertising programs that are available, study the
demographics of the traffic that you'll be receiving, make a
budget, set up test purchases and analyze the final results.

Well, you don't HAVE to develop an advertising plan. You can
always just throw money at different potential solutions and
hope for the best. If you do that enough times then you will
automatically end up in the "B" category of "more time than
money" because all of your money will be gone and you still
won't have any traffic.

B) You have more time than money.

You've got a great blog going, the few people who show up
already absolutely love it, but you're in a financial
crunch. Is there any hope for you?

Yep, there's plenty of hope. What you'll need though is a
lot on ingenuity and the time to turn your smarts into
traffic. Believe it or not, you should still develop an
advertising plan because even though you're not spending
cash, you are spending time. Time IS money and if you waste
time then you're wasting opportunities to get traffic to
your site.

No matter which way you end up paying for your traffic, time
or money, you should first make an investment in buying some
"knowledge" from people who have already been there, done
that and got the T-shirt. That way you can spend less and
get more bang for your buck or your time.

Blog Construction

Blogs like all forms of writing are an art form that takes knowledge and practice to do well.
Writing.Blogs.Blogs are on-line journals where people express themselves through writing.
Writing: - Writing is the process where one puts down words of a language on a format that others can read. This process has not been around very long, to use one of my writing teacher's favorite sayings, "Writing has only existed for one day in the one year that humanity has existed." Speaking and thinking come much easier than writing. These processes just flow out naturally like a river of consciousness; sometimes we hardly have to think about doing them. Anyone and everyone can write words down on paper but that doesn't mean it's 'good writing', myself included. Like most things in life, our society already takes writing for granted which is proving to expose more of our ignorance. Writing is a new form of expression, and if we want to do it in a way that the masses can connect with our ideas, we have to think much more simply and clearly about this art.
Now that was quite a big paragraph, you've got to wonder if I really needed to say as much as I just did to introduce this article on the best way to write your blogs on the Web. I didn't even mention this main idea, and that's what an introduction paragraph is meant to be for. This is a common mistake in many blogs out there. We try to get too many ideas across in one paragraph, sometimes even in one sentence! The key, as in all things in life-is to keep it simple. Simplicity means that readers won't get confused about what your journal entry is actually about. Introduce your main general topic at the start, and use the subsequent paragraphs to discuss separate ideas that relate to this topic. Try to tie everything up in the concluding paragraph, your main argument and the reason why you've written in the first place.
Grammar and sentence construction are not easy systems to master, especially if you come from a school system that spent more time telling you about historical battles and quadratic equations than on how to read and write. This is a real problem. When we speak we can get messages across to others easily, but if we put these words down on paper, the writing just isn't interesting and doesn't connect with people's curiosities and fascination. When you write you are not talking to a close friend. You can't use slang and colloquialisms that only your local community can understand. The aim is to connect with all the people in the world, so let's make it crystal clear and enjoyable to read.

Your computer has spelling and grammar checks, as well as access to a thesaurus. Use them, but remember that the machine can't decipher all the intricacies of language. Language is a world in itself, and much of its territories are undiscovered by the masses. So, again keep it simple. Short, precise sentences with single ideas are great. Many words in the English language have the same meanings (synonyms). Use the thesaurus so you don't repeat the same word over and over throughout the text. It keeps the story fresh and doesn't turn the reader off. There's nothing more boring than repetition. Using different words can be a lot of fun and a learning experience, just make sure you use a dictionary (also on the computer/Internet) to make absolute sure of the word's definition.

Readability.Simplicity.Make your blog accessible by all people. You can even take into consideration that many readers will have learned English as a second language. As I've said in previous articles, keep to the point-don't go on tangents. Stick with the article's topic, and definitely stay within the realms of your blog's main area. If your blog is entitled "Jazz music", people who go there don't want to hear about how your football team won on the weekend! Please be consistent. How irritating is it to visit a blog that hasn't been written on in months or years?
I hope these little tips will help you on your quest to producing 'good' writing that brings new friends and acquaintances of similar outlooks into your world. If you want people to read, the aim is to produce an emotional reaction in your reader. Pretend you are writing to another form of yourself, if it were not readable, interesting and fun.would you stick around?have fun ;-) stay connected 

Are You a Blogger?

What is a Blog?
Glad you asked!

# A short form for weblog, a personal journal published on the Web. Blogs frequently include philosophical reflections, opinions on the Internet and social issues, and provide a "log" of the author's favorite web links. Blogs are usually presented in journal style with a new entry each day.

# A public web site where users post informal journals of their thoughts, comments, and philosophies, updated frequently and normally reflecting the views of the blog's creator.

# Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site.

# An online journal, published frequently (often daily). Readers can post comments on each journal entry.

Whether you enjoy writing about Travel, the Great Outdoors, Cooking and Grill or other Outdoors activities.!

Blogging has become a great way to get set up with a website of your very own, without the hassles.

Avoid "Bad" Manners While Blogging

Blogging, the hottest trend in online publishing right now,is currently spreading like wildfire across the Internet.
A cross between an online journal and a bulletin board,everyone from rock starts, politicians, business leadersand your average "Joe" or "Jane" can instantly become acenter of influence online using blogs.
But, as with any social interaction, certain rules apply(my grandma calls them manners) in order to be viewed asbehaving "properly."One of the things that give blogging such strong appeal asan online publishing method revolves around "comments."Blogs that allow "comments" enable readers to respond andelaborate on the information posted by the blog owner.These comments and the free exchange of information,opinions, links, and new ideas creates the dynamic andgrowing content that makes blogging such a popular onlineactivity for both publishers and readers.However, rules and unwritten customs about the proper useof "comments" on a specific blog are also where most of theproblems and controversy will arise.
Since a successful blog eventually becomes a community ofpeople (albeit in cyberspace), proper social behavior iscritical to be an effective and accepted member of thecommunity.
Keep these basic rules in mind when approaching a new blogthat allows commenting by readers so you won't findyourself on the wrong end of a scolding by people whooperate with a different set of rules than you.
As with any social circle, violating the group's rules andcustoms will instantly cause a negative backlash.
** Keep It Relevant **Stay on topic with the post you're commenting about in ablog.
Nothing will earn you the wrath and disdain of yourfellow posters and the blog owner faster than posting anoff-topic comment.
** Watch What Others Do **Different blogs operate under different rules. What ratesacceptable in one blog would earn you a verbal thrashing inanother.
Before posting (especially if you have not posted to aspecific blog before), look to see the types and quality ofposts others make regularly.
Are they long or short?
Do they contain a link to the person's website?
Is there a "signature" under their name?

** Be Polite **It's fine to disagree with people when making a comment,whether it's the blog's author or a comment made by anotherreader.
It is not, however, acceptable to launch a personal attackon anyone or make nasty comments in someone else's blog.
If you feel the need to do so, do it in your own blog.
It's the same principle of you can say whatever you want inyour own house, but when you're in someone else's house,you act right (and better than you do at home).
** You Can't Respond to Everyone **If you operate a blog and someone asks a question, try torespond, but both sides should understand that you can'trespond 100% of the time.
We all get busy and a blog, unless it maintains a paidmembership, is often supported as a labor of love.

'Bad Blogs Have Got To Go, Blogging Could Be Really Cool If

There's a lot of blogs out there on the Web, most of which don't entice one to go back regularly to read updates. What is missing from these on-line journals that would essentially make them 'good' blogs? Well, the answers in life usually come down to simplicity  So let's look at the problem like we were children. Children don't complicate life with miscellaneous information, and when they speak they tell you straight to the point exactly how they feel and think about a subject.

First of all, we should ask the questions," Why do blogs exist? And what are they here for?" Well, in an ideal world 'good' blogs would help people connect, sharing knowledge and feelings about issues in life. As they are journals written by individuals we would hope that they'd be readable and open to comment by all other people, not just a select group of friends. The key is speaking in a way that is understandable by the masses, get rid of acronyms and local slang that only few will comprehend. Keep the sentences grammatically simple and generally short and concise.

Try to write in your blog as often as possible because if people enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas they'll want to communicate or at least be filled in regularly on 'your world'. Ask questions, comment on other blogs of similar content, start communities with others you've never met, based on your interests. Keep focused; if your blog is about thoughts on war and peace, keep your thoughts on the latest movie and how hungry you are for somewhere else. The idea is to incite intelligent communication so that in time our collective stockpile of knowledge and wisdom will gradually grow like a tree in fertile soil.

I think of most importance is the fact that you want this journal to be 'good' reading. Of course we all have ideas about what genres and styles we like, but writing from your heart and soul is imperative for the connection with others that you're looking for. Share yourself; don't hide behind walls of fear of ridicule and judgment. In real life relationships trust, respect, intimacy, and unity are all necessary for a bond to form. It's the same in the 'virtual' world; people want to hear from real people-not just one-sided, highly opinionated arguments from egos that don't want to hear the 'other side of the coin'.

Now, in my last article I really tore apart most writers out there, and here I'm giving some pretty complex ideas on how to fix the problem of 'bad' writing. In my next article I'll attempt to go back to the simple basics of how to write for beginners. I hope I haven't come across as too judgmental, I just truly believe the 'blog world' could become a real asset to humanity, and at the moment it's missing the mark.

Ideas about sentence structure, grammar, paragraphing, using a thesaurus (varying terms used so as not to sound repetitive), whether or not your blog is suitable for a personal or professional approach, are all important to creating a simple and enjoyable read for the blogging visitor. If you are a beginner, please check out my next article on the basics.

A Person Is Known By the Blog He Keeps

Literature is the soul of the wit. The best source of literature can be now found in blogs. The growing trend of 'blog-mania' is slowly sweeping the citizenship  Every person aspires to have a blog as a platform to publish his thoughts and be heard and read.

General surveys undertaken on blogs and bloggers shows a rising trend in blogging. A parallel platform for literary endeavor, the blogs are overthrowing the traditional journalistic norms. Publishing of news and views no longer remains the privilege of an elite minority. Anybody and everybody is free to get in touch and explore the writer within himself. The metamorphic nature of the human soul is best reflected in the blogs.

A survey in the United States brought out a startling fact the 30% of the surveyed people read blogs. Also, 52% of the surveyed people advocate equal journalistic rights and freedom for the blogs. And the most striking fact is that 31% of the surveyed people revealed that they found blogs to be more credible than the newspapers.

The growing popularity of blogs can be gazed from the fact that Yahoo, Google, MSN, Re-diff and all the other bigwigs of the cyber world are experimenting with blogs and bloggers. Both free and paid blog hoisting sites have come up which offers a plethora of tools to make blogging a breeze.

MSN has even gone to the extent of making a common 'passport' database across all its services. So now, a MSN user can use his own personal 'id' across MSN messenger, Spaces and Hotmail  Also, MSN has integrated its Spaces with MSN Messenger 7.0. The users of MSN Messenger 7.0 will have a tab labeled 'gleams' which will inform them when their contacts have updated their individual blogs.

Recent statistics from MSN shows that MSN has 270,000 daily blog updates. This number is huge considering the fact that most of the bloggers do not update their blogs on a daily basis.

The Literature of the new era is no longer limited to books. From Poems to Features, from Humor to Short Stories, everything can be found in the blogs.

Though good blogs are a trifle to find, yet close scrutiny will reveal every blog to be good in its own personal aspect. After all, blogs are a slice of the blogger's life and every one's life is a good source of learning experience.

This also opens up the teaching value of blogs. Blogs can be a mirror of life, culture and society. What can be a better teacher than one with a plethora of experiences to offer on a silver platter?

Creating A Blog For Your Business Can Help You Increase Your Profits

One of the more searched for terms among the major search engines is "blog". The word blog is meant to describe a web log, or online journal, that is used to post personal thoughts on the products and services offered by your business. A blog can also be used to make announcements to your customers and provide them a place to give feedback and make comments. You may include any information you desire in your posts to your blog that are related to your line of business. Articles, questions, and opinions are all appropriate blogging subjects.

Starting a blog is simple and there are several blogging tools available to you. Some are free to use and other, more powerful blogging tools can be found for a small monthly fee. In general, blogging tools are user friendly and do not require the knowledge of HTML or complex computer skills. Creating a blog can give your business increased visibility and give your subscribers a forum in which to receive product updates, advice on how to effectively use your products, and post questions or comments about your line of business. To bring your blog to the attention of your target audience, you can link your blog to other blogs, include links to your blog in newsletters or on your web site, and you may even want to include a link to your blog in your email signature.

Blogging can help you increase your profits due to increased visibility, which will undoubtedly lead to increased web site traffic and lead to you earn money blogging. Make sure to only include pertinent information about your niche or line of business in your blog. Most bloggers are happy to link their blog to those belonging to others. The sharing of information and ability to post thoughts and comments makes for a winning situation for all concerned. Starting a blog for your business can be a great way to help you increase your profits and share important information with the public.