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It’s very cool when your keyword alerts show something fun. I just got a notice that I was featured in a list of 101 Women Bloggers to Watch in 2010 by WE Magazine for Women.
Check out the list here: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/101-more-women-bloggers-to-watch-for-2010/
Lots of great blogs are included so do check it out when you’ve got a few minutes to browse.
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How long are your links?
Are you using a link shortener yet for your website links and affiliate links? If not, you should be! And it’s easy to do.
You can choose to use a web-based link shortener like TinyURL, Bit.ly or ShortURL. Or, you can install the GoCodes plugin for WordPress or a free script like Shorty on your own domain and stay in control of your affiliate links. Using your own domain as the base for your short links lets you build links to your site, build your brand, and be in control of where the links are pointing to.
There are three important reasons I suggest bloggers and online business owners shorten their links.
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Are you using Twitter for business and looking for ways to increase your reach by gaining new followers? Here are five ways to get new followers on Twitter.
1. Find and follow targeted tweeters.
Many people on Twitter will follow you back if you follow them first. But you don’t just want random followers to inflate your numbers. The key is to find the people on Twitter who you can connect with because you have things in common and who would be interested in the products or services you offer.
Not sure where to begin to find people to follow?
[Read more...]
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I thought Twitter sounded pretty crazy when I first heard about it a couple of years ago. 140 characters to tell other random people what I’m doing? Turns out I love Twitter and it’s pretty cool once you get it figured out.
The analogy I like best is the water cooler comparison — Twitter is like the office water cooler where people pop in to chat during little breaks in their day.
I enjoy Twitter because of it’s simplicity. Short messages. Nothing complicated. It’s simple and easy. You can tweet from the website at www.twitter.com or you can use a program like HootSuite or Tweetie (iPod Touch/iPhone app). You can also tweet from various smart phones.
So, what’s it good for? Twitter’s a free way you can:
[Read more...]
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One of the strategies I use to build a following on Twitter is to share helpful tips and articles as often as possible. If you’re doing the same, consider using this strategy to take your tips to the next level.
1. Start by compiling a list of 30 short tips on a specific topic. Remember they need to be under 140 characters. And if you want to encourage others to re-tweet them for you, keep them even shorter (around 100 characters or so).
2. If some of the tips you want to share are too long, write a blog post or article explaining it, then add the URL to the tip. Use a URL shortener like Bit.ly to make sure it’s not too long.
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Do you need motivation to help you blog consistently? If so, a blog challenge might be just the thing for you!
A Blog Challenge is when a group of bloggers get together and set a goal to post to their blogs daily for a set number of days (for example, one month). During the challenge they support each other by visiting the blogs of the other participants and leaving comments, tweeting and sharing their posts, and interacting.
Participating in a blog challenge can help you stay motivated and connect with others who share your goal. It can also help you make connections and get to know other bloggers.
One of the most obvious benefits of a blog challenge is the big boost in traffic that can happen when you have others visiting your blog who want to support you and help you promote your blog.
But there are many other benefits!
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How many visitors did you get to your website or blog last month? Want more? Not sure how to get more traffic?
Join Michele Scism of Decisive Minds, LLC, and me tomorrow as we share what’s working for us to generate more traffic to our blogs.
We’ll be focusing on blogging but many of the tips will apply to any website. And I’ll be sharing my favorite “set it and forget” type of tips (because who’s got time to add more things to their to do list?). So come listen in!
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You’ve got two basic choices in promoting your business:
1. You can stand right there where you’re at, making noise and trying to get people to come to you.
2. You can figure out where the people are, go to them, and then make noise.
Now, of course, what kind of noise you make matters (are you just yelling about yourself or demonstrating how you can help by sharing smart resources like your newsletter, case studies, blog, articles, videos and more).
But which choice do you think would make it easier to connect with the perfect customers or clients? #2!
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My first post on this topic was pretty popular so I thought I’d give it a second round. Marketing can feel like this huge overwhelming thunderstorm that hangs over our heads when we’re running our own businesses. As if we’ve got TIME to deal with ONE MORE THING! But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Believe me, I understand! If I had to write a 50 page marketing plan and spend 4 hours a day implementing it… well, either it’d never happen… or I’d never get anything else done and never have time to complete the services I need to for my clients and create the products I offer. Or, I’d never get to play with my kiddos and my house would look like a hurricane hit it. There just aren’t that many hours in the day. If I wanted that much stress I wouldn’t be working from home with my own business. Always remember the reason you started your business – I’m pretty sure that “So I can go legally insane and end up in therapy!” wasn’t on your top ten list of reasons, right? Yeah, it wasn’t on mine either.
Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes
I’m writing this from the airport at 7:03pm. My goal is to be done at 7:13pm and schedule this post. I’ve got 30 minutes until my plane boards and I can complete three small tasks to move my business forward. Here are some ideas:
1. Write a quick blog post and promote it.
Jot down some random thoughts about something helpful for your readers. Try a top ten list (like this one!) or top 5 list. You can polish it later and use it as an article, in your newsletter, for a podcast, in a video, etc. Take time to tweet your post and add it to your Facebook status. If you’re using Networked Blogs, it will tweet/update for you.
If you feel overwhelmed at the thought of posting in 10 minutes, check out Michele Scism’s 10 minute blog post ideas: part one and part two.
2. Write a few thank you cards or emails.
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Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes I’m writing this from the airport at 7:03pm. My goal is to be done at 7:13pm and schedule this post. I’ve got 30 minutes until my plane boards and I can complete three small tasks to move my business forward. Here are some ideas: 1. Write a quick blog… [Continue Reading]
Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes If Forrest Gump was right, and life is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you’re going to get… I want you to think of your blog and your business as if it were a cupcake. The cake part is what you do–your services or your… [Continue Reading]
Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes My first post on this topic was pretty popular so I thought I’d give it a second round. Marketing can feel like this huge overwhelming thunderstorm that hangs over our heads when we’re running our own businesses. As if we’ve got TIME to deal with ONE MORE THING! But… [Continue Reading]
Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes One of the strategies I use to build a following on Twitter is to share helpful tips and articles as often as possible. If you’re doing the same, consider using this strategy to take your tips to the next level. 1. Start by compiling a list of 30 short… [Continue Reading]
Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes If you’re reading my blog, I think it’s safe to assume you’ve got a small business, correct? (And small doesn’t refer to how many items you sell or your revenue, just that you’re either a solopreneur or a business with just a few employees.) Why are you in business? … [Continue Reading]
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