Cool Tools | Michelle Shaeffer

Are You Using a Link Shortener?

August 23, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 7 Comments

Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes

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.

Build a Following on Twitter With #Hashtag Tips

August 6, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 9 Comments

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 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.

Three Ways to Create Video for Your Website Without a Web Cam

August 5, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 4 Comments

Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes

If you want to add video to your website but aren’t ready to put yourself in front of the camera, or aren’t setup with a web cam and software to record video yet, here are some options for you.

1) Create a slide show presentation of your products. This one is simple and easy to create. Just upload your photos, add a title and some music and you’ve got a video.

2) Give a photo tour of your office or shop area. Allow clients a behind-the-scenes look at where you create.

3) Promote a sale or special gift offer with a video. In addition to “photograph” photos you can also use any image you create and save in the right format. So you could use Photoshop or Gimp to create a coupon image and mix that in with photos of the item that’s for sale.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cool Tools, Video, Websites & Technology Tagged With: animoto, photos, product photos, slide show, slideroll, stupeflix, video, youtube

900+ Video Tutorials for Tech Tasks

July 17, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 8 Comments

Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes

Ever feel stuck or confused trying to use YouTube, PayPal, WordPress or other online software and services? Would it be easier if you had someone beside you to walk you through it as you watched the screen and could see the steps they took? Well, I haven’t mastered teleporter technology yet (I’ll keep trying!) but I’ve got the next best thing to share with you.

I want to invite you to stop by the new tutorial library at Host Creo. You’ll find more than 900 (yes, 900!) video tutorials on everything from PayPal to YouTube to WordPress to cPanel and much more. Most include English voice narration, and we’ve got a few in Spanish and French.

Of course, I’d be honored if you’d consider hosting your next website with Host Creo (since I do own the company – and you’ll get a bunch of cool resources if you host with us) but no matter where you host you’ll find these tutorials a great resource and no login or account with Host Creo is required to view them. So check ‘em out!

Filed Under: Blogging, Business Online, Cool Tools, ECommerce, Software Tips, Video, Website Tips, Websites & Technology Tagged With: hosting, video tutorials

How to Keep Up With More Blogs in Less Time

July 3, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 6 Comments

Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes

It’s summertime… sunshine, beaches, camping, holidays, and kids out of school… are you missing out on posts from your favorite blogs with all that busyness?

I posted a few weeks ago about how to setup your own blog to allow readers to follow you with RSS but didn’t share how to setup your own RSS reader for you to follow blogs you like. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for a video explaining RSS.)

Why would you want an RSS reader? All your favorite blogs in one place, easier to stay caught up with. It’s a great time-saver and makes it much easier to stay engaged with those you’ve chosen to follow and learn from.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Cool Tools, Organization, Time Management Tagged With: google reader, keeping up with blogs, learning, rss, rss reader

Have You Heard of Fiverr.com Yet?

July 1, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 5 Comments

Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes

I hadn’t heard of Fiverr.com until about a week ago when Traci Hayner Vanover introduced me to with her new ebook, Five Dollar Fortunes: Successfully Sell on Fiverr.com.

Like most of us who run small businesses online, I hear about a lot of new sites and ways to make money online but this one caught my interest and definitely has possibilities!

Let’s start with Fiverr.com. It’s a site a little bit like eBay, only everything on it is $5. That’s it. $5. Nothing higher. Nothing Lower. Sounds a little crazy, right? You can purchase goods or services from sellers and then rate them after they deliver. Like any site I found a few weird things (offers to leave odd voice mail for you), some downright strange listings (why would I pay $5 for a video of someone drunk?), a couple of questionable services ($5 could get me fake positive feedback–I’ll skip that one, thanks!) , but also a lot of interesting deals and introductory services from businesses and professionals. It’s one of those sites where just browsing can have you laughing out loud.

So, silliness aside, is it any good for small businesses? With Traci’s guide, definitely! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Online, Cool Tools Tagged With: five dollar fortunes, fivver, fivver.com, traci hanover

10 Things You Can Do in 10 Minutes Each to Move Your Business Forward

June 26, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 51 Comments

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.

How to Add an Amazon Widget to Your Blog

June 22, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 5 Comments

Reading time: < 1 minute

I’m an avid reader and love recommending books (and other resources) that have been helpful to me in my business. Reading a good business books on a regular basis is a fantastic way to stay creative, grow your knowledge base and move forward with your business.

Do you enjoy business books? Books related to your craft or area of expertise?

Last week I found a cool Amazon widget to add to my side bar. It allowed me to easily create a “bookshelf” of business books I recommend. I thought I’d share how I created and added it.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Cool Tools, Website Tips Tagged With: affiliate, amazon, books

Get Control Over Your RSS Feed

June 14, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 7 Comments

Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes

One of the great features of a blog is it’s “RSS Feed.” That stands for “real simple syndication” – but it can be a little confusing and not feel so simple if you’re new to blogging. It allows your fans to get notified when you post a new blog, if they choose to subscribe in an RSS reader. Awesome, right? Here’s how it works for your fans: