Written on March 23rd, 2005 at 12:03 pm by David Shawver
Wikis and Wikipedia
There is a good article over at Wired on Wikis and in particular - Wikipedia. I’m a regular Wikipedia user and often wondered how it got going - now I know.
thanks to Rachel for the tip
Written on March 23rd, 2005 at 11:03 am by David Shawver
Meeting Cameron Reilly
This morning I spent a couple of hours with Blogger and Podcaster Cameron Reilly.
Meeting face to face with other bloggers is always an interesting experience but to do it with a podcaster added a new slightly surreal element.
Not only have I been reading what he writes daily for months now - I’ve also been listening to him for quite some time, I was quite familiar with not only his ideas but also his voice - weird.
Anyway - once I got of over that (it took all of four seconds and a gulp of coffee) I had a really enjoyable time. Conversation topics were diverse and productive. We talked about potential Podcasts and the idea of a Melbourne Blogger’s Meet Up which I’ll get to work on after Easter.
What I appreciated most about our time was connecting with someone who has a similar desire to see the new mediums that we work in become something that is not just about making a quick dollar - but has the potential to be about making a difference in the world we live in. I’ve long believed that Podcasting and Blogging can be change agents and life giving mediums. It was great to find someone else with a similar vision for medium - not just interested in building a business or a career - but interested in using the opportunities and developing tools before him to play a part in creating a better world.
Of course on top of all that I met another nutter who is as much of a dreamer and collector of diverse information as I am.
Its also nice to have a conversation about Blogging which doesn’t start with a raised eyebrow and a confused look before the question - ‘What’s a blog again?’
Looking forward to more face to face interactions with bloggers and hoping it will lead to some interesting projects in time.
Written on March 23rd, 2005 at 01:03 am by David Shawver
Random Blog Tip - Adding an ‘About’ Page
One of the ways you can make your blog more engaging for readers is to consider adding a feature that I’ve noticed that some bloggers are increasingly avoiding using - an About page.
About Pages: Two of the most viewed pages on my blog here are my About enternetusers and About Darren pages - this gives me some indication that people reading this blog are a little curious about what this blog is about and who is writing it. This is the case on most of my blogs.
I can only speak for myself - but one of the things that frustrates me about many blogs is that they lack much in the way of information about the author/s of them. For some blogs this is more important than others (and its a personal preference thing about how much authors choose to reveal of who they are) but I find pages without an About page can be quite frustrating.
Why have an About Page?
There are a number of advantages of About pages that bloggers should consider.
Transparency: This is one of those words of the moment around the blogging community - everyone is calling for bloggers to be as transparent as possible, to name their interests, income sources, objectives etc - an about page can play a part in this.
Engagement: I know some bloggers prefer to write in a more impersonal style - but I’m a heart guy - I like people - I like a bit of humour, personality and emotion from time to time in blogging and an About page can really help create a more personal connection with your readers. Sure not everyone is like me and won’t appreciate the ‘gush’ - but I suspect plenty of your readers will appreciate a little more information on the person they’re reading.
Highlighting Key Pages: An About page has the ability to propel your readers deep within your site to your key posts. Is there an article that you’re particular proud of that sums up what you’re blog is about? Is there a sponsor you want to highlight? Is there a page with an income stream that you’d like to expose all your readers to? Are there some categories that you’d like to highlight? Your About page will get read - and its an opportunity to introduce your readers (particularly first timers) to your key pages.
Key Features for Your About Page
So what should an About Page include?
This is really a matter of personal preference and something I’d like to hear your opinions on but here are a few things I include on some of my blog’s about pages:
- Photo: I like to see some sort of picture of the person I’m reading. It definitely adds something for me.
- Blog objectives: Succinctly sum up the point of your blog. What is it about? What will readers gain from it?
- Introduce Yourself: You probably want to keep your introduction down to a short one - but particularly talk about your experience with the topic you’re writing about. Why should they listen to you? What is your context and background?
- Introduce Blogging: Depending on your topic you might want to introduce the idea of a blog (or at least link to an article/post about it. Many first time blog readers don’t understand things like categories, comments, RSS etc. Also point them at some good starting points in your blog - key articles etc.
- Contact Details: I’m planning a longer post on this later - but consider giving your readers a way of getting in touch with you. Again its about transparency and interactivity.
How do you create an About Page?
The simplest way to do it is to write a normal post on your blog titled ‘About (insert your name, or your blog’s name here)’. You might want to change the date of your post to an older one if you have that capability. Then simply link to your own post from your sidebar or menu where ever you want to place it.
Other Factors
- Privacy: Its common sense really but its worth saying. Most good bloggers have boundaries around privacy - its worth thinking it through and sticking to them
- Keep it Short: Again - common sense here. Yes people want to know about you - but only to a point. Don’t ramble.
- Keep it Relevant: I’ve already mentioned it - but don’t take the opportunity to tell readers about your whole life if your blog is on a niche topic.
- Make it Prominent: Don’t hide your About Page away. Put it high on your side bar, menu or in your header. People won’t use it if they don’t see it.
By no means is this a definitive guide to everything you’ll find on a good About Page. I’m interested to hear how (and if) you write yours. What do you include and exclude? What would you add or subtract from my lists above? Feel free to link to your examples of About pages if you’re particularly proud of yours.
Written on March 22nd, 2005 at 10:03 am by David Shawver
Introducing The Wealthy Blogger
Jeremy from Ensight today announced the launch of a new blog he and a buddy have been working on - its The Wealthy Blogger - a blog about Money Management. Its a good example of a niche topic that aims to provide good helpful advice whilst providing its owners with a growing source of their own income.
Jeremy engaged my services with a little Adsense placement consulting so am interested to see how it will perform. They seem to be off to a good start if the numbers of comments on each post are anything to go by.
Written on March 22nd, 2005 at 09:03 am by David Shawver
Interview with Professional Blogger - Paul Scrivens
I still remember the day when a friend told me to head over to the 9rules network of blogs to check out the design and style of blogging that was going on there. I surfed in and immediately found myself drooling over a clean and nicely laid out design and reading the content of someone who seemed to really know his stuff.
I’ve often gone back to 9rules and in more recent times have found myself drawn to its owners latest blog - Work Boxers - a blog not dissimilar to enternetusers in some ways that is dedicated to one blogger’s lessons learnt whilst blogging for money. The Blogger I’m talking about is Paul Scrivens. Paul is also one of the guys behind Business Logs and the author and owner of the recently sold CSS Vault. I respect his work and have learnt a lot off him already since finding his blogs and hope that you find this interview with him helpful in your own blogging enterprises.
enternetusers - Paul thanks for your time - can you briefly tell us a little about yourself (ie how would you introduce who you are and what you do when you meet a new group of people).
Paul - I am a 24 year old kid who likes to play with new methods of making money on the web. Since there are so many ways to do so I am still wondering around the landscape trying to find the best mix possible. I am not a workaholic or someone that is overly obsessed with his work. I just love doing what I do and hope to continue doing so while also
helping others do the same.
enternetusers - How long have you been involved in online ventures? How and when did you first discover and enter into blogging? What sites/projects/blogs are you currently involved in?
Paul - I started blogging around June 2003, but didn’t start to make money online till January 2004 when I implemented Google Adsense on Whitespace. Being a web designer I had been reading web design blogs for the longest time, but felt none of them said the things that I wanted to say and so I decided to start my own.
Currently I am involved with all the sites in the 9rules Network.
enternetusers - Can you give us an idea about how much you earn directly from your blogging activities?
Paul - It’s a wide range depending on how Active I am. My best month was a bit over $10,000.
enternetusers - Are there other ways you make an income related to Blogging?
Paul - I do consulting work with Business Logs.
enternetusers - Do you start blogs because you are interested in the topic or because of their commercial potential (or both)?
Paul - I start blogs that I have an interest in because I think this is the best way to make money. To start making money online I believe you have to start with something that you are passionate about. If you don’t, then you can grow tired of it quickly. With blogs, your passion is reflected towards the audience. You can’t expect to continously update a
blog for over 9 months if you have no interest in it.
I think I can make money with any topic, but if I didn’t see a chance to make money from it, then I probably wouldn’t start it.
enternetusers - What do you see as the potential for blogging? Why do you personally do it? What advantages and disadvantages do you see in it in comparison to other formats of websites.
Paul - Blogging has endless potential, but in the end it is still just a website. I think you will find that more and more blogs are moving towards traditional website formats by including more and more features, such as articles and forums. What helps differentiate blogs from typical websites though is that the voice becomes the brand so you get to easily direct where you wish that brand to go.
Personally I do it because it helps me learn more about myself and I just like to hear myself talk.
enternetusers - You talk in WorkBoxers of how you make money from your blogging? What methods do you use mainly to do this? Which have been most successful?
Paul - I use Adsense, Amazon Associates, and a couple of other Affiliate programs. Due to the range of topics on my sites Adsense isn’t the biggest player in the revenue picture. This fluctuates between Amazon and a collection of other affiliates.
enternetusers - What advice would you give someone just starting out with blogging that would like to earn an income from it?
Paul - I know it’s tired advice, but you really have to start with something you are passionate about. Focus on the content and the traffic and money will follow. Read, read, read. There are too many great resources out there to list and many folks are kind enough to share what has worked for them and what has not.
enternetusers - What is your favourite blogging tool or service?
Paul - MT simply because I have worked with it the longest so I know it in and out. I am sure if I had started with TextPattern or Wordpress my opinion would differ.
enternetusers - How much time do you spend each day blogging?
Paul - Totally depends on how motivated I am. I wish I spent more time doing it, but currently I have other projects pulling me away. So I would say around 2-3 hours M-F. I keep a light load so as not to drive myself insane.
enternetusers - You are well renowned as having beautifully designed sites - what are the biggest mistakes that you see people making in terms of design in their blogging? What advice would you give a new blogger just starting out with blogging in terms of design?
Paul - The biggest mistake is trying to add too much to your design. Sure at first the reader will notice the design, but it’s the content that will make them come back. Keep the design simple enough so that they can read the content and find whatever information they are looking for. Nobody gets turned away by simple design, but overly cluttered and ugly
designs can prevent repeat visits.
enternetusers - What are your hopes and dreams for your blogging? Where would you like to see it take you?
Paul - I hope that it leads to me being able to explore new ideas and work on more projects. I hope to be able to help others do what I do and do so successfully. Even though I will probably never retire I would like to see my blogging lead me to retirement by age 30.
enternetusers - You’re 24 now – do you think you’ll make it?
Paul - Well of course I do otherwise I wouldn’t set that goal. This will require a new model for my efforts, but I definitely thinks it’s possible.
Written on March 22nd, 2005 at 04:03 am by David Shawver
Monkey Bar Blogging
I’d like to take a moment to make a enternetusers Public Service Announcement.
Its actually something that I’ve been considering doing for a while now because I’ve had two worrying incidents happen in the past week that have left me somewhat concerned.
The latest of these incidents happened two days ago when I received an excited email from a new enternetusers reader (I have his permission to share this with you without using his name) who was writing to tell me that he’d just ‘turned Professional’ as a blogger and quit his job to go full time with blogging.
His email was written in an excited tone and was full of grand visions of blogs that would make lots of money. Not only was he excited but his partner was also as they had been reading numerous stories of bloggers making their riches from the medium over the past week. They have two little kids and he was excited to be able to stay home with his family to write each day and be able to provide an income for his family.
The email left me with a sinking feeling in my guts as I considered the decision that this guy had made to quit his secure job to become a Professional blogger. You see he’d only started his first blog a week ago - the day he handed in his resignation.
enternetusers Public Service Announcement
It takes time to build a profitable blog. You do not just become a Professional Blogger anymore than you just become a Professional Golfer. It is not a decision you make, it is something you work towards over time.
I’d invite you to glance over tot he poll I’m currently running this week on how much money Bloggers are currently making from their blogs from Adsense. Look at the figures - not just the ones at the bottom, but all of them.
Over a third of those who have responded make less than $30 each Month - less than $1 per day. Around half of those who responded earn less than $100 per month - less than $3 per day. Those are numbers to consider before you launch into ProBlogging without a back up plan.
Monkey Bar Blogging
A wise man once gave me some good advice on business. He reminded me of when as a child I would play on the Monkey Bar Play Gym equipment. If you want to get across the monkey bars, from one end to the other, the safest way to do it is to grab hold of the first bar and swing to the next without letting go of the first until you have a firm grip of the second one. As you let go of the first you propel yourself to the third without letting go of the second until you have a strong grip of the next one.
The quickest way to fall off the monkey bar and break a bone (I broke my collar bone doing this) is to try and skip a bar, or to let go of the first one before you grip the next one.
Business (and Professional Blogging) is the same. There are times when you need to take risks in business - but there are also times when you have to be sensible and have some sort of a backup plan. Don’t try and skip steps without being sure you can survive on where you’re at.
My Blogging Journey
When I first started blogging I was working two jobs part time. I had no idea that blogging would become an income stream for me - it was purely a hobby.
Six or so months later when I started to earn an income from it I was tempted to quit my jobs and go full time but I decided to be careful - and I’m glad I did.
There came a time when I let go of one of those part time jobs - when it became realistic that I would be able to earn enough from my blogging to make up for the loss of that income - but I did keep hold of one of the jobs. Later on I was able to relinquish the second part time job and go full time with my blogging.
In actual fact I have recently taken on another part time job for six months while we get ourselves settled with a new mortgage - partly becuase the role is an exciting opportunity, but also partly to ensure a steady back up income for 6 months in our time of transition.
I’ve been blogging for 2.5 years now and only recently could afford to ‘go Pro’ (and still don’t). I work 6-10 hours 7 days per week (sometimes more) and am updating 18+ blogs daily. It is hard work. I love it and wouldn’t do anything else - but consider the cost before you launch in.
Yes you CAN make a lot of money from Blogging - read the stories that are going around on blogs of people making decent money from blogging - but also read about the hard work and time that it’s taken them and remember that for every success story you read there are plenty of others around who have tried and failed to make more than a few dollars from their blogs.
I’m not wanting to dampen the excitement and dreams of Pro Bloggers - in fact the whole point of this blog is to help them reach those dreams - but I think its the responsibility of those of us who are ‘talking up’ blogging to also keep giving reality checks. Otherwise we’re going to end up with a lot of Bloggers that look a little like this guy on the Monkey Bars - handing on for dear life!
Written on March 22nd, 2005 at 12:03 am by David Shawver
Random Blog Tip - Write Content
The title above might seem like a no brainer but I’ve had a few bloggers send me their blogs to review recently that could actually learn a thing or two by taking this simple advice.
Search Engines like text. They also like outbound links - but more than that they like actual content on your site. It is about getting the balance between links and content right.
I’ve noticed with a few of the blogs that have been sent to me lately that they are almost all links with very little (if any in some posts) actual static text.
Whilst from time to time I have posted some ‘contextless links’ posts which just contained three or four links without commentary I would strongly encourage bloggers not to do this with every post if you want to get indexed well by search engines.
Written on March 21st, 2005 at 06:03 pm by David Shawver
Ethics and Blogging: Attribution where due
Duncan has started what looks to be a very worthwhile series of posts over at the Blog Herald on Ethics and Blogging - something that we all need to be continually challenged on. His first post is on giving Attribution where due or crediting your sources - something i ranked on a while back. Here’s a bit of what Duncan had to say.
‘Providing attribution is an ethical consideration all bloggers should consider. Many of you reading this already will, but you may be surprised how many don’t, and the higher up the blogosphere you go, the worse it gets. Think of it this way: you put your heart and soul into a post and half a day later, somebody posts nearly exactly the same thing, you cant prove the link but its more than coincidence, and you’re either heartbroken or angry. You don’t like it happening to you, so be ethical and don’t do it to others, you might be surprised: many bloggers like to see who is linking to their posts, they may well see yours and then all of a sudden you’ve got a link back…see the picture: do the right thing and good things may come from it.’
Written on March 21st, 2005 at 02:03 pm by David Shawver
Write in a Granular style - One Topic Per Post
Robert has a good simple tip on how to make your posts easier to pass around for your readers and suggests you write in a granular style. To put it most simply.
‘Make one post contain one idea, or set of links.’
I agree with Robert although can think of times when you might want to include a few grains or ideas in one post. Some bloggers build their whole style around having multiple ideas in one post - however I personally generally find these blogs difficult to link up to and read. I’d much rather see one post, on one topic, with one heading that describes that post.
This is especially important for your readers who use RSS to read your blog and who either just look at your titles or who select to only see excerpts (the first few lines) of your post.
I would also add that it helps with the search engine optimization of your post if the search engine’s bot only finds one topic in each post rather than numerous.
Written on March 21st, 2005 at 12:03 pm by David Shawver
Getting Better Adsense Ads - Stopping ads for Blogging Services
One of the most common problems that bloggers using Adsense have is that they constantly find that they are served with ads for blogging products and services. Whilst this might not be a big problem for a blogger writing on the topic of blogging (I don’t mind too much here at enternetusers) - it can be terribly frustrating if you’re writing on a niche topic that has nothing to do with Blogging. For one ads on blogging don’t pay very well but secondly if you have another topic and you have ads for blogging your readers are not likely to click on them as they are not relevant.
ALJ at Chatquah & Galoshes has the same problem and posts about Getting Better Adsense Ads. They come up with the following solution - block some or all of the following URLs from serving ads to your site using the ‘Competitive Ad Filter’ feature that Adsense supplies.
ALJ says it got rid of a about 30-50% of the offending ads - not perfect but an improvement.
I’d also suggest that you scour your page for any words or code that contains anything to do with blogging as it will trigger the ads. Don’t just look at your actual text, also see what is in the code behind it, your URL, picture names - everything. Especially what is at the top of your blog as most people believe the first few paragraphs often trigger the ads.
Anyway - here are the URLS AJL recommends blocking - I’m sure there are others too:
‘blogs.ardice.com
secure.netfirms.com
workpad.com
www.blog.wareareyou.com
www.blogger.com
www.blogidentity.com
www.blogster.com
www.ezsgblog.com
www.infoworld.com
www.infoworld.com/rss/rss_info.html
www.miego.com
www.myblogsite.com
www.myownblog.net
www.securesafepro.com
www.squarespace.com’
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