Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Blogging time short? Blogger Editorial Calendar is here

If you are like most bloggers, you often discover that finding time to blog can be an issue. With so many things on your agenda, blog posting can drop to the very bottom of the list. Time is precious. Successful time management requires planning.



The problem with time management for blogging has been a lack of a useful planning device. Well, those days are now over. Thanks to blog consultant Andy Wibbels, of Andy Wibbels Instant Global Impact, a useful and very usable blog planning calendar is available for free download.

As is so often the case, the idea of a blogging planning calendar was a collborative effort. Inspired by a recent telesminar with marketing expert Yvonne DiVita of the must read Lip-Sticking blog, Andy developed the downloadable daily blogging reminder worksheet.

As a result of the teleseminar conversation, the Blogger Editorial Calendar was born.

Andy provides the following explanation of the genesis of the blog calendar concept with Yvonne DiVita:

In that call, she suggests bloggers use an editorial calendar to keep their blogging on track throughout the week: pick a topic to cover for each day of the week and stick to it. That way, there’s no friction in figuring out what to post for a given day. You can choose certain topics for each day of the week, a certain category to post in, a certain type of post format (interivew, top 10 list, etc). The important part is that you are removing another brick of potential writer’s block.




Andy also provides useful step by step instructions for making the worksheet work for you and your blog:

How to Use This Worksheet

To get started, click on the Calendar worksheet in this file (the set of tabs at the bottom of the window). At the top is each of the seven days of the week.

First, mark out the days that you are going to be ‘off’. In the sample worksheet I’ve marked off the weekends.

Then, type in the topic or format for each day of the week that you plan to write.

In the row under that, write in the keywords that you should be using in your post title, entry and excerpt.

Under all that is a list of each week in 2006. You can simply use X’s to note when you’ve written your post. If you don’t post on a particular today you can type in your excuse (if excuses keep popping up, maybe you shouldn’t be writing for that day or topic). You can also use the worksheet to plan your posting so if you have five ideas for the next five Mondays, go ahead and type them in so you don’t forget.

If you schedule a week’s-worth of posts in advance, you can use this worksheet to mark what you’ve already programmed into your blog platform.


The worksheet is available for download in Excel format (26 KB) or OpenOffice format (19 KB).

Download your own Blogger Editorial Calendar today and get your blogging life planned and in order.

You'll then have more time to enjoy the rest of your life.

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Monday, January 30, 2006

Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Molly Gordon







Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line

Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.

Name Your Niche Now

Wednesday, February 1, 2006,8:30 p.m. ET - Free

Guest Expert: Molly Gordon, Authentic Promotion and Shaboom, Inc.

Yes, you can have a narrow niche without cramping your style. Molly Gordon, Master Certified Coach and author of Authentic Promotion: Grow Your Business and Feed Your Soul, has shown hundreds of professionals how to name a niche that works for them, a niche narrow enough to make their products and services stand out without cramping their style or limiting their creativity.

In Authentic Promotion, Molly explains that a niche does not have to be cold, dark, and cramped (yuck). Using the ecological model, she shows that each individual occupies a unique niche, a place in which they give and receive the greatest benefit, a place where they belong. Find this niche and you will find that your confidence and conviction about marketing your business goes way up. You will be able to make simple, memorable statements about your work that will connect with your “just-right” client without struggle or hype.



Molly Gordon is an internationally recognized Master Certified Coach, who has shown hundreds of men and women worldwide how marketing can lead to both material and spiritual fulfillment. In her book and audio program, Authentic Promotion, Grow Your Business, Feed Your Soul, Molly explains the approach she used to create a thriving business. Her e-zine, Authentic Promotion®, has over 10,000 readers, and her articles are reprinted widely. She has recently launched a blog at Shaboom, Inc.

Register for this conversation with Molly Gordon:

ConversationsWithExperts.com

If you missed any Conversations With Experts, you can become a monthly member of a private blog. As a member, you gain access to the entire Conversation With Experts audio series of guest experts, past and present.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

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Carnival of the Capitalists at Phosita



This week sees an money movie title approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to the patent and intellectual property blawg known as Phosita.

This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.

Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.



As you would expect from Phosita there are many discussions of legal issues, marketing, and numerous business issues.

It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.

We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.



I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.

My post is titled "Title tags: SEO by another name" where I discuss how simply changing your blog or website title tags that appear at the top of your browser, you can raise your rankings in the various search engines. Title tags are an example of easy, yet very effective basic SEO.

If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:

cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com

You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!

Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.

Note as well that Carnival of the Capitalists. has a new URL at http://thecotc.com/. Be sure to update your links and bookmarks.



If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.

Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.

The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!

The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.

The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.

Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.

Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.

Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at the economics, technology, and computer information blog known as AnyLetter.

In the meantime, click that mouse over to the Phosita hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.

If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer some great patent protection. (groan)

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Making a difference: Changing your world



I heard someone talking the other day about how they felt helpless and they had no influence or control over anything in their lives. They believed nothng could be done to change their own lives or to help anyone around them, whether family or friends.

I was saddened to hear someone speak of being so lost in the world, with no direction, and worse, no hope for the future. It's very likely you have met similar people, sharing that same outlook on life. The sense of hopelessness infects those around them too, as their depression is almost contagious. It doesn't have to be that way.

In the modern world, we all have almost unlimited choices. Whether we start out life at the very bottom of society, or somewhere part way up the middle of the ladder, our lives are in our own hands. We can take responsibility for what we do with our own future. We can even make a positive influence on the lives and well being of other people. We can make good things happen to us, and we can spread hope to other members of our family and circle of friends and associates.

All we have to do is change our outlook on life.



Instead of seeing everything through the lens of helplessness and the victim syndrome, we can do something about it. Wake up tomorrow morning and say to yourself that you are going to accomplish one positive goal during the day. It doesn't have to be a major world altering event in the cosmic sense; but it's the very first step in changing the world for yourself.

Imagine some possibilities, and act upon them. The idea is fine, but the action is crucial to achieving your goals. Create the goal, and then take steps to reach it. Start small, and gradually develop larger and more complex ideas. Some will be achievable in the short term, while others require more long term planning and action. The key is to create the internal habit of accomplishment.

When you reach one goal, you discover that you can reach many more. The result is cumulative. One positive result creates another. Good things will start to happen to you. You are now kind of skeptical about that one, I see.

Okay. Let's think about it for a moment.



You have awakened for the day feeling positive about your life and how you can improve both yourself and your circumstances. Your step is to get a hair cut. You now look and feel much better about how you look. That smile you're wearing is even more contagious than the frown and disillusionment of your previous life. People react to you much differently.

Everyone likes to work and be around happy positive people. Think about the depressing and negative people at your workplace or business. No one wants to associate with them, their productivity is low, they are the most likely candidates to be let go in times of cutbacks, and they are not going anywhere in their careers. You are now different from them. You are happy, positive, and are reaching your goals.

Instead of becoming a victim and feeling helpless, you have taken charge of your life. Taking responsibility for what happens in your world is much more empowering than waiting for someone else to do it. When you are in control of your own destiny, that is truly a life altering and world changing event.

Now isn't that a way to really change the world?

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Sunday, January 29, 2006

Blog donations: More ways to help bloggers



Blog donation buttons are seen all over the blogosphere. No one really knows if those ubquitous click to donate buttons result in any real revenue for the blogger. In fact, rarely does anyone mention them at all.

Donating money to support a blog is only one of the ways that a favourite blogger and blog can be assisted. Cash is nice, of course, but there are other methods of help for your friends. Not all of them cost any money.

It doesn't cost you anything in the way of cash to quote another blogger, and link to the post in question. Adding an exciting new blog to your blogroll is free as well. What the receiving blogger gains is new readership and visitor traffic. A few of those vistors could provide several bloggers with cash.



It costs nothing in the way of dollars to e-mail another blogger and offer to join into a potential business partnership. That person might possess the exact skills your startup business requires. Of course, prior to any partnership, you would do your due diligence and check out the credentials and history of the individual in question. Once the blogger clears your hurdles, the resulting business relationship could be financially beneficial for all conderned.

Interviewing another blogger can assist that blogger, as well as yourself, in obtaining a higher profile in the blogosphere, and on the internet as a whole. Any resulting publicity can spread offline, and could even translate into additional financial rewards for you and your interview guest.

As for more hard cash assistance, the donation button is always there for you. Of course, a bit of creativity and targeting could benefit everyone involved to a much larger degree. Placing a paid advertisment on a blog raises your company profile, while adding some dollars to the blogger's bank account.

Sponsoring a blogger to help the person attend a blogging conference has many benefits, both in the short and longer terms. Many a powerful professional relationship has been founded on sponsorships. A sponsorship is one those cases where everyone wins in the end.

If the blogger has written a hard copy or e-book, is planning a webinar or live seminar, you can give them some publicity on your blog. You could even help to underwrite the cost of the conference call for a webinar, or some publishing costs for a book. In return, the recipient blogger could provide you with a much appreciated promotional ad or page. Perhaps you might be invited to write a foreward to their next book; or even the first one.



As you can see, the ways you can help cash strapped bloggers is many and varied. Cash donations are only one of the ways you can assist your blogging friends. Merchandise, or payment in kind, or in the form of returned labour, are also welcomed.

You may never know when you might need a helping hand yourself. As always, bloggers will always be there to help other bloggers.

After all, blogging is all about building relationships with others.

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Friday, January 27, 2006

Sponsorships to events: Attendence may be required



Blogging events are appearing everywhere. As a result, more and more information is being exchanged about the power of business, marketing, public relations, and SEO blogs than ever before. The only problem is attending all of the functions. Not all bloggers have the necessary funds to share in the knowledge available.

Because of money shortages, many bloggers simply don't go to any or all of the blogging conferences they might enjoy. Instead of mentioning their financial situations, the cash strapped blogger quietly avoids the issue, and stays at home. As a result, more people than the non-attending blogger are the losers.

The bloggers who elect to remain silent about their financial status miss an opportunity to learn more about the strength of blogging. Ideas that the stay at home bloggers possess about starting, building, and enhancing an online business are not shared with others. Everyone loses as some golden information sharing opportunites are lost.

Not only are ideas not shared with everyone, none are returned. After all, blogging concepts are more than a two way street. They are a multi-lane...yes...I know, I'll say it...superhighway. Instead of free flowing traffic, there are only a few vehicles on the road. Many new entrants are left on the shoulders.



Along with the missing concepts about blogging are lost chances to meet and network with peers. Other blog owners are your peers, and also potential business partners, customers, or vendors. Contacts lost by the few are boundless possibilities lost to the entire entire economy. We're talking big picture stuff here.

Let's not let any opportunites pass any bloggers left in the slow lane. Instead, share the wealth and sponsor a blogger to a blogging conference.

Find out which bloggers should be attending a blogging event, and offer to sponsor their trip in some way. Airline, train, or bus tickets are helpful for transportation to and from the event. Perhaps, you are driving to the conference. An extra blogging passenger, and incidently spare driver, could make for some pleasant company, and a much more enjoyable journey.

At the event city itself, offering a room or couch to a blogger eases the financial burden of paid accomodation. Sharing a home cooked meal with a hungry blogger can cement a friendship for life.



Businesses can get into the sponsorship act as well. In return for services such as transportation, food, and lodging, a blogger can offer some prominent advertising space on the blog. A mention in posts before, during, and after the event is powerful public relations for the company. If the business also has a business blog (as they should), their bloggers can mention the blogger sponsorship and the event as well.

How about a Sponsor A Blogger campaign, complete with clickable link buttons and a blog. The sponsor and the blogger would become an instant partnership, and share it with the world. Potential business relationships are even likely to follow.

As you can see, the possibilities are limited only by everyone's imaginations.

Speak out if you want a sponsorship to an event. Potential sponsors should seek out bloggers who have something unique to offer.

Everyone wins in the end.

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Thursday, January 26, 2006

Little mouse: Big thoughts




My computer mouse was sticking today. Yoy know what I mean. The little rollers inside the mouse get something on them and they cause the little ball to stop rolling. It's annoying.

Today, I had that difficulty. Since I aggressivly move the mouse around its pad, the mouse interior is highly susceptible to picking up anything that might stray into its path. It's a bit like a mouse trap in reverse. It was time to give the mouse an internal cleansing.

I know there are other more efficient and probably effective techniques for mouse obstruction removal, but I like to use a darning needle. I like to poke around on the rollers and remove the materials manually. The resulting euphoria of the alien materials falling away, freeing the beast within, is truly wonderful. I like it.



So, you ask, what does this all have to do with blogging in general, or business blog writing in partiular? Well, nothing really, in the strictest sense of the word. On the other hand, it's very applicable to blogging and to life. It's about doing a job as you see fit, and gaining a sense of accomplishment.

All too often, we are told how to do a job. Some people will be so generous as to inform you that there is a right way to perform a task, and a wrong way. As if by magic, their personal method is always the correct one. Any other options are at best inferior, and at worst an unmitigated disaster, usually bringing about the wrath of Providence upon the practitioner.

It's the same with blogging. There is no right or wrong way to develop, write or maintain a blog. It's a very personal thing. In fact, the more personal a blog becomes in expressing your own personality and speaking in your voice, the better. Don't let the alleged experts tell you how to run your own blog. That includes me.

After all, I do clean out computer mice with a darning needle. In fact, I keep it right beside the computer at all times.

Do things your way. It's the best way to blog and to live your life.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Carnival of the Vanities at Blueprint For Financial Prosperity



The 175th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities appears at the personal finance blog known as Blueprint For Financial Prosperity.

Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.

This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, and culture.

I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.

My post is titled "Blogging your moods: What a feeling" where I discuss how emotion in the blog can be a very powerful means of developing and strengthening connections with others. The interpersonal aspect of blogging, in the form of relationship building, is a key factor in any personal or business blog.




To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.




Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the new e-mail address:

cotvmail -at- gmail -dot- com

As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.

Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears at the eclectic group blog known as Incite.

In the meantime, head on over to the Blueprint For Financial Prosperity hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.

You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.

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Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Tom Antion







Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line

Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.

Wake ‘em Up: How Any Professional can Use Public Speaking to SkyRocket Their Career . . . and make a ton of money too.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET - Free

Guest Expert: Tom Antion, Antion.com

Being able to stand up in front of a crowd and WOW! them can make you more money than you could ever imagine. WOWING a crowd doesn't mean you are juggling ten bowling balls or doing a fire eating and sword swallowing act. It means giving the audience members great information that will help them and delivering it with an appropriate amount of humor and involvement.



The master at not only doing this, but teaching it as well is our guest on this week’s call, Tom Antion. Tom will be sharing the secrets, tips and techniques used by top level professional speakers who must “knock ‘em dead” every time they speak.

You will learn:

Tom’s number one method of preparing for a presentation . . . you will virtually guarantee a home-run presentation if you do this.
10 ways to be great on stage . . .master even a few of these and watch your applause….and your income store.
10 ways to make money speaking . . . you can pick the ways you are most comfortable with so you always feel great about being on stage.
How to get large fees from corporations and associations . . . you’ll be an industry celebrity and have people calling you to speak.
How mixing products with your speaking can multiply you 100 fold . . . you can be speaking one place and have money coming in from 100 different sources.
You’ll also get a lesson in how to make your reputation spread by giving massive value every time you speak. How will you get your lesson? Tom will demonstrate this on the call by giving you one of the most content rich teleseminars you’ve ever been on.

Tom Antion is a veteran of over 2500 paid speaking engagements all around the world. He has earned as much as $250,000 in one 90 minute speech and averages 60-80K at each engagement. He is the author of the Wake ‘em Up Video Professional Speaking System and he was also the speaking expert picked by MSNBC to critique President Bush’s speech to congress.

Register for this conversation with Tom Antion: ConversationsWithExperts.com

If you missed any Conversations With Experts, you can become a monthly member of a private blog. As a member, you gain access to the entire Conversation With Experts audio series of guest experts, past and present.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

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Monday, January 23, 2006

Carnival of the Capitalists at Patent Baristas



This week sees an money movie title approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to the patent and intellectual property blog known as Patent Baristas.

This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.

Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.



As you would expect from Patent Baristas there are many discussions of legal issues, marketing, and numerous business issues.

It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.

We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.



I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.

My post is titled "Testing blog awareness: Ask other people" where I suggest you do some informal market research on other people's knowledge of blogs and blogging; especially yours.

If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:

cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com

You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!

Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.

Note as well that Carnival of the Capitalists. has a new URL at http://thecotc.com/. Be sure to update your links and bookmarks.



If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.

Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.

The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!

The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.

The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.

Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.

Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.

Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at the patent and intellectual property blawg known as Phosita.

In the meantime, click that mouse over to the Patent Baristas hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.

If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer some name branding. (groan)

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Sunday, January 22, 2006

Title tags: SEO by any other name




Title tags are SEO through name calling.

Okay, that was a bad pun.

However...

One of the fastest and often forgotten techniques, to move a blog or web page higher in the search rankings, is to change the page’s title tags.

Title tags are the words that appear at the very top of your web browser, and they tell the search engine what the page is all about.

Often ignored in race to add more incoming links, and to create other more glamorous on page copy, the title tag is a powerful tool and should be utilized to its fullest advantage. It doesn’t have to be that way.

The title tag helps the search engines decide the topic and theme of the web page being crawled for indexing. When a search for keywords is conducted, the title tag is given heavy consideration by all search engine algorithms.

Google considers the title tag to be extremely important for keyword searches, and gives strong emphasis on the title tags. TheYahoo and MSN Search algorithms place even more importance on the title tags than Google.

Unfortunately for many website owners, the title tag is often neglected, or worse is used to simply highlight the business name. By failing to properly implement the page’s title tag power, that prime real estate at the top of the browser window is left undeveloped.

Don’t let the title tags become vacant lots on your website, turn them into important projects that will pay huge dividends for your site.

When considering title tag changes and improvements, it’s important to remember that every page is unique, and requires a different title tag. We have all visited websites where the title at the top of the browser was the same for every page on the site.

Usually on those web pages, the business name was featured prominently, and was providing little or no help in the search engines. If that problem is really describing your website title tags, help is on the way.

Why title tags are important

The purpose of the title tags is to describe for the search engines the content of page being indexed. If the title tag doesn’t accurately describe the page content, then that page will be downgraded by the search engine algorithm. In other word, that page gets a lower search engine placement than it might otherwise deserve.

When a searcher types the keywords and phrases into her search engine interface, the search engine algorithm uses over one hundred variables to determine the most relevant returned pages.

It’s up to the website owner to help the search engine in that sorting process. The easiest place to start, and one that also provides the most bang for the buck, is the title tag for each page.

Along with keyword rich theme relevant on page copy, and abundant incoming links featuring keyword laden link anchor text, the well worded title tag is a powerful leg up on the competition. The title tag is also one of the most neglected optimization tools available to the webmaster.

In Yahoo and MSN Search, it’s possible to gain page one rankings for low to moderate competitive searches with improved title tags alone. The coveted top place on that first page in Yahoo or MSN Search has been a regular result of improved title tags as well.




In Google, similar if somewhat less dramatic results have also been achieved with improved title tags. Clearly, the title tag is a powerful optimization tool.

Changing the title tags

The title tags for a website are found in the header portion of the website code. The coding in html is usually written as simply:

< t i t l e > Page Title < / t i t l e >

Remove the spaces, of course, as they are only placed in the example because they won't work in Blogger if written without spaces.

As with all text, the wording between the > < arrows can be changed with ease. Simply enter the template for every page in the website, and replace the existing page title text with the most important targeted keywords for that page. For large sites, the task is often daunting, however. There are simply too many pages.

One option is to change the pages in groups, by theme, targeting one set of targeted keywords at a time. After a few sessions, the job will be completed.

The problem often lies in some mistaken ideas held by the website owner. The urge to prominently display the company name, as CompanyName.com is often more powerful than the idea that better wording could achieve higher search engine rankings. Don’t laugh. It’s a more common phenomenon than many people believe.

Since most internet surfers don’t check the line at the top of their browser, the company name as page title often goes unnoticed. That failure on the part of many human visitors to glance at every page title they meet is not shared by the search engine spiders.

Search engine robot spiders read each and every page title tag, for better or for worse. If the company name, rather than the page’s most important keywords are displayed, the search results for that page are indeed worse.

If your SEO client or your pointy haired boss, insists that the company name appear on the page titles despite your eloquently worded reasons to do otherwise, use this alternate configuration:

< t i t l e > Keyword1 Keyword2 - CompanyName.com < / t i t l e >

The resulting title tag then emphasises the keywords being targeted, and places the company name on the page. Note that the configuration pushes the company name farther back on the title, placing the more important keywords at the front.

Search engine spiders will rank the title wording in this order: from the first title word to the last word placed in the title. For that reason, the use of words like “the” “an” or “a” are best avoided, as they would become the first words in the title tags.

While search engine algorithms are written to ignore those words, it’s best to simply avoid them entirely. It’s a case of when not entirely certain of the consequences, avoid even the small possibility of problems completely.

In moderately difficult to competitive keyword situations, using only the keywords directly, might be enough to raise the page’s ranking a few places. In other words, skip the “an”, “a” and “the” from the title tags. There is no reason to take any chances on losing rankings when it can be avoided. Use only the targeted keywords when writing the title tags.


More title tag considerations

When writing a title tag, be sure to only use a keyword a maximum of two times. Any more use of a keyword in the title tag might be considered keyword stuffing, especially in the sensitive Google search algorithm.


Keep the keywords limited to one or two per title tag, and better results will be returned. In fact, in highly competitive keyword situations, the best way to compete is to target only one keyword or phase per page.

Any attempts to double up and use the same page to target more than one keyword or phrase is likely to fail. Keyword stuffing the title tag will do little or no good, and potentially harm to the page’s search ranking.

A controversial consideration for title tags is the length of the tag. Many search engine optimization experts recommend longer tags. Others suggest a shorter and more targeted tag is better. The best concept is to consider the competition level of the targeted keywords.

In low to medium competitions, it’s possible to use the same page to rank for more than one search phrase. The title tag is then able to reflect that lower competition status. In that case, a longer title tag is no problem and can include more than one keyword phrase.

In highly competitive keyword situations, a more targeted approach is essential. The title tag should only reflect the most important targeted keywords for that page. Any other title tags and additional keywords could dilute the effect.

Consider the title tag to be a targeting mechanism zoomed in on a single keyword or phrase. Scattered approaches might be effective in less competitive searches, but even there, a single minded effort will gain superior search rankings.

As for the length of the overall title tag, if more than one phrase is being used, make certain that the tag doesn’t get cut off by using too many characters for the browser. While there is not really a magic number of characters for a title tag, let common sense and the concept of keyword targeting be your guide.

If that approach is taken, then the title tag will be compact, and no extra wasted words will be used. Less is more in the world of title tags, especially in highly competitive searches.



Conclusion

Every web page needs theme and topic specific title tags. The tags tell the search engines about the page content, thus helping the search.

By placing the most important keyword phrase for that specific page in the title tags, the page will get a certain boost in the search engines. Yahoo and MSN Search are especially influenced by keyword rich title tags. Google considers the title tags to be extremely important as well.

It’s not uncommon for Google, Yahoo Search, and MSN Search to rank a page at the top of page one, in low competition searches, based on the title tags alone.

Be certain that the title tags reflect the content of the targeted page. Title tags are page specific, and therefore the common practice of using the company name should be avoided.

The company name can be placed after the keywords, if the need to have the company name on the page remains. Simply keep the most important keywords at the front.

The number of words in the title tag should be kept to the minimum number necessary to help the search.

In competitive keyword situations, use only the most targeted phrase for that page. In low competition searches, more than one phrase can be safely used to get the page into several search results.

Look after your title tags, and they will keep your page an open book, on top of all of the major search engines.

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Saturday, January 21, 2006

You are not the only one: Removing barriers



You are the only one.

You've probably had someone tell you those very words, or ones very much like them. They are some of the most damaging words that can be said to anyone. While they seem innocent enough on the surface, their implication is far from gentle. Let me explain by way of some examples.

You are the only one deeply in debt. You are the only one who hasn't got a job, or alternatively a good job. You are the only one not making any money or becoming successful. You are the only one...on and and on. As you can see, the variations to the theme are endless. They are also untrue.

If you were the only one in deeply in debt, there would be no need for a debt collection industry. If you were the only person without a job, then there would be no need for organizations as widely different as employment agencies and unemployment insurnace. There wouldn't even be words to describe the condition. If you were the only one not making any money, there would be no such words as poverty, homelessness, or social inequality. You get my drift.

You are the only one is simply untrue and hurful to the person on the receiving end. The goal of the speaker might be to help, or perhaps even to hurt, but in the end the result is the same. The listener feels inferior, inadequate, and alone. Instead of a boost to the confidence, the chair is pulled out from beneath them.

It need not be that way. You are not the only one, and you are definitely not alone. As bloggers, we understand that other people share common problems, roadblocks, and sometimes need a helping hand too. Occasionally, we can even offer assistance to others ourselves. As a matter of fact, helping others to succeed was and remains my business blog's most important goal.



Bloggers can support one another and remove that sense of aloneness and isolation in several ways. Perhaps a group of bloggers could meet via instant messenger, chat room, or conference call on a regular basis to discuss common difficulties. Learning from others and sharing experiences can serve to stimulate new and fresh ideas, as well as help to overcome that sense of being entirely on your own. Knowing how other people solved their problems can go far in easing your own difficuties.

Blogger sharing can go far beyond business meetings to discuss personal issues as well. The number of topics for the blogger support group are literally endless. They are bounded only by the needs and experience of the group members.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you are the only one. Instead, remind them that you are part of a strong group of independent like minded individuals who help one another succeed in business and in life. You are far from being alone and the only one.

Helping others assists you in achieving your goals too.

Bloggers helping bloggers is the the best path to shared success in any aspect of life.

Join with others today. You are most definitely not alone.

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Roadblocks to success: Remove them



Roadblocks to your success in business, in your career, and in your personal life are everywhere. They are part of all of our lives. We simply have to learn how to remove them, or at least bypass them with some creative detours. In fact, some of life's barricades and roadblocks can be used to assist in achieving your goals.

Roadblocks to your success can range from fear of success to fear of failure, to name only two. Perhaps in your life you've been told that you were not rich enough, dressed incorrectly, lacked social standing or proper manners, or didn't have the right education. All of these alleged problems are external and can be easily remedied. A few etiquette books can produce socially acceptable manners, and the purchase of one nice suit with varied accessories can overcome any perceived problems of dress.



A lack of money can be bypassed through creative financing, purchase of used items, and by barter. Reading good books will easily enhance any education> Great books contain timeless wisdom that can be readily applied to your business and personal life. Business books and how to manuals are available everywhere. The practical advice they contain will help you to outperform many graduates of some elite schools.

For more internal roadblocks, a different approach is required. If you have been told you were not good enough, not smart enough, or don't deserve to succeed, then you need to change your outlook on life. Understand that everyone has self doubts, and you are not the only one who has those feelings of inadequacy. Instead, tell yourself that you can achieve any goal you set for yourself. Set out a plan to make that goal a reality. Divide the path to success into sections, and reach each predetermined marker. Before you know it, you will have accomplished more than you had ever dreamed possible.



The first step on any journey is the hardest to take for everyone. You are not alone. You are not the only one who is a bit frightened by a voyage into the unknown. Think instead of the journey as the road to a new and exciting adventure, with you as the hero or heroine. Now you have to admit, that is thrilling all by itself.

Map out the journey into smaller attainable segments. Once one smaller goal is reached, the next one won't seem so far away. After all, reaching one level of success reinforces your ability to achieve even greater things. As you reach each milestone in your quest, reward yourself for a job well done. You deserve it.

You will achieve success, and reach your goals, perhaps going far beyond your wildest dreams.

All you have to do is take that initial step.

You can do it.

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Thursday, January 19, 2006

Jumpstart your life: Rosa Say on Managing With Aloha



My good friend Rosa Say of Talking Story has a wonderful learning opportunity to share with everyone. It doesn't matter if you are a blogger, a business person, or simply someone who wants to make changes in your life. Rosa is sharing her ideas for a Jumpstart.




About the program, Rosa says:

We’ve all had experiences where we get excited about ideas we know hold promise for us, but there’s no going back and there’s no starting over. The trick it seems, is to just start where you are, and do what you can. You are already working. You already have responsibilities. You want to initiate small improvements one at a time, and as you can, simply starting from where you are right now.

That is where I have designed the MWA Jumpstart to come in.

As the Ho‘ohana Community has grown, I’ve had to ask myself how I could somehow provide even more support for you virtually, and give you more clarity. Our monthly Ho‘ohana on Talking Story was an initial effort, and we’ve learned how it can be effective at helping us achieve synergy when we harness the unified focus and synergistic efforts of our community. With MWA Jumpstart we’re turning up the heat and getting down and dirty, digging in deep for those who want to get serious about it.




Rosa Say is the author of the wonderfully inspiring business management book titled Managing With Aloha where she blends the traditional wisdom and philosophy of Hawaii with modern business principles. The result is a powerful book that is a must read for business owners and managers everywhere.

Rosa is offering a rare opportunity to learn about how Managing With Aloha can help make a Jumpstart in your life.

Don't let this rare treasure of an opportunity slip through your fingers.

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Sports marketing Vice-President shares ideas



Laurel Lindsay is the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team Vice-President of Consumer Marketing. She shared some of her sports marketing insights on the Toronto Blue Jays fan blog Batter's Box Interactive Magazine.

Note in the discussion, Laurel has spent time in the marketing departments of a number of professional sports teams, in several different sports including hockey, football, and baseball. As a result, her ideas and sports and event marketing theories would prove useful to any event related business.

From the article:

The marketing staff has made the stadium improvements a small part of their advertising campaign, but they focus this on direct mailing, as opposed to media marketing. The stadium improvements also tend to become well-known through word-of-mouth and newspaper/TV coverage, so the team doesn’t need to promote them specifically. Of course, the team listens to what fans enjoy and don’t enjoy about the in-game experience and will make major modifications at the end of a season. Guest Services provides the department with feedback concerning common complaints, as do the surveys the team undertakes. Next year the team is planning to implement a Kids Zone and major renovations to the suites are on-going. Basically, the only part of the in-game experience that the department has no say over is the concession stands, which are not owned by Rogers.


Marketing to women is also a very important aspect of Laurel's marketing focus:

For this reason, Laurel explains, the club focuses it’s advertising on other avenues than the sports pages and stations. Combined with this focus on casual fans, the Jays have made no secret that they have focused a portion of their media buy and advertising on targeting women. They nurture their male audience, particularly those aged 18-34, but research has revealed that women make decisions about how to spend about 80% of the household’s consumer dollars. For this reason, the Jays have positioned themselves a family-friendly source of entertainment. For example, the Jays will place print advertisements not in the Sports section of the Toronto Star, but in GTA or What’s On sections. This increases the chance that a mother will come across the advertisement and keep baseball in mind as a family activity on the weekend.




Read more about Laurel Lindsay and her role in consumer marketing for the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team.

Many of Laurel's proven and dynamic marketing techniques could be used very effectively for most events, whether businesses in themselves, or special conferences.

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Carnival of the Vanities at Free Money Finance



The 174th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities appears at the personal finance blog known as Free Money Finance.

Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.

This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, and culture.

I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.

My post is titled "Blog evolution meets intelligent design" where I discuss how blogs change over time, and how different approaches and themes are healthy for the growth of a blog.



To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.




Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the new e-mail address:

cotvmail -at- gmail -dot- com

As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.

Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears at the personal finance blog known as Blueprint For Financial Prosperity.

In the meantime, head on over to the Free Money Finance hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.

You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.

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Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Free teleseminar: Conversations with Experts - C.J. Hayden







Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line

Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.

Overcoming the Fear of Self-Promotion

Wednesday, January 18, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET - Free

Guest Expert: C.J. Hayden, author, Get Clients Now!

What is it that makes you hesitate to broadcast your accomplishments and capabilities? Reluctance to promote yourself holds you back from achieving personal fulfillment and financial success. You can vanquish this fear and learn to promote yourself effectively!

Here's what you will learn:

* How to overcome your resistance to marketing and selling
* The seven basic fears of self-promotion and how to manage them
* What to do when fear masquerades as procrastination and avoidance
* Strategies for reprogramming your inner critic
* Three powerful ways to tell people about your capabilities without bragging or selling
* How to promote yourself with an attitude that serves you instead of sabotaging you



C.J. Hayden is the best-selling author of Get Clients Now! and the new Get Hired Now! C.J. is a Master Certified Coach who has taught thousands of coaches and other self-employed professionals to make a better living doing what they love. She works with clients one-on-one, and leads workshops and teleclasses internationally. You can read her articles on marketing in more magazines and web sites than she can keep track of.

Find out more about C.J. Hayden.



Register for this special conversation with C.J. Hayden:

ConversationsWithExperts.com

If you missed any Conversations With Experts, you can become a monthly member of a private blog. As a member, you gain access to the entire Conversation With Experts audio series of guest experts, past and present.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

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Monday, January 16, 2006

Carnival of the Capitalists at Wordlab



This week sees an interactive approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to the business naming and branding blog known as Wordlab.

This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.

Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.

As you would expect from Wordlab there are many discussions of small business, marketing, and numerous other branding and business issues.

It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.

We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.

I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.

My post is titled "Marketing plans and goals: Website essentials" where I discuss the importance of developing a set of goals for your online business website and a marketing plan for how to achieve those goals. The same process works for informational sites and blogs as well.

If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:

cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com

You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!

Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.

Note as well that Carnival of the Capitalists. has a new URL at http://thecotc.com/. Be sure to update your links and bookmarks.



If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.

Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.

The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!

The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.

The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.

Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.

Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.

Next week's first Carnival of the Capitalists of 2006 will be at the patent and intellectual property blog known as Patent Baristas.

In the meantime, click that mouse over to the Wordlab hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.

If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer some name branding. (groan)

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Sunday, January 15, 2006

Testing blog awareness: Ask other people




Blog awareness is, as expected, highest among bloggers themselves. Members of the blogging community tend to not only write their own blogs, but read other blogs, as well as link to blog after blog.

Of course that is obvious; at least to bloggers like you. That might also be the problem. As hard as it may be to believe, not everyone is a blogger.

What is not so obvious is the level of blog awareness among the general mainstream population. In fact, many people are not aware of blogs, even though they might even read blogs themselves. They just might not know that what they are reading is a blog. While that might seem farfetched to many bloggers, it's not that outlandish to non-bloggers. After all, don't many people think bloggers are only self absorbed navel gazers anwayway?

Why not put the idea to the test? This week, when you're at work, visiting clients, socializing, or just talking to people on the street, why not ask them about blogs and blogging. Ask them if they read blogs. Perhaps they might not even have heard of the concept. Be sure to ascertain from those people who read blogs if they are aware of blogs beyond the political or personal types. If you are a business blogger, that's important information to acquire for the future.

Be sure to keep a record of the number of people who have heard of blogs, who have read blogs, and who might even read your own blog. At the same time, write down all of the people who have never heard of blogs, or who only possess limited knowledge of the medium. Armed with this information, you can formulate a plan to help increase awareness of blogging among the general population. Your ideas could become standard advice in the blogosphere, giving you even more traffic. Talk about benefits to gaining knowledge!



Along with your general questions, ask if the person has heard of or read your own blog or blogs. While they might not have read your powerful and informative posts, they are potential readers. Be sure to give them a business card that features your blog and URL. Along with increasing the level of blog awareness, you are gaining more visitor traffic for your own blog. Now that's putting research to work for you. Right?

If people aren't aware of blogs, after providing answers to your informal questions, it's our job and responsibility as bloggers to spread the word. It won't happen by itself. Only in the movies can you build it and they will come. Real life doesn't work like that. Unfortunately.

Set up a few simple blogging questions and do some informal blogging research today.

You might even convert a few more people to blog readers or writers. Now that's some powerful blog evangelism in action.

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