Titles, The Most Important Part Of A Blog Post
Blog post titles are important. They’re important for two major reasons. The first reason is that this is what people are going to see when they make the decision to read or move on. This will happen when they come to your site, notice a post from you in an RSS feed or find one of your posts through a search engine. If you want these people to take the time to read what you’ve written, you need to have a compelling title. In order to make it compelling it needs to be very headline oriented. Think of a newspaper. One of the ways they get you to buy theirs instead of their competitor’s paper is through punchy, compelling headlines. The reasoning is that when they’re sitting next to each other at a newsstand, you’re more likely to buy the one that has the most intriguing headline.
The second reason that blog titles are important is that they’re going to factor significantly into your search engine optimization strategy. That means that ideally, you want your post title to be exactly what people are likely to enter as a search phrase to find pages on that blog post’s topic. The reason that the title is so important is that if you’re using anything like Wordpress, which many are, your blog post title is going to be used in a bunch of places. It’s going to be the title of the actual page, an H1 header on your post page and prominent backlink text elsewhere on your blog. All of these factors are going to be significant when it comes to optimizing your blog for search engines.
The problem is that writing for search engines tends to be dry and boring. The reason is that if you’re giving readers a title that they will likely search for, there are also very good odds that it’s basic in structure and very familiar. Those are not good qualities for an attractive title. Good titles are often unique and might carry multiple meanings or other literary devices to catch someone’s attention. So what is a blogger to do?
The best strategy in this case is to compromise. If you do it carefully, you can come up with some great titles. For example, check out Courtney Tuttle’s 5,263 Words On Starting A Profitable Blog. The end of the title definitely leans towards the search engine side of things, helping him rank for phrases like “profitable blog”, “starting a blog” and the obvious “starting a profitable blog”. At the same time, there’s intrigue and curiosity spurred on by the beginning of the title, 5,263 Words. It’s a very good example of doing something unique to catch a reader’s attention and make them want to read.
If you’re not sure you’re creative enough to come up with something as cleaver as the previous example, keep trying and at the very least alternate between titles targeted towards SEO and titles targeted to readers. If you keep a mix, readers will forgive you for not having a stellar title for every post. But keep trying to come up with good hybrids. At the end of the day, those are the ones that will pay of the most since you can reap the rewards of both strategies.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Tag Cloud for your blog
How to add a Tag Cloud to Your Blog - It’s Easy!
Tag clouds visually depict the contents of a web site or blog. The first tag cloud appeared on Flickr (the photo sharing site) and was based on Jim Flanagan’s Search Referral Zeitgeist, which visualized web site referrers.
These weighted lists show the most popular categorizes in an emphasized manner while displaying them alphabetically. Larger fonts often indicate a higher prevalence for an individual keyword.
Check out some more tag cloud examples:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags
http://del.icio.us/tag
http://www.last.fm/explore
http://www.technorati.com/tag
Want your own tag cloud? Check out these links:
TagCloud
ZoomClouds
Eurester Swicki
Or use these plug-ins on your specific type of blog:
For Blosxom, try this Perl script
For Drupal, try Tagadelic
For Movable Type, try PHP script
For WordPress, try Ultimate Tag Warrior
Tag clouds visually depict the contents of a web site or blog. The first tag cloud appeared on Flickr (the photo sharing site) and was based on Jim Flanagan’s Search Referral Zeitgeist, which visualized web site referrers.
These weighted lists show the most popular categorizes in an emphasized manner while displaying them alphabetically. Larger fonts often indicate a higher prevalence for an individual keyword.
Check out some more tag cloud examples:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags
http://del.icio.us/tag
http://www.last.fm/explore
http://www.technorati.com/tag
Want your own tag cloud? Check out these links:
TagCloud
ZoomClouds
Eurester Swicki
Or use these plug-ins on your specific type of blog:
For Blosxom, try this Perl script
For Drupal, try Tagadelic
For Movable Type, try PHP script
For WordPress, try Ultimate Tag Warrior
Famous people who blog
Tired of reading about tech tech tech all day long? How about words of wisdom from someone famous? Here are some famous people who blog (any others?):
Wil Wheaton (Star Trek NG, Stand By Me) - http://www.wilwheaton.net/
Dave Barry (Columnist) - http://weblog.herald.com/column/davebarry/
Jeff Bridges (Actor) - http://www.jeffbridges.com/ (Click on Latest Link) **
Artistic BlogAnna Kournikova - http://www.kournikova.com/journal/
Al Roker (TV Weatherman) - http://www.alroker.com/journal.cfm
RuPaul (Musician) - http://www.rupaul.com/weblog.shtml
Moby (Musician) - http://www.moby.com/index2.html
Jennifer Balderama (formally of news.com/now with the Wash Post) - http://nonsenseverse.typepad.com/
Types of Blogs
According to wikipedia there are many different types of blogs, differing not only in the type of content, but also in the way that content is delivered or written.
Personal Blogs
The personal blog, an ongoing diary or commentary by an individual, is the traditional, most common blog. Personal bloggers usually take pride in their blog posts, even if their blog is never read by anyone but them. Blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art. Blogging can have a sentimental quality. Few personal blogs rise to fame and the mainstream, but some personal blogs quickly garner an extensive following. A type of personal blog is referred to as "microblogging," which is extremely detailed blogging as it seeks to capture a moment in time. Sites, such as Twitter, allow bloggers to share thoughts and feelings instantaneously with friends and family and is much faster than e-mailing or writing. This form of social media lends to an online generation already too busy to keep in touch.[2]
Corporate Blogs
A blog can be private, as in most cases, or it can be for business purposes. Blogs, either used internally to enhance the communication and culture in a corporation or externally for marketing, branding or public relations purposes are called corporate blogs.
Question Blogging
is a type of blog that answers questions. Questions can be submitted in the form of a submittal form, or through email or other means such as telephone or VOIP. Qlogs can be used to display shownotes from podcasts[3] or the means of conveying information through the internet. Many question logs use syndication such as RSS as a means of conveying answers to questions.
By Media Type
A blog comprising videos is called a vlog, one comprising links is called a linklog, a site containing a portfolio of sketches is called a sketchblog or one comprising photos is called a photoblog.[4] Blogs with shorter posts and mixed media types are called tumblelogs.
A rare type of blog hosted on the Gopher Protocol is known as a Phlog.
By Device
Blogs can also be defined by which type of device is used to compose it. A blog written by a mobile device like a mobile phone or PDA could be called a moblog.[5] One early blog was Wearable Wireless Webcam, an online shared diary of a person's personal life combining text, video, and pictures transmitted live from a wearable computer and EyeTap device to a web site. This practice of semi-automated blogging with live video together with text was referred to as sousveillance. Such journals have been used as evidence in legal matters.[citation needed]
By Genre
Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such as political blogs, travel blogs, house blogs,[6] [7] fashion blogs, project blogs, education blogs, niche blogs, classical music blogs, quizzing blogs and legal blogs (often referred to as a blawgs) or dreamlogs. While not a legitimate type of blog, one used for the sole purpose of spamming is known as a Splog.
Personal Blogs
The personal blog, an ongoing diary or commentary by an individual, is the traditional, most common blog. Personal bloggers usually take pride in their blog posts, even if their blog is never read by anyone but them. Blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art. Blogging can have a sentimental quality. Few personal blogs rise to fame and the mainstream, but some personal blogs quickly garner an extensive following. A type of personal blog is referred to as "microblogging," which is extremely detailed blogging as it seeks to capture a moment in time. Sites, such as Twitter, allow bloggers to share thoughts and feelings instantaneously with friends and family and is much faster than e-mailing or writing. This form of social media lends to an online generation already too busy to keep in touch.[2]
Corporate Blogs
A blog can be private, as in most cases, or it can be for business purposes. Blogs, either used internally to enhance the communication and culture in a corporation or externally for marketing, branding or public relations purposes are called corporate blogs.
Question Blogging
is a type of blog that answers questions. Questions can be submitted in the form of a submittal form, or through email or other means such as telephone or VOIP. Qlogs can be used to display shownotes from podcasts[3] or the means of conveying information through the internet. Many question logs use syndication such as RSS as a means of conveying answers to questions.
By Media Type
A blog comprising videos is called a vlog, one comprising links is called a linklog, a site containing a portfolio of sketches is called a sketchblog or one comprising photos is called a photoblog.[4] Blogs with shorter posts and mixed media types are called tumblelogs.
A rare type of blog hosted on the Gopher Protocol is known as a Phlog.
By Device
Blogs can also be defined by which type of device is used to compose it. A blog written by a mobile device like a mobile phone or PDA could be called a moblog.[5] One early blog was Wearable Wireless Webcam, an online shared diary of a person's personal life combining text, video, and pictures transmitted live from a wearable computer and EyeTap device to a web site. This practice of semi-automated blogging with live video together with text was referred to as sousveillance. Such journals have been used as evidence in legal matters.[citation needed]
By Genre
Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such as political blogs, travel blogs, house blogs,[6] [7] fashion blogs, project blogs, education blogs, niche blogs, classical music blogs, quizzing blogs and legal blogs (often referred to as a blawgs) or dreamlogs. While not a legitimate type of blog, one used for the sole purpose of spamming is known as a Splog.
What does BLOG means?
According to Wikipedia (a great source of constantly updated info), "A weblog, web log or simply a blog, is a web application which contains periodic time-stamped posts on a common web page. Weblog is a portmanteau of 'web' and 'log.' The term blog came into common use as a way of avoiding confusion with the term server log."
Blog Money Makers
There are many ways to make money from a blog, either directly or indirectly. The websites listed on this page list some of the most popular sites that bloggers use to make money from their blog. It is not a complete list but I’m sure it will point some of you in the right direction
A Cost Per Action (CPA) affiliate network which lets you offer hundreds of offers to your readers. Most programs pay per lead or per sale.
TLA is the most popular place on the net to buy and sell text links. You can also sell in content text links too.
Kontera is an in-text advertising service which lets you place PPC ads within your content.
BidVertiser lets you add text ads to your blog. You are paid on a per click basis.
Adsense is the most used advertising network in the world. You can display text or banner ads on your blog. You can also add your adsense code to your youtube videos.
Netklix is a text based PPC network. You can choose the type of ads that appear on your site and Netklix offer all major ad formats.
SocialSpark offers bloggers a variety of ways to make money through their blog. You can review products, websites and services and you can display sponsors ads on a per day basis.
LinkXL lets you sell a maximum of 10 links on individual pages on your blog. You can set the price according to PageRank and you have an option of using nofollow as well.
Sponsored Reviews is a marketplace which lets you see paid reviews on your blog.
The PepperJam ad network have a wide range of merchants for you to choose from. Most companies per on a CPA or revenue share basis.
Performancing is a banner ad marketplace which is very popular with bloggers. Bloggers are paid 60% of the ad sales they generate.
An advertisement marketplace which is popular with some bloggers. You can sell banner ads, text links and peel away ads.
The controversial ad network which got into trouble with Google, PayPerPost remains a popular way for bloggers to make money through their blog.
Brought to you by the same people as Text Link Ads, ReviewMe is a marketplace for paid reviews. You can let ReviewMe determine your review rate or you can set your own price.
Similar to Performancing, BuySellAds lets you sell banner ads directly on your blog. They mainly concentrate on 125×125 pixel banner ads.
LinkWorth have a wide range of ways for you to make money through your blog including text and banner ad sales, in text advertising and paid reviews.
Friday, January 2, 2009
How to Embed Ad Code Anywhere in Your Blogger Template
Have you ever tried to insert javascript ad code directly into your Blogger Template and it just wouldn’t work? Ok, everyone in the room can put their hands down now. This has always been a huge problem for blog authors using Google Blogger looking to monetize their site since almost all ad code contains javascript.
So why is this so darn difficult to do? The problem in the past was that Blogger users wanted more control over where and how frequently their block of ad code (usually AdSense) appeared. The Blogger Team listened to their customers and created an easy to use feature that allows you to setup AdSense in your individual posts with a simple checkbox selection.
Typical Blogger Error Messages
That’s great for most people but the places where you can insert widgets are rather limited and not as flexible as you’d like. So what if you want to put AdSense, AdBrite, Chitika or any other sort of javascript-related code elsewhere on your blog without having to use a widget? The answer in the past would be, “It’s just not easy”.
You would paste the Google AdSense, AdBrite, Chitika or any other javascript ad code into your xml Blogger template only do get an error like:
“Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly. XML error message: The processing instruction target matching “[xX][mM][lL]” is not allowed.”
or another really cryptic error message like:
“Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly. XML error message: The content of elements must consist of well-formed character data or markup.“.
In fact, more recently the Blogger xml parser seems to allow javascript code in your template without displaying an error message at all. You think all is well only to discover when you view your blog that nothing actually gets displayed. Grrr.
To view the solution click here
Author: David
eblogtemplates
So why is this so darn difficult to do? The problem in the past was that Blogger users wanted more control over where and how frequently their block of ad code (usually AdSense) appeared. The Blogger Team listened to their customers and created an easy to use feature that allows you to setup AdSense in your individual posts with a simple checkbox selection.
Typical Blogger Error Messages
That’s great for most people but the places where you can insert widgets are rather limited and not as flexible as you’d like. So what if you want to put AdSense, AdBrite, Chitika or any other sort of javascript-related code elsewhere on your blog without having to use a widget? The answer in the past would be, “It’s just not easy”.
You would paste the Google AdSense, AdBrite, Chitika or any other javascript ad code into your xml Blogger template only do get an error like:
“Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly. XML error message: The processing instruction target matching “[xX][mM][lL]” is not allowed.”
or another really cryptic error message like:
“Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly. XML error message: The content of elements must consist of well-formed character data or markup.“.
In fact, more recently the Blogger xml parser seems to allow javascript code in your template without displaying an error message at all. You think all is well only to discover when you view your blog that nothing actually gets displayed. Grrr.
To view the solution click here
Author: David
eblogtemplates
Thursday, January 1, 2009
How to install Blogger Templates ??
1.First download the template and unzip the file using winrar or winzip.
After extracting the file you will see a folder named Images(incase if you lost) and an xml file.
2.Now, sign in to Blogger dashboard and click on the layout.
3.Here is the important step, after uploading any new Blogger template, all of the previous widgets like your google adsense ads,text,profile,poll,etc etc will be lost.So, to avoid this to happen, in this step click on 'edit' on all the widgets and copy the codes into notepad,etc.
4.Next, click on the 'Edit html' tab
5.You'll see an option to download the current template, so do it!
6.Just below that,there's an option of uploading new template.So, use the Browse button and upload the downloaded xml file(which we discussed in step 1).
7.Now, a message appear saying that your widgets are about to be deleted.
Click on the Confirm & Save (no problem doing this because we already copied the widget codes in Step 3).
Now you successfully installed the template :)
Click on the 'Page elements' page now and add the codes that you copied in step3 using the 'Add a Page Element' option.
This article is originally written by kranthi - bloggertricks
After extracting the file you will see a folder named Images(incase if you lost) and an xml file.
2.Now, sign in to Blogger dashboard and click on the layout.
3.Here is the important step, after uploading any new Blogger template, all of the previous widgets like your google adsense ads,text,profile,poll,etc etc will be lost.So, to avoid this to happen, in this step click on 'edit' on all the widgets and copy the codes into notepad,etc.
4.Next, click on the 'Edit html' tab
5.You'll see an option to download the current template, so do it!
6.Just below that,there's an option of uploading new template.So, use the Browse button and upload the downloaded xml file(which we discussed in step 1).
7.Now, a message appear saying that your widgets are about to be deleted.
Click on the Confirm & Save (no problem doing this because we already copied the widget codes in Step 3).
Now you successfully installed the template :)
Click on the 'Page elements' page now and add the codes that you copied in step3 using the 'Add a Page Element' option.
This article is originally written by kranthi - bloggertricks
Blog resources index
- Free Blog Templates
- Free Blog Backgrounds & Patterns
- Blog Publishing Tools
- Blog Software - Comparison Chart
- Blog Software - Reviews
- Blogging Jargon & Terms
- Inspiring Blog Designs
- Blogger Workflow Tips
- How-To Blog Books
- Blog Overview (definition)
- Make Money Blogging
- Free Fonts For Blogs
- Free Photos For Blogs
- Free Color Schemes For Blogs
- Boost Traffic To Your Blog
- Blog Search Engines & Blog News
- RSS Newsreaders
Find FREE Blog Templates Here!!!
List of websites and blogs offering free blog template
- http://www.eblogtemplates.com/most-downloaded-blogger-templates/
- http://www.blogtemplates.org/
- http://freetemplates.blogspot.com/
- http://www.ehsany.com/
Colibri
» Download XML «
A beautiful blog design created by John Oxton and Denis Radenkovic.
Here the background images.
Placing Adsense ads inside or between blog posts
How to add adsense ads inside Blogger blog posts or between blog posts:-
Adding adsense ads inside blog posts is a very good thing to do to increase your CTR.
CTR means"(the number of times your ad clicked) divided by (number of times it is shown).So,the more CTR you have,the more $$ you get.
As we know,there are more chances for the ads to be clicked when they are in the middle(blog posts) rather than at the sidebars(especially the right sidebar),footer,etc.So,
How to place adsense ads between Blog posts:
By doing this,the adsense units will be displayed between the blog posts in the homepage,archive pages and permalink(individual post pages).
Follow the procedure to do this:
1.Sign in to your blogger dashboard>click on the layout link
2.Click on the Edit link in the "Blog Posts' column
3.Check the box next to 'Show ads between Posts'
next,configure the ads,choose the format,colours,etc and SAVE THE CHANGES.
That's it! Now your adsense ads will show between blog posts.
Adding adsense ads inside blog posts is a very good thing to do to increase your CTR.
CTR means"(the number of times your ad clicked) divided by (number of times it is shown).So,the more CTR you have,the more $$ you get.
As we know,there are more chances for the ads to be clicked when they are in the middle(blog posts) rather than at the sidebars(especially the right sidebar),footer,etc.So,
How to place adsense ads between Blog posts:
By doing this,the adsense units will be displayed between the blog posts in the homepage,archive pages and permalink(individual post pages).
Follow the procedure to do this:
1.Sign in to your blogger dashboard>click on the layout link
2.Click on the Edit link in the "Blog Posts' column
3.Check the box next to 'Show ads between Posts'
next,configure the ads,choose the format,colours,etc and SAVE THE CHANGES.
That's it! Now your adsense ads will show between blog posts.
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