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New Years Resolutions!

By Christopher Chan

As the page turns on 2009, new and exciting opportunities are ahead of us in the coming year.  One thing many of us in the blogging world, novice and expert alike, is improving our content and the material we post.  Here are a few things I would like to include among my “Content” resolutions.

Loose some weight!

As writers it is tempting to expand on our horizons and branch out.  However, as many bloggers are quick to point out, various topics and broad content tends to be a “turn off” to readers.   As tempting as it can be for bloggers, yours truly included, it would be an awesome start by trimming some of that useless fat.  A slimmer “you” can be a very attractive “you”.

Get a make over

Readers are fickle, they need something new to look at from time to time.  As was with the first resolution, readers may encounter a “first time” feeling should you give your website a “face lift”.  This will keep their attention span in your favor if they are faithful visitors, and keep things from being monotonous.   However, do not do this too often, as I can get old quick and possibly drive them away.

Be more generous

Allow you readers to be more involved with what you are doing.  Whether you have 10 or 1000 readers, if you can get them involved you not only retain them but your content is more meaningful.  Allowing your readers ownership of certain content can facilitate promotion of your site and they in turn will spread the word about your site.  It is all about the reader, so feel free to give them some love.  Some things you can do are:

• polls
• asking readers direct questions
• allowing guest posters/authors
• contests

Do not limit yourselves to these, indulge yourself and get your readers involved.

Be more friendly

Engage yourself with other bloggers and writers, especially those who have an established audience.  There is nothing wrong with hanging on the “coat tails” of someone who is successful, so long as you are facilitating spam.  Comment on other sites, ask other writers to comment on your site or conduct interviews.  Do what it takes, establishing trust with other bloggers can get their readers to trust you.

Be consistent

Blogging can get boring, and you may lose interest in posting content from time to time.  Anything you are interested in, can get “old” to you from time to time.  Make sure you are on top of things and consistent with your content or else you will lose readers and your blog will go no where.  Try to schedule yourself, have set topics or blogs you do on a weekly basis.  This helps you organize your thoughts and not just randomly jotting content here and there.

I hope these tips help, as they are things I look to work on in 2010.  Please feel free and let me know what you think!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY 2010!

Tuesday Morning Links: SEO 4 U

Good Tuesday morning!

SEO is on the mind of just about anyone working with online content.  Here are a few nuggets to suffice your appetite…

1.

17 Facts and Figures About Online Video: How Important Is It For Your SEO and Getting Found Online?

by Jeff Bullas @jeffbullas via twitter// http://jeffbullas.com

2.

What do SEO Experts Do?

3.

Website and Search Engine Optimization: Backlinks to Improve SEO and LSI

Article by, Ranee Wright and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

#Follow Friday? The Life and Times of a Trending Topic

If you were to follow/trend/or RT a topic what would it be and why?

10 Things I Learned About Social Media…

photo by Ryan Estorninos (ryan john xxi llc)

…more specifically 10 things I learned socail media can do for me. Whether you are a huge corporation, non-profit organization,small business or Moe Syzlak trying to make some money; social media is at your desposal and ready to work for you.  Today the Ad Council hosted another one of its “Seminar Series” presentations today at the Google Offices in Washington, D.C.  There were four panelists, but I will touch on one portion by Mark Skidmore of Blue States Digital.  Mark presented a list of 10 items that can use social marketing.  They are as follows:

1. Event Coverage
2. Run Contests and Promotions
3. Opinion Poll
4. Solicit User Content
5. Conduct Interviews
6. Build SEO Value
7. Reputation Management
8. Attract Employees
9. Highlight and Reward Constituents
10. Control Media Story

You can scan this list easy and probably pick items which you are currently practicing.  But, which ones are items are you not using?  Which items when used brought you success or produced just the opposite?  No method is flawless, but having no method or not utilizing enough will not bring you success either.   Galen Panger of Google’s Public Policy Office mentioned in his presentation two keys in using social media:

“building an audience and using it”

Expect to hear more “Mash-Ups” on this subject, as we have plenty to discuss.