Have You Tried These Proven Ways To Drive Traffic To Your Blog?

Bloggers often complain that their traffic isn't growing as quickly as they'd like it to. But have you really been doing everything you can to improve your clicks? It's not as simple as reading up on search engine optimization and waiting for the techniques you try to work. If you really want to grow traffic, you have to commit time and effort to the cause.

That means trying some techniques that are a little outside the box. Just as you make a commitment when you join a church, you have to commit to growing your traffic. Here's how.


Interact with Other Bloggers

Bloggers can help grow each other's traffic by posting on each other's sites, sharing links and swapping guest posts. The goal is to expose your blog to people who might not have otherwise found it. Make a commitment to commenting on at least five other sites per day, and make sure to include your blog's URL in your comment.

Don't be pushy or annoying in your comments. Don't demand that people come visit your blog. Contribute a thoughtful and intelligent argument if you have good insight on the topic at hand. This will encourage people to check out what you write on a daily basis.


Gamble a Little

Try experimenting with sites like StumbleUpon, which can bring in a flood of traffic if used correctly. This site invites people to "stumble" upon interesting content that they think others would enjoy. But you have to be careful with the way you use it. If the site thinks you're trying to flag your own content for stumbling, they might ban you from posting.

Depending on what kind of content you publish, consider creating a Pinterest for your blog. Create pictures that capture the essence of your posts or even take a quote from your post and lay it out visually.


Write About Blogging

Want to know a topic that bloggers find irresistible? Themselves. And considering how many bloggers there are, that can add up to a lot of traffic. Write a post about something relevant to blogging, such as where to find topic ideas, how to grow traffic or even something more technical, like which blogging software to use. It's guaranteed that traffic on that post will take off. People love to read something relevant to themselves, and bloggers tend to be the biggest blog readers.

Don't forget to blog in your own niche and family of bloggers. Guest posts are a great way to target the right traffic to your own blog. Offer other bloggers in your vertical a post swap.


Pick an Obscure Topic

Sometimes it doesn't pay to be the 4,567th blogger to write about Kim and Kanye's new baby. Sometimes to stand out you have to try something really different. If you write about an obscure topic that doesn't get a lot of coverage on the internet, you'll draw in people looking for information on said topic. They won't have a lot of resources to choose from, so they may pick yours.


Blogrolls

After you become buddy buddy with some of the other bloggers in your niche, ask them to include your blog in their blogroll. This will become a great way for readers interested in what your write about to find you.

Just like a post swap, offer to put their blog in your blogroll as well. Many times, you'll find a community of bloggers in your niche that interlink to everyone else.

Test out these five ways to increase traffic to your site. Be sure to track your progress in Google Analytics or some other form of analytics for your blog. You'll be amazed at how much traffic you can get with just a little effort.


About The Author: Carl Glasmyre is a freelance writer who writes on a wide selection of topics.

Did you find this article helpful? Do you have any tips to share for increasing blog traffic? Please let Carl and myself know by leaving us your valued comments in the comments section below.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Related articles:
Blog Marketing Overview
3 Tips For Increasing Blog Traffic
Top 3 Blogging Tips For Increasing Internet Presence
What's In Store For Bloggers This 2012


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4 Steps That Will Ruin Your Blog At Once

No matter what the reason of your blogging is (you can do that for business promotion, making money, or your own pleasure), your blog or website needs the audience. It's obvious, isn't it? Blogs can't live without visitors and readers, and your task is to make your blog really attractive to them.

Do you have a plan of how to attract people to your blog? A plan is the main thing here actually, because it's not enough for a successful blogging to post new content from time to time. Just take a look at your blog as if it wasn't yours. Do you like it? Do you like its content and design? Is it user-friendly? Is it comfortable for a visitor to find all necessary information there? Just try to be honest, and make your blog readable and really attractive. The point is to make visitors come back again, that is why your blog should have something really catchy.

So, let's imagine that you've made everything possible to create a really good, attractive, readable, and informative blog. Visitors come, read your posts, leave comments, share your links in their social media - the most important moment here is not to spoil everything! There are 4 simple but really harmful steps you can make to ruin your blog at once. We are here to tell you about them and help you avoid them.


How often do you update your blog?

We bet your competitors update their blogs and websites once a week at least. That is why if the last post of your own blog is dated July 2010 for example, you may forget about visitors and traffic. No one is interested in blogs that tell them about iPhone 3 or the most popular movies of 2009.

Update your blog regularly with really fun and engaging content. It will attract new readers, bring your blog much traffic. But don't forget about your niche: there is no need to post funny videos of cats, even if they are very popular on the Web today, if your own blog is about innovative technologies and new gadgets. The audience will hardly like that, you know.


How many keywords do you use per post?

Every blogger (even if he or she is a newbie) knows that keywords are good for his or her blog's SEO. Believe us, your readers are not stupid, and they will perfectly understand whether you wrote your post for them or Google; that is why there is no need to use many keywords in every sentence of your article. It doesn't look natural, it doesn't sound natural, and it will definitely not give your reader a desire to come back to your blog again.

Remember, that you write for people, not for Google. Make your readers feel that they are more important to you than Google search results.


How persistently do you promote your business?

Even if you blog for business, it doesn't matter that all your content should be about good or services you provide. Remember the main rule of blogging: your blog is NOT for promotion (even if it actually is)!

Try to share interesting and useful information with your readers. Believe us, they don't want to hear about your business all the time, and if you continue add nothing but different ads only, you will lose all readers very soon. You can tell about your business of course, but this information should come naturally, and it shouldn't bother your readers at all.


How often do you respond comments?

People read your blog, and they want to share their own opinion as for the problem you described in your post. Would it be pleasant to you, if you leave a comment and the author doesn't give you any replies?

Try not to ignore the comments of your readers, especially if they disagree with you. Remember, that good debates can be a really good way to attract people's attention and make your blog even more popular as a result. If all comments of your readers are left without replies, they will hardly back again, as they see that no one pays attention to them here.


About The Author: The article is provided by Alex Strike, a professional copywriter and blogger of http://writing-help.com, who always shares his opinion on such topics as Internet marketing, education, techs, and social media.

Did you find this article helpful? Please let Alex and myself know by leaving us your valued comments in the comments section below.

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Related articles:
How To Use Guest Blogging To Build Your Online Reputation
Your Blogging Reputation Is At Stake
6 Ideas For Creative Blog Posts


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How To Use Guest Blogging To Build Your Online Reputation

You've spent months working on your blog, regularly posting great content and seeing a steady stream of traffic. But things have tapered off. You aren't seeing the numbers increase in any noticeable way and you aren't gaining any new followers.

While working on your search engine optimization and doing more to market your blog and your posts via social media and other blogs can give your site a boost, one of the most effective means of driving new traffic - and building your online reputation in the process - is to do something you're already doing: blogging.

But instead of creating content for your site, consider guest blogging as a means to attract new fans and followers. Guest blogging, in the simplest terms, is writing a post (or a series of posts) for another blog. When you do so, you get to share ideas or thoughts with a new audience that may not have otherwise found your work. Since most guest blogs include a link to your blog, as well as relevant social media profiles, readers can connect with you and your work, building up your site's numbers. However, guest blogging requires more than simply banging out a blog post and offering it to other bloggers.


Finding Opportunities

As a blogger, you already know it's a time-consuming process. Creating, posting and marketing content takes time, which is why many bloggers are eager for qualified guest bloggers who can bear some of the burden.

Start by contacting the owners of blogs that you read regularly and think you could contribute something meaningful to. Sometimes, blogs actively seek guest bloggers. In other cases, you'll need to reach out and ask about opportunities. Try searching "guest blogger opportunities" or "guest blogger jobs" and you'll find several sites that serve as clearinghouses for bloggers looking for guests.

If you're interested in blogging for a major site, such as Huffington Post, Babble or Mashable, follow the editorial guidelines for querying and submitting blogs.


Give Them What They Want

Before you reach out to a blogger, have an idea of what you would like to write about. In general, guest posts that offer how-to instructions, whether for a specific project or for doing something better are the most popular. Let the blog owner know what you can offer in terms of photos and illustrations, and supply a link to your blog so they can get a feel for your style. Above all, before you query, read your target blog - ideally, several months' worth of posts - to get a feel for the blog's style and tone, and to ensure you're offering something new and different.

Of course, when you do create your post, use the same care and attention to detail you would for a post on your site. In general, keep your post between 400 - 700 words, offer high-quality photographs and check your grammar and spelling before you send it.


Maximizing Your Post

While guest posting is an ideal way to share your content, the real purpose (for both you and your host) is to build traffic and a name for yourself online. To start, always include a bio with your guest post. Write the bio in the third person, and reference your blog - which should be linked to your blog, ideally to a post relevant to the guest post. Include a link to your Twitter profile or Facebook page as well to give readers the opportunity to connect with you.

You should also promote your guest post among your own networks. Mention on your blog and social media feeds you're guest blogging, and provide a link to the post. This helps drive traffic for your host, and gives your followers some "bonus" content.

Guest blogging can drive traffic to your site as well as give you additional exposure and name recognition. When you regularly contribute to reputable sites with a large and loyal fan base, you not only build your fan base, you also build trust and credibility in your niche - and make it easier for other blog owners to contact you with opportunities.


About The Author: Mari Jane Kahn is a business blogger. She keeps track of her online activities using MyLife and considers MyLife.com customer service some of the best in the business.

Did you find this article helpful? Do you use guest blogging to help drive more traffic to your blog? Please let Mari and myself know by leaving us your valued comments.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Related articles:
Strategies For Finding Guest Posting Opportunities
How You Can Get Started With Accepting Guest Posts On Your Website
A Guide To Guest Blogging For SEO In 2012


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Your Blogging Reputation Is At Stake

It doesn't matter if you blog to put food on the table or if you do it for fun. Either way, you've likely dedicated a lot of time and effort into creating a stellar reputation as a top-notch blogger - a reputation that you need to protect.

If you've mastered the art of blogging, but have no idea how to maintain your glowing image, here are a few tips:

1. Remember that "more" isn't better
   
   Don't flood your blog with mediocre content. Your audience wants quality posts, not a barrage of humdrum material. It is better to create awesome content once a week than foist a daily dose of drivel upon your dedicated followers. Nothing kills your blogging reputation faster than crappy content.
   
   
2. Choose guest bloggers with care
   
   If you allow guest bloggers to post on your site, make sure their material is share-worthy. Cut and paste regurgitations, content that reads like a sedative, and poorly written gobbledygook will make you and your blog look bad - tarnishing your pristine reputation.
   
   
3. Monitor your press
   
   Bing, Google, and Yahoo your name regularly to see what they are saying about you. If you blog for your company, monitoring search engines should become a regular part of your online business management routine.
   
   The most popular search engines also offer alerts that will let you know every time there is a new post pertaining to you. Hopefully, these new posts are positive - but if they aren't, you will now be able to respond quickly.
   
   If you are a guest blogger, make sure that you request e-mail alerts whenever someone makes a comment on your post. WordPress blogs usually have an RSS feed for post comments; you just have to grab that feed and put it into your RSS feed reader. This will enable you to reply to your readers, which lets them know that they are valued. There is nothing more annoying than someone who wants to be heard, but won't hear others. Don't be that person.
   
   
4. Be yourself - unless you are boring
   
   Choose topics that inspire you. If you hate knitting, don't write about it - unless it's a post about why you hate knitting. It's hard to compose quality work if you really don't care about your topic. And it's doubly hard to write an informative piece about something that you don't understand. Wasting your reader's time with meaningless fluff will hurl your blogging reputation into an irrecoverable nosedive.
   
   It is equally important that you write in your own voice - unless, of course, that voice is borderline illiterate or lulls your audience into a comatose state. But, if you have chosen to blog, you likely don't suffer from either of those impediments - so be yourself.
   
   
5. Be a "follower"
   
   Actively follow and support other bloggers that you admire. Not only can you learn a great deal about your craft, but you will also create a valuable network of blogging friends. Encourage other bloggers with comments and "likes" - and they will repay the favor. They may even re-blog your posts, exposing you to an even larger audience. Generous bloggers enjoy much greater success than those who blog in a bubble. And generosity definitely boosts one's blogging reputation.

Your reputation as a blogger is one of your most valuable assets and you need to work to protect it. Creating high quality material, keeping an eye on what others are saying about you, and engaging in a tad bit of "sucking up" will go a long way towards fostering and maintaining a first class blogging image. And sometimes you might have to make a guest blogger cry.


About The Author: Kimberley Laws is a freelance writer and avid blogger. Her blogs are her "babies" and she welcomes any advice that will help her protect her "babies" and her blogging reputation.

Did you find this article helpful? Please let Kimberley and myself know by leaving us your valued comments.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post tomorrow, enjoy the rest of your day!

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Blog Marketing Overview

Blog marketing is one of the fastest growing trends in the online arena today. Blogs, otherwise known as web logs, are online journals where individuals document information on particular subject areas. The topic for blogs can range from purely frivolous banter to the more gut-wrenching, hard core serious topics. Blog owners tend to have a section below the blog post for readers to post comments.

Starting a blog online is very easy to do. If you are unsure about how to go about creating the layout of your blog, ask a friend or someone who knows about blog creation. You can get started with many free platforms, such as Blogger or WordPress. Once you have your blog up and running, you need to decide on a topic. Individual bloggers may choose to talk about recipes, children, advice, experiences, stories, pictures, celebrities, traveling, hobbies, etc. Company blogs will vary depending on the niche, but may include posts about professional services, advice on taxes, marketing tips, negotiation tactics, employee recognition, operational consulting, running the business, making the most out of your finances, recent updates for the company, quarterly reports, etc.

Afterwards, you can then get started on marketing. You will need to employ a wide range of various skills in order to make your blog known and subsequently profit from it.

Unless you want to just have an online diary, the main purpose of a blog is to let others know about it. Typically when you first create a blog it is virtually unknown, unless you have given someone the link or have shown it to them. One of the easiest ways to generate viewership to a new blog is to permit RSS feeds to be taken from the blog. You can allow other blogs and websites to publish your blog. Bloggers tend to take advantage of RSS feeds, as it is a great tool for promoting and getting your blog out there.

The key strategy to blog marketing is to update your blog frequently. You may have the most interesting material on your blog but if no one reads it then you would have defeated the purpose of the blog. Readership is an important component of any successful blog. Set a goal for yourself and stick to it. If you advise your readers that you will be updating new posts on a weekly basis ensure that you do so. You want to keep your readers interested so that they can spread the word about your blog.

Apply SEO (search engine optimization) to your blogs. Similar to a website, a blog is more successful once it is SEO optimized. If you want your blog to go anywhere, you will need SEO. The topic of SEO is far beyond the scope of this post, but you'll be able to find lots of resources online about properly optimizing your individual posts by using strong titles, keywords, and tags.

Always be on the look-out for blogs that have similar content to yours. This is particularly useful, as not only are you checking out the "competition", but you can leave comments and attach a link with your blog information. Readers will now have the opportunity to visit your blog therefore generating more traffic for you. When commenting, be sure to actually contribute to the conversation.

Some marketing involves making a profit. Some bloggers choose to do affiliate marketing or sell ad space on their blogs. This is an easy way to make a profit from your blog. Not all bloggers wish to earn an income from blogging; some simply just do it for fun.

Depending on your preference there are a number of techniques available. Marketing is a lot of hard work and it takes up a lot of time but once executed properly, it will be well worth it and you will be rewarded with a successful blog.


Did you like this article? Please let me know by leaving me your valued comments.

Related articles:
How Comment Marketing Will Benefit Your Rating In The Web World
3 Tips For Increasing Blog Traffic
Top 3 Blogging Tips For Increasing Internet Presence
What's In Store For Bloggers This 2012


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© 2013. This article is DMCA protected. Republication is prohibited.

How And Why You Should Start A Blog To Promote Your Business

The matter of "How" is the easiest to answer because there are only two methods that make any sense. The first is to build a blog into your current website. The HTML coding is different to a regular website, but is still readily available online. You may hire a web designer if you feel you may struggle to add a blog page to your website.

The second method is to use a free online blog creation service. There are websites that offer the tools to create your own blog for free. Usually the only thing you need to pay for is the web space you have to buy from a host. You may pay for a blog creation GUI or toolkit, but it seems silly when there are so many good ones online that are free.

The question of why you should create a blog to promote your online business is another matter. A blog to promote your business is not going to buy you a lot of traffic, and is unlikely to be a very fruitful endeavour. There are few reasons to create a business blog, but nevertheless here are a few reasons that you may consider.


It's personal

It is a very personal form of communication, which is unlike any other form of business communication. Most other business communication is headache creating in its professionalism, or mind numbing in its promotional tone. A blog may be used to put things back onto a more personal level. The business owner may engage with their customers on a more one-to-one level. This will mean that any of the blogs readers may be able to identify with and connect with the business and its products.


It is another company signpost

There is a small chance that people will attend your blog to research into your business. People who are clever shoppers are going to search around for extra details about your business or products. They are going to look at your website but that is only one resource. They can look at other blogs, review sites, and find more information about you too. Whilst doing this, they may stumble across your blog which is going to give them a second resource of information about your business or products, which is coming from a positive source.


It grows your marketing efforts

It helps you to mature your advertising campaign by forcing you to think about your business in more detailed terms. Your marketing campaign should be constantly moving forwards and growing. You are forced to think about your business, its online reputation and marketing strategy whilst writing blogs about your business. This is going to lead you towards epiphanies about your marketing efforts, and will point out any mistakes you are making.


Comments from others

Your comment section may help to improve your research and marketing efforts. The traffic you will receive on your business blog is unlikely to be high or consistent, which means that comments are going to be even less likely. Nevertheless, the comments you do receive may point out the concerns of your customers and supporters. You may use this information to improve your marketing and research efforts.


There is a chance of occasional traffic

The possibility of extra traffic to your site is negligible, and not worth the time it takes to write the blog, but is still a bi-product factor of your blog.


You can link from it and improve your websites SEO

It gives you a controllable domain from which you may link to your website repeatedly. The links will be strong because they are from directly related content. They will also be more permanent because they are unlikely to break unless you break them personally.


You will gain snippets of perfectly worded marketing material

Occasionally we all have little moments of pure genius, when we write something that is perfectly worded and concise. This may happen every now and again whilst writing your blog. That little snippet of marketing gold can be cut from your blog and integrated into your website so that it has a more powerful effect. It may just be one line, but it comes out so perfect that you decide to make it a tag-line for your website. You may have spent a lot of time coming up with your websites marketing phrases and tag-lines, but if you are forced to think about your business every time you create your blog posts, you are bound to think up new and better tag lines and marketing phrases.


About The Author: Korah Morrison, writer on essay writing services that helps students to write essays of any complexity. She writes about SEO, blogging, social media, internet marketing and other tips.

Did you find this article helpful? Please let Korah and myself know by leaving us your valued comments below.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Related articles:
How To Get Business By Blogging


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post on Wednesday, have a wonderful and productive week!

© 2013. This article is DMCA protected. Republication is prohibited.

How You Can Get Started With Accepting Guest Posts On Your Website

Increasing traffic to a site is an activity that many site owners are spending a great deal of time in learning. One of the main reasons why increasing the traffic on the site is so important today is because it is tied to popularity and money. Fortunately, there are many different sites online that can provide the business owner with the information that is needed. From information on search engine optimization techniques to social networks, there is a huge amount of information that a site owner can search through to find out what will work and what will not.

For those who are operating their own blogs, there are many ways to increase the views on the site. People who are well versed in posting good information on their own site are normally very skilled in keeping people engaged because they know and understand what their audience is looking for. However, in addition to the audience reading the information that the blogger has acquired over time, the blogger can also solicit the expertise of others. By soliciting the expertise of other bloggers, the site owner can also increase the traffic to their site. Soliciting blogs from others involves guests blogging.


Benefits of Soliciting Guest Bloggers

Even if the individual operates a small blog that has only a few hundred monthly visitors, they can benefit from offering space on their site for a guest blogger. Some of the benefits to having a guest blogger include:

Acquiring unique and quality content. Some bloggers will interview the guest blogger before their post their information. In fact, some of the blog site owners may choose to approve the titles that they will write about. If the titles that the guest blogger provides are acceptable, the information can be posted on their site. Most site owners will be looking for unique and quality content, which is always needed if the blogger is going to keep the readers' engaged.

Reduces the time-spent writing. Keeping a site filled with good quality content is not always easy because it does take both time and effort. If the site is going to be successful, it is important for the owner of the site to plan out what they are going to write about. This involves keeping a listening ear out for the things that most readers like. Also, based on the site, the blogger can provide useful information about several related topics (i.e. how to fix a credit report). Therefore, by soliciting multiple guest bloggers, the site owner can also reduce the time that is normally spent in writing articles. If the site owner makes the right plans, guests bloggers can help to fill in the gaps on certain days of the week or month.


Getting Started and Useful Tips

Getting started does not have to be a difficult task, if the site owner has the right information. Listed below are some tips that can be used.


1. Post a Guest Blogger Page.

Posting a guests blogger page is a win-win situation for both the blog site owner and guest blogger. By posting a guest blogger page, the site owner can explain what they are looking for and what guests blogging will mean to them. For example, potential bloggers will know that they will be receiving free publicity from the site. In addition to free publicity, the bloggers will also have a link added that will lead the readers back to their site. The guests blogger page should also indicate the timeframes for these guests appearance (i.e. dates when the articles will be published).


2. Post a Get Interviewed page.

To make it easy for the guest bloggers to respond to the Guest Blogger Page, the site owner should create a list of standard questions. Even though this can be changed out on a regular basis (weekly, monthly or yearly), these questions will give the guests blogger a head start and they will know what the site owner is looking for. This means they will not have to spend a lot of time researching nor contacting the site owners about their preferences or requirements.


3. Utilize social networking forums to get the word out.

Twitter, Facebook and other social network are great tools when reaching a specific target audience. Therefore, the site owner can reach a large target audience with one message. Prior to making any type of announcements regarding this need, the site owner should check the rules of the forums before they do any type of solicit.

Another great option for soliciting guests bloggers is to contact them via private requests. These can be bloggers where there are previous relationships formed (community associations) or new bloggers that the audience may be specifically impressed by.


About The Author: Gurwinder Singh Bhinder is a Blogger and writes for Pro Technology Blog - a blog based on Technology and Blogger Tips. He enjoys writing about Technology, Blogging tips, SEO and WordPress.

Did you find this article helpful? Please let Gurwinder and myself know by leaving us your valued comments below.

Coming next week on Derek's Home and Business Blog: Three articles on Search Engine Optimisation. On Monday, there will be an article by Carl Glasmyre which will provide information on how to hire a good SEO company. On Wednesday, there will be an article by Eric Pratum explaining what negative SEO is and how to protect your site from it and finally on Friday, there will be an article by Guy Farnworth explaining why bad SEO companies should be fearful of the Penguin update.

Related articles:
A Guide To Guest Blogging For SEO In 2012


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Until my next post on Monday when the first of the three articles on SEO is published, have a fabulous weekend!

3 Tips For Increasing Blog Traffic

Part of being a blogger is getting relevant traffic to your blog. This is probably your biggest task and your biggest wish. This is also where most bloggers have trouble. Here are a few ways you can get traffic to your blog.


Social Media

I am sure that I do not need to tell you that you can get a lot of traffic from social media. Most bloggers dream of the day when something they write goes viral. But most people also have no idea that they can do something to increase the amount of traffic they can receive from these social media sites. The best way to increase your social media presence is with the use of SMM tools. Some of the best social media monitoring tools are capable of growing your audience by quite a bit by making you a lot more efficient. You will not only have a lot more data to work with but will also be able to save time so that you can work on other blog related things.


Blog Comments

I am sure that you know that you can get traffic via blog comments but most bloggers do not know how to do this right. If you are trying to get people to click through from your blog comment and find out more about you, you should generally follow a few rules of thumb.

• Sooner the better: Comment as soon as the post has been published, if possible be the first one to comment. The father down your comment is, the fewer clicks you will get. Most people tend to not read after the first few comments.
  
  
• Be of appropriate length: It is generally a good idea to make the comment more than the length of a tweet, but be sure not to make to longer than 300 words, because by then you go from leaving a comment to leaving an essay. Besides, no one is even going to read it if it is an essay so don't put that much effort into it.
  
  
• Contribute to the conversation: Pretty much what it says. Contribute something. Even if you write a paragraph, if it is just rewording what someone else has already said, people can tell. So say something original that is of some value.

Forums and communities

This works a lot like blog comments. The only difference is that you have to be consistent. If you are just answering once in a while, you will not be able to send any traffic to your site. Most forums and communities generally have some sort of ranking system that shows everyone else how much you participate. Generally speaking, the higher this is, the more reliable you come off as to most people. By participating often, you can increase this number and when you do answer someone's question people tend to think of you as an authority in that niche and will be tempted to check out your website.


Did you find this article helpful? Please let me know by leaving your valued comments below.

Related articles:
What's In Store For Bloggers This 2012
12 Ways To Generate More Blog Traffic
Top Blog and RSS Directories


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post, have a fabulous week!

6 Ideas For Creative Blog Posts

Sometimes making regular updates for your blog can become a little stale, and it's easy to rely on a few "tried and tested" ways to post. There are many ways to make your posts more creative, and a little effort may pay rich dividends in keeping your readers interested in what you want to share.


1. The Power of Language

Harnessing the power of language is essential if you want to keep your blog creative. Creating an eye catching title for your post is key to attracting the attention of your readers. Research shows that 8 out of 10 readers will read a blog title, but only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the post. Unless your title stands out from the myriad of other blog titles out there, few will bother to read on.

Careful phrasing of your title can make all the difference! A direct rhetorical question will immediately make your reader feel more involved (e.g. "Are you ashamed of your cooking skills?"). Framing your title as advice is also likely to attract attention (e.g. How following this advice saved me a fortune).

Creative use of numbers is another popular strategy, such as "10 sure-fire ways to save time when cleaning", or even using "shock" tactics such as "Five alarming facts about fizzy drinks".

It's important to use interesting language and vocabulary throughout the rest of your post, but attracting your reader's attention in the first place is essential.


2. Ring the Changes

If you want to build up a regular audience, you will need to use a host of different formats to stop your readers from getting bored. Try to think of alternative ways to present your post. For example, a recount of a day out could be written as a diary entry, or the story of how you landscaped your garden could be presented as a "How to.." guide.

You could write your post as a letter, perhaps to a friend, or even to a famous person or historical character. Why not consider a real or imaginary interview? Or perhaps make use of a list - for example "Five gadgets I could not live without". You could even write a humorous recipe ("A recipe for a perfect marriage").

Once you have begun to ring the changes with your format, you will find more and more creative ways to structure your posts.


3. Food for the Eyes

There is no doubt that the look of your blog is as important as the words you use. Take time to think about the ambience of your blog. Many blog hosting sites provide a variety of templates to get you started, but do take time to personalise yours so that it reflects your character or the theme of your blog.

Creative use of photos can work wonders in terms of making your blog more attractive. This can be as simple as sharing your own photos (for example, travel photos), but there are many other ways to use images on your blog. Sharing favourite photos can also be interesting for your reader e.g. "My ten most inspiring sports photos" - this could then be linked to other social media sites such as Pinterest. However, do be sure to credit any photos which are not your own!

Images can also be used as a starting point for discussion or further sharing, perhaps by using a news photo about a current event and inviting discussion, or posting a photo of your latest craft project.


4. Use your Senses

As well as using photos, you can also make use of other multimedia on your blog. You could upload video you have taken of a family event, or something you have seen when travelling. You could provide a link to online video and use it as a starting point for discussion or sharing.

Some bloggers will add audio blogs or podcasts to their blog. Offering a variety ways to communicate with your reader is also likely to avoid them losing interest.


5. It's Good to Share

Sometimes it can be interesting to involve others in contributing to your blog. For example, you could ask someone to make a guest posting and invite comment from your readers. This can bring a fresh perspective to your blog and perhaps present a different viewpoint from your own.

Contributions could be in a "standard" blog posting, or something more creative such as a poem, short story or article. You could also use content you have found elsewhere but, of course, you will need to make sure you don't infringe copyright and that you credit any external content.


6. Involve your Audience Creatively

Most bloggers welcome feedback from their readers and blog sites provide a means for leaving comments about postings. There are lots more creative ways to encourage your readers to participate. For example, encouraging your readers to add to your post - e.g. adding their own image to "My favourite travel photo" is a good way to help them feel involved. Posting a list and then inviting others to add their own list can generate discussion - for example, "Ten books every child should read" or a "bucket list".

Starting a longer running thread is an interactive way to involve others - maybe by starting an book circle, a recipe sharing thread, or everyone sharing a small cross stitch chart they have designed. Everyone will then benefit from the ideas of others.

Once you have begun to think about more creative ways to post on your blog, you will find that your ideas will snowball and you should build up a loyal and proactive readership.


About The Author: Amy Harris is a writer for FinancialTraining.co.uk which helps British and international students find the right financial courses in London and the UK. Amy is an American expat herself, and enjoys helping people with their careers and financial advice.

Did you find this article helpful? Do you have any tips to share? Please let Amy and myself know by leaving us your valued comments below.

Related articles:
Top 3 Blogging Tips For Increasing Internet Presence
5 Tips To Write Effective And SEO Friendly Titles For Your Blog
What's In Store For Bloggers This 2012
SEO Benefits of Blogging
Getting Inspiration For Blog Posts


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Until my next post, have a fabulous week!

Top 3 Blogging Tips For Increasing Internet Presence

So, you've created a professional Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profile, but you're still not getting the recognition you expected. In the current digital age, employers tend to be more surprised when an applicant DOESN'T have a presence on these mediums than when they do.

While utilizing other social media platforms such as Reddit, StumbleUpon and the newer Google+, your best of chance of getting recognized is to link all of your media into one area. If you really want to stand out from other applicants in the job market and increase your Internet presence, creating a blog is the best way to establish credibility and really allow potential employers (or even potential business partners) to see what you're capable of. In the meantime, consider the following helpful tips to get started:


Write for your target audience

According to marketing professional and blogger extraordinaire Jim Connolly, you should tailor your blog according to your audience and no one else. It's impossible to satisfy every reader that visits your blog, and the truth is, you probably don't even want to. A message that attempts to please everyone will end up being unfocused and uninspiring, which will, ironically, have the exact opposite affect you intended by simply not interesting any visitors. Evaluate who your audience is, and who you want your audience to be. If you're in the job market, make sure to exemplify your skills and value for employers in your field through the messages expressed in your blog.


Leverage your other social media sites

Alia Haley of Today Tricks claims that one of the best ways to maximize your online presence is to utilize every social media resource at your fingertips. By simply sharing your blogging links with friends on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, you have already gained exposure to three extensive audiences.

Social media not only offers the opportunity to share with your friends and colleagues, but also the networks of these individuals through link sharing and other exposure-increasing methods. However, just adding links to your other sites isn't good enough. You must maintain the sites and remain active and engage with others while updating your blog often.


Inspire your reader

When offering advice to aspiring bloggers, professional blogger Darren Rowse explains that blogs should enhance the users' experience, or chances are that reader won't return. Any blogger can rehash generic information on the subject at hand, but the most successful bloggers offer interesting takes and unique information that both inspires and entertains the reader.

Your online presence depends on your readership, and satisfied readers typically lead to a larger audience overall, thus increasing your online presence. A good way to discover interesting or thought-provoking topics is to navigate through Yahoo! Answers. Type in related search query keywords to see what people are asking. Be the first to answer these questions and not only will this establish you as an authoritative leader in your industry, but your blog will end up returning more views as you are answering pertinent questions.


About The Author: Lindsey Harper Mac is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area. She specializes in writing guest posts on social media and education. Currently, Lindsey is completing work on her master's degree.

Do you like this article by Lindsey Harper Mac? Please let Lindsey and myself know by leaving us your valued comments.


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post on Friday, enjoy the rest of the week!

How To Get Business By Blogging

Starting a professional blog can be one of the most effective ways to grow a customer base and build client confidence in your company and your products at the same time. One of the most effective marketing aspects of the Internet is that you can reach millions of people simultaneously with important information about your company.

When you start blogging and following good Internet marketing practices for promoting your blog, then you will definitely begin to see an increase in web traffic and company revenue.


Develop New Content Every Day

You can use topics such as new product updates, new company information or answers to customer questions as a way to add new content to your blog every day. People will not visit your blog if you do not have something new to offer. The blogs that add relevant and new content on a daily basis will get the most traffic and the most customers.


Create a Social Network

Your blog should be tied in to your social networking sites so that you can use those sites to announce new blog posts. Most blog hosts also have communities of their own where you can read other people's blogs and leave comments. The more active you are in promoting your content and interacting with other people, the more traffic you will draw to your blog.


Always Be Selling

When you put up new blog posts, be sure you end each post with the contact information that your clients will need to buy products from you. Make sure that the link to your main website is prominently displayed on the front page of your blog so that clients can easily find it. When you write articles introducing new products, put links in your post that will take customers to the product information and ordering page on your website. Every post you make on your professional blog should always be selling your products.


Develop Good Relationships With People That Can Help

Many business professionals and company owners that have products complimentary to yours have blogs. You need to find those blogs and start leaving constructive and positive comments that everyone can see. Contact owners of blogs that complimentary to yours and discuss the possibility of putting guest posts on each others blogs. For example, if you sell music CDs then you should contact the owner of a blog that sells stereos and see if you can post a blog on his site and he will post one on yours. If you do this with enough complimentary companies, your audience of potential clients will grow substantially.


Use Links

When you are discussing the manufacturer of a product that you sell, then include a link to that manufacturer's website in your article. Be sure that all of your links are pertinent to your topic and that the links work. The more pertinent links that your blog has, the higher it will move up on the search engine results pages.


Use SEO

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is an Internet marketing method that uses keywords to help improve your chances of having your content appear on the results pages of major search engines. Use the keyword search tools that are available on each of the major search engines and determine what the most popular keywords are for your industry. Then you need to make sure that between three and five percent of the content on your site is these keywords. Use the keywords in complete sentences that are structurally correct and spread the keywords out in your text.


About The Author: Scott Morgan is a board certified Austin divorce lawyer who regularly blogs on the subject of divorce and family law. You can read his blog at AustinDivorceSpecialist.com.

Do you like this article by Scott Morgan? Please let Scott and myself know by leaving us your valued comments.

Other articles coming this week: "Using Promotional Products to Support a Social Media Marketing Campaign" (Wednesday) and "Could Help Desk Software Improve the Efficiency of your Business?" (Friday).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post on Wednesday, have a wonderful week!

5 Tips To Write Effective And SEO Friendly Titles For Your Blog

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to a guest post from Divya Rawat. Divya is an established consultant who regularly blogs at iNetZeal where she provides tips and tricks on how to improve virtual presence. She also has a keen interest in e-commerce.

Thank you Divya for guest posting on Derek's Home and Business Blog and I'm sure my readers will thoroughly enjoy your post.


5 Tips To Write Effective And SEO Friendly Titles For Your Blog Or Article

We shall discuss ways to write effective attention grabbing titles for your blog or regular articles in this post.

As an avid blogger or niche journalist, you always want more readers on your blog. The sole purpose of writing is to have people reading and benefiting from your work - unless it's a personal diary entry! Since your blog or agenda for content writing isn't only personal, here are 5 tips that should help increase your reader base:


1. Creative

While writing for a blog, you have to be extremely creative. The only thing that's driving a reader to read your entry is because he or she should be curious to know what's in store. It's important to generate an interest with your title. Say something different, make an analogy, stays something out of the blue! Your title should SURPRISE the reader.


2. Cool

If someone is reading a blog, even if for some tips, he/she would like a "cool" title. The reason is that everyone can write the "technical" titles, but only a smart writer can write cool titles for technical topics.


3. Simple

Simplicity always rules. Being "cool" doesn't mean using jargons. You don't have to brag with synonyms or words you have picked out of the dictionary. The majority of readers are simple people. To connect with them, you have got to be simple.


4. Humor and wits

Once again, everyone can be serious, can you be funny? Say something witty or humorous and you'll have the reader curious to know what's in store. He or she will be interested to read; and if you've managed to put a smile on his/her face even before starting the article, then you sure have a reader!


5. Hints about the article

And finally, your title should only give "hints" about the content and not give away the entire topic. If this is an article or blog which isn't targeted for SEO activity, then it's certainly going to win with hints.


Technique idea: Quotations and proverbs

A really cool way to make a title is to relate your subject with well known quotations or proverbs and add your pun to it. Pick up a famous quote and change it to your subject. Add a line about what you have in the blog post. The reason this works is that the reader connects to the quote and then identifies the difference in it. This simply encourages him or her to read further and find out what the "Change" is.

However, there's one more angle here. You may not be all that ambitious as yet, but being a blogger, in the long run you could make money or use your blog to kick start a small company of sorts. You could be a provider or writing services or simply capitalize on your reader base to make profits. What would be needed here is a slight SEO friendliness. This would mean using keywords in your titles, giving away a wee bit of information about the article and small rules like these which help in the optimization of your work in a way that the search engine spiders also become fond of you!

So go ahead, wear your thinking caps and try these tips on your own and write back to tell me if it works for you. Good luck!


About The Author: Divya, an established consultant with an SEO Company, has a keen interest in e-commerce. She is a regular blogger at iNetZeal, providing tips and tricks to improve virtual presence.

Do you like this guest post? Please show Divya your support by leaving your valued comments.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post, have a fabulous week!

What's In Store For Bloggers This 2012

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to a guest post from Amanda Dean. Amanda is a writer and editor who loves watching films and documentaries in her spare time. She also works for an e-commerce company which provides a wide selection of promotional products for businesses.

Thank you Amanda for guest posting on Derek's Home and Business Blog and I'm sure my readers will thoroughly enjoy your post.


What's In Store For Bloggers This 2012

How did you fare in terms of online marketing and advertising for your blog last year? Were you able to increase your traffic? Digital marketing and advertising is an ever complex and dynamic field that requires constant change and upgrade in terms of the techniques used to improve it. You cannot just rely on one particular seemingly effective technique.

There will come a point in time when this particular strategy will become obsolete, and you would have to learn to do something else. Thus, it would be helpful to know some digital marketing tips for 2012 so you can create an optimization plan for your own blog. Here are some pointers worth taking note of:


1. Be open in trying different social media features

Take for example the new Facebook feature "People Talking About This." It is one of the sub-categories in the main category "Insights" which allows page owners to determine the number of people or users that are having conversations or comments about their page. This is just one of the many social media site features that are very useful for site or blog owners like you who want to keep track of their blog's progress in terms of extent of fan base and the like. Take advantage of these new features. Find out what each social media site's new features are and maximize the perks they offer.


2. Update your site's content

This is one search engine optimization technique that will probably never be obsolete. Excellent and updated content has always been an effective optimization strategy so you should take it very seriously. Place yourself in the shoes of your users or viewers. Would you like a blog or a site that talks about the same things over and over again? Probably not, so be exceptionally kind to your readers and provide them the kind of content they deserve. Believe me, you'll reap great rewards in the end.


3. Be mobile friendly

Have you noticed that a lot of new mobile phones have cropped up from everywhere? The introduction of these latest mobile innovations and the availability of a multitude of new and more advanced features have prompted mobile phone users to maximizing the benefits they can get from such a seemingly "complete" gadget. Thus, they use these mobile phones as portable access to their various social media needs. Learn to recognize these needs and try to improve your site in a way that will be extremely friendly and accessible for mobile phone fans and users.

Hopefully, these simple but timely tips will grant you a great traffic and lead generation boost for your site this 2012. The new year holds so much marketing promise and potential for all bloggers and site owners out there. Make sure you get some for yourself!


About The Author: Amanda Dean is a writer and editor and loves watching films and documentaries. Visit her Twitter page at twitter.com/amanda_dean

Do you like this guest post? Please show Amanda your support by leaving your valued comments.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
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Until my next post, have a fabulous week!

Getting Inspiration For Blog Posts

Most of the time, you can blog to your hearts content. There are occasions however, that finding a topic to blog about can be a real challenge. You sit in front of your computer and your mind is blank...so what do you do?

Here's a great article by Bas van den Beld that I just had to share with you which will hopefully, help you get the inspiration you need.


Where to Get Inspiration for Blog Posts

I write several blog posts every month -- most of which appear on my own site and here on Search Engine Watch. Most of the time I have no trouble coming up with a topic. After all, I read so much that something usually grabs my attention.

But some days I'm desperately looking for a topic to blog about. At these times, I might just walk away from the computer and do other things until an idea pops up.

But on other days the Internet is the solution. Here are some of the places you can go to get inspiration for your blog posts.


Twitter

It's almost impossible these days to think about an online world without Twitter. Within a couple of years Twitter has become one of the leading online services -- at least when we're talking about the tech industry.

In some other industries this social tool is only just emerging. Still, it can be a useful tool for almost every industry.

You can use Twitter to find a topic for your blog post. By looking at your timeline or looking at the trending topics you will see what topics are "hot."

What are people sharing? What are they talking about? It will give you a general idea of possible topics.

You can use Twitter search to filter down the topics by adding a keyword which is connected to the topics you usually blog about.


Google Trends and insights

Another way of seeing what people are interested in is Google Trends. It will give you an idea of what people are searching for worldwide or in a specific region.

Just looking at the trends might just give you a few ideas, but you can make them more specific by combining the trends with keywords you're interested in and checking them in Google Insights. You will most definitely find a topic to write about that way!


Q&A Sites

You want to write blog posts that people will want to read. You like to have an audience after all, right? That is why the trending topics on Twitter and Google are interesting to look at.

Looking at Q&A sites is another way of finding out what people are interested in. That is where people are asking the questions you might be able to answer.

A good example of a site like that is Quora. Just open up the site and see what questions people have. If you know the answer you can either answer the question or make a blog post out of it (or both).

Sites like Quora, but also Yahoo Answers and Ask.com, are great places to see what people want to know and what they want to read. They are practically asking you to blog about a certain topic.


Comments on Specific Niche News Sites

Many sites write about what's happening in the tech industry. In addition to Search Engine Watch, there's Mashable, TechCrunch, and The Next Web.

A site like Techmeme brings them all together. You have sites like this in most industries -- some more than others -- but look carefully and you will find them. These sites offer great content, but they will also tell you what's hot and what interests readers.

You should follow these sites and read the content, but more importantly: follow the comments. The comments will tell you what the readers think and what they want to hear. It is a great source of inspiration to eventually take a different angle on a story, based on the comments.


RSS Reader

One of my personal favorites is my RSS Reader. I've subscribed to many sites and I use different tools to read them, from the Google Reader account on my computer to Pulse and Zite on my iPad.

The sites I look at are the "bigger ones" I mentioned before, but even more important when it comes to inspiration are the smaller sites. Small local sites from different countries give you a nice insight in what is going on in their world. You will see that there are very many different topics you can choose from.


Your Analytics

A very good way of finding out what you should be writing about is your Analytics Program. It will tell you what kind of posts people like to read, but a closer look will also show you what they want to read.

A look at your analytics will give you an idea of what people were looking for when they found your site in the first place. Does that match the articles you have on there? Or could you maybe write something that would really fit the search they were doing?

Also, make sure you look at your internal search engine. It will show you the topics they expect to find on your site. Chances are you might get some inspiration there.


Ask Your Followers and Readers

A nice way to get inspiration for a post, and at the same time write content that fits the needs of your readers, is to ask your readers or your followers. Ask them on social media like Twitter or Facebook or simply put up a post asking for suggestions. I've seen it happen many times and the bloggers always received great feedback and tons of ideas for blog posts.


Conclusion

Hopefully these suggestions will help you create some great blog posts.

Where else do you look for topics or inspiration? Did you find this article helpful? Please leave a comment to let me know.


As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on Facebook or subscribe to our feed at: http://feeds.feedburner.com/DereksHomeAndBusinessBlog

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Enjoy the rest of the week!