Blogging: 8 Ugly Truths

Whether you are blogging as a hobby or do it full time as work, I’m certain you are all too familiar with the responsibilities that go along with it.  And while the benefits may outweigh the disadvantages, there are still some ugly truths to blogging.  Why write a post on it though?  Well, because I was never big on denial.  And as a veteran in the blog-o-sphere, I felt responsible to let all the newbies out there know the truth, or should I say “truths”! Yeah, they may be ugly, but you’ll find them helpful as well.  And that’s what this post is really about: educating and helping you!

The Google Alert for Post Ideas

What is the most challenging part of blogging for you?  For me, it's finding content that will stand out from the other one billion posts published on on the same subject.  If you can relate, let me introduce you to Google Alerts.  It's a great tool that allows you to receive notifications on a particular search query providing you with the most current and relevant search results on Google.  In other words, if you'd like to receive notifications on social media, you would type social media in the search query box, choose your result type, how often you'd like to receive these notifications, and how many results you'd like to receive.  Google Alerts gives you two ways to receive this information. One is to your email address, the other is to your feed.  For a great tutorial on how to use Google Alerts, I recommend this article on wikiHow.

How to make a post gallery for your sidebar!

Hello readers of Cropped Stories! I'm Alicia and I blog over at A Sweet Fragrance. My family and I are American-born but live as expats over in SE Asia. I blog about our life overseas, recipes I attempt to make while substituting lots of ingredients, projects I do around the house, "tot school" lessons I teach to my toddler, and lessons I learn through parenting and walking with the Lord. I hope you'll stop by my blog for a visit!

Just before the year 2013 came to an end, I decided I wanted to redesign my blog. I had a picture of what I wanted for the new design in my head but getting that design to appear on my blog required turning my thoughts into HTML coding.

Happy Holidays (see you back here on 12/30)!

In the meantime...

Feel free to catch up on some oldies, but goodies!

Locate an email for a noreply-comment with G+!

Before I go into how to locate an email address for that <noreply-comment@blogger.com>, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LEAVING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN ANY COMMENTS YOU LEAVE ON BLOG POSTS.  Not sure if you are a no-reply blogger?  If you are using Blogger/Blogspot, then assume you are.  Even if you’ve previously updated your profile settings to show your email address, which would correct your no-reply status, Blogger reverts you back to no-reply within days of your update.  And without your knowledge.  Now, I hate to be the bearer of bad news here but, reverting your entire profile back to Blogger from Google+ will not resolve the issue either (see screen shot below).  I know; frustrating right?

The Anatomy of a Great Post Comment (a list of do & don’t tips)

Have you ever considered the content of a comment you leave on a blog post?  Even if you’re a veteran in the blog-0-sphere, there’s no harm in mulling over the message you’d like to convey.  And if you are a newbie, even more so!  Not only should the message you’d like to convey be considered, but HOW-TO convey it as well.  Enticing the author to reply back is essential if your intention when leaving a comment is to establish a relationship. If it blossoms into something more, then, hey, that’s just a bonus!  Feel free to give yourself a pat on the back and celebrate your new friendship, follower, and/or reader!

8 Hidden Blogging Mistakes

If you have been blogging for a while, you are probably aware of the basic rules of the game, like using good images, posting regularly, and promoting content on social media. However, there are often little things we overlook as bloggers that can make a big difference to both the stats and audience engagement. I have compiled this list of hidden mistakes bloggers make based on my own observations, as I make it a point to visit at least a couple of new blogs every week. Some may never have crossed your minds, and others you may not have considered of much relevance. Either way, these tips require little effort and will only bring positive results!

 

1. Not customizing your Tweet button

If you want to keep track of who has been sharing your posts on Twitter, it is important to have your twitter handle (or username) in that tweet. Usually, when your readers click on the 'Tweet' button, they will be directed to publish a tweet which has your post title and link. Sometimes, it will have the Twitter handle of the share service provider such as @sharethis or @wordpressdotcom. The problem with this is that you are none the wiser when a post of yours has been shared on Twitter, unless you have access to stats. Even then it's hard to pin every single tweet down. By adding your own handle, you will be immediately notified of the mention, allowing you to re-tweet or thank the user if you wish. In order to add your handle, simply check the support pages of your sharing service. To my knowledge, all of them allow you to customize your tweet buttons. It's a simple thing that can help you gauge your content’’s popularity on Twitter!

 

Establishing a Writing Style for your Blog

Ever notice the differences in writing from one blog author to another?  Are they informal, creative, literal, dramatized, structured, outside the standard method of documentation otherwise known as APA format?  

As an author, have you asked yourself what writing style is suitable for blogging and appeals to readers most?  It’s a great question to ponder especially if you haven’t established your own personal style of writing yet.

Organizing your Computer Blog Files

Whether you are new to the blogosphere or a veteran, organizing your computer files is an essential part of the blogging process. Naming conventions for your folders and files are particularly important if you want to be able to find your documents quickly, easily, and with little to no effort. Today I'm going to share some examples of good computer file organization.  By the end of this post you will have the tools necessary to put your very own filing system in place.  

Are images/graphics in blog posts that important?

When it comes to posts, what kind of images and/or graphics do you find most appealing?  What makes you want to share a post across your social networks?  Take a minute to think about it. For me, not only does the topic have to interest me but the images and/or graphics have to grab my attention!  There are many things that contribute to a great image/graphic including: subject, size, proportions, the inclusion of text (when appropriate), exposure, clarity, perspective, vibrance, and color palette.  I try to keep all of these things in mind when drafting my own posts.  Writing comes naturally to me and while photographs and graphic design may too, they still take me longer to prepare and finalize.  It's definitely worth it but let me tell you why.

How to Make your Website Visually Appealing!

Just think PRETTY.  As a blogger, I am always searching for ways to improve my website design to attract new visitors and keep it visually appealing for the ones that visit on a consistent basis!  Let's face it, Blogging is a shallow business. A lot of it is based around looks and first impressions.  If you don't have a well designed website, you may as well retire it.  If your following is not increasing, than consider this: your website design may be to blame!  It's unfortunate because I'm sure you are putting a lot of time and effort into researching topics, creating, and writing fresh content for your site and even still it is not making a difference.  It can get quite frustrating!  With that said, I'd like to help!

How to increase your blog traffic and make new friends!

Hope you don’t mind if I get right down to the nitty gritty!  Feel free to grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and make yourself comfortable.  I have some good tips for you today!

INCREASE YOUR BLOG TRAFFIC WITH THESE 11 TIPS

1. LINK UP TO BLOG HOPS but participate with CAUTION!  Before you move on, please read Blog Hops and Facebook (have you read Facebook’s terms)?  I can’t stress this one enough!  They are the best tool out there for bloggers to meet new people with similar interests.  Most blog hops require you to follow the hosts and co-hosts, then you’re on your own.  You are able to follow the sites you like and in return they’ll follow you back.  It’s that simple!  It’s a great way to drive traffic to your blog, increase your following and social media contacts.  Feel free to visit my Link Ups Page for a list of active Blog Hops!