Centering Blog Title and Description on Blogger

While I love the new Blogger Template Designer, it does have its drawbacks still. There is no option to center your blog's title and description. (I realized this while tweaking my template for www.FreeIndustrialMusic.com)

There is a simple way to work around this drawback though:


In your Blogger control panel, go to Design -> Edit HTML.


In your template code, you should find something like/similar to this:

/* Header
----------------------------------------------- */
.header-outer {
margin: $(header.margin.top) 0 $(header.margin.bottom) 0;
background: $(header.background.color) $(header.background.gradient) repeat scroll 0 0;
}

Add this to the end, before the "}":

text-align: center;

So it should look something like this:

/* Header
----------------------------------------------- */
.header-outer {
margin: $(header.margin.top) 0 $(header.margin.bottom) 0;
background: $(header.background.color) $(header.background.gradient) repeat scroll 0 0;
text-align: center;
}

Save Template. Your blog's title and description should now be centered on the page.

Breaking the Stats Addiction

I'm always surprised at the number of bloggers I come across who are addicted, or are quickly becoming addicted to their blog's statistics. (Statistics addiction- try pronouncing that.)

A blogger will start a new blog, and is excited about the writing part of it for a while.. but then the initial excitement begins to wear off and soon enough, the blogger becomes more focused on how many people are visiting and where they're coming from, and little by little, more and more, they become addicted. Before you know it, there's a fine line between "just checking your stats" and "you're addicted- knock it off!" It's an easy habit to get sucked into.

When this happens, I've noticed that the quality of the 'addicted' blogger's content begins to drop, and sometimes, so does the rate at which they publish new posts. It often seems that the blogger has lost sight of what he or she originally started blogging for.

Ever feel that?

Here's something to try (if you think you can hack it, and you don't actually have to be addicted to your stats- it's a great exercise for everyone):

Stop tracking your blog's stats. Stop obsessing over how many people are finding you through Google every second of every day. Forget all that crap. Just get out there and read new blogs (along with your usual reads, of course), chat with some new bloggers, and pour your heart and soul into whatever it is you're writing. Do it for a week.

You may find that when you finally do check your blog's stats when the week is over, they're much better than when you were compulsively checking to see if they'd changed.

It's all about priorities. A lot of people tend to lose sight of what's most important (content, readers, and visibility) when tempted with something so addicting as statistics. They become so engrossed in the whole idea that they begin to hide behind it. Just get out there and blog as if Google Analytics, or FeedBurner, or whatever stat tracker you use religiously, doesn't exist. It'll make a world of difference.

What You Should Know About Quality Content, And How To Create It

**This article is geared toward artists who are new to blogging. More blogging tips here.

Naturally, people are going to have different ideas about what quality content really is, and that's okay. Quality content takes on many different forms, on many different blogs.

What is quality content?

Quality content is the stuff that people are looking for to satisfy a need or desire. It is what they find useful, informative, or entertaining. It's what makes them want to return to your website, or subscribe to your RSS feed. It is what people find to be valuable.

Quality content is also what search engines aim to provide for searchers. It is often rich in key words and phrases, and may be considered some of the best content available for various search terms.

Why is it important?

Who is going to read your blog if all you provide is a load of crap that is not original or interesting? Few, if any at all. No one will bother to listen to your music. No one will tell their friends about you. Be different. Be interesting.

 6 Tips for Creating Quality Content 

1) As I mentioned above, don't be afraid to be different. Get creative with your blog. It represents your music and your brand- it should be interesting and entice people to return to your website.

2) If you're used to writing lots of short posts, perhaps you could try writing a few longer ones here and there. This tip may not work for everyone (it depends on the things you choose to write about, your style, and audience), but many blogs could benefit from this.

3) Don't paste a bunch of ads and other banners all over the place. Cluttered pages are a major turn-off. Keep it neat and professional looking.

4) Take your time when writing. While you may not have all the time in the world, it's still important to allow yourself enough time to write without rushing. This often leads to mistakes- lots of them.

5) Proofread your work before posting. Please. It's agony for grammar freaks.

6) Read blogs by other musicians you admire, and learn from them. Sometimes they will write about their achievements and how they accomplished their goals. Pay attention and make note of the things that may work for you.

These tips can be applied to just about any artist's blog. Try them, come up with some of your own, and make note of your experiences. Every blog and blogger is different and will require different methods of content creation in order to make something interesting, new, and unique.

* * *


** Dieser Artikel richtet sich Künstler, die neue zu bloggen ausgerichtet sind. Mehr Blogging Tipps hier.

Natürlich werden die Leute unterschiedliche Vorstellungen darüber, was qualitativ hochwertige Inhalte wirklich ist, und das ist okay. Qualität der Inhalte erfolgt auf vielen verschiedenen Formen, auf vielen verschiedenen Blogs.

Was ist Qualität der Inhalte?

Qualität der Inhalte ist das Zeug, dass die Menschen auf der Suche nach ein Bedürfnis oder den Wunsch zu befriedigen. Es ist, was sie nützlich, informativ oder unterhaltsam finden. Es ist, was macht sie wollen auf Ihre Website zurückkehren, oder abonnieren Sie Ihren RSS-Feed. Es ist, was die Menschen als wertvoll finden.

Qualität der Inhalte ist auch das, was Suchmaschinen für den Suchenden zum Ziel haben. Es ist oft reich an Schlüsselwörtern und Phrasen, und darf als einige der besten Inhalte für verschiedene Suchbegriffe werden.

Warum ist es wichtig?

Wer wird in einen Blog lesen, wenn alles, was Sie geben, ist ein Haufen Scheiße, die nicht Original oder interessant? Wenige, wenn überhaupt. Niemand wird die Mühe, um Ihre Musik zu hören. Niemand wird ihre Freunde über Sie zu erzählen. Unterschiedlich sein. Interessant sein.

 6 Tipps für das Erstellen Quality Content

1) Wie ich bereits erwähnt, haben Sie keine Angst, anders zu sein. Werden Sie kreativ mit Ihrem Blog. Es stellt Ihre Musik und Ihre Marke, es sollte interessant sein und locken die Menschen auf Ihre Website zurückkehren.

2) Wenn Sie zu schreiben viele kurze Beiträge gewöhnt sind, vielleicht könnten Sie versuchen, schriftlich ein paar längeren hier und da. Diese Spitze kann nicht für jedermann (es hängt von den Sachen, die Sie wählen, um zu schreiben, Ihr Stil und Publikum) arbeiten, aber viele Blogs könnten davon profitieren.

3) Nicht eine Reihe von Anzeigen und anderen Bannern überall einfügen. Überfüllte Seiten sind ein wichtiger Ausschalten. Halten Sie es sauber und professionell aussehende.

4) Nehmen Sie sich Zeit beim Schreiben. Während Sie vielleicht nicht die ganze Zeit in der Welt, ist es immer noch wichtig, damit Sie sich genügend Zeit, um ohne Eile zu schreiben. Dies führt häufig zu Fehlern-viele von ihnen.

5) Korrekturlesen Ihrer Arbeit vor der Veröffentlichung. Bitte. Es ist eine Qual für Grammatik-Freaks.

6) Lesen Sie Blogs von anderen Musikern zu bewundern und von ihnen lernen. Manchmal werden sie über ihre Erfolge zu schreiben und wie sie ihre Ziele erreicht. Achten Sie darauf, und notieren Sie sich die Dinge, die für Sie arbeiten kann.

Diese Tipps können angewendet zu fast jedem Künstlers Blog werden. Versuchen sie, sich mit einigen der eigenen, und notieren Sie von Ihren Erfahrungen. Jeder Blog und Blogger ist anders und wird verschiedene Methoden der Erstellung von Inhalten benötigen, um etwas Interessantes, Neues, und einzigartig machen.

* * *


** Este artículo está dirigido a los artistas que son nuevos en blogs. Más consejos blogging aquí.

Naturalmente, la gente va a tener ideas diferentes sobre lo que realmente es el contenido de calidad, y eso está bien. Contenido de calidad adopta muchas formas diferentes, en muchos blogs diferentes.

¿Qué es contenido de calidad?

La calidad del contenido es la materia que la gente está buscando para satisfacer una necesidad o un deseo. Es lo que encuentran útil, informativo o de entretenimiento. Es lo que hace que quieran volver a su sitio web, o suscribirse a su feed RSS. Es lo que la gente encuentra para ser valioso.

Contenido de calidad es también lo que los motores de búsqueda tienen por objeto establecer los buscadores. A menudo es rico en palabras clave y frases, y puede ser considerado uno de los mejores contenidos disponibles para los términos de búsqueda diferentes.

¿Por qué es importante?

¿Quién va a leer tu blog, si lo único que ofrecen es un montón de basura que no es original o interesante? Pocos o ninguno en absoluto. Nadie se molestó en escuchar tu música. Nadie va a decir a sus amigos acerca de usted. Sea diferente. Ser interesante.

 6 Consejos para crear contenido de calidad

1) Como he mencionado anteriormente, no tengas miedo de ser diferente. Sea creativo con su blog. Representa su música y su marca-debe ser interesante y atraer a la gente a volver a su sitio web.

2) Si usted está acostumbrado a escribir un montón de mensajes cortos, tal vez usted podría tratar de escribir unos cuantos más aquí y allá. Este truco puede no funcionar para todo el mundo (depende de lo que decide escribir acerca de su estilo, y la audiencia), pero muchos blogs podrían beneficiarse de esto.

3) No pegar un montón de anuncios y pancartas otras por todo el lugar. Páginas desordenadas son un importante desvío. Manténgalo limpio y de aspecto profesional.

4) Tome su tiempo para escribir. Si bien no se puede tener todo el tiempo del mundo, sigue siendo importante que se haya tiempo suficiente para escribir sin prisas. Esto a menudo conduce a errores, muchos de ellos.

5) Revisa tu trabajo antes de publicar. Por favor. Es una agonía para los fanáticos de gramática.

6) Lea los blogs de otros músicos que admira, y aprender de ellos. A veces van a escribir acerca de sus logros y de cómo lograron sus objetivos. Preste atención y tome nota de las cosas que pueden funcionar para usted.

Estos consejos se pueden aplicar a casi cualquier blog de artista. Trate de ellos, llegar a algunos de los suyos, y tomar nota de sus experiencias. Cada blog y blogger es diferente y requiere diferentes métodos de creación de contenido con el fin de hacer algo interesante, nuevo y único.

Posting To Your Blog

**This article is geared toward artists who are new to blogging. More blogging tips here.

Now that you've set up your blog, you're ready to start posting to it. What you write can make or break your brand, so you may want to keep the following in mind when writing:

What is your content development strategy? 

As a musician, you probably have goals you'd like to accomplish. You need to have a plan for how you are going to achieve them, and continue to follow this plan as you blog. Quality and consistency are important, and will be recognized over time.

How are you going to come up with your content? Are you going to write everything yourself, or have the entire band write, or podcast, shoot some videos, answer questions from fans, etc., or perhaps a mixture of these things?

How long will your posts be?

You should also be aware of the length of your posts, since no one wants to be bored to death, nor do they want you to skip over information that they would like to know.

To put it simply, if you don't have much of anything to share, keep it short and sweet, and please don't ramble on about your grandma's incontinence. On the other side of things, if you do have a lot to share, again, do keep things fairly short, but don't be afraid to spend a little more time writing about your hilarious moments on the road or talking about your upcoming cd. Fans want to know these things. It's not complicated, it's common sense.

Also, too many photos and/or videos in one post looks terrible, especially if it's one after another after another, with no text to break it up. Go easy on the media- spread it out among your other posts, and keep it looking clean and professional.

How often should you be posting? 

There is no one answer to this- it will vary from person to person, even those with similar blogs. When planning a posting schedule, you should consider:

The length of your posts- If you're writing shorter posts, you may want to write more of them in order to provide more content for your readers. But don't overdo it. When 'they' talk about "too much of a good thing", they were right.

Your posting schedule will also depend on how much time you have to dedicate to your blog. If you can manage one good post every couple days or so, by all means, do it. If it takes you a couple weeks, I suppose that's fine too. Just develop a schedule that fits your lifestyle and stick with it.

Your readers will grow accustomed to this schedule and will probably expect you to update your blog at the same rate. Post too much in a short period of time, you will overwhelm them. Make them wait too long, they'll probably forget about you. Consistency is key.

Setting Up Your Blog

**This article is geared toward artists who are new to blogging. More blogging tips here.

Now that you've decided to blog as a way to promote your music, merch, etc., it's time to get started. This can be a little tricky for those who are not familiar with the various blogging services out there, but fear not- you'll get the hang of it in no time.

Here is a general guide to help you through:

Choose your blog platform.

If you are new to blogging, have little to no experience in creating and running a website, you're not sure you want to get serious with your blog, or a mixture of these things, I suggest you use Blogger as your starting software. This way, you won't have to pay for hosting, install updates, etc. All you have to worry about is setting up your account, designing your blog, and creating content for it. It's very easy to use, and my first choice for the novice blogger. Your URL won't be your own (yourname.blogspot.com), but you can buy your own domain and use that if you'd like. Domain names are cheap.

(This blog is hosted on the Blogger platform and it's perfect for what I need.)

Another option is to create an account with a host dedicated specifically to band websites. I also use Bandzoogle, and the blog software can be added to a page with a few simple clicks. Quick, easy, and hassle-free.

For the more tech-minded, and those who want full control of their blogs, I'd suggest WordPress, or even Drupal. The software is free, but you'll need to buy a domain and find a good host for your site. You will also need to install updates every now and then.

I know a lot of artists prefer to lean towards MySpace and similar social websites to blog "where the people are". That's cool and all, but if you're serious about your music, it's necessary to establish some sort of home base away from those websites at which you can sell your merch, give your fans free tunes, get them involved in contests, etc. Get creative. And then use those social profiles as a way to bring your fans and friends to your website where all the good stuff is happening. Because let's face it, not all of those social websites will be around forever. Too many great artists lost everything they had online because the websites they relied on shut down. That sucks. Don't let it happen to you.

Choose your title and domain.

This is one of the most important steps in setting up your blog. It is the first thing you will do to establish your brand, so make sure you really like the name you choose. Many artists tend to use their personal names, or band names. This isn't always possible since many domain names have already been taken, but it does help to try. At the very least, when choosing your domain name, consider using your name with the word 'music' or 'band' after it.

I'd also like to suggest that your URL should be simple for others to remember. Short and sweet is good. Too many words and/or dashes are far from ideal, as are numbers (in most cases).

While a .com name is usually easier to remember, you can also choose from .net, .info, .us, etc. Branching out to one of these will give you more possibilities to choose from.

It's not always easy to come up with a title, and nowadays, it's often difficult to find a domain name that hasn't already been snatched up by someone else. I've heard of a couple bloggers who've tried almost twenty different domain names before finding one that was available. While this can be frustrating, all it takes is a little creativity to overcome this hurdle.

Set up your blog.

If you choose to go with Blogger, all you really need to do is type your title and desired URL into the required fields, and your blog is ready within seconds. Simple enough, right?

WordPress and Drupal are a little more complicated than that. I personally have not set up blogs using either of these yet, but there are several tutorials out there to help-WordPress, Drupal.

Install your template.

Like your title and (sub?)domain, your blog's design is a huge contributing factor to your brand. It's best that you choose one that matches your topic. While there are tons of free blog templates available for a number of platforms (just search Google), some people prefer something more unique, and will either create a theme themselves, or hire a designer to do the job. Designers aren't always cheap, and everyone has their own tastes, so if you choose to go this route, do your research before settling on the first one you find.

Done? Now you're ready to start posting!

What Is A Blog And Why Should I Have One?

**This article is geared toward artists who are new to blogging. More blogging tips here.

BLOGS. You have probably heard about them before- they're all over the internet, they've been mentioned in magazines and newspapers, as well as on television. Most major websites today have blogs in addition to their main content, that is, if the website itself isn't a blog.

So what exactly is a blog?

According to Wikipedia:

A blog (a blend of the term "web log") is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (Art blog), photographs (photoblog), videos (Video blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.
As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112,000,000 blogs.

What you're reading right now is a blog, and I have been blogging since 2002. (I've had several blogs over the years.)

Why should you have a blog?

It's about creating a web presence- promoting your music, sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world, building a relationship with your fans.

Blogging allows you to speak to the world. It allows you to engage in conversation with other people you wouldn't normally meet. Blogs help to build your brand, whether it be professional or personal. In fact, many bloggers have even become famous simply by writing regularly, promoting their work, and chatting with friends online (it's much more difficult to do this day and age, but it is still very possible), and some are earning six figures a year from their blogs alone!

Blogs are very SEO-friendly, meaning search engines love them. For each post you write, a new page is added to your website/blog. Each one of these post pages links back to the main page of your blog, which helps your blog to rank higher in search engine results. The bigger your blog, the more chances it will be seen. (But keep in mind, it's quality content that ranks the highest, not the copy-and-paste junk you can find off free article websites.)

Blogs are great alone, or as part of a website (They're a great way to build the popularity of an already-existing website!)- it's up to you. You decide how you want your blog to be- there are no "rules" to blogging, and that may be why it has become so popular. It's the perfect outlet for the artsy types- it gives you yet another place to be creative, as well as promoting your music to people you will probably never meet. And who knows, it could even open a lot of doors for further advancement in your project(s). The possibilities are endless. Take advantage of that.

* * *


** Dieser Artikel richtet sich Künstler, die neue zu bloggen ausgerichtet sind. Mehr Blogging Tipps hier.

BLOGS. Sie haben wahrscheinlich davon gehört, bevor-sie alle über das Internet, haben sie in Zeitschriften und Zeitungen erwähnt worden, ebenso wie im Fernsehen sind. Die meisten großen Webseiten haben heute Blogs zusätzlich zu ihrem Inhalt, das heißt, wenn die Website selbst ist nicht ein Blog.

Also was genau ist ein Blog?

Laut Wikipedia:
Ein Blog (eine Mischung aus dem Begriff "Web log") ist eine Art von Website oder ein Teil einer Website. Blogs werden in der Regel von einer Person mit regelmäßigen Einträgen von Kommentaren, Beschreibungen von Ereignissen oder anderem Material wie Grafiken oder Videos erhalten. Einträge sind häufig in umgekehrter chronologischer Reihenfolge angezeigt. "Blog" kann auch als Verb verwendet werden, was bedeutet, zu erhalten oder Inhalte hinzufügen in einem Blog.

Die meisten Blogs sind interaktiv, so dass die Besucher Kommentare zu hinterlassen und sogar message einander über Widgets auf den Blogs und es ist diese Interaktivität, die sie von anderen unterscheidet statische Webseiten.

Viele Blogs bieten Kommentare oder Nachrichten zu einem bestimmten Thema, andere fungieren als persönliche Online-Tagebücher. Ein typischer Blog kombiniert Text, Bilder und Links zu anderen Blogs, Webseiten und anderen Medien im Zusammenhang mit seinem Thema. Die Fähigkeit der Leser, Kommentare in einem interaktiven Format zu verlassen ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil von vielen Blogs. Die meisten Blogs sind vor allem inhaltliche, obwohl einige Fokus auf Kunst (Art Blog), Fotos (Fotoblog), Videos (Video-Blogging), Musik (MP3 Blog) und Audio (Podcasting). Microblogging ist eine andere Art von Blogging, mit sehr kurzen Beiträge.
Im Dezember 2007 wurde Blog-Suchmaschine Technorati Tracking mehr als 112 Millionen Blogs.

Was Sie gerade lesen ist ein Blog, und ich habe Blogging seit 2002. (Ich habe mehrere Blogs über die Jahre hatte.)

Warum sollten Sie ein Blog?

Es geht darum, eine Web-Präsenz-Förderung Ihrer Musik, Ihre Gedanken und Ideen mit der Welt, baut eine Beziehung zu Ihren Fans.

Blogging können Sie auf der ganzen Welt sprechen. Es ermöglicht Ihnen, im Gespräch mit anderen Menschen, die Sie normalerweise nicht treffen würde zu engagieren. Blogs helfen, Ihre Marke aufzubauen, sei es beruflich oder privat sein. In der Tat haben viele Blogger sogar zu einfach, indem er regelmäßig die Förderung ihrer Arbeit und mit Freunden chatten online (es ist viel schwieriger zu tun an diesem Tag und Alter, aber es ist immer noch sehr gut möglich), und einige verdienen sechs Zahlen ein berühmter Jahr aus ihren Blogs allein!

Blogs sind sehr SEO-freundlich, liebe Bedeutung Suchmaschinen sie. Für jeden Beitrag, den Sie schreiben, wird eine neue Seite auf Ihrer Website / Blog. Jede dieser Beitrag Seiten zurück zur Hauptseite des Blogs, die Ihr Blog zu höheren Rang in Suchmaschinen-Ergebnissen hilft verbindet. Je größer Ihr Blog, desto mehr Chancen wird es sehen. (Aber bedenken Sie, es ist qualitativ hochwertige Inhalte, die stuft die höchsten, nicht die Copy-and-Paste Junk finden Sie off können Sie kostenlos Artikel Websites.)

Blogs sind groß allein oder als Teil einer Website (Sie sind ein guter Weg, um die Popularität eines bereits bestehenden Website zu bauen!) - Es ist bis zu Ihnen. Sie entscheiden, wie Sie Ihr Blog sein wollen: Es gibt keine "Regeln" zu bloggen, und dass kann, warum es geworden ist, so beliebt ist. Es ist der perfekte Ablauf für die künstlerisch-Typen-es gibt Ihnen ein weiterer Ort, um kreativ zu sein, sowie die Förderung Ihrer Musik auf Menschen, die Sie wahrscheinlich nie erfüllen. Und wer weiß, es könnte sogar öffnen viele Türen für die Weiterentwicklung in Ihrem Projekt (s). Die Möglichkeiten sind endlos. Profitieren Sie davon.

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** Este artículo está dirigido a los artistas que son nuevos en blogs. Más consejos blogging aquí.

BLOGS. Usted probablemente ha oído hablar de ellos antes, están todos a través de Internet, han sido mencionados en revistas y periódicos, así como en la televisión. Sitios más importantes en la actualidad tienen blogs, además de su contenido principal, es decir, si la propia página web no es un blog.

Entonces, ¿qué es un blog?

Según Wikipedia:
Un blog (una mezcla de la "web log" término) es un tipo de sitio web o parte de un sitio web. Los blogs son generalmente mantenidos por un individuo con entradas regulares de comentarios, descripciones de eventos u otro material, como gráficos o de vídeo. Las entradas se muestran normalmente en orden cronológico inverso. "Blog" también puede ser utilizado como un verbo, es decir, para mantener o añadir contenido a un blog.

La mayoría de los blogs son interactivos, lo que permite a los visitantes dejar comentarios e incluso mensaje de uno al otro a través de widgets en los blogs y es esta interacción que los distingue de otros sitios web estáticos.

Muchos blogs ofrecen comentarios o noticias sobre un tema en particular, mientras que otros funcionan como diarios online más personales. Un blog típico combina texto, imágenes y enlaces a otros blogs, páginas web y otros medios relacionados con su tema. La capacidad de los lectores a dejar comentarios en un formato interactivo es una parte importante de muchos blogs. La mayoría de los blogs son principalmente textual, aunque algunos se centran en el arte (blog Arte), fotografías (fotolog), vídeos (video blogging), música (MP3 blog) y audio (podcasting). Microblogging es otro tipo de blogs, con mensajes muy cortos.
En diciembre de 2007, el blog Search Engine Technorati estaba rastreando más de 112 millones de blogs.

¿Qué estás leyendo ahora mismo es un blog, y he estado blogueando desde 2002. (He tenido varios blogs en los últimos años.)

¿Por qué tienes un blog?

Se trata de crear una presencia web de promoción de su música, compartiendo sus pensamientos e ideas con el mundo, construyendo una relación con sus fans.

Blogging le permite hablar al mundo. Que le permite mantener una conversación con otras personas que normalmente no se encuentran. Blogs ayudar a construir su marca, ya sea profesional o personal. De hecho, muchos bloggers se han convertido en famoso simplemente por escribir con regularidad, la promoción de su trabajo, y charlando con amigos en línea (es mucho más difícil de hacer este día y edad, pero todavía es muy posible), y algunos están ganando seis cifras de un año a partir de sus blogs en paz!

Los blogs son muy amigables SEO, los motores de búsqueda que significa amarlos. Por cada post que escribo, una nueva página se agrega a su sitio web / blog. Cada una de estas páginas de entrada que enlaza de nuevo a la página principal de su blog, lo que ayuda a tu Blog rango más alto en los motores de búsqueda. Cuanto más grande sea tu blog, más posibilidades se verá. (Pero hay que tener en cuenta, es contenido de calidad que ocupa el más alto, no la basura de copiar y pegar se puede encontrar por sitios libres del artículo.)

Los blogs son un gran solo, o como parte de un sitio web (Ellos son una gran manera de construir la popularidad de un sitio web ya existente!) - Le toca a usted. Usted decide cómo quiere que su blog sea-no hay "reglas" a los blogs, y tal vez por eso se ha vuelto tan popular. Es la salida perfecta para el tipo artístico-que le da todavía otro lugar para ser creativo, así como la promoción de su música a la gente es probable que nunca se encuentran. Y quién sabe, incluso podría abrir muchas puertas para seguir avanzando en su proyecto (s). Las posibilidades son infinitas. Tome ventaja de eso.

My Advice to New Bloggers

My inspiration for this article originally came from Meredith, as I started writing it for her, but really, it's for anyone who finds it useful.

I remember when I first started blogging. It was somewhere back in 2002-03, and the term 'blog' hadn't been invented yet- these were 'online journals'. LiveJournal was all the rage, and it was an old friend from high school who got me hooked.

I didn't really have much to write about that I felt was worth reading. I was a troubled teenager just trying to figure out life, and who I was. I think my friend and I were the only people who ever read that online diary. It was nothing special. I was too shy to promote it, and I don't think I really wanted people reading it anyway. It was just a place for me to vent. Being the angsty kid I was, I wrote bad poetry and obsessed over stupid things that I've later come to laugh at. (Wait- I still do that now. Sort of.)

Nothing became of that journal. In fact, I later deleted my account and swore off blogging altogether.

But I couldn't stay away forever. I think it was that next week I was enticed by another blogging platform. I jumped around between different services over the next few years. I guess it wasn't the actual writing that I loved at the time, but instead, the design. I created some beautiful blog templates with practice (that Photoshop class definitely paid off), and I even won a Sony PSP in a contest.

Those blogs came and went, too. I just didn't feel for them.. even the one that was relatively 'successful'- Idiot's Guide to Blogging.

Then I grew serious about a future in music, whatever that may be. (I still don't know where this road will lead, but I know what I love, and that's what matters.) I've been through all sorts of crazy stuff while working for other bands, and trying to pull together a dedicated bunch of individuals as well. A lot of projects were born, and died. People have come and gone. I've dealt with my share of heartaches and general bullshit. And I blogged the entire way. At times, I think blogging was the only thing that helped me get through the disappointment gracefully.

A little over a year ago I met an amazing person who I immediately clicked with (it's a little scary when I think about it sometimes), and he presented me with opportunity, a project I felt I actually belonged to, a wealth of knowledge, among many other things I couldn't ever thank him enough for. And the funny thing is, the very first song I wrote at his place, "The Hollow", was picked up for a compilation cd. How's that for a turn of events?

And I'm blogging through all of this, too.

To be completely honest, I don't really know where I'm going with this story anymore. I just got on a roll and kept moving..

I guess what you can get out of my rambling can be summed up in 3 points:

1) It doesn't happen overnight. While a blog can be created in a matter of minutes, it takes time to figure out what it is you really want to create. Ideas come and go. The things you like today, you may not feel the same about them tomorrow. While it's good to blog with an end product in mind (it helps give you direction), understand that you still have a long way to go, it is always a work in progress, and there is a lot for you to learn (even if you're an 'expert' on something).

2) You're going to fail. (What a confidence booster, huh?) There was a point a few years ago when I thought I could sustain myself financially by blogging, and that alone. Yeah, it's possible with time and lots of hard work and dedication, and a marketing-oriented brain, but it's not a viable option for many. However, I took what I learned and continue to use it as I push along, writing about the things I REALLY like to write about, and as leverage for all my other pursuits. I may not be rich from a monetary point of view, but I am in so many other ways, and that's what's most important to me.

3) If nothing else, learn something about yourself. That's it. It's not uncommon to change direction because you felt something didn't suit you. I'm sure most of us have done it at least once. A blog is a great tool to help you figure out what you want from life. That in itself should be worth the trouble, the frustration, and anything else you may encounter.. even if you come to the conclusion that blogging isn't right for you- you tried, and learned something.

PR Update and a Few Thoughts on SEO

When I caught wind of Google's latest PageRank update, I didn't waste any time before checking my PR. Don't misunderstand me here, I'm not a PR fanatic, I don't spend much time or burn many brain cells on this sort of thing. It's not a very reliable way to determine the worth of a website/blog. But I was curious, because I had started this blog in October, and wanted to see if my PR0 had changed. And it did. It is now at PR3, surprisingly.

Will it affect my search rankings? I don't know. I haven't seen a change yet.

I'm no SEO mastermind, and I don't keep up on the latest trends in search. I don't have the time, and even if I did, I'd either drive myself crazy or grow bored in a hurry. Neither outcome strikes my fancy. But there are a few things I feel are critical for a new blog to rank well, and are definitely worth mentioning here:

Update frequently with unique, useful content.

Basic rule of thumb- update often. I try to post every day. While it doesn't always work out that way, I do make a conscious effort to do so. The more you post, the more search engine spiders will crawl your blog for updates.

Now, when I talk about updating, I'm not referring to useless crap like random, "just for fun" surveys and quizzes, or that copy-and-paste bullshit you get from free article sites, or anything else along those lines. It should, ideally, be something of value, something useful and/or entertaining, something (preferably) unique.

Some topics have been beaten to death, like making money online, and yes, even SEO, like this article. It happens. That kind of stuff is all the rage right now, and has been for years. If you have a new blog in a crowded niche, GOOD LUCK trying to get a decent rank in Google. You're going to have to work hard to outdo everyone else, and/or provide a different view on the topic(s) that demands attention.

In the case of this blog, I got lucky and jumped in at the right time. Goth-related blogs are few and far between right now. It's fairly easy to obtain a higher rank in this niche, especially if you're talking about underground bands, small brands, and the like. You know, the things that people want, but are fairly difficult to find unless you know what you're looking for. One day, this may not be the case.. but until then, there's plenty of room in this area.

Yes, I know a lot of people aren't into a lot of the "weirdo subcultures", but there are plenty out there who are. You can't expect to please everyone, and it's rather pointless to try to do so. If you have an oddball hobby, or a passion for something bizarre, blog about it!

Keywords.

I could go on for hours about the importance of keywords and how to use them.. but I won't, not here. This will be quick and painless.

Assuming you're blogging with direction, meaning you have a goal to accomplish with each post, you should, ideally, have a keyword or phrase (phrases are easier to rank for) in mind. When you write, incorporate that word/phrase into your post title and content.

When using keywords, your writing should flow naturally. Write for your readers, and don't use that stupid word/phrase twenty bajillion times in your post. Please. Real people come first, search engines second.

Your post URLs should also contain these keywords. This means you should be using a blogging platform that uses your post titles when generating URLs, rather than numbers. And if you're putting those keywords in your post titles, they will show up in the address. Blogger does this automatically. WordPress users may want to read this. If you're using Drupal or some other platform that I know nothing about, you're on your own. Sorry.

Build your links.

Link building is essential for SEO. The goal here is to have as many relative, high-ranking websites to link to your site as possible. You can do this by trading links with other bloggers in your sidebar, other bloggers writing about you, leaving comments or guest posting on related blogs, participating in forums and/or various social media websites, among many other things. Get creative. And remember- it's not always about how many links you have, it's the QUALITY of those links.

Also, interlink your posts on your blog. If you're referring back to an older post, link to it. There are 'related posts' plugins that you can use as well, for both WordPress and Blogger. The easier it is for search engine spiders (and your readers!) to navigate your website, the better. Simple enough, right?

Use alt tags.

Search engines see TEXT, not images, not videos, not javascript, or mp3 or flash or whatever else you're posting for the world to see. I know, it sucks. So use alt tags when posting your various media files. It makes a huge difference.

There are other SEO tips I could throw out there, but these basic things are what I've been doing here on this blog, and they're working for me.

One last thing I'd like to say before I end this post-

It's really easy for some bloggers to get caught up in SEO, to the point where they're putting it first, before everything else, and their content suffers in some way. Resist the urge. Your content and readers should ALWAYS come first, SEO second. No matter how high you rank on Google, crap is still crap. Do us all a favor and post something worth reading. (But I guess my first point covers this.)

Get Paid to Promote Your Blog on Blog Engage

Brian just implemented a new revenue sharing system over at Blog Engage-

Members can add their Google AdSense publisher IDs when editing their profile information. So on the pages displaying your article submissions, any clicks on those Google ads (at the top of the page) count as cash in your AdSense account. The more (quality) articles you submit, the more likely you will earn money. Pretty cool, right?

If you're interested in participating, you can find more info here.
(And if you want to earn even more, check out this post!)

More Advice For Aspiring Pro Bloggers

Last month I wrote an article called My Advice to Aspiring Pro Bloggers, in which I gave 20 of the most important blogging tips I could think of. And after reading over it again, came to the conclusion that I didn't share all that I wanted to say on the subject. After all, that is a very broad topic to cover in a single post.

So here are a few other things I'd like to mention, some of which I've already covered briefly, but would like to elaborate on:

Be "uniquely you".

Many people fall into the trap of trying to emulate others in order to be accepted within our desired social groups. This happens often in our daily lives, so naturally, it's bound to happen online as well.

However, the blogosphere is highly competitive and if you intend to be recognized by a large number of people, it's necessary that you be different from everyone else in your chosen niche, and contribute something unique.

I know, that's not always an easy thing to do. Not everyone has a distinctly unique style and personality, but each of us have some things that do make us different, and we should embrace them. I suppose it's a matter of comfort for some, as many people are nervous about being different, but I personally find that to be an irrational fear that needs to be overcome. Many of the most influential things in our world came about because the people who created them didn't care what others thought, and just did what felt right to them. If you want to change something in this world (whether it affect us in real life, or online, or just provide something that people will find to be extremely useful above all others like it), you must dare to go against the flow of things and stand tall in the face of criticism.

I'm not saying you shouldn't use the most successful blogs as a template for your own- in fact, I recommend it. We all need to start somewhere. But don't go overboard. People don't want a copy of something they already read, they want something different instead of, or in addition to, that. Get ideas from those successful blogs, but make yours "uniquely you."

Get personal (within reason).

This is a touchy subject for some, as it should be. Not all of us are comfortable sharing personal details online, whether it be for security issues, or we don't want our family and coworkers reading what we're writing, etc. If you're like this, I don't blame you.

I felt the same way at one point. But then I came to the conclusion that the internet is only as dangerous (for you) as you make it, and if you don't want your friends and family reading what you're writing, you probably shouldn't be writing it anyway. And a lot of this fear can be attributed to shyness and/or paranoia.

But the truth is, if you intend to own a successful blog based around what you have to say, you have to make yourself known to others. Otherwise, your words are meaningless. It doesn't matter how awesome and useful your latest article is, if people don't know who you are, the vast majority of them will write you off as no one of importance. The goal here is to make yourself known and build your reputation, and only then will people take you seriously.

You don't necessarily have to give out your real name and address and other details you're not comfortable sharing. However, some sort of information needs to be shared in order for others to get to "know" you.

Look at me, for instance. My real name is not Raivyn (it's Kourtney, and my bio states that). But I have used it as a stage and screen name for years, and a lot of people have come to associate me with that. I have a friend whose real name is Jack, but most people know him as Joe, Joey V, and several other variations of that. And that's perfectly fine. It works. But if you go by a screen name like "SuperMom6657" or "UberBabe", you're bound to be overlooked. Few people will take you seriously, if any at all.

You need to be transparent if you expect others to trust you. As in real life, if you lie, people have a tendency to not believe you. If you can't show a face, name, personality, and basic details about who you are and where you're from, then you're just another anonymous person on the web. Words are just words if you can't own up to them.

Don't be afraid to be controversial.

This is another issue I find to be common among bloggers- they're too afraid of what others think of them. And this really annoys me.

Do you really agree with everything others say? Don't you ever speak your mind when something bothers you? Or are you just a mindless drone going along with the flow of life, whether it be right or wrong?

So many bloggers are overly cautious about what they write, to avoid confrontation. If you do this, it's totally understandable.. but I'll be blunt- YOU'RE BORING!

You can't expect others to agree with you all the time. And really, if you do happen to create a fairly popular blog, you will find that you'll receive comments and emails from people who only want to criticize you, no matter what it is you write. It doesn't matter who you are, or how kind or informative your posts are, someone is bound to say that you're wrong, or you're boring, or you don't live up to their religious values, etc. Whatever. You can't please everyone, nor should you bother trying to. Stay true to yourself, and your loyal readers will support you. They are the ones who matter.

Here's another way to think of it- the more "hate mail" you receive, the more of an impact you and your blog are making on others. Don't take it to heart- they are just words, and everyone has an opinion. Try to learn something from those who are attempting to help you despite their disagreement, and throw the personal attacks out the window. They are not worth stressing over.

Just be yourself, have fun, and learn something in the process. That's all that really matters when all is said and done.

7 Great Tools for Productive Writing

As a blogger, poet and lyricist, I do a lot of writing and have deadlines to meet- every single day. It's not easy. Some days it can be downright draining, especially when I'm less than inspired.

But it seems the only way to get through that is to keep pushing through, keep writing. Because when I stop, it's harder to get started again. And the longer I wait, the more difficult it becomes. Don't get me wrong- I love writing, it's a passion of mine, but doing it day after day after day can be pure agony sometimes.

I'm sure many of you can relate, no matter what it is you choose to write. So here are a few resources to check out.

First, the basics- I use these every day:

Dictionary.com - Often a word will pop into my head and I'm unsure of its exact meaning, and I'll need to look it up before choosing to use it. Or, I'll use it with the following link, if I question any of the results-

Thesaurus.com - When writing lyrics and poetry, I hate using the same word more than once (unless, of course, I intend to do so). Or if I dislike a certain word and want a synonym (or even an antonym), I'll use Thesaurus. It saves a lot of time and effort, and seems to work about 95% of the time.

RhymeZone - I usually don't have much trouble rhyming words, but every now and then I'll fall into a rut, and this usually digs me out. Not always, but it inspires ideas, regardless.

Wikipedia - I like to do a little research before writing sometimes. Wikipedia is a great source of information, and often cuts my time in half, as I can usually find what I'm looking for without having to go through several pages of search results.

Here are some other resources, which I don't personally use, but have tried and feel could work for others:

Dark Room - This is a free downloadable app for Windows, a clone of WriteRoom for Mac OS X. Full screen and distraction-free, it encourages you to focus on your writing.

Write or Die - The catchphrase explains it well- "putting the 'prod' in productivity". This app pressures you to keep writing by punishing you for inactivity. Personally, I can't get anything done in this manner, but a lot of people could benefit from it.

FreeMind - Free java based mind-mapping software. This is a great way to map out and organize your ideas- perfect for bloggers.

Of course, every writer thinks and works differently, so some of these may work for you, while others may not. Give them a try- you never know.

Do you have any writing productivity tools you'd like to recommend?

My Advice to Aspiring Pro Bloggers

It's funny how widespread this pro blogging dream has grown over the past few years. It seems like it was just yesterday that word came out about bloggers earning a full time income online, and suddenly hundreds, then thousands, and now maybe millions of people are trying to do it, too. (I don't know how many, to be exact. I was never one for statistics.)

And it kills me to think that so many people are under the impression that they can create a blog, update it, plaster ads all over the place, and make money.. Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it, don't get me wrong here. But really, do you have any idea how difficult it is?

I have been blogging for several years now. I have created many blogs, and abandoned half of them for various reasons, which I'll get into later. While I am not considered an A-lister by any means, I do make money from my blogging, and have learned a LOT. And of course, I continue to learn new things every day.

Here's a long list of things I feel must be said about this topic:

1) Why do you want to be a pro blogger?

I have to ask you this before I continue, because it is the most important of all. Why do you want to blog professionally? What reasons, other than money, do you have?

Would you do it for no pay? Because let's face it- it is incredibly difficult to earn a living from a blog alone. Would you be willing to put in the time and effort required to create a popular blog, with a high possibility of your plan failing? Would you take what you've learned and try again? And again? Does it mean that much to you?

2) Know what you want to achieve.

What do you want to achieve with your blog(s)? Are your goals realistic?

3) Understand that blogging isn't easy..

I don't care how many people say it is, or who they are for that matter, it really isn't as easy as it's made out to be. In order to be "successful" as a blogger (Success takes on many forms- it depends on your goals, so I'm being very general here), you usually are required to treat your blog as a full time job.

Many people have a full time job already, and must keep it in order to pay the bills. Now, to go from that to blogging full time, it's usually necessary to invest a similar amount of time into your blog in addition to your job. And if you have a family and kids to take care of, well, that's another full time job in itself. What a burden. Most people cannot do it.

However, there are quite a few whose life situations match up nicely with a career in blogging. I am one of them. The number of unemployed people is very high where I live, and it's hard to get what most would call a "real job". I have dedicated much of my time away from "real work" to blogging, as well as my various music projects. Each of my career goals supports the other, and I am working hard to build my future.

And it definitely isn't easy.

There are many days when I don't get paid. Then there are days when my financial situation is looking fantastic. And you never know for sure what's going to happen next. It's scary sometimes. But I love what I do, and honestly feel that it will work out in my favor one of these days.

4) ..And there is no "happy ending". Not for a while, at least.

Like I said, the results of your blogging will vary from day to day. You have to keep working hard at what you're doing, despite the "bad days", which are bound to happen every now and then.

In addition to that, you must understand that the blogosphere is constantly changing. It's important to keep up with the current times, as well as push to improve beyond that. Never stop learning. Never stop trying new things. Take everything you've learned and use it to push beyond your current limitations. Break new ground. As a blogger, your job is never-ending.

5) You learn through trial and error.

You will make many mistakes on the way to becoming a pro blogger. If you are afraid of failure, you will probably never make it. Don't be surprised if you fail on your first attempt, or even your tenth. Just analyze what you did wrong and learn from it. Try something new. Keep trying. Keep learning.

This applies to many aspects of blogging. Whether you're trying to find your specific niche(s), or style of writing, or the best way for you to earn money, you will learn through trial and error. Many ideas will fail. And that's fine. Either revise your technique, or accept it and move on to something new.

You may wind up abandoning several blogs, because you later realized they didn't suit you, and that's fine. I did. And I learned a lot from doing so.

6) Develop a schedule.

Just like a "real job", you need to have some sort of routine. Work out what time you have available for blogging, and do it. Work during the hours you've allotted, stick to a general posting schedule, and work out some sort of content creation routine that will help you continue blogging, as well as avoiding as many mental roadblocks as you possibly can.

7) Prioritize.

Good time management is important. Even with a schedule, you will often find that some things will require more time than others, and you may not have enough time to finish what you wanted to do that day. Get your priorities in order- do the most important things first, then take care of the rest.

Distractions are, well, distracting. But it's important to keep mental clarity, and stay focused on the important topics at hand. Do what you need to do first, then have fun. I know, it's a hard lesson to learn. And it's one of those things that need to be mastered if you want to be a pro blogger.

8) Never rely on a single income stream.

It may be common sense not to rely on a single source of income (like AdSense profits alone), but it's surprising how many bloggers do. Earnings are hardly ever steady, and rarely can you pay all your bills every month with a single check (or funds transfer) you've earned. The few who can are putting themselves at risk- if their source of money dries up, they have nothing to fall back on. Don't put yourself in that position.

9) A full time income may require more than one blog or website.

While there are some who support themselves with one blog alone, they are few and far between.

Don't be afraid to take on another project if you have the time. It's common for people to have several interests- don't limit yourself to just one. Having a few blogs/websites can be more than just financially rewarding- you will have the opportunity to learn more, and blogging about a variety of topics helps to prevent boredom.

You don't have to start a new website if you don't want to, either. There are plenty of sites already that are looking for contributing bloggers, and many of them pay well. But make sure that's what you want to do before you commit. Blogging for someone else isn't a gig that's right for everyone.

Think of blogging as a way to further your dream career, rather than a career in itself. Your "empire", ideally, should reflect what you ultimately want to do. Because let's face it, not all of us are interesting characters worthy of earning a living by simply documenting what we do every day.

10) Know when to say no.

Don't take every opportunity that comes your way. You may encounter some opportunities that seem great at the time they're offered, but won't be beneficial in the long run. Analyze any offers you receive, and the positive and negative effects of taking on that project. If the negatives outweigh the positives in relation to your goals and current projects (time is an important issue), then turn down the offer. And don't feel bad about doing so. Do what is right for you.

11) Cater to your readers..

Your readers are important, so you need to make them happy. Respond to their comments and emails, chat with them on Twitter, really get to know them and what they want. If you understand your readers and what they are looking for, you will be more apt to satisfy them with new content. They will reward you with their support, by referring others to your blog, perhaps even buying products or donating money.

12) ..But don't lose yourself in the process.

Always keep in mind what is important to you, and don't deviate from that simply to satisfy others.

13) Get to know your readers on a more personal level.

Too often I see bloggers forget that their readers are people too, and not just numbers on a traffic report. (And yes, I have been guilty of this in the past.)

It's emotional engagement that keeps people coming back to your blog, so give them something to laugh at, or think about. Really connect with them. Treat them as the competent people they are, and not search engine spiders.

14) Sometimes we have to "sell out"..

In order to pay the bills, it is often necessary to support other products/companies on our blogs. The most common is contextual or banner advertising, but it is not rare to see text links, posts advertising a product or website, or bloggers selling products of their own. There is nothing wrong with this, if you put your readers first.

15) ..But don't really sell out.

Keep money in its proper place. Don't advertise products you wouldn't buy yourself. Don't create something crappy and sell it for a fortune. That's just bad business.

16) Be transparent.

Trust is based on transparency. Tell your readers who you are (on an 'about' page), and your motives for blogging. Label all sponsored posts as such. Never misrepresent yourself if you can help it. What readers do or don't know about you and your blog will impact their trust in you.

17) Social media is your best friend.

Get on Twitter and Digg and Facebook and any other social media websites that you feel will best help you and your brand, and use them often. Network with people who share similar interests and keep in touch with them. With the help of social media, a good blog can spread like wildfire.

However, don't use your social profiles simply to advertise yourself, make a point to connect with others and provide them with value when possible. Help them with any problems they may have. Participate in discussion. Be friendly. Be an active community member. You must give before you can receive.

18) Keep writing.

There will be many days when you will feel uninspired, and words will be hard to come by. When this happens, just keep writing anyway. Write a personal entry, or some other writing exercise (that you may never even publish) to get the creativity flowing again. Usually that will help.

Keep writing through the tough times. The more you avoid the problem, the easier it becomes to procrastinate. And you'll never get anything done.

19) Keep improving.

Always look for new ways you can improve your blog, whether it be your writing, design, monetization tactics, etc. Don't focus on working harder, try working smarter. Don't be afraid to try something new.. you may learn something in the process.

20) Feel free to break the rules.

While there is a sort of blogging etiquette to follow (spam=bad, etc.), don't be afraid to break the various unofficial blogging rules, such as how many times you should post each week, or how long each post should be. Every blog is different and there are really no set rules. Figure out what's right for you and just do it.

That's all I have to say on this for now. Do you have any advice you'd like to share?


Further reading:

• More Advice For Aspiring Pro Bloggers