Hello Everyone:

Recently, completed a 30 day blog challenge back in June 2010 which was not an easy task trying to keep up with the Jones. There were times when I just did not have the energy to write aside from all the other distractions. It takes time to build the momentum. Very pleased that I was able to complete both the 30 day and 7 day mini blog challenge using two different sites. A Facebook Fan Page “Continuity Blogging Community” was created to continue with the relationships that were form from the challenge.

Now, there is the Ultimate Blog Challenge coming up in August hosted by Michele Scism and Michelle Schaeffer. The original 30 day blog challenge was created by Connie Ragen Green and the one this past June was hosted by Jeanette Cates and Connie Ragen Green.  So are you ready for another 30 days?

Here are some tips to make blogging easier when participating in a 30 day blog challenge.

1) Preparation is important. Just like running a marathon, going on a diet or blogging being prepared is key. Get all your materials ready.

2) Do you have a game plan? Are you going to repurpose your material or what are some of the new articles you will be posting?

3) If you have difficulties coming up with a blog post every day or will be on vacation, write a batch of articles and then schedule them for publishing at a designated time. I will definitely, be using this method more frequently.

4) You do not have to blog and come up with materials all by yourself throughout the 30 days. Why not interview others in your field? Have a guest blogger post on your blog. Conduct a blog exchange. What about doing a video blog for the day? There are so many ways to create content.

5) Have fun with it. Write materials that are targeted to your niche market.

Everyone comes out a winner from a blog challenge. The blogger provides valuable content and the reader finds you as a resource. This in turn makes you a credible source –expert and you engaged your readers. Who knows maybe a sale or a joint venture. Just think of the possibilities.

Share you comments with us of your experiences with a blog challenge.

Happy Blogging!

Latest progress notes on my involvement with the 30 day blog challenge. I am already at the half way mark of the challenge. Today is the 16th day of the challenge and what have I learned so far, but before I reveal this.

It is not easy blogging everyday if one is not accustomed to this format. I hardly ever write! There were days when I say to myself. What was I thinking to put myself on this type of a program when I do not even work out at the gym on a regualr basis.

Yes, I have to admit that I cheated on some days and have doubled up on blog posts. Please do not tell MOM. They might send out the Blog Police (Jeanette Cates and Connie Ragen Green) and I may be excommunicated from the next 30 day blog challenge. Mums the word.

Can you tell how much fun I am having?

Okay getting back to business. Here are some of the lessons learned at the half-way mark of the 30 day log challenge.

1) The blogging community is amazing. I have met many bloggers from all walks of life from entrepreneurs, coaches, internet marketers, healers, teachers, people online and offline business owners just to name of few. Not to mention bloggers from around the world.

2) The amount of content that gets posted on a daily basis. It’s like an online library of publications from A-Z. The wealth of knowledge of each writer/blogger is so immense when they are all pooled together.

3) The newfound friendships that have formed as well as joint ventures and other collaborative partnerships in the making. The possibilities are endless. Hope these friendships and partnership contine to cultivate after the blog challenge.

4) Lot more traffic generation and people visiting my website. I love to read blogs and comment on them for I learn new things and develop my writing skills.

5) Getting indepth education on backlinks, SEO, plugins, article marketing, affiliate marketing.

6) Bloggers syndicating and sharing other blog article through the Social Media highway-Facebook, Twitter and Digg. A tweet here and a tweet-tweet there does wonders.

Thank you for visiting this blog. I am so happy that you dropped by. Please post a comment and share your blogging experience with us.

Happy Blogging!

Cindy Clemens from My Business Marketing Mentor wrote a blog article titled “Social Media and Your Personal Opinion” and I wondered if there is a blogging etiquette book out there for bloggers and others using social media.

Here are 3 key take away points that I received from reading Cindy’s article.

1) Think before you post on any social network site

2) Be diplomatic and respectful

3) Caution should be used with posting negative comments

I say always put yourself in the other person’s shoes and walk a mile in them. Mind your P’s and Q’s and use common sense.

Happy Blogging!

Audio Podcast

Hi Everyone:

Welcome back. Today’s blog post is a two part series on how to accentuate your blog post with Audio Boo.  So far I have attached photos and images on my blog post. Why not an audio? Well what about Audio? Your reader get not only to see your posted pictures, and images but  they get to hear your voice. How cool is that. Attached above is my first Audio Boo recording. Now, who and what is an Audio Boo? I was wondering what this was too. How I found out about Audio Boo  is through Ellen Britt  from Marketing Qi when I recently attended the Radiant Success Event out in Raleigh, NC.  Audio Boo is a free service. You register and sign up at www.audioboo.fm  Ellen demonstrated how she did a recording on her iphone by interviewing Chef Todd (One of the attendees at the conference) and then sending the podcast to all her listeners right on the spot. For those iphone and droid users you upload the application onto your phone and once you finish the recording you share the audio with friends and family through the web. Since I do not have an iphone, I recorded my first Audio Boo via the desk top. This is a great too and so simple to use.

Tomorrow, I will be disclosing other audio services to further accentuate your blog post.

Blogging

Is Blogging daily right for you?

Blogging was just not my thing because I did not like to write. I had taken a blogging course from January to April to get motivated and learn all the nuts and bolts to blogging. I only produced one blog post in the month of March. In the month of April, I wrote more than one blog post, but there was no consistancy like twice a week or every other day or even daily.  What was I thinking?

Late  April, I joined the Unified Tribe to be in a supportive community. My blog post production was still not up to snuff. I enjoyed reading other member’s blog post so much that I spent more time commenting, and tweeting their stuff  instead of writing my own blog post. Talk about procrastination. Perfect example right here.

The turning point was attending the Radiant Success Event where I met the Five Fabulous Business Divas with Ellen Britt, Denise Wakeman, Janis Pettit, Kathleen Gage, and Marnie Pehrson.

Denise Wakeman founder of the Blog Squad said it all  “If you do not like to write you can do videos… There are so many options…” Well after I came back from the event. I said to myself, I will be writing my blog on a daily basis (right easy said then done). Scratch that last statement. I will attempt to write a blog article everyday and incorporate videos, audios and pictures.

5 Benefits to Blogging Daily

Listed below are the 5 tips on why you should be blogging on a daily basis.

1) Your readers get to connect with you on a personal level, learn more about you and your services.

2) Builds an active community. After a while you get followers and people who are active participants by submitting comments.

3) By providing informative and content rich materials, you become a resource and known as the expert in your field.

4) You blog showcases your talent, skills and leadership.

5)  Rank better on search engine optimization

Blogging on a Daily Basis provides a win-win scenario to both the reader and the blogger.

If you enjoyed this blog post, share a comment with us. We like to hear from you.

Hi Everyone:

Yesterday, I wrote a blog article on another article marketing directory that I uncovered while attending the Radiant Success Event. In Part I Marnie Pehrson shows via video how to conduct keyword search to maximize search engine optimization when writing and article.

So what is different about Idea Marketers?  Once article is submitted, you can place bid for promotion on their home page.  This is demonstrated by Marnie in the video below. Enjoy!

Article Directories

Idea Marketers or Ezine Articles? Both!

Hello Everyone:

Today’s blogpost is on Article Submission. Although, I have not submitted any articles yet, I am determined and dilligently working on submitting my first article later this week.  Many of my coaching colleagues and solo entrepreneurs comrades have used Ezine Articles to submit their written article. Want to share with you of another article directory to submit articles that I found out about while attending the Radiant Success Event. One of the Five Fabulous Business Divas, Marnie Pehrson conducted a presentation on ”How to use Articles and Press Releases to Increase Your Traffic, Your Reputation and Your Sales.” and that is how I found out about her company Ideas Marketers

Here is Marnie’s You Yube Video on How to use Keyword Search and SEO optimization your articles.

Stay Tuned for Tomorrow. Where I will release Part II.

7 Questions that Keep Bloggers Up at Night

1) How do I drive traffic to my blog?

2) What is the frequency that I should be blogging? Is it better to blog everyday, once a week, twice a week or once a month?

3) Will I ever have enough content available to keep my readers coming back for more?

4) No one comments on my blog. Was it something I wrote or said?

5) When will readers find me. Here are some statistic that was taken from the Future Buzz.

133,000,000 – number of blogs indexed by Technorati since 2002
346,000,000 – number of people globally who read blogs (comScore March 2008)

6) Will I ever make money as a blogger? How long does it take?

7) Help! Do not like to write and do not want to write every single blog post.

Check in tomorrow for the answers to these question.

Hi Everyone:
Today’s review is on Become a Blogging Maniac which is a twelve week course lead by Bea Fields. My purpose for taking this course was to gain a better understanding of What is a blog, What types of content to write on the blog that will drive traffic to my website. The final outcome to have the readers post comments and share my blog with other people.

The buzz word out there is “Do you have a blog?” and I go What’s that? Totally clueless in the beginning. Signed up for Become a Blogging Maniac course which began in January 2010. Off to a new year, learn as much as I can about websites and setting up a blog. What is a blog? Where do I begin? As you can see, this is my first actual blog post. 

“Become a Blogging Maniac” Course

Here is the actual scoop on what I am learning at the Becoming a Blogging Maniac Course.

1) Gain a better understanding of how to put a blog together and what types of content to post.
2) Had no idea what a Audio PodCast was until I took this class.
3) Learn How to post videos and setting up a page for videos. You will have fun composing videos with You Tube Videos and other media.
4) Information on transmitting your blog to other sites and RSS feeds
5) How to market your blog and make it go viral, so others will see your blog posts.
6) Bea fields is the instructor and walks you through the process; she simplifies everything and answers your questions live on the webinars.
7) Bea provides all attendee with a private coaching session once you sign up for this course.
Get blog viewed and seen on the Social Media Circuit. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc…
9) An added bonus webinar on google apps.
10)You get to showcase your blog on the Become a Blogging Maniac website

The list goes on. I just named a couple of the nuggets that I got out of this course. This is one of the best classes that I have taken for blogging. I give it a ranking of Five Stars. Some of the classes I have taken for cost over $1,500 and for retreats over $3,800. It is a steal and a bargain to take Bea Fields-Become a Blogging Maniac course which cost less than $10.00 a class. Each class is two hours long. You get your money’s worth and one learns so much about the dynamics of blogging. Definitely huge Return on Investment with this course.

Click on the links below for more information on her upcoming class.
Become a Blogging Maniac  $97.00
Become a Blogging Maniac Jump Program $27.00
Combo Program(Become a Blogging Maniac+Jumpstart) $117.00

This blog was written while taking this course. Currently, I am on my 11th week. Next class starts on April 26th. I have certainly come a long way after taking “Become a Blogging Maniac” course and so will you. 

On this website/blog, I will only endorse classes that I have personally taken and affiliate market with products that I have personally used.

 All the best with growing your business to the next level.

Please share this blog with friends and family who can benefit from this program.

P.S.- I am not a writer and have anxieties with writing. If I can put up this blog post, anyone can do it too. Bea Fields will show you how. A Million Thank You to Bea for all your assistance.