Friday Fun Video: Becoming Inspired To Write
What a great video on overcoming writer’s block and coming up with original ideas!
Making Your Blog More Professional
Appearances aren’t everything, but they are pretty darned important. Making a good first impression, either in person or online, is the key to being successful. Having a professional looking blog will draw in more readers, and ultimately lead to you getting more clients (if your blog is business related). Simply plugging in a pre-made WordPress theme and using comic sans just isn’t cutting it anymore. For tips on how to streamline your blog and make it even more professional, check out this post by Em at Mascara Warrior:
-Add a custom favicon
-Remove the Navbar
-Purchase and install a custom domain
-Install Google Analytics
-Add a Pin It hover button
Wordless Wednesday: Desk Looking Out Into Room, Not Wall
Thinking Of Working From Home? Start Here
The thought of no longer commuting is extremely appealing to people. When I was a teenager, my Dad commuted every day back and forth to a big city. He was constantly stressed out, hated being stuck in a tiny cubicle, and was always grumpy. It’s really bad for your health! But, since he worked with computers, he was able to transition to working from home instead. The difference was noticeable almost instantly. If you would rather work from home, see if your company offers telecommuting! If not, or if you are a stay-at-home parent looking to make some extra cash, check out these legit websites from Bob at Christian PF. They all are rated by the Better Business Bureau, and can make you some real money:
–LiveOps: These guys offer call center services and provide opportunities for folks to sign up as work-from-home agents who answer and field telephone calls.
–Global Test Market: Pay you about $5 per survey that you take.
Working From Home and Overwhelmed? Read This Post
Work from home jobs are seriously the best thing ever, but they do come with a few drawbacks. You can do your work from your bed with Netflix running in the background, but it’s honestly extremely hard to stay focused. Working in a cubicle with an overbearing boss breathing down your neck is worse, but at least you get your work done. When working at home, it’s extremely easy to let the projects pile up- not to mention housework, or even taking care of kids. It’s also extremely easy to get overwhelmed. So, take a deep breath and get back on track! Check out this post by Johoanna Robson at Bubbling Cauldron Project for the best ways to press on and ease the anxiety:
-Don’t be afraid to say no, and stop people pleasing
-Delegate- put your kids to work around the house. Hire designers for logos and other projects. Team up with another writer for certain posts.
-Better your time management with to-do lists: (I would literally never get anything done without mine!)
-Take responsibility- If there are some projects you can graciously get out of, then do it. Work through those that you can’t. Set goals and work steadily towards them. Before you know it your plate will be clear again.
Wordless Wednesday: Delightful Workspace
Abracadabra! Making Old Content New Again
Blogging is the best job in the world, but can also be challenging. You get to stay at home, and tell the world about your day. You can talk about your family, your children, your career, education, hobbies, pets, favorite recipes, crafts- really, anything you want, and get paid. But, you also have to keep readers interested and coming back for more. You may have some extremely popular posts, and some that are not-so-popular. Coming up with new content constantly is hard! That’s why a common strategy when you have blogger’s block is to refresh an older post. For tips on optimizing old content, read this post by Jamie at Blonde Mom Blog:
-Add a pinnable image
-Create a “wrap up” post
-Update your readers on the status of a situation you blogged about – a career change, a new puppy, a move to a new city, going back to school, etc.
-Write a before and after post
-Survey your readers- ask for feedback on past posts
Common Blog Mistakes and Easy Fixes
I assume that everyone reading this post is human (at the risk of sounding “speciesist”-sorry aliens!), and humans make mistakes. Sometimes we don’t even know that we’re making. For example, using the word “speciesist” in any context is probably a mistake. When blogging, people face a few challenges: creating good, original content, making people want to click your posts, and keeping a loyal readership. There are lots of things that some bloggers do that sabotage these goals. Check out this post by Melissa at Freeing Imperfections for ways to improve your blog. Avoid these mistakes:
-Ignoring social media
-Not commenting on every other blog you visit
-Over-posting
-Publishing at the same time every day
-Writing in blocks
What To Do After You Post
Why do we blog? Because we love writing, but don’t want to feel constrained. To put our ideas into the world. To reach readers, and help other people. So, you spend some time and pour a bit of your soul into every post….then what? How do you get the word out? It’s especially important if you receive compensation from a company sponsor or from advertisements. Usually, more readers = more cash. If you are interested in growing your blog’s reach, check out this post by Michelle at the Michelle Shaeffer blog:
-Proofread and test links
-Get busy on social media. Post it everywhere! Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, Google+.
-Send out an email to your list
-Get family, friends, and colleagues involved
-Connect with readers and respond to comments
-Consider how to build on your work