SOB Business Cafe 04-07-2006

Filed Under Business Life, Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog | 1 Comment

SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the screenshot to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Gary Miller at Blogoplex sends a message to David Sifry and a man named Chris Coffman to find out Gary and Chris seem to claim the same blog, though they’ve never met.

Blogoplex What\'s Technorati Up To? Screenshot

Noel Guinane takes a hard look at the use and uselessness of social network analysis to business.

Blood and Treasure Social Network Article Screenshot Link

Javier Cabrera (who has not sent me a comment hug for a very long time–he must be at dinner) shows off his CSS esssentials, which features blogs of high-end design from around the web.

Clear Your Mind CSS Essentials Screenshot Link

Improbulus explains how the Nextsplogs scam works. If you’ve not heard about this, check it out. This clever new trick uses redirection code to game the Google Next Blog viewing system. Apparently spammers never learned that they’re not supposed to cut in line.

Consuming Experience Next Blog queue traffic theft screenshot link

David Starling offers a serious analysis of Google’s current funding and what it means to Google and to us.

The Business of America Google Puts Hair on Its War Chest Article Link

Related ala carte selections include

Chartreuse BETA unravels the story of a webcam “grassroots music discovery” who now looks to be a plant by the recording industry. Once again, he saw something wasn’t right there when her popularity first became a big deal.

Chartreuse BETA Is Sandi Thom a Fraud? Screenshot Link

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Success in a Blink and a Blink Test

Filed Under Audience, Checklists, Design, Marketing, Strategy, Successful Blog, Tips | 12 Comments

In 2005, Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book “Blink.” introduced the idea that we make make decisions about people and things almost instantaneously– long before we do the cognitive thinking about them.

Last week, Reuters reported that Canadian researchers have found that people make just such decisions about Internet sites, deciding in less than a blink whether they will stay or click away from them. Here’s a link to the article.

Reuters Screen Shot Article Link

I wonder what Reuters was thinking to write an article so short that you miss the whole thing if you blink?

A Blink Test

Before you blink away, you might try this the next time you bring up your blog or web page. Try to see your blog as if it were one you’d never seen it before.

  • 1. Close your eyes for a minute. Then open them once the page is up.
  • 2. Pay attention to where your eyes fall first. Is that where you want them to?
  • 3. Look at a blank wall or a blank piece of paper for a minute. Then look back again. What attracts or distracts you? Does anything make you want to stay or leave?

Use what you find out to make sure your blog gets a “yes” in that first blink.

THIS JUST IN:
Gary an SOB over at Blogoplex did a test on several blogs including this one . . . Click through to read his blink test results. See whether you agree.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Re;ated articles:
Blog Promotion: Checking Out Curb Appeal
Five Design Basics to Never Forget
Blog Design Checklist
Great Photo Resources to Support Readers