Successful Blog

Welcome to the Virtual Conference and Bring-a-Link Event!

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Welcome!

All of the speakers have lined up a day of information and conversation about blogging. Do come in to check out the people who are here and what we’re talking about. Every hour we’ll put up a new post on a new subject for us to talk about. Bring a link to your favorite blogging post and join us whenever you are able.

Think theater of the imagination meets speakers and attendees in the comment box for conversation.

SOBCon07

When: Today, March 12th, 2007:

Here are some of the wonderful folks who’ve agreed to participate.

8:00 – Robyn McMaster on Laughter and Mistakes
9:00 – Sandra Renshaw on The Importance of Graphics
10:00 – Mark McGuinness on Creativity
11:00 – Joe Hauckes on Navigation
12:00 – Rodney Rumford on Videoblogging
1:00 – Chris Garrett on Blogger Blunders
2:00 – Ellen Weber on Sleep and Music
3:00 – Wendy Piersall on Blogging Beyond the Blogosphere
4:00 – Mike Wagner on Branding
5:00 – Terry Starbucker on What to Look for
6:00 – Chris Cree on Business Blogging
7:00 – Phil Gerbyshak on Being a Relationship Geek
8:00 – David Armano on the 4 Cs of Blogging

SOBCon Special

During the Virtual Conference, You can take $100 off registration to SOBCon 07.
Click the SOBCon 07to learn more about SOBCon 07.
Click Registration Link to take advantage of the special offer running during the Virtual Conference.

Enjoy!
— ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
The Secret’s Out: SOBCon 07 Is in Chicago May 11-12!

Bloggy Question 40: Um er . . . Your Enthusiasm Is Killing Our Ebook

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This Wasn’t Part of Our Winning Strategy

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life hypothetical question. . . .


You and a close friend each started a blog a on the same day. Friends since childhood, you’ve always enjoyed exploring new things together. Together you built a strategy for making a blog with influence. Your strategy was built on having a clean-coded, SEO-friendly template, quality, targeted, relevant content, ample link love for other bloggers in your respective niches. Each of you has begun to show up when people name the top blogs in the areas you serve.

About two months ago. you and your friend developed a resource — a phenomenal ebook for new bloggers that basically outlines the strategy you had developed together. Both of your names are on it and you share in the meager income it produces. One side effect that you had not counted on, but now enjoy is that the resource has increased your visibility and people have started turning to you and your friend as blogging experts. The Wall Street Journal called to include you both in an article they wrote last week.

But lately, your friend has become somewhat obsessed with the ebook. He can’t seem to write a blog post without flogging its benefits. He starts with a brilliant teasing introduction and then starts selling the ebook again. You’ve noticed his comment count is going down and you suspect his subscriber numbers are as well.

It’s hard enough to watch your friend lose track of his readers and your original strategy, but it’s even worse that your name is also on that ebook.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Question 39: It’s My Presentation . . . What’s the One Thing?
Bloggy Question 38: You’ve Just Won a New Design!
Bloggy Question 37: Excuse Me, that Content on Your Blog Is Mine!
Bloggy Question 36: Mom, I Got the Part!

Sandy’s Great Graphic Tip: Re-sizing Graphics in an Editor

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What Happened to that Picture?

Sometimes you see photos on websites that look funny – too wide or narrow, tall or short. In other words, out of proportion. Some other terms used are scale, perspective and aspect ratio. One common way to re-size a graphic is using a WYSIWYG editor. WYSIWYG is pronounced wiz-e-wig and is short for what you see is what you get.

Hover over the corner of a graphic, click and drag. Depending on the program, it’s possible to lose perspective, so keep this little tip in mind.

Hold down the shift key while clicking and dragging. It will keep the picture looking square.

Another Option to Re-Size a Graphic

Another option is to right-click the graphic and choose format. In the window, you usually have a choice to re-size the graphic by pixel size or percentage of original. You will probably see a check box for preserve aspect ratio or uniform scale. Selecting the box means when you enter the horizontal or vertical size, the other dimension is automatically selected to keep the graphic in perspective.

Here’s a visual example of what I mean:

Re-size Graphic Sample

It’s also a good idea to re-size and edit graphics before uploading them. When you upload a large graphic and only want to display a small graphic, it can increase the file size and make the page load slowly. Let’s talk more about that another time.

Remember, a good-looking graphic makes your webpage look interesting and professional.

See you next time!

–Sandy, Purple Wren

Related articles:
Great Graphic Tips: Selecting File Types
Great Graphic Tips: Why Use Graphics?
Great Graphic Find: Pixel Ruler

It’s a Virtual Conference and Bring-a-Link Event

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Virtual Speakers and Q&A All Day Long

Everyone is invited. Stop by for a while listen in and meet some new friends.

Think theater of the imagination meets speakers and attendees in the comment box for conversation.

SOBCon07

Bring a link to leave that shares something you know about blogging.

Thank you for the Virtual Conference

SOBCon Special

Take advantage of our early bird special $100 off registration to SOBCon 07. Register now!.

We havin’t done something like this since last October!
— ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
The Secret’s Out: SOBCon 07 Is in Chicago May 11-12!

Thanks to Week 72 SOBs

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muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

Marketing Hipster

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank every one of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her directly to me. This award comes with a full “Liz said so” guarantee. It is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

deep purple strip

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame. Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

SOB Business Cafe 03-09-07

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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 titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Blogoprenuer offers a lesson taken out of context.

Kent Blumberg has a series for us on the elements of greatness.

Life Coaches offers a manifesto for every parent, teacher, manager, friend, mentor, brother, sister, person who knows another person.

Talking Story tells about customers and work ethic.

Creative Think celebrates 100 posts with an interview.

You Already Know This Stuff asks if we’re ready to take grown-up steps.

Related ala carte selections include

Ask Dr. Kirk has a remedy for that bad feeling.

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