Successful Blog

Fun Find: Instant Blog Post Generator

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And this from a site called Flooble:

You know how sometimes you feel like you haven’t posted anything to your blog for a while, and you should really get around to doing it, but there’s nothing to really write about? We’ve all been there. That’s why we at flooble have decided to give you an Instant Blog Post Generator.

Now you can have a ready-to-post entry for your blog with just one click of a button. Our system is random enough that there’s thousands of variations to the post that it can generate, so if you don’t like how it came out, you can simply keep clicking until the generator comes up with something you find acceptable.

Instant Blog Post Generator

Be careful, if you go playing around on this site, there are plenty of pop-ups and pop-unders for you to play with as well. Still there is fun to be had for a minute or two.

Remember quality is king, but fun is fun.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Great Find: Have You Been Stumbled Upon?

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This being Friday, I hadn’t planned on writing another post. I had a few lined up for the day and that MIT book I’m working on is staring at me.

But I was stumbled upon again—Successful Blog was stumbled upon last week and now this. I couldn’t help myself. My famous curiosity kicked in, and I had to check it out. Once I did, I figured you might want to play with Stumble Upon over the weekend. So here I am writing this post . . .

Stumble Upon 50 image

Stumble Upon is a more user-friendly, more organized, more social–yeah, that’s what I mean–a more social, social bookmarking tool. For the web pro, del.cio.us has an interface that offers the credibility and appeal of an indexing page. For the rest of us, Stumble Upon has that “Frosted Mini-Wheat” appeal–it’s visually pleasing and fun enough for the kid in me, but sophisticated and organized to satisfy the adult as well. For the social butterfly or the college kid this one wins hands down for it’s personal interaction features.

The time it takes to get up and running on Stumble Upon is short and sweet, and a quick check at Technorati shows that it already has 1500 users linked to it. I think this is the next sleeper hit. Well, just look at the difference. The developers have met most of the problems people have with using its competition.

Stumble Upon My page image

You can edit the backgrounds, pick the categories, and do random searches to “stumble upon” sites under tagged themes. It’s addictive and fun. You can also meet people and share what you’ve found–if you so choose. More than that, it’s much nicer to look at and easier to find things.

If it’s not what you’re looking for, it might be the perfect thing for that friend or relative who finds del.cio.us overwhelming or visually intimidating.

Here’s what some of the big magazines said about Stumble Upon.

Give it a try. You might like it. I did, but then I stumble a lot even without it.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Thanks to Week 6 SOBs

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muddy teal strip A

Week 6 Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

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

SOB Button

and the right to call themselves Successful Blog SOBs.

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brian shih logo

blogo;ex logo

Realtor Weblog logo

wyome .com logo

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

I thank all 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 badge’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.

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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

Ignore Stinky Backlinks

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Ever check out a backlink and find yourself on a page that’s totally bogus?

In checking Letting me be . . . random wandering and philosophy
I have found backlinks on pages that are

  • a collection of sites with the word wondering in the title
  • a collection of sites with the word letting in the title
  • a page advertising a pet store, and one about bears–go figure!
  • a spam blog covered with links that had mine next to an explicit link for an adult site

I didn’t put them there. The first bunch were of no concern.

That last link was a problem. It occasionally came up in search engine listings with the name of my blog next to that explicit text, which made it look like my blog had adult content. Luckily it was a blogspot blog. I flagged it for removal.

If you find yourself with bogus backlinks, it’s usually best to ignore the little stinkers. The only way most can hurt you is if you return the favor and link back to them. Search engines know you can’t control who links to you.

Pretend you’re a rock star, who can’t pick your fans. Keep walking to your limo.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Nextweek: More on Links and Blog Design

How to Find Homes for Your Links

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It’s easy to get people to do what you want, just show them why it’s to their benefit to do it.

If what you want is a link from me, then your challenge is to persuade me. Show how it’s in my best interest and that of my readers to give your link a home on my blog.

Speaking of homes, you should also make sure that you want me to have your link. A link represents a vote from you. You want to find blogs with quality content, blogs with like-thinking writers who will value your relationship. Here’s how you might do that.

  • Get to know me and my blog.

    • Don’t become a stalker, but do make a project of finding out who I am and what I care about. Study my blog and my readers’ comments. A little reconnaissance and you’ll get a good idea of where or whether your link is a good fit.

  • Think about where your link would add value.

    • No one needs a link on their blogroll. Find a reason that I need your link. Do you have a post that ties well with one of mine? Do you expand on a topic that my readers have shown an interest in? Have you covered a subject I’ve missed, or does your content compliment mine, offering my readers a change they might enjoy? Once you’ve found a compelling answer to a question such as one of these, then you’re ready to talk to me.

  • When you talk to me, be personal and persuade me.

    • If you want my attention talk to me, not sir or madam, and let me know how you see your link improving my readers’ experience. That will surely get my attention. Persuade me. I want to feel there is a compelling argument for your link. That way I won’t see myself as someone who gives away links to anyone who asks. I’ll see myself as a person who was lucky to have met a clear thinker like you–someone who knew exactly how to improve my blog.

If I refuse you, you’ve lost nothing. You’ve probably picked up a few things by studying a blog. You’re not likely to research too long on a blog not worth linking to. If I agree, you’ve made a connection to quality content. Hopefully my blog will grow into old age with you. Then we can spend our days together complaining about those misbehaving young blogs.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Don’t Buy that New Domain Name Yet

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How to Blog Series

Sean Si of SEO-Hacker.com wrote a post about Google with regard to what is being called the “aging process.” He shared his thoughts and experience on the logic of buying a used domain or “aged” name rather than starting out with a spanking new one.

I Have a Name Already. Thank You.
I’m sure you do, and I’m sure it’s a fine one . . . or maybe it isn’t. As culturally literate members of the community, we should know why old domain names are in such demand. Besides, one day you or a friend will face the question of whether to change a blog’s name, and we need to know everything that comes with making that decision.

Spammers Ruined Things for Everyone
In order to combat spammers, Google algorithms have added values biased toward long-timers.

  • bypassing the 6-8 month aging delay
  • having a headstart in page rank
  • positioning bonuses, such as listing in the search indexes and key directories

Oh and remember if you don’t come back soon, I might be out finding a new, old domain name for Successful Blog. After all, it is a way of social climbing. Change your name and get what comes with it. Let’s see. Hmmmm . . . I wonder if IvanaTrump.com is available yet . . . not that one. Okay then . . .

Be irresistible.
ME “Liz” Strauss Work with Liz on your business!!