Successful Blog

Cool Tool Review: Chartbeat

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Todd Hoskins Reviews Tools for Business

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Todd Hoskins chooses and uses tools and products that could belong in an entrepreneurial business toolkit. He’ll be checking out how useful they are to folks who would be their customers in a form that’s consistent and relevant.

Cool Tool Review: Chartbeat
A Review by Todd Hoskins

If you’re not using web analytics right now, you need to be. When Google Analytics launched as a free service a couple years ago it allowed publishers and bloggers of every variety to know where web traffic is coming from and what their visitor trends are. It doesn’t matter whether you are a blogger with five subscribers or an eCommerce company. In it’s simplest form, it’s a copied and pasted line of code that requires no technical skills to set up.

Site visits and metrics such as time-on-site provide you with information. But visits don’t necessarily convert into sales, customers, or loyal readers, and time-on-site may be skewed by bathroom breaks and open browser windows. The information becomes valuable when it is actionable.

Here’s where Chartbeat has an edge. But warning: it’s addictive. Real-time statistics detailing what people are doing on a site right now has prompted me to change content on the fly and see how people react. Though it can be sheer entertainment, the real value is in being able to understand what is compelling to your readers.

Measuring traffic has long been a tantalizing trap. Counting people, whether it’s a political rally or eyeballs in advertising, is something we all immediately understand. How many visitors did we get yesterday? In our store? On our site? But there’s lots of ways to get people in the door or get them to click on a link. The key is bringing the best merchandise (content) to the front of the store, and then continue to either source more of the same, or take the time to educate the visitor on why something deserves to occupy prime real estate. Traffic is necessary, but engagement has often been ignored.

Oh, engagement. What a disputed word. With Chartbeat, they are getting more frequent “pings” from the visitor in order to understand what is happening multiple times per minute instead of the one ping like the doorbell announcing, “Someone’s here!” Engagement then can be captured, for example, with scroll depth. Is the visitor quickly viewing content and moving on, or are they taking time to scroll down the page.

On what pages is this occurring?
Where is the traffic coming from?
Where are they going?

Take a look for yourself:

For $10 a month, this is a steal. If you’re hesitant, get Google Analytics set up, and then sign up for a free trial with Chartbeat as well. Compare and let me know what you think.

Summing Up – Is it worth it?

Enterprise Value: 4/5 – Even Fortune 500 companies are using Chartbeat in addition to Omniture. There’s an API as well.

Entrepreneur Value: 5/5 – Want to be nimble? Web analytics are necessary.

Personal Value: 2/5 – Google Analytics is usually good enough unless your a geek like me.

Subtract The $5 From Brobdingnagian — Say What Now?

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By Terez Howard

This blog is brobdingnagian.

Are you scratching your head, wondering why I would talk like this? I don’t talk like this.

Have you already headed over to a dictionary website to see what brobdingnagian means? That’s where I found its meaning. My Microsoft Word Processor doesn’t even recognize it as a word.

Have you made it this far in my post without pulling out your hair? Congratulations!

Deduct $5 now

If you strip this 14-letter word of its pomp and circumstance, you get this: big. Brobdingnagian is one of those $5 words that do not belong in a blog post and can be substituted for a word worth a dime.

Why should $5 words be avoided?

  1. It takes unnecessary time for a reader to look them up. Most people have limited time and want to read through a blog without spending undue time with a dictionary in hand or in another tab.
  2. Brobdingnagian words are likely to send readers searching for more reader-friendly blogs. Who wants to read a blog that needs an interpreter? Not me.
  3. If you’re making a call to action in your blog, how can your readers act on something they do not understand?

I’m not saying that you have to dumb your writing down. There is no hard and fast rule that says you have to stick to words no longer than seven letters. People do have to understand what you’re trying to say. If they don’t, they are not going to stick around on your blog.

When I wrote for the newspaper, my boss told us that our readers’ level was that of fifth graders. He told us they would not continue to buy papers if we wrote at a higher level. I always remembered that because I used to write poetry, and I liked to pepper my poems with $5 words. That was fine for something personal, but for the public, it was unacceptable.

Explanations for technical terminology

Most of us writers don’t have a problem getting rid of complicated, unheard of words. However, we might be involved in a field that uses several acronyms and abbreviations. I didn’t know that a-s stood for all-sung.

There also might be words that are common in a certain field, like quadrille. But to laymen, that means absolutely nothing.

If your audience knows the acronyms and technical terms you use, you don’t necessarily have to explain them every time. But if you think you just might get a newbie or novice, I suggest you provide an explanation the first time you introduce the word in a post. After that, you don’t have to mention it again.

If you don’t want to do that, be sure to provide the resources for newcomers to your blog, so they can easily locate the meanings of words like concerto grosso and obbligato. The easiest way to do this is to add a glossary.

Add high quality

After you subtract all the $5 words, what are you left with? If it’s not much, you’re doing something wrong. Blogs should serve their readers as a well of resourceful and/or entertaining information. They should quench their readers’ thirst for knowledge.

When you provide your audience with a usable message, they won’t want a refund on your 10-cent words. They’ll take it to the bank.

What do you do to make sure people understand what you’re writing?

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Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility. She regularly blogs at Freelance Writing Mamas . You’ll find her on Twitter @thewriteblogger

Thanks, Terez!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

Social Media Book List: #DIVERSITYtweet and Blogging All in One for Dummies

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (and I love to read anyway!). I am here to offer a weekly post about one book author I am working with and one book I have put on my reading list. This week I will be highlighting ‘#DIVERSITYtweet’ by Deepika Bajaj. and ‘Blogging All in One for Dummies’ by Susan Gunelius. The books I discuss will cover topics such as social media (Facebook and Twitter), blogging, business, organization, career building, networking, writing, self development and inspiration.

‘#DIVERSITYtweet: Embracing the Growing Diversity our World’ by Deepika Bajaj

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‘#DIVERSITYtweet’ truly opened my eyes by adding this powerful medium to get our Diversity message out. Deepika truly hit a homerun on this one.”
Captain Ken Barrett, Diversity Director, U.S. Navy

People are transcending cultures and geographies and are embracing diversity in their experiences and interactions with others. Most importantly, this book is a thought provoking resource for managers and those who work with a diverse group of people, be it in the workforce, community projects, team building assignments, social gatherings, or business meetings. Organizations need to know how to manage diversity to be successful in the future, and in today’s competitive age, the flexibility and creativity augmented by diversity is crucial for success.

By the end of 2010, Twitter will have roughly 18 million registered users. What does this have to do with diversity and inclusion? The momentum has begun. The content is being developed in 140 characters; and identities are being created, new interpretations of diversity are being developed – with it we are observing new breakthroughs and breakdowns for Diversity. There is a paradigm shift – Diversity is the NEW NORMAL.

The book intends to create a bridge between a fresh and growing medium of expression and diversity and inclusion efforts. The message of diversity now transcends into thoughtful TWEETS and empowers the individual, an organization and its workforce. The big question is – Are you open to capitalizing on this momentum?

Here are a few tweets from ‘#DIVERSITYtweet’ I would like to share with you:

#1 Diversity in nature makes a case for respecting diversity in humanity.

#12 It is not the strongest of the species, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change that will survive.

#24 Diversity cherishes mutually beneficial relationships to serve the increasingly diverse global market.

#37 Diversity’s ultimate goal: Preserve our individualism while integrating us with others’ lives and perspectives.

#53 Every single person, with his or her own combination of background traits and characteristics, is his or her own unique diversity story.

#72 Whatever your ethnicity is, it is not the external beauty that counts. No one will hire you for the shirt you wear. They want your attitude and aptitude.

About the Author:

Deepika Bajaj is the Senior Director at Working Mother Media, a company providing support and community for women to find work life balance and founder of Invincibelle, a company empowering diverse, multigenerational workforce and women to thrive in a multicultural world. Prior to this, Deepika has more than eight years of experience in telecommunications consulting and corporate marketing. She has served on the board of various professional organizations including the National Society of Hispanic MBAs and Women in Intel.

Deepika is currently writing another book. This book (yet to be named) speaks to her experiences of being a global citizen and what is shaping the new voice of diversity. She speaks and consults on diversity, blogs at www.deepikabajaj.com, writes a column on mom blogs at Working Mother Media and writes a column on social media for Active Garage. She is in the process to launch a new blog Diverseconomy.com. You can follow her on http://twitter.com/invincibelle.

Deepika holds a degree in Engineering from Bangalore University, India and has an MBA in marketing from Fordham University, New York. She is an honorary member of Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma. She loves kickboxing, reading, music, and painting. Currently, she lives in California.
You can purchase a copy of ‘#DIVERSITYtweet’ online at ThinkAha Books or at Amazon

This blog post is part of a virtual book tour done by Key Business Partners, LLC and I have received a complimentary copy of ‘#DIVERSITYtweet’ by the author.

Blogging All-in-One for Dummies by Susan Gunelius

Now I would like to highlight a book on my “review” reading list–Blogging All in One for Dummies.

Blogging is one of the key elements to having a successful online business presence. Blogging All in One for Dummies offers you a multitude of information to not only get your started but how to maintain and even build your business through your blog.

Here is partial book description on Amazon.com:

Prepare to launch into the blogosphere — here’s your ticket!

What do you want to tell the world? Get started today with this guide to creating and solidifying your place in the blogosphere. You’ll discover all the strategies and tools you’ll need to launch a blog and get noticed.

From selecting a platform and writing your first post to including ads and using Twitter, you’ll be piloting a blog in no time!

* What’s your niche? — follow guidelines to choose a niche and set your blog up for success
* Build your business — create a business blog marketing plan and choose business bloggers
* Make the right decision — select the best blogging applications and blog hosts to meet your goals
* Extend and enhance your blog — from optimizing your content for search engines to creating blog feeds, get up to speed on the available tools
* Gain a following — discover the secrets of blogging success as you market your blog and build a community
* Show me the money — find out how to earn income by adding blog advertising, publishing sponsored reviews, and selling merchandise
* Enter the world of microblogging — learn how to create your Twitter profile, follow other users, write and publish tweets, and more

Open the book and find:

* Advice on choosing a blog topic
* The rules of the blogosphere
* Tips on selecting the right blogging application
* How to write to attract search engines
* Ways to analyze your blog’s performance
* How to find and edit images to spice up your posts
* Guidance on creating a podcast or vlog
* Secrets of making money from your blog

8 books in 1

* Joining the Blogosphere
* Niche Blogging
* Corporate and Business Blogging
* Choosing a Blogging Application
* Blogging Tools
* Promoting and Growing Your Blog
* Making Money from Your Blog
* Microblogging with Twitter

About Susan:

Susan Gunelius is President and CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a full-service marketing communications provider.

Susan is also a published author and active blogger. As a marketing, branding and copywriting expert, Susan writes business nonfiction books through some of the largest and most recognized publishers in the world including Palgrave Macmillan (a division of Macmillan Publishing), Wiley, McGraw Hill and Entrepreneur Press.

Susan’s marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as Entrepreneur.com, MSNBC.com, FoxBusiness.com, WashingtonPost.com, BusinessWeek.com, SmartMoney.com, TheStreet.com, Yahoo! Small Business, Yahoo! Finance, and more. She also writes articles and blogs for a variety of clients, including Cox Communications, Newstex, and About.com (a New York Times company).

With nearly 20 years of marketing, branding and copywriting experience, Susan is a seasoned corporate professional having spent much or her career developing and executing marketing programs for global and national organizations, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC.

*courtesy of Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘Blogging All-in-One for Dummies’ on Amazon

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

8 Tips on Using Twitter to Build a Powerful Business Network

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From the Beginning

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More than ever, building and growing a business means becoming part of the social web. A powerful network of loyal fans means your message can be visible, heard, understood and spread with the speed and reach of the Internet.

How do you get a network like that?

I often call Twitter the world’s largest networking room, but that doesn’t do it justice. Networking rooms are physical and geographically limited. They can’t expand and contract in size. The people who visit the room are limited by those who can physically get to the location where the meeting and the room exists in space and time. And not every networking event collects the people who are interested in what we do.

Unlike that networking room, Twitter let us decide who is at our “networking event.”

8 Tips on Using Twitter to Build a Powerful Business Network

  1. Have one clear business message. Define yourself clearly as a business person. Use a photo. Write a professional bio. Name the metropolitan area you’re in. Link to a business site that tells more about you. Some folks link to a special page on their blog set up just for Twitter visitors. Add a unique background to further define yourself.
  2. Have a goal. If you want Twitter to be your relationship command center, you’ll set it up differently than if you want it to be your idea lab, your outlet store, or your customer service base. Think about that.
  3. Do the research. Check out how @DellOutlet , @ComcastCares , @TwelpForce , @AlyssaMilano , @WholeFoods , @SharnQuickBooks and others use Twitter to connect. You may not be as big as they are, but you can learn from their approach.
  4. Start small and listen. Visit Listorious.com
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    and TweepML to find lists of Twitter people who share your interests. Choose to follow a limited number a day. Get to know how they talk and what they talk about. When they follow you back, use that as opportunity to say hello to them in a unique and personal way.

  5. Talk when you have something that will add value to the conversation. Be helpful, not hypeful, just as you might be in person. Use the @ sign (@lizstrauss) to make sure your comment about a person or to a person gets to the person you’re mentioning.
  6. Start a Twitter list.
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    Lists draw attention to and from people. Each list can focus on one group of people. Check the lists that other folks make, see what their lists say about them. Have a core list strategy. Lists might include a handful of advisors, thought leaders in your industry, partners and vendors, key customers and clients, people in your home location.

  7. Decide early who you will follow – who you want at your networking event. Some folks follow only a few people and keep their followers limited to people in their business. Other folks look for input from a wider group.
  8. If you’re looking for clients, don’t just talk to the people who do what you do. It’s fun and safe to talk business with our peers, but the folks who hire us are the folks who don’t know how to do what we do.

Like any networking event, Twitter is filled with opportunities to meet people who want to do business. The difference is that some networking rooms are filled with people who have no business in common with us. On Twitter, we can reach out to folks who are interested in being at the same networking event as us.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

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30-Minute Strike Force Strategy to Increase Your Productivity

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Move that Stuff

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A colleague in publishing once told me, “I can tell your productivity level by the amount of stuff around your desk.”

I checked my team at the time, the situation was the same for them. As the action of a project went faster, the piles around their desks got higher and wider. I also noticed that those collections of stuff did more than steal space …

Piled-up stuff steals time, decreases productivity, and causes stress.

As our piles move outward and get higher, we spend time:

  • visually scanning.
  • moving farther to get what we need.
  • remembering what each pile if for.

It’s a great rule to decide on every item as it enters our command center, choosing to

  • Do it.
  • Delegate it.
  • Dump it.

I find that I sometimes need more information before I can move on any of those three. Which means that some things end up in the option called

  • It Depends …

and that’s when the piles start neatly forming. It was the same for my team. A reset strategy was called for.

A 30-Minute Strike Force Strategy to Increase Productivity

When the piles start to slow down progress try this 30-minute strategy to get back to a Command Center that works for you and your productivity.

  1. Choose your ground. Great commanders don’t try to conquer the world in one day. Pick one field that deserves your attention — your desk, your inbox, your favorites, your LinkedIn page, your blog.
  2. Have a clear strategy before you start. Know your priorities and purpose going in. Define your allies and enemies. If you’ve not used something for 3 months why is it next to your keyboard? If you don’t want design work why do you talk so much about it on your LinkedIn page.
  3. Be on a lethal mission. Set a 30 minute time in which to sort what you’ll keep and what you’ll delete or throw away. (If you make a defer / delegate pile, put it farther and make it smaller than the trash bin. If you live a week without touching anything in that pile, dump it. You’ll survive fine.)
  4. Organize what’s left and define the space. Set the things you use most often closest to you. Decide how much time you can commit to maintain this.
  5. Claim your rewards and Celebrate. Take a few minutes to survey your work with your favorite reward.
  6. Leverage this process for the future. Try it in a new space.

The sense of accomplishment that comes from taking control is possibly the best motivator I know. I just was lethal with my workspace and that’s what led this blog post

And I’m still claiming my reward – workspace that’s working for me again.

Thinking about what I’ll tackle next …

What about you? Where would a 30-minute Strike Force Strategy increase your productivity?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

I’m a proud affiliate of

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