Helping You Rock Out Your Site Like A Rockstar!

I have always been curious on how many times my graphics and scripts have been downloaded. When I installed the WordPress Download Monitor plugin, I was not sure what to expect. However, once I started uploading my zip files and putting them out there for the public to download, I saw it immediately.

The script is very useful for webmasters, especially if when a lot of graphics and bandwidth can be involved. The plugin records how many times an item is downloaded, the IP address of the downloader, and at what time the downloading occurred.

When using the plugin, all you have to do is upload the zip file, the details you want people to see, specify if only members of your blog can access the download, and even mirror sites your items has been uploaded to. To add the download to your page, there is a simple dropdown menu in your WordPress ‘new post’ menu to select the download, and the code is added to the page.

If you have to update the file, it is also easy to do and simple as selecting the download you want to edit, uploading the new zip file, and then submitting.

For those with graphic sites that have been using old and unsecure php scripts, the WordPress Download Monitor would be far more ideal to use. On strictly php written websites, this can become a problem as it can be tedious to put together a template just for the downloads. It is much easier to nip this issue by using WordPress’ CMS goodness and the WordPress Download Monitor plugin.

This is also great for commercial graphic sites so the owner can select a few downloads as freebies, and the rest… can be members only.

Have you used this plugin? What are your thoughts and recommendations?

How much of yourself do you put out there on your blog and social network sites? If you are an anonymous bloggers, are you really taking the precautions for keeping your information from wandering eyes?

Unfortunately, for serious bloggers, those who are making a business of blogging and developing an authority amongst the blogging community cannot remain anonymous. Especially in the United States, you are required to file taxes for advertisements and all types of monies earned from endorsements, which in return other people can see your information.

If you want to remain anonymous, the following would be needed to be met:

• You cannot reveal your real name.
• You cannot reveal your address.
• You cannot reveal detailed aspects that will specifically identify you, including work.
• You cannot even share your photograph.

In social media, being transparent is important. This helps build your trust with others in your niche as well as readers in general. While the attention can be tempting for bloggers, you cannot succeed if you want to influence your followers. They will not be able to relate to an anonymous person.

While you might just be an individual, take a lesson from companies. They are required to share information. Why would you trust a large company if they cannot give you detailed information about the main hub or their products? If you cannot share a bit about yourself, why would people trust you. If you are making money online, you are building a business with your blog, thus needing that transparency for bloggers too.

While you can limit what you put out online and still be transparent, if you do not want people to know where you live and have your own domain, pay the extra few dollars to privatize your domain registration. Your visitors WILL get curious and even look up your registration, even if it is to see who you host with (despite the fact they could just email you via your contact form and ask.) This might give a little piece of mind to not being contacted by phone or snail mail or even email just by someone looking up your domain registration information at any registrar.

What advice do you have for bloggers wanting to become more active as a blogger, but try to retrain some privacy in the same breath?

One thing that really impresses me about one blogger over another is their relatability with their readers. Ever person has a different background filled with hundreds of unique experiences. It is often at this point, no matter what the article might be about, that a reader can become turned off.

Here is how to be more relatable to your readers.

• Be open and friendly. While you might have some serious topics covered on your blog, while engaging in conversation when readers who comment, make sure to make them feel welcome and that you respect their opinion. Not every reader will agree with you, but if you can make that extra effect to reply, and make sure that they know you at least read their side, they will come back.
• Be honest. “Honesty is the best policy.” That quote rings true in so many ways. When you decide to promote your work on the social network streams, you better be giving honest information. People react in very negative ways and are quick to tell others if you are a dishonest character.
• Be uniquely informative and accurate. You need to be able to give something to people that will stand above other blogs, especially if you are trying to compete for their attention. You might agree with another website on a topic, and you can always link to the original article and expand on your own opinion. That actually keeps the conversation going and for some people, when you link them back, you end up making a nice blog friend that is open to linking you back.
• Do not overwhelm your readers. Long paragraphs are known to be a bore for some readers. Break them up. If your articles are going over 700 or even 1000 words, perhaps look into your article and find a way to break it up into parts. This will allow you to have several posts instead of one, AND those who liked the first part, will be eager to read the rest.
• Another thing is if you choose to use vocabulary that might be difficult for others to understand, you may want to provide a short footnote or some type of explanation. Within the US, most people have an average reading level of a 6th grader. Outside of the US, you are dealing with language barriers, so they will have to look up difficult words in a translator sometimes.
• Always be open for new ideas. If you ever feel you site is missing something, ask your readers for suggestions of what topics they believe you need to cover. Do a survey or create polls. Create open events for your readers to drop in and ask questions.

What other ways do you suggest on how to be more relatable to your readers?

WP125 is a WordPress plugin to help monetize blogs by allowing the blogger to insert 125×125 pixel banners. Created by Matt Harzewski, this is an alternative to outside banner ad php scripts as it allows WordPress to manage the work, meaning less passwords to remember and administration links to use.

The plugin is easy to install and can be incorporated with a simple click. WP125 includes the ability to enter how many days you wish to run the banner ad , and how many banners are desired for viewing. When the banner campaign is finished, a replacement banner will fill the spot, making it easy for the administrator to not lift a finger other than to either re-activate the ad or replace it with a different campaign. It even has the option to alert the webmaster that a banner is expiring!

Although this plugin is great, the only thing off is that there should really be the ability for the user to be able to give a live link for their advertisers to check the progress of their campaign. From experienced, I have been told that a site receives so many hits, when in fact later on when checking their Alexa rank and such, I was sure I was not getting the ad impressions that could have been. Never mind the click through rate, but when given a screenshot and putting it to the referrals in my stats, I was lied to.

This is not to say webmasters should not use this plugin as it can be handy, but it is best to put on the advertisement contact form definite stats to uphold the integrity of the blog. As for the creators of WP125, perhaps adding this ability will take this plugin to the next step. Although I bring up this point, I do recommend it as it is a good resource for webmasters to have in-house banner advertising. Of course, the plugin has been download over 119,000 times (as of October 2010) and even Weblog Tools Collection has reviewed the plugin too and can be found in the WordPress Plugin repository!

Be careful ladies and gentlemen when updating the Digg Digg plugin right away. It is quite often that this plugin updates and pretty much puts out errors.

This time around, not so bad. The manual code has been changed in so if you are using that method, you will have PHP errors show up. Not fun if you have a site that has a good amount of traffic. This is not a problem if you are using a previous version that you had no problems with.

Like most plugins, never update right away – Digg Digg especially. Give it about a week. You never know, especially if a plugin developer accidentally loaded up the files and missed an important one.

In the case you accidentally loaded the plugin and it does not work even after changing the manual method code to the new ones, you will need to deactivate, and delete the new version. To replace, go back to the Digg Digg plugin at WordPress.org’s Plugin directory, download the previous version, and then install it.

It is usually something by accident, but after repeated issues with Digg Digg updates, I think it might be a good thing to throw the caution out there to the community.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, setting up a website seemed so confusing. The materials offered were very basic and to a lot of people confusing. Yahoo! Geocities, Tripod, and other free webhosts were a bit difficult for the common Internet user because it meant you had to have a basic understanding of HTML or you ended up having a strange design generated from what the free hosts offered.

Today, it is much easier to set up a website. WordPress.com, Blogger, Typepad, and a few others offer a much friendlier means to have a presence online.

How easy is it to set up a website?

This is the easy part – Establishing a host, a site name or domain are just the very first steps. It is designing, and creating content that is what is a bit more challenging.

First time bloggers may want to start off with a free host as it might be a good base to make sure that they are serious enough and have established a readership.

So, as a summary of how easy it is, here are the general steps:

1. Brainstorm what you want your site to do and who you want to reach.
2. Choose a web host.
3. Come up with a site name or select a suitable domain name for the website.
4. Start creating content.
5. Choose or create a design.

Why did I list creating content before design? Well, you can set up a site in WordPress and start writing right away. This is important as when your site is beginning, it is often that the content is the most difficult part to continue maintaining. If you can jump start your site with a couple posts, you will be able to give visitors a clue to what you want them to get from your website. The design can come second and be a nice surprise. Technically the design will probably change as you grow into your own brand.

I know some would not agree on this, but frankly, your visitors, even if your site has an awesome layout, will find more value in what you have to say. Why not start that first and grow into your brand. A lot of interesting people have grown or are still growing into their sites and brands. Just some examples: Kim Castleberry of Just Ask Kim, Ileane Smith of Basic Blog Tips, Kristi Hines of Kikolani, and Hesham Zebida of Famous Bloggers.

However, once you have a web host in mind, you can choose to install a free theme or pay for a premium theme in the case you are not design savvy. Remember that you control what your site will be. When you put your content together, you are paving the road to your own success.

Also remember that there are a lot of great places out there giving awesome FREE advice to people wanting to become a successful blogger, online business owner, or great webmaster. Use that to your advantage.

Setting up a website is not as difficult as it use to be.

What tips would you like to share to others looking to start their own website?

I have just some good ways to give your blog more exposure and make it more popular, so let us begin without wasting time.

1. Do not start if your aim is for publicity
   During these past 4 years I have always defended those who decided to put advertising on their blogs, but it is very different if that someone started this activity with publicity as a sole ambition. First, it could be considered as work and second, unless you experience the results, they will be poor and mediocre.
2. You set the rules
   Never let anyone tell you what you can or can not do on your site. Written rules about what you have to do to have a good blog become obsolete every time someone comes to do things better and have their own ideas of how to do this. Occasionally you’ll get recommendations, but again, you decide what is best for your site. That process is educational and interesting.
3. Forget statistics
   Wherever possible, avoid the use of statistical control tools. Being aware of them tends to be more negative than positive because you will focus on that rather than what you should be doing -having fun and writing on your blog. Today there who dedicated efforts not to keep a blog but to feed its statistical system with more and more page views. Can not have fun in that.
4. Look after the appearance of your site
   Caring for the appearance of your site is very important, and not just because of what others may say – but for yourself too. Use templates if you consider it necessary, but in that case, try giving a personal touch.
5. Try to pace yourself
   Sometimes it’s important to read the daily update, but again, these tips are for your happiness and not to improve your stats. Therefore, seek a frequency that suits your available time and tries to keep pace. That will get you up to date and above all not to leave your blog stale. One more recommendation: Please avoid MiniPosts which are not useful for your readers and meaningless.

How do you keep yourself happy with your blog?

If you want your website to simultaneously draw in customers and sit proudly atop search engine rankings, there is no escaping the fact that fresh content is the key.

You have probably heard this statement so many times that is had lost some of its impact. But it is worth reminding yourself of it from time to time, because the moment you start to overlook the importance of well-written, freshly-produced copy is the moment you start to lose customers and slide inexorably down search rankings.

Image Courtesy: djheights.com

Most companies now recognise the vital importance of content generation and how it can increase success, which is why SEO is currently such a thriving industry. However, in focusing solely on their own potential glory, many companies tend to forget one important fact. Namely, that without their loyal, paying customers, their business is nothing.

In the global marketplace, a big reputation alone simply isn’t enough to bring in new clients and sustain a company’s operations. New customers need to be drawn to your business, engaged by the services you provide and encouraged to keep coming back for more. For this to happen, you need to ensure that your site is regularly updated, and that the content you produce is 100% relevant to your potential and existing customers

Churning out pages of new content just to please the search engines is not enough. While it may keep the likes of Google happy for a while, your website will ultimately be used by living, breathing visitors who care very little for keywords. What users want is original, well-written and authoritative content that tells them what they need to know with the minimum of fuss.

If you can provide them with what they are looking for, your company will be seen as a trustworthy source and your chances of converting that visitor into a long-term customer will increase dramatically. That newly-converted customer will then spread the word within his or her industry, and within no time a wave of new visitors will surge towards your site.