Helping You Rock Out Your Site Like A Rockstar!

LinkedIn is a great tool in itself that has become a way for professionals to connect. You can use it to reel in traffic.

In a way, LinkedIn has become a social network for mature users, rather than convoluted with game apps and other things like Facebook and MySpace. By the way, I do love Facebook, but sometimes there are things I really did not want to see and remind me of my old MySpace days.

You do not have to be “friends” to connect. Some people take the word “friend” to heart. LinkedIn is where you can try to establish any type of connection… though I am sure for a lot of you, a professional connection is ideal.

Here are just a few methods I use in bringing traffic to any of my websites from LinkedIn:

1. Install the WordPress applications for LinkedIn on my profile. When people visit, they will see what you write about. If you are someone who blogs about your career field, this could be an added bonus especially when finding a job.
2. Join groups and participate. There are a load of people who are looking to connect with other professionals in their niche. With the hundreds of groups available, you cannot go wrong.
3. Share your articles on your LinkedIn social stream. You can connect your LinkedIn account to other social networks or manually enter your update.
4. Submit your articles to group news. This is a nice addition, especially if the group has a lot of members. It might be a bit tedious, but you could bring in traffic and even feedback that you would not have found anywhere else… and you know what… it would be with people who are actually interested in what you have to say.

If you used LinkedIn, what other methods do you use to promote your site in order to bring in traffic?

No matter how many ridiculous lists there are on how to either be better at social media or how to commit social media suicide, or something similar. Yep, I am on a soapbox right now. Remember, social media is just another fancy word for marketing. It is not the monetary aspect, but more on the level of pushing your content into the public where people are interested. In fact, the term really is not new and really, it really is not fancy. This year, I have heard “social media” this and that in many places. However, people are still trying to figure it out.

THAT is the sad truth.

There are people going around saying they are social media ‘gurus’ or ‘experts.’ The problem is that they are only experts because the people they have influenced call them that. You cannot say you are an expert unless someone says you are. I remember hearing Micah Baldwin (Micah on Twitter) saying something to that sort. Say you have two people on twitter who delve into “social media”, but they are experts at different levels. The reason: the one who has shared their experience, applied it on a widespread public level (like Chris Brogan or my favorite and one who I have met in person – Liz Strauss). Now, I do not claim to be some “social media expert” nor will I ever.

Quoted from Social Media Rockstar:

You Haven’t Yet Monetized Your Social Media Presence into Consistent, Substantial Income. Do spend the bulk of your time on social media tasks that don’t really make you any money ? Do you have a corporate or agency “social media day job” where you’re constantly being reigned-in or encouraged to perform below your true potential? Are you a consultant who doesn’t spend half your day fighting off big budget project + speaking proposals with a stick? Then you’re probably not a social media expert, yet!

My response to the Social Media Rockstar article called 5 Signs You’re NOT a Social Media Expert, Yet:

The thing about social media is that it does NOT have to exactly sell something for money. You can sell your blog content for the awesome price of $0. The thing is promoting your content and that is an investment of time rather than money. Of course, you could offer advertising on your site, but if your main goal of your site, like mine for Blondish.net is to provide informational content to my readers, I want to be able to reach those in my niche which fall along the following categories: tech websites, webmaster resources, graphic design, web design, graphic freebies, WordPress, tutorials, and social media/ marketing.

My Goals:

• Maintain focus of website
• Improve traffic to site
• Improve external links to site
• Improve relations with my followers
• Provide adequate content or excell in providing content to readers in my niche

Eventually that effort could evolve into a monetary solution for visitors seeking to advertise on that site. However my primary directive is to attract quality traffic that could produce regular visitors and/or more visitors. When you get into the marketing aspect of social media, you are dealing more with making goals toward making money – the deeper end of marketing.

To you, what makes a person a social media expert?

I thought I would start dabbling in some infographics and try it out. I know for me, a big thing that people ask me is how I have so many followers. Now, mind you, I do not have an insane amount of followers, but it is enough for others to ask, especially business owners.

Please click to view larger and in a new window.

It is important to try to join and connect with your followers on several social networks, instead of one. In fact, it is not unusual to find that a follower might prefer using one social network over another one. Making that extra effort to engage with your followers on any social network means you have made yourself more willing to connect with them. So as the old saying to not put all your eggs in one basket… try putting your eggs in several baskets when it comes to social networking.

I know, I know, not again! Facebook has once again changed their fan page format. This time it is to the Timelines format that we see in regular Facebook profiles. You might be a bit miffed about the changes, and maybe even previewed it, but not fully accepted converting over yet. You may even be a bit confused or not sure what these changes should mean to you. Never fear, Timelines For FB Pages is here!

Kimberly Castleberry just recently held a very handy webinar called Timelines For FB Pages just in time for the new Timeline features that Facebook rolled out. This is a big change in the design and how both the fan page administrator and the actual fan use their page.

The biggest factor in this change, is that the terms Facebook has laid out for the administrator and these changes mean that not only do you lose your custom landing tab as your front page, but that some tricks to get fans to like your page may end up with your fan page removed.

Kim covers Timelines for Facebook Fan Pages thoroughly. Here is some of what she covers:

• Facebook’s new policies for Timelines for fan pages
• New branding tools
• How the Timeline works and can be used to convert visitors

And much more…

While Kim is a great friend of mine, she has this knack to take you through new tools and show you every nook and cranny, so not only do you feel comfortable in using your fan page, you can use it to your advantage. I really recommend purchasing this Timelines For Facebook Fan Pages Training Webinar if you are hesitant to switch to the new version for Facebook fan pages. Facebook will be making every fan page convert to the new Timelines format over by March 31st, 2012 anyway, so you might want to at least preview and play with the new format.

Have you checked out the new Facebook Timeline for fan pages? What are your thoughts about the new format?

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.

AND it kind of hinders the process of becoming more of an authority in your niche. Many bloggers seek to attend conferences and even speak at them, gaining more authority over their blogging peers who remain behind the screen. For bloggers who choose to remain anonymous, they may not be able to grow more as a blog and brand versus other bloggers who will try to reach more people with any medium they can get their hands on.

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 of not being contacted by phone or snail mail or even email just by someone looking up your domain registration information at any registrar.

On the other hand, it is understandable why a person wants to keep as much of their information as private as possible, but also try to build a brand. It could be that they had a bad experience with harassers or perhaps had a problem with identity theft. Or it could be that they are parents and have worries that revealing information that could let a person know where they live is very scary.

However, with millions of bloggers online, there is a big difference between bloggers who are transparent and anonymous bloggers – the obvious trust and ability to assure authenticity. There are very few exceptions to being extremely successful as an anonymous blogger.

What advice do you have for bloggers wanting to become more active as a blogger, but try to retain some privacy in the same breath? For those who are anonymous bloggers, how have you assured your readers of your authenticity?

Faustos Fernós asked on Facebook: Lets talk about social media and Buddypress- will self-installed social networks ever become a threat to Facebook, or just another place to network?

Probably with all the Facebook suing companies over trademark, you have to wonder if they would ever go even more senile and try suing other social networks. Heaven forbid that happen, but I do not see a problem with this happening.

There are millions of users online and millions of sites- and you know, everyone still has plenty of places to go. Facebook is a nice stomping ground, even if we might grumble at some of their cockeyed plans sometimes. With the ability to use WordPress and install the BuddyPress plugin to turn it into a social network, this allows you to create your own little social circle, devoid of Facebook drama.

You can make your own little niche for anything from WordPress fans, to a class reunion site for a high school, or even perhaps for an organization that it is not always easy to get all the members to the weekly in person meetings.

Facebook has been around for a while and will be for some time, so no- social network platforms or BuddyPress will never threaten that lifestyle. Just to show a somewhat similar case- It works out like Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation. There are hundreds of Media Wiki websites out there with the same platform, but are niche based in topics, but they have not brought Wikipedia down. It merely has brought more users to enjoy their special corner.

Thank you for asking Faustos!

What are your thoughts on this?

So, you started blogging. For whatever reason it was (teaching, personal, entertainment, or other), you must have learned something. What has blogging taught you?

For me, blogging has taught me a lot. I am a person that has a wide range of interests. I started with one site and ended up with several. However, a couple of them, I ended up knowing that I loved to help and teach others where I learned practically by myself. No many taught me b2 or WordPress. Not many taught me how to create graphics.

I painstakingly read books, and experimented. Every success was shared and my readers exercised those between 2002 to 2007. In 2008, I started refocusing. I also was a little burnt out. I networked with a lot of bloggers and they were more into not engaging so much. The few who did actually still blog today. Those who blogged the old way fell into three results: either having several blogs for different topics, totally quitting the blogging scene, or moved onto the social network scene for personal and entertainment reasons.

It was also in 2008, a new breed of bloggers started. They were new and had the same goals in mind. Some with good intentions, and others still not quite at the point to be teaching… however their readers learned along with them. Since then, I have enjoyed seeing the blog community grow. Although I am practically an evangelist for WordPress, I was happy to see what others were talking about and their opinions no matter the blogging platform or content management system. It adds a unique twist to anyone’s day. It also encouraged my own drive to continue on.

Just shy of a decade, and I am happy to be where I am at. I do have ambition to be a better blogger, but I know this one thing.

A long time I drove myself to be the top in the blog world, in a time where social networking was not emphasized much. I did well and had a lot of traffic, a lot of comments, and even visited and commented at other blogs. However, my blog was everywhere and just was not where I wanted to be. I did not want to mix my extremely personal life in the midst of sharing my love for teaching. I was not happy with this as I climbed too quickly and some of my better friends got left behind. I had to go back recently to search and reconnect.

Blogging has taught me many things. I have learned to try to stay humble about my blogging and not seem ‘know it all’ or forgetting those who helped my site grow. I have learned how to write and express myself better. I have also learned exactly what I want to do with my blog… well, blogs.

I know there will be a lot more to learn, even after 10 years of blogging. Please remain on my journey to keep learning if you have been for a while. After all, I have learned a lot from my readers too.

If you are a blogger or have been in the past, what has blogging taught you?

Manage Online Reputation Before It Manages You

The simple fact in the 21st century is that if you do not manage your online reputation it may end up managing your life. The majority of employers are now searching their job candidates before making a final decision on who to hire. People are researching potential love interests on the web to find out the skeletons that may be hiding in the closet. Co-workers and friends are joining the search as well. With the Internet affecting the views of all of these people, it is time to manage your online reputation.

Limit Who You Connect With

In everyday life, who you are spending time with reflects on your character. People who spend the majority of their time with others who get into trouble, eventually will be associated with that crowd. The same is true when trying to manage online reputation. The people that you connect with on social networks reflect on your character. When a profile for Facebook appears in search results, it lists some friends alongside the profile. Manage online reputation by limiting the people that you connect with on the web.

Find Out What Others Are Saying

The next step to manage your online reputation is to find out what others are saying. Do a search on typical search terms for your name. What information do you find? Is there any negative content? To manage your online reputation, you need to know where to begin.

For a free consultation on how to manage your online reputation, contact us at 1-800-889-4812.