Posts Tagged ‘rss’

New Media Photographer Podcast 119

Monday, September 20th, 2010

This week:  Rosh talks to ASMP Michigan – Live.

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Commenting: An old opportunity is new again

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Blog comments are taking a nosedive.  People now use Twitter and Facebook to comment about and promote blogs they find interesting.  With all this in mind, there are a number of new blog plug-ins available that will track mentions made on the Web of your blog post. These reactions on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms are picked up and then listed along with blog comments. (You can find plug-ins for WordPress at www.wordpress.org.)  Only a small percentage of blogs are using this option.

In the past, if a blog had reasonable traffic, it could generate 10-20 or more comments per post.  My estimates are that blog comments are 25 percent of what they were a few years ago. This means a blog that received 20 comments then might only receive an average of five comments now.  Obviously, the results vary and depend on the community, topic and the blogger. Fewer comments mean you have a better chance of getting noticed.

Everyone is grateful for comments. I’m giddy every time I receive a comment on my blog.  It means someone cared enough about what I had to say  to add to the conversation.

I make note of who comments on my blog.  So do other bloggers.  Since the noise level is down, your blog comments stand out to the blogger, as well as to their core followers.

Leave a message with good comments, ideas and add to the conversation. This will help promote you, your brand, your blog and, most important of all, it will foster relationships.

Find a few key blogs on which to comment regularly.  Develop a plan. When you see others who comment and leave good information, take the time to look into what they do and comment on their blogs.

Don’t go overboard.  There is no need to comment every day.  Only comment when you have relevant thoughts to share.  Keep your regular blogs in a section or folder in your favorite RSS reader (such as Google Reader) and make sure you check in every day.  When you see a post that interests you or is related to your specialties, join the conversation.

Rosh

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New and noteworthy

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Google now allows you to follow updates on any Web site even if it doesn’t have a really simple syndication (RSS) feed. In my opinion, RSS is one of the most underutilized and powerful Web tools available.  Google has upped the game by making every site an RSS feed through their Google Reader.  I’m thinking about my competitor’s Web site as a great test for the new application.  If you want to do the same, take a Web site and place it in the add a subscription box in Google reader. Google will make note that it is not a traditional RSS feed and ask if you would like one.

Speaking of RSS: If you are interested in receiving feeds via e-mail, even if the option is not provided, feedmyinbox.com seems like an easy solution.  They offer free and premium services.

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi is sharing his images on twitpics from the space station http://twitpic.com/119les.

Citrify is a clean online photography editing platform. It is quick and easy to use. It offers a premium version, but the free version has all the basics you would expect, plus some useful filters and effects.

Seed.com: This is a new site from AOL designed to give writers and photographers opportunities to be published on its network of properties.   They offer a list of assignments on various subjects that pay from $25 to $100.

Seed.com offers three types of  license agreements for your work. Please read the terms of service before you send a piece.  In the rights-grab environment we live in, I’ve seen much worse.  Decide for yourself.

Woorank.com is a site I mention on the podcast. It’s a new search engine optimization evaluation option.

http://www.tweetyourmail.com If you receive an interesting e-mail, you can now tweet it.

Rosh

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Sixty-six ways to promote your blog

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

1.) Comment on other blogs.

2.) Share your new posts on Twitter.

3.) Share your old posts on Twitter.

4.) Use http://su.pr to keep track of clicks and make it easy to Stumble your posts.

5.) Use Digg to promote your posts.

6.) Be a guest blogger.

7.) Champion other bloggers.

8.) Create videos for YouTube.

9.) Create a Facebook fan page.

10.) Write an e-book.

11.) Submit your blog to directories.

12.) Create support blogs.

13.) Use link bait to encourage links to your site.

14.) Use signature links in your blog comments where acceptable.

15.) Start a forum.

16.) List your blog in your e-mail signatures.

17.) Link to other blogs often.

18.) Thank everyone who comments positively about you or your blog.

19.) Use exciting headlines or titles.

20.) Use important key words in your titles.

21.) Don’t forget to use internal links.

22.) Create a newsletter.

23.) Advertise your blog using AdWords.

24.) Advertise on Facebook.

25.) Tag your photographs well for image search.

26.) Use a site map.

27.) Set up a social network through Ning.

28.) Interview a guest on a podcast.

29.) Ask to be a guest on related podcasts.

30.) Create a Squidoo lens.

31.) Create a business card for your blog.

32.) Create a Polldaddy survey

33.) Create a press release and send it to locations like PR Web.

34.) Use the promotion tools available through Feedburner.

35.) Offer to speak to groups related to your blog theme.

36.) Use categories and tags effectively.

37.) Answer questions on Yahoo answers.

38.) Share relevent links on LinkedIn.

39.) Attend conferences.

40.) Attend local Tweetups.

41.) Offer an RSS e-mail option.

42.)  Ask your readers for testimonials.

43.) Write an article for traditional media.

44.) Create T-shirts with your blog name.

45.) Create a blog promotion contest.

46.) Submit how-to articles to sites like Ezine.

47.) Post often; the more you post, the more traffic to your site.

48.) Use Tweetmeme to make it easy for people to tweet your posts.

49.) Offer e-cards through Fomoto. Make sure to watermark your blog name on the photo.

50.) Make sure your Permalink names relate to your post.

51.) Ask related bloggers to trade links.

52.) Use link shorteners to test headlines in social media.

53.) Promote your best blog posts with a unique ad on your blog front page.

54.) Trade commercials on other podcasts.

55.) Pull your blog RSS feed into your Facebook account for automatic updates.

56.) Enable Trackbacks.

57.) Claim your blog on Technorati.

58.) Create and use images from a flickr account. (I like the Flickr Widget plug-in for WordPress.)

59.) Create a public Google wave about your blog where others can share ideas.

60.) Create smart phone application for your blog.

61.) Offer an award for top people in your blog niche.

62.) Create a flickr group for your followers.

63.) Display a best of gallery of your flickr group images.

64.) Establish a call-in line for people to ask questions.

65). Create a LinkedIn Group.

66.) Create a list of 66 ways to promote your blog.

Rosh

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Giving up the Web site

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Is it time to give up the standard Web site?  Is the online brochure a thing of the past?

In the age of social media, the brochure is still important. But static Web pages should only be a part of your Web site.  The law of Google requires regularly updated relevant content and lots of quality inbound links.  Search engine optimization, if it hasn’t already, ultimately will become the most important form of advertising — besides word of mouth — for every photographer.

Quality inbound links need to be earned;  Web site content must be updated to attract the attention of current search engine algorithms. More importantly people will not return to a Web site without the promise of future quality content.  People will not link to a sales pitch.

The standard Web site becomes forgotten and stale quickly.  A blog platform such as WordPress easily allows for the addition of new content  on a regular basis.  This is required in our new interactive online networking world.

I’ve replaced most of my Web sites with the WordPress platform. It makes the sites more social media friendly.  I use plugins that encourage people to post my content to Facebook and to tweet my photographs and writings.

One nice element of the blog platform is the RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed.  RSS allows clients and prospects to subscribe, free of charge, to your updated information.  This helps to keep you fresh in the mind of prospects who care about your products or services.

If you use a true social media platform, your prospects will have multiple ways to comment, contact you or your staff.  The ability to build quality relationships encourages confidence and loyalty.  Static Web sites only offer information in one direction.

I still have a brochure component to my sites.  It always will be important to ask for the sale.  Many people will not buy unless you ask them, but few people like a sales pitch.  People want to be educated or entertained.  If they wish for more sales information, a brochure section should be provided with a strong call to action.

The days are numbered for the average, non-interactive Web site. Online customers and prospects will require a real relationship to do business. Technology has allowed people more free time and connectivity. The result is more of your time is required to build relationships.

Rosh

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