Why You Should Add Images To Your Blog Posts

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Mar 22, 2011 in Internet Mastery | 2 comments

It seems that just about everybody blogs about something these days. Blogs run the gamut from quiting smoking  to dog grooming to seriously helpful online business building blogs like Marketing Profs, Rosalind Gardner’s Net Profits Today, and of course, Michael Stelzner’s Social Media Examiner. There are many, many more but these are my top picks. When you visit these blogs you will notice right away that not only are they giving you some terrific, free, actionable tips and advice, but that each blog post is also image rich in that there are pictures and videos that help tell the story and draw your eye to the important part of the blog post.

If you are simply posting a lot of text in your blogs but are not concerned with adding images let’s try this quick exercise. Are you one of the increasingly rare people who still cling to the good old fashioned telephone book? If so, grab a copy of the White Pages off your shelf  and flip open to any page and then answer these questions:

• Where does your eye go first?
• Are you pulled into the content?
• Do you want to read more, or are you tempted to simply slam the book shut and stick it back on the bookshelf?

When visitors come to your website, you have a choice. You can make it inviting and pleasant, or you can make it just about as appealing as the innards of the phone book. The only difference? Images. Color. Action.

Images – photos, illustrations, or other graphics — are often the first thing visitors look at. If the image is compelling, visitors stay to check out the text. If the image is poor quality or unappealing – or non-existent! – visitors leave. It’s really that simple.

Here are some compelling reasons to incorporate images into your blog:

1. They break up text. Facing a page of black-and-white text is daunting. Images can give the eye a place to rest, breaking up the flow of an otherwise monotonous page.
2. They lead into the text. Since people look at them first, the images provide a starting point for the rest of the blog post. Good images are like flashing arrows that say, “START HERE.”
3. They introduce the topic. Picking an appropriate, related image gives the reader an idea of what to expect from the post. For instance, a photo of a street sign that says “Bumpy Road Ahead” lets the reader know that the post is about challenges or change.
4. They support the post content. A diagram, graphic, or other image can further illustrate the post’s content. A flow chart of a sales funnel, for instance, gives you another way to explain the concepts you’re presenting.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s true, you can’t afford NOT to use images in your blog posts. They may be the most powerful tool you have.

So the choice is clear. You can either make your blog posts interesting and vibrant with the use of images and video, or you can make them about as bland and boring as watching somebody point at a flow chart.

By the way, one of my favorite places to find great graphics is Presenter Media.  A one year subscription is $59.95 and you have access to royalty-free clipart, presentation animations and PowerPoint templates and animations. There are no additional fees, charges or royalties to pay to download and use their images in your projects.

Your Partner In Success Radio Welcomes Andrea Mott Dennis

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Feb 3, 2011 in Your Partner In Success | 0 comments

Andrea Dennis is a freelance copywriter and PR professional of nearly 10 years. She’s had the pleasure of developing creatively effective communications for clients in widely varying industries – from roller coasters to wealth management.

More recently, Andrea has expanded her entrepreneurial interests. She and her husband Jamie launched a wine tasting social network, VinYou.com in March 2010. And she also has a number of other web-based businesses in the works. In addition to her roles as professional and entrepreneur, Andrea is a newlywed of more than 11 years and mom to Skylar (6) and Elyza (3).

Andrea and I will be discussing social media and why it is so important to come out from underneath your safe rock and put yourself out there as a professional and as an expert. We will talk about how very daunting this can see to the newly minted online entrepreneur and how you can change your mindset and your business model by becoming more active (in a professional and seemly manner!) on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Andrea’s story is quite compelling in that she is now taking the steps necessary to make her business more visible on the Internet and is undergoing the mind-shifts necessary to make this happen without feeling that she is bragging or being overly “salesy”. Let’s face it, some marketing and marketers come off as frankly obnoxious and this can be a real concern for people who want to expand their business presence to the Internet. For audience members who are experiencing the same type of angst this interview will be one that you definitely want to tune in to. Please join us in the chat room if you have any questions for either myself or Andrea.

Your Partner In Success Radio Show

When: Friday, February 4, 2011

Time: 9 am PST, 10 am MST, 11 am CST, 12 pm EST (Check time zone here)

Where: Your home office telephone or computer.

Website: Your Partner In Success Radio

Call-in Number: 347-843-4988

We look forward to “seeing” you!

Your Partner In Success Welcomes Jon Hansen

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Sep 30, 2010 in Internet Mastery | 0 comments

Your Partner In Success Radio Show

Jon Hansen has an amazing story.

In May 2001 Jon sold his company for $12 million dollars – mostly shares and debentures, only to see the dot com bust erode away his personal wealth to practically nothing by 2007. This, as it turns out was the catalyst that caused him to pursue his present endeavor in the world of social media.

Today, the PI Social Media Network is viewed as being one of the top networks in the industry in terms of innovation and quality of content. The flagship Procurement Insights is actually the number one sponsored blog in its industry sector in total number of sponsors, and industry followers rate the PI Window on Business Show as one of the most popular in North America.

Besides writing more than 1,200 articles and white papers, Jon is also a highly regarded speaker addressing audiences of all sizes ranging from 10 to 20 people in a seminar to giving a keynote address to 400 professionals at major conferences.

Prior to completing this book, Jon had finalized the agreement to write a second book on the emergence of the So Act social network. This second book has now been released as an eBook with the paperback version available through distributors such as Lulu, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Jon’s third book, a collaborative effort with “The Cop Doc” Dr. Richard Weinblatt titled “Tasers, Abortions and Parenting: Behind The Curtain of Policing America” is scheduled for release in September.

We will be chatting about internet radio, social media marketing, blogging and how to grow up to be an online entrepreneur! I invite you to join us on the line and in the chat room for this very dynamic conversation.

Your Partner In Success Radio Show

When: Friday, October 1, 2010

Time: 9 am PST, 10 am MST, 11 am CST, 12 pm EST

Where: Your home office telephone or computer.

Website: Your Partner In Success Radio Show

Call-in Number: 347-843-4988

We look forward to “seeing” you!

5 Steps to Marketing Your First Article

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Sep 19, 2010 in Internet Mastery | 0 comments

5 Steps to Marketing Your First Article

Words are timeless. You should utter them or write them with a knowledge of their timelessness. ~ Khalil Gibran

For many people, the idea of actually sitting down and writing an article stops them cold. You may wonder if you have anything worth saying, or if your writing is “good” enough for publication. If it makes you feel any better, virtually every writer – even the professionals – start out with the same fears. In fact, author Jeffery Deaver is quoted as saying, “I’ve often said that there’s no such thing as writer’s block; the problem is idea block.”

But once you have one article under your belt, the next ones become much easier.

Here’s a five-step plan to have you on your way to your first article:

1. Brainstorm topics.
What questions do you get about your topic area? What are the sticking points for newbies to your field? What equipment or specialized knowledge do people need to get started? Make a list of the most common questions you are asked about your business.

For instance, I recently suggested to my Veterinarian that we add a blog to the website that we built for him last year. He immediately reared back with terrified look in his eyes and did his level best to convince me that he just didn’t have a darn thing to write about.

My response? Nonsense! Apart from treating the animals in his care, his day is spent soothing anxious pet parents and answering a myriad of questions ranging from the best nutrition products to care of a pet in declining health and everything in-between. Once he understood that he did indeed have a wealth of information to share with the community, he then offered up the excuse that he just doesn’t have time to sit down and write. I kindly agreed with him on this one, but noticed that the office manager who has been with the practice for many years was very engaged and interested in the conversation. Long story short, she is now writing a very popular blog and article series for the veterinary hospital. Just by sharing information that comes up during the course of a day, they have found that they actually have more article ideas than they ever thought possible.

Are you an ardent home cook? Do you continually receive praise for your cooking and regular requests for recipes? Perhaps your cooking niche is cooking small meals to be frozen for later use. People would want to know:

• How will cooking and freezing small meals benefit me?
• Is this a cost effective method of cooking and shopping?
• What equipment will I need? Do I need ziplock bags? Air tight containers?
• What type of spices and seasonings freeze well?
• Do I have to season the food less because the seasonings will get stronger with time?
• What are the problems I might encounter?
• Should I label my containers and date them? What are the best tools for this?
• What are some basic recipes?
• What foods last the longest and what foods will be prone to freezer burn?
• How do I avoid freezer burn?

By brainstorming with your family, friends, and even just yourself, in just a few minutes, you can have topics for your first dozen articles.

2. Choose one to begin with.
Pick one of your topics to start with. Forget about choosing the “perfect” topic – there is no such thing. Grab a pen and a piece of paper, a note pad, or sit down in front of your computer, set the timer for 10 minutes and jot down everything you can think of related to that topic. Don’t worry about complete sentences, formatting, or spelling, just get the ideas down. This is your “stream of consciousness” exercise which will then lead to more tangible ideas.

For instance, if my topic is “How cooking and freezing small meals can benefit you,” I might write;

• Save money
• Healthier diet
• Control portions
• Lose weight
• Fun
• Time saving
• Social – can do with family or friends
• Organization – helps me plan my time better if I don’t have to cook every night
• Less stress

Some people like to use mind maps to create these lists. If you’d like more information on that process, I suggest googling “mindmap software.”

3. Organize it and flesh it out.
The next step is to take the outline you created in Step 2 and organize it into common themes. You’re aiming for an article about 400-700 words, so three to five main points is ideal. If you have more than that, never fear! You can turn that information into another article or an article series. This article is actually #2 in a 11 part series.

Then take your outline and build on it. If this is where you start feeling butterflies in your stomach, relax. Imagine you’re writing an email to a friend to explain to him or her the topic of your article. Again, don’t get stuck on grammar, spelling, etc. Just get the info on the page – you can always go back and edit it. Professional writers often create several drafts of their work. Very few people get it right the first time! I do recommend you write in your own voice and your own style. You will be more comfortable and so will the people reading it.

4. Proofread.
Now’s the time when you can go back through the article and edit and polish, making each sentence say what you want it to. Be sure it’s cohesive, that the statements flow together, and that it makes sense. Also be on the lookout for places where you can tighten your writing – where you use three words when just one will do, or where there are redundancies. Ensure that each word, each sentence, each paragraph have purpose.

When you think your article is finished, walk away from it for an hour or even a day. Then go back and read through again. By giving yourself some time away from your article, you will pick up previously missed errors or ones that spell check didn’t catch.

5. Submit!
After you’ve written your article and polished it until it shines, it’s time to submit it. Most article marketers submit to online directories – clearinghouses where experts post articles and editors find content to publish. While there are hundreds of online article directories, there’s no need to submit to more than a few. Each has its own pluses and minuses, so take some time to pick the best for your niche. A quick search on Google for “article directory” will bring up dozens of options. In part 9 of this series, I will give you the top 10 article directories and tips on how to use them.

If you know of large circulation newsletters or ezines in your niche, submit directly to those publishers as well. Make sure you follow the article directories guidelines exactly, as some have minimum and maximum word lengths, as well as other requirements. And if you have your own blog, absolutely publish it there. Break it into smaller pieces if you must, but publish away!

Article marketing is a valuable free marketing strategy, but it must be used consistently— and often — for the best results. So once you’ve finished one article, go back to the beginning and start writing your next. Keep the content flowing, and soon you’ll see the results of your hard work. You can’t buy better promotion than that!

Resources

Free Report: 5 Steps to a Big-Profit, S.M.A.L.L. Report Business by Jimmy D. Brown

Easy PLRis a wonderful resource that will help you find an ongoing supply of fresh content for your blog or article marketing efforts. However, I highly recommend that you edit and re-write these articles in your own voice. Use them as a jumping off point and then take it from there.

Need an Article. When you need well-crafted and well-written content for business, for website, or for personal reasons Need an Article has the solution to your writing needs. Again, the same suggestions about editing and re-writing these articles in your own voice applys.

Be sure to signup for our newsletter so these articles arrive in your email box when they are published.

Your Partner In Success Welcomes Peggy McColl

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Sep 15, 2010 in Your Partner In Success | 0 comments

Your Partner In Success Radio Show

Peggy McColl is a New York Times best-selling author and an internationally recognized expert in the field of self-help and Internet marketing. 

As an entrepreneur, business owner, mentor and professional speaker Peggy has been inspiring individuals to pursue their personal and business objectives. 

She provides effective Internet marketing solutions for entrepreneurs, authors, publishers, professionals, and business owners, who want to establish an online presence, achieve bestseller status, build their brand, grow and/or expand their business online.  

Learn more about Peggy at her website Destinies.com. You can find her books and products under the “Store” tab.

We will be talking about:

• Internet Marketing. How did Peggy become a noted expert and what does she love the most about it?
• Peggy’s latest book is called Viral Explosions. We will talk about just what a viral explosion is.
• Do you have to have a website to do well online?
• Spamming. Is this a formula for success?
• What some of the challenges entrepreneurs are facing with effectively using (or not using) the internet for business.
• How online marketing and offline marketing are similar and in what respects.
• The critical steps someone can take to be successful online.
• The role of social media in online success.

Please join us in the chat room or on the phone during the interview if you would like to ask questions of Peggy McColl.

Your Partner In Success Radio Show

When: Friday, September 17, 2010

Time: 9 am PST, 10 am MST, 11 am CST, 12 pm EST

Where: Your home office telephone or computer.

Website: Your Partner In Success Radio Show

Call-in Number: 347-843-4988

We look forward to “seeing” you!