Comments for Quick Blog Tips http://www.quickblogtips.com Blogging tips to build an outstanding blog Fri, 18 May 2012 02:51:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Don’t Take Readers For Granted – Tell Them What You’re Up To by Susan Silver http://www.quickblogtips.com/2609/dont-take-readers-for-granted-tell-them-what-youre-up-to/#comment-10755 Susan Silver Fri, 18 May 2012 02:51:49 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2609#comment-10755 You have to give your readers enough time to adjust to changes. That means telling them ahead of time, and repeating. Do you get everything the first time? If it is just an aside in a blog post it is likely that a reader will miss it. Be aware too that sometimes you post the change to the website, but not in your blogs. Not everyone visits your website and you need to let your subscribers know too. You have to give your readers enough time to adjust to changes. That means telling them ahead of time, and repeating. Do you get everything the first time? If it is just an aside in a blog post it is likely that a reader will miss it. Be aware too that sometimes you post the change to the website, but not in your blogs. Not everyone visits your website and you need to let your subscribers know too.

]]> Comment on Don’t Take Readers For Granted – Tell Them What You’re Up To by Tony Schumacher http://www.quickblogtips.com/2609/dont-take-readers-for-granted-tell-them-what-youre-up-to/#comment-10754 Tony Schumacher Wed, 16 May 2012 14:41:02 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2609#comment-10754 I'm terrible for leaving the blog for a few weeks at a time, that's why I find twitter so much use for connecting with followers and readers. I love the quick "in and out" of twitter, it suits my hectic lifestyle of looking at kittens and youtube! Great post though, you've inspired me to visit my own blog again! Thanks Tony I’m terrible for leaving the blog for a few weeks at a time, that’s why I find twitter so much use for connecting with followers and readers. I love the quick “in and out” of twitter, it suits my hectic lifestyle of looking at kittens and youtube!
Great post though, you’ve inspired me to visit my own blog again!
Thanks
Tony

]]> Comment on Pinterest: An Off-Site Alternative to Link Love Posts by Susan Silver http://www.quickblogtips.com/2602/pinterest-an-off-site-alternative-to-link-love-posts/#comment-10750 Susan Silver Wed, 16 May 2012 01:55:34 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2602#comment-10750 Strangest blogger in the world at this point, but I like using Stumble Upon as my bookmark keeper. I go through posts that I love that week and do a round up on the blog. I was on pinterest, but dropped out before it got big. For me, it isn't that much fun to look at pictures for hours. I do make an effort to have a pinnable element on each post for those who do. It has been fun to experiment with simple graphics, and give them some life. Strangest blogger in the world at this point, but I like using Stumble Upon as my bookmark keeper. I go through posts that I love that week and do a round up on the blog. I was on pinterest, but dropped out before it got big. For me, it isn’t that much fun to look at pictures for hours. I do make an effort to have a pinnable element on each post for those who do. It has been fun to experiment with simple graphics, and give them some life.

]]> Comment on Pinterest: An Off-Site Alternative to Link Love Posts by Kirsten http://www.quickblogtips.com/2602/pinterest-an-off-site-alternative-to-link-love-posts/#comment-10746 Kirsten Tue, 15 May 2012 01:59:38 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2602#comment-10746 I keep blogging and Pinterest activities separate, for the most part. I use Pinterest mostly for hoarding pretty pictures. I do publish link posts, saving links in an "On the Internet" folder in my bookmarks so they're all in one place. Then when I have enough links and enough time, I put the post together. I keep blogging and Pinterest activities separate, for the most part. I use Pinterest mostly for hoarding pretty pictures. I do publish link posts, saving links in an “On the Internet” folder in my bookmarks so they’re all in one place. Then when I have enough links and enough time, I put the post together.

]]> Comment on How I Used Automation to Save Time With My Weekly Newsletter by Ben Barden http://www.quickblogtips.com/2556/how-i-used-automation-to-save-time-with-my-weekly-newsletter/#comment-10743 Ben Barden Sun, 13 May 2012 16:57:33 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2556#comment-10743 Hi Jeevan :) I have 3 automatic messages (not counting the welcome email) on my newsletter, and I'm planning to add more. I also send a "recent posts" style digest email every Saturday. At the moment I have a couple of these queued up, ready to go when the time comes. I agree that there are certain things we can automate, and some we shouldn't :) Hi Jeevan :) I have 3 automatic messages (not counting the welcome email) on my newsletter, and I’m planning to add more. I also send a “recent posts” style digest email every Saturday. At the moment I have a couple of these queued up, ready to go when the time comes. I agree that there are certain things we can automate, and some we shouldn’t :)

]]> Comment on Your Homepage is the Entrance Hall to a Beautiful Mansion by Ben Barden http://www.quickblogtips.com/2542/your-homepage-is-the-entrance-hall-to-a-beautiful-mansion/#comment-10742 Ben Barden Sun, 13 May 2012 16:54:20 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2542#comment-10742 Hi Jeevan :) As you say, it does depend what you're planning to do. I just think most sites would benefit from having some kind of "teaser"-style homepage, however that may be laid out. I'm mostly not keen on the "huge long page of text"-style homepage :) Hi Jeevan :) As you say, it does depend what you’re planning to do. I just think most sites would benefit from having some kind of “teaser”-style homepage, however that may be laid out. I’m mostly not keen on the “huge long page of text”-style homepage :)

]]> Comment on Your Homepage is the Entrance Hall to a Beautiful Mansion by Jens P. Berget http://www.quickblogtips.com/2542/your-homepage-is-the-entrance-hall-to-a-beautiful-mansion/#comment-10740 Jens P. Berget Sat, 12 May 2012 21:10:42 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2542#comment-10740 Very interesting thoughts Ben. I am still thinking about what I should be doing with my blog in order to make it a better experience for my users :) Very interesting thoughts Ben. I am still thinking about what I should be doing with my blog in order to make it a better experience for my users :)

]]> Comment on Your Homepage is the Entrance Hall to a Beautiful Mansion by Jeevanjacobjohn http://www.quickblogtips.com/2542/your-homepage-is-the-entrance-hall-to-a-beautiful-mansion/#comment-10739 Jeevanjacobjohn Sat, 12 May 2012 20:43:10 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2542#comment-10739 Hey Ben, First impressions do matter. First impression is what that makes our visitors stay, subscribe and even buy our products. To create a good first impression, we must also define the goal with our blog (getting more clients? new subscribers?). Whatever it is, we need to optimize our first impressions to facilitate those goals. Appreciate your post, Ben :) You reminded me about all those things, Jeevan Hey Ben,

First impressions do matter. First impression is what that makes our visitors stay, subscribe and even buy our products. To create a good first impression, we must also define the goal with our blog (getting more clients? new subscribers?). Whatever it is, we need to optimize our first impressions to facilitate those goals.

Appreciate your post, Ben :)

You reminded me about all those things,

Jeevan

]]> Comment on Your Homepage is the Entrance Hall to a Beautiful Mansion by Ben Barden http://www.quickblogtips.com/2542/your-homepage-is-the-entrance-hall-to-a-beautiful-mansion/#comment-10738 Ben Barden Sat, 12 May 2012 20:42:14 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2542#comment-10738 Hi Jens - I saw that post too. I'm not sure if I agree about removing almost everything from the homepage, although I do agree it's sensible to keep things uncluttered. If the goal is to push people to the newsletter, then why have a blog at all - especially if the homepage is so devoid of any real content? The thing is, not everyone will want to subscribe straight away, and not all sites sell via the newsletter. An online store could use a newsletter to notify people of new products, but I think if you sell something that people really want, and that they would buy even if you didn't hustle them too much in the newsletter, it may be possible to overdo that promotion and put them off purchasing at all. Not saying I'm necessarily right - I don't use my blog to make money. :) It's just that I'm not really in favour of stripping down my homepage completely, even if was selling stuff here. There's a place for a newsletter, but the email list isn't the only way to sell. It IS a great way to notify people of updates, but it's not the only way. One thing that I keep noticing is that sites are using the "sales page" approach to sell ebooks and so on. While this may work for some people, it feels like a car salesman tactic to me. Long copy, lots of scrolling, fairly basic design, red headers, big bold "sales speak", endless testimonials... I feel like I'm being pushed to buy something by being convinced, over and over, that it is something I want or need. If I really need that product, I shouldn't need that much convincing. Plus, how many of the testimonials came from people who had free or heavily discounted copies of the product? I can't get on board with that strategy at all. It feels incredibly unprofessional and I wouldn't feel comfortable putting my name to it. That said, if a site like "Ling's Cars" (Google it) can do as well as it does, maybe my hang-ups relating to clean, professional design are not how the masses feel :) Hi Jens – I saw that post too. I’m not sure if I agree about removing almost everything from the homepage, although I do agree it’s sensible to keep things uncluttered.

If the goal is to push people to the newsletter, then why have a blog at all – especially if the homepage is so devoid of any real content? The thing is, not everyone will want to subscribe straight away, and not all sites sell via the newsletter.

An online store could use a newsletter to notify people of new products, but I think if you sell something that people really want, and that they would buy even if you didn’t hustle them too much in the newsletter, it may be possible to overdo that promotion and put them off purchasing at all.

Not saying I’m necessarily right – I don’t use my blog to make money. :) It’s just that I’m not really in favour of stripping down my homepage completely, even if was selling stuff here. There’s a place for a newsletter, but the email list isn’t the only way to sell. It IS a great way to notify people of updates, but it’s not the only way.

One thing that I keep noticing is that sites are using the “sales page” approach to sell ebooks and so on. While this may work for some people, it feels like a car salesman tactic to me. Long copy, lots of scrolling, fairly basic design, red headers, big bold “sales speak”, endless testimonials… I feel like I’m being pushed to buy something by being convinced, over and over, that it is something I want or need. If I really need that product, I shouldn’t need that much convincing. Plus, how many of the testimonials came from people who had free or heavily discounted copies of the product? I can’t get on board with that strategy at all. It feels incredibly unprofessional and I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting my name to it.

That said, if a site like “Ling’s Cars” (Google it) can do as well as it does, maybe my hang-ups relating to clean, professional design are not how the masses feel :)

]]> Comment on Your Homepage is the Entrance Hall to a Beautiful Mansion by Jens P. Berget http://www.quickblogtips.com/2542/your-homepage-is-the-entrance-hall-to-a-beautiful-mansion/#comment-10737 Jens P. Berget Sat, 12 May 2012 20:26:45 +0000 http://www.quickblogtips.com/?p=2542#comment-10737 Hi Ben, I've just read a post over at Steve Scott's blog where he talked about the importance of having one goal / one focus with your blog. The goal could be getting people to subscribe to the newsletter, if thats the goal, close to everything else should be removed, and it should be very clean. That made me think. And now you're doing the same to me. I haven't really had a plan for how to get people to read more of my content, or what my one goal is, Hi Ben,

I’ve just read a post over at Steve Scott’s blog where he talked about the importance of having one goal / one focus with your blog. The goal could be getting people to subscribe to the newsletter, if thats the goal, close to everything else should be removed, and it should be very clean.

That made me think. And now you’re doing the same to me. I haven’t really had a plan for how to get people to read more of my content, or what my one goal is,

]]>