Did this image grab your attention? That's why you should use images on your blog.

And guess what… you don't have to spend money to make that great impression. The above image is one of several great choices available FREE at FreePhotosBank.com.

Other image resources:

http://sxc.hu

www.morguefile.com

www.imageafter.com

www.openphoto.net

www.pixelperfectdigital.com

www.texturewarehouse.com

free images free photos

If you're new here and like what you see, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or sign up for my free email updates. Thanks for visiting!

DealDotCom, the addictive new website that features a special discounted price on a different popular Internet Marketing product each day, is changing the face of some blogs.

Have you noticed?

People who used to fill their blogs with their own opinions, suggestions, tips, advice or rants about their particular niche topics are now filling their blogs with posts about the daily specials from DealDotCom–complete with their affiliate links, of course.

Why? Because they want to make money, that's why!

I'm not saying this is a bad thing. Heck, I'm doing it to a much smaller extent in THIS blog. The links to DealDotCom in this post are my affiliate links. I'm hoping you'll click on one of them, and get addicted to DealDotCom–just like I and so many other bloggers have done!

What we all find so appealing about DealDotCom is that, in addition to selling desirable products at drastically reduced prices, it offers us "average" Internet Marketers a massive platform from which to sell our own products!

If you want to see what all the hoopla is about, go to DealDotCom.com and click on the top menu link that says Make Money (catchy phrase, eh?).

BUT… while I may post about DealDotCom from time to time, I will not transform from a blogger into a seller. In my opinion, that's what sales letters are for. Bloggers who promote products from time to time, with posts, banners, affiliate links, whatever… are just trying to earn a living while sharing their passion and (hopefully) valuable information with their readers. They are bloggers who happen to be selling.

But if all you want to do is push affiliate products in every post, turn in your blogger's badge and admit that you've become a seller, not a blogger.

Now go sign up under my affiliate link at DealDotCom!

DealDotCom

Ahmed Bilal has compiled one of the best lists I've seen (and I've seen a lot of lists!) for bloggers. If you blog, consider this REQUIRED READING:

"27 Tips for Building a Kick-Ass Blog"

I love each tip, but here are a few of my favorites:

4. Learn how to Position your Blog

More and more blogs are competing for attention. Most are instantly forgettable, simply echos of every other blog in their niche. One or two stand out and stick in your mind. Great content is one reason, necessary as great content is it might still be not enough. People have only so much time and attention to share, if they already have three excellent gadget blogs on their OPML why should they add yours? Learn how to differentiate your blog and make your content unique.

8. Start Guest Blogging

The one blog promotion strategy that I've always seen under-used is guest blogging. There are no downsides to it - guest blogging can, off the top of my head, help you build links, attract new readers to your blog, position you as an expert in your niche, acquire consulting gigs and help build close relationships with fellow bloggers.

16. Learn to Write Scannable Content

This is perhaps the one article that will make the biggest immediate difference. Visual display is to blogging like curb-appeal is to real estate. Bloggers should be constantly thinking about the curb-appeal of each article. It really makes a difference.

20. Fire, Aim, Deal

The usual quote is 'Ready, Fire, Aim', meaning that you should get out of the blocks quickly and not worry too much about getting things right. However, I think we tend to take too much time in the 'ready' phase. Online, news spreads almost instantaneously. It is a far more viral medium than, say, spreading ideas person to person (unless you're a rock star performing in front of a million people, in which case send me a couple of tickets, will ya?) and you need to move very fast. An idea adequately executed today is better than a plan perfectly executed tomorrow. Being first, and being first in people's minds, is crucial if you want to capture mindshare.

Many of these tips aren't new or groundbreaking, but they are ALL worth repeating and following. Go to the original post and you'll also find more detailed links for many of the individual tips. And be sure to check out the Bonus tip with further resources!

Read it all… then ACT on it! Here's the link again for this fantastic resource: "27 Tips for Building a Kick-Ass Blog"

blogging blogging tips

There's a new search engine in town, and it's gunning for Google.

From what little I've learned about it thus far, perhaps Google should be shaking in its boots!

It's called Powerset. Unlike Google and other search engines, it uses natural language processing to try to understand what you're searching for. It considers the meanings of words, not just the actual keywords you enter. The goal is to make search more natural and intuitive.

Here's an example of how it would work (compared to Google) if you wanted to find every Wikipedia result for "What did Steve Jobs say about the iPod?"…

Powerset searched all pages in Wikipedia where Steve Jobs is saying, stating, telling, mentioning, claiming, announcing, etc. something about the iPod. The trick isn’t just knowing that “mentioning” and “saying” can mean the same thing, it’s also knowing that in given sentence, Steve Jobs is doing the saying, and the thing he’s saying something about is the iPod. This is possible because Powerset matches the structure and meaning of your query with the structure and meaning of every sentence and document in the index, and then returns those passages that truly match your intent.

Wow. That sounds pretty amazing to me.

You can read the rest of that post on their blog: "What did Steve Jobs say about the iPod?"

Powerset isn't up and running just yet. It's still in the "learning" phase. You can apply to help teach it new tricks by going to Powerset.com.

Once this thing perfects its aim and hits the streets, Google better run for cover!

Powerset search engines

Check out this excellent article (by Guest Star Derami of AllSux.com) over at One Man's Blog:

White Hat Digging: 3 Myths, Tips and Tricks for Understanding and Submitting to Digg.com

Especially helpful is his "Tricks of the Trade" section.

BTW, this is a great blog. I became addicted after just one visit. I even love John's tagline:

"Specialization is for Insects."

It flies (no pun intended) in the face of conventional wisdom and "stay on topic!" advice.

Digg submitting to digg.com

I recently started thinking of my blog as a dog. (I named him Ernie.)

Why did I do this? Why should you do the same? Because a dog needs care and commitment to thrive. If you get lazy or distracted and ignore your dog for a few days, it will suffer… it may even die.

The same can be said of your blog.

If you want your blog to thrive, treat it like a dog!

Here are four reasons to think of your blog as a dog.

1. Dogs and blogs need to be fed.

Dogs love to eat. You should “feed” your blog every day, not just when you’re in the mood. Scraps are alright once in a while, but for best results, fill it with delicious and nutritious quality content. Keep it out of the garbage!

2. Dogs and blogs need exercise.

Dogs need exercise and they love to go for walks. They want to explore, to experience new sights and smells. If they’re male, they also love to leave their mark. You should “walk” your blog every day. Explore and experience other blogs, sites, social networks. Leave your mark by commenting and participating. Be sure not to leave any crap!

3. Dogs and blogs need to be protected.

Dogs depend on you to protect them from fleas, ticks, distemper, heartworm, rabies, pissed-off cats and other threats. You should protect your blog from spam, viruses, copycats, pissed-off commenters and other threats. Use protective plug-ins like Akismet. Back up your files with a service like Carbonite. Turn competitors into colleagues. Don’t be afraid to let your blog take risks, but be wary about confronting bigger, meaner blogs!

4. Dogs and blogs need to be loved.

Dogs bring us so much joy because they give us unconditional love. They are social animals, and they need love in return. You shouldn’t have a dog—or a blog—if you’re not going to love it. Like a certain football star interested only in the money his dogs could earn, your success will be short-lived if you are interested only in the money your blog can earn. Your readers will know whether you are passionate about your niche and truly love your blog. Show your blog love every day, or it may turn on you!

Treat your blog like a dog, and you'll enjoy years of slobbery, face-licking fun!

blog tips blogging

Have you heard of DealDotCom yet?

It sounds like an Internet Marketer's dream:

"What do we sell?

"Anything and everything related to building an online business, increasing traffic, monetizing your websites, blogging, web design… in short, we sell all things Internet Marketing. We've spent the last 4 months stalking big-name (and not-so-big-name) Internet Marketers who sell high-quality products, and convincing them to let us sell their stuff at huge discounts here on DealDotCom.

"If you're involved in Internet Marketing in any way, shape, or form, these are the products that you're probably already buying… but our members get to snag them for much less than the little people buy them for.

"But, there's a catch! Each day, we only have ONE product for sale. It'll be for sale at an insanely low price, and there will be an extremely limited number of copies available. That product will only be available until it sells out, or until midnight the next night, when we pull it down and start selling a new product."

Wow… I can see myself getting addicted to such a site VERY quickly. Just the curiosity factor alone will draw me in each day, wondering what they'll be selling and how much of an "insane" discount they'll be offering.

DealDotCom officially launches on September 18th. It's creator is Marc Quarles.

I found out about it from Adnan over at Blogtrepreneur.

Oh yeah, there's a two-tier affiliate program tied to DealDotCom, so you definitely want to check it out as a potentially huge money-making machine.

DealDotCom

BlogRush this, BlogRush that!

If you're involved with Internet Marketing in any way, shape or form you have been subjected to (or perhaps succumbed to) "BlogRush Mania." I include myself in the "succombed to" category.

Damn that John Reese!

There I was… working peacefully at my home computer, immensely satisfied with myself for FINALLY resolving to FOCUS on my core web activities and stop getting DISTRACTED by all the exciting new gizmos and opportunities… when …

BAM!

… there's a message from John Reese announcing an Income.com launch of something called BlogRush .

Grrrrr!

John Reese is one of a handful of marketers who make me drool. When I see anything from him, I'm like one of Pavlov's puppydogs hearing the bell!

I can't help but stop whatever I'm doing and investigate whatever John is talking about.

To make matters worse, John's BlogRush launch was a total mess! Technical difficulties caused delay after delay… meanwhile I, and no doubt hundreds of others, continued drooling in anticipation as each hour ticked by and still there was no release (of BlogRush or our voracious hunger)!

Grrrrr!

BlogRush did finally launch in the wee hours of Saturday morning. The buzz is deafening, as normal for anything launched by John Reese.

Does BlogRush deserve all this drooling, anticipation, and buzz?

I think it's too soon to tell. But hell, it's FREE. All it costs to give it a try is a little space on your blog.

That's one of the ways John suckered me in. If he was charging money for this new traffic magnet, I'd probably have the will power to sit back and see what results others achieve before getting involved myself, even though the sooner you jump in, the better your results will be.

Damn John Reese!

I just couldn't resist, and now I'm spending time on BlogRush… signing up, getting it installed on my blog (you can see the widget in my sidebar), writing a post about it, inviting others to check it out… instead of focusing on the activities I'd just told myself to focus on! According to John, this is a good thing. I love John (as a brother, of course, since I'm happily married), and trust him when he tells me "do this."

He better be right!

I'll let you all know how this BlogRush adventure pans out for me. Either I'll see a dramatic increase in traffic to this blog… or I'll have wasted precious time getting sucked in. I expect it'll be the former. But if it's the latter, you know I'll be screaming:

"Damn John Reese!"

If you're curious about what this BlogRush thing is all about (and why I've been drooling), John has created a nice video that explains it. Go here to check it out: BlogRush

I'm gonna go find some paper towels now to clean up my mess.

blog traffic blogrush John Reese marketing

(This is a guest post by Gary Mattoc)

The best way of obtaining quality inbound links is generating lots of high-value content that people would like to link to. You gather inbound links when other webmasters and online publishers link to your website, or one of your pages. The greater number of links that you can get, the better it is for your web site and the better you are likely to rank in the search engine rankings.

Inbound links not only get you targeted traffic from the websites linking to you, even search engines attach higher importance to websites that are being linked to by other websites: it acts like a vote of confidence for your content. Valid inbound links can significantly increase your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).

The process of generating content for the sake of getting inbound links is generally referred to "linkbaiting".

But does linkbaiting imply that you generate content just to obtain inbound links? No. Actually everything works in tandem and although linkbaiting is a relatively new term, the concept has been there for more than a decade although prior to this it existed in a crooked form. Do not forget link-exchange programs? It was the same thing but back then (they still do) they used to exchange links indiscriminately. Nobody was worried about the link value provided, just so long as a reciprocal link was gained, almost every sort of link was welcome.

There was so much mayhem that it eventually led search engines to stop ignoring link exchange activities and considering only those links that were linked to high-value content. This created the need for unique link-worthy content. This content not only ads value to your website and hence, improve your conversion rate, it also encourages the others to link to your web pages. This linking, originating out of the value of your content, greatly improves your search engine rankings.

If people don't know you, how are they going to first, come to your blog/website, and then link to your content? Be an active participant on other blogs/websites and be helpful. The more people you can draw to your blog/website, the better is the chance of them linking to your content. Make sure you don't spam the communities and when leaving messages and comments if you can use your link (including keywords), all the better.

Approach people directly

Write an email to more famous bloggers and website publishers in your niche informing them of what you have written. If it interests them and can prove relevant to their visitors they'll certainly link to you. But don't nag them and don't send them more than two emails (in case they missed the first one). Be selective, and only write to them if you really think your link can be useful to their visitors.

Create search engine friendly content

The search engines are a sure-shot way of getting highly targeted traffic if you optimize your posts well. Use the right headings, use proper anchor text and all the legitimate SEO tactics you can think of to draw maximum mileage from the search engine traffic.

There could be countless ways to promote your linkbait content, but these are the most important ones and you can start working on them from day one.

The full article on linkbaiting at doublespark-seo.co.uk further explains to you how you can leverage linkbaiting to tremendously increase your traffic and improve your search engine traffic. The article also explains what makes your linkbait content effective and what sort of content people generally like to read and then link to.

Author: Gary Mattoc Peterborough SEO

Linkbaiting seo

Jack Humphrey is at it again. The man will just NOT stop giving away incredible information for free!

His latest masterpiece is called Bend the Web. He and Howie Schwartz teamed up for this one.

In addition to an amazing PDF, you'll get links to videos that show how Howie uses "conversation domination" to take over the top 10 pages (that's right… pages, not links) of Google's SERPs for his key phrase.

Awesome stuff!

Go get it: Bend The Web

bend the web conversation domination search engine domination

One of the best ways to learn how to build a successful online business is to participate in online discussion forums.

There are two key elements that make forums much more effective learning tools than, say, books (or ebooks), audios, videos, websites or blogs:

(1) they are extremely interactive; and

(2) that interactivity comes from people with passions similar to yours, but with vastly different levels of knowledge and experience.

Forums provide virtual communities in which the members are encouraged to share knowledge, ideas, insights, frustrations, and successes.

They were doing this long before the phrase “social networking” caused so much buzz!

Here’s an interesting point. I’ve found that some of the most helpful forum posts are made by “newbies”—inexperienced online marketers. It’s not that they are able to give guidance or advice; that’s what they’re seeking themselves. But in their often insatiable search for answers, they ask a lot of questions… questions that even the most grizzled and experienced online marketers should pay attention to. For every dozen or so basic (and oft repeated) “beginner” questions such as “How do I upload a file to my blog?” there’s a gem that triggers a lively and enlightening discussion!

How to Get the Most Benefit from Forums

Simply by joining, reading, and actively participating in online discussion forums, you will learn a lot, regardless of whether you’re a newbie or veteran.

That interactive learning process, in my opinion, is the number-one benefit offered by forums. But there are several other benefits.

If you contribute comments to a popular thread on a major discussion forum, thousands of people will read your words. If your comments are interesting and/or contribute value to the discussion (this is critical!) most of those readers will be impressed enough to learn more about you. If your forum post signature includes a link to your blog or website, a significant portion of those interested readers will click on that link. A number of them will even opt in to your email subscription or RSS feed. And last but not least, some of those new subscribers will end up buying your product or service!

Those benefits result from other people reading your comments. But what about the benefits you gain from reading other people’s comments?

I already touched on learning from forums. But here’s another reason to be a frequent reader of forum discussions: content generation.

Forums are a goldmine of content!

You can find, consolidate, summarize and highlight the major points from popular threads. Put all that raw material in your own words, and create articles, free reports or even an ebook.

Forums are Full of Helpful People You Need to Know!

One more benefit from reading other people’s forum comments—you’ll become aware of many knowledgeable and helpful people interested in your niche topic. You can build mutually beneficial relationships and collaborate on projects and joint ventures!

Shared knowledge, enhanced reputation, increased traffic, added revenue, new content ideas, additional networking opportunities—these benefits and more are all possible from your participation in online discussion forums.

So what are you wait for? Get thee to a forum and start reaping the rewards!

Here are two terrific resources to get you started:

1. Fred Peters of Newest on the Net has compiled a great list 10 forums to make you a better blogger.

2. Maki of DoshDosh has compiled a list of 26 affiliate marketing and webmaster forums.

forum online forums

Affiliate Project X owner? Interested in purchasing the very domain name the author used as a great example for a tactic he explains in the book?

That URL — www.ProjectXGuide.com — is now available… for a price.

If you're interested in the URL www.ProjectXGuide.com, send an email to info @ projectxguide.com.

If some blogger you'd never heard of had written about your website, would you know it?

You would if you'd set up a Google Alert.

I love this free tool. You can set up alerts for key phrases (such as your website URL, your name, your niche keywords or whatever you want to monitor), tell Google what sources you want it to monitor (blogs, news, websites, all of those ("comprehensive")), and how often you want it to report the results to you (as it happens, once a day or once a week).

Without Google Alert, I wouldn't have known what ImproveYourInternetMarketing.com was saying about my Cookie-Crazy.com site.

Or that a blogger who blogs about tattoos, of all things, had posted one of my articles about job interview tips.

You can also use Google Alerts to keep track of your competition, or to get ideas for your own blogs and sites.

The only thing I don't like about it is that you can't qualify the keywords like you can with search. So, for example, when I set up a Google Alert for my name (Bonnie Lowe), even if I try using quotes or brackets to make it an exact match, I still get results like "Bonnie Smith shops at Lowes."

But the pros of Google Alerts far outweigh that one con. And you can't beat the price!

Google Alerts