Archive for Blogging Tips
Blog Setup & The Post Slug
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One problem that you may encounter is that your post title may be too long and you don’t want a correspondingly long file name. So what are you to do? Simple…change the post slug!
The slug is what you would like your post to be called. The option to change this is right under the post title box.
Spam Protection You Have to Have It!
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been racking my brain to come up with a topic for a blog post. Then I get this SPAM comment on a blog I use solely for trying out new plugins, new themes and learning more about CSS coding. So the blog has absolutely nothing of value for anyone to read.
This is part of the comment I got:
“I’ve been following your posts for a couple of weeks now and I gotta say that your older articles don’t offer as much insight as the newer articles. Your writing is constantly improving!”
A very nice compliment for sure….until you read the actual posts she is referring to.
Here is the older one:
“Practice blog post Practice blog post
Practice blog post Practice blog post…”
Here is the latest one:
“Practice Post #2 Practice Post #2 Practice Post #2 Practice Post #2
Practice Post #2 Practice Post #2 Practice Post #2…”
I guess it might be an improvement…not really sure.
NOTE TO SPAMMERS: At least read the post before you try and push your links on people.
I point this out first to provide a little humor and second to highlight the importance of spam protection.
WordPress has a great spam filter called Akismet. It caught this comment and identified it as spam. So far is has caught over 1000 spam comments since I started The Blog Builder Guy.
If you have a WordPress blog I highly recommend that you install the Akismet plugin.
If The Blog Builder Guy did your blog setup then you have nothing to worry about as I automatically install Aksimet on every blog I build.
So make sure it is installed on your blog and worry no more about spam!
Great Content is Essential for Your Blog
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The first question that most bloggers ask is, “What do I want to write about?”. WRONG! Successful bloggers ask, “What do my readers want to read about, what will get and keep their attention?” Once you answer that question you can begin to write.
Interesting and engaging content helps to establish you as an expert in your field. If people see you as a trusted source you will become their “go to” person when they need help. And if people like what you have to say they will recommend you to their friends! Not only is that good for establishing relationships but it is good for your bottom line.
When writing your content always be sure to include your keywords somewhere in the post. Make sure that you don’t over use them, 2 or 3 at most. Otherwise Google may think that your are keyword stuffing.
Make sure that your keywords fit into the flow of your post. They must fit logically and grammatically. Don’t just throw them in there so you have some keywords in the post.
It is also a good idea to bold one of them and maybe underline or italicize another one. This will help Google (and the other search engines) notice them.
Good quality content with the proper use of your keywords will help move your blog higher up in the search engine ranking.
And what business doesn’t want that?
The Blog Builder Guy also wrote a post about finding content to write about. You can read that here. Where Do I Get Stuff to Write About?
Mixing Personal Beliefs and Business
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photo credit: gabriel amadeus
The question I pose is this….should a blogger post about their personal beliefs such as politics and religion etc. on their
business blog? Or should the expression of personal beliefs be kept separate from business?
Granted our personal belief system affects the way we do business. Personal values such as honesty and our work ethic obviously carry over into every aspect of our lives.
But as a customer do you really care that a business owner is of a particular religious faith or political party? Or are you more concerned about getting a quality product or service at a fair price? As a business owner do you really care that a customer is a member of a particular religious organization? Or are you more concerned with being treated respectfully and getting paid for the value you provide?
As a business owner do you want to run the risk of losing business because a potential customer doesn’t like your political beliefs?
Speaking as a business owner I feel that my personal beliefs are just that…personal. We have a storefront and I certainly do not express my world views to people that come in. They didn’t come in the store hear me spout off about what I think. They are in the store to do business and get their needs met. And I certainly don’t care about a their politics or religion. Be respectful and pay me…that’s what I care about.
I use my blog in the same manner. You don’t come to The Blog Builder Guy to learn what I think of the nation’s economic situation, you come here to learn about blogging and how it can benefit you. If I thought people cared about what I think, I’d have a personal blog where I could bore them with my views on the world’s problems.
This is a hot topic around here and I’d like to know what your thoughts are.
Is Your Blog Safe?
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You’ve spent hours writing your content, you’ve got the perfect template, the plugins and widgets are configured to your liking. It’s your baby and you love it. But is it protected? What happens if you hit the wrong key and your blog blows up!! Not that I’ve ever done that….nope not me!
Do you have a backup system in place for your blog?
If The Blog Builder Guy did your blog setup then you don’t have to worry because I install a backup system on every blog I build.
The one I use and recommend is WP-DBManger. You can find the plugin at WP-DBManger. It is easy to configure and you can set the backup schedule to your liking:
- Once Hourly
- Twice Daily
- Once Daily
- Once Weekly
You can also choose where to send the backup:
- Save to server
- Download to your computer
- Email backup to:
My hosting company, HostGator, also has a backup system that is easy to use. I use their backup system as extra protection being that it only takes a couple of minutes to use it. And you can have the backup sent to your email if you wish.
I highly recommend that you install a backup system for your WordPress blog. You don’t want all your hard work to disappear into the internet dead zone!
If you have any questions or need some help give me a shout!
WordPress 3.0 Beta 1
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photo credit: Charles Williams
It looks like WordPress 3.0 will be out soon. Below is a cut and paste from the official WordPress Blog. Rather than me explaining the latest and greatest update for WP, I'll let them do it for me. The Blog Builder Guy will keep you posted as more information is available.
Here is the link to the blog. WordPress 3.0 Beta 1
Below is the cut and paste from the WP blog:
"Remember when I posted earlier about the Twitter account, and I said that hopefully you’d find out later today what has been keeping us all so busy? Beta testers, this is your moment: the WordPress 3.0 Beta 1 has arrived!
This is an early beta. This means there are a few things we’re still finishing. We wanted to get people testing it this weekend, so we’re releasing it now rather than waiting another week until everything is finalized and polished. There’s a ton of stuff going on in 3.0, so this time we’re giving you a list of things to check out, so that we can make sure people are testing all the things that need it.
You Should Know:
- The custom menus system (Appearance > Menus) is not quite finished. In Beta 2, the layout will be different and a bunch of the functionality will be improved, but we didn’t want to hold things up for this one screen. You can play with making custom menus, and report bugs if you find them, but this is not how the final screen will look/work, so don’t get attached to it.
- The merge! Yes, WordPress and WordPress MU have merged. This does not mean that you can suddenly start adding a bunch of new blogs from within your regular WordPress Dashboard. If you’re interested in testing the Super Admin stuff associated with multiple sites, you’ll need some simple directions to get started.
- We’re still fiddling with a few small things in the UI, as we were focused on getting the more function-oriented code finished first. For example, we’re getting a new icon for the Super Admin section.
Things to test:
- Play with the new default theme, Twenty Ten, including the custom background and header options.
- Custom Post Type functionality has been beefed up. It’s really easy to add new types, so do that and see how it looks!
- WordPress MU users should test the multiple sites functionality to make sure nothing broke during the merge.
Already have a test install that you want to switch over to the beta? Try the beta tester plugin.
Testers, don’t forget to use the wp-testers mailing list to discuss bugs you encounter.
We hope you like it! And if you don’t, well, check back when beta 2 is ready. 
"
Maintaining Your WordPress Plugins
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Yes you need to do some maintenance on your WordPress plugins. The best way to do that is by deciding which ones you are going to use. And that will depend on the purpose of your blog. A blog used for keeping in touch with family and friends will probably not be concerned with search engine rankings so the All In One SEO plugin won’t be necessary. But if you want your site to rank high in the search engines then the All In One SEO plugin might be something you want to take a look at. So do some research before deciding which plugins to use.
If The Blog Builder Guy did your blog setup then I will have talked with you about which ones are important based on your blog’s purpose. But remember everyone needs spam protection and the Akismet plugin is a must! I install it on every blog I build.
It’s also important to remember that plugins require resources and too many may have an adverse effect on the speed at which your blog loads. Don’t go crazy installing plugins!
After you install a plugin make sure that you give it a thorough testing. Go through your blog page by page and make sure it doesn’t cause any problems. If it does make sure it is configured properly. If it still causes problems delete it and try one that is similar. There are many plugins so you aren’t stuck with only one choice.
Every once in awhile it is a good idea to reevaluate the plugins you are using. One that was useful a year ago may not have much use any more. Or it might be better to replace it with a newer one that provides a similar function. If you decide to not use a plugin any longer don’t just deactivate it. Delete it. Under each plugin’s name you will find these options. Use Delete to completely remove it. Activate | Edit | Delete
And last but not least, always update your plugins as the updates become available. And another tip is to do a backup of your site before updating the plugin…you never know what might happen. I’ve never had a problem but I’m sure one day something strange will happen.
I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to help you out.
3 More Reasons to Use WordPress
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photo credit: adria.richards
In a previous post I listed 5 reasons to use WordPress for Your Blog If 5 reasons aren't enough here are 3 more:
1) You can have 2 for the price of 1. With WordPress you get a blog or a website or you can have both. With the proper customization you can have make your site into a website. If you wish you can also add a blog to it as well. The Blog Builder Guy is setup that way.
2) You can be the master of your domain, your website's domain, that is. Updating content is easy and with a little practice anyone can do it. And adding photos and video are easy as well. No need to hire a webmaster to do it for you. Think of the money you'll save by doing it yourself!
3) WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com) has become the fastest and easiest way for businesses to get online. It is also a great way personal bloggers to get started as well. And as I stated in an earlier post there is plenty of help available if you need it.
So there you have 3 more reasons to use WordPress. And remember if you don't have the time or inclination to build a blog The Blog Builder Guy will build it so you don't have to!
Do You Want More Traffic for Your Blog?
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I know that is a silly question because there isn't much point in having a blog if no one is reading it. Unless it is for your own personal use and you don't want anyone else to read it.
But if you want to share what you have to say then you are going to need readers! Her is a quick and easy way to get your blog noticed.
It's called Pinging. If you have a WordPress blog, each time you create or update a post WordPress will send a notification or Ping to the popular Update Services. When the Update Services receives the Ping it sends a notice to all the sites that are on their list. So now people reading sites like Technorati can find your posts.
So how do you set up this magical Ping process? It's very easy.
Go to your Dashboard and under Settings select Writing. Scroll down and under Update Services cut and paste the sites below into the box. One site per line. Once you've done that, click Save Changes and you're done!
Now every time you add a new post all the services below will be notified and you're on your way to getting more traffic!
If The Blog Builder Guy build your site then you don't have to do anything because that is part of the blog setup service.
http://rpc.pingomatic.com/
http://feedshark.brainbliss.com/
http://api.feedster.com/ping
http://ping.amagle.com/
http://ping.bitacoras.com
http://ping.blo.gs/
http://ping.rootblog.com/rpc.php
http://ping.weblogalot.com/rpc.php
http://rcs.datashed.net/RPC2/
http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/RPC2
http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/
http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/
http://rpc.weblogs.com/RPC2
http://topicexchange.com/RPC2
http://www.blogoole.com/ping/
http://www.blogoon.net/ping/
http://www.blogsnow.com/ping
http://www.blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi
http://www.lasermemory.com/lsrpc/
http://www.newsisfree.com/RPCCloud
http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php
http://www.snipsnap.org/RPC2
http://www.wasalive.com/ping/
http://www.blogsdominicanos.com/ping/
http://www.xianguo.com/xmlrpc/ping.php
http://www.feedsky.com/api/RPC2
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
http://api.moreover.com/RPC2
http://bblog.com/ping.php
http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/RPC2
http://ping.feedburner.com
http://ping.syndic8.com/xmlrpc.php
http://ping.bloggers.jp/rpc/
http://rpc.pingomatic.com/
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
http://www.blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates
