Here are your TOP TEN TIPS beginning with #10:
10. More first, less later! Writing is a process. It is always easier to write “more than you think is necessary” and “prune” your work, than write “less” and try to “add/squeeze” things in. Don’t be afraid to write a few drafts, step away from your work, and come back to edit.
9. Have at least THREE paragraphs with a beginning, middle, and end. A blog post consisting of 250 to 500 words is enough to capture a reader’s attention and inspire him or her to “comment” and/or “click.” Only in rare instances are extremely lengthy blog entries effective.
8. Give your posts a clear direction. If your blog entry is “all over the place” and difficult to follow—it will not be effective and you will not develop an audience of readers. Also, determine what type of post you are setting out to write; will it be personal, educational, creative, or journalistic.
7. Double check! Make sure you do not have spelling mistakes and broken links. No one wants to read crap, and no one wants to click on broken links.
6. Include bullets, lists, and summaries. Make “key” information stand out and be easily referenced. Readers must be able to quickly scan and comprehend your blog post entry.
5. Develop your voice and style. Shakespeare, Faulkner, and Dickens all wrote differently; how do you write? Don’t try to write like someone else.
4. Write about things you like, know about, and are passionate about. If you are not passionate and just write meaningless jargon trying to promote banners and links; or if you don’t know what you are writing about; people are not going to want to read your blog posts. As a result, you will lose readership.
3. Use Keywords and Tags effectively. Some experts suggest you use as many keywords and tags as you possibly can; the practice of “overusing” keywords and tags in the long run doesn’t prove to be effective. When you write a blog post, use the most appropriate and relevant keywords/tags, and add them in a logical fashion. Your first keyword/tag should be the one that best describes your article in a general sense, perhaps incorporating a word or words that appear in your “Headline.” Rank your keywords and tags in order of importance and add them efficiently.
2. Link Popularity! Link to pertinent information from credible sources, as well as other points within your blog. Some of the most effective blog posts have many links; and often they link to sites/pages that are more heavily trafficked. Link popularity is a measure of the quantity and quality of other web sites that link to a specific site/blog post on the World Wide Web.
1. Use catchy “headlines” and paragraph openings. A good blog post has a headline that catches the reader’s attention, and a first line that hooks the reader. Try to begin and end with a real ZING!
Hope you enjoyed this Top Ten List to Writing Effective Blog Posts. Stay tuned for the much anticipated “Paying For Your Blog” discussing the PROs and CONs to spending money and investing in your “Progging Business.”
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Can You Blog or Prog with FLASH?
on 9:57 PM
Labels: adidas.tv, adobe, affiliate programs, cms, css, demand media, flash websites, rss feeds, SEO
Before moving onto “Paying For Your Blog,” there is no such thing as a stupid question. On March 21, 2009 the Progging Network received “two DUMB QUESTIONS." Progging Net didn’t fully know the answers to these questions, so we asked Unity 4 Humanity, Inc.’s CEO Anthony Galima to help us out. Before moving forward, Progging Network right here, right now would like to address these two EXCELLENT QUESTIONS and thank Mr. Galima for sharing his corporate experiences and giving us the opportunity to create this FREE “collective resource” under U4H Core’s guidance.
1.) Is a Flash website a Content Management System?
2.) Can I have one of my friends build me a Flash site and be a successful progger?
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company headquartered inSan Jose , California , USA
In January 2005, technologically speaking, Mr. Galima only really knew: the Internet and Television were merging; Dot TV would be the future of Television as we know it; websites can generate money; and he needed to start a company and begin creating, securing, and investing in the Dot TV industry before someone beat him to the punch. U4H officially began creating, defining, and pioneering the Dot TV industry one month before Demand Media, Inc. jumped into the scene. As a result U4H was able to secure all globally recognized domains they believe necessary to continue to stand alone in the next age of Television Broadcasting. Galima went on to say, “To get things moving and set a feverish pace with a goliath on my heels, I was extremely stubborn and unwilling to compromise. When it came to developing websites, my primary concern was the look, feel, navigation, and content. I wanted U4H’s web presence to have movement and life. Time was of the essence and I made up my mind to use FLASH in early 2005; in fact at the time I made my decision it was still called Macromedia Flash; Adobe didn’t purchase Macromedia until April 2005.”
Many people really love Flash websites because of how these sites can be made to look, feel, and move. Product Blogging recently learned Unity 4 Humanity, Inc.’s first corporate websites were built entirely in FLASH. When asked about his first corporate site, CEO Anthony Galima shared with us “the only reason I was able to dream and build U4H is because I was not always a technical person. I always liked and will continue to use Adobe products, but when I began my corporation I wasn’t aware of how to couple existing technologies to a new and better advantage.”
Like many people and corporations today, in 2005, Mr. Galima was unhappy with the typical flat websites containing a few pictures, a banner, some text, and some obscure Flash elements. He didn’t like Content Management Systems (CMS) because they were very square, cold, and ugly; he wasn’t thinking about RSS Feeds and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He wanted websites that looked different, had great content, and could generate revenue. He thought the best way to achieve this was by creating sites in Flash. “Shortly after launching these sites, I was unhappy. The information on my corporation’s sites wasn’t being indexed in Search Engines efficiently; the load-up time was sometimes very slow; I had no idea about the traffic coming to my company’s site; and I couldn’t have someone easily add video or add affiliate banners, content, and links. In the beginning all I wanted to do was develop U4H’s portfolio and it was difficult for me to get things moving because it was like pulling teeth to quickly launch sites and keep them updated.”
Today, website development must be viewed in stages. People and corporations now have the opportunity to use Content Management Systems compatible across Internet Browsers and technological devices. They can create and maintain websites capable of evolving with technological shifts. When discussing the look and feel of your website you should be talking about CSS; if you want to seamlessly integrate Flash into your website do so. When you are discussing Search Engine Optimization, you should primarily be discussing Keywords and “The Language of Domains.” If you are not utilizing language-like domain name extensions, not following W3C standards, and do not know how to effectively describe your websites content (video, pictures, graphics, text), you are behind the 8-ball.
Flash Websites can look amazing and have “cool features” but there is a time and place for everything. Flash accents can always give your site extra flare, and there are certain advantages to creating “promotional sites” entirely in Flash. IF YOU WANT TO CREATE A SEO WEBSITE; OR IF YOU WANT TO SUCCESSFULLY BEGIN MONETIZING YOUR PROG, CORPORATE WEBSITE, or DOT TV CHANNEL—NEVER BUILD YOUR ENTIRE SITE IN FLASH. Flash websites cannot meet the needs of proggers and will not allow web surfers to easily find deals and links? A FLASH WEBSITE IS NOT A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. Flash is merely one of the best methods for adding animation and interactivity to web pages; and Flash is best used to create animations, advertisements, various web page components, and to develop rich Internet applications. Some people like to use Flash to integrate video into web pages, and as the Internet and Television continue to merge, and we transition to Digital Broadcasting Signals , utilizing Flash to integrate video is proving to be a poor decision.
Graphic Designers do just that—they design graphics and animations; they are not Web Developers or Software Engineers. For a number or reasons a Flash site really isn’t a website at all, it is more like a moving picture, brochure, page, or animation. The web surfer’s experience is dependent on: the sophistication of his or her computer; the computer’s plug-ins; the capacity of the servers/co-location facilities (how and where is this site hosted?); and the number of users on that site pulling information at any given time. One excellent example is Budweiser recently “pulled the plug” on their site “BUD TV.” Even with a lot of corporate backing, Bud.tv was doomed from the beginning. The site was entirely constructed in Flash; as a result they were unable to effectively monetize their Dot TV and content; they were unable to provide each user with a unique experience; and they were unable to collect and utilize valuable statistical data. For the web surfer it was difficult to quickly navigate Bud TV, and when there was a lot of traffic the site seemed to move in “slow motion” or “freeze up.” Bud.tv is mentioned in the article “Adidas TV has Sports to Fashion” because coincidentally enough just as Bud.tv officially turned OFF, a new sort of DotTV launched by the Adidas Corporation is now ON.
Any business or progger using a site entirely build in FLASH ultimately loses! Cumbersome Flash sites contain web content (images, text, video, audio) that can never be effectively search engine optimized and indexed. A Flash site on its own cannot be read by Search Engine web crawlers/spiders, and the methods used to “trick” search engines are frowned upon.
Next time you are on a site built entirely in Flash, click around! Regardless of what you click on, the address in the “http web bar” (for the most part) never changes. The owner of a FLASH website has very little to no idea what information people are clicking on and how they are maneuvering within the site. FLASH sites severely limit the amount of statistical information that can be automatically collected by the patterns and actions of Internet users. The only information that can easily be collected other than the information users volunteer (such as signing up for something or sending an e-mail) is the Internet Protocol Address (IP Address), approximate geographic location of the IP Address, and the total time a user had the website open in his or her web browser.
If you are not very technically inclined, you will not be able to update, manipulate, and change your Flash site efficiently with ease. The amount of time, effort, and resources necessary to maintain the site and keep information fresh will be daunting. Flash is a very effective tool for graphic designers and we recommend if ANYONE wants to use FLASH, they should use it to enhance the look and feel of any Content Management Blogging Platform they chose to use or create. (Or they should be prepared to hire a Graphic and Web Design Professional/Company to maintain it.) When developing a web site it is best to weave effective technologies together!
1.) Is a Flash website a Content Management System?
2.) Can I have one of my friends build me a Flash site and be a successful progger?
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company headquartered in
In January 2005, technologically speaking, Mr. Galima only really knew: the Internet and Television were merging; Dot TV would be the future of Television as we know it; websites can generate money; and he needed to start a company and begin creating, securing, and investing in the Dot TV industry before someone beat him to the punch. U4H officially began creating, defining, and pioneering the Dot TV industry one month before Demand Media, Inc. jumped into the scene. As a result U4H was able to secure all globally recognized domains they believe necessary to continue to stand alone in the next age of Television Broadcasting. Galima went on to say, “To get things moving and set a feverish pace with a goliath on my heels, I was extremely stubborn and unwilling to compromise. When it came to developing websites, my primary concern was the look, feel, navigation, and content. I wanted U4H’s web presence to have movement and life. Time was of the essence and I made up my mind to use FLASH in early 2005; in fact at the time I made my decision it was still called Macromedia Flash; Adobe didn’t purchase Macromedia until April 2005.”
Many people really love Flash websites because of how these sites can be made to look, feel, and move. Product Blogging recently learned Unity 4 Humanity, Inc.’s first corporate websites were built entirely in FLASH. When asked about his first corporate site, CEO Anthony Galima shared with us “the only reason I was able to dream and build U4H is because I was not always a technical person. I always liked and will continue to use Adobe products, but when I began my corporation I wasn’t aware of how to couple existing technologies to a new and better advantage.”
Like many people and corporations today, in 2005, Mr. Galima was unhappy with the typical flat websites containing a few pictures, a banner, some text, and some obscure Flash elements. He didn’t like Content Management Systems (CMS) because they were very square, cold, and ugly; he wasn’t thinking about RSS Feeds and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He wanted websites that looked different, had great content, and could generate revenue. He thought the best way to achieve this was by creating sites in Flash. “Shortly after launching these sites, I was unhappy. The information on my corporation’s sites wasn’t being indexed in Search Engines efficiently; the load-up time was sometimes very slow; I had no idea about the traffic coming to my company’s site; and I couldn’t have someone easily add video or add affiliate banners, content, and links. In the beginning all I wanted to do was develop U4H’s portfolio and it was difficult for me to get things moving because it was like pulling teeth to quickly launch sites and keep them updated.”
Today, website development must be viewed in stages. People and corporations now have the opportunity to use Content Management Systems compatible across Internet Browsers and technological devices. They can create and maintain websites capable of evolving with technological shifts. When discussing the look and feel of your website you should be talking about CSS; if you want to seamlessly integrate Flash into your website do so. When you are discussing Search Engine Optimization, you should primarily be discussing Keywords and “The Language of Domains.” If you are not utilizing language-like domain name extensions, not following W3C standards, and do not know how to effectively describe your websites content (video, pictures, graphics, text), you are behind the 8-ball.
Flash Websites can look amazing and have “cool features” but there is a time and place for everything. Flash accents can always give your site extra flare, and there are certain advantages to creating “promotional sites” entirely in Flash. IF YOU WANT TO CREATE A SEO WEBSITE; OR IF YOU WANT TO SUCCESSFULLY BEGIN MONETIZING YOUR PROG, CORPORATE WEBSITE, or DOT TV CHANNEL—NEVER BUILD YOUR ENTIRE SITE IN FLASH. Flash websites cannot meet the needs of proggers and will not allow web surfers to easily find deals and links? A FLASH WEBSITE IS NOT A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. Flash is merely one of the best methods for adding animation and interactivity to web pages; and Flash is best used to create animations, advertisements, various web page components, and to develop rich Internet applications. Some people like to use Flash to integrate video into web pages, and as the Internet and Television continue to merge, and we transition to Digital Broadcasting Signals , utilizing Flash to integrate video is proving to be a poor decision.
Graphic Designers do just that—they design graphics and animations; they are not Web Developers or Software Engineers. For a number or reasons a Flash site really isn’t a website at all, it is more like a moving picture, brochure, page, or animation. The web surfer’s experience is dependent on: the sophistication of his or her computer; the computer’s plug-ins; the capacity of the servers/co-location facilities (how and where is this site hosted?); and the number of users on that site pulling information at any given time. One excellent example is Budweiser recently “pulled the plug” on their site “BUD TV.” Even with a lot of corporate backing, Bud.tv was doomed from the beginning. The site was entirely constructed in Flash; as a result they were unable to effectively monetize their Dot TV and content; they were unable to provide each user with a unique experience; and they were unable to collect and utilize valuable statistical data. For the web surfer it was difficult to quickly navigate Bud TV, and when there was a lot of traffic the site seemed to move in “slow motion” or “freeze up.” Bud.tv is mentioned in the article “Adidas TV has Sports to Fashion” because coincidentally enough just as Bud.tv officially turned OFF, a new sort of DotTV launched by the Adidas Corporation is now ON.
Any business or progger using a site entirely build in FLASH ultimately loses! Cumbersome Flash sites contain web content (images, text, video, audio) that can never be effectively search engine optimized and indexed. A Flash site on its own cannot be read by Search Engine web crawlers/spiders, and the methods used to “trick” search engines are frowned upon.
Next time you are on a site built entirely in Flash, click around! Regardless of what you click on, the address in the “http web bar” (for the most part) never changes. The owner of a FLASH website has very little to no idea what information people are clicking on and how they are maneuvering within the site. FLASH sites severely limit the amount of statistical information that can be automatically collected by the patterns and actions of Internet users. The only information that can easily be collected other than the information users volunteer (such as signing up for something or sending an e-mail) is the Internet Protocol Address (IP Address), approximate geographic location of the IP Address, and the total time a user had the website open in his or her web browser.
If you are not very technically inclined, you will not be able to update, manipulate, and change your Flash site efficiently with ease. The amount of time, effort, and resources necessary to maintain the site and keep information fresh will be daunting. Flash is a very effective tool for graphic designers and we recommend if ANYONE wants to use FLASH, they should use it to enhance the look and feel of any Content Management Blogging Platform they chose to use or create. (Or they should be prepared to hire a Graphic and Web Design Professional/Company to maintain it.) When developing a web site it is best to weave effective technologies together!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Developing Your Blog For Free
on 7:37 PM
Labels: blogger, free blog platform, free blogs, free domain, free hosting, start progging for free, wordpress
This blog is a “progging blueprint” with a beginning. If this is your first time visiting the Progging Network please explore our previous posts. If you have been following along since our launch, you understand what it is to “progg.” You know this blog’s primary goal is to empower you with information and solutions. If you now know what you want to begin progging about (i.e. industries, corporations, products you like, or your business offerings) and if you have a few ideas for your blog’s name; you are ready to begin building a blog. (If you want to invest $69.98 or $167.99 and start your own turnkey Internet business and begin progging your product offerings, hold off on creating a free blog and wait to read about “Starting your own business and Progging with the Hottest Reseller Plan.”)
So let’s say you ONLY HAVE TIME to invest, or at this time you want to begin PROGGING for FREE—then you need to develop a blog for FREE. Progging.net at the very least highly recommends purchasing and utilizing an appropriate “globally recognized” domain name (.com, .tv, .net, .org, .info) for your blog, but you do not need to buy a domain name to create a blog. Believe it or not, there are many FREE blogging platforms. Many of these platforms provide a web address/subdomain for you.
When developing your blog for free, know that all free and open source platforms are not created equal. Do your homework! Be aware of the PROS and CONS when utilizing a free platform. Understand how you can evolve your blog and platform as it begins to generate revenue. Your progging success largely relies on: 1.) your ability to engage readers, 2.) your ability to create Search Engine Optimized content daily; 3.) and expand your blogs product offerings and/or affiliate relationships.
Progging is a business. You can start by creating a blog for FREE with free hosting services, or you can begin by investing some money hosting and developing your blog. You can treat your blog as a fun and leisurely activity, or it can be 24/7 and all consuming. You can be successful whether you invest money and time, or only time. But make no mistake, progging is a business and you will get out of it, what you put into it. If you expect to get thousands of hits and make thousands of dollars from day one with a free blog stop reading now. We are not saying you will not make money in the first month, week, or even day one of your “launch,” but realize creating your blog is really just step one and not the “secret to Internet millions.” If you want to just test the “product blogging waters” and develop a free blog, you can begin supplementing your income or corporation’s bottom line substantially. Down the road when your blog is established and already generating hundreds/thousands of dollars; it might be a good idea to begin re-investing some of that money into your blog. Expanding and upgrading your blog platform is a down the road consideration you must think about now! Even if you use a free platform today, in the future you might want to “upgrade” a free platform or develop something unique. Transferring your previous content and audience, as well as providing updated functionalities/features will be of pinnacle importance.
If Product Blogging Network is going to assist you in becoming an effective Product Blogger, we cannot make all the decisions and do all the work.
When considering all the free blogging platforms, Progging.net believes WordPress.com and Blogger are the very best. Why? If you currently do not have website or blog, and you are not very technologically savvy, these two platforms are the most user friendly. When adding content and new posts you will see familiar icons and symbols, you will quickly know how to upload pictures, embed video, and even paste HTML code.
Both the WordPress.com and Blogger platforms are sophisticated Content Management Systems (CMS) designed specifically for only blogging. If utilized correctly both platforms function very well when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Many popular and successful blogs today and “product bloggers” utilize various versions of these platforms. Both platforms are RELIABLE, meaning your free blog will always be up and running. Both platforms have stellar help resources, tutorials, technical support, communities of users, are updated frequently, and are extremely “flexible.” (NOTE: Wordpress.com does not allow you to monetize their free platform, you must upgrade to Wordpress.org )
So then, what are some of the cons regarding free blog platforms? In many ways you do not have “complete” control over your blog. Although they have a variety of design templates and options, there are some design and aesthetic limitations. Although you will begin progging products and links of your own choosing, you will not have complete control over all the advertisements and links appearing on your site. When you utilize a subdomain, this means your site is being hosted on their servers. Subdomains are often substantially longer and lack an heir of professionalism. Also, the content you create for your product blog and the affiliate relationships you develop are your most valuable assets. Because you do not “own” the platform you are utilizing, and because you are not “hosting” your content, questions can arise as to the ownership of that “content.”
Product Blogging wants to remind you that using any free platform is a privilege; WordPress.com and Blogger have the ability to terminate your account at any time. From our research and experience, WordPress.com will terminate your account on a whim and Blogger does not terminate accounts all that frequently. If you follow the guidelines, play by the rules, do not use copy written and trademarked content, follow all affiliate program rules, and respect these free blogging platforms, you should have no problems and be successful. Once again, if you built a successful progging site utilizing a free platform, free subdomain, and free hosting; you do not have a tangible progging site and you are not increasing the value of a tangible site you completely own and control.
Progging.net encourages you to explore WordPress.com and Blogger more on your own. Below you will find some informational links. Eventually you must make a decision, take the first step, set up an account, and begin creating your blog. When developing your blog, adding content, and working out all the kinks, check out the “search engine” and “privacy settings.” The Product Blogging Network recommends you keep your blog private while it is a “work in progress” and do not submit links to search engines until you are ready for your “true launch.” In the next post to appear on this site “Paying for your Blog,” we will discuss the pro’s and con’s to spending a little money, upgrading free platforms (specifically WordPress.com), developing a CMS with open source software, paying for development, and hosting your own Blog.
WORDPRESS INFO AND LINKS
***WordPress was born out of a desire for an elegant, well-architectured personal publishing system with developmental roots going back to 2001. Built on PHP and MySQL and licensed under the GPL WordPress is the largest self hosting blogging tool in the world with hundreds of thousands of sites utilizing its platform. To read more about WordPress go to “About WordPress.”
***In an effort to create a true Global Web Presence and better assist WordPress users, WordPress TV officially launched January 17, 2009. Since that time, WordPress.tv has become a wonderful library of video content with a wealth of information allowing individuals to really maximize their usage and understand the various WordPress platform options and features. This amazing resource has truly allowed WordPress to set a new benchmark in blogging platform standards.
***If you want to get started, sign up, and begin creating a WordPress.com blog, go to “Get your own WordPress Account in Seconds.”
***WordPress.org/support has a number of resources to help you get the most out of WordPress. This Forum information regarding everything from Installation, Themes and Plugins, to Troubleshooting and writing posts.
***Many FREE Templates not available on WordPress.com exist and can be implemented. For those who are a little more technological savy, check out the Freelance Folder’s “15 Incredible WordPress Theme Customizations” and begin searching for “Free WordPress Templates.” (PLEASE REMEBER Wordpress.com DOES NOT allow you to monetize their free platform)
BLOGGER INFO AND LINKS
***Blogger was started by a tiny company in San Francisco called Pyra Labs in August of 1999. In 2002 Google bought Blogger. To read more about Blogger go to “The Story of Blogger.”***Blogger doesn’t have a unique Dot TV Channel, but they do have a Youtube Blogger Channel with a nice library of informational videos. Progging.net encourages you to check out “How to create a blog with blogger” and see just how easy it is to set up a free blog.
***Blogger’s Blog, The Buzz, is the Blogger Platforms official blog with the most current news and information regarding Blogger.
***Many FREE Templates exist for Blogger’s platform as well and you can search for and explore “Free Blogger Templates.” This site bTemplates.com also seems to have a few nice examples.
***If you want to get started, sign up, and begin creating a blog with Blogger.com, go to “Create a blog, it’s free.”
So let’s say you ONLY HAVE TIME to invest, or at this time you want to begin PROGGING for FREE—then you need to develop a blog for FREE. Progging.net at the very least highly recommends purchasing and utilizing an appropriate “globally recognized” domain name (.com, .tv, .net, .org, .info) for your blog, but you do not need to buy a domain name to create a blog. Believe it or not, there are many FREE blogging platforms. Many of these platforms provide a web address/subdomain for you.
When developing your blog for free, know that all free and open source platforms are not created equal. Do your homework! Be aware of the PROS and CONS when utilizing a free platform. Understand how you can evolve your blog and platform as it begins to generate revenue. Your progging success largely relies on: 1.) your ability to engage readers, 2.) your ability to create Search Engine Optimized content daily; 3.) and expand your blogs product offerings and/or affiliate relationships.
Progging is a business. You can start by creating a blog for FREE with free hosting services, or you can begin by investing some money hosting and developing your blog. You can treat your blog as a fun and leisurely activity, or it can be 24/7 and all consuming. You can be successful whether you invest money and time, or only time. But make no mistake, progging is a business and you will get out of it, what you put into it. If you expect to get thousands of hits and make thousands of dollars from day one with a free blog stop reading now. We are not saying you will not make money in the first month, week, or even day one of your “launch,” but realize creating your blog is really just step one and not the “secret to Internet millions.” If you want to just test the “product blogging waters” and develop a free blog, you can begin supplementing your income or corporation’s bottom line substantially. Down the road when your blog is established and already generating hundreds/thousands of dollars; it might be a good idea to begin re-investing some of that money into your blog. Expanding and upgrading your blog platform is a down the road consideration you must think about now! Even if you use a free platform today, in the future you might want to “upgrade” a free platform or develop something unique. Transferring your previous content and audience, as well as providing updated functionalities/features will be of pinnacle importance.
If Product Blogging Network is going to assist you in becoming an effective Product Blogger, we cannot make all the decisions and do all the work.
We want you to empower you, provide you will expert technical information, point you in the right directions,but ultimately you have to decide what is best for you and your budget. Explore this information, find out more, share with us your feedback/experiences, and run with it. Right now, this informational site utilizes a free Blogger.com platform and a “.net” domain purchased at The Engine That Can for $6.49 (and coming with over $163 of FREE extras). So to accomplish what we have so far is a few hours of time, planned research, content creation, and action. When Progging.net aggressively begins progging on this site, you will know how to product blog and might even have your product blog established.
When considering all the free blogging platforms, Progging.net believes WordPress.com and Blogger are the very best. Why? If you currently do not have website or blog, and you are not very technologically savvy, these two platforms are the most user friendly. When adding content and new posts you will see familiar icons and symbols, you will quickly know how to upload pictures, embed video, and even paste HTML code.
Both the WordPress.com and Blogger platforms are sophisticated Content Management Systems (CMS) designed specifically for only blogging. If utilized correctly both platforms function very well when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Many popular and successful blogs today and “product bloggers” utilize various versions of these platforms. Both platforms are RELIABLE, meaning your free blog will always be up and running. Both platforms have stellar help resources, tutorials, technical support, communities of users, are updated frequently, and are extremely “flexible.” (NOTE: Wordpress.com does not allow you to monetize their free platform, you must upgrade to Wordpress.org )
So then, what are some of the cons regarding free blog platforms? In many ways you do not have “complete” control over your blog. Although they have a variety of design templates and options, there are some design and aesthetic limitations. Although you will begin progging products and links of your own choosing, you will not have complete control over all the advertisements and links appearing on your site. When you utilize a subdomain, this means your site is being hosted on their servers. Subdomains are often substantially longer and lack an heir of professionalism. Also, the content you create for your product blog and the affiliate relationships you develop are your most valuable assets. Because you do not “own” the platform you are utilizing, and because you are not “hosting” your content, questions can arise as to the ownership of that “content.”
Product Blogging wants to remind you that using any free platform is a privilege; WordPress.com and Blogger have the ability to terminate your account at any time. From our research and experience, WordPress.com will terminate your account on a whim and Blogger does not terminate accounts all that frequently. If you follow the guidelines, play by the rules, do not use copy written and trademarked content, follow all affiliate program rules, and respect these free blogging platforms, you should have no problems and be successful. Once again, if you built a successful progging site utilizing a free platform, free subdomain, and free hosting; you do not have a tangible progging site and you are not increasing the value of a tangible site you completely own and control.
Progging.net encourages you to explore WordPress.com and Blogger more on your own. Below you will find some informational links. Eventually you must make a decision, take the first step, set up an account, and begin creating your blog. When developing your blog, adding content, and working out all the kinks, check out the “search engine” and “privacy settings.” The Product Blogging Network recommends you keep your blog private while it is a “work in progress” and do not submit links to search engines until you are ready for your “true launch.” In the next post to appear on this site “Paying for your Blog,” we will discuss the pro’s and con’s to spending a little money, upgrading free platforms (specifically WordPress.com), developing a CMS with open source software, paying for development, and hosting your own Blog.
WORDPRESS INFO AND LINKS
***WordPress was born out of a desire for an elegant, well-architectured personal publishing system with developmental roots going back to 2001. Built on PHP and MySQL and licensed under the GPL WordPress is the largest self hosting blogging tool in the world with hundreds of thousands of sites utilizing its platform. To read more about WordPress go to “About WordPress.”
***In an effort to create a true Global Web Presence and better assist WordPress users, WordPress TV officially launched January 17, 2009. Since that time, WordPress.tv has become a wonderful library of video content with a wealth of information allowing individuals to really maximize their usage and understand the various WordPress platform options and features. This amazing resource has truly allowed WordPress to set a new benchmark in blogging platform standards.
***If you want to get started, sign up, and begin creating a WordPress.com blog, go to “Get your own WordPress Account in Seconds.”
***WordPress.org/support has a number of resources to help you get the most out of WordPress. This Forum information regarding everything from Installation, Themes and Plugins, to Troubleshooting and writing posts.
***Many FREE Templates not available on WordPress.com exist and can be implemented. For those who are a little more technological savy, check out the Freelance Folder’s “15 Incredible WordPress Theme Customizations” and begin searching for “Free WordPress Templates.” (PLEASE REMEBER Wordpress.com DOES NOT allow you to monetize their free platform)
BLOGGER INFO AND LINKS
***Blogger was started by a tiny company in San Francisco called Pyra Labs in August of 1999. In 2002 Google bought Blogger. To read more about Blogger go to “The Story of Blogger.”***Blogger doesn’t have a unique Dot TV Channel, but they do have a Youtube Blogger Channel with a nice library of informational videos. Progging.net encourages you to check out “How to create a blog with blogger” and see just how easy it is to set up a free blog.
***Blogger’s Blog, The Buzz, is the Blogger Platforms official blog with the most current news and information regarding Blogger.
***Many FREE Templates exist for Blogger’s platform as well and you can search for and explore “Free Blogger Templates.” This site bTemplates.com also seems to have a few nice examples.
***If you want to get started, sign up, and begin creating a blog with Blogger.com, go to “Create a blog, it’s free.”
If you read the General Introduction below this post, you know “progging” (Product Blogging) is one of the easiest ways to make money online. You also know that Progging.net is an informational blog designed to assist individuals and corporations. The Product Blogging Network is not a late night infomercial trying to sell you something; it’s not called “Secrets to Internet Millions” or “Shortcuts to Get Rich Quick;” and at no point in time will the Progging Network “charge” you to access the information contained within this site. Progging.net doesn’t assume readers of this blog are Internet technology experts, so the initial posts and information might seem elementary to some. (If you already have a blog, in the weeks to come you will know how to use it to begin Product Blogging.)
How do you become involved in this industry and where do you start? The first thing you really have to know is “what is a blog and how is it different from a ‘normal website?’” A blog is a type of website maintained by an individual, group of individuals, or corporation and updated with content on a regular basis. A blog contains primarily text, images, and media related to its theme. A blog is more Search Engine Optimized (SEO) than most traditional websites; and all blog entries usually contain “tags” or “keywords” making it easier for search engines to index and people to find your blog’s content. What really makes a blog unique is the ability for readers to leave comments and “interact” with blog postings.
Before an individual or corporation develops a blog and begins progging, they must outline goals; sketch out the direction they would like their blog to take; decide what they are going to start “progging” about. Regardless of your budget and how you decide to develop your blog, what sets one Product Blogger apart from another is how they find their own voice, use words, and craft postings. Successful Product Bloggers create catchy titles, engaging content, and provide web surfers greater detail and inside looks at products. Catch a web surfer’s attention, keep them coming back, and encourage them to “read” and ”click.” (In the posts to come Progging.net will discuss writing techniques, SEO, and how to create effective “titles” and “content.”)
It you are an individual, you might want to “prog” products and services you have created — such as audio/video products, eBooks, or perhaps your own startup business offerings. If you don’t have any products to sell, you can join affiliate programs (this will be discussed in greater detail in the posts to come) and “prog” about other corporations’ products you are passionate about. If you are a business, not only can you “prog” your corporate offerings, but you can also write about affiliate products that complement and do not compete with your offerings.
To sum it up, before you begin progging outline your goals. Know the direction you want your blog to take. Visit popular blogs and blogs you enjoy to get some ideas. Begin creating general content that will structure your site. Lastly, start brainstorming and coming up with ideas for your blog’s “name.”
How do you become involved in this industry and where do you start? The first thing you really have to know is “what is a blog and how is it different from a ‘normal website?’” A blog is a type of website maintained by an individual, group of individuals, or corporation and updated with content on a regular basis. A blog contains primarily text, images, and media related to its theme. A blog is more Search Engine Optimized (SEO) than most traditional websites; and all blog entries usually contain “tags” or “keywords” making it easier for search engines to index and people to find your blog’s content. What really makes a blog unique is the ability for readers to leave comments and “interact” with blog postings.
Before an individual or corporation develops a blog and begins progging, they must outline goals; sketch out the direction they would like their blog to take; decide what they are going to start “progging” about. Regardless of your budget and how you decide to develop your blog, what sets one Product Blogger apart from another is how they find their own voice, use words, and craft postings. Successful Product Bloggers create catchy titles, engaging content, and provide web surfers greater detail and inside looks at products. Catch a web surfer’s attention, keep them coming back, and encourage them to “read” and ”click.” (In the posts to come Progging.net will discuss writing techniques, SEO, and how to create effective “titles” and “content.”)
It you are an individual, you might want to “prog” products and services you have created — such as audio/video products, eBooks, or perhaps your own startup business offerings. If you don’t have any products to sell, you can join affiliate programs (this will be discussed in greater detail in the posts to come) and “prog” about other corporations’ products you are passionate about. If you are a business, not only can you “prog” your corporate offerings, but you can also write about affiliate products that complement and do not compete with your offerings.
To sum it up, before you begin progging outline your goals. Know the direction you want your blog to take. Visit popular blogs and blogs you enjoy to get some ideas. Begin creating general content that will structure your site. Lastly, start brainstorming and coming up with ideas for your blog’s “name.”
For some time now a few individuals and businesses have tapped into a little known industry called “progging;” and many have been generating serious dollars. During today’s economic crisis, every individual and corporation could use more money. Progging can be explored for FREE by anyone with access to the Internet, taken to many levels, and generate extra income.
To begin progging, the first thing an individual or corporation must do is set up a blog. If you don’t already know, you DON’T have to buy a domain name to have your own “blog.” There are many ways to go about “developing” a blog. There are many advantages and disadvantages to utilizing free blogging platforms versus (upgrading those platforms and/or) developing and hosting your “own” uniquely developed blog. There are many advantages to purchasing a globally recognized domain name (.com, .tv, .net, .org, .info) for as little as $1.99 to $40.00 a year from any number of accredited domain registrars. In the articles to come, Progging.net will explore many available options allowing you to make empowered decisions.
In an effort to assist individuals and corporations, Progging.net is going to be built by individuals with little or know technological knowledge under the supervision of U4H’s Core Team. Progging.net is going to utilize a .net domain purchased at The Engine That Can for $6.49 and coming with over $163 of FREE extras. Progging.net’s goal is to arm you with unbiased information about “Product Blogging,” and allow you to make informed decisions.
Progging.net is part of Unity 4 Humanity, Inc.’s web presence. Occassionally there will be information and links about U4H, but you DO NOT HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING to be a part of this Network, access information, and learn how to begin progging.
This network was created to help people and corporations. As Progging.net develops, you will be exposed to many technological avenues available to you; you will know how to develop and build affiliate relationships; and you will know many ways to begin Product Blogging for free or by investing some money.
To begin progging, the first thing an individual or corporation must do is set up a blog. If you don’t already know, you DON’T have to buy a domain name to have your own “blog.” There are many ways to go about “developing” a blog. There are many advantages and disadvantages to utilizing free blogging platforms versus (upgrading those platforms and/or) developing and hosting your “own” uniquely developed blog. There are many advantages to purchasing a globally recognized domain name (.com, .tv, .net, .org, .info) for as little as $1.99 to $40.00 a year from any number of accredited domain registrars. In the articles to come, Progging.net will explore many available options allowing you to make empowered decisions.
In an effort to assist individuals and corporations, Progging.net is going to be built by individuals with little or know technological knowledge under the supervision of U4H’s Core Team. Progging.net is going to utilize a .net domain purchased at The Engine That Can for $6.49 and coming with over $163 of FREE extras. Progging.net’s goal is to arm you with unbiased information about “Product Blogging,” and allow you to make informed decisions.
Progging.net is part of Unity 4 Humanity, Inc.’s web presence. Occassionally there will be information and links about U4H, but you DO NOT HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING to be a part of this Network, access information, and learn how to begin progging.
This network was created to help people and corporations. As Progging.net develops, you will be exposed to many technological avenues available to you; you will know how to develop and build affiliate relationships; and you will know many ways to begin Product Blogging for free or by investing some money.
