Blogging All Summer Long

[Cricket]

It seems that most of us need a bit more accountability (myself included) in order to keep blogging on a regular basis. Because of that, I am making this thread to help us all jump start our lagging blogs. Please use this thread to keep me updated with your progress daily!

Blogging All Summer Long
http://blog.v7n.com/2011/06/02/blogg...ong-challenge/

[mjtaylor]

Oh, Cricket, I am so glad you made this thread! I have been really excited about my new blog on my old static site. I've been keeping up with my commitment to make 4 posts a week and learn something new about the blog on the other days.

I have very little blog configuration and design experience - I've written for lots of client blogs, I keep a free one on blogger for Key West travel notes and tweaked some plugins, but this is my first 'all out effort. So there is something new to learn every day even on the days I post.

For example, yesterday I posted an interview with Gab Goldenberg on his new SEO Book and I wanted to create a block of text that had a different background for a bio at the end of the post. I learned that it's pretty dang simple to do that.

To create that I typed the text I wanted into the "Visual" editor first and then in the HTML window I placed the following code right in front of the text I wanted highlighted.

<p style="padding: 2px 6px 4px 6px; color: #555555; background-color: #f6f3ea; border: #dddddd 2px solid;"> and a closing paragraph tag, </p>, just after the text.

Simple! I found that here: http://scratch99.com/wordpress/hacks...oxes-in-posts/, and that page also includes a link to a tutorial on making rounded corners, as well as information about creating a common style for text boxes across the site.

I have a lot more to share about the blog, and I am looking forward to seeing what others are working on!

[mjtaylor]

Just blogged about the challenge: http://www.cyber-key.com/SocialSEO/j...llenge-on-v7n/!

[kbain10]

Blogging accountability? Great idea. Ready to begin again. Routine. Discipline. Commitment? Not so easy. But worth the effort.

Blogging makes ya think, create, research, write, edit, read your work out loud to yourself or someone who cares about you, and if everything looks and sounds jes' fine? Spread the word. And don't take self too seriously.

Once it is out there? It ... is ... out there. I look at some of the essays I've written and wince. Hmmmm. Good thing I did not publish that one. LOL

Karen Bain

[mjtaylor]

Glad you're on board, Karen! Where's your blog? I want to add you to my post.

I just added a tip on Sidebar SEO for bloggers to our regular daily tip thread.

And on the same topic - SEO for blogs - a recent tip included an SEO checklist for blogs that has been very helpful to me as I create my new blog.

[tshirtlady]

Oh good - I feel like I've been hibernating! This is just the incentive that I need.

[tshirtlady]

Short post about our record setting heat wave!
http://www.sandists.com/WordPress/20...can-august-be/

[tshirtlady]

I love talking about new Etsy shops that are introduced during a sneak attack!
http://www.sandists.com/WordPress/20...-sneak-attack/

[mjtaylor]

Sandi! So glad to see you joined the challenge. I've linked you up on this post: http://www.cyber-key.com/SocialSEO/j...llenge-on-v7n/.

And I added a new post today: On Categories, Sidebar Navigation and Blog Posts I Want to Read. Please help me name my category for "Popular Posts." Thanks!

The post has the added attraction of some links to excellent posts on blogging.

[tshirtlady]

Do you coupon?
http://www.sandists.com/WordPress/20...u-use-coupons/

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Some people approach forum marketing all wrong. In this post I tried to cover the right way to approach forum marketing:

One of the ways to build the reputation of your business or yourself is to join a forum and start participating. Forum marketing is quite an easy way to market, if you do it the right way.

Forum Marketing – The Right Way

[tshirtlady]

As always, I love talking about handmade items and the Etsy shops we introduce during a sneak attack!
http://www.sandists.com/WordPress/20...does-it-again/

[Cricket]

I'm here dang it!

Why Are We So Tired?
http://blog.v7n.com/2011/07/26/why-are-we-so-tired/

[mjtaylor]

Creative Linking Leads to Positive Thinking!

Now I am going to go and find out why you're tired, Cricket. I know why *I'm* tired!

[mjtaylor]

Originally Posted by HTMLBasicTutor

Some people approach forum marketing all wrong. In this post I tried to cover the right way to approach forum marketing:


Forum Marketing – The Right Way

Nice graphic, too, HTML!

[kbain10]

Sure, I'm tired today, but not as tired as I was yesterday. Each day I get better, and that is my goal after surviving two bouts of pneumonia since December, 2010.

I eat well, sleep well, and my exercise increases according to plan.

Not suggesting that life is perfect... whose life is? Why not follow some of the suggestions I've seen in the posts on this topic and make that tired feeling go away?

Great stuff.

[kbain10]

Excellent post on Forum Marketing! Thanks, MJ

[tshirtlady]

As we age, balance becomes a problem http://www.sandists.com/WordPress/20...lance-problem/

[mjtaylor]

Originally Posted by kbain10

Excellent post on Forum Marketing! Thanks, MJ

Hehehe, thanks, but I was quoting HTMLBasic's forum post. Indeed, it WAS excellent!

My commitment is to make 4 posts a week and learn something else the other 3 days. I did make a post today on a client site, and they are also using Thesis, though I didn't install it ... but when I posted I used an h2 tag for the subheads and I didn't like the size of the subheading; it's too large. It's here: http://rudymolinet.com/keywestreales...e-in-key-west/.

The developer of that site is a good buddy of mine and he had told me there is a Firefox add-on that will allow me to edit the CSS in Firefox, see the changes and then once I have what I like, I will be able to isolate the code to amend my CSS files. Now, in this case, I would have to give the code to him, but I am using this as a learning tool to figure how out the add on works.

Here's a link to the add on if anyone else is interested:

http://chrispederick.com/work/web-developer/.

I am not sure this counts, though, because I haven't figured it out, but I am working on it!!

[tshirtlady]

A little something about our latest 'victims' of a sneak attack:
http://www.sandists.com/WordPress/20...-sneak-attack/