The Web Authority

Mind you I have learned these from experience both from long-term personal blogging and ghost blogging; here are five things you definitely DO NOT want to do on your blog.

1. Never talk about real-world customers. Never if you change their names and circumstances. They will see themselves in your blog post and be angry. Don’t risk the bad blood.
2. Never trash competitors or a product. Blog posts are forever, you can do a review and present pros and cons, but trashing is simply crossing that line of providing information. Being vindictive in a blog post can get you sued. Don’t waste time doing it, vent to your friends.
3. Don’t stray from your main topic. If you are blogging for business stay tuned to that topic and your readership. If you start offering toe nail care tips when you should be talking about Internet marketing you will definitely turn off your readers. You can digress once or twice but get in the habit of digressing and readers will chop you.
4. Don’t make your blog post a dissertation. Shorter is better, but not too short. My guideline is about 250 words on one thread. Need more space, break the thought up into parts.
5. Don’t get hung up on comments or lack thereof. People do read your blog. If you are not getting comments or feed subscribers this does not mean that people are not reading. Still only 7% of all readers will be getting your news via feed technology. Just a few will choose to get your blog posts by email if you have this set up on Feedburner and your blog. Most will actually bookmark your blog’s home page and visit using a browser.

I’m sure I have more deadly blog crashers, but this post is getting long so that’ll be another post. :0)

Our July newsletter is out with great information and tips on how to find your site in the Google SERPs, ergonomic computing, and keyboarding shortcuts.

Click in to read the full issue at http://www.mccordweb.com/newsletters/2008/july-08.html.

Topics are:

1. Finding Your Website in the Google SERPs
2. Top Tips For Painless Computing
3. Save Your Wrist With Keyboard Short Cuts

Adobe has a very cool, whoops kuhl, color picker our called Kuhler and it is KUHL!

This flash application allow you to custom pick colors for a new web design, graphic artwork, test new schemes, save them and in general see what works visually before you design it.

I consider this an excellent design aid and will be using it for my new website redesign. You can visit the application here: http://kuler.adobe.com/.

I have tried many color picking applications and this one is by far the most advanced, most interesting, and super easy to use. Even if you are not a designer, I think that you’ll have fun moving the dots around on the color wheel and seeing where the triads fall for the best color scheme. Check it out!

I am doing a free video teleconference this month and have spots left for 14 people. If you are interested in participating to learn how to be an effective blogger on Monday June 23rd at 7:00 PM Eastern Time please send me an email to receive an invitation at webmaster@mccordweb.com.

I will be using an online conference center and Acrobat Connect, you will be able to watch and also phone in to hear the conversation. These are the topics we’ll discuss:

1. How to find blog content
2. How to write a great title
3. What’s the right size for a blog post
4. What is keyword density and how do you create it
5. Should you link out from your blog
6. What to do about comments
7. Question and Answers

The teleconference is expected to last 30 minutes. Please note that the phone in teleconference number is not toll free. You may choose to just listen or to listen and be in front of your computer to see the slides and information.

I’ll be doing other free seminars in the future, if you have a topic that you would like to have discussed, just drop me a note at info@mccordweb.com and let me know and I’ll put you on the advance notice for the event.

My events are small in nature to allow you an opportunity to participate and ask questions. You are always welcome to just listen or to listen and share.

I have a friend who pointed me to this short video and I thought it was interesting to point to you on how others are creatively marketing their business.

The woman in the video is a face reader. She uses an ancient Chinese art to identify things about you from your face. She was consulting with my friend to get more activity for her business. My friend recommended that she show people what she does on a video. She went to Facebook and at random chose people to give reading too. She then posted the video on Facebook, YouTube and on the site below. Buzz was created which has driven traffic to her business in a highly creative way.

Way to go! This was a great idea to get out what she does, offer something free to others, and then market herself doing it.