Another Take on Blog Awards

Aug 2, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Marketing | No replies

While it is true that there are good works that never really get rewarded, isn’t it really uplifting to get one for whatever its worth. Sometimes rewards do not even come in material things as they can come with a show of appreciation, respect, and recognition. In the online world where blogs are literally slugging it out for the readers’ attention, of what significant importance would getting an award have on  a blog?

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Recognition

This is one of the most desired results of getting an award. An awarded blog is recognized supposedly for excellence and distinction in a particular area. In effect, readers’ attention can be attracted since there is an accompanying expectation for such recognition.

This is all well and good under regular circumstances where blogs are judged based on certain criteria. There appears to be a gray area when it comes to winnings based on the number of votes of online readers. There are observations that many awards have been reduced to popularity contests.

Added Traffic

The mere nomination of a blog for a certain award already creates awareness and interest especially for blog owners that belong to a particular community or group. Curiosity naturally arises as the need to answer the question as to why a blog is being considered for an award persists. Just imagine the effect of being actually being chosen for an award, especially those that are considered legitimate and prestigious.

Although it is true that many organizers of award-giving also hope to gain advantage in the effort through exposure and increased traffic, it is also right to say that the required interaction can actually help build an online community as they are often wont to say. In essence, it becomes a win-win situation for everybody who participates. The advantage is in relation to added exposure and traffic.

Reason to Do Better

When a blog owner desires to win an award, he or she usually makes an effort to make the blog award-worthy. Those who lose are also provided reasons to do better and improve their blog. What one does with a win or a lose is actually a matter of perspective.

Awards encourage people to constantly improve what they have. Although some couldn’t care less, those who endeavor to improve their blogs stand to benefit from the effort. Award or no award, blogs that observe certain quality standards will gain from the effort. Use a win or a lose to improve a blog and a blog will surely win in the end, sometimes in other forms.


Blog Popularity: Seeing Beyond the Numbers

Jun 26, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Editorial | No replies

Many blogs appear to very popular and they have the numbers to prove it. They have thousands of followers, commenters, social network friends, and just about everything that matters in the online popularity contest. Do blog owners of sites that don’t have these numbers hang their heads in shame or do they move forward and see a goal beyond the numbers?

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Strength in Numbers

The appearance of support in numbers tend to lend strength and credibility to a site. By common interpretation, the higher the number, the greater the strength. This brings us now to the question of whether big numbers actually translate to quality blogs. Unfortunately, this is not so.

Many sites are able to muster the numbers by the strength of social interaction which is actually not a bad thing. Convincing other people or sites to like a post or subscribe to the blog is not easy. It is not uncommon however for reciprocal agreements to exist between people that will enable each one to accumulate a considerable following.

Measuring Quality

Blog owners are always advised to provide quality content in their blogs to obtain high ranking. Many are discouraged when they see sites ranking so well without the said quality content. Some will turn to strategies that they think will provide their desired ranking.

In every aspect of life, quality is usually attained in the course of time. Nothing can be hurried or artificially expedited. This is also true with blog development.

Maintaining Quality

Blog owners will just have to believe that quality blogs will be recognized in time. Once they give up on this idea, they will settle for mediocrity and seek comfort in the strength of numbers. It is true that algorithms of search engines sometimes fail to distinguish between quality and poor sites, sometimes ending up rewarding the latter instead of the former.

This can be very discouraging for those who seek to abide by the standard of quality. For what does one do with quality if it continues to be ranked much lower and remain anonymous to the searching public? They will just have to be contented with the fact that continued updates of search engines seek to find them. In the same way that high ranking is not always synonymous to quality, low ranking is also not always synonymous to lack of quality. Legitimate site owners will just have to believe that quality will outlive numbers.

About the Author:

Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information to offer to her readers. She currently maintains four personal blogs.


The Driving Force Behind Media and Technology Users

Apr 11, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Editorial | No replies

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There is a driving force behind every media and technology user. One force that has risen to extraordinary heights is the blog. It ventured where no other form of media has dared entered and made its mark as a writing form that will not be ignored.

What Drives You?

Media has traditionally been a driving force in people’s action. With the advent of new and innovative technology, these two have been jointly breaking grounds to make the user experience more productive and positive. Media in all its forms has recognized that they cannot afford to be left behind in terms of technological development both in presentation and operation.

A lot of companies have discovered the wealth of opportunities that lie in keeping up with current trends. In the online world, there is probably no trend or development yet that has surpassed the rise of the blogs in creating authority and driving audience action.  A good example of this is the Media and Technology Blogging Scholarship Contest by Direct2TV. Clearly, blogging has been recognized as an effective means to attain objectives. It is made more relevant when the blogging platform is used to create awareness of opportunities and possibilities.

The Power of Blogs

Blogs have been acknowledged as one of the more potent means of wielding influence.  Before this can happen though, blogs have to establish relevance, credibility, and quality. Once these are established however, everything usually falls into place.

Power does not come overnight.  It comes with much hard work and determination. It comes only to those that deserve it.

To create a powerful blog, owners must be able to adapt their blogs to the innovations happening simultaneously in all media and technology fronts. Blogs are not meant to be created and then left behind to fend for themselves. They are nurtured, managed, and optimized for better results.

Interacting with Technology and Society

Blogging is said to be the ultimate means of interacting with technology and society. The challenges it presents are not merely limited to the technical side but also in creating a positive interaction with humans who make up the audience of a blog. This makes blogging unique from all other forms of interaction.

Technology has become a necessary element of human everyday life. Its use is something that cannot be escaped from. Rather than avoiding it, users will do well to harness the use of technology specifically in promoting human interaction.


What Your Blog Traffic Says About Your Site

Mar 31, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Marketing | No replies

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When we speak of blog traffic, we refer to readers and visitors to our blogs.  Is any kind of traffic good for a blog or is there some kind of traffic that can actually work against it.  Have you ever thought of what kind of traffic you are attracting?

What is Blog Traffic?

The simplest definition of blog traffic is the number of visitors a site gets which can be measured for a particular period of time. However, it is not merely information on number that is being offered here but the general profile of what kind of visitors seek or find the site as well as the frequency in which it happens.  Traffic is what every site or blog needs to survive online. Without it, the site or blog is good as non-existent.

Kinds of Traffic

1. Organic Traffic

Organic traffic is the kind of traffic obtained from search engine results.  The higher the ranking of sites or posts in these results, the more probability there is for such sites or posts to be found.  This is a highly desirable kind of traffic since it shows that both the search engine and the user think that the site is able to provide relevant content.  This means that an individual is looking for a specific information and found the site after typing in the keyword and was presented as one of the possible and nearest choices. The searcher will determine the relevance of the site depending on its offered content.

2. Viral Traffic 

Viral traffic is the kind of traffic that is introduced, triggered, and moved by the use of various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Stumble, and Google Plus, among others.  The idea about the site is not obtained from any regular search results but rather from actively participating and promoting the site over social media.  The limitation in this is that sites or posts going viral is not assured since only a very few offer content that is automatically passed on to others without prior request.  This is sometimes referred to as referral traffic.

3.  Paid Traffic

It is just as it name implies.  Traffic may come from paying for advertisements to be placed on other sites.  Success would largely depend on advertising on the right niche as ads irrelevant to a specific audience may not serve the desired purpose.

The kind of traffic  a site gets will provide a clue on what has to be addressed on a particular site.  It would be best to understand its relevance.

Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information.

Image: ruthalade.com


What Would it be Like Without Social Media?

Mar 1, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Social Media | No replies

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What would it be like without social media?  What kind of life would people be leading if there was no such thing to be part of daily living of humans?  Will we be better off or find ways to have them anyway?

Imagine a life that is led in a rather old-fashioned way where they may be computers but no such option as using them for social interaction and networking.  Imagine computers without Internet connection and merely as a modern version of typewriters.  Imagine computers as purely an office equipment, an iPhone only a stylized version of a landline phone, and no other gadgets with Internet capability has ever been invented yet.  Will the term “social media” have a different meaning from that which we know of now?

With all the human preoccupation with online networking where humans are not the only ones connected but groups, business entities, and sites, it is almost impossible to think of how socialization will occur without it.  We must however remember that people have survived before without it.  There might be a big difference though with people who have never experienced it and those who have experienced it and are forced to scale down.  After all, how can something be missed if there is no prior experience about it.

Without social media, humans will definitely find some other way to do something similar.  The advantages people experience today because of technological advancement are quite many. One has to step back once in a while though to appreciate what we have.

About the Author:

Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information.

Image: mojocreator.com


Can You Find Your Business Online?

Jan 31, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Social Media | No replies

Businesses that cannot find themselves online should make a long, hard look at what they are doing wrong.   If there are efforts being done to create online presence, it is safe to presume that the efforts are not enough to be of real value to the business.  This should encourage more positive and aggressive action so that the situation is corrected the soonest possible time.

Have you tried “googling” you own blog?  Did you find it through the keywords you thought your blog should be associated with or is it nowhere in sight?  What does finding it or not finding it mean to your blog?

If you find your blog where you want it, then you are probably doing something right.  It takes some serious optimizing to be found on top search results of desired keywords.  It doesn’t happen overnight and it sure doesn’t happen by accident.  It takes careful study to determine the keywords that really count for a particular blog.  Not every popular keyword is suitable for a blog.  It might be more beneficial to concentrate on fewer but targeted keywords rather than try to rank on so many and ending up with no real strength in any keyword.

Another way to  make sure that your blog gets to be found is to actively participate in different social media platforms.  The more socially visible a site is, the more interests are generated, and the easier it is to find your blog.  You will have to exert effort to make your blog visible by interacting online, providing killer posts, and showing ways that will lead to you blog.

The main goal in creating effective online presence is to ensure that your desired market finds you and fast.  If you yourself who know the keyword you used cannot find your blog, there is really something very wrong in your optimizing approach.  Take the time to determine where you can still improve on and do it.

Image: getentrepreneurial

About the Author:

Teresa is a professional researcher-writer on a wide range of topics.


The Blogging Entrepreneur

Jan 26, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
Entrepreneurship | No replies

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When one is an entrepreneur, he or she is bound to find ways to further a business operation in additional forms.  The modern way of doing business has made it necessary for business owners to enter the online foray in the name of competition and better exposure.  As push comes to shove, the birth of a new entrepreneur came through the blogging entrepreneur.

A blogging entrepreneur is essentially a business owner who incorporates a blog into his/her website and handles the task of providing relevant information to their customers through the blog format.  This requires the entrepreneur to provide posts at regular intervals to provide greater value to customers in terms of information.

Blogging provides a way for entrepreneurs to establish authority in the industry where his business is categorized.  By providing personal and first-hand knowledge of the product and services being offered, customers can be convinced that the business is owned and headed by a person who really knows what he is talking about.  Entrepreneurs who wish to blog however should not fall into the trap of copying or rewriting the contents of competitors since this fraud can become evident.

Business owners can opt to hire writers instead to handle the company blog.  Being the owner however, he should be able to suitably explain to the assigned writers in what direction he wishes to bring the blog.  Owners may not be gifted in writing but he must be sure to have a clear idea of what to do with the business.  There are some work that can be delegated and paid for but some like providing the overall company vision, should come from him to serve as guide to all employees.


Riding the Bandwagon of Controversial Topics

Jan 2, 2013
By Teresa Martinez
General | No replies

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One of the easiest ways readers can determine that a topic has gone viral is the number of blog posts from different writers dealing with the subject.  Many bloggers are being criticized for swiftly riding on the bandwagon of controversial issues even without sufficient information to make an unbiased article.  The golden rule about blogging on controversial topic is not to blog unless the blogger has something relevant to add to the issue.

Bloggers should also take care to choose controversial topics that can logically be found in their blog.   An out-of-topic controversial issue placed in a blog simply screams attention.  Some regular readers may interpret this as a desperate move to get added traffic and can actually get turned off by the intended over-sell.  Loyal readers appreciate bloggers who remain true to their subject area since they know where to find what they are looking for.  Inclusion of topics that are clearly out-of-topic just to gain traffic can be seen as misleading by some readers.

Once a topic’s connection is established, the next thing to consider is whether or not the blogger has something different to say about the issue.  Merely echoing what has been said over and over again by others may not exactly be an interesting or exciting post except for those personally interested on which side the blogger will take.

Bloggers need to be aware that controversial issues stir different emotions in people.  It is best therefore to take a side without being too over-critical of the other side lest you end up alienating many readers.  There is an art of taking side without antagonizing a person with different views.


Blog Hosting

Dec 31, 2012
By Teresa Martinez
General | No replies

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Choosing a blog host cannot be done simply by looking at a list of providers.  Since this is a service that will be used by the blog for some time, it is best to make sure that the services being offered is compatible with the kind of services required.  The blog owner and the blog host will be inconstant communication all throughout the agreement.

Hosting is something every blog needs to be operational.  There are many professional web hosts offering their services and it can be very difficult to determine which one work best.  This is especially so since reviews will tend to reveal that there is no such thing as a perfect blog host.

Each service provider will have its respective strengths and weaknesses.  What works for one will not necessarily be the best option for another.  It really depends on the purpose of the owner of the blog.

It would greatly matter if the blogger intends to make his/her blog merely as a personal record or diary of his/her thoughts and activities.  A different blog platform will be required by those intending to use their blogs for any earning purpose.  The choice will also depend on the technical capability of the blogger since more freedom in customizing usually requires more technical knowledge as compared to the option of always opting for ready-made templates.

Without going to specifics, there are at least three things that have to be considered before making the final choice for a blog host.  These include bandwidth, pricing, and uptime.  Comparison between and among blog hosts will surely result to some degree of confusion.  However, a blog host that is able to provide respectable service in these three areas is a safe choice.

Bandwidth is important because it should be able to accommodate the huge number of visits which a blogger is aiming for.  Pricing is likewise important since blog owners would like to have the advantage of getting the best value for their money in relation to offered services.  The importance of uptime is no longer questioned since no reader will have unlimited patience to repeatedly access blogs that seems to be always down.


Launching a Blog

Oct 31, 2012
By Teresa Martinez
General | No replies

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One of the primary issues when launching a new blog is what it should contain at the time of announcement to the public that there is such a blog to look out for.   Is it acceptable to be ready with one post only?  Is there anything else that should be found at once on the blog?

For purposes of introducing a blog, it is always important to know who the blogger is and what exactly is being offered to the online reading public.  With the expected minimal content of a newly-launched blog, it will be hard to gauge a blog’s offering without the necessary background from the blogger.  Proper introduction shows respect to the online audience who will have no other way of getting the information.

A sensibly written “ABOUT” page usually does the trick.  It is up to the blogger if he wishes to expound on his credentials if he thinks that it is relevant to the blog.  Of course, all the other necessities that would allow readers to navigate the blog with ease must be in place.

As to the matter of how many blog posts should be in place at the time of launching, there is no exact number for this.  A niche blog that will have only one main category to tackle throughout the lifetime of a blog can start with a single yet impressive introductory post to get the reader’s attention.  More is actually preferred so the readers can have a better understanding of what is to be expected from the blog.  Blogs that offer several categories however are advised to have one post for each category ready at the time of launching.  Clicking on a category without any content is not exactly a positive experience for new readers


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