Sep 10, 2012 |
Recently, I’ve been asked for my Blog Button. I realized I didn’t have one. How terrible! A Blog Button is a Brand. It’s a digital calling card. It lets people know who you are and how to find you. It’s like having a Blog on speed dial.
Some Buttons are more detailed than others. Some are simple. But all are recognizable. I began scouting around for a photo or image I could use. Because Buttons are small in size in order to fit on a Blog’s sidebar (that column to the left or right of your main articles), I wanted something a little simple yet descriptive.
It took a little time, but I think I’ve captured the essence of who I am, and what my Blog is.
Anyone who wants to share my blog just needs to copy the coding text in the box under the photo, and post it to their own Blog! Their link will have just the photo, not the coding. How’s that for advertising?!
Now for the How-To’s. It’s really not at all as difficult as I thought it would be. In fact, I’m not a computer geek AT ALL (well, maybe just a little), so for me to be able to do this by my own research… that should definitely tell you this is easy-peasy!
1. Choose your image. Make sure you have the rights to the photo, or have paid for licensing (my Button image came from Shutterstock, I added the personal photo and all text). Save it to your computer desktop. Even if you have it in your digital photos, I recommend saving a second copy to manipulate without fear of losing the original.
2. Find an online photo editing service. I like Photobucket. It’s free. It’s easy. It allows for creative editing and photo correcting. Create an account if you haven’t already, and upload your image to your online album for editing. Be sure to save when you’re finished. [You can also edit the photo on your computer if you have Photoshop or PowerPoint. Upload the finished image to your online photo album.]
3. Open the image online and make sure it looks like you want it to. THIS PART IS REALLY IMPORTANT! Make sure to save your image to a small size. Buttons are typically 150 x 150 pixels. Most sidebars allow for 200 pixels so you definitely don’t want anything wider than that or it won’t fit. Resize your finished image, and save it to your online album.
4. Open the image again. You’ll see a box list of coding. Select the “HTML code” and copy the entire code. Paste it into a Word Document. [In the image below, this is identified as “Original Coding’].
5. Between the first two quotation marks (“), delete the link and replace it with your Blog home address. Otherwise, it will link back to your online photo only. [In the image below, It’s highlighted as “YOUR_BLOG_HOME_HERE” for your example.]
6. Directly underneath all this code, you’ll want to add the Additional Coding. [In order for you to visibly see it, I had to post it as a photo image. Otherwise, it would act as code, which isn’t helpful for learning.]
7. Where the red link and highlights read “ENTIRE_ABOVE_CODING_HERE”, delete whatever is between the two quotation marks (“) and replace it with the ENTIRE original coding. Make sure the two coding sections are right on top of each other. [See the last section in the image above: “END CODING should look similar to this:”
8. I recommend saving this coding in a Word document for future reference. You can use it as a template for making more badges and buttons for your Blog.
9. To add the Button to your Blog: add the text in HTML format for either a Post or a Widget, and save.
10. If you add it as a Blog Post in HTML, do NOT revert to “visual” post editing before saving. This will invalidate some of the HTML and you’ll have to re-add the coding to make it work.
That’s it! I hope this keeps you from experiencing the headaches I had when trying to find this information. Please let me know if this helped you or if you had problems with my instructions.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Sep 8, 2012
As some of you know, I’ve recently been writing reviews for Trekaroo. I love finding little and big places to review. My mental checklist lights up like a neon sign everywhere I go:
Is it family friendly? How expensive is it? What’s the average age range? Is it clean/fun/educational?
I also love reading reviews from other people. Whether it’s a 140-character Tweet or a hundred-page historical guide, I love reading reviews and viewing photos about travel.
So I thought, wouldn’t it be fun to host a link-up where others can share their travel experiences for all to see?
I’m not trying to step on anyone’s toes (Trekaroo!), but I know Larissa has some great posts about Brazil. And Kate and Mary and others have experienced some wonderful moments in Toronto. Tina lived in my beloved NYC. So why not share?
Are you looking to travel somewhere? Do you have a Pinterest board set up for inspiration? Does your social media always include suggestions of far away places? Or do you prefer the happy solitude of your own backyard? By all means, share and share alike! If you’ve ever blogged about travels and vacations, link your posts up here!
The more the merrier: you never know who you might inspire to travel to your corner of the world… and beyond!
[Please note: “Destination Station! at Frankly, My Dear…” requires a backlink for all posts. This helps us avoid spam and other unsavory content. Thanks for understanding!]
Sep 5, 2012 |
A few years ago, I had some friends suggest I start a blog. “A what?” I asked. I was certain they’d lost their minds. To me, a blog was nothing more than a digital diary. A public digital diary. Why would I want to spill my guts to a bunch of strangers?
I had a mental image of a Blogger as being someone who drank Starbuck’s all day and jotted down notes about things they wanted to (but not necessarily should) share with the World at Large. Someone who had nothing better to do with their time than write instead of work. Boy, was I so very wrong!
If you’ve been around Frankly, My Dear… for any length of time, you know that turning into a “Professional Blogger” was not my initial intention. I merely wanted to expound my writing skills while also sharing my social forays.
And then I discovered the difference between keeping an online diary and writing a Blog. The behind-the-scenes work that it takes to put together a Blog is remarkable. And the great ones make it seem so effortless. It’s like putting on a stage-play with each post. Do the characters (story elements) shadow or compliment each other? Is the set (website) designed to help or hinder the performance? Are there too many distractions, or not enough decorations?
Blogging, I discovered, is so much more than words.
As time went on, I found myself growing and changing along with my Blog. I found what worked for me (and what didn’t), what stories I wanted to tell, and what you wanted to read. It may not seem like it, but I strive hard to not be categorized as a Foodie Blog or a Mommy Blog. Frankly, My Dear… is so much more than that.
Just as you have many facets that sparkle and shine, so does a well-written Blog.
I also found myself craving the acceptance and recognition I get when reading comments from people I’ve never met. And what a feeling to read other blog posts I can relate to. Blogging is a wonderful community!
I follow other Blogs and seek advice from Bloggers. I discovered that discovery is part of the process. To learn, ask, inquire, seek, research, and hunt for the path that would get me from here to There. I’m still learning how to build a better blog. And I’m learning that it’s a whole lot more than just good writing.
The blogs I first had for reference were those from people who vented online. Bad grammar. bad spelling. Bad stories. It was all just very… bad. There were also those who told cute stories about their cute kids and had cute backgrounds. It was all just very… cute.
But I’m a serious writer, I argued. Blogging isn’t writing. It’s… well, it’s just blogging. That’s right. I said it.
Just. Blogging.
And I’m sorry. Because there is such a difference between writing a blog and Writing a Blog. The more I wanted to know about writing a good blog, the more I read other blogs. And I found some amazingly helpful ideas. I also saw what not to do.
First, find a niche. Some blogs are about one thing: Cooking. Automobiles. Crafts. Felines. Some are about life. Life with kids. Life with a Significant Other. Life Without a Significant Other. Still others (my favorite kind, of course!) incorporate a little bit of everything.
As long as the writings are coherent and connect to other posts, I think any number of categories works. Of course, disjointed posts and ten thousand themes in one year can make it difficult to follow. I try to keep it simple but real. I don’t expect every one of my friends to like every aspect about me. Neither do I expect every one of my readers to like every post I write. It’s the overall appreciation, the intrinsic value of all parts combined, that keep us together.
Add photographs. The bigger the better, but try to keep them similar in size. If you’re a blogger, invest in a good digital camera. You’ll be oh-so-glad you did. I know several bloggers that post copyrighted materials. Even though media sites such as YouTube and Pinterest gives us access to review someone else’s work, I personally stay away from putting it on Frankly, My Dear… unless I know it’s absolutely approved. Just as I would hate for someone to put all my photos on their blog without compensation, I don’t want to take advantage of others’ hard work (and copyrights!).
Comment. Find other blogs you like, and comment on them. If someone leaves a comment on your blog, reciprocate! The Blogging Community thrives on recognition. Promote other blogs. Ask for help with your own promotions. When a blog you like links up to a third blog, check it out! I’ve found several great blogs this way; and made some fantastic blog friends.
Don’t be afraid of social media. Sign up! Link up! I have Facebook, twitter, StumbleUpon, and Pinterest. So do many of my blog friends. We cross-promote and help each other out. If your blog is just for yourself and close friends, numbers aren’t too significant. But if you’re looking to get recognized and earn some corporate sponsors… well, the keyword here is earn. You have to work at promoting your blog. And ask your friends and fellow bloggers to help you out.
Don’t be afraid. Reach out! I am a big fan of asking questions. When I see a feature on a blog that I admire, I find a way to contact the blogger. Whether it’s an email, Facebook post, or direct message through twitter, I reach out. I ask, how did they do this? Who do I contact? What do you recommend? And most of the time, they reach back. They, too, know the importance of interacting.
But it’s still so much more than that. I spend several hours each week reading other blogs and leaving comments. I send emails to people and entities that I want to partner with. I’m on my social media sites throughout every day.
I’m just now learning what attracts sponsors and what doesn’t. How certain layouts can actually turn readers away from a Blog. Why sometimes short is better. What makes a good post. How to take a good photograph.
I didn’t come by this knowledge on my own. I sought it out, certainly. I googled my questions and read article upon article, blog upon blog. But without mentors and fellow bloggers, I’d still be in Bloggy Kindergarten. I’m so thankful to be striving for Blog recognition, and to have so many wonderful tutors.
Just as a diamond is made from coal, which is made from elements pressed so very tightly together into something so remarkably beautiful, so are individual people. And so are the blogs they write.
So you see, blogging really can be a business. At least, it should certainly be treated as one. The next time you read a blog post, I hope you notice the little details. But if you don’t that’s okay, too. Because sometimes, we writers only want you to read. And leave the behind-the-scenes stuff to us.
I invite you to click on the following blogs. They never cease to inspire me, and I hope they’ll do the same for you.
Jenn at …so this is love…
Ann at Doodles and Jots
Larissa at Papa is a Preacher
Winnie at Winnie’s Inky Fingers
Sylvia at Living and Homeschooling With a New Normal
Kathy at Bereaved and Blessed
Margaret Christine at From Maggie’s Farm
Shell at Things I Can’t Say
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Aug 21, 2012 |
I don’t have as many blog followers as I strive for. It makes it a little hard to get sponsors for giveaways and such. But I keep at it. And little by little, great things are coming my way.
Nearly every day, I can count on comments from a core group of supporters. And nearly every day, I can count on spam comments urging me to sign up for the Quick and Easy Way to get followers. “Over 1,000 followers each day!” “It really works!” These spam messages tell me I’m not doing as well as I could be in my ratings. That I’m hard to find on google. That they know the answer.
But here’s the thing. Their answer is wrong. For me, anyway. Because followers isn’t the same as followers. And having a thousand readers because I filled out some form isn’t the same as having two hundred readers because they like what I write.
So here’s my promise to you: I won’t ever compromise just for ratings. Of course I’d love to write That Post that garners attention. That brings sponsors to my page and readers to my doorstep. But I refuse to join a club or write fluff to get me there. I write, because it’s what I do best. I write because without words, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.
I’d rather be rated on my merit than on some sign-up program. Sure, I don’t show up on google immediately. I’m okay with that. And so far my giveaway participants don’t number in the hundreds. But isn’t the lower competition better for you?
And if my authentic writing gives me a small group of authentic readers, I’d rather that than sell out to a large system that doesn’t really care. I’m not saying I’d turn my back on advertising and sponsorships. Heck, no! I’m saying, I want those companies to have faith in me. I want them to say, yeah. I know what I’m doing. And I want my ratings to improve authentically.
This is where you come in: If you like reading Frankly, My Dear…, would you tell your family and friends? A lot of great things are starting to happen and you don’t want them to miss out, do you?
- The Unemployment Cookbook (2nd Edition)
- Holiday-themed Giveaways, and plenty of them!
- Updates on my writing projects
- Shared stories from other bloggers
Did I mention corporate sponsorships? I’m hoping to partner again with Aroma Housewares for another Rice Cooker. I’m currently reviewing Scharffen Berger’s new Artisan chocolate bars.
And yes, other companies are noticing me. Thanks to your responses so far, I’m getting noticed.
So it’s not like winning the Lottery all at once. It’s more like earning it, one drop in the bucket at a time.
And I’m okay with that. Because that’s how This (Real) Girl rolls.
Share the word, would ya? Thanks.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Aug 9, 2012 |
Yup. I had an interview. A real, in-person, we-think-you-could-benefit-our-business job interview today. [I also had a call to join an insurance team about an hour’s drive from home and work for commission only… had to turn that one down. Darn.]
I had been referred to today’s Real Interviewer through mutual contacts. A year ago, I wouldn’t have considered it: part-time. Small office.
And today, it felt like a perfect fit. Because it’s a nice atmosphere. Because they’ve been in business for over a decade and are still growing. Because any job is better than no job. Because a pay check is still a paycheck. And because every little bit helps.
Whether or not I get the job, I’m glad I went to the interview, which was more of an informal get-to-know-you meeting. Mostly because I don’t get out much these days. Also because it was nice to see new faces. I love meeting people!
The office manager was encouraging. She was excited about the marketing/advertising background I naturally come by on my resume, through my blog and just because I’m a naturally chatty person (go figure!).
But the absolute best moment of this meeting was when she said, “I heard you’re a great writer and want to make sure this job wouldn’t get in the way of those goals.”
Uhm…. NO. I will gladly work for you part time until it turns into full time, and in the meantime I will continue to write and blog and write and cook and write and review and write. You’ll just be helping to pay the bills until the write check comes along.
But thanks for asking.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
