Looking to Design Your Own Site? Thesis Theme For WordPress
December 19, 2008
One of the most important parts of developing any website is making sure you have the right platform and the right looking template. In my own experience it can save a lot of headaches down the road. Right now, I personally feel that WordPress is not just a blogging platform but with the right theme, you can build a news website, a photo gallery, and even host forums on the WordPress platform.
Not too long ago there have been some updates to the Thesis Theme, bring us version 1.3. Not only is it a clean cut looking template but it is highly customizable which is probably the most important factor of getting your website to look the way you wanted it. Now this didn’t happen by accident. Work has gone into this theme with people like us in mind.
First, Thesis now boasts a completely modularized HTML markup structure, and this makes the theme much more agile and flexible than it was before. As a result, Thesis now has the ability to render more layouts than ever, including a 3-column layout where the content is in the middle. In all, there are 6 different columnar arrangement possibilities between the 1, 2, and 3 column layouts.
Here is a screenshot of a customized Thesis Theme:
WordPress 2.7, A New Beginning
December 16, 2008
Over the last few days I have been spending time upgrading blogs to the latest version of WordPress. The 2.7 version is a major upgrade and has quite a few people in awe. Not only does the newest version have a different look in the Administrative panel but there are many new features. Apparently 150 different people contributed to new coding and the over all development of this version. So what’s the hype? If you have been using WordPress for blogging for the last year or more then the hype is obvious.
Let’s just say when I upgraded my first blog and logged in I went “yikes….” I literally was thinking “Oh brother, what a mess!” Within 10 minutes of clicking through it began to really grow on me. By the end of the day and about 20 upgrades later I was really liking it.
Normally to navigate through the WordPress dashboard (control panel), all your options are displayed in tabs along the top in a horizontal fashion. When you clicked on any of those options a set of sub-options would display. In this new 2.7 version all your options are displayed vertically down the left side. You have your main options and clicking on any of those will allow more sub-options to accordian down. You can minimize or maximize these sub-options as you wish.
As you can see in the above image I grabbed from my screen, all the options are on the left. I clicked on the top left option to display more options so you can see it. Also in the second image you can see it right up close. It has a nice feel to the controls and it is easier on the eyes with a soothing light gray hue.
One of the more drastic changes you will notice is the layout of the dashboard. You actually have the ability to rearrange information and tables in order to keep what is most important to you at the top and in the forefront. You do this by checking and un-ckecking a few options. You can’t miss the QuickPress feature where you can add a new article and either publish or save it right on the main dashboard page without having to click on “Add New” under the Posts option. I can see immediately from the developments of this version that the intention was to make it very quick and easy for bloggers to get in, navigate, and get out quickly and efficiently.
It can be a bit overwhelming to new bloggers or those who are simply new to the platform. Even I was a bit taken back from it, but the key is spending time clicking through all the links and options and see what’s available. You will quickly learn to really enjoy it and, in fact, I am excited to see what they have planned for new features in the coming months…
Click here to download WordPress 2.7
There is a more in-depth articles about 2.7 if you are interested to learn more about its features. I found the following article helpful for myself when I was browsing for more information.
Please let me know what you think of the new version…
Appearance May Not Make You, But it Can Break You
December 10, 2008
Let’s pretend for a minute you have a job interview today. It’s one of the biggest career moves you could possibly make in your early adult life. You had gone out a few days ago and bought a nice business suit, new shoes to match, and got a nice haircut while you were at it. The big day finally came and you go to put on your new suit and realize somehow there is a stain right on the front part of the shirt. It is too big for your tie to cover it but you dress in it anyway and head off to the interview.
Now studies show that you can be judged by the interviewer on the appearances like this. Your qualifications may be above the grade, and you may show ambition with a great sense of accomplishment coupled with a good sense of humor, but that stain just rubbed him the wrong way. Now if the stain was not there it may not have improved you interview but having the stain there sure caused enough irritation that the interviewer may have felt something was a bit “off”.
Relate this to the appearance of your blog. Having a good looking blog won’t make you successful. All the qualities that make up a good blogger will make you successful like: networking, writing good content, keeping the blog current and up to date, relating to your readers, and so forth. But if the appearance of your blog is too distracting, or is just a bad looking theme, it can cause readers to feel unpleasant. It should be a fairly pleasant experience to come check in on your blog.
So what are some of the top most annoying things about a blog that could cause problems?
I will list a few but I would like you guys to list at least one by replying. But how about when the there are so many Google Ads you can’t find the content? Or how about when the theme is too dark and you can’t read the text? I have read blogs where it is so dark and the text looks like it is trying to hypnotize me while I am reading. Shouldn’t a blog be fresh and clean… easy to read?
What else? Ideas anyone?
Have a Website? Own a Blog? Want to Make More Money? Use LinkXL and Rent Your Words
December 9, 2008
Another program I have been experimenting with is LinkXL. How the program works is quite simple. Let’s imagine you have a blog using the WordPress platform. You register at the LinkXL site and then list your domain. You install a simple WordPress plugin which takes about 3 seconds. From there they send out spiders to crawl your blog on a regular basis and it reads all your words across all your pages. Then advertisers come along and look for keywords in your content to buy. Unlike InfoLinks, those keywords look like a natural link. InfoLinks is known for it’s double underlined hyper-links and when you hover over the link a little bubble pops up displaying information. LinkXL has nothing fancy other than advertisers are buying words and linking them to their site.
The program is not based on clicks either. People buy those keywords from your content for a set price each month. I am still experimenting and getting some of my websites all set up with the program so I will need to update you on results later on. I can assure you the sign up process is real simple. I also had a few questions and opened a ticket for support. Surprisingly I heard a response within a few hours. Then after the initial response we exchanged many emails within a couple of hours while he answered my questions. It’s difficult to find affiliate programs out there with support having a response time of less than 3 business days.
So try them out and see how well it works and let me know. I would be interested to know if you had any success with them. Click here to go and get your account.
Keeping Blog Posts Short, Sweet, and to the Point
December 6, 2008
One of the first things we all should take note of is that the average reader doesn’t believe they have a lot of time while on the Internet. Most readers browse and scan pages until something catches their eye. Once the reader determines they might be interested in the content, they slow down and begin reading more in depth. The average reader does not have time to read long posts. If they glance down and notice it will take them 10 minutes to read the article, more than likely they will leave even if their intentions are to come back and read it later. Most never come back to finish. There is just too much information out there on the Internet.
The key is to break longer posts into several, and then linking them together. If they read the first post and got through it, they will more than likely click over to the next post. Keep articles under 5 minutes. Present the article so it is easy on the eyes. I tend to read articles that are broken up nicely into short paragraphs with bold words emphasizing an issue. You could have the same text but in one long paragraph. Break it up into nice looking paragraphs.
Blogging is different than writing articles for a magazine. I remember when I first started blogging, and my goal was for lengthy articles. Soon you realize it isn’t the length of the article but rather saying the exact same thing but in half the article. Choosing your words better, and getting to the point immediately with little character development leads to better blog posts.
The first paragraph is the most important. That first paragraph will be the determining factor whether or not the reader will continue. One of the biggest mistakes bloggers make is trying to lure readers in with suspense, as if you are writing a novel. Instead you should lure your reader in with facts on your topic. Whatever your article is about should be pretty much summed up in the first paragraph. From there on out, diving in and getting more specific will be important.
Spend some time reading top news articles online. Hit some of the biggest news sites and read through their articles. First and foremost, the title is descriptive. There is never any question what the article is about from reading the title. Then the first paragraph is a quick summary of all the important facts. Then the rest of the article dives into more detail. Go check it out. The reason they do that is because they know what hooks the readers and draws them in. Try following these simple procedures when writing and I think you will begin to see a big difference in readership.
But as far as short or long posts, the best thing to do is mix it up. There is nothing wrong with winded articles as long as people are reading them. When people are not reading them, then it might be worth shortening your articles a bit or splitting longer articles up into several.
But the debate goes on… and on… and on… and on… and on…
You be the judge!
Secrets to Making a Six Figure Income from Blogging
December 3, 2008
One of my all time favorite bloggers on the Internet today is Darren Rowse of Pro Blogger. Darren, from Australia, has many blogs with various topics and had begun making 6 figures while doing it. Now, I am sure a lot of you know who Darren is, but for those who don’t, should spend some time reading his material. He is honest and at the same time inspiring. You soon learn it’s possible to make money from writing blogs, but like anything, it takes time and dedication… and lot’s of hard work.
Darren is also one of the founders of the largest blog networks on the Internet today… b5media.
Well, Darren a while back, unleashed his secrets onto the average blogger in a book called ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income
For those of you out there who are looking to monetize your blog may want to swing by Amazon and pick this up…
Review
“Both authors are successful and profitable probloggers and here they reveal at last some of their secrets.” (The Bookseller, Friday 14th March 2008) “You’ll learn about the essential steps involved…if you think blogging could be the business opportunity for you – buy it!” BusinessOpportunitiesAndldeas.co.uk Monday 19 May 2008 “You’ll learn about the essential steps involved…if you think blogging could be the business opportunity for you – buy it!”BusinessOpportunitiesAndldeas Monday 19 May 2008
Product Description
Problogger.net is where bloggers worldwide go for advice and information on enhancing their blogs presence. Whether youre just starting out or have been blogging for years, these two professional bloggers show you how to turn your passion for blogging into extra revenue. This practical guide to creating and marketing a blog with the potential for generating a six-figure income shows you how to choose subject matter that works for you, handle technical issues, and evaluate your blogs success so that you can use your blog to generate income indirectly.
Blueprint for Starting a New Blog
December 2, 2008
If you surf the Internet long and hard you will find many articles with tips on how to start a new blog. Successful bloggers always provide tips because they know it is not an easy thing to do to maintain a well organized and insightful blog. Of course it takes commitment and a lot of drive, but if you begin reading all the tips out there it can become very overwhelming.
Sometimes it’s better to sit back and keep things a bit simple and follow some of the basic formulas in order to move in the right direction.
A new Adventure Network I have been in contact with and is actually in partnership with Skinny Moose Media, wrote a nice article on their main blog called, “What is Important When Starting a New Blog?” The article focuses on a few major facets to blogging that is extremely important in the early stages of a blog’s development.
The article breaks these down into 4 stages:
1) Have A Plan
2) Reach Out
3) Tip Off
4) Social Networking
