Blog Marketing

How to Write Your First Ebook (Part 2)

By Greg on January 4th, 2012 No Comments

(Click here to read Part 1)

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CHOOSE YOUR PUBLISHING FORMAT

Second only to choosing your topic, choosing the correct file format for you ebook is critical.  Each format has some limitations, so you need to have an idea of what you want your end product to look like before choosing your publishing format.  For example, some format types can read only on specific hand-held devices.  Others limit what type of add-ons you can include with your ebook (such as videos and images).  And still others limit you to only publishing straight text.  To determine which is right for you, let’s start by discussing one feature that you will not need in this exercise.

DRM, or Digital Rights Management, is a technology designed to protect the intellectual property of digital media following sale.  In other words, it’s a way for the creator to defend the end-user from using their work in a way other than intended.  Since the purpose of this ebook is to offer it for free as a way to draw attention to your website, we will not be using DRM at this time.  (For additional information on DRM, consider reading “How Digital Rights Management Works” on howstuffworks.com.)

There are plenty of publishing formats available for you to choose from, but I am going to narrow the list down to a handful based upon the range of features you can include with your ebook and the various platforms that support them.

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The following is a comparisson of the popular ebook formats vs popular ebook features.

EPUB Kindle PDF Mobipocket HTML Plain Text
Image support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Table support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Sound support Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Interactivity support Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Word wrap support Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Bookmarking Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Video support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Embedded annotation support Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

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The following is a comparisson of the popular ebook formats vs popular ebook reading platforms.

EPUB Kindle PDF Mobipocket HTML Plain Text
Kindle No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Kindle Fire Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Android Devices Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Apple iOS Devices Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Nook Yes No Yes No Yes Yes
Mac OS Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Windows Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
SONY Reader Yes No Yes No No Yes

(For further comparisons of ebook formats, consider reading “Comparison of e-book formats” on Wikipedia.com.)

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EPUB:  EPUB has quickly become the new format standard for electronic publishing.  It works on almost all main digital readers, with the exception of the earlier Kindle devices.  Also, it supports all the main features desired in creating a new ebook (video is supported under EPUB version 3).

Kindle:  The Amazon Kindle is the leader of the e-reader industry, and a lot of that has to deal with the format of the content that displays on the device.  The Kindle ebook format supports all the main desired features for content, but it is limited to the platforms that it can read the files.  Obviously, it works on all Kindle platforms, and can now be read on Android devices (the Kindle Fire is an Android-based platform).

PDF:  Adobe’s PDF file format has been popular for over a decade since it provides a clean page-formatted document that can be read on virtually any major platform.  With ebooks, the only major platform that cannot view a PDF file is the original Amazon Kindle.  The one drawback is since PDF files display completed pages, it doesn’t offer the word-wrap feature that the EPUB and Kindle formats do.

Mobipocket:  Mobipocket was purchased by Amazon back in 2005, and was the foundation for the Kindle ebook format.  As a result, Mobipocket files can be read on all the devices that the Kindle format works on, in addition to a handful of other minor ebook readers.  Unlike the Kindle format, however, it does not provide sound or video support.

HTML:  Since so many of the available ebook formats incorporate HTML in some form into their design, HTML formats can be read on most ebook readers.  What is missing from the more popular ebook formats is the bookmarking feature.

Plain Text:  Plain text is simply that – plain text.  There is no special format associated with it nor any special content, and as such, it can be read on any platform.

The nice thing about all the formats listed above is that they work on the universal ebook-reading platform around – the computer.  More ebooks are read on a computer than any other hand-held device.  Some of the ebook formats do not require a computer user to download an ebook reading program (plain text, PDF, HTML) while others do (EPUB, Kindle, Mobipocket).  If you publish in a format that requires your customer to have an ebook reader on their computer, be sure to provide them a link to a recommended site to download the reader on their machine.

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ADD ADDITIONAL CONTENT

Now that you have the body of your ebook written, let us consider adding some additional content to reinforce your text as well as to add reader interest.  One look at your favorite non-fiction texts probably includes images, tables, and maybe even asides providing related content of interest.  You can add these forms of additional content (and more) to your ebook.

Images: The most popular form of additional content is one I’m sure you have already used on your website – that being images.  Images, when used properly, give the readers a better understanding of your topic.  And by properly, I mean you want to use images that are related to the topic at hand, rather ones that might distract the reader from your message.  Going back to the example about an ebook discussing origami, incorporating images showing the reader how to fold the paper correctly is a proper use of images.  Incorporating images of hamburgers on the other hand doesn’t work.

Multimedia:  One of the benefits of the digital age was the ability to incorporate audio and video with text.  Hearing or seeing something as it occurred creates a deeper context to the topic being discussed.  The same potential exists with your ebook.  Depending on the file format you choose for your ebook, incorporating multimedia can further increase the value and usability of your work.  But as with images, you want to make sure your audio/video inclusions are related to the topic, especially since they increase the file size of your ebook.  Also, be sure your audio/video inclusions are not simply audio versions of your text.

Sidebars:   The last addition that you might consider is the use of “sidebars.”  In this case, a sidebar is a section of text that is apart from the body of your ebook.  In these sidebars, you can add related content that are of value to the reader, but not necessarily a part of the topic itself.  Here, you can provide Top Ten lists, or post a testimonial, or even an interesting trivia tidbit that you think the reader might enjoy.  Going back to the origami example, you could have a sidebar listing the most popular animals created with origami.

A sidebar is typically found to the side of your text, but with some ebook readers, you might not be able to format your ebook with that feature.  An alternative is to display the sidebar at the bottom of the page where you want it to occur.  If you do, be sure to change the background color, crate a frame, change the font, or use some other formatting option to set this text apart from the body of you ebook so you don’t confuse the reader accidentally.

Links:  The reason of this ebook exercise is to draw attention to your website(s), so you will want to be sure to incorporate a few links; however, you do not want to flood the reader with hyperlinked text every other sentence.  This is especially true if you are providing links to additional sites.  If these additional links are reference points, you can consider creating sidebars for each section citing these additional websites.

Headers/Footers:  One thing you should consider including with your ebook are headers and footers.  This will provide a more professional look as well as an ease of use for your readers.  The header will display the title (and section, if you choose) of your ebook, while the footer can display the page the reader is currently on, as well as the title/link of your website.

Color and backgrounds:  In addition to content, adding color to your ebook is a good way to give it life.  However, you need to be responsible with the way you use color.  Depending on the device your reader is using, some colored text might not display properly (such as trying to read blue text on an old Kindle device).  To be safe, use a dark font color if you don’t want to publish in black.

Another color concern to be aware of deals with your background designs.  Like with the above, some background/text color combinations do not work well on black-and-white hand-held devices.  Additionally, if your reader chooses to print your ebook, backgrounds heavy with color can cause your reader to burn through print cartridges quickly.

Foreword:  As noted in the first part of this article, you can include a foreword with your ebook.  While not required, a foreword can serve a variety of purposes.  Naturally, you can use it as a greeting to your readers and introduce them to the topic within your ebook (with your thesis statement, for example).  It can also serve as instructions for your readers to follow if your ebook includes interactive material.  It can even include your copyright and/or list any disclaimers as necessary.

Cover:  One aspect of your ebook that might be overlooked in this process is your cover.  The old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is misleading.  While the content of the ebook is what really matters, the cover is what can attract a potential readers’ attention initially.

Your cover doesn’t need to be flashy, but it does need to be professional.  Your title needs to be clearly visible.  If you choose to use a graphic, make sure it ties somehow to what your ebook is about.  Using the origami example, you wouldn’t want to put a picture of exercise equipment on the front of the cover.

Just as with the backgrounds within your ebook, be sure that your cover is “printer friendly.”  In this case, be sure that your graphic looks well both in color as well as black and white.  Not only because of the way it prints, but also for the way it is displayed on handheld devices (such as the Kindle).

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EDIT/PROOFREAD

“Measure twice and cut once” is a saying often used when it comes to building things, and the same can be said about creating your ebook.  Doing a good job of editing before you publish your ebook can go a long way to capturing and retaining new readers.  If the reader gets the impression that you care about “how” you write, then they might feel you care about “what” you are writing about.  Let’s cover the areas that need to double-checked before publishing.

Consistency:  If you are compiling previous articles (especially if they were written years apart) from your website to create your ebook, the odds are that you probably have a consistency issue.  Consistency implies professionalism, so when editing, you want to be sure that the writing style and formatting are the same.  Some areas you want to check:

1.  Tense:  Is the tense the same throughout the document?  If a section used from one article was written in the past tense, while a section from a different article was written in present tense, you need to choose which tense you want to use and correct the rest of the document.
2.  Font:  Is the font style and size (excluding section headings) the same throughout the body of the ebook?
3.  Headings:  If you are using a heading “hierarchy,” are you using different styles to denote the difference between headings and subheadings?  Also, be sure your case-use is the same.
4.  Page numbers:  Most word processors will automatically handle numbering the pages for you.  Be sure the numbers match up with your table of content.
5.  General numbers:  Are you spelling your numbers out (one, two, three, etc) or are you using numerals (1, 2, 3, etc) instead?

Readability:  Additionally, you want to ensure the ease of readability of your ebook before you release it to the public.  Check the following:

1.  Mood:  Are your sentences too negative?  For example, the sentence above (“If the reader gets the impression…”) could have been written negatively (“…that you don’t care about …”).  By changing the sentence from a negative to a positive (“… that you care about…”) can leave your reader with a positive impression.
2.  Language:  Do you use a phrase too often?  Consider rewording the phrase to make the sentence sound more original and less repetitive.
3.  Run-on sentences:  Do you have sentences that can be shortened or broken up into two?
4.  Pronouns:  Is your pronoun clearly identified with its associated noun?  For example, “When Harry and Jim get together for dinner, he usually pays the bill.”  In this case, who is the “he” referencing?
5.  Spelling:  Having a word processor with a built-in spellchecker is handy, but sometimes it misses obvious misspellings (such as “there” instead of “their” or “one” instead of “on”).  Read each line carefully to catch these hidden misspellings.

Review:  Sometimes, it takes a fresh set of eyes to catch the errors you make (even the simple ones).  If you are interested, find someone willing to review your ebook before you publish it.  Even if there aren’t any errors found, the reviewer might provide you some valuable recommendations.

You can even use the editing/reviewing process as a means to get your core readers involved.  Invite a small group of readers to proofread different sections of your ebook before you publish it.  Their involvement could result in free advertising for you, since they may provide testimonials for you ebook because of their individual involvement in the process.

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PUBLISH

Congratulations!  You’ve completed your ebook.  Now it’s time to upload it so the rest of the world can read it.  There are three ways you can provide your ebook to your readers: upload it to your website, e-mail it to your readers, or publish it on a site that allows potential readers to find and download your ebook.  Which of these methods (or combination thereof) you choose to use are up to you, but let’s cover them for a moment.

Uploading your ebook to your website is probably the most comfortable way for you to provide your ebook to the public.  In an new post, on the sidebar of your homepage, or as a standalone page on your site, you can draw the attention of your readers to your ebook for them to download.  All they would need to do is to click on the link you’ve published and have it download to their computer to read at their leisure.  (One thing you can do is have them provide their e-mail address first before being able to download.  That way, you can create a mailing list for any future communication you wish to have with interested readers.)

If you already have a mailing list, you can send the link of your ebook to your readers to inform them of the new content they can download and enjoy.  This is handy if your followers read your website through an RSS feed rather than actually visiting your website directly (and might otherwise miss the ebook announcement).

Lastly, you can upload it to an “ebook marketplace” (such as Lulu.com) where potential readers who may have never seen will find your ebook.  These sites usually have a format requirement (for examply, Lulu.com accepts PDF, EPUB, and DOC formats), and sometimes they will offer a free file conversion service for you.  When you upload your ebook, you can use your thesis statement that you created at the beginning of this exercise as the description for your ebook.

And there you have it.  You have published your first ebook with the intent to advertise your website, establish yourself as an authority on the subject material, and hopefully generate a larger followership.  If you choose to accept this exercise, please share with us the link to your ebook, as well as your experience in the process.  You may have discovered a tip that was missed in this two-part article that might benefit the community.  Best of luck!

Community Photo Album

By Greg on December 20th, 2011 No Comments

Happy Hanukkah and an early Merry (Happy) Christmas to all!

One of the best parts about the holiday season are the decorations.  Indoors and out, the world is transformed with glowing lights, candles in the windows, yard decorations and more.  In the spirit of the season, why not share photos of your decorations with the rest of the community?

I am looking for a volunteer to plant a new Seed.

1. Start a new article about Holiday decorations and post a picture that you have taken.

2. Plant the Seed and encourage everyone to Buzz the Seed with a picture of their own.

3. As new Buzzes come in, update your article linking to the first Buzz with the text “See next photo.”

For the community, Buzz as follows:

1. If you are the first person to Buzz the Seed, start a new article and link to the See with the text “See prior photo.”

2. If you are not the first person, start a new article and link to the most recent Buzz with the text “See prior photo.”

3. As new Buzzes come in, update your article linking to the Buzz that follows yours with the text “See next photo.”

If done properly, a reader of your website should be able to “flip” through this “virtual photo album” that the community has put together.  By participating, hopefully you will see an increase in traffic, and might even pick up new readers.  That is a community link-building gift worth giving (and receiving).

Merry (Happy) Christmas and Happy Hanukkah from the SeededBuzz Community

How to Write Your First Ebook (Part 1)

By Greg on December 11th, 2011 2 Comments

Last month, I introduced the idea of creating an ebook as a way to promote your website. In this article, I want to walk you through the process of creating your ebook. To simplify this endeavor, I’ve broken down the ebook writing process into a simple ten-step process:

1. Decide to write your ebook
2. Find base article(s)
3. Write the thesis statement
4. Create title
5. Create outline/table of contents
6. Write the body of the ebook
7. Choose publishing format
8. Add additional content
9. Edit/Proofread
10. Publish

Keep this list handy as your guide, and I believe you should have no problems writing your first ebook.

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DECIDE TO WRITE YOUR EBOOK

This sounds like an obvious step, but you do need to decide to write your ebook before you sit down and start typing. Unlike the normal writing you do for your website, writing an ebook requires additional investment in time and effort in order to create a piece of work you want to publish. Not only are you spending more time writing, you will spend more time planning and editing as well. So when you feel you are up for the challenge, start searching for your topic and work towards creating an ebook that your readers will enjoy.

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FIND BASE ARTICLES

Why reinvent the wheel when you can simply improve the one you already have? Odds are, you have written some great content on your website in the past that you can use as the foundation for your ebook. The question is, “Which articles are they?”

If you use services like Google Analytics to track your website activity, you can search your site to find what articles are frequently visited through web searches. Articles with high “page view” results show interest by the general public on your topics. If the public is interested in those articles, then the odds are good that they will be interested in your ebook on the same topic(s).

If you don’t use any tracking programs, consider searching your site for your more popular articles based upon user comments. Community involvement is a clear sign of interest. Additionally, the comments provided on those articles can clarify why the readers were interested, and can help you narrow the focus of your ebook.

Now the question is, “Why were these articles so popular?” Take some time to read through the articles (and comments, if any) to see if you can identify any problems you might have answered or useful information you provided for your readers. Use this information to search through your own site for any additional content you’ve created that can be used as complementary information to provide additional substance for your ebook readers to enjoy.

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WRITE THESIS STATEMENT

When I initially started drafting this guide, the next step I had listed was “Create your title,” but I think creating your thesis statement first is more important. A thesis statement is a summary of your ebook explaining your purpose for writing it. This statement is for you, and not necessarily your readers. Use this as your guide when creating your outline and for when you start writing so you can keep your ebook on topic.

If you choose, you can use the thesis statement in your work in a few ways. You can include it in the Foreword (if you choose to write one) of your ebook, or you can use it as the summary for your ebook if you post it on an ebook distribution site.

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CREATE YOUR TITLE

You have identified the purpose of your ebook, so now let’s work on creating the title. The title (along with the cover which we will cover later) are your two biggest marketing points for your ebook. Since you’ve identified the key points of your existing articles, try to capture them in a concise way that captures the readers’ attention while providing them a sense of what the ebook is about.

Don’t be afraid to incorporate “buzz words” into your title. Are you writing “The Five Steps to Higher Web Traffic” or “Origami Made Easy?” What about “The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Hamburgers” or simply “How to Write Your First Ebook Successfully?” The use of buzz words can help capture a potential readers attention, especially if there are other ebooks on similar topics.

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CREATE OUTLINE/TABLE OF CONTENTS

Something I tend to do when writing articles for my websites is create an outline. By breaking down my thoughts with an outline, I can add, subtract, and/or rearrange the items until I account for all the points I want to make in the article. This helps me make sure that article flows from one point to another in a logical format. Not only helps you in writing a coherent ebook, but makes it easier on your readers to follow you points to the end.

You outline will eventually become the basis for your Table of Contents. Even in short ebooks, a Table of Contents is needed to make it easier for your readers to quickly find the section they are looking for (this is important if you want your ebook to become reference material later on). Depending on what word processing system you use, you can link your Table of Contents with the various sections of your ebook. That way, the page numbers will automatically update as your type.

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WRITE THE EBOOK

Now that you have the skeleton of your ebook, time to add the body. In this case, the body is simply the core text of the ebook (additional items such as images, videos, and other content will be addressed later).

Before you start typing, ask yourself how you are going to present yourself to the reader. You may not be aware of it, but you have a distinct writing style. Do you write with long, flowing paragraphs or do you start paragraphs after every three sentences? Do you create bullet-point lists? Are you frequently quoting others? Do you ask numerous questions like this?

Your writing style – the style that your readers have come to expect – should carry over into your ebook. This is an extension of your personality and reflects a more genuine tone in your work, and being genuine makes your work more interesting to read (compared to something that comes across as flat). However, you are creating a “professional” piece, so you need to balance your personal style (that your existing readers expect) with a polished tone that a new reader would expect from an “expert” in your field.

This concludes part one. While the goal of this exercise is not to sell your ebook, you still want it to be of value. You are writing for quality, not quantity, so be sure to work on your outline and ensure that all the points you are addressing tie-in with your primary subject. Your readers will thank you for the time your place into your work, and in turn, might repay you with increased web traffic.

(Click here to read Part 2)

From blogging to eBooks

By Greg on October 10th, 2011 4 Comments

If you are not aware, our SeededBuzz community includes writers who have published eBooks. In fact, this article was inspired after reading a Seed planted by Joseph Rinaldo over at Read Rinaldo . He published the eBook “A Spy At Home” which you can download from Amazon.com for $1.99.

Why should you write an eBook?

When you hear the term eBook, you might automatically think of electronic versions of published full-length novels that you can download to your Kindle or iPad. However, eBooks can also be the equivalent to pamphlets that are informational and cover specific items. It is the latter that this article focuses on.

EBooks are a natural extension of your website. You’ve already established a following because people enjoy what you have to say and respect your opinion, so why not put that into a format that can reach others? Let’s spend a moment to see what an eBook can do for you.

Identify you as a credible authority on a given topic: You have spent months, if not years, building your website focused around your niche topic. In that time, you may have written 20 very popular posts that are constantly drawing visitors. This popularity shows that your readers value your opinion.

By taking those same points and compiling them into a single eBook, you can begin to establish yourself as an authority in your niche. For starters, you become a published author – something that many do not attempt to become. Secondly, your eBook becomes a reference material for those who would rather trust an eBook than simply a blog article. And lastly, with an eBook that mirrors your most popular articles, you create credibility to your leadership within your niche, which can lead to increased readership and branding.

Expanding on your topic: In many cases, online visitors tend to have an attention span to read about 500 – 700 words before moving on to the next article of interest. Consciously or not, bloggers tend to write within these boundaries (the average of the five most recent Seeds is 492 words.), making it a challenge to fully cover a topic in detail before losing your reader. With an eBook, however, the reader is already someone who will put in the added time to read a larger section of text.

With an eBook, you can not only cover the content that was in your popular posts, but you can further expand into the “nuts and bolts” behind your topic. In turn, your eBook becomes a practical reference tool for the readers who are looking for the detailed information, rather than a blog post that only scratches the surface of the topic. Not only does this help your readers to better understand your niche, but – as noted above – leads to identifying yourself as an authority on the topic(s).

Reaching a broader audience: How do you achieve your goal by creating a larger audience to your site? One thing you can do is write an eBook and upload it. If you upload it to your site, encourage your readers to download the file and share it with their friends (word-of-mouth advertising can be more successful than paid advertising). Another option is to upload it to some of the free eBook hosting sites, such as Lulu.com. This is a great way to reach audiences that typically do not read blogs.

Return on your investment: Beyond simply increasing your readership, eBooks can also lead to an increase in site revenue. If you happen to monetize your website, you can realized increased revenue through CPM advertising, affiliate marketing, as well as creating a larger pool of reader e-mail addresses. With CPM (cost per mile) advertising, the increased in viewership results in increased page impressions, meaning that your site will receive more revenue.

If you participate in affiliate marketing, you can include your personalized links into your eBook, directing the reader to your advertisers’ websites. If the reader of the eBook has already accepted you as an authority on the topic you are writing about, then they might be willing to sign up for whatever site you are directing them to more so than simply displaying the link directly on your website.

The last point would be the reader e-mail addresses. Depending on the type of website you are running, direct marketing via e-mail addresses (as through newsletters, special announcements, etc) can be a major source of revenue. By having readers register with your site in order to obtain your eBook, you create a larger pool of addresses for you to build your customer base. And since e-mails can be forwarded, the potential for continued growth is limitless.

This is only four reasons why you should consider creating an eBook to see if it is right for you and your site. For those of you that are interested, in my next article, I will provide you tips on “how” to go about creating the eBook. If you have already created one, please share your experiences with the rest of the community.

Finding Time to Write

By Greg on August 21st, 2011 2 Comments

One of the largest obstacles for us to take websites from “Good” to “Great” is finding the time to focus only on it.  If you are like me, you have full-time jobs, family obligations, desire to spend time with friends, movies to see, and so on.  Trying to squeeze in 30-60 minutes a day (or maybe even a week) can seem impossible.

When I first started blogging, I could post a good three or four articles a week and still have plenty of time to play video games, watch the Sci-Fi Channel, or have dinner with friends. Today, it seems that I’m lucky if I can update only one of my sites with a short post. I recently read “No Plot? No Problem!” by Chris Baty and found an exercise in there that might help you find the time to write. The “Time Finder” as he calls it is a practice where you spend a few moments at night, map out what you did during the day at what time, and then categorize those items as: required, highly desired, and forgo-able.  Below is an example of my typical week day:

5:30 am – 6:00 am : Wake up and get ready for work
6:00 am – 7:30 pm : Commuting to/from and at work
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm : Resting, watching the news
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm : Exercising/cooling down
9:30 pm – 10:00 pm : Dinner
10:00 pm – 11:00 pm : Watch TV, read e-mails, check Facebook, cleaning
11:00 pm – 5:30 am : Sleep

As you can see, my typical day is fairly straight forward. My job consumes almost 14 hours of my day (including commuting), leaving me with about 4 hours in the evening to dedicate to my personal life. Work, and everything associated with me maintaining my job, would be classified as “Required.” The author says I should mark all of these items in red, since they can’t be touched.

Usually, I had plenty of time in the evening to dedicate to my websites as well as SeededBuzz, but since I’ve signed up to participate in the Tough Mudder this Fall, most of my evening has been consumed with exercising. So, exercising right now is classified as “Highly Desired,” since I only have two months remaining to get in as good of shape as possible fore competing. Therefore, I should mark this in blue, since it is an activity I “could” pass on, but “would cause major stress or hardship” if I did not do it.

This leaves the remaining two hours in my evening that I can classify as “Forgo-able,” and should be marked in green. Do I really need to watch the news, check my e-mail, or watch TV every night? Maybe I can combine watching the news with my meal?

By using the “Time Finder” method, I’ve identified 90 minutes in a typical night where I can sit down and work on my websites.  It’s a simple tool that can help you do what you think might be obvious, but don’t ever think about doing on your own.  Now … if there was only a tool to help with making me less physically and mentally tired after a full day of work and then exercising.

If you have a method that works for you, please feel free to share it with the community.

Exploring Google+

By Greg on August 14th, 2011 2 Comments

Google made a ‘buzz’ in June with the release of their new service Google+ (or Google Plus, if you wish). This direct competitor to social media giant Facebook was released in Beta form to existing Google members, with only a few accounts made available. If you weren’t one of the few to receive access to the site directly from Google, you could gain access by an invite. Even with this limited access, Google+ (Beta) membership spiked to 20 Million within three weeks.

Google+ is the second attempt by the internet search engine giant to break into the social media world (currently dominated by Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook). Their first attempt (Google Wave) was met with initial interest, but soon died off – Google eventually transferred control of Wave over to Apache Software Foundation – and their second attempt (Google Buzz) failed to make a buzz. Both services had promise, but neither lived up to their expectations. Will Google+ succeed with the others failed? Let’s take a moment to explore the major features available in the Beta version of Google+.

Circles: Circles is a way for you to manage your contacts. You can easily create groups for friends, family, business, and more by simply using your mouse to “drag” your contacts into the different categories. Why would you want to organize your contacts in such a fashion? When you go to post a new message, link, or other media on your Stream (Google’s version of the Wall), Google+ requires you to identify who is able to see the post. In the field below your message, you will see default text reading “+Add circles or people to share with.” Clicking on that text will bring up a menu listing all of your circles for you to identify by whom you want your post to be shared.

Images: Photos are a way for us to communicate to viewers in a way that words sometimes can’t. How can you describe a particular sunset in a way to create a clear image in the minds of your audience? Google+, like other social media sites, solves this problem for you by allowing you to upload and organize your photos into albums. Just like in posting text, you can choose who can and cannot view your images as you upload them to your profile. However, unlike other sites, Google allows you to add effects to your images without needing to process your photo initially through a secondary graphic-editing program.

Hangouts: This is an area where Google can take on Skype. With Hangouts, you can identify that you are online to chat (or “hang out”) with your friends in a video chat. When a session is established, up to 10 of your friends in your circles can log in and join in the fun. The interface has one large video screen and 9 smaller video screens below it – all live. As the participants talk, the software recognizes who is talking and displays their video in the large video screen area. When the next person talks, the prior speaker has his or her video moved to the bottom bar, and the new speaker is elevated to the large viewing area.
Sparks: To me, this is one of the more interesting features within Google+. With Sparks, any article or subject that you “like” is received by Google and returns articles or websites that contain related content for your viewing. So, if you were to like a site like SeededBuzz, Sparks might return to you other sites about social networking, blogging, or writing (for example).

There are other differences between Google+ and Facebook as well. For example, Google+ is an “overlay” on the existing Google platform. Once you have a Google+ account and are logged in, a black navigation bar appears at the top of any Google page notifying you if you have any new messages, as well as provides you quick access to your account. However, unlike Facebook, Google+ lacks the private messaging functions as well as the “page” concept that existing Facebook users enjoy.

For SeededBuzz users, I feel that you can benefit from using Google+ for a few reasons. IF (and I say “if” because of Google’s past record) Google+ continues to grow in popularity:

1)  It is safe to say that Google will weigh articles and websites linked within Google+ higher than those from Facebook. So while you are informing your viewers and your friends about your latest article, you are also giving your site that additional bump in popularity within Google’s algorithm.
2)  With the “+1” option built into Google/Google+, the more pluses your articles and website receives, the higher your articles and site will rank in Google search results. By sharing those articles within Google+, the odds are your readers and followers will be more likely to plus up your content.
3)  By creating Circles for your targeted audience, you can better inform your readers and viewers about your latest articles or website updates.
4)  When sharing links to your own site through Google+, your odds increase that your content will be shared with others through Sparks. Also, you can track who is commenting or referencing your brand name by searching for it through Sparks as well.

I encourage any of you who have started using Google+ to share your experiences with others within the community. Any tips you can provide to help your fellow bloggers to maximize their viewership will be appreciated. I do have an account with the site if you are interested in being invited so you can explore the features listed above. Simply leave a comment below and I will use your provided e-mail address to send you an invite.

Response to Question: Guest Posting

By Greg on December 19th, 2010 1 Comment

Kimberley asks, “I still do not understand the ‘guest blog invite.’ Do they want the author to do a guest post, or do they want to post on the author’s blog?”

The way I read this question, it sounds like Kimberley is asking about the e-mails with the subject line “Guest Posts Invites you might be interested in.” The short answer is that a blogger is inviting you to write an article on their site. If you reference the e-mail, the message reads:

Would you like to promote yourself and your blog by writing a Guest Post on one of these Seeds?

Under each of these Seeds you can see who has published the invite. If you’re interested, all you need to do is follow that link and Private Message them with your idea for a post.

If you agree to work together your post should contain an introduction to you and your blog as you are the guest author.

The post should also be submitted as Buzz and therefore promote your post to an even wider audience.

For more information on the Guest Posting service, please reference the page entitled “Guest Posts & Guest Buzz.”

Guest Posting is a natural extension of the SeededBuzz philosophy. In the Buzzing process, you locate a Seed that has some sort of significance to you and/or your site. You write a post referencing that Seed and then post your article as a Buzz for others to see. By doing this, you are both promoting your site as well as the site that planted the Seed. Guest Posting isn’t much different.

With a Guest Post, you write your article and post it on the other users site, tapping directly into their readership. Additionally, you plant a Seed promoting your article which draws attention to both your work and the other persons’ site.

If you haven’t done so yet, accept a Guest Posting offer at least one time to see what type of feedback and/or new traffic to your site that you might receive. It might not be an option that works for you, but it never hurts to try. This could be your 2011 New Years resolution for your blog.

If you have questions about SeededBuzz, please visit the “Questions and Answers” section or visit us on Facebook.

Response to Question: Backlinks to Buzzes

By Greg on December 8th, 2010 1 Comment

This is the first of a series of posts where I focus on questions submitted to SeededBuzz. The questions are listed under the “Questions and Answers” section located in the left-hand sidebar on the members’ homepage. The first question regards the practice of Buzzing.

Christal La Fountain asks, “I’m confused about who to link back to… obviously the original author but do I also link back to the others who have blogged about the topic?”

The answer to this question can be found under the “Help & FAQ’s” section found at the bottom of this page. Listed under “What is a Buzz,” the page reads: “Because we ask that where possible a Buzz post link to the original Seed post PLUS one other post that has Buzzed, links will be earned from Buzzing as well as Seeding.” So, to answer Christal’s question, yes, you should link back to both the original author as well as at least one other author who has provided a Buzz.

Basically, the purpose of SeededBuzz is to increase the backlinks to and from your site. If you are planting a Seed, you are hoping that your article attracts the attention of users so they will link to you. In turn, Buzzers are also hoping that their article that they write (citing the Seed) also draws attention to their site. Ideally, the conversation started by the Seeder will carry across multiple sites with Buzzers citing not just the Seeder, but one or more Buzzers in the process. This will result in multiple backlinks for multiple users from multiple sites. More the merrier, right?

Christal, and anyone else, I hope this clears up the Buzzing process. If you have any further questions on this topic, please feel free to reply to this blog post.

Custom Website Designs

By Greg on November 27th, 2010 2 Comments

Have you ever thought about a custom website design or theme for your blog? Are you afraid that it will cost too much to even consider? I am currently going through the process for one of my sites and I thought I would share some tips and points with you for you to keep in mind if you choose to take your site to the next level.

Personal brand: One of the most common reasons for people to create a custom web design is to establish their personal brand. For example, without ever seeing the title for the website, you will recognize a Facebook page automatically. The appearance of the site is an extension of your personal or business brand. You stand out from the crowd of millions of other websites (many of which use similar free templates).

Search engine friendly: What you might not know is that a custom website, if done properly, will make your website “search engine friendly”. With the meta data and coding working behind the scenes, search engines will already know what to expect from your site without having to scan your articles. This can lead to improved page ranking with sites such as Google and place you ahead of your competition. Most free templates lack this capability (since they are designed for generic use).

Meets your needs: The most important reason for having a custom site is so it will meet your specific needs. Are you running a photo blog? Do you need Twitter incorporated in the design? How about integrated flash elements to increase the interactivity of your content? It is difficult to find the right free template to meet your needs, and if you do get lucky, you can’t customize the template enough to achieve your desired looks and function.

Cost: The obvious drawback to a custom website design is the cost. A custom site can range anywhere from $50 to $500 (or more), depending on what level of form and function you need. If you are cash-strapped, free templates are always a great way to get your site started. If you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you can always pay a few dollars for a “premium” theme, but there are many people who are already using those templates as well.

(Update) As rightly noted by Joseph below, the range given above is low compared to the costs of many site designs.  The range above is geared more towards blog theme customization.  As with many things in life, you get what you pay for.  A bottom-end custom theme will be framed around an existing template with changes made to meet the users desire.  The more items you add, or the deeper level of customization involved, the higher the cost for the redesign.  Larger professional sites can easily cost thousands of dollars depending on the level of customization and tools/resources involved.  (Thanks again to Joseph for pointing out the lack of clarification.)

What do you need to do:

Plan ahead on what you need: Remember when your teachers use to tell you to do your homework? The same is true when it comes to a custom web design. Only you know how you want your site to look and how you expect the visitors to use it. Spend the time in advance to work out what you need your site to do before approaching the designer. He or she can provide you with advice and options, but they are working around what your stated goals.

Form over function?: A designer can throw a lot of options in front of you that you can incorporate into your redesign. Some of these functions are truly unique and can add some true flair to your site. However, sometimes more is not better. For example, do you truly need the video overlay of an actor welcoming your visitors to your site? While impressive, it can distract the visitor from the purpose of your site and, depending on their internet connection, can cause problems with the load time. Make sure you balance the form with the function, and streamline your design where possible.

Search for an established designer: It is imperative that you find a developer that has some sort of history before you agree to do business with them. You want to see examples of websites they have developed in the past, and (if possible) talk to their past clients to see if the developer met their needs. This isn’t saying that your nephew or a person right out of college cannot produce a wonderful site for you, but this is your business – your personal brand – that we are talking about, and you want to make sure that your reputation improves following the redesign.

Long-term support: A real professional designer will offer long-term site support for their creation. This might simply be repairing hidden coding problems or restore your theme if your site crashes. If you are fortunate, they will even help with updating the template to meet your growing needs with minimal costs (since all the hard work was already performed).

This should give you a good start on your way if you choose to customize your website. Don’t be afraid of the initial investment costs for a custom site, especially if it will lead to increased revenue down the road. If you have read some of my past articles about putting your website to work for you, the costs associated with a custom site can be recouped by the revenue generated from your site easily enough. After all, your blog/site is a business, even if you are only doing it as a hobby.

Make your blog work for you with inLinks

By Greg on November 6th, 2010 No Comments

One of my hopes for all of the SeededBuzz users out there is that they see a return on their investment. It takes a lot of time to build a quality website, and you should see both an increase in web traffic as well as a monetary return for all your hard work. I’ve already addressed the importance of Inbound links (backlinks) and increasing your exposure to popular media outlets through BlogBurst (which has now been taken over by Demand Media Studios). Now I would like to introduce you to inLinks.

I have a question for you. Do you want to make “easy money?” If you’re like me, whenever you hear those television infomercials mention “easy money,” you naturally start to question what they are pitching. They throw out the pitch like “Buy my special book to learn how to become rich,” all the while the person is becoming rich by you buying his book. With inLinks, there is nothing to buy, and you don’t need to change the way you approach your blog

In this case, when I say easy money, I mean you do not have to embed a set of specific links into your article that looks out of place. Nor do you have to take up a sponsored article that require you to force unique key words into a sentence (where there is no grammatically correct way to do) for only $1.00. What InLinks does is it searches the text of all of your articles – no matter how old – and matches them up with keywords their customers want to pay for. When a match occurs, inLinks automatically updates your article by inserting the link for you. In short, they do all the work for you (and for more money).

For example, let’s say you are writing an article about iPods or a special program that is giving away free Sony PSPs. InLinks has a customer who wants to link their website to the keyword “iPod giveaway.” When inLinks finds the existence of “iPod giveaway” in your article, they will automatically create a special hyperlink for you.

This link is automatically placed within your article and looks like any other link (rather than some that places two lines under the key words). In exchange you will receive payment for that link for every month the customer wishes to pay for it. When their time is over, the keyword becomes available for their next customer to purchase. The same holds true on a topic you might have written 3 years ago.

With reoccurring payments, and the possibility of having more than one advertiser purchasing links in the same article, you can quickly start earning some decent cash without any extra effort. In fact, inLinks accounted for 55% of my revenue last year.

Give it a try for a few months and see how much you can earn. Click here and fill out their brief registration page to get started. After that, all you will need to do is add a simply code somewhere on your site (it could even be in the sidebar). InLinks will do the rest.

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