Category: Blog/Website Technical How-to

Sharing the Love: Blog Crushes & Blogger Matchmaking

We all have bloggers who inspire us, challenge us and make us better – they’re the authors of the blogs we can’t wait to read, the artists who create intriguing and gorgeous websites, the mothers with the best tips and tricks, and all-around fabulous bloggers.

This month, we’ll pay tribute to blog crushes and do some match-making of our own!

Blog Crushes
First, head over to the Arkansas Women Bloggers Directory. Find another registered Arkansas women blogger and tell us why she is your blog crush. Whether she’s a long time amour or only recently made your heart go pitter patter, we want to know why she and her blog are amazing. Email a short paragraph (three to eight sentences will do it) to Arkansas Women Bloggers, and we’ll feature some of the best blog crushes (with links to your blog and theirs) throughout the month! Please send your blog crush by Tuesday 2/5.

Blogger Matchmaking
In March, we’ll be running a Better-Your-Blog series that will build upon our January 26 – 30 Kickstart My Blog Challenge. If you didn’t participate, you can still go back and read the posts and knock them out during the remainder of February! We shared five posts over five days with five 1-minute tips to boost your blog.

Prior to the Better Your Blog series in March, all actively registered members of AWB are invited to be paired with another member for an objective blog assessment. You can sign up as a mentee (to get advice on your blog), a mentor (to help offer feedback to others) or BOTH!

Participants will have two weeks (2/14 – 2/28) to correspond with their partner, pose questions and discuss ways to make their blog better. We (AWB) will give an overview sheet with suggested questions and topics to discuss and parameters – such as kindness and constructive criticism. To participate, click here to fill out our Blogger Matchmaking form no later than Monday 2/11.

Naturally, we’ll match you with your partner on Valentine’s Day!

Voulez-vous Partager? ~1/20/13

Sunday Link-up

How & Why To Turn Off Java In Your Browser

Disclaimer: I/We (Julie/AWB) do not claim to be experts or even novices on this topic. The information provided below was compiled from researching Java and its security threats online. If you are aware of any misinformation in this article please feel free to contact me at julie@arkansaswomenbloggers.com and I will gladly update this article.

What is Java?

Java is a programming language and platform that allows certain applications to work on multiple operating systems.

Is Java the same as JavaScript?

No. Many of the widgets and plugins you run in your blog use JavaScript. This is something entirely different.

What is the issue with Java?

According to the Department of Homeland Security there is a serious design flaw in the Java Oracle software that can create serious vulnerability to your computer if you continue to run the program. In short, an error in the program COULD cause your computer to be accessible by hackers thus increasing your chance for identity theft, viruses and malware or hacking. Homeland Security has suggested that everyone TEMPORARILY disable Java until a patch has been issued.

Should I freak out?

No. Just take precautions against this risk.

Will this affect my internet browsing?

Yes, it is possible you will see slight changes in your browsing experience. Most likely you may see a blank box with a message stating that Java must be enabled in order to view the content.

How long must I keep Java disabled?

Right now the answer is unknown. Oracle (the company that makes Java) issued a statement on Friday saying that a patch would be available “shortly.” No other information was given.

Should I turn off Java?

That is really a personal decision. I (Julie) have temporarily disabled it on my computers. I frequently use my computer for online banking and paying bills and would prefer to be safe than sorry. Perhaps the threat will turn out to be nothing, in which case as soon is a patch is available I will re-install the program on my computer.

How Do I Disable Java?

Complete instructions on how to disable Java in your particular browser can be found here.

Note: The instructions for disabling Java through the control panel will ONLY work if you are running Java 7 Version 10. If you are running a lower version Java recommends updating and then disabling as suggested. You may be unable to update to a higher version in which case it is recommended that you remove the program entirely through your control panel and re-install when a patch is available.

When can I enable/re-install Java?

Right now Java has only issued that a patch will be available soon. We will do our best to keep you informed when this is available and it is safe to enable Java.

Using Pic Monkey to take your photos from So-So to So Cool!

Using Pic Monkey to take your photos from So-So to So Cool!
Written by ARWB February 2012 Blogger of the Month, Gina Knuppenburg of Desperately Seeking {Gina}.

Pretty pictures add visual appeal to blog posts but it’s often intimidating, especially if you’re a blogger like me; I don’t own fancy photography equipment and I don’t have Photoshop or even a basic photo-editing program on my computer. The blog world is filled with seemingly professional looking pics.

There’s absolutely no reason to feel inferior or intimated though. Using an online photo editor, like Pic Monkey, is not only easy, it’s fun.

Pic Monkey is a flash based online editor with a clean, easy-to-use interface and provides many features to take your photos from so-so to so cool!

The “edit picture” menu allows you to crop, change exposure and color levels, and resize your pictures.

Delving further into editing you can add effects, much like Photoshop actions. I use the same effect for all of my pictures to make the look of my blog more cohesive.

It’s been mentioned before that to boost traffic to your posts from sites like Pinterest, adding text to your photos adds not only pinning appeal, but will also give photo credit to you if you watermark them with your blog title or url.

An array of framing options gives pics a finished look.

When your masterpiece is complete you can save the image in one of three different sizes depending on what quality or file size you prefer. You can also choose to save has PNG or JPG files.

I use Pic Monkey for more than editing photos. I also play around with making banners, collages, and blog buttons to use on my side bar.

In fact, I took my favorite photo and made it into a “grab me” badge so readers can add me to their own blogs and sites if they’d like.

See? Not difficult at all. Go forth and edit, friends!

Twelve Confessions of a New Blogger

Hi, My name is Kelsie. I live in Central Arkansas and blog at www.pinkandrick.com. I started blogging this year. I’m shocked that it’s already one of my favorite hobbies. In full disclosure, my journey into blogging isn’t always smooth, so I wanted to share these confessions of a new blogger. I hope you can relate!

1. I’ve switched topics ten times in six months.

2. I have to take twenty pictures, to get one that looks good enough to post.

3. If I’m in a conversation that isn’t about blogging… I tune out.

4. When something funny happens I automatically think, “how can I turn this into a blog post?”

5. Family members say things like, “Don’t put this on your blog.”

6. Sometimes I have to take really close up pictures… because my house is messy and I don’t want everyone to see.

7. When I read a really good blog post, I instantly think, “I wish I wrote that!” Even if the topic is the about a couple’s honeymoon…

8. One of my biggest dilemmas is, “should I switch to WordPress?”

9. I need to go to rehab for obsessively checking my blog traffic.

10. My husband just walked by and said, “you need to quit!” He’s just joking… I hope.

11. When I refer to,”my readers,” I’m usually just referring to my mom.

12. I’m so excited to find Arkansas Women Bloggers!

I’m so impressed by the work Arkansas Women Bloggers is doing, and I’m glad to be a part of it. Now that I’ve shared my secrets, do you have any confessions? Come on, we’re all friends!

Hi! My name is Kelsie. I live, work, and play in Central Arkansas. I started my blog six months ago after my sister, who lives in another state, wanted to read about my two crazy dogs (who tear up everything). Since then, my blog has documented my DIY projects, personal finance goals, and marriage. I hope you’ll stop by and say hi! I’d love to find some bloggers in Arkansas to follow and occasionally ask for advice.

Turning Pro: How to turn your blogging skills into a new career

You enjoy blogging as a hobby, but did you know that the skills you are developing are valuable career skills?

One question I get asked all the time is how I make money blogging. Here’s a secret: my blog barely makes money at all. I just don’t have the time to focus on that effort, BUT I make a salary because of my blog. And I get to work with some really talented, super fun people because of my blog.

Companies are starting to realize the value of your influence. You’ve no doubt received product pitch emails from PR firms and the like. But without real, established relationships these companies struggle to get the attention of the real bloggers in their targeted niche, whether they are looking for lifestyle bloggers, craft bloggers, coupon bloggers, fashion bloggers, food bloggers or some other attractive genre.

Why brands are interested in bloggers

Influence – If anyone you know has ever made a purchasing decision because of something you said or something you shared, you have influence. Real influence.
Exposure – If anyone other than you is reading your blog you have exposure. You offer brands new eyeballs in a new, authentic way that advertising can’t buy.
SEO – This one is trickier, and it changes often. Also, many brands are still struggling to understand what affects Search Engine Optimization. What they know is that a link is good, and sometimes that’s enough.

Your marketable skills

Website design: If you’ve bootstrapped your self-hosted WordPress blog you know more about web design than a lot of small (and some large) businesses
Social networking: Having a Twitter account means nothing to a business if no one is following it
Regular networking: Those skills you use to meet new friends online convey to the real world. Go to a Chamber of Commerce event and act like you’re on Twitter. Strike up a conversation with a stranger and watch the relationship that develops.
Research: You know how to find the people who are talking
Writing: What you do on your blog isn’t easy for many people. You put yourself out there. You put your writing out there. Congrats! You are a writer.
Marketing: You know what your friends like. For me this means I know what a lot of working class mid-thirties suburbanite moms like, and we are a very attractive demographic because we tend to have a little bit of disposable income. Brands like disposable income.

Possible careers for bloggers

Freelance or in-house social media management
Blogger outreach
Content provider/copywriter/writer
Marketing coordinator
Web design
Blog setup
Online forum moderator

Don’t forget to be awesome

There are many ways you can use these skills you are developing. Whether you are looking for a little work on the side or a new career; a small business in your area or a major PR firm in NYC, your skills are valuable. You are more awesome than you realize and what you do can’t easily be taught. New URLs are bought and blogs set up every day, but the vast majority are abandoned within six months.

Want the BE AWESOME print? Go here!

Stephanie McCratic writes about tech and popular gadgets as the relate to her life on her blog EvolvedMommy. She also manages social media marketing for Fayetteville-based Acumen brands, which is currently the fastest growing e-commerce company in the U.S.

Create your own cookbook via Cookbook Café {Foodie Friday}

Create your own cookbook via Cookbook Café.
Written by Lyndi of NWAFoodie.

Today is the day. Today you are going to cross something off your things-I-have-always-wanted-to-do list! You are going to create your own cookbook by using Cookbook Café, an easy technology tool that allows you create an interactive cookbook.

It’s free!

Cookbook Café is a new revolutionary cookbook builder that allows you to create and also shop for virtual cookbooks. You don’t have to be a food blogger to create one, either. You don’t even have to have a hundreds of recipes at your disposable. All you need is a handful of recipes (four will do nicely), a theme idea, and a clever attention-grabbing title and you are set.

I created my first cookbook last month titled, “What to serve unexpected guests {and look like you planned it all along}.” I took me all of thirty minutes to upload my recipes and create the book. As of this morning, seventy people have downloaded it. Without my even promoting it!

While my cookbook is available for free downloading, you do have the option to sell your cookbooks on Cookbook Cafe. Think about the opportunities for your church group, sports team, or even… here’s a thought… The Arkansas Women Bloggers cookbook! I just KNOW we could come up with a clever title between us gals.

There are just a few easy steps from start to finish.

1. Create a (free) account at bakespace.com.

2. Click on the ‘Cookbook Café’ tab and look for the ‘Upload/Share Recipes’ link on the right. Click on that.

3. Upload your recipes, one at a time. Feel free to add videos of images. Once you feel like you have the right amount of recipes uploaded to create a cookbook, it’s time to create one!

4. Toggle back to the ‘Cookbook Café’ tab and look for the ‘Create/Sell a Cookbook’ link on the right. Click on that. Follow the easy directions and you will be done in no time.

5. You’re done! Your cookbook will appear on the ‘latest cookbooks’ page.

6. You will receive an email with a hyperlink sidebar widget to add to your blog.

Cookbook Café is the brain-child of Babette Pepaj, owner of bakespace.com. I met Babette at TECHmunch NYC in May and she is incredibly supportive of the blogging industry, setting up TECHmunch conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada. I highly recommended becoming friends with her.

I can’t wait to download your cookbooks. Come back once you’ve finished and leave a link so we can all support each other.

Happy cookbooking!

Lyndi

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Bloggy Boot Camp: The Recap

Hi everyone! I had a great time live blogging from Bloggy Boot Camp Dallas yesterday. Thanks to those of you who tweeted to me and left comments. I was glad that you all were finding the posts to be valuable. Over the next few days I’ll be going back through the posts and adding in a few more resources and some pictures. Tonight I wanted to do a quick recap of the event and also talk about some of the reasons why actually attending a blog conference might be a goal that you should set for yourself as a blogger.

So, first the recap. I have been to a few blog conferences, but this was my first Bloggy Boot Camp. It was relatively small – about 150 attendees. Almost all the bloggers there were from Texas, and a lot of them were attending their first ever blog conference. Several ladies I met hadn’t even started their blog yet. They were attending the conference to “learn how to do things so I don’t screw it up,” as one gal put it.

Different Bloggy Boot Camps address different subjects. This one was primarily centered around generating income from your blog. Obviously this isn’t everyone’s focus, but generally the way you make money from blogging is by making your blog better and keeping up with what is going on in the blogging community. Both of those things are good to do for any blogger, so even if you’re not into the business side of things, there was plenty of value to be had (hopefully you saw that in the live posts I did yesterday).

The ticket price for Bloggy Boot Camp is $99. I would say, based on the amount of things that I learned in the sessions alone, that this is a great deal. Bloggy Boot Camp is definitely learning-centric. It really isn’t about big parties or swag. As you saw in the post, there were some sponsors and some social events, and we did get to take home a goodie bag of fun stuff, but the focus was definitely on tangible take-aways that we could apply to our blogs immediately. The small size of the conference and the limited number of sponsors that were there was nice because there were plenty of opportunities to interact directly with the sponsors and learn about their brands. The conference organizers and “big gun” bloggers were also very friendly and accessible. The speakers didn’t just come in and do their presentation and get out. They were at the social events, mingling and answering questions. The SITSGirls and the team that works for them were super friendly and genuine – it was hard to tell them apart from the attendees when they weren’t on the microphone. I think that’s a good thing.

Now, I know I live blogged the whole she-bang for you, so you got the gist of the conference sessions and what they were about. But, conference going, even at a learning-centric conference, is much more than snagging tips and to-do lists out of sessions. So, here’s a list of what you missed:

Networking. Hands-down my second favorite thing about blog conferences (behind learning) is networking. If you’re not there, you can’t network. I’m not really talking about sponsors and big guns. I’m talking about fellow bloggers. That’s the good stuff. Comparing notes, fostering friendships, commiserating about writers block, and brainstorming ways to partner are just a few examples of why getting into a room full of women (and maybe a few men) that love to blog as much as you do can be fantastic.
Asking Questions. The ability to ask questions of speakers, conference organizers, PR professionals, and brand reps face-to-face is pretty awesome. Sure, you can talk with these folks via email, but it’s just not nearly as cool as having a real live conversation.
Immersion. Nothing can get you more energized about your craft than spending a large block of time thinking and doing nothing BUT that craft. Aside from the jewels that you are hand fed by the speakers and fellow attendees, I guarantee your creative juices will flow faster and deeper at conference, and you’ll likely come home with a list of ideas that you brainstormed all on your own while you were immersed in bloggy goodness.
Confidence. We all have our various social anxieties and worries. It takes some courage to go to an event where you don’t know anyone in a town you’re not familiar with. I always have a little case of nerves just before going to a conference. But, once I get there, it’s refreshing to see that everyone – from the blogger who’s making six figures, to the PR mavens, to the brand reps, and on down to the quietest blogger at the table – everyone is a real person. Every once in a while I am disappointed to find that someone I thought was pretty cool online turns out to be not-so-fantastic in real life, but still, it builds my confidence in knowing that we are all just people. Getting to the conference is 75% of the battle. Once you get one conference under your belt, you’ll likely feel your confidence rise.
The little things. Ok, so yes, I said there wasn’t a ton of swag at Bloggy Boot Camp, but I still came home with two new flash drives with brand information on them, sweet rolls from King’s Hawaiian, snacks for the kids from Happy Family, OPI nail polish from Kroger, a grilling apron for hubby, a fistfull of business cards from bloggers I had never met before (I’m already working out a guest post swap with one of them!), product coupons and samples, and some fun photos.

So, if you’re considering attending a blog conference, I think you absolutely cannot beat the annual Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged conference for a first-time go at it. It’s more of a retreat/camp type atmosphere. I would highly recommend Bloggy Boot Camp as well, though. Especially if you are ready to take your blog toward blogging for business, it’s a great value for the wealth of info you get and the amount of time you have to invest.

Thanks again for letting me take over the “blogwaves” on Arkansas Women Bloggers for these past 72 hours. I’ve had a blast!

~Fawn from Instead of the Dishes

Bloggy Boot Camp Session Posts:

Bloggy Boot Camp: Developing Voice and Niche

This is the last session of the day. Hope everyone is learning tons. My fingers hurt! I see that a few of my fellow boot campers have visions of tonight’s Mirassou Wine Party dancing in their heads…

This post is a “live blog” of the Authenticity is Magnetic: Developing a Unique Voice and Making a Space for Yourself session at Bloggy Boot Camp Dallas. Please excuse all typos and format issues. We’re live!

Presenter: Elizabeth Jane Liu @NoShoppingLiz http://flourishinprogress.com

Liz spent an entire year spending an ENTIRE YEAR not shopping.

Liz started out trying to fit the stereotype of the “pretty, high-heeled blogger.” An English teacher ex boyfriend told her to write in her own voice, so she did. From there she had a series of “lucky” encounters within social media that launched her blog into popularity.

But, listening to her speak, she is absolutely hilarious. Liz has made her own way in the blog world by being herself and by shrugging off the criticism she has received. She showed a slide that says, “Don’t try to win over the haters. You’re not the Jackass Whisperer.”

(mmmm…@KrogerCo just brought around ice cream!)

She says, “The more honest I was on my blog, the more honest I could be with myself….When I put my personal stories out there I found more and more people with similar stories.”

Liz has had her blog scraped (content stolen) many times. She combats this using Google Alerts and by googling key phrases from her blog. She also does images searches in Google Alerts for her own images.

Liz uses Stat Counter and Site Meter to track analytics and Disqus for comment tracking. These tools allow her to track site visitors and block the really heinous ones.

This session is being blogged to you live by Fawn Rechkemmer, who blogs at Instead of the Dishes. Special thanks to Petit Jean Meats for sponsoring Fawn’s attendance at Bloggy Boot Camp. Check out Petit Jean Meats’ Pinterest boards. Just get a napkin first so you don’t drool on your keyboard.

Bloggy Boot Camp: Growing Your Traffic

Snack break! We noshed on fruit and mimosas sponsored by @KrogerCo

Ok, NOW we’re talking about Growing Your Traffic

This post is a “live blog” of the Growing Your Traffic session at Bloggy Boot Camp Dallas. Please excuse all typos and format issues. We’re live!

Presenters: Tiffany Romero @TiffanyRom, and Francesca Banducci @FranBanducci

1. Be familiar with all the social media platforms. Schedule when/how often to interact with them.

2. Create and editorial calendar.

3. Use Evernote to gather content ideas

4. Guest Post – host guest posts on your site and guest post on other sites

5. Make your posts easy to share. Add social media sharing buttons on your posts. Make sure your social media sharing tools are shortening URLs.

6. Consider your niche. Take the time to categorize your posts into areas that your readers will be interested in.

7. Twitter

make sure you fill in your bio., location, and upload a photo of YOU.
Create two accounts – you, and your blog name
Healthy ratio: 8 conversational tweets, 2 promotional tweets
Utilize Hashtags
Use a management platform: tweetdeck, hootsuite, twitterific
Clear out people that don’t follow you back. You can use friendorfollow.com to see who’s not returning the love.

8. Facebook

Get Visual – post images with a link to your post in the caption
Incentivize – reward facebook readers for liking your page
Find a Group – use it for networking and promotion

9. Pinterest

Watch your links – make sure your images are named appropriately
Make your post images pinterest friendly
Pin the pretty and popular
Move your seasonal boards to the top during the appropriate season
Create a quote pin with a quote from your own writing
Pin on Saturday mornings

This session is being blogged to you live by Fawn Rechkemmer, who blogs at Instead of the Dishes. Special thanks to Petit Jean Meats for sponsoring Fawn’s attendance at Bloggy Boot Camp.

Bloggy Boot Camp Session Posts: