Archive for » June, 2009 «

Jun

How To Capitalize On Your Blog Statistics

Google Analytics vs AwStats vs Webalizer statistics. Many bloggers and/or webmasters may ask, “Why is there a difference between these numbers?”

Add Woopra, WordPress Stats, Sitemeter or another statistical program to the mix, and it gets even more confusing.

Truth be told, anytime we begin to compare the results from more than one statistical program, there will always be a difference as each program uses different matrix for measuring the results.

Although many bloggers measure their success by how many visitors arrive on their site, more important is why, how and what we can do to capitalize on our statistical data.

Today’s Lesson

Let’s take a look at what is behind some of the numbers and questions we can ask ourselves.

“How are people finding our site?”

Are our visitors finding us via search engines? If so, was it a post where we used SEO (search engine optimization) i.e. keywords?
By referral? Are visitors coming to our site via another site? Did we leave a comment on another site and from there, we’re being found? Did another blogger link to us?
Did our numbers increase due to social media? Did a post get Stumbled? Dugg? If so, what did we do to make our content so value based others felt it was worth spreading the word? Can we duplicate it? Can we consistently produce great content?
Is my traffic coming from social networking sites, such as Twitter? Did we self promote a post and/or did others tweet or retweet it?
Or is our traffic arriving “direct”? Is the visitor typing in our URL? Is the name of my blog memorable?

Are my page views up or down? Which posts are the most popular? Why?

What is the first impression we’re making with our blog? Is it pleasing to the eye? Enticing a visitor to stay? Does it have flashing banner ads? Is the content easy to find? What are we showing above the fold?
Is my blog is easy to navigate? It’s a known fact, if a blog is hard to navigate and other posts or pages aren’t easily found by the visitor, they’ll leave. We need to give them more than one choice. Remember, we’re often only as good as our current post.
How new is my blog? Brand new blogs usually take time to get found. It’s up to us to develop our online presence via commenting or using social networking sites to get the word out.
Have we increased or decreased our posting schedule? Obviously, even our regular visitors aren’t going to be revisiting us if we aren’t producing new content. A change in our publishing schedule is often reflected in our numbers.
Have we increased or reduced the amount of time we visit other blogs? Spend on Twitter? Are we getting our name “out there”? Again, how much time we spend in blogosphere can affect our stats.
Do our post titles sound intriguing or boring? Our titles can either entice others to click through, or not
Are we using SEO? Although many of us don’t want to change the way we write, occasionally using search engine optimization techniques and/or plugins will help to drive traffic to our blogs. Should we consider using SEO techniques more often?
How do we differentiate ourselves from other bloggers who write in the same niche? If we’re using the same theme, are we making it “look” different? Is our spin on the topic original or does it appear to be canned content? Re-massaged material? How are we showing our originality?

Although visitor counts will tell us whether our blog is growing, or not, it’s the other data that is shared in our statistics that reveals the most.

Today’s Assignment

If, or when you look at your stats, do you find them confusing?

Are you capitalizing on the benefits statistics are offering, If so, how?

Which statistical program is your favorite?

Raise you hand and share your thoughts.

P.S. The detailed explanation of how statistics are calculated is best left to those who write the programs. Listed below are several links to Google Analytics, AwStats and Webalizer. If in doubt, check your favorite statistical program and read which matrix they use.

Google Analytics IQ Lessons
Simpletons Guide to Web Server Analysis
Webalizer FAQ page
Webalizer README page
AwStats
Awstats FAQs
(From AwStats) FAQ-COM250 : Different Results Than Other Analyzer

Photo Credit: Lordcolus

Category: Archives, Blogging Lessons, Stats 48 Comments

Jun

Blog Posting – Rap It Up

Barbara Swafford

Good Day Class!

What a wonderful surprise I have for you today. Our substitute teacher (guest writer) is none other than the famous singer, song writer, Ms. Jannie Funster.

You all know her as the bra flinging blogger from Jannie Funster.com who will write about anything she sees, and maybe even turn it into a song.

For her lesson, Jannie provided me with a photo of herself as she studies more about blogging. Isn’t she cute?

Please take your seats and have a listen as this won’t be an ordinary lesson.

Hello Ms. Funster.

Welcome to the Blogging Without A Blog classroom.

Hello Class,

It’s wonderful to be here.

Let’s do something a little different today.

Let’s shake it up.

Since I love music so much, I’ve posted the words to my lesson on the chalkboard, so you can sing along with me.

Barbara, can we have the music. please?

Ready?

Let’s go!

Today’s Lesson

Yes, I’m a blogging girl
takin’ round the world
Surfing every day
in the Internet way.

For me a schedule
is good – like vegetables.
So how about you?
Is it something you do?

To get your blogging done
are you following one
– a schedule, I mean
to keep it clean and lean?

Should you plan your posts,
so you can make the most
of your blogging time
with your peeps so fine?

Or do you let it fly
with your gals and guys
with not even a care
of when you’re posting there?

Today’s Assignment

Are you planning your posts
to make your time the most,
or do you let it slide,
or do you you let them ride?

Raise your hand and speak.
Come on now don’t be meek.
Wanna hear what you say
What is your blogging way?
What is your blogging way?

Jannie is the author of Jannie Funster.com as well as a singer songwriter. She recently released her first album, titled “I Need A Man”, which showcases not only her beautiful voice, but her original lyrics. When she’s not blogging, commenting, writing songs, singing and being a wife and mother, she can be found on Twitter.

Category: Archives, Blogging, Blogging Lessons, Posting 52 Comments

Jun

It Started With A Tweet

Barbara Swafford

I never know how or where I’ll find the next blog to showcase on Wednesdays.

Sometimes it’s someone who commented here, a link left in the Blog Registry, a recommendation from another blogger, or someone who has been blogging for awhile and I feel they need more recognition.

The blog I’m showcasing today started from a tweet – on Twitter.

The tweet said,

Chk out my new post “My Top Five Favorite Pranks to Play on People I Love.” http://bit.ly/67zj4

Curiousity got the best of me so I clicked on the link.

As I read this author’s favorite pranks, I laughed out loud. Then I watched the video and even now, as I think about it, I still laugh.

Laughter is the best medicine, isn’t it?

As I was preparing this post, I started to dig deeper into his archives. What a pleasant surprise.

You see, based on his online “handle”, the name of his blog and the post I had read, I assumed most of his blog was humor.

I was wrong.

When he detailed a conversation he had with a young gal on a bus, I found his words to be so captivating, I felt I was on the same bus ride. Here’s a sampling from the post titled, Time Interrupted: The Girl On The Bus

Neither of us has to say anything about how it feels to wake up to the truth: the agonizing disappointment and emptiness; the heart racing to keep ahead of the fear that stalks it; the aching aloneness that squeezes the chest and grips the throat, threatening to stop the breath.

I won’t ruin it for you and say what the article is about, but it is a fabulous read.

Mixed throughout his blog are samplings of his humor. In his post titled Five Benefits Of Mononucleosis he starts out by saying,

First the Acute Phase, which feels like

1. You just finished drinking battery acid during a hallucinogenic funk
2. Your head is being forced through the birth canal of a tse-tse fly
3. Every muscle fiber has been flattened like a pancake under a Mack truck then loaded up with valium, minus any pain-relieving benefits
4. You have no stomach.

What an imagination and command of descriptions.

Another post worth mentioning is named, My Son, My Hero. In this post he shares a lesson his young son taught him.

Then there’s his Twitter profile where he describes himself as,

Average Joe just trying to enjoy life’s simple moments. Self-therapy thru a nutty blog. Hoping to help raise funds for autism, mental health & cancer research.

I could go on talking about this author, but since we don’t have time for that, without further ado, I would like to introduce you to Chris of Numb Nuggets.

Welcome to the Blogging Without A Blog community, Chris.

Enjoy your reign. Enjoy your blogging journey.

As a footnote, I suggest all women as well as guys who have women in their lives, read the series titled, Momma’s Littlest Angel – How A Baby Girl Saved Her Mother’s Life – Part 1, Part II, and Part III.

Category: Archives, New Blog Of The Week 26 Comments

Jun

Do “They” Have The Right To Know

Barbara Swafford

In case you haven’t been following the news, here’s a story that has been raising a lot of controversy.

The name of the article is, “Town Requires Job Seekers To Reveal Social Media Passwords”, by Aba Journal. In part, it says the City of Bozeman, Montana is requiring the following information from it’s applicants:

“Please list any and all, current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.”

The city form then offers three lines for applicants to list websites, their user names and log-in information and their passwords, Montana News Station reports.

Today’s Lesson

In a previous lesson we discussed how then President Elect Obama required those who would be working in his administration to list all of their online personalities/activities, etc. Some of the information he requested was,

(10) Writings: Please list and, if readily available, provide a copy of each book, article, column or publication (including but not limited to any post or comments on blogs or other websites) you have authored, individually or with others. Please list all aliases or “handles” you have used to communicate on the Internet.

(58) Please provide the URL address of any websites that feature you in either a personal or professional capacity (e.g. Facebook, My Space, etc.)

(61) Have you had any association with any person, group or business venture that could be used – even unfairly – to impugn or attack your character and qualifications for government service?

(63) Please provide any other information, including information about other members of your family, that could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-Elect.

Although he wasn’t asking for log-in information and/or passwords (to my knowledge), he did want documentation of the applicant’s online participation.

Having read both the Aba Journal article and “City to Job Applicants – Facebook, MySpace Log Ins, Please” by Arstechnica.com, the biggest issue is the fact this employer is asking for login names and passwords.

Many who commented say this is an invasion of privacy, as well as a breach of the TOS (terms of service) for some sites, whereas,

City Attorney Greg Sullivan is quoted as defending the policy: “We have positions ranging from fire and police, which require people of high integrity for those positions, all the way down to the lifeguards and the folks that work in city hall here. So we do those types of investigations to make sure the people that we hire have the highest moral character and are a good fit for the city.”

What do you think?

Today’s Assignment

If you were applying for a job and they asked you the same, what would you do?

Do you want to know what your governmental (City, State, Federal) employees are doing online?

Considering the fact our tax dollars pay their wages, is it our right to know? Or, should the personal life of governmental employees be exempt from scrutiny?

Let’s talk about this one.

Category: Archives, Blogging Lessons, Branding, Search Habits, Social Networking 62 Comments

Jun

When The Conversation Moves Off Of Your Blog

Barbara Swafford

Good Day Class!

Remember Tracy, of I Hate My Message Board? When I interviewed her last month, she told us what happened when a post of hers went viral (see: For The Sake Of The Children, Blog Smart)

Today, we have the honor of having her as our substitute teacher (guest writer).

Tracy will discuss another source of traffic to our blogs we often forget about – forums. As the owner and administrator of I Hate My Message Board Forum, she’s here to share the rules of engagement.

Without further ado, here’s Tracy.

Hello Class!

It’s great to be here.

Please take a moment to review the exhibit and then we’ll get on with the lesson.

Today’s Lesson

Forums can be a good traffic source for bloggers. I estimate 15% of my traffic comes from forums.

It can be an ego booster and deliver new readers or you can feel personally attacked and helpless.

Here are some hints on what to do when you find a forum link in your referrals.

Decide if what, if any, action you’ll take.

I get a kick out of the Air Force’s blogger engagement chart and I think it applies to forums, too. There is no need to respond to posters who are hostile to you and it will probably backfire.

Likewise, if they are just happily discussing the contents of your post, you have no obligation to respond if you aren’t interested or don’t have the time. If you would like to respond, keep these points in mind:

Don’t spam or overly self-promote .

Forum owners are inundated with spam and could remove your post if it seems like you are only there for self-promotion or to sell something.

If the forum allows it, you can put a link to your blog in your signature, but I’d be hesitant to ask people to subscribe or provide additional links back to your blog, unless they are directly related to the topic being discussed.

Add value

Do the posters have questions that you can answer? Do you have additional information that’s helpful? Can you provide other resources?

Helping others is a great way to establish your expertise and get people interested enough to take a deeper look at your blog. Remember, forums are indexed by search engines, too!

Debate but use caution.

Just like comments on our own blogs, the key is to state your argument without losing your cool or being insulting. Show off your wit, but be gracious.

I think that it would be wise to do a quick scan of other posts on the forum to get a feel for the general culture. Some welcome a lively discussion while others are more geared to people saying what they think and that’s that. On the latter, it would go over better to simply thank them for reading your post, if you want to say anything at all.

If it gets ugly, leave.

There is no reason at all for you to subject yourself to people insulting you or not being respectful. You don’t owe them any explanations, chances are they’ll forget quickly that you posted once or twice and left but getting visibly upset can be a red flag to some internet users.

Consider linking back.

If the conversation went well and you think your blog readers would enjoy it, sharing the link is appropriate but not obligatory.

But don’t trash talk.

If it didn’t go well, it’s tempting to post a rant on you blog. You’ll likely get a lot of sympathetic comments, but again, red flag to others. If you want to discuss it, do it after you’ve cooled down.

Forum traffic can be very valuable.

Taking a moment to think before you act can save you unnecessary headaches and possibly earn you traffic years to come. It’s upsetting sometimes when people are talking about our posts in a medium where we have no control, but take comfort that it’s a sign that you’re on the map.

Today’s Assignment

Have you been linked to from forums?

Did you reply on the forum or address it on your blog?

Do you actively use forums as a source of traffic? If not, why not?

Raise your hand and share your thoughts.

Tracy is the author of I Hate My Message Board blog, I Hate My Message Board Forum as well as I Hate My Message Board – Life and Style blog. When she’s not blogging or administering her forum, Tracy can be found on Twitter.