When I first learned about blogging, I was taught to encourage my readers to add their information to my RSS feed aggregator. You know, that funny looking orange symbol, which is sometimes accompanied by text which reads “Subscribe to News”, or something like that…

Apparently, it was a good thing for people to join my RSS news feed and to sign up for my free newsletter – except I had no idea that I had a newsletter. I certainly was not going through the task of creating a weekly, or even a monthly, new publication for my readers! Led by blind faith, (which is how I performed many of my online activities…) I invited my readers to use their rss feeder to become my loyal fans, with absolutely no clue as to what I was talking about!

You may be much more tech savy than I was when I first came on the scene….but If you can relate, I have a simple explanation for you that will help to demystify yet another seemingly complicated issue.

An RSS feed aggregator is nothing but a software program which allows your blog visitors to keep track of your new blog posts. How does it work? When they join your rss news feed, they are notified via their rss feeder each and every time you post new content to your blog. This notification is your “newsletter” – and it goes out on autopilot, as a result of code that is inherent in your blog. Is that a beautiful thing, or what?

RSS – short for really simple syndication, is an efficient method for searching, organization, categorizing online content. Those who have favorite news sites or blogs they like to frequent can easily keep up to date with new content posted on those sites, all through the use of one simple rss feed aggregator. All they have to do is join the rss news feed for each site they are interested in, and to tap into the power of an rss feeder.

Some of the popular RSS feed aggregator programs include:

• Google Reader
• FeedDemon
• Bloglines
• Blog Navigator
• SharpReader

Beautiful for the end user, and perhaps even more beautiful for bloggers.

I’m really interested in hearing if this was helpful to you, or if it was too “low level”.  We all join this game at different levels of expertise, and I’m making an effort to provide as much value as I can to as many of you as possible. Your feedback is very much appreciated….happy blogging!

Wondering how to add Facebook fan page to blog sidebar? This is a very simple task that many people have been paying me to do for them and guys (and ladies….), you should Not have to pay me or anyone else to do this for you!

Check out the video above and watch over my shoulder as I add my new Facebook fan page to my blog in less than 5 minutes. And while you’re here, be sure to join my Facebook fan page to receive and share great online mastery tips. Thanks

Blog syndication can be a time consuming process, or you can simplify it by taking some time initially to set up an OnlyWire account.

This simple blog syndication technique can be invaluable to those of us who are participating in tribe syndication groups. Not only does it offer a 1 click way to promote your fellow tribe members’ content to multiple social bookmarking sites, but it provides many backlinks and awesome Internet exposure – which will help them with SEO.

In order to effectively use this time saving resource, both parties (the blog author and the person syndicating the content) need to have OnlyWire accounts. So, if you’re participating in Tribe Tuesday, or any other tribe syndication activities, be sure to share this information with your fellow tribe members.

You’ll be able to promote their content easier, they’ll be able to promote your content easier, and everybody will benefit from greater exposure, SEO, and social proof. So, take the time to set up an OnlyWire account, have your tribe members do the same, and pay it forward in a major way!

Tribe Syndication is the latest trend to hit the online marketing world, and it’s creating rising stars in the blogging world faster than anything I’ve ever seen!

I’m not talking about paying some company huge sums of money to promote your content. This is totally free blog syndication and if done properly it will rock your world and your business. How so?

• First, it will drastically improve your SEO (search engine optimization), meaning that your blog will rank better with the search engines and more people will see your content. After all, that’s what it’s all about, right?

• Second, tribe syndication will help you to create some powerful strategic alliances with other bloggers with whom you share similar mindset, beliefs, and commitment to success. I’ve seen many of these friendships turn into profitable business partnerships, and have personally benefitted from this type of result on more than one occasion.

• Third, participation in a free blog syndication network requires you to get in the trenches and actually read blog content posted by your peers.  Yes it takes time but when you partner with top bloggers you’ll be amazed at the lessons you’ll take away from the inspiring, educational, and practical information they post.

So, how can you reap all these rewards, and more? Obviously, tribe syndication is the answer – but there is one important element of using free blog syndication. Without this one you will definitely not be maximizing the true potential of your blog syndication network.

Drumroll, please….the one element that can either make or break your tribe syndication results is accountability. I know this because I’ve been involved in tribes with and without the accountability factor.

Trust me, it’s pretty disappointing when you devote several hours during the course of a week to promoting the members of your blog syndication network, only to find that your content has been barely syndicated.

So, how can you be sure this doesn’t happen to you? Tribes are popping up all over the blogging world, and it’s not difficult to find one to join. Before you make the commitment (and have no doubt, belonging to the right tribe is a commitment…), make sure the tribe(s) you join include the following:

• Accountability
  Members should be required to provide free blog syndication on a certain schedule. For example, one of my tribes has a weekly tribe power hour each Tribe Tuesday, where we meet with fellow tribesmen and women on skype and get to work syndicating each others’ content. If a member can’t make it to the power hour, he or she is expected to promote fellow bloggers as soon as it is convenient.

• Committed Tribe Members
  Remember, you will be promoting these fellow bloggers and their work. You want to be sure that the information they’re putting out is valuable content, and that they have demonstrated a commitment to the blogging process. I’ve spotlighted a few of my tribe members on a special page and invite you to check out their awesome posts.

• Rotating Tribe Teams
  You don’t want the same people promoting your blog week after week after week. An effective tribe should have a system in place where teams are mixed up every couple of weeks.

• Sense of Community
  One of my tribes is built around a ning community, where training and support is offered. This sense of community really brings us together in reaching our common goals and helps us to form incredible personal and business relationships. Another group centers around a Facebook page. Both groups provide a team atmosphers that fosters the development of wonderful friendships.

• Leadership & Organization
  There has to be a person or team calling the shots and keeping everyone organized. Without strong leadership and organization there can never be team success. Look for leaders who have created a name for themselves online. For example, I belong to one blog syndication network that is led by a group of bloggers who have developed an entirely new online concept called Tribe Tuesday. You may not know what it is today but believe me when I tell you it will be more popular than Twitter’s Follow Friday in a matter of months. Now that’s strong leadership!

Now get out there and join a tribe syndication team that will help you to rock your business and your world!

Tribe Tuesday? What is that, you may ask…well hold onto your hats because you’re about to learn about one of the most inventive ideas to come down the highway in quite some time. Way bigger than Follow Friday, because it will give you much greater exposure and benefits than the popular #FF.

If you take a good look around my blog you may notice that my more recent posts have substantially more retweets, comments, and Facebook shares than my older ones. In fact, my most recent submission, dated just 3 days ago, has 11 retweets and 9 comments – while a very well written, informative post I wrote 6 months ago / has 1 retweet and 0 comments.

Not only is the older article written on a subject very near and dear to the heart of practically every blogger out there, but it’s been available for viewers for a substantially longer period of time. When you do the math, it just makes sense that it should have a far greater number of retweets and comments than the brand new content, right.?

So, what’s the difference? You guessed it….Tribe Tuesday!

Tribe Tuesday is a brand spanking new concept that is bringing both novice and expert bloggers tremendous exposure.  It’s being used in conjunction with blog syndication networks and is so phenomenal that it’s popping up all over the place in Twitter as a hash tag, much like the well known #Follow Friday.

It all revolves around us helping each other out, which is so much more refreshing than the old school business philosophy that competition is the name of the game. What’s happening is that tribes from all over the world are gathering on Tuesdays and promoting each others’ content. This includes blog syndication and commenting, Twitter retweets, social bookmarking,  Facebook shares, and subscribing to each others’ video sites then rating and commenting on videos.

Wow! Does that sound like a lot of work? I guess it all depends on how you look at it. Would you rather be all alone out there promoting your own work, or have a team of others who are doing it for you? Kind of a no-brainer, right?

The tribe Tuesday concept revolves around the whole principle of leveraging. Most of us have been taught that it’s better to work with others to leverage our time and efforts than to work alone. Just as Fridays have been designated as the day to promote our favorite Twitter “peeps”, Tuesdays have been designated as the day to take massive action on behalf of our fellow tribe syndication partners;  hence the name…

If you haven’t yet embraced the concept of joining a tribe to work together on blog syndication I highly advise you to do so. Be sure that you do some research and find the right tribe (this one action can make all the difference in your results).  If you haven’t found a tribe that feels right to you, I’m involved in 2 that I would highly recommend.

• Tribe Mastery 2.0, a subscription based tribe that includes valuable Internet marketing training
• Tribe Syndication Association (TSA) – no charge tribe linked to a Facebook group
  

Whether you join one or both of my teams or find another to be a part of, be sure that you catch the Tribe Tuesday wave!

ps – you don’t have to be a member of my tribe to share this post with others. Be sure to click on the green Retweet button and/or the blue Facebook button…..and I’d love to hear your comments on Tribe Tuesday!

Part 3 of my Search Engine Ranking Improvement Series is devoted to giving you an HTML anchor tag tutorial.

If you haven’t done so, you’ll want to be sure to check out my previous posts in this series:

• Search Engine Ranking Improvement Part 1 – Keywords
• Search Engine Ranking Improvement Part 2 – Backlinks
  

An HTML anchor tag is simply a link that you place within your site to link to another page on your site or to a specific area on the same page. Anchor tags help with search engine optimization in several regards:

• They enable search engine spiders to easily move throughout your site; the more anchor tags the better

• They identify a common theme throughout your site; very important for search engine optimization

• They help to improve keyword density

HTML Anchor Tag to A Different Page

These anchor tags are not only helpful for search engine ranking improvement, but also help your visitors to easily find information that will be useful to them. And, when they remain on your site longer and visit additional pages this also sends a very positive message to the search engines and will help increase your rankings.

Examples of using the HTML anchor tag feature can be found at the top of this post, where I’ve provided links to additional posts in my Search Engine Ranking Improvement series.

The code for anchor tags that point to a different page within your site is the same that you would use to link to a page outside of your site:

<a href=”http://www.yoursiteurl.com/pagename”>Name of Your Page</a>

For best search engine optimization, be sure to use the keywords you’re ranking for within the link itself (this should have been done when you named the page you’re linking to), as well as in the text that the HTML anchor tag will display as the link, i.e., Name of Your Page.

HTML Anchor Tag to Text Within the Same Page

These anchor tags are used to direct your visitors to a specific section of the page they’re reading. Again, use your main keywords in the HTML anchor tag for maximum search engine ranking improvement.

These anchor tags require 2 separate lines of code, one that identifies the location that you want to bring your visitor to, and one that provides the text link. Examples can be found on this page, where I included an HTML anchor tag to bring you to each of the different subsections of this tutorial.

When you click on the text link that reads “specific area on the same page” your browser window will drop down to this section. As discussed above, I’ve utilized 2 sections of code to create this desired effect:

• Create the HTML anchor tag
  
  Anchor tags identify the section of your document that you want the browser window to jump to when your visitor clicks on the text link. In this example, I wanted my text link to bring readers to this section of the page. In order to do so, I created and named the tag “html anchor tag same”, and placed the appropriate code around the section header. My exact code looks like this:
  

  <a name=”html anchor tag same”>HTML Anchor Tag to Text Within the Same Page</a>
  

• Create the text link
  
  The text link contains the word or phrase that the reader will click on, and contains an HTML tag that identifies the anchor tag that the reader will be directed to when he or she clicks on the link. The code I used is:
  
  <a href=”#html anchor tag same”>specific area on the same page</a>
  
  

In this example, you’ll notice that I’ve used my main keyword, HTML anchor tag, as the tag identifier – giving my page a little bit of extra help in terms of search engine ranking improvement. Once the anchor tag was set up, I simply added the # sign before the tag name that I assigned, to direct the text link to use the anchor tag.

And that, my friends, is one of the elements of proper search engine optimization. A little help here, a little help there – many different strategies that when woven together can create SEO magic.

In part 2 of my search engine ranking improvement series we’re going to be discussing backlinks. If you haven’t read part 1 of the series I encourage you to click on this link to do so before jumping into this post.

There are many methods of obtaining free website traffic which when combined can drastically improve your Google website ranking. I recommend that you perform a series of actions every time you post a new blog entry or web page.

This strategy will not only help you to advertise web site posts and drive traffic to your site, but it will also help with search engine ranking improvement.  The search engines look very favorably on sites that have many other sites that link back to them, so the strategy I suggest is to use a variety of sources to build backlinks to your site.

• EZine Articles

  Ezinearticles.com is a free article directory that is very highly rated and has a great deal of daily traffic. It rates number 57 in the United States of all websites worldwide, and is known as an authority site.

  The technique that I use is to submit an Ezine article that compliments each new blog post I produce. I use the same keywords, but always mix up the content. Duplicating web content is frowned upon and will never help search engine ranking improvement.

  This is such an important, profitable strategy that I’ve devoted an entire post to the subject. Check it out here.

• YouTube

  YouTube is the fourth most popular website on the Internet, and is an excellent source for driving traffic to your site and providing backlinks, which will help with search engine ranking improvement.

  Once you’ve posted a video, be sure to add a link to your website in the Description box, include quality keywords, and add the video to your blog or website.

• Commenting on Popular Blogs

  If you take a look at the Comments section under this post, you’ll notice a “CommentLuv” image below the Submit Comment button. Many popular blogs are built with this feature, which helps both the commenter and the blog author.

  Every time you submit a comment on a blog that contains this plugin and enter your name, email, and URL, CommentLuv will automatically search for your latest blog post and add a link below your comment. Not only does this give you a free, high quality backlink to your site, but it also has the potential to drive traffic.

  Always be sure to read the post that you’re commenting on, and offer thought provoking comments.

• Link Exchange Programs

  Link exchange programs can help boost your Google website ranking, as long as you follow some important guidelines.

  The first thing to realize is that link exchange pages, sometimes referred to as “link farms”, will not help with search engine ranking improvement. These are typically pages that contain many links but no valuable content, and they are frowned on by the search engines.

  The best link exchange programs offer backlinks to information that is relevant to the linking site’s content. The more popular the originating site is, the more beneficial the backlink will be.

  One way links (site A has a link to site B, but site B does not have a link to site A) are more advantageous than two way links (both sites link to each other), so the best theory is to find a link exchange partner who is willing to offer you a one way link.

  You might consider thinking out of the box and forming a link exchange partner co-op, where site A links to site B, which links to site C, which links to site A…

• Site Directories
  
  Directories provide a simple, free source of backlinks to your site. The most popular directory is DMOZ.

• Participating in Forums
  
  Looking for backlinks that can drive very targeted traffic back to your site? Forums are a great source. Just get involved in conversations that are relevant to your niche, and use the signature box to add links to your site.
  Self promotion and spamming are not allowed here, so be sure to offer valuable information, insights, etc, and limit the advertising to the signature line.

• Social Media Sites
  Links from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter , and Squidoo can greatly enhance search engine ranking improvement.  Google loves these sites!
  

• Social Bookmarking Sites
  
  These sites (the most popular of which are delicious and digg) contain tons of great articles that users can bookmark on their computers. You can submit your own content to social bookmarking sites, but an even more effective technique is to have it submitted by another user. This might be a good time to find a  link exchange partner, who will submit your content in exchange for your submission of his or her content.

When you combine many or all of these ideas together, search engine ranking improvement can be accomplished easily and for free. The keys are to take a systematic approach and provide quality content on a consistent basis.

If you’ve found this post to be helpful I would appreciate your comments, retweets, or social bookmarking submissions. Spread the love and it will come back to you tenfold!

Thinking about creating a blog to attract business? You’re definitely on the right track!

In fact I would go so far as to say that creating a blog is by far one of the most important things you can do to create the success of your dreams.

The short video above details the benefits of blogging for business success, including:

• Blogging creates a personal brand, the greatest success tool you could ever have
  
• Creating a blog enables you to shine, putting forth the very best of what you have to offer
  
• Attraction marketing is facilitated – others get to know, like and trust you
  
• Others will see you as the leader that you are when you use your blog to teach and help them

So get out there, create a blog, and watch your popularity and your business grow!

Stay tuned for upcoming posts that will guide you through the process…..

In this last post of the series you’ll learn how to create an attractive, eye-catching opt in box that will draw your visitors attention to your offer and bring you opt in email leads for your business. In addition to the video I’ve provided step by step instructions below.

Step One – Create an Image that will Draw Others to Your Offer and Help You Create a Mass Email List

1. If you want to capture as many opt in email leads as possible (and you do…), your image should be designed to attract visitors to your opt in box.  If you look at my blog, it’s the image directly above the opt in box. Many outsource this important task (please visit my http://kathyjodrey.com/category/services/ Services page if you’re interested in outsourcing). If you’re good with graphics I invite you to download any of the background images on my services page to create your image.
2. Optimize your image and upload it to your blog

Step Two – Create Your Code using your GetResponse Autoresponder

1.  In GetResponse, select the Contacts tab and click on Create Web Form.
2. Name your form, and click on the Inline Form radio button, then select Advanced Options.
3. Set your Confirmation URL to a “Thank You” page that you have developed on your blog. This will keep your opt in email leads on your website, even after they’ve submitted their information. Remember, not only do you want to build a mass email list, but you want your visitors to be entertained, enlightened, or educated. The longer they stick around, the more value you can give them!
4. If you’re using GetResponse, shorten the URL for your “Thank You” page in bitly or another program.
5. Deselect the “Powered by” logo, click on Next Step.
6. The next page will display the opt in box. It’s not very attractive and isn’t likely to help you create the mass email list that you desire…don’t worry. We’ll be taking care of that by replacing it with a custom designed box to help you attract as many opt in email leads as possible!
7. If an orange Submit button will work with your blog design I recommend that you change Web Form Template to Brown Box. Click Next Step.
8. The next page will display the code to place a form on your blog that will help you create a mass email list. Copy the Raw HTML Version into a Notepad document. You’re now done with GetResponse.

Step Three – Add a Text Widget to your WordPress blog

1. Log in to your WordPress blog and select Widgets.
2. Drag a Text widget into the top of your Sidebar box.
3. You can either add a title that will entice others to opt in to the mass email list you’re building, or leave it blank and add your title to the image you’ll upload.
4. Copy the code that GetResponse has generated for you to collect opt in email leads and click on Save.

Step Four – Add Your Customized Image to your Blog

1. Go into your Media Library, select the image you’ve uploaded, and click Edit. The File URL will display the HTML code for your image. Copy this code.
2. Open your text widget. Above the existing code, you’re going to add your image code. An example is <div align=”center”><img src=”PLACE THE IMAGE CODE HERE” width=”ENTER THE WIDTH OF THE IMAGE”/>

Step Five – Customize Your Opt in Box

1. The Subscribe box may scare away some possible opt in email leads – many associate the word subscribe with cost. If you want to remove the Subscribe box, locate the code in your widget (located near the top) that looks like <div id=”webform_title” style=”padding: 7px 20px 7px 20px; font-size: 21px; color: #ffffff; background-color: #888888; border: 1px solid #888888;”>Subscribe</div> and remove it.
2. If you want to remove the contact counter, locate the code in your widget (located near the bottom) that looks like <div style=”margin-top: 10px;”><strong>0</strong> contacts already!</div></div></div> and remove it. I recommend removing this. We all start with nothing, and a small number may deter some from providing their information and becoming opt in email leads.
3. If you want to change the background color, locate the background code in the initial command and change the #FFFFFF to the color you desire. You may also change the font color using the same method.

Congratulations, you’re on your way to creating a mass email list that will catapult your business to success!

If you don’t have an autoresponder, you need one. I recommend and use GetResponse.

I realize that we all have different skill sets, and some of you may prefer to outsource this task. Whether you would like help with one aspect of this process or the entire service completed for you please visit my http://kathyjodrey.com/category/services/ Blog Services page. I’d love to help!

So, you want to build one of the best blogging sites on the planet, right?

You want mass numbers of devoted readers gobbling up your blog posts like their morning Wheaties, begging for more.

You want to create a social buzz, a flat out riot – Tweeters retweeting your information until their fingers are numb.

Right? Right!

Great…now that you know what you want, you’ll need to know how to get it.

There are 5 qualities that are shared by the best blogging sites. Master these and you’ll be on your way to the fame and fortune you so deserve.

1. When at all possible, create a bulleted or numbered list. It makes your information more easily readable, making for happier readers.
2. All of the best blogging sites focus on giving value to the reader. The best content for blogs can cater to a wide range of interests, but it must be a total give. Many of the best blogging sites offer free (and highly valuable) information, some provide inspiration, others make their readers pee their pants laughing. Choose your audience and Give until it hurts; remember – no pain, no gain!
3. Draw your reader in with attention grabbing headlines. Captivating headlines often ask a question, begin with the words “How To”, leave the reader intrigued, or give reasons or tips (5 Reasons Why You Should…, or 5 Tips to Creating the Best Blogging Sites).
4. People love stories. When at all possible, weave a story into your blog post and you’ll have a captive audience. If it’s a true story about a personal experience you’ve had, even better. Your readers will get to know and like you better. Just leave out the creepy, weird stories!
5. Add interactivity. All of the best blogging sites give readers the chance to comment, ask questions, and interact. This establishes relationships with readers, and can help to build a sense of community.

Just always, always, always remember that it’s all about your readers. Help them, interest them, inspire them, and entertain them and you’ll be on your way to building one of the best blogging sites around!