Thursday, March 29, 2012

Top Misc Content on Internet

Top Misc Content on Internet

How to Improve at Web Copywriting

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:27 AM PST

Writing online has become one of the best ways to make legitimate cash on the Web. Writers of all sk

Content Writing - Overlooked Ethical Rules

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:14 AM PST

Content Writing is a fresh and forthcoming field inside IT industry. Many companies are searching for good writers who are able to communicate their vision and enhance the picture of the company.

Content writing is a area with unlimited opportunities and anyone focused on working as a writer is only restrained by his or her ability to work and imagination. Many people intrigued in a home based job and making a living in their free time are drawn to this field. Numerous opportunities are accessible in the industry with standard and particular passions.

Often there is a shortage of good facts and a expert in his or her field would excel to work with an SEO Copywriting firm to make the information readily accessible and understandable to the layperson. Content writing features various issues – it’s an educative process, as anyone working in this industry needs to use his personal strategies to put forth existing material in a new technique to optimize exposure on the Internet.

A content writer needs to pursue a variety of unspoken lawful rules. One must stick to the guidelines provided by the contracting company – namely, keywords. You need to get it just right so it won’t develop into a pointless exercise with having a word appear often without any element in the article.

Plagiarism in content writing is a big no. A content writer loses personal credibility and jeopardizes the organization he works for by borrowing material freely from available sources on the Internet. It only ensures that you have not really understood the topic at hand. Better refuse the project than plagiarize.

In addition, you should try to examine the topic well and then stay within the word limit. Do not make any claims that are not on the company's website, as it could develop legalities to the company you write for. Don’t add your personal opinions into the content, as it is not professional. For that, you have your own writing forum like a blog.

While content writing is interesting and simple to do with all the resources of the Internet accessible, it must be kept simple and get the message across clearly. People should get the thing quickly and easily, as much choices are made based on the information in your article. Managing content is a constant process and reliability is of vital importance.

Museum Curator Salary

Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:00 PM PDT

For those who are students of art, a museum curator's job offers exciting career prospects and an attractive pay packet to go with it. From your local museum right up to the biggies in the art capitals across the world, the museum curator is the one who oversees the entire working, and picks up a decent salary for it. Here's more on that.

SEO Content Writing Guidelines

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 10:28 PM PDT

96 Free Professional Blog Topics | Geoff Livingston's Blog

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 10:14 PM PDT

The Golden Age Of Dirty Talk | The Awl

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 08:32 PM PDT

Article Writing Services

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 07:34 PM PDT

Reading on the Web (Alertbox)

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 07:21 PM PDT

Writing Style for Print vs. Web (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox)

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 07:14 PM PDT

Free Online Article Rewriter Software free fun video new modelling videos BoysIQ hot photo

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 07:12 PM PDT

9 Steps to Write Your Ultimate Home Page Headline

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 05:47 PM PDT

Accessibility for web writers, part 1: introduction | 4 Syllables

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 03:57 PM PDT

How Regularly Should you Deliver Content?

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 02:05 PM PDT

The Procrastinator’s Guide to Creating a Cover Image for Your Facebook Timeline

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 08:30 AM PDT

image of facebook logo

Got a Facebook Page for your business?

Freaking out about creating a good-looking cover photo for your Timeline?

You’ve probably noticed that striking visual piece in the new Facebook Pages timeline layout — a nearly-screen-width banner image, known as a "Cover."

On March 30, 2012 (yes, that’s tomorrow today), all Facebook Pages will be converted to the timeline layout with the cover photo.

If you don’t specify a cover image by March 30, presumably the top of your page will have a blank space where the cover should be.

So if you haven’t pulled it together yet, here’s a last-minute guide for you.

This how-to guide is designed to help Facebook Pages create a cover image that looks professional and markets your brand's best assets — without violating the new Facebook Pages Terms.

Example Facebook Page Cover Photo

While Facebook allows Page admins to simply choose a photo from an existing photo album, doing this is probably not going to give you a professional-looking image that makes your business look terrific.

Chances are that your existing photos were not composed to take advantage of the unusual shape of a Facebook cover photo. You're also missing out on the opportunity to combine multiple photos and text into a full page banner image.

1. Follow the new Facebook Pages Terms for cover photos

When Facebook announced Timeline for Pages on Feb. 29, they also updated their Facebook Pages Terms with new guidelines for cover photos.

These rules are directly aimed at deterring effective marketing a few techniques that are still being used on some Facebook Pages. Specifically, a Page's cover photo may not:

  • Encourage people to upload your cover to their personal timelines,
  • Include price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it on YourURL.com,”
  • Include contact information, like your website address, email, mailing address, or information that Facebook wants you to put in your Page’s “About” section,
  • Include references to Facebook features or actions, such as “Like” or “Share” or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features,
  • Include calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends.”

And of course, "covers can’t be deceptive, misleading, or infringe on anyone else’s copyright."

In other words, Facebook wants your Page cover photo to be an eye-catching photograph, not an advertisement or wordy graphic.

2. Design to fit the correct size and shape

The Facebook cover photo is not a common image size, and the rectangular composition includes a cut-out for your profile icon in the lower left corner.

This means the best-looking cover photos tend to be images that are designed to take advantage of the cover photo's exact size and shape.

Facebook timeline cover photo size template

Click for full size Facebook timeline cover photo template.

Detailed measurements:

Important tips:

  • Facebook will overlay a 1-pixel transparent gray border on top of your image.
  • If you upload an image smaller than 851 x 315, it will be stretched to fit. This will make your image quality appear slightly grainy or distorted. The best practice is to upload an image that’s sized to Facebook’s dimensions.
  • Screenshot measurements reveal that only 314 pixels are displayed from a 315-pixel image upload. The top edge appears to be covered by the Facebook header bar. A test with a 314-pixel tall image became distorted when uploaded, so do upload a 315-pixel tall image even though only the bottom 314 pixels will be displayed.

3. Decide what text to include, or not

Although the Facebook Pages Terms state that you cannot include contact information, calls to action, discounts, or price information, Facebook left the door open for businesses to include other attention-grabbing copy and fine print, for example:

  • Company tagline or short phrase that explains what your business does
  • An impactful word that embodies your brand
  • Inspiring quote
  • Names of people in your photo
  • Photographer credits
  • Image copyrights

Example Facebook Cover Photo with Text

4. Select quality images

Images are a powerful way to create an emotional state, so your Page’s cover photo should embody the essence of your brand.

Use high-quality photographs that are in focus, have balanced color and good lighting, or use photo editing software to optimize your images. You can design an image collage or use one big, beautiful photograph — just keep the cover photo shape in mind when setting up your composition. 

Your company logo should appear somewhere, usually in your profile icon, in which case it is not needed as an extra graphic in your cover photo. If you plan to include text, consider its placement when selecting images.

Here are a few image content ideas suitable for brands:

  • Candid photos of customers enjoying your products (be sure to get permission to use their likeness)
  • Your most popular products
  • Icons of awards won
  • Employees in action
  • Company founders
  • Store interior or exterior
  • Branded vector graphic

5. Upload your image

The hard part is done; uploading is easy!

  1. Log into your Facebook Page admin account.
  2. If you haven't yet converted your Page to Facebook timeline, click the "Preview" button, then click the "Add a Cover" button.
  3. If you are replacing an existing cover photo, mouse over your cover photo so that the "Change Cover" button appears in the lower right corner; click it.
  4. Select "Upload Photo," find the image file on your computer, then click the "Save Changes" button.
  5. Then click on the photo to add a caption, tags, and location information.

Now show off your cover photo design! We’d like to see what you came up with after following these steps. Post your Facebook Page link in the comments.

About the Author: Danielle Glick is the Social Media Director & President of DGdesign, a social media agency that helps brands meet their business goals via strategic marketing. Connect with Danielle on Twitter @SocialMediaDFW.

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14 Ways to Build Strategic Relationships With the Who’s Who of Social Media

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 04:00 AM PDT

image of men on battlefield

You know the feeling.

You’ve worked hard on a new post, a new video or a groundbreaking new product.

You release it to the world. Publish it to all the social networks, share it with your email list, tell your friends … and nothing happens.

The needle doesn’t move.

Sometimes you just feel stuck. You’re doing everything “you should be doing” but not really going anywhere.

You’ve worked hard to get people to notice you and your company. You’ve got a little traction here and there, but it’s not enough. You feel like you’ve paid your dues but you’re not getting paid back.

There has to be a better way.

There is, and that’s where industry influencers come into play. 

With a little help from the influencers (and their massive audiences) you can move from obscurity to a firm place on the map. Without their help, your future’s unclear.

But how do you make those initial connections?

Well, the answers are right in front of you. I’m about to share 14 secrets with you to building relationships with the Who’s Who of your industry.

Use with care. Remember that online influencers are people just like you are. Networking is 98% about being a nice person and having good manners. So go ahead and use these “secrets,” but use them with respect.

1. Start cultivating

Pick a small set of influencers (say 4-6 people) to start with.

Subscribe to their blogs (via email or RSS), follow them in Twitter, connect on Google+, subscribe to their Facebook updates, “like” their Facebook page, and join LinkedIn Groups that they own or are actively participating in. If you can, attend a live event they’re speaking at.

Check in on them regularly and start to engage in conversations with them on their blog and via social media. This will prepare the foundation to take the actions that follow.

2. Show your support

Next, become their best supporter.

This might include linking to them (especially with an interesting, well-written post), buying some of their products, sharing their posts and promotions on Facebook, promoting their LinkedIn group, retweeting them (and adding positive comments), being an active blog commenter, and generally adding value in their sphere of influence.

It’s not sucking up — it’s showing that you’re reading their stuff and thinking about it.

3. Become their informal (or formal) “Community Manager”

A very powerful secret to adding value and to getting to know an influencer is to fill a vacuum in one of their communities.

If they have a following on LinkedIn, Facebook, or in a forum (it can be free or part of a paid program), proactively take on the role of an informal “community manager.”

Help newbies get oriented. Create mini-tutorial posts or videos. Help answer questions that might be slipping between the cracks.

As a LinkedIn Group owner, I can tell you that the people who help me with these things in my community are worth their weight in gold. Anytime they contact me, they immediately have my attention. As an added bonus, you’re also building authority and good will with the other members of that community.

4. Connect them to a great resource or person

When spying on respectfully connecting with your influencer, pay close attention to their goals and frustrations.

For example, maybe they post on Facebook saying, “Just committed to doing a fundraiser for my son’s Boy Scout troop. Anyone have fundraising tips?” or “God, this new Gizmo D5000 makes me feel like a moron.”

In the first case, maybe you have a friend who’s a rockstar fundraiser, and you set up a phone call for them to talk.

In the second, maybe you dig up a great guide someone wrote for the Gizmo D5000, and you send them a link.

Either way, you’re their new hero. How do you think they are going to respond the next time you ask for a favor?

5. Cover their keynote

This is one of my favorites.

Go to a conference or other event where influencers are presenting. Pick some of the more popular speakers or topics, get a good seat for pictures, and take thorough notes. Then quickly write one or more great posts including valuable information, pictures, and video clips related to the talk.

Here’s an example post from BlogWorld that paid huge dividends for me in terms of visibility and recognition.

6. Offer free consulting to improve their business

Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can offer an influencer is your own time or expertise.

Again, listen for their goals and frustrations, and wait for them to talk about an area where you can help. Then, at an opportune moment, pop in and tell them it’s your specialty, and you’d be happy to give them an hour of free consulting. When would be a good time?

Chances are, you’ll get to have a long telephone conversation where you can prove you know your stuff. Instant connection and authority.

(We shouldn’t have to say this but we will: Don’t offer a consultation in your influencer’s area of expertise, unless of course you are, in fact, more proficient than they are at that topic.)

7. Review their book, product or event

The best time to engage an influencer is at the early stage of a launch when they’re working on getting the word out. That’s when they’ll be most open to an interview or to sharing your review broadly via social media.

Write an articulate, creative and scannable post to make sure it gets a lot of attention and shares.

I’ve seen too many average and uninspired reviews that are just not share-worthy. Take the time to get it right, and then be sure to mention it to them, so they can share it for you.

8. Interview them

If you’re a nice and fairly intelligent person, people can’t help but feel closer to you after they talk with you. And what’s the easiest way to talk to an expert?

An interview.

Find a good reason to interview them (like the launch mentioned above), or create an event or series like “The Top Architects Interview Series” that would stroke their ego a bit. Ask them for the interview, and if they accept, post it to your site.

Using the strategy, you’ll have helped to promote them and will also have had the opportunity to get to know them personally.

9. Tell them something’s broken

Have you ever signed up for an industry influencer’s program or subscribed to their email list and noticed a glitch? A link that takes you to a blank page or has an embarrassing typo?

Well, most people are too shy to say anything about it. Be the person who steps up and tells them about it (privately). They’ll appreciate it!

10. Give them honest feedback

Too often industry influencers have a bunch of “yes men” (and women) following them. Everything they do is golden, right?

Well, if you find the right opportunity or topic, try providing a constructive and well-thought-out counterpoint.

Do this only if you strongly believe you’ve got something valuable to add. This is a dangerous one, because if you do it wrong, they might take offense. If you’re only disagreeing to be contrary, you’ll just make yourself an annoying pest.

But, if you do it thoughtfully with the right influencer, it can totally set you apart.

11. Create a valuable resource for your community

Have you ever heard an influencer’s say, “If I had time to create [great resource XYZ], I would do it!”

Well, if you have the skills and time, do it yourself. For example, they might say, “Wouldn’t it be great to have a list of all the best posts about [insert fascinating topic]?” Well, take a few hours together all the best posts, publish it on your own blog, and then send them a link.

Do it well, and you might just get yourself a link.

12. Riff off one of their ideas (not rip off)

Ever read On Dying, Mothers, and Fighting for Your Ideas, the popular post by Jon Morrow?

Well, what you may have not realized is it’s riffing off another popular post Brian Clark wrote called The Snowboard, the Subdural Hematoma, and the Secret of Life. Same headline structure, same three acts, same inspirational message.

I don’t want to put words in Brian’s mouth, but I’m guessing he was flattered. Someone taking your art and using it to create their own art is a huge compliment.

13. Become a customer

As Jon says in his guest blogging course, buying an influencer’s program, product or service is a great way to get to know them, especially if it offers you direct access to them.

Be their best student. Take their lessons to heart, and succeed so they’ll want to use you as a case study.

Not only will it help you create a new connection, but it will build your own authority as well.

14. Offer to write a guest post

If you’ve built up some social capital with an influencer or blog owner, consider pitching a guest post concept you know you can over-deliver on.

If they accept, your post will typically get published on their site in exchange for a byline with a link back to your site. You’ll not only get more standing and recognition in the industry, but you’ll be able to develop a relationship with the blog owner/influencer.

Can you go too far?

Absolutely.

I don’t want to leave without providing some quick guidelines to keep you from going overboard. Just a few quick tips:

  • Only make connections with people whose work you genuinely admire and respect. It will show.
  • It’s networking, not stalking. You need to know where that line is. Respect boundaries.
  • Be helpful, not annoying.
  • Don’t expect an instant return. Networking is about relationships, not exchanging favors.
  • Treat everyone with respect. Not just the people you consider “influencers.”

If in doubt, be courageous.

Don’t sit back worrying if someone is going to find you annoying or think you’re a suck up. Get out there and get noticed.

Will you sit up, take action, and march yourself out of obscurity, or will you be satisfied with what could have been?

No-brainer, right?

So get out there and do it!

About the Author: Tom Treanor helps business owners to get traffic, leads and sales via their blog and social media. Be sure to register for his upcoming business blogging webinar.

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