Have you heard of the Blog Engage community for bloggers? If not, I invite you to join me there and become a member.

Essentially if you’re a blog owner, you should join. The community is all about networking, sharing and is active and quite helpful. I recommend all bloggers join.

Join Blog Engage here.

Blog Engage also has a super cool and active Facebook group, which allows you to mix and mingle with other members. Great for when you have questions, need help with your blog and so on. They also host challenges, contests, and other activities throughout the month.

Right now, there’s a guest post contest which is running throughout the month of May where you stand to win some very nice prizes. All you have to do is become a member of Blog Engage and then submit a guest post. The post with the most VOTES, likes, tweets and comments wins a series of good prizes.

Of course, I have joined and you can VOTE for me here. Please visit my post and VOTE for me – today, if possible. Like now.

VOTE FOR ME HERE:

http://www.blogengage.com/blogger/4-good-reasons-to-join-topical-facebook-groups

The contest sponsors are noted below, do pay them a visit as they have put up the cash for us contestants. But first, do join Blog Engage and then friend me up here, and I will friend you back. I friend everyone that friends me.

See contest sponsors below.

So do join.

Don’t forget to VOTE for me, link is below. And friend me up also.

http://www.blogengage.com/blogger/4-good-reasons-to-join-topical-facebook-groups

To join Blog Engage, go here.

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Wondering what are some of the hottest trends in the blog and website industry? Below we keep you in the loop, by highlighting three of them. These are all the rage now and are not going away anytime soon, so the time to jump in – is now.

1. Responsive Website/Blog Designs -

If you’ve been reading and or seeing a lot of mention lately about responsive web design this is because designers are scrambling to keep up pace with the recent explosion of tablets. Ever since the iPad came out in April 2010 and then the Kindle Fire in November 2011, the universe has simply not been the same. And it very much applies to website design as those smaller screens require different settings for proper viewing. With this in mind, those who create software for websites and blogs such as WordPress have created changes to accommodate this new and (super popular) medium. The thing is that since there are so many tablets and phones on the market, a need for a universal design is on the rise. This brings us to responsive web design. So a WordPress theme that calls itself responsive means that it will adapt to the screen it’s being viewed on, whether the 9 inch iPad, the 7 inch Kindle Fire or the smaller and compact iPhone screen.

Look for more responsive web design trends in 2012 and beyond.

2. Guest Posting -

SEO is a constantly evolving practice that if you don’t keep up, you’ll be left behind in the dust. Google likes to keep us blog owners and web marketers on our toes by implementing constant changes that we need to stay on top of. First it was article marketing, then link directories, then blogroll exchanges, then blog carnivals – and so on. The new and improved methods for website and blog SEO are now linkbait, guest posting, infographics, joining blog communities and forums and blog commenting. If you’re not familiar with guest posting, essentially this is when you seek out blogs in your niche and volunteer to write and submit an article there that links back to your site. This is not an easy method because it involves time and effort on your part, as you need to contact the site owner, email him or her, pitch a good and useful guest article, write the article, then await to hear back from said owner. As you can see – guest posting requires time, energy and most importantly – a good deal of follow through.

This is probably why Google likes it and gives it a thumbs up. So if you’ve not yet tried guest posting, now is as good time as any.

3. Google Plus/ Facebook Timelines -

Social media is not new, Facebook and Twitter have been around for some time now and as far as I can see, are not going away anytime soon. But they also implement an alarming and dizzying amount of changes, enough to make a good natured website and blog owner – reach for the BIG bottle of Tums. The most recent change at Facebook is the infamous timelines and the timeline cover. This change is meant to maximize your page and engage your base. By adding in a large cover photo of your business, it makes photos a good part of the overall mix in your social media chest box. Speaking of photos, another crazy insane popular service that just recently has been mentioned everywhere except the New Testament – is Pinterest. It’s a social network based around images. Is it useful? Is it helpful? I’m not sure as I have yet to do any analytics or anything like that. Like many others, I signed up and have added a few pins here and there, but nothing to hoot and holler about.

Do you HAVE to sign up for all these social networks? My short answer is: No. My longer answer is: Maybe. Depends really on your blog niche, your business and how much FREE time you have. Because fact is, that the one things all of these require is the one thing we don’t have too much of. Time. If you have time to create a Facebook page, update it and keep your fans engaged – then go for it. If not, you can also hire someone to do it for you. But what’s the point in signing up for another one. Which one is right for you? I can’t answer that. Visit each one and see their interface, then decide which one you wouldn’t mind spending 30 minutes a day on.

Which of these three trends are you most excited about? For me, responsive website and blog design is quite an interesting topic and so I am watching it closely.

Kindly,
Missy

p.s. I am working on an epic 3,000 plus word list – which is gonna knock your socks off. Well, at least I hope it does. Be sure to subscribe to my RSS or via email, follow me on Twitter or fan up on Facebook so you don’t miss it. You SO do not want to miss it.

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In the world of blogging there are tools of the trade that make our job easier, faster or more enjoyable with some of these tools being free and some available for a fee. What tools, services and or products have you paid for – as a blogger? Tell me below after my top picks.

1. Keyword Research

This has not been my strong suit over the years, so I would gladly fork over a few bucks for someone who will provide an a la carte keyword research for me, or host a one day course or webinar that dishes on how to perform keyword for my specific niche.

Some people have Market Samurai or some other keyword tool and know how to use it well, others have a different system for finding good keywords and good niches. Regardless of the system or tool used, keyword research is something I would pay for.

If you offer this service, hit my contact button and let me know.

2. WordPress Security

If you have not had your WordPress blog hacked till this point, consider yourself very lucky as it can happen to anyone and at anytime. Hacking doesn’t consist of someone literally breaking into your blog, it’s an automated script that gets in via an exploit such as an outdated WordPress theme, WordPress plugin, your comments, your admin login page and any number of entry points. It’s a horrible ordeal and a tremendous headache to clean up. If you’re not versed in how to clean up a WordPress blog hack (like me) it’s an even bigger deal and bigger headache.

I have had two blogs hacked as early as January 2012 and of course it had to be my most established, ranked and money making sites. I have been at the mercy of those with this knowledge but since I have a limited (a/k/a small budget), it’s been a long tough road. I have learned a few things in the process though and will be writing a separate article on this topic.

Blog security is a topic that NOW has my full attention.

3. Equipment

A good chair, a good desk and a good laptop are crucial for lots of sitting and writing, which is what a blogger does – day in and day out. Most important would be a good chair as a bad one can be bad for your back, your neck and even your eye sight. I have what I consider a pretty good one, and got it online via Staples. My laptop definitely needs an upgrade as does my desk.

These are all things I would and have (or will) open my wallet for as a blogger.

READER QUESTION:

What tools, services and or products would you or have you shelled out cash for as a blogger?

Email marketing, books, ebooks, social media and community are also other things that I may or may not dish cash out for, however these are good tools of the trade. Over to you now.

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With so much competition between online businesses, it’s vital that you get the competitive edge over your rivals. The internet has the widest range of advertising opportunities imaginable and it is often a combination of things that can lead to a successful marketing strategy. It does not matter how good your website or blog is if nobody is aware of it.

This is why it’s important to spend a large amount of time and effort dedicated to increasing traffic flow to your website. Here are five pointers to look into when trying to increase your hit rate:

1. Improve Your SEO – search engine optimization is the number one priority for any struggling or new online business, and if you have not already spent time and money on this, you should look into it straight away. The majority of most businesses’ traffic comes directly from organic search engine results, so if you are not appearing near the top of the search results in your niche, then this needs to be addressed.
2. Quality Content – Making sure that you site has quality content is vital for repeat business of any kind. It is worth hiring good quality content writers, unless you can provide high quality content yourself, in order to ensure that the wording sounds professional and is giving off the correct message.
3. Creating Backlinks – getting as many back links to your site as possible is always good for increasing traffic. It is surprising to see the amount of traffic that comes through to your site, from a quality link provided by a well respected site. This means spending time trying to circulate your name on forums, blogs and through social media avenues. You can use sites such as Fiverr and others to pay people to place quality back links on a range of sites.
4. Using Social Media – Using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter could make a big difference to your traffic flow. If you can build up a large following on a social media site, placing one link to your site there could instantly reach thousands of people for free and in a number of minutes.
5. Analyze Your Stats – Using tools such as Google Analytics could really help you to identify key groups of people who are currently using your site, and this will help you to market more effectively in the future. Using Google Key Words searches is also very useful so that you can see what people are searching for on the search engine and also how many people are searching for those things.

This guest post was written by Abigail. She is a freelance writer and designer who built her own site using a professional website builder.

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A blog is a website that is updated frequently and is loved by Google for this very same reason. You see, the thing about Google is that it loves fresh new content and a blog is meant to do just that.

But how can a blog boost your business? Below we discuss five ways that a blog (any blog) can help your business and attract whatever it is you seek.

1. Visibility – one of the best things that can come out of you creating a blog for your business, is visibility.

As in getting your name and your brand out there on the web for people (and Google) to see. The worst thing about not having an online presence is someone (a potential client) typing your name or business name in their search engine of choice and coming up empty. No mention of you or your business. This is not 1996, this is 2011. Get with the program! And if you’re worried about bad publicity or negative customer reviews, guess what – a negative mention in 2011 is better that NO MENTION at all. So get out there and get visible. The way we see it, customer feedback is opportunity for improvement. Listen and fix it.

2. Leads – the great thing about setting up a blog is that it can fulfill whatever goal you set for it.

If leads is the name of your game, then make sure your blog does this for you. See more on that below.

3. Customers/Clients – I’ve done business with numerous clients as a direct result of my blog.

They found me via a search on Google when they were looking for one of the many services I provide here at G34 Media. I get regular queries from complete strangers looking for help with their blogs and or for my premium guest blogging service. You might be pleasantly surprised as your blog grows, how many clients will come knocking at your door.

4. Referrals – if you decide to begin an informal social media marketing campaign on Twitter or Facebook, you will need a website to direct people to.

Make it a blog instead. This way you can update it regularly with news, tips, quotes, business photos and videos.

5. Sales – yes you can make money blogging, however the key is to set up a good business blog.

One that has goals attached to it and knows how to meet them. If the blog is generating clients for you, then you will be making sales. If the blog is generating leads for you, then you will be making sales. Referrals? The same applies and so on.

I am convinced that any business can benefit from a blog, any business including retail, food, finance, a local plumber, attorney, etc.

Keep It Simple

As long as you have an end goal in mind when you FIRST create the blog, you will reap what you sow. If you’re after leads, then set up an email marketing campaign to capture the email address of those who visit your site. What you do is offer a solid high quality freebie in return for the email address, and the trick is to keep it simple. Don’t go offering everything under the sun and clogging up your site with too much info, keep it simple and remember your end goal – to capture emails for email marketing.

Example – email marketing

Want a few good examples of what this might look like?

Ok. Have a look at what Chili’s and Learn Vest Daily are doing. They’re a great example of a simple (laser focused) site that is most likely meeting its goal. In fact, I am sure of it. They have an email sign up form front and center on their site and give away something for free to entice peole to sign up. The page is fun, clear and they have easy sign up forms.

To wrap this up, you now know five ways how a blog can boost your business. If you need help creating one, hit our contact button above and let me know.

Cheers,
Missy

p.s. How has a blog helped your business? Let us know below in the comment area and we will feature you in an upcoming article.

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Maybe you’ve been reading a lot lately on the virtues of guest blogging, but are not yet quite convinced on the practice. Well let me break it down for you one last time. Below I present ten reasons why you should be guest blogging right now for your site. It doesn’t matter what type of niche you’re in, after the ten reasons listed below look at the various guest articles I’ve written for myself (and for clients) on every conceivable niche. In other words, it’s very doable.

Scroll down, have a look and let my guest articles be YOUR inspiration to get started with your own.

1. Target Your Niche Directly – one of the best features of guest blogging is the ability to choose the blog or site you wish to guest post on. As long as the site owner accepts guest articles and you meet their guidelines, you should be all set to write and submit one for approval. You can search for related sites to guest post on via a search query in Google, a search query on Twitter and or simply email blog owners in your network that you already know. These usually yield the best results since you know the owner already. Send him or her an email and ask if and when you can submit a guest article and be sure to pitch a smart idea their way.

2. Piggyback on A Big Blog – another massive advantage of guest posting is that if you choose an established blog you will reap the benefits of their readership and their traffic. An established site usually has a good reader base and or high traffic, so this method is a smart way indeed to piggyback on their success and if you target your article accordingly, you will most definitely direct a share of their traffic and eyeballs to your site.

3. Link To Whichever Page or Article You Choose – do you have a money page on your site that you wish to garner links to? A money page can be a product page, a service page or an affiliate page. Write it, set it and then build links to it via guest posting. Many smart marketers do it exactly this way. Why? Because it works.

4. It’s Fun – sure you can update your blog every day or every week, but imagine the crazy fun you could have with an entirely new audience. A new subscriber base, etc. Well this is what you would be doing if you decided to guest post on a site other than your own. Remember that the great Darren Rowse has mentioned numerous times in Problogger to step away from your blog from time to time and experience the new. Try it today and see how much fun it can be.

5. It’s FREE – yes, to guest post on a site is (and should be) 100% free. The site or blog owner is getting free fresh content in return, this is his or her incentive to accept your guest article. Fresh free content. Who doesn’t want that from time to time? Anyone? I thought so. Write a super fantastic article that matches the audience your now targeting and razzle and dazzle their pants off. Nothing less will do.

6. It’s Relatively Easy – this is subjective of course. But generally speaking, I mean that it really is no much different that writing and updating your own site. The major difference is that you need to take the time to FIND relevant sites that also accept guest articles, this can be time consuming but not necessarily difficult. My next few articles will touch on this subject, since I do a lot of guest posting and have picked up a few tricks along the way to share with you. Subscribe to my RSS, my Twitter or get my articles via email.

7. Gain Extra Exposure for a Product or Service – are you selling a product or offering a service? Then my friend, you must guest post for extra exposure. Yes, you can create a new blog and get exposure this way, but who is going to know of your new blog? It’s gonna take some time to get it established. This is the inherent value in guest posting, as mentioned in point #2 above. Riding the coat tails of a blog that has already reached a certain level of seniority. No need to reinvent the wheel, simply hop on the bandwagon. This is one excellent method to gain FREE exposure for your product or service.

8. Practice Your Writing – you would be surprised to learn that the more you write, the better you will get at it. Not in one month and certainly not in one week, but over time. Say a year down the road. I’ve been blogging since 2007 and my writing has improved dramatically since then. Leaps and bounds better. It’s not perfect by any means or stretch of the imagination, but a definite improvement. I have literally thousands (yes, thousands) of articles on the web on various sites and blogs since 2007 and my earlier work is telling of my early days as a web content writer. But learning by trial and error is (in my opinion) one of the best ways to learn how to do something. I still have a lot to learn but the actual practice of writing (over the years) has garnered me the ability to charge what I want (today) for my writing. So far, so good. The better I get, the more I will be able to charge.

Those are my top 8 reasons on why YOU should be guest posting and how vital it can be to your online success. Hope it has helped you in seeing the benefits and how fun it can be as well.

Want to see some of the guest articles I’ve written? A partial list of guest articles I’ve written for myself (or for clients) as part of my guest blogging service that I offer here through G34 Media are listed below. Each one is of course 100% original (as all guest posts have to be), informative and or entertaining and related to the niche it was submitted to.

Three Reasons Why The Kindle Doesn’t Cause Eye Strain – Tech Patio, this was an article I wrote for a site of mine.

5 Smart Frugal Tips for Apartment Hunters – A Frugal Life, this was for a client.

Top 5 Pet Friendly Hotels in Texas – Best Travel Websites, this one was also for a client.

How To Lend Out Kindle Books – eBook Readers Resource, this covered a site of mine.

Five Geeky Products To Pamper Your Pooch This Summer – Geeks for Gizmos, a fun article for a client.

What Blog Owners Want Most After 9 pm – Comment Luv Blog, one of my most recent contributions to the fabulous Comment Luv blog by the equally fabulous Andy Bailey.

5 Super Awesome Kindle Cases for Geeks – Tech Wench, for a site of mine.

Reasons Blog Owners Should Be Guest Blogging – Tech Pupil, for a new client.

5 Easy Ways To Make A Homemade Cover for Your Nook Color – Make The List, for one of my blogs.

As you can see I’ve written guest articles in the following niches: (in other words, no niche is out of range)

pet niche – always a fun niche
travel niche – lots of article ideas
tech niche – one of my personal favorites
blogging/SEO/social media niche – tons of material to cover
frugal living niche – hello? can you say recession, this one is in BIG demand right now
video niche – people are mighty interested in video and how best to use it for their business
finance niche – another niche super popular at the moment

You can do it too. Try it for the reasons mentioned above and see how it fares for you. Will bet you one FREE guest article that it’s fun, productive and worth your time to write and submit one today. Like now, don’t wait.

Need further visual proof? See the cool infographic below that I found on My Blog Guest, one of my favorite resources for finding good blogs to guest post on.

Talk to me below in the comment area. Oh! and do please retweet this article. Pretty please. Thanks.

Cheers,
Missy

p.s. This is the longest article I’ve ever written as far as I know. (it stands at 1,416 words)

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Guest blogging is all the rage these days and for good reason. It works. Many have gone into great detail as to why guest posting and submitting guest articles is a great free way to promote your blog gain exposure, leads, subscribers, income and more.

Today you can grab for FREE my personal and private BIG FAT list of guest article opportunities (when you purchase a copy of Super Blogga) that will facilitate your content marketing strategy. You can spend hours looking for related niche blogs to submit your articles to, or you can grab our free copy that has it all and save loads of time.

Advantages of guest blogging:
1. Promote your blog or site
2. Leverage a big blogs traffic and readership
3. Traffic from said guest blog
4. Great niche targeting as you pick the blog to guest write for
5. and much much more…

This freebie is worth at least $25. But you can have it for FREE when you buy a copy of Super Blogga for the Kindle. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem. You can download a free Kindle app via your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Android cell phones or Desktop PC.

What’s In Our BIG FAT List of Guest Post Opportunities?

• 66 total opportunities (categorized)
• Several  niches, including tech, blogging, business, social media, SEO, gadgets, finance, travel, books, list sites, social media, green living, iPhone, mom blogs, WordPress, Design
• All blogs are established and ranked Pr2 or above (most are Pr3 and Pr4)
• All blogs accept guest articles
• many of the listings link to the guest article guidelines page

Grab your FREE copy of the Great BIG FAT list of guest post opportunities now. 66 total opportunities.

Want to be included in the list? Let us know if you want us to add your site to the BIG FAT list and we will do so for $5. Send us a quick email via our contact form. (This is a one time fee that includes lifetime inclusion on the list)

Grab your FREEBIE now. And start taking advantage of the power of guest blogging.

Cheers,
Missy

p.s. When you purchase the book, send me a copy of your purchase receipt and I’ll send the BIG FAT LIST right away.

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50 Fun Facts About Problogger, Darren Rowse
(this list courtesy of Super Blogga)

1. He made $blank last year (yeah right, you wish I could tell you)
2. His blog Problogger is a .net and not a .com
3. He is the King of Blogging
4. He wrote the book on blogging, literally
5. He Was Once A Minister

6. He is big into digital photography
7. He gets thousands of blog visitors a day
8. To advertise on his site, it will cost you $ALOT
9. He once used Entre Card
10. At one point, Text Link Ads was one of his biggest earners

11. He was featured on CNN
12. His blog uses the Genesis theme from Studio Press
13. He is good buddies with Yaro Starak
14. He pays his affiliates a 40% commission
15. He highlights his readers on his blog

16. He responds to his commenters
17. He has a Twitter account with 137,000 followers (as of 6/16/2011)
18. He accepted me as a friend on Facebook
19. A link on his blog is worth $64.35 a month (according to iWebTool)
20. His blog is worth $2,082,000 according to DN Scoop

21. His Technorati rank is not in the Top 100 (who knew?) and (who cares?)
22. He has 438,424 backlinks (according to Yahoo Site Explorer)
23. His Alexa rank is 1,773
24. Hig blog is ranked at PR7 by Google
25. He receives (on average) 20 to 30 comments per post

26. He recommends and promotes the Ninja Affiliate WordPress Plugin
27. His last contest on 6/9/2011 garnered 482 comments
28. He has a blog dedicated to Twitter called Twitip
29. He started blogging in 2002
30. His blog was designed by Ben Bleikamp

31. He use to promote Pay Per Post on his blog
32. He use to promote TLA on his blog
33. He once wrote on ScribeFire
34. He writes multi-media blog posts, a/k/a video posts
35. He writes a newsletter

36. He has 176,000 RSS subscribers
37. He accepts guest posts on his site
38. He once would write 3 to 4 articles daily on his blog
39. His timezone is (AEST UTC+10)
40. He writes when most American bloggers are sleeping

41. He can be funny (at times – lol)
42. He speaks at various conferences annually
43. He wears wacky t-shirts
44. He has a lovely Aussie accent
45. He wears glasses

46. He is partially bald
47. He is listed in Wikipedia
48. He is married with 2 kids
49. He is 39 years old and his birthday is April 27th
50. He is from Australia

BONUS ENTRIES
He uses WordPress
His webhost is Media Tempple
His domain name is registered till the year 2019 (and is registered at Go Daddy)
He also owns the .com version of Problogger, which is now a forum
He drives a tSi Golf
He has (or had) an iPhone (according to this tweet)
He donated to the flood relief in Queensland
He has 26,490 fans on Facebook

I stumbled onto Darren Rowse and his Problogger site several years ago, before the new slick resdesign and remember spending about an hour or two pouring over the massive amount of material has has there. If you’re thinking of starting a blog (for whatever reason) – you owe it to yourself to visit his site.

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which mean I may make a small commission if you buy the item.

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According to statistics, there are more than 20 million bloggers in the world each of them who write about different subjects. There are some valuable lessons that can be learned from taking a break from your laptop and warming up the DVD player instead.

No matter if you love to blog about finance, food, fashion, technology, or dating, the seven movies listed below are sure to inspire you to write more. (not listed in any particular order)

1.The Social Network: Featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake (2010)

What better way to improve a blog about technology and social media tips and tricks, especially those pertaining to recreational use and job search and marketing, than by learning how one of the most popular social networking sites came into existence – Facebook. This movie tells the story of how a Harvard drop out (Mark Zuckerberg) first became involved in the concept of Facebook and the obstacles he had to overcome to escape a massive lawsuit and claim ownership of the social networking site. With that said, as an added bonus – this film can also benefit those who blog about entrepreneurship and law.

2.Pirates of Silicon Valley: Featuring Anthony Michael Hall, Noah Wyle, and Martin Burke (1999)

All tech blog junkies alike will get a kick watching this film that highlights the parallel lives of three of the biggest names in computer history – Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The biopic shifts back and forth from each character to explain how “borrowed” concepts helped develop the two biggest computer operating systems in the world. Like with The Social Network, this movie is also great for bloggers that focus on entrepreneurship.

3.Misery: Featuring James Caan and Kathy Bates (1990)

For aspiring writers who blog as a form to get their own material out or to provide guidance and assistance for other aspiring writers, this film (which is based on a book written by Stephen King) may spook your socks off but there are some valuable lessons to be learned like don’t go to a remote area to find inspiration without telling anyone of your location and some of your best writing material can evolve from your “misery.” In a nutshell the film is about a famous writer that comes face-to-face with a psycho fanatic. This is also a great film for those that like to blog about mental health – as Kathy Bates’ character is suffering from some “major” mental issues.

4.Julie and Julia: Featuring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep (2009)

Back in 2009 this film lured in thousands of foodies to the big screen who wanted to get a glimpse of how real-life food blogger Julie Powell cooked her way through the renowned Julia Child’s cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Based on the true paralleling stories of both Julie Powell and Julia Child, this self-discovery film really teaches you to follow your dreams. The movie even inspired another food blogger to do the same, he’s currently cooking through his favorite chef’s cookbook, Michael Symon’s “Live to Cook”.

5.Wall Street: Featuring Michael Douglass, Charlie Sheen and Daryl Hannah (1987)

This is the perfect film for business finance and investment bloggers. Not only will it teach you how the boys do it in the big leagues (Wall Street) but it’ll also remind finance bloggers to warn their audience that while financial stability and success are important – greed, money and power are evils that can wreak havoc on your life.

6.The Devil Wears Prada: Featuring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt (2006)

If you’re a fashion blogger chances are you’ve already seen this flick (multiple times), but if you haven’t, do it. Now. In short, this film follows a frumpy journalism college graduate as she tries to launch her career as the assistant to a cut-throat fashion magazine editor. Aside from the film being overall aesthetically pleasing it features beautiful garments made from some of the most famous fashion designers in the world and even has a cameo or two of the designers themselves. The film really gives you some insight on how ruthless (and important) the industry can be.

7. Sex and the City: The Movie: Featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon (2008)

While technically the TV series-turned movie does not focus on a blogger (Carrie Bradshaw is a print newspaper columnist), let’s be honest – if the original series premiered in 2011, she would have very well been a blogger. With that said, Sarah Jessica Parker’s character is notorious for giving her readers real advice about dating in the Big Apple, most of which is learned through personal experience. The movie might even give some dating and relationship bloggers some juicy topics they can focus on as well – including infidelity, commitment issues and children.

Author Bio:

This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at best online college. about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics.

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If you recently started a blog and now seek ways to promote it and get traffic, below are a few ideas to get the wheels turning.

1. Wacky Video – people love video, plain and simple. Most people who don’t spend all day on their laptop and work regular 9 to 5 jobs will get home, have dinner and then hop online. Many search for info, others will shop and the remainder look for entertainment. Video entertainment no less. So grab the video cam and shoot something funny, wacky or silly and then drop it on YouTube. Then link to it from your site or blog, and let your social network know as well. Get that video going, now!

EXAMPLE: I don’t just walk the walk, here’s a cool video I had made that promotes my Facebook fan page promotion. Have a look and if you don’t like it, i’ll give you your money back. Wait! You didn’t pay anything, the video was free. No money back for you!

2. Caption Contest – people love these as well because they’re just plain fun. The trick is to pick a wacky pic, one that shows a person, animal or thing doing something funny. Then let those who enter the contest, give it a caption. The funniest one wins, as picked by you.

EXAMPLE: here’s a cartoon caption contest held weekly that invites readers to join in.

3. Funny eBook – sure you could write the everyday ebook and do ok, or you could write a funny ebook and blast away your competition. Wouldn’t you rather read an ebook about fun ways to promote your blog than a dry book on best ways to promote your blog. Exactly, I do too. Bring the laughs and they’ll bring in the traffic.

EXAMPLE: the guy over at eBookTimes.com created an awesome ebook filled with nothing but jokes. It’s called “The Great Big Book Of Hilarious Jokes”, you’re already wanting a copy. Exactly my point.

4. To List or Not Too List – the great thing about a list is that it can be tailored to any niche and any topic. The more creative you get, the better. You can do a top 5, top 7, top 10 or top 22. Any number fits really, but make it entertaining or informative. What was the last list article you read? Why did you click on over, or why did you choose to read it. Tell me below in the comment area.

EXAMPLE: this very article is an example of a list article. It features five awesomely wacky ways to promote your blog…that guarantee traffic. It’s quite simple and remember that any niche or topic can benefit from a great list article.

5. Facebook/Twitter Only Giveaway – whether you decide to use Facebook for the giveaway or Twitter doesn’t matter. Because the process is the same for both. What you want to do is make sure that those who enter – pass along the giveaway to someone else. Make it a requirement for entry. And keep it in the respective network, meaning everything from set up, to entries and the winner announcement should all be done on the social network account. Now just offer up an awesome prize and you’re good to go.

You can combine some of the methods too, for example you could have a caption contest only via Facebook. Get creative and let the innard clown in you shine. Hey! I just invented a word – innard!

What wacky blog promotion ideas have you seen? Share them below.

Cheers,
Missy

p.s. Want more cool ideas like the above? My book Super Blogga comes out soon, be sure to get on the notification list for the release date.

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