1.  Ask fellow bloggers.  There are bloggers who want to write guest posts, some may be your friends, or you can look for ones that have blogs are similar to yours.    You may be able to ask them for a post or two or even a regular spot.  Some bloggers will be glad to step up.

2.  Use articles from Article websites.  Ezine articles is a great place to get articles.  You can find over 300 articles I wrote just by checking my author bio. You will find fabulous articles on WordPress, online tools,  success, motivational.   You can search by the terms you need with the author name to get articles by a certain author.

3.  Check out Public Domain works.  There is a lot of good information provided by the government or older than copyright laws that is available for public use.

Live ♥ Laugh ♥ Love

MJ Schrader

1) I have not followed my own advice in getting ahead on blog posts so you have extras when something happens.

LESSON:  Make certain you have a few extra posts in case an emergency or sudden virus happens.

2) Also make certain you know what you are going to cover before time.

LESSON: Plan in Advance.

3) Yes, One hundred articles in hundred days #4 just ended but I have not shown my video from #3

LESSON:  Your blog should also show your accomplishments so people know what you are about.  (ME=writing)

4) Videos should be filmed in advance and can be uploaded on the correct day.  Note: videos are helping me prepare for being a speaker.

LESSON: Record videos early.

Ok, so yes I am a writer.  The pictures and videos are from #3 which was the first HAHD I entered.    HAHD #4 just ended and it was my second HAHD contest, completed with over 200 articles.   Yes, I am working on becoming a speaker.  Yes I am working on becoming a published author.  And yes foreshadowing.

What?

Can’t tell you, otherwise you would know and this post would not be foreshadowing.

Live ♥ Laugh ♥ Love

MJ Schrader

I heart Ezine Articles Mug from when I became a Platinum Author

The cartoon mug for completing a mini challenge

The HAHD is from HAHD that completed in April!

See all my articles at http://RockstarGuideBooks.com/articles

From their blog!!!!

• Of the 2,615 Expert Authors who enrolled, 261 (10%) successfully qualified with 100+ articles.
• Total Qualifiers = 261, Double Qualifiers = 68

Yesterday I introduced Rockstar Services. Now if you want me to install your WordPress website, you can!  Because now there is Rockstar WordPress Installation!   If you want to ask me a question, then look no further than Ask A WordPress Question.

On Wednesday, Rockstar Guide to WordPress Plugins was released. This ebook is $17.97 and explains what plugins are, how to find good plugins and much more. You also learn about some great plugins.

Between now and May 26th you can get $5 off the price by entering this code PluginsLC during check out.

Rockstar Guide to WordPress has been out for quite a while. If you want to know how to install WordPress this guide is the complete step, by step, by step guide. It walks you through and helps almost anyone get started in a few hours.

Unfortunately the poor book was feeling left out of all the changes with the videos being replaced by services. Then the Plugin book has been going crazy on sales. So I completely redid the sales page!

Rockstar Guide to WordPress is normally priced $47.97, but right now is the time to get it! You can get $10 off by adding the coupon WordPressLC on check out.

Oh and of course, please check out the articles written in the last week. If you need to add one to your blog, just visit Ezine Articles.

And CONGRATULATIONS to all the people who completed the #Blog30 contest by Connie Green. I feel honored to have my name surrounded by all of yours. Plus there are many many more of you who may not have participated, but you were a part of it in heart!

30 Day Blog Challenge Concludes – Meet The 50 Finishers!

Thank you!

MJ Schrader

One Question = Multiple posts

You aren’t going to get even a single post when you answer a question with a simple yes or no.  So think about other aspects, related needs, or situations.  For example: “Should I get a Blackberry phone?” does not have to have a one word answer.   You just need to think about what information you would want, had you asked the question. Then discuss the information for your web site content. But for true web site content creation, look into the question, you are sitting on a goldmine of articles.

Finding the Goldmine of Content Creation

For the Blackberry phone, here’s just a sampling of articles you could write.

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a Blackberry.
• Explain the differences between the models.
• Which is best for a job type
• Is photo geek’s needs different than a text lover?
• Does where someone lives make a difference?
• Problems with Blackberries
• Go for funny, explain the differences between the blackberry fruit and the Blackberry phone.

Everyone has different needs.

When you think of all the different people who need answers to a question, and how their needs are different from someone else your potential article opens up into a whole world of articles. One question can turn into multiple blog posts for your web site content. You can turn content creation from an aspect of fear into a world of opportunity.

~ MJ Schrader

PS:  Special Blog Post Love ♥ To Melanie Kissell of MelanieKissell.com,  Evelyn Brooks of GetHappyToday.com,  Vernon Harleston of HighRoadism.com, Deb Auger of MyWebGal.com, who have kept me inspired during this #Blog30

Time to Bust that Duplicate Content Myth. (Does this make me an honorary myth buster?) Using previously published articles (Ezine Articles) does not mean you are going to suffer the wrath of Google and suffer the dreaded “Duplicate Content Penalty”

According to Google Webmaster Central Blog

“Let’s put this to bed once and for all, folks: There’s no such thing as a ‘duplicate content penalty.’ At least, not in the way most people mean when they say that.”

If you respect your readers, your guest bloggers and article authors, then you should not worry. If you are trying to deceive readers or search engines then you will get in trouble.

URLs

The name of your website is important but so is the form. Decide if you are going to include www or not. Try to keep one page from having multiple names, such as example.com, example.com/?, www.example.com, example.com/index.   This is where the Duplicate Content lives, not a unique website.

Create Unique Website

The key is creating a unique website, which means including some original content. This could be re-writes of private label articles, guest bloggers with content limited to your website or your own writing. Add links to related sites you like. Encourage other related sites to link back to you.

Articles

Using articles from article sites does not mean you are going to get the Google slap either. The combination of articles you choose creates a site that is all your own. When you also are certain to provide unique content in addition to those articles. By adding the resource box and author box you are verifying that you did not scrape (steal) the articles and verifying where you got the article. Then search engines view your site as a whole.

Search Engine Results

Content is King. By providing content you are meeting visitors and search engine requirements. With your whole site and the content provided, search engines give results of the best overall site for a particular search.

A visual example

There are a dozen quilters all of them are going to use one Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Square. While that one square is exactly the same, the quilts will not be duplicates of each other. Maybe one does a lap quilt. Another a King. Perhaps one uses borders for each square. Another uses a honey comb design around the Sunbonnet Sue. The Square could be on the top left, the bottom right, dead center. This is not duplicate content just like your website is not duplicate content.

~ MJ Schrader

Content to include

A lawn service could easily design a page with information about how to contact them. Another page with services. Then additional content with lawn tips, special events and other lawn related information.  If your website is hypnosis related, then you could have pages about different techniques, ways to relax and how hypnosis can help. This varied but related content gives search engines a reason to send visitors to your site and more reasons for readers to come.

How it helps your website

No matter your website, it is selling something. Perhaps you are selling a product or a service or your own life story. By providing more information your readers have more reasons to stay on your website. The longer they are on your website the more likely they are to view you as a resource, a trusted individual or otherwise decide you are likable. People are more likely to do business with someone they trust and like.

Good content is important

It is important to realize that content needs to be beneficial for your readers. Good content is related to your niche. Articles about keyboards on your gardening site is not going to work.  You need to be fluent in English or the language you are writing.  Readers don’t expect perfect grammar, but major mistakes, lack of punctuation or spelling mistakes can turn readers away.

Finding website content

Content can come from a variety of sources. You can write it. You can use Private Label Rights, PLR. You can re-write PLR. Invite guest bloggers, you get content for the cost of a link back to their website. Article directories such as Ezine Articles provide content on a variety of subjects. A search will provide material you can use. The cost is including the author’s resource box and the Ezine Articles “article source line.”

Is it that simple?

If you are not much a writer use all the above techniques to add content. By combining the article sources you create a unique website that establishes your business in the visitors minds. Readers expect information and with these techniques you can provide it and that makes your website grow!

~ MJ Schrader

Tomorrow: Busting the “Duplicate Content” Myth

Recap

Enter your topic of choice in the search at the top of the page.  Add an author, quotes, or extra words as necessary.  Now what happens when you find an article you like?

Looking over an article

Click on an article title you like or click = Do it Right Now! Be Productive With a Prickly Pear. The byline (author’s name) is underneath the title. Below that the word count (419 words), should you need a particular size. Then you can view the summary by clicking that link or scroll down and read the full article. Near the bottom of the page are the various citations, MLA Style, APA style, and Chicago Style (not be confused with the pizza).

Choosing an article.

You decide this article is exactly what you need. If you are the bottom scroll back up to right below the article. Beneath the article is a gray box. Click an icon to share the article in that social media format. However since you are looking for content you are going to click “EzinePublisher.”

Now what?

You will see an article summary. A summary of TOS. Improbable phrases and improbable keywords (phrases and keywords unique to my article i.e. prickly pear.) Next is a text version of the article followed by an HTML version. Since you are adding this to your blog, you want HTML. It looks nicer. Below that is the Summary, Keywords and Article URL.

Adding to your Blog.

Click add posts. Where you enter your posts you will see a tab (on the right) that says Visual and another HTML. Click HTML. Click inside the HTML box on Ezine Articles. Press Ctrl+C, this will copy the article. Now back to your blog post. Inside the box click Ctrl+V, this will paste the article with the Author Resource Box and Article Source. Alternative you can use the mouse right click functions.

SEO

If you are using an SEO plugin or Thesis Theme (or other SEO theme), you have a few additional steps for SEO! (Search engine optimization). Copy the title into the title box. Then copy the summary which is below the HTML version, using above tips. You will paste this in the description or summary area of your post. Repeat with the keywords. And Badda Bing you have new content for the price of a few clicks of the mouse.

Hope this helps, and please comment with your ideas and suggestions!

~ MJ Schrader

While Ezine Articles can be a great source of information, if you don’t know how to use it, it can be frustrating. There are so many articles. Then you wonder what to do with the articles.

Rules: FINE PRINT

You could read the TOS (terms of service). Here’s a summary: Respect the author and Ezine Articles (legally, ethically etc…)

More info: Include the author’s full resource box including the Article Source: Ezine Articles. Keep all links linked and active. Do not change the article. Do not use any article in exploitative websites, unlawful websites or promotion there of… In other words RESPECT!

Finding articles

Simply visit Expert_bio=MJ_Schrader! Ok, it was worth a shot! At the top is Google Search. There is also a search in the left sidebar. Type in a term related to the article you need. Let’s say you need articles about “Cheap Gifts” or maybe you just need cheap gift ideas because May is when everyone in your family has a birthday.  Type “Cheap Gifts” without the quotes for an example.

To Use Quotations or Not to Use Quotations

Quotes will keep your choices to that particular phrase, but they will include articles that mention that phrase. If you had typed “English Cocker Spaniel” you would only see 3 articles related to that particular breed, and many more related to the American Cocker Spaniel.  These articles are listed because they mention the English. (Trivia The AKC recognized the 2 different breeds in 1946, most people are familiar with the American.)

Choices

If you typed cheap gifts you can see there are a wide variety of choices.  This is when you might choose quotation marks, or add a word.  Then you add quotes to “cheap gifts” or extra words like “cheap birthday gifts” or “earth friendly gifts.”  Or perhaps you want a particular author.

By Author

Yes, you can narrow your choices by the author. Ok, for those of you Internet instructors, do you need terms for your blog? Type “MJ Schrader Terms” in your search without quotations. You will notice the terms articles first and later articles where I may discuss terms in the article.

Now you know how to find articles, but how do you add them.  Since this post is already rather long, I am going to save that for tomorrow’s post.   Tomorrow will be how to add these articles to your blog!  More blog content is always good!

~ MJ Schrader