You may be part of a blog contest right now.  These can help provide support, emotionally and mentally to keep going.  After the contest is over, where do you turn?   Today’s post is about various women’s blogging communities.

BlogHer is very popular blogging community focused on women.  Content covers all aspects of life and is produced and published by women. You can ask questions, form advice, share ups and downs. Look for local meetings or form online groups. There are also conferences for women bloggers.

MomBloggersClub is a social network targeted towards moms who blog. Get tips and techniques to help you as a mom, as a blogger, as a mommy blogger. You can learn about syndication and getting your writing to media outlets.

TheSITSGirls has over 6000 women bloggers encourage and support each other. They offer a Bloggy Bootcamp Conference in a variety of locations. They encourage being active on the site and leaving comments for other bloggers on the site and their individual blogs.

Driven DIVApreneurs is an up and coming site created by Jennifer Rundall. This community seeks to inspire women who are own their own business or have a desire to own a business. The women push each other toward success. They encourage living live with passion and purpose.

This list can help you find and cultivate friendships with women who are bloggers or online business people. The business women are often bloggers so even if that is not their focus they still know the value of blogging. When you read articles, learn from the tips and share advice you have with the women on these sites your blog will be sure to grow.

Live ♥ Laugh ♥ Love

~ MJ Schrader

Limits

You are limited to the themes  they have installed.   You are also limited to the plugins they offer.  This limit is a lot smaller than your options should you upload them yourself.  They have restrictions that can severely limit or completely eliminate revenue opportunities.  Some sites will not allow you to sell products or even collect donations.  There are blog formats that may share advertising profits but they control the advertising.  Most control the advertising and the profits.

Who owns the content?

Terms of service at the blog host can change, what may be acceptable posts today on their site may not be tomorrow. Should you be in violation of their terms they may terminate your blog with little to no notice and all the content you worked to create could be gone. There hae been cases where the blog host makes claim on the content you created.

A rose by any other name… does not smell as sweet

This is probably the largest disadvantage of free blogs. While you can buy a domain name and have it point to your blog, it costs money to change that free blog to using your domain name. Otherwise you must settle for having blogspot.com or wordpress.com attached to you blog name.  Potential clients and customers are not going to see a blog with another name attached as professional.

So unless you just want a personal blog, then get web hosting and get a blog!  And as always I do recommend WordPress for ease of use.

~ MJ Schrader

The Problem is…

If at some later point you have a problem with the web host, there may be problems. You may want to change hosting services but they will not release your domain name. They could just move very slowly in releasing it, or demand annual fees while you are trying to move. It also is possible that the web host could go out of business and not inform you.

While these may sound like extreme cases, they are cases that have happened to various people and businesses online. Your best bet with that free domain name is to get a variation of your domain name and point it to your regular website. Mostly because it will help people find your website should they type in a variation of your name. A common variation example would be DoctorsFosterSmith.com which goes to DrsFosterSmith.com. This helps visitors get to the right website even when they type in the wrong name.

Free is good when it works for you, not against.

♥ Live ♥ Laugh ♥ Love ♥

~ MJ Schrader

Actually I have 7 blogs right now.  (I think.)  There have been many blogs over the past 8 years some of which I got rid of as new blogs with better names came along, some that just no longer fit my needs.  How many?  I haven’t a clue.

The oldest is my blog http://LoveRockstar.com/blog.  This little ditty has made multiple transitions.  It was my first blog back in 2003, and over the years when I move it to the newest interface I have dropped some posts but kept some as well.  Actually this transition only goes back to 2007.  Why did I write about my personal life?  Well I have always wanted to be an author, so that was something to write.

That blog is attached to LoveRockstar.com which is a WordPress website, but the blog part has been dropped.  Although I am considering moving the personal blog to this WordPress site.  (Thinking about it)  But I dropped it because while this was a starting point after I created the blog you are reading now, it became mostly redundant, even more so when 365 was created.

Yes… you are reading Rockstar Guide Books.  This is a blog to help people learn how to use the online tools that can help you succeed.  And yes, I am the WordPress Rockstar so many of my posts relate to that.  (If you want to learn WordPress grab one of my products!)  This was born from the first.

Then 365OnlineTips provides daily success and motivational tips.  Since LoveRockstar website was tips and motivation it seemed redundant but it is a hub page  so people can find the other blogs.

“But you said 7 blogs.”  Well there’s a blog for my affiliates, a blog for my clients, there’s blogs I set up for clients that I still work on, there’s a couple blogs that I haven’t decided on their use.  So that’s how it goes…

“But the title is ‘One More Blog… Please?’”  Well, gee you really want answers for everything don’t you   Ok, it seems that I will soon be a contributor for at least one blog.  There are actually 3 I am in talks with, there was a fourth but they wanted too much for too little.

Why do I have so many blogs?

Simple, people are not simple.  Ok, the thing is we are multi-faceted beings.  You probably are not all about Hypnosis, Crazy Quilting, or Thinking and Motivating. In fact each of these blog owners have other blogs to cover other parts of their lives.  It is okay to have more than one, just make certain you are able to handle the ones you have.  But my thing is I love to write, but can not focus on just on topic.  So multiple blogs help. 

Til Next time

~ MJ Schrader

This may not seem like an online tool type post, yet the biggest tool to succeeding online is you and your inner game.

It has been said that what you need tends to show up around you. While last week I got ahead on my blog posts I wrote yesterday’s in a bit of hurry. (Sorry Geoff but I do love you and your post was easy to write.) Yesterday I was getting everything together for my mom’s birthday today.

But the reason I went from ahead to “on time” is fear based.  Because I am very very near completion on two projects, and I am very afraid. Yet in the synchronicity that seems to be the topic many people are writing about this week. Erica Douglass has guest blog The Secret to Getting Past Go, then Geoff Hoff has Look After Your Gnome while Connie Green wrote Fear of Rejection – Overcoming the Feeling of Not Being Good Enough.

The Teachers Were Wrong

Similar to Connie, in school many teachers told me that I really needed to leave writing and story telling to someone else.  They told me to stick with math.   Over and over I heard this, yet writing was a life long dream. By life long, I mean at 5 I wanted to be an author. So the hunger was fire deep inside my belly and grew and grew until I finally had to take action.

Hesitation

I sit here with just two ebooks available. Rockstar Guide to WordPress and Unlock Your Personal Power which I wrote with Kelly.  There are 5 products (including the 2 that are almost done) within just a few steps of completion yet I have hesitated.

Hesitation does not benefit anyone. It keeps your light, your story, your adventure from reaching full potential. Perhaps this is the final lesson, as Erica’s was to me today… the one that makes you say to the Universe, “Yes, I got the message.”

Succeed is My Only Choice.

In answer to some recent questions, this is my full time gig now. Writing and pushing this blog and my business into a full time income. In the past year since I lost my job, the income has grown but not by enough yet.   And now, my savings is running dry, so I am going to have to push forward.  But why haven’t I finished my products before now?

Why?

… blah … blah… blah… (translation: I have excuses but the true reason is fear)

What if you do not like my writing?  What if people don’t read my writing?  What if no one buys?  What if it does not work?

The thing is you have these what if’s as well. If you allow them to grow and do not push for your own success who will?

BUT WHAT IF??

What if my writing becomes wildly popular? What if I make more money than I ever did with a J.O.B?  And in your case, what if your dreams come true in the wildest fashion imaginable?  What if you had more than enough to meet your needs and help the others important to you???  What if???

So what is your fear? And what is it keeping you from doing?

~ MJ Schrader

Please wish a huge Happy Birthday to my mom!!!

She actually doesn’t go online much.  And the cake?  Took an hour to decorate.  Chocolate Cake, Coconut filling, Chocolate Butter-cream frosting, Decorations are Almond Flowers and Dark Chocolate lines and spots

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

Your blog first and foremost should be something that interests you and your readers.

Picking a Niche

You need to find a niche, which a specialized market. A blog covering everything is too broad for your readers to get involved. Focusing on something smaller, like home theaters, flower gardening, or cooking quick easy meals give you and your readers a certain amount of connection automatically. When you choose a blog topic that you enjoy your readers will feel your passion and be more inclined to read.

Once you decide on a niche, look for forums, social networks and other online sites aimed at your niche. Look for people wanting information, people who are buying, and what they are buying. Make a few posts, discuss your ideas. This will start building your reputation and help you find potential readers..

Not an expert?

Don’t worry if you aren’t an expert. A 4th grader knows more than a 1st grader. Thus sharing your knowledge about a particular niche even if you do not think is much is more than what some know.

Being a professional writer is not required. As long as you can follow basic grammatical rules and write in a clear and engaging fashion you will find readers. Your readers are not looking for Shakespeare, they are looking for information.

I hate to write

Fortunately there are many sites that offer articles which is great blog content. Ezine Articles is one such site. I highly recommend the Expert Author MJ Schrader. Seriously right now I have over 100 articles and the number is growing. But you can search on Ezine articles for different articles that fit your needs.

Your blog should add value to your readers’ lives, give them something to thing about, or makes them form an opinion. This is what will keep your readers coming back again and again.

~ MJ Schrader

PS Tomorrow’s post will be about how to use Ezine Articles.

Inline ads ~ are similar to Google AdSense.  Short text ads contained within a box you put on your site.

Contextual ads ~ words marked in blue and underlined.  They link to other sites.

Banner ads  ~ also called graphic ads because they add a graphic to your site.  These can also be square like the one to the left about  Crowd Mountain

Advantages of the various ad formats

Unfortunately people have grown accustomed to seeing ads, so they have learned how to ignore them. Contextual ads still have a curiosity feature to them. While people are used to graphic ads, they still have visual appeal. And as for text ads, if it says the right thing, people will click. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it brings in revenue when people click.

Best Ad locations

This an area that depends on your niche, but as they say it is all in “Location, location, location.” Many people have trained themselves to ignore the ad at the top of a blog. Contextual ads do not disrupt the text of your article but do create curiosity. Ads near the bottom are popular. If you place it near the bottom and have information around it people will be interested in you and the ad just because it might be related.

Advertising Advantages

If you have a product or service to sell this gives your readers an opportunity to click away from your site, perhaps before they read your offer. Yet, this form of advertising might be the only way to get money from people who are window shoppers.

Yesterday I discussed changing to Disqus. (unintended pun) Today is going to be how to switch to Disqus.

Set up Disqus

Visit Disqus.com You will need to register your site. You will be given a short name which you can edit but is unique to your blog. Now, since you probably want to manage your comments you will need to create your profile.

Settings

You can set up optional features for the way people can log in to comment on your blog. Media Attachment is automatically checked. Options are Facebook, OpenID, Twitter and Yahoo. These options also allow your commentators to display their comment on those sites. This allows for greater traffic. Checking the Akismet link will reduce spam. Reactions will add links to people recommending your post on Twitter, Friendfeed, Digg and many other sites. You can change these options later so do not worry.

Installation

Login to your WordPress. Scroll down to Plugins. Choose Add New and then type Disqus in your search. You want the Disqus Comment System. Click Install, again in the pop up and activate. You will see a must configure warning at the top of the page. Click the link. Use your Disqus login and then choose your short name you registered at Disqus. Now you have it installed.

Sync Comments

After installation it will take you to the Disqus comment page within your blog. This is the manage page, while is shows, you must manage at Disqus. This is a fault in Disqus, but it is still worth using. Click Advanced Options. You should have some long code in your API. Scroll down and export comments. This will sync your current comments with Disqus.

Back to Disqus.com

Choose overview from the link on the box on the right where your avatar image is. Next click comments. If you have more than one blog you will want to go to the right again and a little lower you will see “All Sites” choose which site on which you want to work. Here you can moderate comments, approve, delete etc. You could moderate all sites at once, but I prefer to know which comments are to which blog.

More Settings

Now choose the Settings tab in the left. If there is more than one blogger you will want to add them to the Moderator list. Next click to customization sub tab to change the appearance and layout. The general sub-tab will let you change the settings you used during the blog set up. Tools allows you to create a widget.

How is this easier?

While the initial set up is more work, after that you can just visit Disqus.com when you want. You can see comments on all blogs or one by one. You moderate your comments there, and with Disqus you have less moderation work to do. In addition with all the back traffic systems it helps build traffic to your website.

~ MJ Schrader

Continuing the theme of lifesaving, today’s post is about moving your blog.  As a side note, please feel free to comment. I have changed my comment system to Disqus. On Monday I will explain why and how it can help your blog.

Why would I want to move my blog?

The reasons are endless. You decide your old domain name no longer suits you or perhaps the direction you are now going. Perhaps you decided to move things around. You could decide to change web hosts. Maybe someone offers you a million dollars for your domain name. (Hey, a girl can dream, right?)

Start at Your Existing Domain

Export your WordPress posts, see export WordPress from yesterday. Note where you save it. Now visit your cPanel. If you have a favicon or Robots.txt file you will want to copy those as well.

If your blog move is because a theme or plugin is corrupt, or you are changing those, then skip to the next section.  Next you want to copy your entire wp-content folder from that blog.  This should get all your plugins, themes, and uploads such as pictures. (should) Again note where you save it.

On to Your New Domain

First you need to make certain you have your new domain set up with WordPress. Use Fantastico or SimpleScripts depending on your webhost, or do it manually. If you copied your wp-content you want to upload your old wp-content and override the existing folder on the new blog.

Go to Your New WordPress Blog

Now visit your new blog. It will be empty. Visit your dashboard and import all your blog posts, from the file you saved. Check your results.

Activate your theme (or new theme) and your plugins. If you are remaining the same in appearance you want to make certain all the same things are in place. Check settings on plugins, widgets, and themes. These may remain the same with the transfer, but they may change.

Add a Plugin

Click your plugins, then Add New. In the search box, type “Update URLs.” The plugin you want is “Velvet Blues Update URLs.” Install and activate the plugin. Then visit settings and update URLs. Check your blog, your URLs should be as they were before except with your new domain name. Now visit plugins again, deactivate Velvet Blues and then delete it. As a side note, you want to remove any plugins you do not use. Keeping your WordPress clean helps it work clean.

Congratulations, your blog has been moved!

~ MJ Schrader