I have been meaning to post some information on Google Analytics.  To be honest with you, I haven’t started using it yet and I haven’t done the research to give you a quality post.

I received an email from Perry Marshall today informing me about a free training webinar being put on by ROI Revolution.

This is a 50 minute web-based seminar with a 10 minute Q&A.  They are running it on May 29, June 12, and June 26.

If you’ve been working with Google Analytics and just feel like you aren’t quite getting it, this may be something you want to check into.  Head over to ROI Revolution and get registered.

Google Analytics, Tips and Tools

A few weeks ago, I started messing around with my RSS feed, I added a counter and decided to really work on increasing my subscribers.  You can check out that post here.  Right after that post, I had to take some time off to be with my family.  I’m back and ready to re-visit the question:

How do I get more subscribers to my blog?

I’ve been working digging around for information, and this is what I’ve come up with so far:

1. Educate yourself on what RSS is and how to use it most effectively.  Jack Humphrey has put together A Great Big Guide to RSS Feed Marketing. 
2. Add the wordpress plugin, What Would Seth Godin Do.
3. Educate your readers on what RSS is.  I have many friends that haven’t subscribed to a feed simply because they don’t really understand what it is.  Feed 101
4. Make it easy for your readers to subscribe.   When your reader clicks that one standard button all the other options that normally clutter up your sidebar will be there anyway, don’t try and confuse them with too many choices.
5. Place a graphic, not just a text link, in a prominent place on your site (must be above the fold).  In my searching today, I found some really cool variations from the standard boring RSS button that everyone is using.  You can check them out here.
6. I found some great information at Steven Aitchison’s blog.  Check out his post How to get more than 500 RSS Subscribers per month.
7. Brian Clark over at CopyBlogger knows what he’s doing when it comes to getting subscribers, he’s got over 17 000 of them.  He shares the Real Secret to getting subscribers. 

Of course the best way the I know to keep readers coming back is to provide information they want to read.  Keep your blog current and constantly being updated, and engage the readers by answering questions and replying to comments. 

It doesn’t matter how many tweaks and tricks you use on your site, you won’t get readers if you don’t provide what they’re looking for.

Let’s work together and set a goal.  How many subscribers do you want to get to your blog in the month of June?  How are you going to achieve that goal? 

Leave me a comment, I’d love to check out your blog and subscribe to your feed if it’s something that interests me.  Likewise, if you find this information helpful, subscribe to my feed and/or plug this article

blog, Blogging, copyblogger, feeds, linkbait, rss, rss feed, rss subscriber, Social Networking, weblog, WWSGD

I was going through my reader this morning, and found this great download. 

John Chow dot com has released a free ebook on ways he’s made money online. 

Make Money Online with John Chow dot com

It’s sure to have some great money making tips in it.  This guy went from making $300/month to over $10 000/month in 9 months. 

Go ahead and download it - Enjoy.  Love to hear what you think

Blogging, ebooks, freebies, John Chow dot com, make money

I’ve only just added the “Plug This” button a short time ago, but I really like it.

In April, PlugIM came out with a ”plug this” button for members to display on their site, just like the one you see on my posts.  

I love this button because my readers do not have to leave my site to plug and article you like.  All you have to do is hit the plugs button and the counter will increase (after the first plug).  Isn’t that cool?  You should try it and see.

The button is really easy to use. To make it even easier to install on a Wordpress Blog, Michelle MacPhearson created a plugin for it.

PlugIM is a community for Internet Marketers.  The community is less than a year old and all ready has over 1000 members strong, and its members are doubling every few months. 

Here’s what I like about this community:

• It’s really easy especially with the automatic RSS feed submission feature.
• You can make money through plugim.  This article from Linkrain.com explains how.
• It’s geared toward Internet Marketing
• They are running contests to encourage participation
• The site has some really valuable articles and information pertaining to IM.

Bottom line - if you’re involved with Internet Marketing, you really should become a member.  It’s an awesome resource, and it will increase the traffic to your own site.

If you see a plugim button and you like the article it’s on…give it a plug. 

im, Internet marketing, plug this button, plugim, social bookmarking, Social Networking, traffic, Web 2.0, widget

Don’t you hate it when you put some time into creating and publishing your blog posts and then you feel like nobody is reading them?  I like to put out good quality posts that my visitors enjoy reading.  It’s great to see return visits in your stats, then you know people like what you’ve got to say. 

I love it when readers get involved with my blog and leave me comments.  I think comments help any blogger feel that they are not all alone in the blogosphere.  A goal of any blogger should be to keep their readers happy and coming back for more quality content.  In this way, the blogger can start to form a little community all their own ;).

Here are 10 simple ways to help increase the amount of comments you receive on your blog:

1. Put out quality content that will create interest among your readers.
2. Post a blog that will spark a debate, or create some differing opinions.
3. Make it easy for visitors to leave a comment.  When I first started blogging, I had my blog locked up tight.  People are in a hurry and if they have to take extra steps to register or fill out some kind of form, they will likely not bother.
4. Post relevant quality comments on other blogs that interest you.  If another blogger leaves me a comment, I will go check out that blog and add to the discussion if I have something useful to say (Leaving a comment like - “Great Post come visit my blog” doesn’t count ;)).
5. Answer questions and reply to the comments on your blog.  Visitors are not going to keep leaving comments if they feel no one is reading them.
6. Ask questions, or ask opinions to encourage comments and get a discussion started.
7. Try to be polite in your response even when you don’t share someones opinion.
8. Add a “Recent Comments” section to your sidebar.
9. Add a Subscribe to Comments plugin.  This will let any commenter know when knew comments have been added so they can come back and continue the discussion.
10. Use a Show Top Commentators plugin to encourage your readers to come back and comment often so they will get some recognition.  I will be adding this plugin to my site today

I’ve noticed an increase to the amount of comments left on my blog since implementing some of these changes.  My goal is to have regular visitors that enjoy commenting, discussing, and sharing their point of view.

Do you have any other tactics that have increased the amount of comments you receive on your blog?

blog community, blog traffic, Blogging, blogosphere, comments, get more comments, increase blog comments, quality content, return visitors

I’m thinking this is good.  Ease me back into it nice and slow.  Homemom3 from I’m not just a mom…I’m a Home Mom has tagged me with a meme - 10 things about me.

1. Growing up, I was part of a blended family.  I have a bio brother and sister, a step brother and sister and somewhere around 30 other “brothers/sisters” that stayed with us for different lengths of time.  Move over 8 is enough - our house was never boring.
2. We got to visit and re-unite with many of these family members over the past week, and it was awesome to see them again.
3. My first Dad passed when I was just a babe of 2 years.
4. One of my sisters reminded me of why I’m not overly fond of cats this week.  One day she was mad at me, and chucked our cat Cuddles at my head…the more I screamed, the more that cat dug its claws into my skull…go figure.
5. For a few months last year, I had a growth on the side of my nose.  It made me look like Broom Hilda - no kidding.  It was gross.  The cencus now is that I should get a nose piercing where that mark is. (let me think on that one…. hmm ok not happening!)
6. The second car I owned was a rusted out Honda Civic.  I learned how to drive standard when I was test driving that thing.  The lady that sold it to me was actually the one that taught me.  I was 16.
7. You can fit 9 of your buddies in a Honda Civic, if you stack them just right
8. Growing up I thought my parents were SO OLD…going through pictures for my Dad’s memorial this week, I realized that I’m older now than Mom was in many of those pictures.  That sure gave me a reality check
9. I’m kinda vertically challenged, only 5′4″.  My nephews and nieces are taller than me now!! They’re suppose to stay babies aren’t they? The worst part is, I’m sure my son will pass me in height this summer (I’m already hearing about it on a daily basis)
10. I’ve never had any broken bones, although I did get my finger slammed in a 500 pound safe door once, it made my fingernail fall off.  Let me tell ya that doesn’t feel very good.

OK so there’s a few more things you never knew about me…

I tag Lynn, Lisa, Dianne, Miriel, and Bonnie

Whats on my Mind?

We had a beautiful service for my Dad yesterday. 

I’ve mentioned before that family and friends were important to my Dad, and that was sure evident from the amount that showed up to may their respects, say good-bye to him, and show support for the family.  My Mom was overwhelmed by the amount of people that came…even her first boss when she was 18 showed up!

My brother did the eulogy and it was very touching, we also had a power point picture presentation of his life, that I’m sure brought the entire church to tears.

My Dad will be greatly missed by many.  The pastor was really good, he came in late as the one my Dad really knew was out of town.  He did a wonderful job of bringing Dad’s memories alive.  He said he didn’t want to run the sermon to long because he didn’t want to be called any names by my Dad (he had no patience for long-winded preachers)

As for me…

It’s good to be home.  It was hard to leave my Mom last night, but she had some out of town guests staying so I felt OK with it.  Plus we live only two blocks from each other so she knows where to come when that big ol’ house gets to quiet…

I’m going to get back into work today…I’ve missed being online very much.  Please be patient with me, it might take a few days to get truly back into the swing.  My mind and body are exhausted.  I’m going to take the weekend and go out to the trailer with Mom and a few friends just to get away and relax.

Thank you for all the support I’ve had from my online friends.  Thank you to Marg, Linda and Lee for all your help, you are truly good friends. 

Whats on my Mind?