I Like My Like Button!I added a Facebook Like button to my blog today (at the top of each blog post), and I must say that I like it. I like it very much. So, what does it do and how does it work?
The Facebook Like Button is the fastest and easiest way to share things with Facebook friends to date. It is as fast as if you “Like” something right on Facebook. That is because it actually is on Facebook and uses an iframe. If you like, there is an alternate implementation, but the iframe is just fine for most websites. It requires no additional action from users … no popup, no filling out a Captcha, no adding descriptions. It just takes a single click to “Like” something.
For content producers like me, and there are a squillion of us, it is like a new toy. It takes Facebook to a new level, and should not be overlooked by anybody who cares about reaching people in social media.
Whether you have a blog of your own or just read blogs, these are tools to help you to become more efficient and have a better look at the information that is important to you.
The tools I will outline here are for both non-bloggers as well as bloggers. I say non-bloggers, but only to suit the people who have this mysterious idea that because they only read and comment on blogs that they are not still a blogger. If you participate in blogs, I hate to break it to you, but you are a blogger! Blogs are made up of an originating author, and all of those other authors who come to share their view and create the dialogue of a blog.
Whichever you are, or even if you are just a casual reader, I want to give you some really useful pieces of information to help you receive more benefit from blogs and to make the information more manageable. These will not take a lot of time to implement, and it will be worth the time you spend. Do not just drop this information off in your bookmarks and wait until you forget it. If you use these tools as described, my guess is that you will start being more efficient right away.
Some of these are very basic and you may know them, and some may be unfamiliar to you. I will start with a couple essentials that most bloggers know, but yet their readers may not. If you are a blog author, you also will want your readers to know this information in order to receive greater value and usability from your blog. In any case, whether you have your own blog or you are a reader and commenter, these are very useful and provide benefit to any blogging efforts.
Blogging Tool One: Gravitar
Gravitar.com – This is very basic, but many people still ask how to have their picture show up when they comment on a blog. The answer is a Gravitar. Gravitar is free, and very simple to set up. All you need is a picture and an email address. Gravitar is a globally recognized avatar that is recognized by the email address you use when you submit a comment.
Blogging Tool Two: BackType
NOTE: This information about BackType is now outdated. They changed things since I published this article. BackType can still be a useful tool, so check it out anyway.
BackType.com – What are people talking about? Are they talking about you, your industry, or other interests? BackType will help to keep you informed about things people are saying in blog comments and social media venues. For example, here is a BackType search for “Murnahan” … my last name. I like to know if something shows up there!
BackType provides other beneficial functions too! BackType aggregates a user’s comments across many blogs and social networks and puts them in one place. It is a great tool for finding discussions about topics or people you want to keep up with. You can track specific people, and also track your own comments. BackType uses the Web address you enter when you comment on a blog to aggregate the data. If you sign up, you simply enter the Web addresses you use when you make comments on blogs in order to claim your comments. Then it allows you to determine whether it is a legitimate comment or somebody claiming to be you. An example is if you take a look at my BackType profile, you can see comments I have made on many blogs, and also follow a link to join in the discussion.
BackType is free and it can be very useful without signing up. However, if you want to claim your comments across the Internet, you can sign up for BackType here. Since BackType is not all-inclusive, I will share a couple more comment aggregation services.
Blogging Tool Three: Disqus
Disqus.com – Pronounced “discuss”, it is as it sounds … it is about discussions. Disqus does more than many users will realize, and I want to clarify a couple things to help you understand it. You do not need to have a Disqus account to comment on blogs that use Disqus and you do not need to have a blog to use Disqus, either! Note that Disqus just works just like any common blog comment system if you do not log in.
Disqus has a couple of very different purposes. One function of Disqus is that it works as a commenting platform and is used by some really popular blogs such as Mashable.com, and of course aWebGuy.com.
It seems that Disqus gives some users the impression that they must log in using an account to comment. This is not the case at all, but it does allow users to log in and comment using other social media profiles if they choose. It can also optionally share your comments on social networks so your friends can see what you have to say. There is no need to log in! That is just an option, and even if you are logged in, you decide whether to share the comment on your chosen networks.
Another great function of Disqus is that it works as a comment aggregation and threading platform. As an example, here is my Disqus public profile. Notice that you can reply to blog comments, view the context of blog comments, and follow a link to the blog where the comments were made. That is just downright cool, don’t you think? Imagine how much easier it is to keep up with the conversations you participate in with tools like Disqus on your side. Of course, Disqus is not used on every blog, so I have more cool tools for you!
IntenseDebate.com – This is a service similar in some ways to Disqus, but also different in many ways. I use it to keep up with a handful of other writers’ comments, and I also use it for sharing comments. You can see what my Intense Debate profile looks like to get an understanding of the service. An example of the use of Intense Debate as a commenting system in a blog is found at this tech blog where I also write. Intense Debate can help you keep up with more conversations … this is a good thing!
Blogging Tool Five: Google Reader
It may shock many bloggers to realize how few people are using feed readers efficiently, or using them at all. Sure, some bloggers and active users of blogs are totally prepared and see every piece of information they wish to consume. The truth is that a lot of people are still clueless about what that little RSS icon means. REF:
If you are not clear on this, I will simply explain that RSS is used in about everything from cat food to stock quotes. An example I put together to make this point is in an aggregation of feeds from some of my various blogs and other social networks. I call it the Murnahan Online Activity RSS Aggregator. Beware that it may load a bit slowly due to the many feeds it pulls from, but it makes a good point for how RSS (really simple syndication) works.
If you want to put all of the data that is important to your work or other interests in an easy to manage place that you can absorb, you need a good feed reader. Google Reader is the reader of choice for the masses, and with good reasons. There are many RSS feed readers available, and many that work just great. I use a few of them, and for different purposes, but most of my RSS feeds reach me using Google Reader. If you are not using Google Reader or another good feed reader to keep up with what your industry is doing, you are missing a lot!
Spend some time and get familiar with Google Reader. Use it and click every button until you feel comfortable with how it works. I could write a book on this, but in the interest of helping you today, I suggest starting by opening your eyes and taking some time to improve your efforts with this little jewel.
Blogging Tool Six: FeedBurner
How many people do you think a blog turns away each day because when somebody unfamiliar with RSS clicks on the RSS feed and finds either a bunch of XML code or a styled-down version of the blog and does not know what to do with it? The answer is “a lot of them!” For example, if you use Google Chrome, which is quickly growing in popularity, a standard feed just comes across as XML code.
FeedBurner by Google clears that all up and offers users a simple link to subscribe in whatever reader they like, or to subscribe by email. FeedBurner is simple for a blog owner to implement, and simple for the reader to use.
More Blogging Tools
There is a big world out there, and I cannot list everything in one blog post. I hope that these few tools will help you or somebody you know to be more efficient and prepared to deal with the massive information of the Internet.
I would like it very much if you will provide your comments about these blogging tools or add additional suggestions that others may find useful.
It may sound obvious to you that blogging improves intelligence. After all, if you are using your brain more, it will get stronger. What is not so obvious are the many ways it can make you smarter. Blogging can increase your business intelligence, expand your creativity, provide you with a better perspective on the intelligence around you, and more. Much relies on how you use it, and I am here to help you get smarter, so stop scanning and start reading!
Blog Reading and Commenting is Blogging Too!
When I say blogging, I do not just mean sitting down at your computer to face the arduous task of writing something enlightening for a bunch of imaginary readers each day. I do not mean chugging coffee from early morning until the sun revolves around the earth another time. I do not mean the kind of brain exercise that burns you out after a week, or the huge expenditure of time that full-time writers invest. Get that out of your brain right now, because I want to put some more useful thoughts in there.
When you use blogging the way I will describe it here to boost your intelligence, you will have more creativity to share. Creativity and knowledge are not finite resources. When you use them more, you have more to use.
Community Intelligence Benefits of Blogging
Maybe you have heard the term “blogging community”, but do you really see it as a community? If you do not see blogging as a community, you may not be approaching it right. There are a lot of little blogging communities, and they make up the “blogging world”. There are many great connections to make in that blogging world, and it is best to recognize this fact.
Where are these blogging communities? There are established blogging communities, and then there are less formal blogging communities of people who just seem to read the same blogs and get to know each other with blog commenting and expanding on topics in conversations. Examples of established formal blogging communities include Blog Catalog and Technorati. These communities also stretch into the deepest reaches of that long list of social networks that I have placed on the left side of my blog.
Less Formal Blogging Communities
I am far more engaged in the less formal blogging communities which I have come to know by responding to authors and other blog commenters. Even if I do not communicate with them each day, week, or even month, these are people that have become familiar to me and people with whom I have become familiar. It is a loose community of bloggers that I have come to know and enjoy. Some, but not all of them have their own blogs. When I get to know them by reading and responding to their comments on a blog, I often come to read their blog and find out more of their opinions. The same thing works in reverse, too. If people are interested in what you have to say, they will often want to know a bit more about you.
Notice that most blogs have a place to include your website address when you add a comment, thus creating a link to you show who you are. If you are making useful contributions and provide good input on a topic in the blog’s comments, people use those links! It is a fantastic way to meet others and build relationships, whether for personal or business purposes. It is also an extremely useful way for people to come to know you!
I have found that when I blindly venture out to find new blogs, I discover a lot more horrible writing than I find intelligence. Conversely, when I look to my communities, I find people with viewpoints and writing that interests me and stimulates my thoughts.
As you discover and step into a community of blogging, you can grow your confidence with a greater sense of security that what you are reading will benefit you. These are the blogs where you will learn at the best pace, because they make you think about something of interest to you. When you are stimulated by the content, the rest starts to come much easier.
Are you feeling smarter yet? Keep reading and get those brain cells pumping some iron. I will get to the proof that it makes you more intelligent, be patient.
Blogging Doesn’t Just Mean Writing Blog Posts
It should be obvious by now that a person does not have to master a language to be a blog writer. It offers a very low barrier of entry for writing, so there are a lot of novice writers. They are still learning, and with a lot of dedication they may get really good at it. Jumping into writing frequent blog posts can be intimidating, time consuming, and it can hold some hard lessons. There must be an easier way for non-writers to improve their skills and get their brains in shape for producing better content.
Most people are not born as great writers. In fact, many people with advanced college degrees are still terrible writers. It seems that many people dread writing, so it should be no surprise that they never became good at it. It horrifies some people to imagine coming up with something to write about and then putting it into a proper structure for public consumption. Do not worry about it … blogging does not mean you have to do a lot of writing! However, it is best to do some writing in order to receive the best benefits and expand your talents.
Reading and commenting on blogs is often a great way to find out just how right or wrong your thinking is before you apply it to your own brilliant literary works. I should note that I spend a lot more time reading and commenting on other blogs than I spend writing my own blogs. It makes me stronger as a writer and it gets the hamsters in my brain jumping.
Very Few Bloggers Are Brilliant 100 Percent of the Time!
Don’t worry; you do not always have to be brilliant. I think it is a huge fear for a lot of people that if they don’t have something brilliant to say that they don’t say anything. Fortunately for you, there is a burning desire to become more intelligent. This brings me to the point about proving that blogging makes a person more intelligent.
Maybe I stimulated your thoughts on how to engage in blogging as a community, or how discovering thought provoking friends can be a benefit. In any event, you read this and you are now aware of another viewpoint … my viewpoint. With that viewpoint and the others expressed in the comments to this article, you will have just a little more understanding of the world around you and how people think.
Most importantly, you can surely see the enormous benefits to using blogging as a communications tool, and how two-way communications can be far more beneficial to learning than only one. Now if you want the best proof of how blogging improves intelligence, add your comments and learn about other reader’s viewpoints. That is where the real proof comes in. Just watch what happens when all of my brilliant readers get to communicating!
“Create something different” were the words that came to me when I thought to myself “I should really update my blog today.” Then I started to wonder if every great idea that could ever be written about social media has already been written somewhere on a blog.
I unsubscribed from a lot of blogs today, because so many of them just started to look the same. I started to question how many blog posts about the iPhone the world really needs. Whenever there is a hot new craze or breaking news article, bloggers rush to their keyboards and bang out another “brilliant” article hoping that theirs will be the one that becomes a real hit. If they get it retweeted, Stumbled, and dugg enough to reach the front page of Digg, their job is complete. They grew their audience massively, but too many will overlook the question of whether the audience will stick with them.
When I unsubscribed from some pretty good blogs, I realized that I was simply not the fan they needed. They had never created that spark in me that made me a loyal enough fan to be sure I always saw every word they wrote. It was kind of the same old thing just regurgitated in a different way. What was missing was not just creativity, but rather a connection. The ones I felt connected with and that made me feel a part of the relationship remain on my list, and I am their fan.
A Flash in the Pan Mentality
It is easy to take a flash in the pan mentality and see that little glimmer of gold in your prospecting pan when something you do becomes popular. I do not have a problem with that, at all, but I think that it can be too easy to forget the importance of a core cheering section. Creating your cheering section of people who cheer you on, take the initiative to comment on your blog, click to receive your updates by RSS, Twitter, email, or any of the many other methods, and will stick with you over time is far more important. This is your cheering section!
A strong cheering section has been a basis for success from the very beginning. I mean everybody’s success, and everybody’s beginning. From the time a child first attempts to ride a bicycle, it is their core cheering section that helps them to keep trying until they get it right. In the instance of blogging, it is really not so different. It only takes a small number of really loyal friends/fans to create a massive cheering section that keeps you moving forward.
Creating a cheering section has been a huge message in my work as a writer for a long time. In my last two books, I wrote of the importance of relationships. I must really believe it, or otherwise I would stop writing about it. Here is a snippet from each:
From my book, “Twitter for Business: Twitter for Friends” in a chapter titled “Social Networking Takes Dedication” I wrote: “The people mentioned here and many more are among the very important relations I have met using social networking. I communicate with these people regularly online, on the telephone, and in person. They are all parts of a very important network of people whom I can count on to be friends and to have something nice to say about me, with or without prompting.”
These are the people who will spread your work to others and expand your cheering section. They should not be overlooked!
In my new book, “Living in the Storm” I expanded a lot on the importance of that cheering section, and how to create good will in others. Here is a paragraph from the book: “There are many unknown aspirations of those around you. Knowing the motivations of others and finding out how you can help is a great way to rally them. It will make you feel good to do it. It will also often prompt people to wonder about your goals. They may or may not already know what you want in life. Share these things with friends, and build a support network. The best way to begin is by giving to others and becoming one of those altruistic people you admire. Even if you are already doing it, do it more.”
If you wonder how this may apply to social media and blogging, it is simple. Listen to your readers and know what they want. Respond to them, interact with them, and give them what they want. Once you develop your core cheering section, they will often give you what you seek in return. Yes, it is true, giving is the best step toward receiving. I hope that I am able to give you what you want, and a whole lot of it!
Nearly anybody with a blog or other Website that is worth reading has heard of Twitter by now. The bloggers who use Twitter efficiently may already have realized some of what I will share here, but from what I have found, many bloggers have not. To say the least, I am shocked just what a small percentage of blog owners and authors are actually using Twitter, and even more shocked by those who are not embracing the synergy the two can produce when used properly. Note that while I say “blog”, this is completely interchangeable with “Website”, so don’t be confused.
Twitter-Improved Traffic: A Simple Example
As a simple example of how Twitter can improve your blog readership, I will use the blog you are presently reading. While looking at my statistics to find how many people arrived at this fledgling blog via Twitter, I found that an estimate of nearly 15,000 unique readers arrived by way of Twitter over the past 30 days. I say estimated because it is challenging to provide an exact number due to the many readers arriving by way of Twitter clients not providing an accurate source (although my numbers will be much clearer in May). This is more than the number of subscribers to my Twitter feed, which is presently just over 11,000 but was far fewer last month (ref TwitterCounter). So how did that happen? In short, people read it, talked about it, and retweeted it.
Blog Traffic Numbers: The Real Scoop
I will write more on this later, but I find that too many people find it convenient to try and lie about the real traffic of their blog. Let’s face it, this stuff is trackable. Some people may say that traffic estimates generated as a result of Twitter is bloated or that it is not so great, but just a simple look at Compete.com or Alexa.com will reveal a lot of what I am telling you. Of course, these are usually a bit behind and do not reflect an exact accounting, but they are usually reasonably close. I share this with you because I want to provide a real example for the purpose of this article.
When considering these numbers, let’s weigh in the facts that this blog was launched in December 2008, and my Twitter account only had 78 followers on February 7th of 2009, and it is a targeted blog about social media marketing and search engine optimization. I am not seeking everybody to read my blog, but rather the right people to read my blog. Be sure to also look at your own blog / Website and review the numbers and percentage of increase. It is pretty eye-opening what Twitter can do when used properly.
The traffic and level of engagement prompted me to question how Twitter has changed blogging. Here are just a few things that i found.
Twitter-Improved Reader Engagement
I will show examples of blog reader engagement separated into three parts, but this remains only one of the three areas of benefit derived from Twitter discussed in this article. There are many ways to determine reader engagement with a Website. Some ways blog authors have traditionally found valuable to measure the reader’s engagement are as follows:
Time on Page: The average time the user spends on a page is a good measure of whether they are actually reading what you have to say. This is clearly subject to the type and length of content you provide, but in any case, readers who are not interested will not stick around very long. A minute is a very long time for many internet readers. What I have found in the measure of time on page is that readers initially engaged by Twitter will spend more time reading my blog, totaling about three minutes per page view. This is a significant increase over users arriving from other sources, and is longer than any other source.
Page Views Per Reader: The number of pages each user visits is a strong reflection of the user’s interest in your industry, beyond the single topic of the initial page they viewed. I have noticed an improved page views per reader coming from Twitter, up .5 page views per reader compared to other sources, which is a significant sign of reaching the right audience.
Blog Comment Volume and Quality: An important measure for the blog author is in how many comments, and the quality of comments the blog post receives. When writing something relating to Twitter, I have witnessed great results for blog comments, on this blog and others. One of my recent blog posts relating to Twitter usernames has received upward of 140 approved comments. I attribute much of this to the fact that many readers already have some knowledge of the author, and are already a part of a conversation. A blog is one way that they find out more information and continue the conversation. I think many bloggers would agree with this finding.
Assessing the reader engagement of Twitter users, both on a blog and on your Twitter feed, can also be measured by the comments received in reply to the posting of the blog link to Twitter. I find that some people will respond to the title of the tweet. It seems that every day I see somebody respond to the text of a tweet in a way that I know without question they have not read the blog post linked to the tweet. A great example of this was when I tweeted a blog post titled “Will Oprah (@oprah) Ruin Twitter?” and I received a lot of comments in defense of Oprah Winfrey’s use of Twitter. That was kind of silly, because the blog discussed the changes that may come from the inevitable increase in traffic and how a large influx of new users may change how we use Twitter. This absurdity should always be considered a measurement of engagement of your Twitter following and not of your blog. What it also points out is that Twitter users who do read your blog are likely truly interested in what you have written. If your Twitter account is managed properly and you spend time to get to know your followers and let them know you, blind comments should largely only happen with your newest followers.
Twitter-Improved Search Engine Optimization
Many search engine optimizers (SEO) will overlook the value of Twitter for improving search engine penetration. If they miss this part, they are making a big mistake. A reason many SEO will dismiss this value is that Twitter uses the “nofollow” attribute in outbound links, thus, no increased Google PageRank. Make no mistake; Twitter can greatly enhance your visibility in search engine results. This can come from many outside factors related to Twitter, as well as Twitter itself. I will just name a couple, but here are some ways SEO is enhanced by using Twitter. First, I should point out that Twitter’s Search is a Search Engine! As more people use Twitter search to find information, using Twitter will help many people to find your information. Aside from just Twitter searches, the likelihood of particular tweets being listed in other search engines referencing a Twitter tweet or one of the many Twitter-related applications along with your link are improved. Be sure to realize that each person who reads your blog also comes with a voice to further spread your blog in many other ways. Thus, each reader who finds your blog in any Twitter-related way has the potential to further propagate your message in search engines as well. It all adds up to make a significant end-result.
Twitter-Improved Call to Action
Along with the added benefits of brand recognition and brand loyalty, comes the greatest benefit of all … an improved call to action. This means that the message you distributed has gone beyond just readership, and the reader has heard and responded to your call to action. In my case, that literally means that they have made a call to reach me and discuss improving their market reach. For you, it may be that they enter their order for your product, apply for a job, donate to a cause, or many other possibilities.
How I measure a greater call to action from Twitter: It has become standard that I speak on the telephone (direct line *REDACTED DUE TO AGING WEBSITE*) or on Skype (username murnahan) to a minimum of five different inbound callers per day as a result of Twitter users who also read my blog. In addition to inbound callers, I also call at least five people I meet on Twitter to simply make an introduction and to get to know them better, so this certainly works both ways.
I make it my practice to reach people beyond the singular communication tool of Twitter, and expand my communications to other tools. This means that not only has Twitter greatly impacted my blog readership, it also goes far beyond blogging to reach people I would likely have never met otherwise.
How Does This Apply to You?
Surely some people reading this do not have a blog or Website, and may not have a great importance of reaching out to other people, but I think those numbers are fairly small. Most people who read this have a reason to reach others. If this is the case, you should not neglect the value of Twitter for reaching a very important audience.
Reaching a larger and more valuable audience is what I do for my clients, and what I am paid for. I have found Twitter to be an extremely useful tool. If you are getting frustrated and you want to see better results for your blog or other Website, please reach me to explain how I may help you.
Don’t Just Comment on Twitter!
If you made it this far, I hope that you will give me the honor of reading and responding to your comments right here on the blog. Yes, of course, your comments are also always welcome by way of Twitter, too. Please tell me what you think!
