Blogging 401: Promotion & Search Engine Optimization Orientation

Now that you are a blog author you need readers, and "the more the merrier" is true for blogging.  It is a strange day in the blog world when a blog becomes wildly popular without the author working hard at promoting their blog as well as at writing it.   The world will not know your blog is there if you do not tell them.  That

Blogging 301 ~ Lesson # 7: Monetizing a Blog with Project Wonderful

There are many ways to monetize your blog simply.  I have seen several blogs I am familiar with use Project Wonderful on their blogs.  I never thought it would fit in at Simply CVS so have not personally used it, but FrugalMom at Frugality Is Free has and I asked her to share her

Blogging 101 ~ Lesson #3-A: Using the Auto-post Option While on Vacation

I recently read a post on Frugality Is Free about “auto” blogging while on vacation.  I asked FrugalMom, the author, if I could share her post here.  I know I touched on this briefly in an earlier lesson, but I thought having her share the details and her personal experience with it might help readers here.  FrugalMom and her family 

Blogging 301 ~ Lesson #6: Monetizing a Blog by Selling Advertising Space Directly

As your blog grows and your readership and page views increase companies and other bloggers will be willing to pay to advertise on your blog.  Most blogs that offer advertising offer a variety of options to perspective customers and rates are based on several factors.  As I posted

Pop Quiz: Is there an easy way to re-post an older post as a new post?

Answer:  In Blogger there are two ways to repost an older post.

1. You open the old post in the edit post mode, click on the Edit HTML tab, copy the full HTML code and paste into a new post (under Edit HTML), and publish it.  This may be seen as spam by search engines and not show up as

Blogging 301 ~ Lesson #4: Monetizing a Blog with Companies thru Affiliate Programs

Many companies offer their own affiliate programs and do not go thru an affiliate network like we discussed in lesson #3.  The ones I have come across seem to be smaller companies and once again, offer bloggers a commission on some action performed by their readers, many are pay per clicks on their ad or pay per

Blogging 301 ~ Lesson #3: Monetizing a Blog with Affiliate Network Services

One favorite way of monetizing a blog for many bloggers is the use of affiliate programs.  There are several, if not dozens, of affiliate networks that you can join as well as individual affiliate programs.  When you apply to become an affiliate you do the advertising for the company or product and receive a commission when a certain action is performed by one of your

Pop Quiz: Why should I name my images before uploading them to my blog post?

Answer:  It is important to give titles to your photos for Search Engine Optimization.  Many times people will search images for photos and info on certain subjects.  If you name your images before uploading them to your blog post they will show up in search engine results and just may bring

Pop Quiz: How do you make an HTML gadget centered in the sidebar?

Answer:  To make an HTML gadget centered in the sidebar add the following to the HTML:

At the beginning:  <center>
At the end:  </center>

Check out all the Pop Quizzes here at Simply Blogging University for other quick tips for blogging.

Blogging 301 ~ Lesson #1: Monetizing a Blog with AdSense

AdSense is one of the easiest and most recognizable ways to monetize a blog.  AdSense ads are found on many of the sites you visit regularly—from small blogs to email sites to extremely large sites.  AdSense pays sites per click on ads—from pennies to dollars per click,

Blogging 301 ~ Monetizing Your Blog: Orientation

I have waited to introduce monetizing your blog until you had time to finish the classes in the Blogging 101:  The Basics and Blogging 201: Entering the Blogging World so your blog would have a good foundation to build on.  Content is King in blogging, and that is what is important to

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #7: Designing a Scrolling Blog Button Box with HTML

As you begin to interact as a blogger with other bloggers you will find many whose blogs you want to share with your readers.  Most bloggers have a blog button banner  that is readily available for "grabbing" from their home page to add to your blog (see mine in the sidebar

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #6: Utilizing Guest Posts on Blogs

A great possibility for entering the blogging world is the utilization of guest posts, both on your blog and on others.  Guest posts offer many pluses to a blogger.  I have been both a guest blogger as well as have had guest bloggers at Simply CVS.

Benefits of Guest Posting for the Blogger

Pop Quiz: How can you easily use a picture from an older post in a new post?

Answer:  There is a simple way to use a picture from an older post without re-uploading it to your account.  Simply hover over the picture with your curser, right click and choose "copy image URL."  Then choose to add a picture to your post as usual and choose the "from URL" option and enter it and

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #5: Utilizing Linkies for Blog Exposure -- Yours and Readers'

As FrugalMom shared in Blogging 201: Lesson #3:  Becoming a Blogger Friendly Blog & Blogger, linkies play a vital part in the blogging community.  They offer the blogger an opportunity to share what they have posted at their own blog as well as an opportunity to let their readers share

Blogging Resources: HTML Border Code

Borders can come in handy in blogging either in posts or used on your home page in lots of different ways.  I do not know much about HTML code so I am always going and looking for easy ways to do what I want.  I came across this site offering HTML Border Code in a variety of styles.  You just have to copy the code and paste it where you want it.  This is another great Blogging Resource.

Here is an example of one of the codes:

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #4: Hosting & Entering Blog Giveaways

Since I began blogging I have found dozens of great blogs and found that many of them regularly host giveaways. Giveaways can serve many purposes from rewarding your faithful readers to bringing in new traffic.  Part of entering the blogging community is entering and hosting giveaways.  Giveaways can be as simple as something you can personally

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #3: Becoming a Blogger Friendly Blog & Blogger

Having a blogger friendly blog is a great way to get returning readers and to meet other bloggers.  I asked my friend, JRFrugalMom, whom I consider an expert in this area, to substitute teach today and to share what she has learned from her blogging experience in this area.  One of her blogs, Frugality Is Free, is a very blogger friendly 

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #2: Edit Profile Page; Commenting On & Following Other Blogs

Entering the blogging community is easy, but can require a good bit of time.  The place to start is by commenting on other bloggers' posts and following blogs thru Google Friend Connect.  To prepare for this it is wise to update your Blogger profile.

Update Your Blogger Profile

You can find the profile editing option on your dashboard; it is in the top

Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #1: Design a Button Banner & A Blogroll

A common way for bloggers to enter the blogging world is thru swapping 125 x 125 buttons advertising their blogs.  Many bloggers grab buttons of other blogs they particularly like and put it on their side bar for their readers to also enjoy.  Another way of using a blog button is swapping them with other blogs of similar interest and placing them in a blog roll.  So for you to be able to enter the blogging world by use of a blog button you need