Your Ultimate Guide to Content Creation

How to Write an Awesome Headline

A study finds that the more explicit a headline, the more the headline resonates.

Headlines are critical in content marketing it's worth the extra time and effort to think of something that will catch the eye of the reader and draw them in.

Headlines get attention and convey information in just a few words. Choose these words carefully because the headline is the foundation that our content is formed.

Your headline needs to have a specific benefit to the reader to grab their attention and make them want to see what more you have to say. First impressions are important and your headline needs to be compelling to draw people to read more of what you write.

Quick tips to construct a better headline.

Keep it short.

Cover the main idea.

Write the headline first.

Benefit the reader.

Add numbers.

Create how-to headlines.

Generate curiosity.

Adopt proceeding formats.

Use keywords.

Tell secrets.

Make headlines funny.

Ask a question.

Be controversial.

Captivate your audience.

Make a promise of value and keep it.

Use adjectives.

  

The Secret to Writing Original Quality Content

There is no reason to constantly regurgitate material. I'm sure people get tired of reading the same information written a thousand different ways. The answer for this fresh, superior content is research. There are thousands of places to get information at your fingertips.

Here is a list of some research resources:

Google search. This is a good place to start for your research.

Journals. You will find high quality with this kind of research, although you may have to pay for some of them. Here is a list of free open access journals:

Databases. Look for open access journals they're free.

Google Scholar. Search information from abundant sources.

Write content suited for your audience. Material targeted toward their desires will let them know that you understand their needs and trust that you will also fulfill those needs.

Be transparent. Be real. People appreciate real especially in this day and age when fake seems to be on the rise.

Be emotional, laugh, cry, empower. Feelings connect your content with the reader on a deeper level, building positive connections. People love to share strong feelings with others and you want people to share your content.

Types of Content

Epic content. An example of epic content would be if someone went to your blog for the first time and loved it and kept coming back for more or when the only reason people go to your blog is because of the content, it's epic. Epic content consists of:

• Lists
• Answers a question.
• It's consistent.
• Expresses an opinion.
• Is known as the best.
• Contains call to action.
• Incorporates visuals.
• Has tips and tricks.
• Contains statistics and facts.
• Long content.
• Amazingly integrated.
• Has abundant utensils.

What to do to become an epic writer:

Read all the time.

When you're not reading; write.

Record all your good ideas.

Know everything about your niche.

Viral content. Content becomes viral because it shares and delivers swiftly.

What can we learn from viral victory:

Use visuals they are engaging and easy to understand.

Be interactive. The more interaction your readers have with your content boosts engagement and more people share it.

Inspire emotion. It doesn't matter whether the emotion is good or bad, but how strong the emotion is that will get people to react.

Make it personal. When people perceive you in a deeper way from content they feel more at ease and bond with you.

Engage a sharing audience if you want more of a chance to go viral.

Support established opinions this will make people more like you're on their side.

Five precepts that go viral:

1. Social standing. People share because it benefits them socially.
2. Emotions. Strong emotions get shared. Antagonizing emotions (sadness) do not get shared.
3. Practicality. Executes action.
4. Stories. Stories include conflict and problem solving. We expect triumph or disaster not pointless events.
5. Going viral will make us and our brand noticed extensively. We will produce more white hat back linking. Our community will grow and be more committed. We will gain abundant traffic.

Effective content. This is content that gets shared and attracts associates and potential customers.

Three things to do to generate highly effective content:

• Write something compelling.
• Write something engaging and easy to read.
• Make offers that get responses.

Key points of effective content:

• Educates. Gives the audience information they hunger for.
• Has personality. It's a lot harder to be personal and touch readers with our content than it is to regenerate an old article. In the long run you will have stronger foundations. If you take the time to be more personal.
• Has a sweeping headline. Favorable headlines get shares, links and customers.
• Considers SEO. Effective content is targeted for people before SEO. Effective content identifies harmony where SEO and the human being meet.
• Puts reader first. No matter type of content we choose the first commandment in any business is to always put the customer first.

Dynamic content. Also referred to as "smart" or "adaptive" marketing. Dynamic content changes often and keeps the reader hooked. The dynamic online experience is more personalized making visitors more engaged.

Dynamic content to add to your site is:

• Forms
• Call to action
• Recommendations

Dynamic content is based on information provided in the past. It uses stored information to add content according to what the user has chosen in the past. A good example of dynamic content is Amazon's recommendations.

Some technologies involved with this:

• A database is the core of dynamic content managing.
• Web pages. A dynamic site has easy reading and navigation.
• Email. This system will be integrated with your database.
• Using a more personalized approach will make customers feel more complacent and stay on the site longer.

Benefits of database content:

Better profits. Improves efficiency leading to higher profits.

Raise associations. Making better connections.

Increase sales. Saves money by diminishing waste.

Timeless content. Write content that will still be important in the future. Do your homework and find quality original content to write about. People are getting tired of the same information rehashed repeatedly.

How to write timeless content:

• Go evergreen. Always ask yourself if your subject will still be effective in a few months. Choose topics that will stand the test of time.
• Focus on meaning. Feelings don't age. We will always have feelings. Add new ideas that will compel the reader while at the same time making yourself stand out from the crowd. Make your content meaningful.
• Keep your article up to date. Check on it periodically to make sure it's still timeless. New facts are evolving all the time.
• Remove dates. No one wants to read old articles. I pass on an old article it if there's a newer one around.

What to avoid when writing timeless content:

• References to "today" or "tomorrow".
• Books.
• Magazines.
• Television.
• Blogs.
• Movies.
• Forums.
• Writing groups.
• Quotes.
• History.
• Travel.
• Religion.
• Dreams.
• Google.
• Newspapers.
• Bookmarking sites.
• Freelancing.

Story writing content. Telling a story draws readers in because it sparks their curiosity and interest. Every brand has a story. Share one that has impacted your life. Share what you've experienced on your journey. Talk about your successes and failures. The story can be about someone else that may have been an inspiration to you.

All of your content should be story writing content.

Six steps in story writing:

1. Start with a setting: This sets the groundwork for the story. You will create the mood. Your first sentence should immediately peak interest and curiosity. Say something like "Guess what" or "Did you know". Choose something in your life that made an impact. Write as though your audience is with you. Make your audience become part of your story.
2. Introduce the characters. Remember you are always one of your characters. You may choose to be the narrator just be sure to include yourself.
3. Build curiosity and suspense that keeps the audience interested. This is where you'll hook the reader.
4. Reach the climax. This is the most important part of story writing. This is the element of surprise that has kept the reader in suspense. The climax could be an opinion, experiment or research.
5. Soften the curiosity and suspense. Bring the audience down slowly with facts, data and reference links that verify your findings.
6. The ending has to be forceful and compelling. It has to initiate discussion or questions. You want the reader to feel that it's worth reading and want to share the story.

What to write stories about:

Why you love your work. Be passionate about yourself. Link this post to your website's biography. Use a meaningful image. It doesn't have to be about work it can be anything really.

How does your brand meet the needs of your audience better than other brands? Give examples.

Measure your product or service's success by using a how-to headline with numbers, such as "How Puppy Chow Sold 95% More Products Using consumer's dogs."

Ask a question like "What issue does your company refuse to address?" Do a search on your question and see where it ranks.

Get Inspired, Stay Inspired

Provide Answers. After you find the answers write a practical how to guide as if you were talking to a friend. Use keyword tools and search question and answer sites to find questions people have about your industry. Use forums, Yahoo Answers, Quora, Topsy and groups to determine what people are unhappy about and provide a solution. Solutions will give you more authority and your audience will have more confidence in you.

How-to use Google keyword search to find answers to what bothers consumers:

Log in and click on search for keyword and ad group ideas.

Type in an extensive search in your niche area under your Product or Service to get ideas.

This will show you problems people are having within your niche to be more specific click on keyword ideas.

Arrange them by average monthly searches.

Keywords that are about three words will tell the best story.

Keywords tools are full of ideas for finding content. Use key phrases like "online marketing mistakes" or "online marketing tips" and make an inforgraphic.

Newsjacking. Take advantage of a good news story. Present the story so it somehow connects to you and take advantage of a popular and interesting news article.

Incorporate current affairs into your field. Write an article on a current affair about something people are searching for and merge it to a relevant area of your site. Use some of the tools I have listed to find a good topic. There is a lot to choose from.

Be controversial. Mix and match theory with disbelief and see what you come up with. Use a content generator and infuse contradictory terms see what happens.

Writer's groups. The perfect place to improve writing skills. You will get to meet new people in the community. A great way to get inspiration is by listening to someone else's work.

Try Freewriting. Just write, write, write this will free you from inhibitions. Not long ago I did some freewriting on a blog I never use. What a mess it turned out to be although I haven't gone back and read through it. The next day I felt so light there was a heaviness that was gone. I really felt good after that.

Brainstorm ideas. Instead of focusing on everything as you did in Freewriting focus on ideas. There will probably be something interesting you can use to write about.

Success stories.These will promote positive things to generate for you. I usually read inspiring stories about dogs. They can be so moving and bring all that emotion to the surface.

Constructive Proof-Reading Tips

Concentration is essential. Eliminate distractions. Turn off the TV, cell phone and ignore email.

Print it out. It's easier to see it on paper, read it over it and will be easier to find the mistakes.

Be attentive of homonyms. These are words that sound the same but are spelled different. There is a distinct difference between effect (result) and affect (to change) or alter (to change) and altar (raised center of worship).

Watch for contractions and apostrophes. Some contractions are easily confused like who's and whose, your and you're, their, there and they're, it's and its. Contractions (two words that form one ex. you're is you are) always have an apostrophe and possessive pronouns (its, whose, your, their) do not.

Check punctuation. Capitalize and use commas and periods. I'm terrible with commas! I really need this lesson.

Read it backwards. Break the pattern of blindness when it comes to our own mistakes. Read it backwards word by word.

Check the numbers. did you mean 2.6 million or.26 million. Sometime we are off just by a comma or decimal point.

Have a friend proofread. This is my favorite thing to do because then you can have all the more security posting it.

Spend as much time as you need to create a post. There are people that promise you can write 20 blogs a day in 20 minutes. I like to focus on one blog and make sure it has quality and value. I want depth and meaning to my posts.

Add visuals and research data to your posts. A good blog post takes time and the more you get to know your topic, industry and your readers the more you'll learn what they expect and you'll have a clearer insight as to what they want.

Tips for Content Creation

I've added some tips to assist you in making your articles exceptional.

Spend as much time as you need to create one post. There are people that promise you can write 20 blogs a day in 20 minutes. I like to focus on one blog and make sure it has quality and value. I want depth and meaning to my posts.

Add visuals and research data to your posts. A good blog post takes time and the more you get to know your topic, industry and your readers the more you'll learn what they expect and you'll have a clearer insight as to what they want.

Create awesome titles and sub-titles. The opening line is the most important line in your writing. Give this line a lot of thought. Sub-titles don't have to be boring.

Add an element of surprise. Catch the reader's attention with facts that aren't well-known but are true.

Introduce observations that aren't already apparent. No ones wants to read that dog food is for dogs they already know this. Use information that will increase knowledge. Don't make your reader seem stupid.

Practice rhythm writing. Make long and short sentences. It keeps the words flowing.

Use astonishing statistics. You will call attention to your writing.

Break the rules. The days of being formal and distant in writing are over. Be personal and on the same page as the reader to create an understanding.

Add shock value. Give your readers something to have to stop and think about or laugh about. Instill a little impact to jump start them and keep them interested.

Remark about a pain point. Pain points will remind the reader that you are human and you have more of a chance of them staying on your page.

Establish a voice. Your voice is authentic and no one else can mimic it in any way. Keep writing and it will evolve.

Incorporate visuals. This breaks up the text and doesn't overwhelm the reader. It makes the article seem to flow.

Get rid of distractions. I know sometimes in our busy worlds we can't rid ourselves of all disturbances, but try to steal away some time for yourself to just breathe and relax.

Add power to your writing. The secret to this is shorter sentences and stronger verbs.

Get your writing seen. I know I'm a little insecure about posting my articles, but I know that content is the foundation for my whole online presents. As I publish I get less and less self conscience and more and more confident.

Write more informally. Writing online is different than writing an eBook. It's interactive and you have to be on the same level with your reader.

Use good grammar. Don't think that informal writing means that you sacrifice spelling and grammar errors. Good sentence structure is just as important. People will respect you and have confidence in your more than if you made mistake after mistake. I know when I'm reading an article and it's someone who I expected to be professional and they make errors I lose respect and don't usually finish the article.

Focus on one blog post. Spend all the time you need to get one post right. Don't sacrifice quality for quantity. It's better to have one awesome post than ten weak ones.

Keep the beginning and then end strong. In the beginning you have to draw them in and this is most important. You need to have a good ending so they want to return to read more.

This is my guide to content creation I hope you find it useful for your next article or post. I tried to make it as helpful as possible.

I know I didn't use a lot of visual I wanted to make this seem like a clear reference guide. Then I looked at some of the pics and thought how much they relate. I had to add them.

I will keep it updated because I plan to use it as a reference also. You can never have too many resources. I tried to cover all the bases. If I've forgotten something or left something out just let me know!

I hope you've enjoyed your time here as much as I enjoyed writing the article.

*I took the links out so you'll have to go to my site for those.

Hi! My name is Marsha.

I don't really have a call to action. I'm willing to help people get started in business free, but I really think that will be changing soon it's so much work! There's some useful information there if you like business. There are tons of links!

This is my first submission here and I was a little nervous about submitting it so finally I copied and pasted it from my blog. I've been getting more bold about sharing my content.

I am really a team player and I play to win.

I'm very supportive and like to keep a positive outlook.

If there's anything I can do just let me know.

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Six KEY Check Points for Personal Success / Online Marketing

I use the Road of Life as a metaphor for our journey through life, as we both understand that life is a journey, not a destination. On the road of life we are constantly confronted with situations that determine what our choices will be. Some are positive, some may be negative, but ultimately they affect what happens next on our travel down the road. As I evaluate what circumstances had major impact on my life, I can easily look back and determine which decisions made the most difference in my personal life, which of course affects what you do in business.

The two are intertwined as you do not stop being who you are at work. Your personality, attitude, and mindset are who you are based on your life experience. I am going to develop six check points that need to be part of your life plan if you are going to see the success you expect. These are online business ideas that are designed to help you progress through life with a positive and performance enhancing will to win. I will place these in a sequence that establishes priority for each one from my perspective, although you may see them on a different scale.

There is no right call here, the point is that we all need some direction as to what to do next and properly sequenced, these six check points will have dramatic impact for the rest of your life. For all of us that are jumping into new careers, in particular those that in the process of trying to earn a living online, these are imperative to position properly and to be acutely aware of their ability to help you produce positive change in your life.

Here is the lineup from my perspective. The first one is one that I somewhat beat to death, as I consistently place it at the top of most lists related to personal success. The reason that it is placed on such a high priority is that without this platform, other check points will not matter. You have to start somewhere and this check point starts the process.

Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life. I cannot say this enough, yet there are moments in all of our lives that we question this basic premise. Once we have reached adulthood, there is no one to point the finger at when things do not go our way. We have to understand that if life is not producing the outcome we expect; that we need to look at what we have done to see if the fault can be pin pointed for a better decision on the next round. If you do not accept complete responsibility for yourself, you will always be at risk, as someone else is making these choices for you. This ultimately places you in a bad place as no one on earth has the same feelings for you than yourself. Even family members, while certainly on your side, will be making choices for you based on their world.

In some cases, these decisions will tilt your way; in some cases they could actually affect you negatively. That is why it is critical to be the Captain of your ship, to set its course, and to be constantly aware of what challenges are on the chosen path, so that corrections can be made as necessary to generate the expected end result.

Live Your Life on Purpose. Purpose is one of those abstract concepts that sometimes need definition. It is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. I am relating the term to our life journey and what drives us on that journey. Purpose will change on our personal road of life as we all change physically and mentally as we move through life. The reason it is second on the priority list is the foundational support it gives to the other check points. If we have found a purpose in life, that thought permeates through everything we do, driving us forward with a better sense of what needs done to achieve the goals we aspire to reach.

I have always liked helping people that need direction and advice in life and throughout my entire career have mentored the concept of Self Empowerment. I believe that we all need a helping hand every now and then to move us one step closer to our life expectations. While money is the driving force in why so many people are now looking to generate online incomes, money cannot buy happiness. Happiness is a mental and spiritual state brought about by a balanced approach to life. I find that personal relationships with family, spouses, and significant others affect happiness the most. Find what you like doing and you will find that you are happier and ready to meet the next day with full enthusiasm, as opposed to going to work because you have to, or living with someone because you don't want to hurt their feelings. Purpose gives you a reason to face life's challenges head on and to get through them with a mindset that knows there is always light after the darkest hour.

Be Willing to Pay the Price for Your Dreams. You cannot let any challenge take over your life. Be aware of the challenge and plan your way through it. Do not let anything get in the way of your thoughts and dreams. If it is education that is needed, find a way to obtain what you need. If you need a college degree and cannot afford the higher priced universities, then look for community colleges. If you need a license to conduct the service supported by the license, survey the schools in the area that prepare you for the licensing exam. If you were a working female and found yourself with child, do not let having to stay home hold you back. In today's economy where good paying jobs are almost non-existent, many mothers are finding ways to generate income from home with their computers.

Whatever the challenge may be, believe me, the winners have found a way around them. Winners will always find a way. I find that on our road of life, the first twenty one to twenty four years are years of training and education. Depending on what purpose you intend to follow in life, some of you may need a college degree, some of you may just need a license obtained from a trade school. Make sure in this first part of your life to obtain all the necessary training and education needed to support your purpose. Once you begin utilizing the education you obtained to support your life purpose, the rest of the trip becomes easier and starts leveling out as you zip down the road.

Become an Expert in Your Field. This means doing the job to the best of your ability. You have already gone through the necessary steps to be in the chosen field and have a good foundation to do the job and expand its capabilities. From this point forward, it is up to you to continue learning everything possible about the position. This may be reading trade publications or books and articles related to your job. It may mean taking additional courses to support specific functions within the job description.
Companies are always looking for the individual that takes the initiative to do things on their own to augment their position. If you want to get stuck in a dead end job, then accept it and never do anything but show up to work. Do not do the things mentioned earlier. What will happen is that you will find yourself wondering why your peers are getting advances and raises and you do not. Remember that Knowledge is Power. The more you know, the more valuable you become to the organization and in the process will become part of the inner workings of the company with a greater chance of advancement and the achievement of your goals and objectives.

Write Out a Plan to Achieve Your Goals. It is as simple as this, "Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail." Going through life without a plan is akin to starting out on a trip from Los Angeles in a sailboat to Fiji without maps. Can you get there in this situation? Possibly, but it would have been so much easier following specific paths that are used daily by others for the same trip. Unfortunately the school system has never done a good enough job in this area. They are too concerned about moving you through the system, as they see others coming up behind you and making room for them sets up the criteria to move you to the next level of education, sometimes not having completed the skill sets needed for the next grade.

I remember conducting Goal setting seminars in the 80's, which were the rage back then, but quickly found out that they should have been called Goal getting instead. Words are labels in our culture, designed to bring about mental pictures and sometimes emotions or feelings, impacting our ability to see the end result. The focus with these seminars was always to get people to plan for tomorrow. I found that many people were not adept at breaking the bigger picture or goal down into smaller parts that were more manageable. If I help you set a goal for next year's regional budget and plan for your company without breaking it down into monthly, weekly and even daily objectives, we have not done our job to the best of our ability.

Don't let the bigger picture scare you as it can. Look at creating more manageable components that can be controlled easier on a monthly basis, and into smaller components such as weekly and daily objectives. With a written and defined plan of action, you have taken control of how the pieces fit in the process of reaching your stated goals. This key point serves to give you the map we spoke about with the sailing trip example. You would not think of taking a super long trip across country without a map; personal and business goals are no different. Map each step out and see the great results from this line of thinking.

Never Give Up. It is relatively easy to sit back and hope that everything turns out to your liking. Life being what it is, will not always give you what you want. Your preparation for all contingencies in advance will have addressed the ones that need more attention. If you are following your Plan, this alone will save you countless hours of re-grouping, as each step was covered to counter the contingency. The Plan breaks everything down into manageable components and makes attaining your established goals so much easier. Your knowledge and understanding of your purpose in life, in tandem with your plan should give you positive movement along your road of life. The plan is only set for specific periods of time and allows for adjustments as you determine what is left to achieve each step of the way.

Large companies set plans in advance seven to ten years out, following trends and planning for all contingencies. I do not suggest you do this, but at least start out with a six months plan, broken down by month and week so you can monitor its progress and adjust it to meet your needs. If you are truly committed to your life purpose and accepted full responsibility for your stated objectives, have taken the time to write out a solid plan of action, and truly believe that what you are doing is exactly where you want to be in life at that exact moment, your expectations are closer to happening than had you not gone through the process. Quit chasing the shiny objects that constantly fly by and confuse your decision to do what you want to do.
Focus on priorities and what comes first. Once that is determined and you are seeing success with your plan of action, stay the course and go all the way to your stated objective. Do not let anything or anybody get in your way. You are the leader of your life and know internally how you feel you are doing. If it feels good, keep going and throw all of your energy into reaching small goals first, which will set up the medium and larger ones. Remember Life is a Journey, not a destination.

James Hobart, an industry leader in the Professional Beauty Industry for more than 40 years at every level, has certification in hypnotherapy. His insight and experience have helped many companies and individuals with their growth and development over the years. His book, Happiness Is Your Birthright, supports his philosophy on life and is a practical handbook to create positive change throughout one's life.

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Best DoFollow Sites for Building Backlinks in 2014

What is a "DoFollow" link?

For many businesses, having a strong online presence is a necessity in today's market. Likewise, if you have anything to market, it is important that you use all the tools available to you to give the website as much exposure as possible.

If you've started your own blog or have a presence on social media and you want to increase your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ranking, you've probably done some research on link building and have run into the terms "DoFollow" and "NoFollow". Both terms refer to a form of backlinks, which are external links from other websites which point back to your website. Backlinks are important as they are one of the factors which Google and inferior search engines use in considering the ranking of your website. That's right, DoFollow and NoFollow have an affect on your site's PageRank. The quickest way to determine a site has DoFollow links is to look for the little icons, usually at the top or bottom of a page which you can click on to share the website's content on social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. DoFollow links can come from sources such as websites, social media platforms, blogs and forums. You can recognize DoFollow links in HTML coding which is encrypted in hyperlinks.

To determine if a site's links are DoFollow or NoFollow, simply right click on the site and view the source code. Check out the HTML and look for the following code after the link's website reference.

rel="dofollow" or rel+"external

Search engines track DoFollow links and their value (also referred to as juice) also gets transferred to the search engine. Okay, so what does that mean? It means that Google bots will follow the link and enter your site. This will help Google in indexing your page and getting credit for the backlink as opposed to the site using "NoFollow" which means that Google bots would not follow the link to your site. In that case, the link may as well not even exist. Verifying whether a link which appears in the search engine results pages, or SERPs is a DoFollow link can easily be done with a couple of clicks. Simply right click on the link you want to check in Mozilla or Chrome and select the "Inspect element" option from the drop-down menu. A window will open at the bottom of your browser with a highlighted link including the complete html code. We will go over one real-world example together so that you fully understand this concept if you havent mastered it already.

Can You Get a DoFollow From Facebook?

For example, if you wanted to find out if Facebook allows DoFollow links, you would perform the following steps:

1.) Visit Facebook.

2.) Right click on a post with a link in it.

3.) Click on "Inspect Element".

4.) Look for the HTML code containing either "DoFollow" or "NoFollow" right next to the URL being shared.

If you performed this little 4-step experiment, depending on what link you checked, you most likely found out that Facebook does NOT allow DoFollow links. This is a terrible waste of potential as Facebook is a PageRank 9 (PR9) site and could give your site a nice boost with that kind of backlink juice. No worries! If you want a backlink from a PR9 such as Facebook then it is my duty to deliver information to you on how you can achieve this. However, now is not the time for this so I will save it for the next article as we have bigger fish to fry first.

I do promise you that it is possible and I am not just making it up!

What are the Advantages of DoFollow Links?

One of the most obvious advantages of DoFollow links is that they give your site backlink juice. Especially if you bait some good ones. Ultimately, you want a nice mix of all types of PR backlinks (PR0-PR9), but that is a discussion for another day.

Backlinks tend to help attract more visitors to your site, increasing the amount of traffic and the overall PageRank (PR) of your site.

DoFollow links also encourage comments from other bloggers and users seeking backlinks and the more people comment on your blog or website, the better it is for your SEO. DoFollow links can have advantages and disadvantages depending on what your goals are and whether you are the webmaster or just a user of a site that honors DoFollow. Enabling Dofollow links on your site or blog can help you as a webmaster due to the fact that you will attract users that will be leaving comments on it. This also increases SEO and the ranking of a blog in the SERPS (Search Engine Results Pages).

How Do I Stop Spammers?

The main disadvantage to Dofollow enabled websites is that they are an opportunity for spammers to post irrelevant links on your site which will take time to moderate and delete. It can get annoying quick, but there is good news. WordPress blogs come with the Akismet plugin preinstalled now-a-days. Akismet is a plugin that will stop spammers dead in their tracks. Even though it is pre-installed, you will still have to activate it and provide your API for it to work. Fortunately for you, doing so is no big deal and only takes a few minutes.

What are the Best Sites to Use for Getting DoFollow Backlinks?

Let's look at a few websites which allow dofollow links ordered in relation to their Google PageRank.

Google Plus

Because the social network is owned by Google, Google Plus is the perfect place to interact by integrating all of the tools available to users including Gmail, Google Drive and Blogger. Users can link to content placed on other websites with each backlink enhancing the SEO ranking. Since Google is the most widely used search engine, it is likely that they will give preference to links on one of their platforms compared to other media. Google Plus allows users to email contacts in their circles, another important feature for content creators and marketers. It also features Hangouts which are a place for people to interact using live video streaming enabled by YouTube.

Although Google Plus may not currently have the large following that other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have, it has shown significant growth since its release and is expected to grow even further. This makes it vital for marketers who want to make the greatest impact and get in early to catch new users.

YouTube

YouTube was purchased by Google in 2006, which is why it continues to have a high page rank. The video sharing platform has more videos uploaded daily than any one person can watch in their entire lifetime. Backlinking from the website has become increasingly popular due to users' awareness of the power of the network.

The best way to use YouTube to promote your products, services or brand is to post interesting content and point backlinks to your other websites and social networks. A method of increasing the number of views is by posting the link to your video on related videos. Do not spam people with irrelevant material and ads. These comments will likely end up being deleted. You can also post your video as a video response to someone else's video in order to increase your chances of exposure.

Pinterest

The image sharing website works like an online pin board on which users can pin images with accompanying details of ideas and things they like and sort them into various folders according to categories. Pinterest draws content from online sources and allows users to also post new content. The site allows backlinks to other websites and social media platforms.

Especially for people in industries involving design and art, this is a good place for sharing ideas with others and benefiting from their shared ideas. Pinterest is also linked to other websites which display icons representing backlinks to to Pinterest, on which a displayed image can be shared. The website works as a form of bookmarking system for users enabling them to later look back at liked and saved images.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional network focused on connecting people for employment and business opportunities. Users create profiles on which they can display an online resume detailing their skills, credentials, education, experience and job history. This makes it simpler for companies to hire people and allows users to search for opportunities related to their information and skills.
The website is primarily focused on career building and opportunities which makes it a good resource for employers and employees alike. Content can be backlinked to other social media websites such as Facebook and twitter in order to increase the exposure of a user's profile or share existing opportunities. Users can also join groups of people in their related field and industry in order to share information, events and opportunities.

Reddit

Reddit is an online message board on which users can share links. It differs from social networks such as twitter in that each link can be upvoted or downvoted by users. This results in the highest quality links having the highest ratings making it simpler for users to judge the value of the content posted. Reddit is not as simple to use as sites such as Facebook which usually deters people from becoming involved in it, however given a good amount of time working around the site, it can be an invaluable tool for marketers. Like any other social media site, good and interesting content is key in gaining more votes and comments which boost the ranking of posts.

StumbleUpon
 
True to the website's name, StumbleUpon provides a platform on which users can stumble upon interesting websites. The website introduces users to new websites which they otherwise might not have found by looking at the users previous likes and searches in order to customize their profiles.

In this way, users are continually exposed to new information and resources relevant to their needs and interests which provide a personalized web experience. Users can also connect to each other based on preferences and share content with other users. StumbleUpon also allows users to search for content. The website relates the content to the users specifications and provides only quality images, making the search quicker and more relevant than one performed on a regular search engine.

Digg

Digg was one of the first websites to make it popular to vote content up or down. The social news websites allows users to search for and organize category specific news such as current events, science, technology and politics. Digg was founded in 2004 and prompted the establishment of similar sites such as Reddit. The website was redesigned in 2012 to support sharing content with other social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The website also released a news reading app called Digg Reader in 2012, in response to public complaints about the shutting down of Google Reader.

Diigo

Diigo describes itself as a "multi-tool for knowledge management". The social-bookmarking website enables users to tag and bookmark pages as well as highlight content and attaches sticky notes to webpages with highlighted content. Diigo is a simple research and sharing tool which allows users to organize information in a manner which is effective for referencing and note-making. Diigo stands for "Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other Stuff" and is ideal for anybody who wants to search and take the most out of any information which they read. Backlinking allows for sharing on other websites so it is a great tool for cross-referencing and sharing interesting information which is relevant to your niche.

Slashdot

Slashdot was originally started as a blog in 1997 and is now a media website featuring science and technology news. The website's tagline is "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters." The website features user-submitted and evaluated stories with comments sections for users to interact and share their views on stories. If you have a blog or offer a product or service in the technology industry, this will be a useful tool to gain followers by backlinking to relevant information on your website and sharing stories on other websites or social networks which you use.

Mister-Wong

The comically named website is the most popular social bookmarking website in Europe. It may have attracted users due to the controversial image of a wise Asian cartoon. Users refer to the site to get useful and personalized information and searches. Much like Diigo, the site allows users to search for, save and share websites. It is the most popular bookmarking site in Europe and is available in six different languages.
If your target market is primarily in Europe, Mister Wong is probably an ideal platform to use and promote your offering or content.

Squidoo

Squidoo is a type of search engine which allows users to create single webpages (referred to as lenses) for topics which interest them. These pages can be used to make money for companies, individuals or users by selling products. Squidoo is particularly popular because of its potential income-earning feature. Squidoo awards 50% of revenue to users, called lensmasters, for created content and relies on advertising and affiliate marketing for revenues. Lenses or pages can be shared on other social media to increase exposure and income-earning potential. If you are selling something unique which can be offered on the platform, this is probably an option you want to explore.

Hubpages

Hubpages simplifies blogging and content sharing for users who want the opportunity to earn money from writing content. Users post content on any selected topic and are encouraged to make articles, which are referred to as hubs on the website, as engaging, content and media rich as possible. Hubpages works on its page ranking and optimizing the SEO for content posted on their website. Users can link their accounts to a Hubpages Earning Program which gives them a share of the money Hubpages receives from Google AdSense for their content as well as edit hubs to feature additional links to Google ads linking back to user individual AdSense accounts which they can subsequently earn from. Users can also earn by posting Amazon and eBay listings on content, which maximizes their earning potential for earning as the online stores pay certain amounts per click and per referred purchase. Hubpages also has affiliate systems which enable users to earn by referring new people to the website.

Dofollow enabled links also give users the opportunity to market their own content. Hubpages is a good platform for writers to gain experience and exposure in content writing, whilst earning a little money on the side for their efforts. 

Why these websites?

Websites with high PageRank have been included as theoretically it is believed they will provide the most exposure to your site and the most backlink juice through DoFollow backlinks. As this may have some truth to it, as I mentioned earlier, ideally you want an evenly distributed mix of low and high PR backlinks as that is what appears to be most natural to the search engines.

Although many DoFollow enabled sites exist, there are too many for us to get them all. Nonetheless, we will sure try as we will continue to provide you with similar articles in the very near future. I believe that there is only one issue left for me to address and that is the issue of enabling DoFollow links in Facebook links. I will begin working on an article that describes the process and will update this article with a link as soon as the other article is published.

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The ROAD of LIFE / Online Marketing

Life is a journey - not a destination. Would you agree with that simple statement? If you understand that all humans are on a journey through life; I will use the metaphor of the "Road of Life" for our collective life journey and online business ideas.

The Road of Life is the main Freeway we all use to go from day to day, yet we all had our own On ramp to the main roadway, which is when you were born, as well as an Exit ramp, for when you pass through.

Like most long distance highways, The Road of Life is not a straight one. In many cases depending on what day it is, the roadway can be twisty, curvy, full of construction zones, and detours. Our lives go through rhythms, sometimes we are up, and sometimes we are down. Ultimately we hope to find a balance within these energies as we strive to have more good days than bad.

On the Road of Life, there are three kinds of people - Those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those that "wonder" what happened. 

Let's go one step further since I want to place those three different people on the Road of Life. The person making things happen is the Driver. The one watching things happen is the Passenger. The one that wonders what happened is the Back Seat Driver.

The Driver is the only one in control of the vehicle with control of the key to start the car, the gas and brake pedals and the steering wheel.

The Passenger is being driven in the vehicle and obviously has no control of where they are being driven. They truly are the watcher, as they stare out of the vehicle's windows en route to their destination.

The Back Seat Driver is noticeably not in control of the vehicle, yet consistently tries to drive from their vantage point in the back seat.

Once we reach adulthood, we are left to answer the basic question, which of these three people do I fit the closest? Am I the Driver, the only one in control of where I am going? or am I just a watcher, the passenger on my personal road of life?

I won't even discuss the Back Seat Driver, as they have no control of where they are going and sadly go through life, complaining about everything that does not meet their expectations.

The point being made is unless you choose to be responsible for your own vehicle on the road of life; your chances for long term success and happiness are affected in some capacity.

We are all traveling on the road of life, every day, day to day. Some days are great and some have their issues. That statement is Life personified, yet we have the ability to choose how we tackle each day, which can make distinct difference in the outcome.

Drivers typically are mentally acute, have their eyes wide open, and understand that the best course of action is a straight line between two points and make adjustments on the fly as they go down the road.

All we have control of in life is the moment. This very moment I am speaking to you, because the old cliché' which I used to use quite a bit got old and didn't make sense any more was, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?" It is true semantically, but look at the time - half the day is already gone. You cannot get it back. And everything you have done today until this very moment is exactly what I said earlier - just another memory.

The present moment is the only reality we really can bank on and reality changes every second. There is POWER in the present moment.

So what is tomorrow? It is strictly an expectation and only that. No one can guarantee us that we will be here tomorrow. All we can do is hope. I believe that what we do today sets up tomorrow. If we SLACK on today, we have to take what comes. But if we are focused and diligent on what we want to happen tomorrow, guess what, it probably will come closer to happening then just waiting for something to happen.

I use the example for presentation purposes, that the Road of Life's journey is 100 years. The average age in the U.S. for passing through is 77.7 years, but I like to think positively and know that if I have taken care of my car, 100 years of age is a reasonable expectation.

On the Road of Life we are trained and formally educated for the first 20 plus years. If you completed your education by going through the school system and graduating with your high school diploma, you would be on the average around 18 years of age. If you attend and graduate from college, you will graduate with your basic Bachelor's degree in around 4 to 5 years. Add these all up and you are looking at a person approximately 23 to 24 years of age, supporting my statement that the first large section of the Road of Life is all about the preparation needed to secure a skill, a trade, or even a job.

The next phase of your Road of Life, beyond education, is your years of earning potential. Your earning potential starts after your education is secured and builds momentum through your fifties. This is the second large chunk of time on the Road of life. We still plan and focus on being financially secure by the time we are able to retire, which in this country is around 70. I know some people have retired earlier and today many people based on the poor economic status of our country are now looking at working until they pass through.

Priorities and Goals change on the Road of Life, supporting the fact that the Road of life is not a straight one. We can never lose sight of the fact that the Road of Life is consistently moving us forward. We cannot go back, not even a second; to change what already took place. Our only direction is forward, giving us the opportunity to make tomorrow better than today. Bottom line your decisions alter the Road of Life.

Choice has ramifications, some decisions turn out good and some deliver unexpected outcomes. It is all about adjusting to the road conditions in front of your eyes. If the roadway is slick, snowy and icy, we know we have to put on snow chains. If the road is slick and wet, we know we need to slow down.

The Road of Life continues moving us forward, one day at a time. We have to make the most of today, as it sets up tomorrow. If you take care of today to best ability, tomorrow will take care of itself. Today is about accepting Responsibility for your Road of Life. Even though there are other drivers on the same roadway, the Road of Life, it is ultimately up to us as individuals to make the right choices as we move down the Road of Life.

If I were to expand on what we can do differently on our path through life, it would be about creating Change that will bring the tomorrow that you want. The Road of Life is about new fresh information being presented daily, information that can help you Re-invent yourself. This acceptance will allow you to become the person you want to be, the person you were meant to be. If you are going to sail through your Road of Life, you are going to have to evaluate many factors that affect what is happening to you as you travel through life.

Take a hard look at your reality and become acutely aware of what is working and what is not. Make adjustments as necessary to smooth out the roadway. Everything is perception and ultimately each person's perception varies greatly based on their life filters. These filters were initially set in place in our childhood and continue to change with all the new information that we receive daily.

Accept complete responsibility for yourself. As an adult, you cannot blame anyone but yourself for what your day looks like and what the outcome will be. When you look into a mirror, you are the only person staring back at yourself. The mirror is your reality. Accept it for what it is and know that your decisions will directly affect your outcome.

Create change within yourself. Once you realize and understand what segment of the Road of Life you are traveling through such as the education years, it will allow more adjustment for necessary changes so that tomorrow's travel becomes easier.

Get out of your comfort zone. Your Comfort Zone is measured typically by the income you make, the people you surround yourself with, the car you drive, the house or apartment you live in, as these are all manifestations of what you represent to everyone else. While it is hard to just jump out, do it slowly.
Change one thing, see a result and then try it on another challenge. I have made the point that change is one of the hardest things to make happen. By nature, as human beings, we are tied to a word called homeostasis, which makes the case that as humans we generally come back to our soft, warm cocoon, our Comfort Zone, even after making changes. Look at a smoker. I have seen countless smokers take the plunge and either quit cold turkey or slowly wean themselves off. Unfortunately, because of homeostasis, they are back smoking soon after their decision to quit the nasty habit. It takes will power, discipline and hard work to make even small changes, but the point being made is that we can change... with the intent and dedication we pour into the task.
Become the person you want to be. We all landed here exactly the same way, naked and exposed to the world. No one landed here with Winner stamped on their forehead. I find it interesting that the only two fears that a baby is born with are the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Every other thing that we learn and become is based on your life programming. If you understand that statement, the point is made that all of us can re-program or change. It is the responsibility of every person to be so plugged in that they know what needs done for the next day's travel

Relax and reduce the mounting stress. We are literally bombarded daily with an intense amount of information called message units. These units come into our minds through our conscious mind, our sub-conscious, the environment, and our senses. Today the white noise is deafening. All of this information, plus our job's requirements, our families, politics, you name it; add to the stress that we all feel more than ever before. Find a way to slow it down. On the Road of Life, you are not going to get there any faster. It is one day at a time. Slow it down and truly live for today. When tomorrow gets here, it will be Today, making every day of our lives today.

My purpose in using the metaphor of the Road of Life for our collective journey was to get you to understand how critical it is to live one day at a time. You cannot rush life. It comes on its own terms one day at a time. There is no other choice. By living one day at a time, tomorrow will take care of itself. With little to no training on how to travel down the Road of Life with purpose and a plan, many of you reading this article may say, I am too far along. I can't change. Don't despair. Follow the advice and take it one day at a time and see how the outcome will change, giving you more control of where you want to go. See where you want to go and always fall back on the statement, Visualization Creates Realization. What you see and feel is what your world will become... One day at a time.

James Hobart, an industry leader in the Professional Beauty Industry for more than 40 years at every level, has certification in hypnotherapy. His insight and experience have helped many companies and individuals with their growth and development over the years. His book, Happiness Is Your Birthright, supports his philosophy on life and is a practical handbook to create positive change throughout one's life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Hobart

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Master the Right Skills

Internet Marketing has come down to being just a Data Dump! There I said it!
I do not know where to start on this subject, but suffice as to say, I have been marketing online now forever. I got my first Apple 2 computer, in, I think, 1981 or so, and have not really looked back since. So like all of us, I have seen the rise of many a trend on the internet, and the speed at which they come and go, seems to be speeding up, as perhaps we all knew it would?

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Five Essential Qualities You Need to Succeed in Internet Marketing

More and more people are looking to start their own home-based business to supplement their incomes or to replace their full time incomes. Because of this, the home based business industry is exploding, which is why internet marketing has become so important for millions to learn and master. To have the freedom of making money online that will support your lifestyle and that of your family means you will have no boss, no deadlines to meet and time freedom at your disposal. So, what does one have to do to master internet marketing? There is plenty of competition online so you must be outfitted with the tools and qualities necessary to make an impact online and on your bank account. There are 5 qualities one must ultimately have if he wants to achieve the success he is longing for in this business, and these 5 qualities are a must for him to possess in order to be able to stand out among the rest...and, most importantly - have a thriving and profitable online business

1st Quality: Be Teachable

You cannot be a "Mr. Know-It-All" when it comes to learning the skills of marketing on the internet. You must allow yourself to be teachable and welcome change with regards to learning new skills. In this industry, it's called having a mentor who will guide you. It's so important to have someone teach you the techniques that they have used to make them successful online. Allow yourself to be a taught and you solidify your odds of becoming wildly successful.

2nd Quality: Be Committed

Consistent daily action is what's required in internet marketing. This takes a high level of commitment even if the positive results aren't so apparent in the beginning. Months may pass where you may not see the "fruits of your labor" but it's critical to keep moving forward. Internet marketing is not rocket science, however it does demand an individual to be committed, which will most certainly save him from giving up after spending a lot of 'himself' in the business.

3rd Quality: Be Self-Determined

There is a fine line between being committed and being self-determined. However, being self-determined means that you have a vision of the end result and that there is no obstacle big enough that will stop you from making that vision of reality. Conquering the internet marketing world means to have the power to keeping pushing ahead and never succumbing to defeat. Find what motivates you and let that be the driving force. Never having to say 'I give up' is a quality each and every internet marketer must have.

4th Quality: Be Disciplined

Creating a schedule of time to market online or learn a new skill and diligently adhering to that schedule is being disciplined. Working with that discipline with all of the energy you can muster, will allow you to reach your goals.

5th Quality: Be Optimistic

Block out negative energy and poor attitudes in your life. An internet marketer is sometimes faced with the challenge of explaining to others exactly what it is you do online. You'll find that most do not understand, therefore your become the target of negativity. Don't let anyone prevent you from going after what you have to do in life improve yourself for the betterment of everyone involved. Additionally, never let anyone influence your attitude towards internet marketing, because once you have started your journey, it is imperative to control your "ship" so that you can steer towards the purpose you set out to do. Optimism is your partner in business to help you achieve anything you want.

These qualities are essential to your success in internet marketing however the most important thing that must be remembered is that your success is determined by what lies within you. The capacity to do everything possible to realize your dreams can only be controlled by how teachable, committed, self-determined, disciplined and optimistic you are.

If you possess these qualities, your success on the internet is solidified.

Jared Wiener is a top internet marketer and home business success coach who has worked with thousands of people around the world helping them create success in their lives leveraging the power of the internet. To learn how to write an effective article and other marketing strategies that the internet gurus use to earn $1,000's online, then grab a free special report at [http://www.MastermindProfitsOnline.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jared_Wiener

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The Ultimate Secret For Professional Networkers

Curiosity does indeed kill the cat as it is one of our greatest drivers, and is possibly the reason our ears always prick up and our attention spiked as soon as we hear mention of a "secret."

On the other hand, almost secrets are an absolute and utter waste of time, but one which actually merits our full consideration is "The Ultimate Secret To Getting Absolutely Everything You Want" by Mike Hernacki.
A small, slim pamphlet, yet one which can significantly adjust the course of an persons career if they maintain an open mind, study the essentials outlined by Hernacki, and apply them.

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