This morning, following along the lines of yesterday’s post about Qassia, I just could not bring myself to type in junk. Sorry, must be me, but what someone had for breakfast is not my cup of tea (no pun intended).

So, I chose the high road, writing off-the-cuff. In other words, my experiment this time around opted to choose the “Unpublished original intel” option, and give it a go right from their website.

Here’s what I ended up writing (remember it’s not rocket science LOL!): (more…)

This past week, Janet Giacoma, a Whole Hog Blogger and extensive article writer, wrote to ask how does one add their Twitter feed to EzineArticles.com. Apparently, she’s heard through the grapevine, and has demonstrated proof from those sources, that adding (updating) your EzineArticle profile to include your other social identities can have real benefits.

Well, it could be me, but it did take some doing to locate the steps. Actually I had to finally just hold my breath and head to the EzineArticle blog, do a search for “twitter” and voila! here’s the results (quoting a bit of that forum post):

“Here’s the 6 simple steps on how to quickly add your social media links: (more…)

Not that long ago, it was acceptable to stumble one’s own post to get the ball rolling in Stumbleupon. However, the rules of the game are changing as detailed here:

StumbleUpon Has Updated Its Algorithms

If by chance you have been found wanting by the SU team, never fear there is a way to get back into their good graces. Here’s just a few excerpts from the post (linked above): (more…)

Just a bit ago, I received Websitepro’s newsletter and they have “exciting” news! They have developed their own “search Twitter” website, which hopefully, will allow like-minded people to make contact (and make it a whole lot easier to do).

If you use Twitter this should (more…)

Actually I was busy checking up on our bloggers using Whole Hog Blogs, doing some backlinking research, etc., when I stumbled upon Blog Carnival (thanks to Linda at ForcedGreen. She may not be aware, but it was tracking down her search engine placement that led me to this unusual website).

So with all the preamble, what is BlogCarnival? The best way to describe it may be to tell you what it ultimately “looks like” with the finished product.

(more…)

Simply put, WhamX is a Web 2.0 Social Bookmarking news and article site that allows you to vote on your favorites. (That is a direct quote from their website.)

WhamX.com would like to become (don’t they all) bigger and better than Digg over time. It can be done, if you make enough people aware that you exist.

So how do you use WhamX?

First, you create your account. Update your profile with whatever information you would like others to see, including an Avatar for yourself or use theirs.

Then you click on the Submitted button and at the bottom of the page (still in the white text area), you will see the bookmarklet to grab. Either store it in your favorites, or if you are using Firefox, draw it up to the Bookmarks level and let go.

The other thing to remember is with this and just about every other service like this, in order to submit something (or vote or do anything) you have to be LOGGED IN beforehand.

Our suggestion is to pick the ones you want to be active with on any given day. Say you want to be able to hop in and out of BlogCatalog, Digg, WhamX, and Entrecard (just a few or you’ll drive yourself crazy). First thing in the morning (or after logging on and getting ready to start working), go to each of these sites and log yourself in. Then stay logged in. Usually that means leaving the browser window open down (at least) on your start bar or using the Tabs in IE 7 or Firefox to leave the web sites open.

Then as you go about your day posting your own stuff and reading and commenting and creating back links to others about theirs, you’ll already be logged into your chosen few and good to go

Below you’ll see a screenshot of the WhamX social bookmarking site, and it is good to note that (according to my Firefox browser with its plugin for checking this sort of thing), WhamX is prepared to give you full credit and full backlinks for your time and effort.

Enjoy!

Today I stumbled across a website that is really very cool and very useful:

Digg Friend Finder SEO Tool

(Suggestion: Using the Firefox browser loads the page much faster, IE can hang up sometimes.)

The search results (where they show up) had me confused at first - (okay it’s Sunday and Easter so maybe that’s my excuse) - but once I understood where to look, well - it’s amazing! The results show right on their webpage (or the entire thing requires no download to do your searches).

Just enter a phrase - I tried “marketing” and “blogcatalog” (without the quotes) and search for either Profiles or Submissions posted in Digg that match your term.

Then DOWN BELOW the couple paragraphs of explanation, after you click on the “Show Friends” button, you’ll get a list out to everyone who’s either put the term in their profile or made a post using the term.

Now I put in terms related to what I’m interested in, but if you have a website about “dogs” or “knitting” or whatever, this will also work for you!

Enjoy and Happy Easter to All!

This was Part 5 in a series HubPages has been sending us, and shows why we go on at such great lengths about how truly wonderful Hubpages is for online marketers of any business.

Testimonials and Advice From Current HubPages Users:

“Just to give you an idea, I’ve been with HubPages 4 ½ months, and I make an average of $10 a day from AdSense, plus a couple hundred every month from Ebay/Amazon… It’s been increasing steadily over the time I’ve been here, and I expect that to continue as I get more content up and published!”
- Maddie Ruud - One of Maddie’s Hubs: The Truth About Wu-Yi Tea

“Now I’m making a few hundred dollars per month for the things I enjoy doing. I know more people here are making thousands of dollars per month.”
- len7288 - One of len7288’s Hubs: Health Benefits of Cabbage

“If, like most people, you are on HubPages to share information and make a few dollars, be patient; you won’t find success overnight. Keep writing quality and original content and the money will follow. It took me three months before I got my first click on Google; I now receive a check every month.”
- jimmythejock - One of jimmythejock’s Hubs: World War 1 Trench Warfare

If you need some help publishing your first Hub, read through their step-by-step guide here:

Download the HubPages Starting Out Guide
(PDF file)

A step-by-step guide you can follow or print out that will show you:

- How to start your first Hub
- How to add pictures, videos, links, and more
- How to attract more readers to your Hubs
- How to set up your Google, eBay and Amazon accounts so you can make money

Ready to begin? Click on this link to begin publishing and earning!
Start Your First Hub

If you’d like some guidance and assistance from helpful members of the HubPages community, feel free to ask for help or participate in a discussion in our Forums

And just to prove that we are using HubPages, here are our current hubs that you’ll also find referenced throughout this blog. Note that we write about different things, not always internet marketing and we will be branching out even more as time goes by. Also please do feel free to rate the, you’ll find the thumbs up/down at the bottom of each article as they end (just before the comments start):

Wipe Out Stress With Stress Management

YouTube Video Sites In A Box Software Review

Weighing In With Weight Management Resources

Social Bookmarketing A Useless Tool or Clever Marketing Strategy

Keyword Research How Scrabble Is A Prime Example Of Getting It Right

Stress Management Meditation Technique

Qassia Even Without the U Is A Great New Social Media

Taking Your Online Business Local

Building Credibility On The Road To Success

You’ll note that our profile is not as high as those shown above in their testimonials, but we hover between where we are now, and 91. Hopefully growing as we continue to publish.

* * * * * STAY TUNED TOMORROW * * * * * *

We’ll be bringing you another amazing free way to socialize and make your website popular (screen shots included when possible).

It’s late, but I don’t want you to think that’s what has me slightly grumpy, it’s not. What got me was a short piece written in the Webpronews.

Writer David Utter, in his featured article Beware Social Networking Ad Buzz does another one of his quick looks (without much fact) and provides a sweeping opinion (without declaring it is opinion) on whether or not social media sites like Facebook and Myspace are really designed to help online businesses grow. He (continues) to insist that these sites are filled with college-types not much interested in anything business related. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen him say this very same thing… and it drives me nuts. Every time I read his absolute-sounding statements I wonder what he’s basing these statements on? Statistical fact or personal opinion? Because statistically he’s wrong.

I’m not about to disclose my age but suffice to say college has been several years in my past, yet I frequent social media hot spots and I’m aware of numerous individuals my age and older doing the same.

Social media communities are filled with all kinds of people, of all ages. A trip around any of them, checking profiles and seeing who’s who, can show you that much. Facebook even provides demographics for heavens sake…!

After reading his article, it became apparent to me that the person most “in the know” was the first commenter to his article, Lyn Mettler. Lyn wrote:

“I personally think that the way to go online is not to pay to have a presence but to actively get involved, such as by setting up a page for your business on MySpace or Facebook and using that as a tool to reach out to your target audience.

I’ve never been convinced that paid advertising online fares much better than paid advertising in traditional media. It’s much better (more credible and authentic) to get a story about your business published in the newspaper than to pay for an ad, and similarly it’s better to have a page on MySpace than to pay for placement there (excluding pay per click).

One other point, these social networks are definitely not just for the 20-something, college-age crowd. All age groups are getting on in huge numbers. A couple stats I found:

More than 50 percent of all MySpace users are now over the age of 35, according to comScore Media Metrix.

Between May 2006 and May 2007 the number of unique users on Facebook over the age of 35 grew 98% to 10,412. — comScore Media Metrix”

Hats off to Lyn for stating so clearly the reason for any internet marketer to venture into the social media arena. “To actively get involved” is the key phrase there. Clearly social websites are not the place to go barging in and spamming the living daylights out of all and sundry. Common sense, a sense of community and fair play, and above all an understanding of these communities can and will take any online entrepreneur far.

Seems like David needs a wake up call - and a research partner. Give it a rest David

(I did weigh in, couldn’t leave Lyn just hanging there alone lol)