Coffee Break Blogging

I get asked to evaluate blogs a lot, either privately or for members of my various training programs. In this episode, I'm going to share some of the key things I look for in determining whether a blog is laid out well for grabbing attention, holding attention, converting visitors into readers, getting people onto an email list, and much more. In this episode, you'll learn about: The #1 priority of your blog The mental state most people arrive on your blog in (and how this impacts how you must do things) 4 of the big "no-no"'s I see people doing with their blog homepages The true purpose of your blog's byline and why you MUST get it right. Why you should AVOID most of the built-in sidebar widgets in Wordpress. How many people screw up their blog's navigation menu. How most bloggers totally screw up their about page. And a lot more.

In this episode, I jump into the subject of productivity and getting more done. Bloggers and online entrepreneurs are particularly prone to overwhelm and the shiny object syndrome. In order to succeed online, you've got to have yourself organized. In these 15 productivity tips, you'll discover real-world, actionable advice from the trenches to help you get more productive online - and not let all these shiny objects get the best of you. Even though this episode doesn't solely apply to bloggers, I thought it was important to cover this material early in the lineup of The Blog Program. ... Because, if you're not organized, you just won't get anywhere with your online business. If you're overwhelmed, little will happen. In this episode, you'll learn about: Why you should consider NOT reading very much. How I personally use Evernote to plan my week (and capture blog ideas) The solution to strategy overwhelm that usually follows reading a bunch of blogs about blogging. How to deal with your email. Why I've been a

It is time for episode #2 of The Blog Program. :) First of all, I want to THANK YOU for your support. The response to the first episode was awesome, and your reviews and ratings inside of iTunes help propel the show into the "New & Noteworthy" section of iTunes in the Business category! The show bounces around in there, but at one point it was #2 in that section. THANK YOU. :) So, I'm humbled, excited... and eager to get more shows out there. So eager that I've decided to kick out episode #2 NOW. This show was recorded even before #1 was published... and I recorded it using my Blue Snowball mic just to see how it went. It sounded pretty good, with just a few minor imperfections. However, I've got my new Heil PR40 all set up, and from episode #3 onward, it will all be recorded on that. :) Here's a quick photo of the new setup (to the right). In this episode, I'm talking about 11 of the top blog monetization strategies for your blog. Here's the breakdown of the show: Introduction, and some of what I've be

Finally! This is the first session of The Blog Program - a brand new podcast with your's truly. You can listen to it right here on the blog, or download it to your computer or MP3 player. I'm in the process of getting it set up in iTunes. Once that is up and in place, I'll be sure to let you guys know (of course). This podcast is something that I've been thinking of doing for awhile. I went back and forth on it, but finally decided to make 2012 the year I make it happen. Of course, one of the people who was helpful in putting me over the edge on this was my friend, Pat Flynn. His SPI podcast has done very well. Pat also helped me in private with a few recommendations behind the scenes, so... Pat, thanks dude. :) Which brings us to Episode #1. This episode includes: A short introduction to the show. A little bit about me (mainly for people who find me on the podcast and haven't been a reader for awhile). The step-by-step blog launch plan (I cover a LOT of info in this overview... much of it stuff I will get i