Please be sure to refer back to Week 1: Up and running if you didn't get a chance to read the first installment of 21 days to a better blog last Friday. This week I am focusing on some of the devilish little details that separate a fun blog from one that has the potential to be a business … [Read more...]
18 Useful WordPress plugins
Recently while speaking at the Central Wisconsin Social Media Conference I was asked by Jim Carlson for a list of the WordPress plugins I use. I figured as long as I was taking the time to pull the list together I may as well share it with you as well. The link included with each plugin is the … [Read more...]
21 days to a (better) blog
I've been blogging a little more than five years now. Admittedly the pace has picked up in the last year and as a result I've learned a few new tips and ticks to go with the old tried and true ones. Over the next three Fridays I am sharing the best of what I've learned. The format I've chosen will … [Read more...]
Central Wisconsin Social Media Conference
Next week Thursday is the Central Wisconsin Social Media Conference. The conference will be attended by many small and mid-sized manufacturing firms. As an early adopter of business-to-business (B2B) blogging, I'm looking forward to jump starting some small business bloggers. Closer than you … [Read more...]
The idea box idea
After reading Mitch Joel's The Internet Is Your Media Lab, in the comments I shared an idea to add a simple "tip box" to my blog. Your blog after all, is your media lab, right? Racing down the rabbit hole The next thing I know I'm spending a few hours on a rainy Saturday morning figuring out how to … [Read more...]
My wife made a really good point
"People visit your blog for the content not the layout, please stop obsessing over the appearance and get back to writing." - She's right. Practice what you preach Over the past year I've been honored by the many people seeking me out for advice about their existing blog or about starting one. I … [Read more...]
Blogs: The new brick and mortar
Think for a moment why you visit this or any blog. For me it's to see what the author is publishing today. Each time I read a new work from the author, I learn a little more about her. The more I learn about her the more real she becomes. When she goes from being a URL on the internet to a real … [Read more...]
What's the purpose of your web properties?
Yes, I'd really like to know. First, let me share the purpose(s) I have come up with for JimRaffel.com and ColorMetrix.com. What's interesting is the overlap between the two, as well as how the purposes crossover with MolkkyUSA, one of my other web properties. JimRaffel.com Lead generation - For … [Read more...]
Subtle Use Of Color
Recently Seth Godin reminded us Don't forget about color. He's right. Subtle use of color, whether to make airports signs easier to follow or to make your blog more memorable, is a great idea. A Dumb Little Man can't be wrong. When I am skimming posts in my RSS feed I can always identify a Dumb … [Read more...]
WordPress Theme Frameworks and Child Themes (Skins)
Over the last few weeks I've been asked by several people how do you pick a WordPress theme. The real answer is I got lucky and fell into one of the best ones, Thesis(aff link) about a year ago when I was redesigning ColorMetrix.com. Recently I discovered the power of a child theme or skin combined … [Read more...]