Archive for Blogging 101 Seminar

04 Aug 2011
Blogging 101 Seminar

Make it easy for your readers to keep connected by using Feeds.

Ok, so you’ve got a blog going and people are now coming to your site to read your blog on your latest knitting project, favorite patterns, recipes or just sharing family fun stuff.

Maybe they found your site in passing or perhaps your site was linked from somewhere else such as Ravelry, Facebook or your website. Whatever the case, you’ll want to make it easy for these readers to return to your site again.

 TipsTIP: Create A FEED.

Create a feed to allow others to be notified when you’ve posted a new blog. This is how I did it:

Feedburner

Feedburner

First create an account with Feedburner.google.com. Then go to “publicize”. Where it says Chickletize your web site, select friendly graphics.

Here you’ll find lots of choices. Whatever you select from this list, the HTML code for that selection will appear at the bottom. Copy and paste this code to your site.

I have the “Subscribe to Endless Knits” and “Subscribe to a Reader” HTML codes included in my blog (see right side bar). I also subscribed to my own site and now I get an email when I publish a new post. It’s a good way of testing what you’re doing.

If you are using Blogger for your blog, setting this up is pretty easy. Just add the Subscribe to email into your site. Its one of the choices provided to you as an add-on.

If you are using WordPress you’ll have to install the code in a widget window. Go to Appearance, select Widget, select Text – arbitrary text or HTML. Drag and drop this Text widget into your Sidebar Blog. Now open the text box by selecting the down arrow icon and paste the Feedburner code.

Endless Knits logo  COMING UP….If you notice, I’ve added my logo, the dragonfly with yarnwings, on the top browser tab. This is called a Favicon. I’ll be sharing with you soon how I added my Favicon to my blog so you can add one to your blog too.

 

 
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24 Jul 2011
Blogging 101 Seminar

The Business Side of Designing – Social Media Challenges

It’s interesting, all that’s necessary to bring forth a design. Whether it is painting, designing patterns, knitting, crocheting, jewelry making, scrap booking, or whatever art form it may be, once it is conceptualized if its not exposed will remain non-existent. So the challenge is at times developing oneself in areas in which we may not necessarily excel in or even enjoy.

I was at a yarn shop just recently and brought in one of my latest designs.  I got many complements and request for my pattern. I felt good as you can image. Yes, I showed my design and now 5 ladies knew about it. It’s about letting people know what we do. If what you’ve created is not exposed, it will never go beyond its full potential whether it is monetary or the sharing of knowledge to enhance and inspire someone else’s craft.

Social Media Fun Shopping Cart
Ultimately, it all comes down to marketing. Designing and marketing are equally important – one should not exist without the other. Creative energy must be channels equality towards both venues. This is a hard thing to do if your enjoyment in mostly in designing.
 
Unfortunately, for me, I lack much knowledge in these new technical-social areas. Let’s just say, I actually use my cell phone as a phone. There are some who can manipulate social media to an art form. Blogging, Facebook, Tweeter, and all the handshaking that comes with it, comes very natural to some. For me, I’m a work in progress.

As a knitter and designer, I find my solace in my design work. It’s a quite place. I can spend hours knitting and designing but clearly that is not enough. It is but a portion of my task.  My challenge awaits me. I need to reach out and let others know what I’ve done. A hand full of ladies at my local yarn store does not suffice.

Are you in this same situation? Do people know what you do? Is there something you’d like to share with others? I imagine that there are many like myself who are learning this new art form, side-by-side, along with your dreams. I hope you’re up to the challenge. I am!

Blogging Tips image

Blogging Tips

Last weekend I attended a conference here in the Orlando area, Central Florida Bloggers Conference. This particular conference was on blogging.

 Thanks to Chris, my knitter, blogger, food expert friend who recommended this seminar. Chris has a very successful cooking blog called, CooktheStory.com

 

What I learn at this seminar, I’ll share with you. I’ll be writing these tips in a serious of blog entries to come. 

We’ll be talking…     sm Logo dragon fly only

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