What is a link party

A website who is hosting a link party will announce the theme of the week. Visitors can submit a link of their article post through a form. Visitors posts links appear below the post. Websites hosting a link party have a few recommendations. There has to be a linkback or mention in the post about the link party. You have to visit the other links and leave comments.

Advantages of joining a linkup

• Among the articles which you write on your blog consisting of 300 words or more, a picture post is refreshing change.
• Lots of bloggers at one place. That is a treasure trove of connections.
• Do post a comment on other links along with the link to your blog article. Bloggers usually reciprocate.
• Plan for a link up in advance and bring out the photographer in you.
• A blog can be of any theme or niche, but can always post a picture.

How to host a link party

There are two ways to host a link party on your website. First is by placing a custom code and custom design. Other easy way is using tools. Two of the most popular tools are Inlinkz and Linky Tools 2020. You can also have a look at Mister Linky. First create your account and then your first linkup by creating a code and then inserting the code in your blog post. Here is an example of a link party. Tools are simple to use and straight forward instructions.

Popular Linkup pages

Wordless Wednesday
A nice catchy theme, simple design. They give a theme for the week and the link appear below the post. Themes are generic in nature and quite broad based. Wordless has been around for 5 years plus.

Skywatch Friday
This is another popular linkup where the common theme every week is sky. Pictures have to contain a sky or portion of it. Since theme is the same and known in advance, bloggers can plan their posts well in advance. Skywatch is here since 2008. This is much before Instagram was conceived.

Our World Tuesday
Similar to Wordless Wednesday, this one also has a weekly theme. It is better than Wordless because it shows a thumbnail along with the link. So if you have an eye catching picture, it will value add.

The post Submit links to websites to get more traffic – Link Parties appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Here is a link to the article.

On social media or messengers, the title & featured image catches the eye first. It is hence vital to convert a visitor to a reader by creating a catchy blog post title. There are a few ways to frame an article title. Let us take example of the link above.

Wikipedia or Google Maps way – In this type title is simply written as the official name of the place as mentioned in Wiki or Google Maps. Since it is the official name, there are possible chances that google will pick up the article. But it is not the case always. Official sounding titles are good for official use only. The above place is written as “Ashokan Edicts in Delhi” and just “Ashokan Edict” on Google Maps. The title in official manner is simply “Ashokan Rock Edict, Delhi” or for a longer title, the name of locality can be included “Ashokan Rock Edict, East of Kailash, Delhi”. This type of naming for a blog article is not recommended.

Academic or the boring way – Most of the bloggers make the mistake of creating academic titles. Popular examples would be “What is India Gate” or “What is Decoupage” or “Do you want to look pretty?”. The probability of figuring in Google Search with Academic titles, especially for popular search terms is way out of question. Such kind of title might be justified if you are covering a topic for the first time. This title also sounds preaching or informative in nature. Not all readers appreciate being taught something new. This option too is not recommended for bloggers.

Moderately catchy titles (non controversial) – Pretty straightforward but interesting. All ‘How to”s, reviews, recipes, tutorials and so on come under this category. Examples can be “How to do Decoupage“, “How to enable the blue light filter on smartphone“, “How to reach New Delhi Railway Station” or “How to Maggi in Two Minutes”. Yes, these titles do catch the attention of readers at first glance. But they are still not fully effective for social media.

Controversial and Catchy, Hit those sentiments hard – With just the title and featured image and attention time span of just a few second, a blogger cannot afford to lose valuable views on Social Media. Not only the title has to give a summary of what is to come, but also evoke a sentiment hitting the right emotional chord with the readers. The title and first few lines will help cement the bond and pave the way for further reading. It will also set the suspense for the reader to reach the end of the article.

Let us see what the most upcoming SEO Plugin on WordPress RankMath has to say about article title.

• Focus Keyword or Focus Key Phrase should come at the beginning of the title. Choose a keyword so that it fits in the beginning. So for example in the title “How to reach New Delhi Railway Station” if “New Delhi” is the Key Word, it is not the correct SEO way.
• Title should have a strong positive or negative sentiment – This is a surest way to get the attention of any reader. “Why do people forget their seat-belts despite the high accidental deaths”. Strong enough negative sentiment but the title sounds general. Try mixing up positive sentiments with curiosity. “Have you been to the newly Inaugurated Police Memorial in Delhi”
• Title needs a power word – A power word as the name suggests packs a punch, it evokes curiosity and interest. If you are going to post the picture shown below, the appropriate title could be “This gigantic post box in Delhi is the largest in the world!” or “Massive size and functional post box in Delhi”.
• Quote a number – Not always possible but putting a number to a title will make a big difference. Eg “How to reach New Delhi Railway Station” can become “Three painless ways to reach New Delhi Railway Station in time”

Other points to note

Take care of length of article title, since anything longer will spill over the view-port and will not be visible to the reader. A title will also indicate whether it is a paid promotion of a product or place. This aspect is specially looked into by Google. If it is a paid review, it is better to declare it at the beginning of the article as a note. A title should just be a preview, do not give away the suspense.

The post How to create an engaging post title appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

• Hosting service provider
• Domain name
• Hosting package
• Addons like SSL, etc

All these can be purchased as a single package from a hosting service provider. These components are well integrated. Here is what you will generally go through.

• Selection of domain name with the suitable package.
• Creation of account with hosting provider and payment process.
• Installation of WordPress though a single install software.
• Housekeeping.

Hosting service provider

Service providers give you a combination of tools so that you can start with a website. There are various types of hosting. Primary are Linux hosting, Windows hosting, cloud hosting and dedicated WordPress hosting. WordPress hosting is a bit expensive but worth the extra bucks. Hosting account provides with Cpanel access with total and easy access to hosting account. You can create subdomain, SSL certificates, Mail addresses, File manager, edit php files and so on. Sometimes you get a choice of location of servers. US servers are the least expensive. Most important we get a single click WordPress install like Softaculous. Popular hosting providers are Siteground, Bluehost, Hostgator, Godaddy, Hostinger and a few hundred more. Once you have shortlisted you service provider, you move on to the next step.

Domain Name

This is the most trickiest part of the whole thing. A .com domain name is the ultimate prize. But all the common name and combos are gone. A .in name may or may not be desirable as you might find, traffic going to your .com counterpart. Select and shortlist number of options before finalizing getting the one of your choice. As part of the freebie, try to get the hosting package which gives a free domain name, even if it is for a year.

Domain name should be catchy, simple to pronounce and remember, should reflect the nature of your blog and preferably should not have a spelling mistake. There are a ton of extensions available now, but remember, .com is a top level domain name.

Hosting package

All vendors give a 50% discount over the entire package when buying for the first time. Check the freebies carefully. GoDaddy still does not give a free SSL certificate. Check for the best deal with freebies like SSL, Business mail and domain name. Also go for the maximum duration say three or five years. You get the 50% discount either way. So go for the best package. Take help of a technical expert if required because this is going to be the deal of a lifetime. Package integration is a breeze with most of the top hosting providers. But the very reason why I always recommend top hosting providers is that their technology integration and programming is top notch. The tier two hosting providers have integration issues which leads to headache for all th ethree years you take the package. Once the domain and rest all are set, you can go to install the website.

Single click WordPress website install

Automatic installers usually take care of the technical aspects of WordPress installation. You should keep details like email address, blog name and description handy. A few clicks and your WordPress website is ready. It might take anything between a few minutes to an hour for your newly created website address to propagate through the DNS servers. After that you can login to the admin account.

Post WordPress install

• Secure your account with a strong password.
• Anything can go wrong, so choose the best option for a backup and take regular backups of your blog.
• To not overdo with plugins because they are a security risk and also slow down the website.
• Choose a theme which meets your requirement.
• Get the basic pages ready and apply for adsense as soon as possible.

The post What is a self hosted WordPress website – a simple guide appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Blogging re-defined

Both Facebook and WordPress began roughly in the same year. In the year 2003, Google acquired Blogger platform from Pyra Labs. While Blogger and WordPress are true blue blogging platforms, Facebook started off as a social network. If we go back to the aim of blogging, all the three of them provide the ability to allow the user to post articles, photos, audio and videos. Which brings us to the question, is YouTube a complete blogging platform.

Different ways to blog

The two distinct approaches to blogging is via website article way and social media platforms way.

Website articles method

The free options available for bloggers are as follows

• Blogger by Google – The most beginner friendly option for bloggers with many of them staying on. You get a subdomain by Google and simple blogging interface. Blogger or Blogspot has been around since 2003 without many changes in design. Integration with Google Adsense is added advantage. Simple design means you can focus on blogging and creating content.
• WordPress – Rich in design and functions with themes and plugins. Launched the same year as Blogger, WordPress has grown from a blogging platform to a content management system. The core functionality as a blog tools will not change. You get a sub domain from WordPress and many features far better than Blogger. The WordPress smartphone app helps you to get more followers in a focused manner.
• Others – There is Wix, Weebly, Jimdo, Shopify, SquareSpace, the list goes on. Everybody is vying for the site builder space. They all want to take the complexity out of design by providing templates and giving all functions like payment gateway, shopping cart, etc in the form of simple drag and drop modules. All of them give a subdomain and website for free.

Paid options are as follows.

• Self Hosted WordPress – If you are in for the long haul, self hosted WordPress is the way forward. You have complete control over design and SEO is a breeze. Looking for sponsors or joining an ad network, this options works best. besides giving a professional look. Choose your hosting provider with care since it is going to be a three to five year commitment. Go for the longest duration pack since you will get a straight 50% discount on your first transaction. Check for free addons like SSL cert and business mail.
• Paid plans by WordPress.com – Plans include custom domain, ads by WordPress, spam protection, CDN and much more. It is like a single platform giving cutting edge features of WordPress. But comparatively, plans are expensive.
• Other options – Google Domains provide an option to buy a domain and link it with blogger website. It also give business mail options under G-suite. Except for the basic integration, the setup remain buggy and customer care is non existent.

Blogging by Social Media method

Popularity of social media networks has tempted the masses to change the definition of blogging. People now assume (wrongly!) that posting updates is a form of blogging too. Here are a few pointers suggesting otherwise.

• Blogging is necessarily writing an article of between 300 to 600 words. How will you post a 300 word update on Facebook timeline.
• Every social network keeps insisting that they are only for updates from friends and family.
• Google does not show search results within the social networks.
• Social media posting is for entertainment purpose, at-least that is what your followers will believe.
• Brands are given promotional tools for business purpose which are misused by influencers to boost follows and likes.
• This confusion will remain because blog articles are also called posts and social media updates are called posts too!

Here are a few social media networks and what they can be used for.

• Facebook – To check-in public places of interest like restaurants, shopping malls, picnic spots, museums, gardens, etc. Post pictures and videos of travel experiences. Use a Facebook page to post short stories, poems or funny one liners.
• Instagram – If you are photographer or travel blogger or posting restaurant reviews, this app can work with short updates.
• Tumblr – Can be used to write posts sometimes detailed ones too.
• YouTube – Integrated with Adsense, this has become the big daddy of money spinning vloggers.

If you are an aspiring blogger, you need to take a long and hard look towards social media before taking a call. Businesses and brand have a presence on social media without need for a website. But for a blogger, a website is the only sign of true identity.

The post Ways to blog – Is social media posting a form of blogging appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Here are the steps

Go to the Pinterest Pin which you want to embed in your WordPress post. Next to the three dots, there is Upload icon. Click it.

Click on the copy link icon.

Search for the block for Pinterest under Jetpack.

Paste the link in the space provided. Then click on the Embed button.

The pin will be displayed as below.

The post How to embed Pinterest pins in WordPress post appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Define blog niche

Lifestyle blogs can cover just about anything. But besides that, you have to define your niche. Even a broad based category like photography or travel may not work. This is the age of micro niche. Agreed that many people are good at everything. However writing about specific topics will help you to focus. If you are on a writing assignment, understand the blog niche for which you are writing. Many times the blog owner will not clear before giving you an assignment. If required, ask questions.

Choose the right topic

Get the topic right. As a start point it will matter whether your prospective reader will start reading your article or not. Title should be long, it can have numbers and it can be a question also. Too long topics have problem with visibility when shared on messengers or social media. Your SEO plugin will warn you if the topic is too long or if there are any problems. The bottom line to understand is that topic should be clear, to the point and should contain your keyword.

Keyword research

At this point writers should come to terms with the fact that in today’s digital publishing, there is no job for a pure writer. Isolating yourself and then expecting that people will read you stuff, those days are gone. As a writer you should be updated with the latest trends of social media, understand the technical aspects of topic selected and should be able to post the article on any platform. That is just the basic. Anything more will surely get you to the top of the food chain. But first let us understand what is keyword research. For writing an article which are the term that your readers will expect in the article, which concepts you need to explain, what will interest them. All this comes under keyword research. If you are just writing for your blog, then keyword research is an ongoing process. But even if you are writing for some other website, you still need to do keyword research. Sometimes you might get even less than a day to submit the article. That is why selecting a niche is important because then you can keep track of just your niche and become an expert on that subject.

Master the SEO plugin

Whichever WordPress plugin you are using for SEO, it has a technical part and a writing part. Understand both and get maximum scores for your article. As a writer one does find hesitation and difficulty in the technical aspects of blogging and vice-versa for SEO and Digital Marketing experts. But as a single person webmaster or blogger, you have to don both the roles. The SEO plugin will give you a fair insight into your writing skills as well.

Master the language

Few years back, English was the primary language of the internet and content writers were grammar junkies. But now thanks to the penetration of smartphones all over the world, the three primary languages are become Hindi, Chinese and Arabic. Bloggers need to have a good command over the written language. Be grammatically correct and keep sentences to the point. Use simple words and break down long sentences into shorter ones. Do not use too many clichés.

300 words or 600 words

Two most popular SEO plugins on WordPress gives an article a minimum of 300 to 600 words. Rank Math SEO plugin asks us to write a 600 word article. Authors then report to filling up the article with unnecessary sentences. The paragraph goes on and on. If readers lost interest, they will simply close the page and leading to an increase in bounce rate. In classical terms it is called beating around the bush. If a post is just an announcement or some news to share, it can be less than 100 words too. Just don’t over do it for the sake of SEO compliance.

Structure the article

A post should be like a full size burger. Introduction like the top bun, lustrous and sprinkled with sesame seeds. One look at the introduction should entice anyone reading it to go on. Next comes the fresh and crunchy veggies. Bring out something interesting. A fact or two which no one is aware. Some unique points or even controversial points can do. Next comes the meat and cheese or the patty. Put all details here and break it down to minor points if required. Finally the bottom bun which supports the whole thing and finishes the structure. In case of a restaurant review it can include points like would you visit again or what will be the lasting memories of the place.

Make use of sufficient headings and sub headings. If the article is too long, use table of contents. Use references only if necessary. Use bold and italics as you feel fit. And do not forget to add relevant images wherever necessary. Give credits wherever due and use stock images if you do not want to click them.

The post How to write posts for a blog appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

• Get big on social media, start with Facebook
• Use the WordPress app
• Have a presence on LinkedIn
• Use posts on Google My Business
• Answer questions on Quora
• Email marketing is not dead
• Guest posts
• Submit to online directories
• Write for reputed websites
• Do what Google likes

Get big on social media, start with Facebook

Facebook is the largest social network. Be present in your dual role as a webmaster and author. Just by posting your article link on your time line will get you enough views to begin with. But for that make sure you have relevant friends and followers. Increase your social circle. It is a good idea to open a Facebook Page for your Website or brand. If you are on WordPress, link your website/blog to a Facebook page for auto-post to the page. Build followers on your page. Connect with potential readers. Join groups to promote your work. On the other hand, note that reckless posting of links is not liked by most groups. You will be reported and banned.

Follow just about the same for any other social media accounts you might open. Ensure the accounts profile is complete and uniform across all accounts. Make sure website link is inserted in the about section of profile. Social media networks like Tumblr and Twitter allow for direct posting of links. So these should be on the top of your priority list. There are far too many options of social media. Be careful that you do not over exert with your link posting.

Use the WordPress App

WordPress has two options, a self hosted version and wordpress.com. The WordPress smartphone app is designed for both. It is the only app of its kind which brings together all WordPress users on a single platform. On a selfhosted WordPress website you need to connect with Jetpack plugin and enable the like and follow button. Use the app to build up an audience and network. Even a new blog or website can easily get views this way. The app is still buggy and will give some tense moments before working smoothly.

Have a presence on LinkedIn

Once logged in, go to Profile in the Posts and Activity section. Here you can directly post a link to your article. WordPress supports auto-sharing of article links to your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is your online resume. It works on profile building and connections. Connect with, like minded people and potential audience. An investment of building connection even for a few minutes in a day will help build a strong network.

Use posts on Google My Business

Google My Business is on its way becoming a social media and networking platform. It allows posting of products and services and posts on your map marking. These posts can be linked to any URL or link. Bloggers can make an entry on maps without making their location public. First time visitors who reach your location from Google Maps should be able to get an idea of you blog based on the posts on Google Maps. Also make sure that all information is filled up and upto date on your map marking.

Answer questions on Quora

Quora has become one of the most popular platform for people asking questions. Why not, research on what questions people are asking the most. While answering question, you are allowed to post a link to your article. Happy answering. Quora began as a simple question answer website. Today they have grown the scope of their activities and given more tools for visitors and viewers. But the novel idea of asking simple questions and many people answering is simply great.

Email marketing is not dead

All apps and platforms have a way to place subscribe option on your own page. In addition you can build your own email mailing list. Make catchy newsletters and give links to your articles. Make sure the articles have a high readability value. WordPress users make sure you have the JetPack plugin installed which places a subscribe button on your pages. If you are into offers of products or services, email is one of the safest ways to reach out to your potential customers.

Guest Post

A guest post was the best way to build connections with confidence. Till Google clamped down on its abuse. Google never banned the use of a guest post. It always wanted to filter out the paid content from genuine articles. So if you are marking paid or promotional posts with the nofollow tag, all is well with Google. Despite the negative aura around it, guest post is still a great idea. Get hold of relevant people to invite them to write on your blog.

Submit to online directories

Just like guest posts, website directories also faced the music of Google penalty. A well maintained directory however will drive enough traffic to your website articles. Choose your directories well. Forums also work the same way.

Write to reputed websites

Get in touch with webmasters and editors of news websites and those catering for your niche. Impress upon them to post an article written by you. It is much easy to approach them now, unlike the old days of printed word where you had to deal with pesky publishers. Start small and grow big. Along the way, do advertise your own website. It is also easier in case of single admin websites, they do look for guest posts from time to time. If writing for free, negotiate your terms and conditions well.

Do what Google likes

Above nine points pretty much will give you a good head start. But do not forget the one thing that matters, SEO. Google from time to time advertises what it wants out of webmasters and publishers. Few of those guidelines are hazy as always. But keep yourself posted and updated with regards to what Google wants. Few of the evergreen stuff is good website design, fast servers, great content, well researched key words and scores of other things. Follow the blog or tweets of those who matter. With all these things taken care of, most of the hard work of reaching the audience will be done by Google.

The post How to increase traffic and visitors to your blog/website appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Most of the Instagrammers are there for social visibility. For them likes and followers are of paramount importance. So lets begin with the steps that will take you to Instagram stardom.

Basic data – Fill it up

Instagram profile consists of bits and pieces of information which should be filled up. Name, Username, Category (for business), Website and Bio. Completely fill up the 150 letters in bio. You can use hashtags in your bio. Profile picture is a must and use an image which is bright and clear.

Call button can be configured with either mobile number or email address. It is nice addition to the main screen and sits snugly next to the message button.

Use story highlights to get attention

Stories are for 24 hours. A story can be saved as a highlight. Your story highlights stay forever on your profile, at the most eye catching place.

Share you Instagram profile link

Once in a while you need to share your Instagram profile to someone on messengers like WhatsApp or on Facebook. On the profile page click on the three drops on top right to get the options.

Use the option of copy profile URL. If you add some text introducing yourself and what your profile provides, it will be a bit more attractive.

Content is King

Social media apps are no longer simple lines of code. Complex AI algorithms run by powerful supercomputers analyze each content for originality and viral-bility. Focus on the following.

• Bright and bold pictures. Lots of colour and enough detailing.
• Stabilized videos (use in-phone app if available or use Google Photos).
• Professional video-graphers must invest in a good phone gimbal.
• Use highest resolution for clicking pics and videos. Many phones are not set for HD or 4K shooting by default because of the battery drain they cause.
• Focus on the captions. Creative captions speak a lot. If there is a long story to be told, go on and say it.
• Use icons and smileys wherever needed.
• Hashtags are the key to post getting to the right people. Use them sensibly. Do a hashtag research of how others are using and which ones are trending.

How to increase followers on Instagram

• In case of a personal account, start with your known friends and relatives. You will keep getting suggestions from Instagram to follow certain people. This is pretty accurate.
• Your place of work or your college is your next step. Make sure you follow each and every colleague and classmate. In case of college, classmates will respond almost immediately.
• Be a part of your school and college alumni. Each batch or maybe the whole college will have Alumni group. Be part of these groups and let them know you are on Instagram. Everyone has a strong bond with batch-mates and they will be followers for life.
• As service provider or business person, keep a list of clients, both present and former saved as your phone contacts. Instagram will ask for access to your contact list and pick up who all is already on Instagram. In a similar manner keep in touch with your supplier, distributors and other service providers.
• Follow your competitors on what they are posting and how they approach clients. Poach their followers and all those who are liking their posts.
• Create captivating stories and tag people in your posts.
• Finally – do not forget to like others posts and appreciate their work by dropping a comment. I have heard enough people drag with the explanation that I will like only those posts which interests me. And I know for sure, they end up liking nothing other than their own.

The post How to increase followers on Instagram – the organic way appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Sizes are confusing

Yes, that’s the bitter truth. So among the confusing mazes, let choose three basic sizes which are common. Square, Widescreen and 3:2 portrait.

Widescreen

Let us at the onset rule out this picture ratio. This is how it looks on a smartphone.

A lot of screen space is wasted and there is no reason why you should use this image size. Yes, it does fill up the mobile phone screen when viewed in landscape mode. But on social media, people seldom rotate their screen. Its portrait every time.

Square Size

This is the safest screen size. You can never go wrong with this size.

A photo is square size when the width and length is the same. This size is specially good for social media posts with content so that both the picture and text can be seen and read at the same time.

3:2 Portrait

Today social media is surfed on large screen smart phones. These phones typically have screen size of 6 inch plus. But they are also designed for single handed use. So they are more of elongated size. This brings us to our final size for that impactful post when you want a picture to dominate the screen.

This picture size fills up the mobile screens of all sizes today. This is also the camera option for most of the mobiles in portrait mode.

The post Choose the correct image size appeared first on Start Blog Writing.

Single page WordPress website

Salient features of single page website are

• Just one page to scroll
• Works great on a smart phone screen
• Content can be arranged in blocks
• Personal websites can be single page
• Website is light and fast
• Anchor menus can help visitor skip content
• Affordable hosting
• Keeps the visitor interested till the end

We have many examples of single page website. But here is a notable few.

Why WordPress

The popularity of single page website means that WordPress has also got single page themes. However Astra still remains the most popular and fast plugin. Another good theme is Neve. With a few other plugins, a fast website is possible.

Difference between a regular website and single page website

• Both are dynamic, but single page website has static content, means content which will be rarely updated
• There will be no blog articles of updates on single page website
• With lack of pages and articles, there is no need for a menu
• A single page website can at later stage be converted to multi page website
• Single page website is best for professionals

The post What is a single page website appeared first on Start Blog Writing.