Blogging Tips

I’ve have been blogging for a couple of years now. Of all blog publishing platform I’ve ever used, I still think Wordpress is the best of all.

Apparently I’m not alone: The desktop version has been downloaded over 11 million times this year, and blogs created with the web based tools on Wordpress.com have been viewed by over 230 million unique visitors.

I recommend Wordpress to clients who ask me to build a new website , but haven’t thought of starting a blog. I most cases, they turn into passionate bloggers, because the easy to use admin panel of Wordpress helped them to learn fast - and fuel their blogging passion.

I also love the huge selection of Wordpress designs and templates which is available on the web. There is a solution out there for everybody: from the simple and free one column template to sophisticated and advanced premium themes which include numerous customization options.

Here are my 20 favorites resources for Wordpress themes:

Compilations and Lists:

- Wordpress.org: Theme Directory

- Smashing Magazine: 100 Excellent Free Wordpress Themes

- Teknobites: 10 Clean and Light Wordpress Themes

- Hongkiat: 49 Most Downloaded Themes Of All Time

- Courtney Tuttle: 48 SEO Wordpress Themes

- Theme Playground: The Best Magazine Wordpress Themes Available

- Vandelay Designs: 17 Specialty Wordpress Themes

- Wordpress Hacks: Best 2 Column Wordpress Themes

- Dazzlin Donna: Best Premium Themes For A Non-Blog Look

Great Premium Wordpress Themes:

- WPremix: I created the website of my Los Angeles SEO consulting business Max The Web with this great theme (also promoted as ‘content management system’) developed by R. Bhavesh. As as buyer of the first version, this theme gave me many headaches and bigger and smaller heart attacks because of its bugs. There have been several updates with many improvements in the meanwhile. Now it works smoothly and I am very pleased with it. In my opinion, there is no other Wordpress theme out there that offers such a wide selection of customization features and layout options.

- Woothemes: Over a dozen of great designs by Mark Forrester and his friends, including three free themes.

- Revolution2: Great new themes by Wordpress design pionier Brian Gardner. Technically, the templates are free, but in order to install and use them easily, you need to get the professional support from the creators by purchasing one of the membership packages.

- iThemes: Very slick themes offered by Cory Miller and his buddies. Great design solutions especially for small businesses. I bought one of the early designs, and I liked their support very much.

- Thesis Theme: Great and very flexible theme created by Chris Pearson and his team. It has a passionate following, and the majority of bloggers really seem to like it.

- One Theme: This Wordpress theme has a very modern and fresh look. It comes in five colors and includes many customization features. The only downside: With the price of $99, it’s not exactly the cheapest theme on the market.

- Theme Forest: Great selection with great looking designs at affordable prices (starts at $10).

Free Wordpress Designs:

- Blog Perfume
- Performancing
- WPdesigner
- Skinpress
- Elegant WPthemes

Update:

WP Zoom has some many great posts with WP theme lists. Here are three of my favorites:

- Best Free Wordpress Themes in 2008
- Using Wordpress As A Portfolio: 15 Examples and Themes
- 10 Wordpress Themes Designed For Photo Galleries

Do you have other useful resources for great Wordpress themes I did not mention I my list? I know that there are TONS of sites out there, but tips for really well built and great looking templates? Let me know in the comments!

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As I mentioned in my previous post, the thing which surprised me most about my experience at this year’s Blog World Expo in Las Vegas is the fact that all the attendees - including the famous and successful A-Bloggers - were super cool, friendly and willing share many blogging “secrets”.

As a long time fan and avid reader of the infamous blog Problogger, I am especially pleased that Darren was kind enough to give me a couple of minutes of his valuable time, accepted to be “dragged” to a quiet conference room and was willing share his wisdom about blogging in a one on one interview (ca. 5 minutes).

In this interview, I ask him…

1. Why you should start blogging today
2. What his most important advice about maintaining a blog is
3. What his personal biggest rewards of blogging were so far
4. If microblogging (the latest trend) will be becomr bigger than old fashioned blogging
5. What the future of online media is (mainstream media vs. blog networks)
6. If he will still be interested in blogging in 5 years.

For those who don’t know Darren: He is one of the world’s most popular and respected authorities for blogging, the voice behind the no. 1 blog for blogging tips, Problogger, and the Vice President of training and development at B5 Media, one of the largest blog networks on the planet (which he launched with three fellow bloggers in 2005).

Besides Problogger, he also blogs at Digital Photography School, a blog with tips and product reviews around digital photography. According to Wikipedia, these two blogs get around 15,000-20,000 page views a day and over $20,000 in total ad revenue a month. (Impressive numbers, I have to say!)

If you’re interested to get more of Darren’s useful blogging tips, I highly recommend that you read his (and co-author Chris Garrett’s) recently published book “Problogger: Secrets Blogging to A Six-Figure Income”. It’s contains a wealth of valuable information how to start a blog, increase your readershop and make money with it. (Darren himself became a Six-Figure Blogger in September 2005)

Another tip: Follow Darren on Twitter (@problogger) and to check out his online activities on Friendfeed. It’s worth it!

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With a live audience of 75,000 people and a TV audience of 38 million viewers, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama delivered not only his best, but also the most watch Convention speech ever. It won rave reviews from the media as much for style as for substance. Pundits praised it as “one killer speech”, “more a symphony than a speech”, an “soaring oratory” with “the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop”, among others.

Barack and bloggers have one thing in common: They both have to rely on their phrasing skills in order to make their case in front of an audience.

Barack certainly delivered. Can you?

Here are 10 things you can learn from Obama’s acceptance speech:

1. Be prepared for your big moment.

Whether you give a speech hoping to become the next President of the United States or set up a website hoping to become one of the best and most popular blogger in the whole country: Do your homework. Know what you’re going to talk/write about. And set the stage appropriately (= blog design).

2. Be a master of your words.

Breathe. Don’t overthink. Choose your words wisely. Don’t use vocabulary you’re not accustomed with. And most of all: Try to avoid mistakes (typos). Always spell-check your sentences. You don’t want to become known worldwide for being “language-challenged” like President George W. Bush.

3. Share where you come from.

You’re potential blog readers are like voters who don’t know you (yet). Be personal. Talk about your (personal or professional) past. Share an anecdote from your life. Stories are the emotional glue of blogging. Show why you’re passionate about your blog and the topic you write about.

4. Have a core message. And be consistent with it.

“Change you can believe in”. Everybody knows that “change” is the core message of Obama’s campaign. Why? Because you’ve heard for the last 18 months. Because Obama mentioned the word “change” 16 times in his acceptance speech. And because you saw change everywhere else: on billboards, signs, T-Shirts, stickers. Sticky messages also good for bloggers. Communicate the purpose and the goal(s) of you blog clearly. So you can be distinctive - and increase your following.

5. Be different. Be unique. And: It’s not about you.

Don’t be a blogging copycat. Talk about something which represents a unique feature, skill or piece of knowledge of yours - or offer a new and surprising approach to a well-known topic. Focus on it and present it in a way that it shows clearly how it helps and benefits your readers. Like Obama said: “It’s not about me - it’s about you”.

6. Face your enemy.

Obama’s obstacle and “enemy” is his political opponent John McCain. The challenges you face might be writer’s block, laziness, distractions or blogger fatigue. Approach it like Barack: Don’t cave in, address it, be firm, have always your goal it mind - and discuss your obstacles with your readers (if that helps). The blogosphere shares at least one thing with politics: They both needs fighters with good hearts.

7. Show humor.

Did you see how Obama smiled and made jokes during his big night at the Democratic convention? It’s amazing to see him so humorous and uplifting after 18 long months on the campaign trail. Take-away for you: If you take blogging as serious as Obama his pursuit of the presidency, it takes a lot of effort and can be tiring. Nevertheless, keep your sense of humor. Be witty, crack jokes. Make people laugh with your posts. (These award-winning humor blogs might be an inspiration for you…) It makes you even more likeable. And entices web surfers to come back to your blog.

8. Celebrate every success. And say thank you.

You will experience many ups and downs on your journey to become a successful blogger. That’s why it’s important that you celebrate every success you experience with your blog, small or big. Your first blog post series, your 1 year blog anniversary, your first guest post for a blogger you admire - you know, what I mean. And if you make it to the front page of Digg, reach a new record number of blog feed subscriber or comments, don’t forget to say a big ‘thank you’ to your readers. They’ll appreciate it.

9. Surprise with a firework.

Do it like Obama did it: Offer a firework of words and visual effects in your blog. Add a unique and creative header to your blog, for example. Write a passionate love declaration to a fellow blogger. Or a fiery rant about a disappointing product or service. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive. But it has to get the attention of other bloggers and start a conversation, even if your idea for a “firework” is disputable. The point is: Make a lasting impression.

10. Dream big.

Hey, if Obama dares to dream to become the first Afro-American President in the history of the United States, why can’t you dream to earn enough money to become a full-time blogger, get a lucrative book deal or surpass the readership of popular blogs like Boing Boing, Lifehacker or ProBlogger? As Zadok Rabinwitz once said: “”A man’s dreams are an index to his greatness.”

What were the most inspiring things for you about Obama’s acceptance speech? What do you think bloggers can learn from it?

Darren Rowse had a great idea: he organized a Killer Titles contest on his popular blog Problogger as part of its latest group writing project.

The contest is only three day old, but the list with the submissions is already very long. Here are my 10 favorites so far:

• Soy! Oh Boy! by Liz Scherer
• A Slacker Wife Celebrates Do Nothing Day by Sandra Foyt
• How to Get Half a Million People to Visit Your Blog by Simon
• If I Unsubscribe from Your List Will You Ever Talk to Me Again? by Des Walsh
• Stop Being Broke Right Now: Kick Off Financial Success with 10 Minutes and $10 by Dave
• Banish Blogger Butt in 7 Beneficial Ways by Stephanie Quilao
• How to Despise a Country in 10 Minutes or Less by EC Stewart
• If your life was a book, would you read it? by Rich 
• Twitter and Plurk get Pinged by Jen
• Masturbation means never having to say your sorry by Millar Prescott

There are some great advices how to write killer titles out there. Here are just a few examples:

- How to craft post titles that draw readers into your blog, Problogger
- Blog Titles are ads, Performancing 
- How to title stuff, Seth Godin 
- Captivate your audience with a killer opening, Copyblogger
- Why do some headlines fail, great 12 page e-book by Sean D’Souza, founder of the blog Psychotactics

Do you have advice or useful links how to write great blog titles?

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