Welcome to Blogs By Heather!

Owning a blog is an essential tool and asset to any business. However, creating and maintaining a quality blog, whether it is used simply to showcase your artwork or one that is used to generate sales, takes a lot of time.  Blogs by Heather can do all the work for you, saving you valuable time and allowing you continue concentrating on and growing your business. Contact Me for a personalized quote. 

Blog Design from Blogs by Heather

Hi there!

This week was again full of design installations so I wanted to just share a few of them.  My head designer, Michelle Laycock, is wonderful and because of that has a huge wait list, so I do like to help out as best I can, when I can. So although some of these designs I did some time ago, I still wanted so share them with you and some of them were just recently finalized and installed.

This first design shared today is for Carole'Anne.  I love the warmth of this design and hope you do too! Check out her site, http://www.stampinstressaway.com.

She has a TypePad blog. This type of design requires the $14.95 Pro package which allows custom CSS coding.

 

Robin has a more vintage, country look. She also has a coordinating Shop Online button which wasn't fully loaded when I took the snap shot (LOL). You can view Robin's Blogger blog here: http://robin-inkyinspirations.blogspot.com/.  With Blogger you can install any type of blog theme and design for free!

This last sample is another Blogger blog and I love how FUN it is! It definitely makes you want to smile! Go look at Jacqueline's blog at: http://jacquelinesstamproom.blogspot.com. She also has a matching Favicon, the smiley face!!!

Jacqueline's favorite color is pink and we worked in a door as that is how most people pronounce her last name Dorer. :D

 

 

 

So what do I use? My three favoriate design tools are...

• Photoshop. I have many different versions for PC and Mac, but more recently Photoshop CS5.  
• Free Photoshop Brushes. You can search the web for many free Photoshop brushes that you can downlaod and then append to your brushes palette. Very cool! For example, Carole'Anne and Robin's example were primarily the use of brushes!
• Fotolia. Oh my favorite image site (http://www.Fotolia.com). I like it more than iStockPhoto! When I need to find some image, I go there and buy it! Tons of images to choose from!!!!! In Jacqueline's banner design I used two images from Photolia and brushes as well.

Enjoy!

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com 

Facebook Help: If your Facebook link doesn't seem to be working anymore

 

A few of my customers have been recently experiencing a problem where the link they had on their blog to their Facebook page, no longer shows their page, but the main Facebook Login screen.

So what happened?

I asked this question on one of the clubs I'm a member of and got a great answer!

Check your "permissions" as you have set restrictions on your page.

• Login and click Home.
• On the left, click on your business page.
• Click Edit Page.
• Click Manage Permissions.

 

 

• Remove the Country restriction and modify the Age restriction and see if that solves the problem! :D

 

Just wanted to share this and working on getting your Pinterest article this week. Today was a busy day for my Stampin' Up! demonstrator customers as the new Sale-a-bration catalog and promotion was released today, so I had to create all the graphics for my customer's sidebars and maintain their blogs and newsletters. Big, busy day :D

How-to Blogger: Help! I want to go back to the Old Blogger!

Your How-To article are back!!! New year and I got your survey results. You want How-To articles so that's what you'll be getting here at Blogs By Heather.

What happened to my Blogger?

Blogger got a makeover! A new layout, dashboard and more!  I wrote a nice article on this when I first noticed the new makevoer coming back in September...but it's still relevant! So click here to review all the new changes in the new look on Blogger!

 

But...what if you want to go back! What if you like and came to love the Old Blogger. Don't worry, you can go back!

• From this new interface (similar to that shown above), you will see the Setting icon (that looks like a gear) in the upper right corner.
• Click on it and a dropdown appears.

 

 

• Click on Old Blogger Interface.
• And that's it! Old Blogger is back!

Try the New Blogger Interface

If and when yu're ready to go back and try the new interface, simply click the "Try the Updated Blogger Interface" which is shown below, and right under your login details (upper right area of your screen).

 

 

Then, remember to review my notes on how to get around the new interface: click here to review all the new changes in the new look on Blogger!

Enjoy!

Pinterest how-to tutorial coming! This was just a quick topic I have recently been asked about...how to go back to the Old Blogger! And I'm trying to get out many, new and revived "How-To" articles here on Blogs By Heather! Thanks for reading!

Using BlogPress: How-to Blog with your iPad!

Good afternoon bloggers!

I've gotten a few inquiries about blogging from the iPad and how to insert images and such. When doing my original post from the iPad back in the summer of 2011 when I got my iPad, I went to Safari, logged into TypePad and composed a post there. However, it had to be written in all HTML and I was having trouble with the "Preview". So in order to see anything I had to "Publish" it, then go back to edit it, then "Publish", then edit until I got it perfect.

When I inserted images that way, I had to load them first to a Photobucket account or TypePad (blog) file manager; somewhere online. Then use HTML code to insert the image using the HTML tag. TIP: You can learn a lot of HTML coding by going to http://www.w3schools.com/ and then click on Learn HTML from the left. You can click on Learn CSS as well! Go check that out too :D

Using BlogPress App for iPad

However, I downloaded this app called BlogPress from the AppStore for the iPad. And I am typing away in here while writing this post.

As soon as it was setup, I quickly and simply added blog accounts, such as my TypePad and Blogger blogs, linked to my Picasa Web album account, and you can link to Facebook and Twitter as well.

So I clicked on my TypePad blog and simply started typing in this editor. Now, I do have the detachable iPad keyboard to make typing and blogging easier for me :D

Insert an Image
To insert an image, you can click the camera icon they have at the top right and take a picture right then, or take it from your media library on your iPad.

This is a picture my daughter Michaela (5) created with one of her Dress-Up iPad apps and saved on the iPad Media Library. I clicked on it and it inserted, centered and beautifully and with just a click!

You can also click the HTML button on the upper right and choose from popular HTML commands from a visual menu, and then the HTML code is inserted for you so you don't have to write your own!!!

Set Your Categories
Oh, it gets better! Before you are ready to Publish, don't forget to set your Categories! In this app, to the right of your Blog Post Title, there is a little "i" italicized which is for Options. It opens a window where you can select from the list of categories you have on your blog! Check them off and you're done! You can also select Labels and Tags as well.

Save, Preview, Publish!
Then, when ready to save, click the Save button at the top right and you can click and save to local drafts (on your iPad), save to online drafts (to you TypePad or blog account), Save and Publish, Save and Preview and more! How cool is that!!!!!

BlogPress Gets a Thumbs Up!
Oh I love this BlogPress app. It was $2.99 on the AppStore. Do you have another iPad blogging favorite? If so, share it here in this posts comments and let us know what you think of the app you are using to blog with your iPad!

Keep blogging...even from your iPad while watching your favorite TV show! LOL.
Heather :D

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com

P.S. Preparing a great how-to article for you for Pinterest! How to invite, what to do when you're invited, how to setup pin boards, how to pin, how to follow people and more!

Aweber's new Broadcast (newsletter) Editor…Making it easier to use!

A few months ago I wrote a series of articles on Membership Sites.

• What to do BEFORE you start one but more so
• the different TYPES of memberships site and what applications you can use to create and manage them!

In that, Part 2, I discussed Mini-Memberships or seasonal memberships. These can be done in the same way I just setup Blogs By Heather AM - Wake Up with Heather.

I LOVE Constant Contact, but the one thing it lacks is the ability to have different auto-responders setup to different lists.  Even the free MAIL CHIMP lets you do that!!!!  However, I decided to go with Aweber and its integration with PayPal subscriptions.

Aweber was not so user-friendly and in fact difficult for many to use and manipulate, add images or a TOC.  Very difficult for those not knowing HTML and very, very different for those moving from Constant Contact.

GREAT NEWS: Aweber launches a new broadcast editor!

Aweber is beta testing its new Broadcast Editor (newsletter editor) and it is really cool. It is a HUGE improvement and does make it much, much easier to create newsletters (broadcasts).

I attened this free webinar, but am posting the link here for you to view for yourself! I'm not sure how long these links will be active...so check them out if you have ever wondered about Aweber and how to create newsletters (now with their new editor)!

• CLICK HERE to view the video presentation
• CLICK HERE to view the slide show (slides)

 

Join Aweber today for your newsletter or membership sites!
Starting at just $1 to try it for a month!

WHAT'S NEW! Blogs By Heather AM - Wake Up with Heather!

 

With Blogs By Heather AM you won't miss out on trendy, new, hot topics!  Grab your cup of coffee and Wake up with Heather!

You will be updated every week day on the latest and greatest in social media, blogging, email marketing, small business and more!

I receive many emails on what's new and upcoming and want to share them with you!  I read all the email and will pick out those I think you will most benefit from so you don't have to waste your time researching.

Blogs By Heather - Wake Up with Heather is just that...a wake-up email from me every morning, Monday through Friday! 

Topics include (but not limited to):

• social media
• blogging
• email marketing
• small business

Rather have it all once a week?

No problem, when signing up for Blogs By Heather AM you can choose either format:

• to receive daily updates (Monday-Friday) OR
• to receive a weekly email on Friday mornings.

Same price, two different options for you!

What will you get?

• Fresh NEW topics. 
• NO old or out-dated material.
• Exclusive tips not to be posted on my blog, Facebook or Twitter. These daily tips are just for you (Mon-Fri).
• Daily (Mon-Fri) OR weekly emails (whatever is convenient for you!).
• Professional email newsletter delivery.
• Great tips at a very, very affordable price...just $4.95 a MONTH!
• FREE SEO (Search Engine Optimization) 2-part article just for joining!
• Enter for your chance to win one of my books, a blog makeover, or a $50 Stampin' Up! Gift Certificate!

 

So what are you waiting for?

Keep up and wake up with me, Heather. Every week day or every week!

Same great tips, two methods, ONE great LOW MONTHLY price!

 

 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:  The buttons below are integrated with my Aweber mailing lists (which you will be subscribing to receive your daily/weekly tips). So to make the process easier and where you only have to sign up once, I used PayPal through Aweber Connections.  So...you will be prompted for your PayPal password (login information) immediately, and afterwards be added to the respective mailing list to begin receiving your Blogs By Heather AM - Wake Up with Heather emails. Enjoy!

Blogs By Heather AM (Weekly Delivery)
$4.95 / Month

Blogs By Heather AM (Daily Delivery)
$4.95 / Month

Here are sample tips that you would have received in your emails - from social media to small business and more!  Your tips link to full length articles!

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:  The buttons below are integrated with my Aweber mailing lists (which you will be subscribing to receive your daily/weekly tips). So to make the process easier and where you only have to sign up once, I used PayPal through Aweber Connections.  So...you will be prompted for your PayPal password (login information) immediately, and afterwards be added to the respective mailing list to begin receiving your Blogs By Heather AM - Wake Up with Heather emails. Enjoy!

Don't wait! Make 2012 a great year
and Wake Up with Heather!

Blogs By Heather AM (Weekly Delivery)
$4.95 / Month

Blogs By Heather AM (Daily Delivery)
$4.95 / Month

Google Web Fonts: Using Custom Fonts in TypePad

Check this out!

Click here to view the tutorial on how to use Google Web Fonts with your TypePad blog.  You do need to be at the Pro or Unlimited level ($14.95 a month or up) so you can customize the CSS code.

So yes, this method requires customizing CSS code, but this tutorial is really good in illustrating what needs to be done!  

Give it a try!

You can also you TypeKit! Click here to read more on using TypeKit to customize the fonts in your TypePad blog.

Don't worry, Blogger and WordPress users an customize their fonts too!!!! Visit:

• Google Web Fonts
• TypeKit
• Kevin and Amanda

10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Social Media (by Social Media Examiner)

I had the pleasure of attending this great social media FREE event from Social Media Examiner. Well, actually during the live event I was picking up my daughter from the school bus (LOL)...but it was recorded! And I got to listen to the presentation Sunday night and want to share with you some of the wonderful tips the Panelists had shared with us.

Presenters: Michael Stelzner, Andrea Vahl, Rich Brooks & Kristi Hines

Michael Stelzner, Founder and CEO of Social Media Examiner

First, there is a very nice introductoin of the panelists.  Then Michael Stelzner, CEO of Social Media Examiner, kicks off the event talking about Google Plus.  Google Plus is still very new and developing new features and functions rapidly.  He makes note of three very important things:

1. There can be only one administrator for your Google Plus business page.  This "issue" is being addressed and in the future (near) you will be able to have multiple admins for your business page, but as of now the person who sets up the page is the one and only administrator for that page. 
2. You can only "Circle" (become a fan) someone that "circles" you. 
3. There is a great advantage to having a business page and putting the badge on your site (using their Badge Configuration Tool).  Google then "rewards" you with more recommendations on Google Search. So there is a SEO benefit to having a Google Plus Business Page and putting their badge on your site! Go get started (but you have to create a page first and join Google Plus)!

Click here to learn how to create your Google Plus Business Page!

 

Andrea Vahl, Co-author of "Facebook Marketing:  All-in-One for Dummies"

Andrea first wanted to discuss leads and what is a lead. The number of Facebook "Likes" does not equal the number of "leads".

However, you first need a "like" to later become a possible "lead". You need to connect with them over and over again (posting great stuff and comments and articles on Faceobok) so when the need arises for your service you will be at the top of their mind.

Facebook is a sales pyramid: Like (get the Facebook "like") >>> Engage (commenting on your wall, communication, getting to know and "trust" you) >>> Buy (purchase your service or product).

So, the number of Likes does matter as its the size of your base, your foundation and then it goes from there.

Facebook Custom Pages

You don't know you have a "real" lead until they have given you their email address. You need to create a custom facebook page that integrates with your email marketing/newsletter service (like Constant Contact, aWeber, MailChimp).

You can also offer them something for free or some other "incentive" for joining your mailing list.  Here is Social Media Examiner's article on 10 apps to create a cusom facebook page or tab: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/top-10-facebook-apps-for-building-custom-pages-tabs/ 

Facebook and Webinars

If you are one who uses webinars you can also use them to capture email addresses (leads).

Promote a product or service at the end

• offer valuable content
• continue to connect with your audience thru email

Some popular webinar providers are (most range between $39/month and up depending on your audience size and more).

• GoToWebinar
• Adobe
• WebEx
• Ustream (ans similar types of service don't collect the emails)

Run a Facebook Contest 

But a legal one! 

You it to showcase your product or service, gather emails, and have fun! People like to "win" things :D

To be "legal" on Facebook, you MUST use a third-party contest facebook appication like: 

• WildFire
• WooBox
• Strutta (starts at $299)
• Booshaka
• North Social
• ShortStack 

You CANNOT run a contest that says "like this for your chance to win..."

Rich Brooks, President of Flyte New Media

Rich is a small business owner and gives lots of advice on YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn during this presentation.

Leverage YouTube's Power

• 3 billion every day
• 2nd most popular search engine

How do you tap into this?

• Create videos that answer your ideal customer's ideal questions.

How do you get them seen?

• You have to know what your customers want. 
• Use keywords 

   - in title
   - in description
   - tags
   - in narrative (in your video conversation)

Beyond YouTube 

How to connect and reach YouTube outside YouTube!

• Create a blog post on the same topic, keyword rich.
• Embed in your blog post!
• FB business page -- post in there. and profile page.
• Tweet it!
• Finally, email newsletter, email blast (Take a screen capture and link to YouTube video from the email/newsletter).

Find Your audience on Twitter

• Find the right people - customers, partners, vendors.
• Do a search on related topics and products and then contact to their tweets
• Go to advanced search for geographic sensitive companies for example if your are targeting an audience within a 25 minute radius of your business location.
• Create Twitter Lists (like Facebook Groups)
• Subscribe to other people's Twitter list to gain access to who's tweeting there.
  
  

How to use LinkedIn

• Most people don't get it.
• Used for Business to Business.
• Create an engaging profile.
• Use Groups to generate leads.
• Joining appropriate groups. Local area and in business community.
• Join the conversation. 
• Do not sell, sell, sell
  • 80% promoting other people, helpful, inform, valuable content (trust)
  • 20% promote your own stuff
• Don't' hang out on Linked in like you do on Facebook or Twitter
• Sign up for Email Daily Digest.

 

Kristi Hines, Founder of Kikolani

Kristi spoke about blogging. That one popular problem is finding what to write about. She continues in discussing what to do next...post it and promote it!  Last but not least at all is to view your stats (Google Analytics for example).  You want to see where your visitors are spending time, what's your bounce rate, what keywords are popular, etc.

Finding Blog Content

Let's get started with the problem - finding blog content. Kristi explains that finding topic ideas is the most popular blogging problem or obstacle.

She suggests:

• look for people asking questions….
• Q&A networks
• Social Media networks
• Blog comments

Sites Kristi recommends to look for questions/answers to find potentional blog content are:

• Quora.com
• LinkedIn.com/Answers
• Look at the keywords for your industry
• Yahoo! Answers 

Use Social Media

• HootSuite helps you manage your social networks.

When you do post on your blog... 

• You need to write really GOOD content.
• PROMOTE it.
  • Social Media
  • Go to sites and post the updates
  • Thru Blog Comments

Leverage your analytics

• it's MORE than just clicks and visitors
• Bouce Rate (you want this rate to drop, as you want people to stay on your site)
• Keywords and landing pages
• Not providing organic keywords (google analytics)
• What pages are they staying on (you want them to continue to stay)

What are visitors really looking for?

• Search box on your blog and it will tell you what they are looking for!

 

I hope you enjoyed this summary of free webinar I had recently attended by Social Media Examiner!

More blogging how-to articles to come as that was the leading desired topic in the recent survey!

Happy blogging,

Heather :D

 

 

Quick Tip: Facebook will take down "business" profiles, so create a business "page"!

If you are promoting or using your main Facebook profile account, beware as Facebook is beginning to take them down (you will loose all your friends/fans, posts, etc.).

If you are running a business and want to use FB, then you really need to create a business page for that use.  Use these links:

• How to create a business page
• What is a Facebook page
• How to create a custom facebook page (professional looking page, 10 apps you can use to create a custom facebook page, article by Social Media Exampiner)
• Custom Facebook Pages

Above you see a link to Social Media Examiner's article on 10 Apps to Build Custom Facebook Pages. It is very cool! Free apps for you to use!  

Additionally, in my next Newsletter to go out (free to my newsletter subscribers) I am writing a full length, detailed article on custom facebook pages applications, free and paid for, as well as toold you can use for your social media accounts (like HootSuite).  So be sure to sign up for my newsletter as it is exclusive to newsletters subscribers only. Look to the right (sidebar) or click below to sign up.

Sign up here!

For Email Marketing you can trust

 

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to wish you all a happy
and healthy holiday season!

UPDATE

I am a little behind on my work as December proved to be a more difficult month with my grandmother being very ill and not expected to make it to the holiday. But she did, it's here :D So we are very happy and blessed to spend one last Christmas with her.  We are gathering today (Christmas Eve), family tradition, at my mom's for a huge holiday party and Santa is present as well (LOL) with all of her children, grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

I am blessed to have such a wonderful family and time to spend with my grandma. We see her a few times a week while visiting my mother, who sees her every day.  So we've just had a hard month, but what a way to end the month - to be surrounded by all those dear - our blessed, loving family :D

So I have been laying low and have not planned much intentionally as I knew things were not going so well for grandma. January will probably be a slower month so I can play "catch up" on some work I have been working on:

• Custom Facebook Page Development
• Blog Layout and Banner Installaions

Then I will continue with the new design work, announce new ventures and fun stuff!

Of course, blog setups and maintenance setups (Blog Maintenance and Newsletter Maintenance) will continue normally, as well as all my Stampin' Up! updates for my Stampin' Up! family of demonstrators.

So I just wanted to take a moment to let you know what's been going on here if I've been "quiet".  

My next post will be on 10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Social Media (recap of a free webinar I attended).

Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday and prosperous New Year!