moderndaypeasants.com

High Quality Images for Your Blog or Website

In the past when I needed images for my blog or website I would try to find free clip-art or other high quality free images to use that would help get my point across. This can get very tiresome when you suddenly find yourself searching and searching to find the right image. Sometimes I would spend hours just to find an image that was only somewhat helpful.

However, recently I stumbled across iStockphoto.com and have never looked back. Yes…I do have to pay for the images now but the quality and selection of the images available seems endless.

I signed up for a free account and the best part is that it is a “pay as you go” program. You basically just purchase credits and the more credits you purchase the cheaper it gets!

So far, I’ve been very happy using the service because the images are of high quality and royalty free. They’re submitted by professional photographers from all over the world.

I guess the most important aspect for me is that when I need to find the perfect image to match my article, I just simply log in and type a phrase or term and the site will instantly generate hundreds or thousands of images that I can use. It makes it so much easier. Then I just download the image and upload it to my site.

Once the image is uploaded to my server I can then add titles, alternative text and links to the page or post where the image is located. Since the images are both high quality and unique they serve to bring additional traffic to my sites.

In the end, my laziness is what made me search for an image alternative but what a difference it has made in traffic and the professional appearance of my sites.

I’m super happy I found them.

What I’ve Learned From My Blog

It’s been about a year and a half now since I started writing this blog.

I remember thinking to myself……”are you sure you know what you’re doing Dan?” My self replied with a certain……..”Let’s do it.”

That’s funny because, thinking back, it all started out so wobbly and shaky.

To this date I’ve wrote 141 articles on this blog and I stumbled and fumbled my way through the first 20 or so. Some are so poorly written and off the wall that it makes me laugh and smile when I go back and re-visit them.

I’ve never considered myself to be much of writer but as time goes by my blog and I have become friends.

It’s become a place for me to express who I am to other people and at the same time share what I learn.

The more time I spend blogging the more I learn from it.

Below is an updated list of things I have learned from this blog:

* You will make mistakes. It’s part of the process. Fix them as soon as you know about them and move on without regret.

* Be you.

* Make use of plug-ins. They make your blogging easier and more fun. Just be sure you do your homework before you upload any tool or script to your blog.

* Do regular backups.

* Don’t be afraid to experiment. Move stuff around and try new things. We find what works best through testing.

* People will love some of your stuff but not all of it. Just keep on giving more.

* Always try to write inviting titles.

* If you’re going to put it in print be able to back it up.

* Write your own content.

* People really do want to get to know the person behind the pen or in this case the keyboard.

* Run a consistent link campaign to related and valuable sites.

* Monetizing your blog has to be done in a way that will help visitors. Be choosy about who you partner with.

* Write your own or get a good custom 404 error page.

* Take people’s privacy seriously as if it were your own.

* Make use of social media sites.

* Protect your blog from attacks. There’s some really sick and warped criminals out there. Check out Secure WordPress Plugin for a WP blog.

* Edit…..edit…..and edit some more.

* Sign up for a free Google Analytics account and learn how to monitor incoming traffic.

* Allow trackbacks and pingbacks. The net was made for linking.

* Image and script placement counts.

* People won’t give up on you as long as you don’t give up on them.

* Everybody suffers from an occasional bout of writer’s block. When it rears it’s ugly head it just means you’ve momentarily lost touch with yourself. Not to worry though…..this is when you should spend time reading, listening and watching instead of writing. Education stimulates the creative side of the brain.

* There’s always going to be plenty more to learn.

* Permalinks are important.

* Blogging requires discipline.

* It’s easy to write but more satisfying when you engage.

* Make a conscious effort to understand keywords and anchor text.

* Shorter articles seem to be more pleasing to readers.

* Be specific not vague.

* It does eventually all start to make sense. When your blog finally starts to get it’s harmony, soak it in but remain on your toes. Strive to do more.

* Enjoy your successes and learn from your errors.

* Read your emails once and no more than twice a day.

* Learning basic html can help the design and navigation of a blog.

* RSS is a good thing

* A blog can have friends and enemies. Be aware of what both are saying. Respond when necessary.

* Learn about URL Redirection. It can be very beneficial.

* There are always multitudes of people interested in what you have to say. Showing them where your blog is located is the real task.

I’m sure I’ve learned much more from my blog but this will have to suffice for now. It’s time to spend some QT with my family.

Best Wishes!

Dare To Be Contagious

For the record, I’m not talking about spreading your cold and sickness to everyone you come in contact with. Instead I want your online business to become contagious….kind of like a yawn.

When I first started writing this blog, I wanted to be like everybody else who wrote blogs for a living. I tried to design the look and feel of my site similar to other bloggers who were doing extremely well for themselves.

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

To be contagious you have to be different. If you want your business to go viral you have to be the first one to wear the “stoned washed jeans”. Some of you from the 80′s can most certainly appreciate and remember the popularity of those pants. It wasn’t long after they came in style that it seemed the whole world was wearing them……including me….lol.

It’s important to be unique.

I’m finding that it’s easy to preach it but much more difficult to do it.

Some of you are just now starting your online businesses and others may still be in the planning mode.

Please take my advice and use it to your advantage.

Strive to be different. Do something nobody has done yet.

Dare to be contagious!