Author Archive for Daysha

Leaderboard Update

Dear BlogBurst blogger,

We wanted to update you on upcoming changes we are making to the BlogBurst Leaderboard compensation model. Based on your feedback, we will be changing the measurement used for placement on the Leaderboard headline impressions only, effective July 19, 2008 .

When we originally rolled out the Leaderboard in 2006, it was based solely on headline impressions. In 2007 we experimented with a Leaderboard algorithm that used both headline impressions and click-through rates. Based on the questions we received, many of you found this calculation confusing and preferred the previous method of measurement. So, we’re changing it back to better reflect what our members have told us is the preferable system.

We hope you’ll find monitoring your progress both on the Leaderboard and your reports easier to understand as a result of this change. Your performance from July 1 until July 19, 2008 will be measured using the old system and will be blended into your overall results for Q3 so that you don’t lose out on any placements during that time period.

Thanks for helping us make BlogBurst the best it can be for Publishers, Bloggers, and Internet users. As always, we’d appreciate any additional feedback or suggestions you might have to make BlogBurst a more fulfilling and valuable service.

For more detailed information on the Q3 Leaderboard formula change, please visit our FAQ at blogburst.com.

If I’m In the Hospital With Salmonella Poisoning, Can I Use the 3G iPhone to Watch the Playoffs?

The blogosphere is buzzing with the recent highlights of the NBA playoffs between the Celtics and Lakers (as well as some referee scandals), the upcoming 3G iPhone, and Salmonella-tainted tomatoes.

While busy reading through the influx of great posts on these topics, I nearly forgot that I ate food containing tomatoes nearly every day last week. Will I be the next victim in the attack of the killer tomato? Thanks to information from these BlogBurst bloggers, it looks like I may be in the clear.

Tomato Recall Affecting Millions: What You Need To Know - Natural Cures, Herbs, and Treatments
Tomatoe Recall Who’s Not Affected - Natural Cures, Herbs, and Treatments
Tainted tomatoes point to Mexico; FDA remains quiet - Grumpy Editor
This summer, I will buy tomatoes - The Inadvertent Gardener
Tomatoes Removed From Restaurants, Salmonella Fears - Hutch Report

That’s right, folks. I will live to get in line for the next generation Apple iPhone. With the release of the 3G on the way, the iPhone is the hot topic among technology and gadget bloggers. What’s the big deal? Get the scoop from your fellow BlogBurst network members:

And, The Really Big Thing About The New iPhone is… - Mashable!
What’s Different About iPhone 3G? - eWeek Apple Watch
Even more iPhone applications surface - iPhone Buzz
The Devil is in the iPhone 3G Details - TechnologyExpert
Grab yourself an Apple iPhone 3g sooner rather than later… - Phones Review

With the NBA playoffs wrapping up nearly a month before the 3G iPhone hits the store shelves, you can still use your old faithful to check in on the coverage from these BlogBurst network members. You can also visit NBA.com’s playoff section to see these BlogBurst bloggers in play.

Kobe Bryant carries the day, Lakers take game 3 - NBA Obsessed
Kobe Bryant and Sasha Vujacic Lift Lakers over Celtics - Big Lakers Fan
Bryant’s Big Performance Saves Lakers in Game Three - 20 Second Timeout

Bloggers Code of Conduct

Per a recent post at The Editors Weblog, a study reported by the law firm DLA Piper reported that 46% of internet users are in favor of a code of conduct for bloggers and online commentators. Only 32% of bloggers indicated that they would support the initiative.

Image Courtesy of C4Choas on Flickr

“According to Duncan Calow, a DLA Piper media law specialist, there is a “dangerous perception” among web users that user-generated content is “immune to the law.” Three-quarters of users who had posted comments or blogged online were oblivious to libel law, while only 1 in 3 had actually read the terms and conditions of the sites they frequent.”

A press release on DLA Piper’s website yields a wealth of statistics (aggregated from a survey conducted by UK-based YouGove Plc) about blogger and commentator awareness surrounding legal issues:

  • Only 5% of bloggers and commentators are clear on their rights.
  • 77% of bloggers don’t know where the law stands.
  • Online 33% of internet commentators have read the terms and conditions of the forum they are using.
  • 42% of Internet users feel bloggers should be held to the same legal standards as journalists.
  • Only 27% of bloggers feel they should be held to the same standards as journalists.
  • 46% of Internet users think a code of conduct should be created; Only 36% of bloggers are in favor.

Click here to read more about the study, including some of the legal pitfalls associated with blogging and online commentary.

So, what do you think? Are you in favor of a bloggers code of conduct? Should bloggers be held to the same legal standards as journalist?

Image Credit: Flickr ~C4Chaos

Pain at the Pump Fuels Publisher Pick-up

While oil prices continue to soar to record highs, the price of gas has pinched pocketbooks and sparked conversations surrounding everything from family travel and food prices to alternative fuels and political policies. The topic has landed in debates between presidential candidates who either favor or oppose a fuel tax holiday. In business news, the airline industry is taking a beating as jet fuel costs climb. On the home front, rising gas prices cause families to cancel their Summer vacation plans and begin checking their mailboxes for economic stimulus checks.

The topic of gas prices has yeilded increased placement opportunities as publishers utilize blogs from the BlogBurst network to provide additional coverage to readers. IBS has launched a “Gas Prices” section, featuring content from BlogBurst network members, across the majority of their local television station websites:

gas-prices1.PNG

Learn more about the topic by reading posts authored by some of your fellow BlogBurst bloggers who have been featured on IBS’ Gas Price news section:

Business
Fuel-enomics: 10 Tips for Small Businesses as Prices Continue to Rise - The goWholesale Blog
Dairy Farmers to Receive Help With Fuel Costs - Food and Fuel America.com
Gas and Diesel Prices Rocket Upwards…Again! - Food and Fuel America.com

Politics
Savings from suspending state gas taxes - Don’t Mess With Taxes
President Bush Troubled By High Gas Prices - Hutch Report
Hillary Spurns Economist on Gas Tax - Donklephant
Leading Democrats Side With Obama in Gas Tax Dispute - WSJ Washington Wire

Consumers
Drivers slow down as gas prices rise - Auto Insider Blog
American Life Altered by Rising Gas Prices - LiveScience.com Blogs
What’s Fueling Higher Food Costs? - Debtors Relief
Save Money on Gas Tips from Consumer Reports - The Sun’s Financial Diary
Tax Help - Tired of Those High Gas Prices? - “The Baby Boomer Generation”
Get An Oil Change and Save on Gas - Basil & Spice - Living Green!
Ease Gas Pump Pains by Replacing Old Habits with New Ones - Ask Patty

Take my PDA. Take my magazines. But don’t touch the chocolate.

According to an article published at The Center for Media Research blog, more than 36 million women work their way around the blogosphere each week, with more than 15 million women publishing content on a regular basis and more than 21 million reading blogs and engaging in comment conversations.

Of the more than 6,000 women surveyed by the BlogHer community, more than half would give up alcohol or their PDAs to keep the blogs they love. More than 40% would give up their iPod, newspapers, or magazines. Only 20% would give up chocolate. A survey to surface the number of women that are blogging about chocolate was not conducted.

Click here to access statistics and read more about the study.

[Image Source: Epromos]

Madness Is Good for BlogBurst Bloggers

We are just approaching the second round of March Madness and publishers have created a big dance of their own with posts from the BlogBurst network. Both IBS and Cox Ohio have picked up posts for placement in the sports sections of multiple television websites.

I’m Writing Sports’ post, “Bracketology 101: Back to the Basics,” has been featured in the March Mania sections of television sites such as Whio.tv, Kansas City TV 5, The Pittsburgh Channel, Click on Detroit, and NBC 5 Chicago, as well as on Cox Ohio’s Dayton Daily News. Other blogs posting on the hoopla include Hoopraker, Conquest Chronicles, Bruins Nation, A Sea of Blue, and The Big Dance Blog.

Have you got some spring love from publishers that are placing your March Madness posts? Let us know in the comment section below.

Aside from March Madness posts, other bloggers are experience some Spring love from publisher placement opportunities.From Newslite.tv:

My blog has been on BlogBurst for just over one week now and in the past seven days I have had over 73,000 headline impressions and my posts have been used on Reuters, USAToday.com and Chicago Sun Times - wow…

I only have good things to say about BlogBurst and the visibility it have a given my blog. In terms of headline impressions, post placement and click through rate it has exceeded all of my expectations.

 

Guide to Blogging From BlogBurst Bloggers

Editors at BlogBurst always try to offer as much advice as possible surrounding the art of blogging. But who better to offer blogging advice than your fellow BlogBurst members? Check out these informative posts from BlogBurst network bloggers for some great tips and tricks for starting, maintaining, and attracting visitors to your blog.

Ecommerce Sites are Boring! Add Personality and Passion with a Blog!
From Better Blogging with Michael Martine

Blogging is Easy? Um, No. Here’s the Cold Hard Truth…
From Better Blogging with Michael Martine

Journalists who learn to blog help their online sites grow beyond shovelware
From howardowens.com

How to install WordPress on your computer?
From Createlf

Plugins By The Bucketload
From My Radical Blogs

5 Easy Wordpress Tweaks For SEO and VEO
From Social marketing, Web 2.0 News, & Blog Promotion

Top Bloggers Essential Research Tools - How Amy Gahran Maintains Info-Provocateur Status
From B.L. Oschman’s weblog

The A-List, Part 2: Be The Source
From Everybody Go To

Is embedding better than quoting?
From Matthew Ingram

7 Tools For Blogging On Your Phone
From Mashable!

How to fight trackback spam in your WordPress blog?
From Jammed: Full into Capacity

How to Unlame Your Business Blog: 10 New Tricks for Old Dogs
From Business BlogWire

Ten Tactics That Could Save Your Online Reputation
From Mashable!

Blogging Ethics 101b - Commenting
From Better Blogging with Michael Martine

Wall Street Journal Taps BlogBurst to Fuel the Retirement Debate

WSJ Retirement Debate Screenshot

The BlogBurst editorial team is excited to announce that BlogBurst blogs have been selected by The Wall Street Journal to fuel a new site featuring content surrounding the retirement debate.

Retirementdebate.com, which launched on Monday, March 3rd, features news, business, finance, and political posts with a narrowed focus on retirement, social security, Medicare, baby boomer, and senior living issues.

Here are just a few examples of posts by BlogBurst network members that were placed on new WSJ Retirement Debate site:

Still Clickin: You Bet Your Life…Insurance

The New Business World: Declining Dollar, Pension Funds and Downward Business

Senior Housing Daily: Housing Market Decline Affecting Senior Housing?

Net News Publisher: Social Security Union Endorses Obama

 

 

Give Me More… Placement, That Is.

One of the most common requests I get from BlogBurst network members is the need for tips and tricks on how they can increase placement opportunities on publisher sites. I applaud any writer for taking an active interest in the success of their blog, but since publishers choose which posts appear on their sites, there are no set rules to guarantee instant pick-up.

It is my honest opinion that a blog that is well-written, stays on topic, uses alluring post titles, and publishes content that presents a unique perspective will always achieve success in the end. That being said, if publisher pick-up is your main objective, here are some ideas that may help you swing the odds for placement in your favor:

Meet the Publishers
Some of BlogBurst’s more well-known publishers include Reuters, USA Today, and FOX News, but can you name them all? Visit the Blogger Overview section of BlogBurst.com to view a full list. One tip to increase placement is to know the publisher. Spend some time browsing through their content. Read some of the blogs placed by your fellow BlogBurst members. Get a sense of the type of content they strive to deliver to their readers. Take note of the headlines that grabbed your attention and the stories that were so good that you had to read through until the end. What would you contribute to their editorial coverage for the day? Feel free to share your ideas in the comments section below.

Be Timely
Hands down, a timely post will always attract more readers than a post that is written out of the context of current affairs. Defining current may be more of a philosophical debate between you and your subscribers, but if you are stumped for post topics, read the news. Give your readers your personal take on the situations that are making the headlines. What did you think about last night’s presidential campaign debate? Who’s your pick for the Super Bowl? What are you cooking for Super Bowl Sunday? Brittney did what? Microsoft buying Yahoo!… really? Mars Rover transmitted images of an intelligent life force on Mars that is more than meets the eye? OMG!

Keep it Clean
If publisher placement is your top priority, understand that they may not want to introduce dirty language, graphic images, or hateful speech to their visitors. There are many times that beautiful posts are passed on because the image is not suitable for all readers. I cringe when I have just read a genius post, only to find the F-bomb in the last sentence of the last paragraph. If using explicit content, take a moment to ask yourself: “Is this really necessary?” If not, get rid of it. Your subscribers that are reading your blog from work or family room computers will thank you for it.

Have an Opinion
I believe that the blogosphere presents a unique opportunity for writers of every level to have their voices heard. Anyone with access to the Internet can start a blog and contribute to the world wide web of information. Reposting full articles from mainstream news sites and {gasp} your fellow bloggers is not only wrong, but serves as a great injustice to your readers. If you found a great article during your adventures on the Web, link to the story and tell your readers why they should click on it. Explain why the article is important or contribute your opinions to the subject. If including a quote from the original story is important to your commentary, only quote the essential text and provide a link to the rest of the article. No matter what you do, always give credit to your source.

Full Posts, Please
Publishers will only place posts that display the full article, so make sure that your feed is set to display full posts. For Wordpress users: download and install the CompleteRSS plug-in if you want to use the “Read more…” link while still maintaining a complete feed.

The “R” Word - The Dirty Word Gets Publisher Play

Take the recent global market tumble, a housing market crisis, and the declining value of the US dollar and add a dash or two of interest rate cuts and a side order of the President’s proposed stimulus package and you’ve got the recipe for a baked economy disaster. It’s said that you don’t know if you’re in a recession until you are looking back in retrospect. But it’s only fitting that the “R” word would rear its ugly head as presidential election campaigns kick into high gear for Super Tuesday primaries. Are we really in a recession? Will the Economic Stimulus Package help or hurt? Will retired boomers get a check? Should I use my $600 rebate to pay down debt or buy a Wii? Is the recession the real reason for Brittney’s latest breakdown? Depending on who you are, these are all valid questions.

Take a look at some articles about the subject from fellow BlogBurst bloggers:

Forex Trading TV Video Blog: How Deep Will The Rate Cut Be?
Jobsanger: Stimulus Package Sounds Good - Won’t Work
The Populist Party: America, the Next Great Banana Republic
The WorkLife Monitor: It’s Job Security, Stupid!
Retail Contrarian: Recession or Recession Not? A Retailer’s Viewpoint
Land of Black Gold: The recession is in.
Buck Naked Politics: The Economic “Stimulus” Package
Where’s the Outrage: Poor in America - it ain’t getting better
Salt Lake Real Estate: Housing Crisis - There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel
Blown Mortgage: Predicting Rates, The Newest Vegas Tablegame

I am not the only one that has noticed the in-depth coverage by BlogBurst bloggers. Check out how these publishers are placing BlogBurst content to keep their readers informed about the state of the US economy:

FoxBusiness.com - BlogBurst Use Palm Beach Post - BlogBurst Use Reuters - BlogBurst Use

(Click any screenshot to view the larger image)