Improve your blogs

THE TOP FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BLOG...

Marketing is useless if you don't have a good 'product'. Here are five ways to ensure you do.

1. Provide something unique: There are so many blogs out there, even if you're writing brilliantly, you won't attract an audience if someone who's already more widely-read is writing on the same subjects. First-hand accounts or data, original research, surveys, original ideas, original graphics or photos or artwork, all help establish your uniqueness. World O'Crap, one of the newest and yet most popular Salon blogs, is written by a liberal who almost exclusively frequents right-wing conservative blogs and news sites, catches them in lies and exaggerations and inconsistencies, and then writes biting, hilarious satire about them. Unique, brilliant, and very funny.
   
2. Provide something valuable: Give readers a high 'return on their investment' in reading your blog by (a) entertaining them, (b) teaching or helping them to do something (lessons learned etc.), (c) informing them about something they need to know about, (d) giving them a 'take-away' (checklist, great quote, useful tool, etc. -- something that will cause them to immediately bookmark or blogroll or write about your site and revisit it often), (e) saving them time (distilling something down, analyzing it, researching it), or (f) providing deep insight about what something means (great graphics can help do this).
   
3. Be first: The first person to write about a particular topic will probably get a large share of traffic about it. Even if a more popular blog picks up on it, they're likely to link to you and send even more readers your way. First-hand accounts, on-the-spot photos, comments from people who were at the scene of breaking news all make fascinating reading. Even the first reviews and synopses of new movies and books usually attract a lot of attention.
   
4. Do your research: Invest time to learn as much as possible about what you're going to write about. Spend much more time reading and researching than you do writing. Check your facts. Learn to use search engines powerfully, so no time is wasted looking for just the right information. Don't neglect primary research -- stuff you get from offline sources like real people, in-depth television reports, people you can call or survey to get information that isn't available on the Web. Always cite and if possible link to your sources. Dig for great finds, stuff that isn't on the first page of the Google results, information that you need to go through multiple links to find, information embedded in the many databases that are online but aren't Googled at all. And never lie or exaggerate.
   
5. Learn to write very well: Master the art of story-telling. Learn to be brief without being too dense. Write in a conversational, accessible, friendly style. Eschew obscure and intimidating words, like 'eschew' (it means 'avoid' ;-) Ask people you trust to comment on your writing style. Use point form, examples, restatements for clarity. Be natural. Learn the 39 steps for story-writing; most of them apply to non-fiction, too. Have fun, be loose, show your emotion. Try to avoid clichés.
   

... AND THE TOP FIVE WAYS TO ATTRACT MORE ATTENTION TO IT

Once you've got a world class 'product', here's how to get people to look at it.

1. Use other media to pull people to your blog: Don't just write great stuff and wait to be discovered. Use e-mails (sparingly, selectively) to tell people you think might be interested in reading your blog about a particular article you've written. Make comments on others' blogs and include your blog URL when you do. Try to find an A-lister or two who might be interested in one of your articles, and e-mail them (just be aware many others are also looking for A-listers' attention, so do so sparingly and be patient). Or just comment, early and frequently, on A-listers' posts (first commenter on any new A-lister post often draws a lot of traffic). Join and participate in discussion groups, always leaving your blog URL at the end of every message. Contribute to e-magazines, either online versions of hard-copy periodicals like Ms., or specialized online journals like Virtual Occoquan. Use outgoing links on your blog and blogroll to articles and blogs written by people you'd like to have as readers: Chances are, they'll note you when they look at their inbound links list and come over to see what you said about them. And when people write to you, always answer, always acknowledge that they took the time, and always include your URL in your response. But don't feed the trolls (i.e. don't reply to readers who write hurtful, malicious or baiting comments or e-mails) or you'll have readers you don't want.
   
2. Write, at least sometimes, about 'hot' topics: You don't have to be a Googleslut to occasionally get some special buzz on a topic everyone is talking about. Being very focused on narrow, deep topics will get you a faithful readership, but not a particularly large one. Writing about something popular from time to time, especially if you do so before everyone else is writing about it, and say something unique or insightful, will broaden your audience, and bring in what Malcolm Gladwell calls connectors, people who can bring their entire, large networks of potential new readers to see your blog.
   
3. Make a great first impression: The average reader who links to your site looks at 1.5 pages and stays 90 seconds. Google hits command a small fraction of even that attention span. That's how long you have to make an impression that will bring them back. A memorable look, a powerful theme, easy navigation, legibility, making sure your links work and that you've spellchecked, using clear headings, clever, attractive graphics, summarizing your long posts, making sure your page doesn't take too long to load -- all these things help create a great first impression, and give your blog what's called 'stickiness'. The longer they stay, the more they'll remember and the more likely they'll come back.
   
4. Learn by studying who's reading what, and what works: I look at the end of each day who's been reading How to Save the World (most blogs have a 'referrer log' tool that lists your visitors; services like SiteMeter also provide this information). If I don't recognize a reader by their URL, I'll go to their site to see who they are and what brought them to my site (and often say 'thanks for visiting' while I'm there). And I track total popularity three ways (see chart above): Average hits/day per the Salon Rankings list, Number of Inbound Blogs per Technorati Cosmos (I also visit any new additions to my Inbound Blogs list), and Number of people subscribed to my RSS feed per Dave Winer's Who Subscribes List. I know that when I write about certain subjects like blogging or business innovation, I'll get a spike in hits. But I also know my posts on other subjects, like the environment, economics, and social networking, have different and loyal audiences, who I'd lose if I narrowed the focus of this blog. And some things, like poetry and short stories, I post despite knowing they have a very small audience, because the few comments I do get are essential to improving my writing skills. And because I love writing them.
   
5. Get outside more: Real Live Preacher, consistently one of the three most popular Salon Blogs, deliberately seeks out (looking at the Recent Updates List for unfamiliar blog names) and welcomes and helps new bloggers -- a tremendous way to get grateful new readers for his smartly written, well-laid-out blog. By using blog directories like EatonWeb or lists like Technorati's Current Events (or just typing a topic of interest in Technorati's search bar) you can find other bloggers interested in the same things you are, and connect with them. Or explore the blogrolls of blogs you like. When you find a 'like mind', link to them, e-mail them, comment on their weblog, or otherwise let them know you exist and where to find you. But don't be pushy and overtly ask them to link to you -- just let them know where you are, and they'll come around.
   

And finally: Be patient -- Viral marketing is very effective but takes time to work. Stick with what you're doing, especially if people are complimenting you -- word will spread, and the audience will come. And be yourself. If you try to affect a style that isn't 'you' it will come off as forced or dishonest.

Europe

Here i contuniue with the tourist attractions in Vienna and wien hotels

Schonbrunn Palace

It dates back to the Middle Ages when it was commonly referred to as Katterburg. Over the following centuries, Schonbrunn was home to many prominent figures which included Hermann Bayer in 1548, who was mayor of Vienna and who was responsible for transforming Schonbrunn into a manorial estate.

In 1569, Schonbrunn came into the possession of the Habsburg’s via Maximilian II and according to the deeds of the acquisition, included a house, a watermill, stabling as well as a pleasure garden and an orchard. This laid the foundations for an imposing residence and formal gardens as well as a deer park. Maximilian was primarily interested in extending the game park, which was principally intended for the breeding of native game and fowl. Following his sudden death in 1576 the Katterburg passed to Rudolph II, who did little to the estate except to carry out necessary repairs which where required to keep Schonbrunn in working order.

The Vienna Hofburg Orchestra’s Concert Season

The Vienna Hofburg Orchestra gives Johann Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart concerts every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from May until mid October and on Saturdays from mid October until December.

The concert venues are the magnificent halls in the Vienna Hofburg as well as the Vienna Konzerthaus or the Musikverein. Concerts begin at 8.30 pm.

Classical Concerts in the Hofburg

The program includes the most popular waltz and operetta pieces by Johann Strauss, Emmerich Kalman, and Franz Lehar, as well as opera aries and duets by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The Vienna Hofburg Orchestra is composed of 36 professional orchestra musicians and 6 international vocal soloists.

The Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Located on Museum Island in Berlin, The Pergamon is one of the world's premier museums for antiquities, as well as Middle East and Islamic art. Among the great pieces the museum displays are the Market Gate of Miletus, The Pergamon Altar, The Mshatta facade. Of particular interest to antiquity buffs are The Ishtar Gate and the Procession Street of Babylon.

Berlin is turning into a premier museum city in Europe, led by the renaissance of Museum Island.

Schloss Charlottenburg

History and the glory of times past have united in perfect harmony at the Orangery of Charlottenburg Palace. This jewel of baroque architecture first housed a valuable citrus collection. Soon thereafter, the aristocracy discovered it as the perfect venue for their splendid festivities. Now you can revive the glorious past and enchant yourself with this majestic setting of the former Hohenzollern residence. What used to delight crowned heads is just right for you.

Rathaus Glockenspiel, Munich, Germany

The figures of the carillon show parts of Munich's history. A joust is displayed in the upper part which was arranged for the marriage of duke Wilhelm V. and Renata of Lothringen.

The lower part of the carillon shows a famous dance of Munich, the "Schäfflertanz". It was arranged at the time of the plague (1515-1517) and has since been traditionally performed every 7th year in Munich.

The Olymic Stadium Munich Germany

The 1972 Munich Games were the largest yet, setting records in all categories, with 195 events and 7,173 athletes from 121 nations. They were supposed to celebrate peace and, for the first ten days, all did indeed go well. But in the early morning of 5 September, eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village, killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine more hostage. In an ensuing battle, all nine Israeli hostages were killed, as were five of the terrorists and one policeman. The Olympics were suspended and a memorial service was held in the main stadium. In defiance of the terrorists, the International Olympic Committee ordered the competitions to resume after a pause of 34 hours. All other details about the Munich Games paled in significance, but it did have its highlights. Archery was reintroduced to the Olympic programme after a 52-year absence and handball after a 36-year absence. Whitewater (or slalom) canoeing was included for the first time. The 1972 Games were also the first to have a named mascot: Waldi the dachshund. U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won an incredible seven gold medals to go with the two he had earned in 1968. Lasse Viren of Finland fell midway through the 10,000m final, but rose and set a world record to win the first of his four career gold medals. Freestyle wrestler Ivan Yarygin of Russia pinned all seven of his opponents en route to his first Olympic championship in the heavyweight division. West German, Liselott Linsenhoff, competing in the dressage event, became the first female equestrian to win a gold medal in an individual event. The media star of the Munich Games was the tiny Soviet gymnast, Olga Korbut, whose dramatic cycle of success in the team competition, failure in the individual competition and renewed success in the apparatus finals captured the attention of fans worldwide.

The Bavarian Alps

Is it the idyllic landscape with its mountains and lakes, is it the rich variety of sights or is it the unique personality of the people that have made Bavaria famous throughout the world?
This is something you ought to discover for yourself!
May we introduce you to the Western part of the Bavarian Alps and hotels in deutschland

European girlfriend

Europe. Ahhh!!!!! Lovely trip to the Wonderful Europe. The weather is awesome. The people are hospitable. But you need to take little care as everyone is not friendly. Anyway, my trip to Europe was a full one month. In this one week i visited London, Paris, Barcelona and Berlin.

The most Beautiful thing was that i completed all my trip on road. That means By CAR. Yes I went to the Whole Europe and traveled to different Places on my Car. You can also do the same. For this all what you need is A valid driving licence issued in an EU country is valid throughout the EU accompanied by vehicle registration document, Passport, Medical and Accident insurance. Also remember that in some countries you have to drive on the Left and in some on the right. I think i should stop here as i can keep going on instructing about driving as for me it was n extreme pleasure.

So coming to my trip i first landed in London. It was a bright sunny morning and i quickly Searched for Hotels in London checked into a hotel. It was a good deal from the people i got it from. I saw the Buckingham palace and the Big ben.

Then i took a TGV to france and stopped at paris and again the same search for Hotels in Paris began. This time i booked from the same agent and again i was happy with what i got at cheap price. I went to relax a bit and then went out to enjoy the Night life of the most romantic and fashionable place. Paris. The most attractive thing was the eiffle tower. and driving on the streets of paris and enjoying the night life with a female companion was awesome, her name was Juliane. She was born in Chemnitz Germany and lived in berlin till childhood and later lived in Barcelona. She was a fashion designer, not to be mentioned and an amazing beauty. We had a good time merry making and drinking in paris. she told me about everything good and easily available in Paris.

Staying in Paris for two days I had only three days left for going back to london to catch my flight back, So we decided to leave for Barcelona, I was lucky to have been there and enjoyed the football match between Barcelona and valencia, what a match it was it was a nail biting event which landed in a tie. So after having our dinner i checked into a Hotel in barcelona. spend a wonderful night there and left for germany next day.

We reached berlin by road in the afternon and checked into our the room i booked in a Hotel in Berlin. The whole driving was done by Juliane as she was much comfortable in driving on the Auto bahn, I only layed there and glanced at her as she drove through the cuts and curves on the road. She was just amazing. I never met any girl like her in my entire life. So Germany berlin was my last stop and the most amazing one. I spend the whole day watching various different place in berlin and for my last two days left i stayed in My hotel room with my special guest. Must not mention what exactly hapened there. I left for london in the night to catch my flight back home from there. Though i was not in a mood to come back as i would miss my buddy, guide, companion everyday. I wish i'd go back there and meet her again.

Hi there is all what i saw in my last trip to FRANCE. Please check out the pics and details of places i visited. Also i'll tell you how to have a cheap and enjoyable vacation in France and nice hotels.

Eiffel Tower

My visit to one of the wonders of the world! The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel's was unanimously chosen.

LE LOUVRE MUSEUM PARIS

The Louvre Museum in Paris is the probably the most famous and largest art museum in the world!

The museum has approximately 6000 European paintings and and was originally designed as a palace. It has been influenced by major events in French history and has experienced changes and additions to the original structure by many architects and decorators. When the Orsay museum was created in 1986, most of the post 1848 works left the Louvre and were transferred to the new museum which is close by.

The museum presents the main part of its treasures to visitors, in the new Richelieu wing, islamic art collections, oriental antiques, French sculptures, objets d'art,French paintings & paintings from the Northern school (including Rubens).
Let's not forget, the ever so famous masterpieces:the Venus of Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Mona Lisa of Leonard da Vinci, and so many others.

French Wineries

France has long been an important wine producing country. Initially, monks, for a celebratory drink during Mass, produced wines. As trade grew, vineyards moved closer to port cities, such as Bordeaux. There are seven major wine regions of France. French wineries name their wines after the vineyard where the wine was grown, rather than the grape variety, although the final determination of a wine's character comes from many factors, including grape variety, soil quality, when it's harvested, how it's stored, and the skill of the winemaker. Touring the wine regions of France is a great holiday side trip, or a fantastic focus for a vacation in France.