Archives for February 2014

Courtney Gordner | February 28, 2014 | 3 Comments

What You Should Be Linking to On Your Blog – Courtney Gordner

If you have managed to set up a blog and update it frequently, congratulations–you are halfway there. Now, if you’re simply interested in sharing your words and unique perspective with the world, you have already found a kind of success. However, if you are looking to turn heads, grab the attention of advertisers, and find a readership, you will have to push your blog into the stratosphere. And that is going to take some more work.

Think of it this way: Your blog is a living entity that you have to care for and cultivate. It’s not enough to merely write it, post it and wait for the results. There are some specific things you can aim for that increase your traffic. Without those things, your blog might not be discovered, and of course, nearly every blogger wants some type of spotlight.

You might be surprised to read one of the best ways to raise your blog’s visibility is to link away from it. Sure, you might have heard the old adage of, “if you send them away, they might not come back,” but that’s usually more of a concern for sales. It is not always a bad idea to link away from your blog. In fact, it will lend some weight to your modest venture.

Here are some tips to get you started.

Use More Studies and Official Resources
Nothing says reliable like supporting your statements with real world implications. Simply linking to a university website, government agency or important study can give readers confidence that you have an interesting voice and care enough to back your statements up with verifiable sources. It is also possible those sites might decide to link back to your blog. According to Problogger, using research and statistics gives your blog credibility.

Remember: It’s a Mobile World Now
Maybe you have noticed this in your own behavior, but more people are accessing the Web on their phones. According to TechCrunch, 15 percent of all Internet traffic comes from mobile devices. So, when you link to a site, be sure it’s mobile friendly. No one likes to have to zoom in, tap away or put their smartphones in weird angles because a website isn’t technically meant for mobile viewing.

You might not always have control of that (sometimes a link is too good not to share), but be wary if it is not optimized. If you are not sure, just click the link on your phone and give it a try. Google even offers some tips to obtaining responsive web design, which is essential for smartphones.

Keywords Are the Key
Sometimes you have to think beyond the confines of your blog to get in the minds your potential readers. These days, full sentences are effective, as are keywords in the front of the headline. For example, if your keyword is “cat nip,” your headline should read “Cat Nip: The Wonder Drug for Your Feline,” instead of “The Wonder Drug for Your Feline: Cat Nip.” Be as creative as you need to be with your headlines, but keep it under 65 characters. Also, try to be as intuitive as possible–in your URL, separate keywords by dashes. If possible, use your key words in the first part of the URL.

Give Them ‘Educational Links’
If you are writing about something specific and new, like the new 2015 Mustang, it is a good idea to provide some links as examples, particularly if there is a unique angle you want to dive into. By linking to other resources, you give the reader a deeper understanding of this subject. By leading the way, oftentimes that general nod can open a door for your blog that you may not have expected. Try to teach something new when possible. Don’t forget to include social media into the equation, but don’t place too much emphasis on it.

According to Mashable, social media won’t deliver your content to the world alone. It offers value for brands, but won’t necessarily drive up your customer base if you’re selling a product on your blog. What social media does quite well is increase your quality visits.

Tag, You’re It!
Okay, so it is likely you have incorporated some search tags into your blog and that’s a good thing. However, too much of a good thing is never good for you, or your blog. With tags, a certain finesse should be utilized. Too many tags can penalize you in search engine rankings.

The key is to be sparse about it. Use them when necessary, but don’t make the mistake of making them too similar. For example, “Car,” “Car Tunes,” and “Car Make,” are liable to show up as separate aggregative pages. This means people will have a harder time finding your content. Lighten up on the tags and the search engines will serve you well!

What kind of links are you using on your site? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo Credit: Nikon

Julia Winston | February 27, 2014 | 7 Comments

The Importance of A Good Handshake – Julia Winston

Get a grip, but not too hard.

That is the advice experts will tell you about proper handshaking technique. Some might think that something as trivial as having a great handshake isn’t that important, but they would be wrong. Studies have been conducted on handshaking. From job interviews, to business meetings, the handshake communicates more than you realize.

Communication is not just verbal; it is non-verbal too. Eye contact is the most famous of the non-verbal cues, but the handshake is just as important and often overlooked. I recently traveled out of state to give a presentation. I was being introduced to a lot people, so I couldn’t possibly remember everyone. But, I do remember the people who gave me limp fish instead of hands to shake. They are the ones who stuck out, not the ones who gave me a proper handshake.

A weak handshake screams, “I lack confidence!”

The saddest part is that people who are full of confidence can undermine their credibility with a weak, lifeless hand shake. It is awful that this one gesture can negatively imprint you on the minds of others, but it is one aspect that will really stand out in a first impression, good or bad. Impressions are tricky because they don’t rely on fact. They are more intuitive. Since our minds process so much information at once, sometimes it forms an opinion very quickly. That microprocessing means that we can feel a certain way about people without knowing why. That feeling will last long after our encounter.

Conversely, a vice grip handsake is equally as bad.

Too firm a handshake screams, “I’m overcompensating!”

Squeezing too hard is just as memorable and hurts more. As a comedian wrote in his post on handshakes, “You’re not trying to juice the person’s hand for their valuable blood essence, you’re taking them into your palm and exerting your prowess.”

I love that image of juicing. That’s what it feels like. Why would someone need to squeeze so hard? This nonverbal message suggests that they are trying to overcompensate for something else. Don’t believe that a death grip will help you seem more powerful. It just makes people see you as one who needs to be seen as powerful. Translation: insecure.

What is a good handshake?

A good handshake has several simple components:

Web meets web. This means the skin between your thumb and first finger meets the web of the other persons hand.
Firm squeeze. Be firm but not bone crushing.
Pump naturally. There is debate about whether shaking is even necessary. Or how many times to shake. Find what is comfortable for you and go for it.
Let go. It is important not to linger and hold someone’s hand captive. Holding on too long suggests a level of intimacy or familiarity that you may not want to convey.

A proper handshake communicates confidence, enthusiasm, sincerity, and warmth. The good news is that a handshake is very easy to practice. You can begin improving your first impression just by improving your handshake. Communicate your security and know how, just by your handshake.

Below is a video on how to shake hands and it displays poor handshaking techniques as well.

Have you ever given or received any of these poor handshakes? Leave your comments here!

For more resources on the importance of a good handshake, click on the following articles:

The Importance of Strong Handshake In The Workplace

Why You Need A Good Handshake by Careerbuilder

Leo J. Lampinen | February 26, 2014 | 2 Comments

The Sting of Inattention – Leo J. Lampinen

How important is it for a leader to be available and approachable?

With the busy lives that we all lead it can be hard to step away from it all and give some of your time to others. As leaders it is important to be intentional about doing so for the development of our team and to develop strong relationships.

It is important for leaders to show their attention for several reasons. Inattention can lead to some very significant problems down the road both for leaders and those they collaborate with. A painful sting is delivered by a leaders inattention to those requiring a leader’s attention. It is important to be intentional about being present for the team.

4 Reasons Why Leaders Should Give Their Attention

It is disrespectful not to

Leaders are most often looked up to as a go-to person, as someone who can be there to lead the way and someone that can be relied upon. When you fail to give your attention, not only does it kill credibility, but it is a huge disrespect to the people that are relying on you for support.

Too busy to lead

I get that there is a lot of work to be done. It can be difficult to step away and put time into developing people. It takes effort and dedication. But, you know what? It is worth it. I like to look at people development as investing. You put a little bit in each time, and over time your investment is compounded, and they get better. You get the satisfaction of knowing that someone was changed for the better, was molded into a better person, and if done right will continue to do the same for others down the road.

Your team counts on you

Your team is looking to you for answers. You may not have all of the answers all of the time and that is ok. What you need to answer is a request for guidance. Most of the time all it takes is a point in the right direction. This is why it is important to know how individual team members operate. Some may just need that extra push, a light for their path, or just some exterior motivation.

Be present

When you do make the time to sit down with someone, whether it be a direct report, a peer, or even one of your children, give your full attention. If you have made the time to step away from any busyness that was going on, use the moment to be fully engaged. Look the person in the eyes, don’t scan the room, and be genuinely interested. Nothing is more frustrating than expecting to have someone’s attention then finding out they’re not really present.

How easy is it for you to be intentional about making time to develop others? Leave your comments here.