August 11th, 2009
OK, we’re heading down the back stretch now and there are just a few places left in the elite band of Blog Of The Day Award winners !
Although today’s winner is one of the last to pick up his award, the first time I noted him was some time ago, about 10 days before Alex Jeffreys’ traffic competition even started. He posted a video to his blog about social media marketing. I don’t think he’d mind if I call it a rant !
But it was a controlled rant, it brilliantly summarised the way that a lot of us feel about what’s going on at lots of social media sites, particularly twitter. In many ways, I’m still getting to grips with twitter and I’m kind of having a love-hate relationship with it. I can really see the power of how to reach lots of people that you want to build a relationship with. But like today’s winner, I can also see that it has huge scope for ticking people off with floods of tweets about get rich quick “opportunities”.
So even before Alex’s contest started, I knew this was a guy to watch. And since then, I’ve seen more good content going on to his site. A lot of it is on video and there’s a nice mix between “how-to”, motivational and personal posts.
But the thing I get most from this guy, the thing that has clinched the award for him today is that he seems to be having so much fun with this ! He is just loving what he is doing and that enthusiasm really comes through in pretty much everything you find on his blog. And we all know that if you are really enjoying what you do, then your chances of success just sky-rocket.
Finally, I must ask if it’s a coincidence that this guy shares our mentor’s name ? There ! I’ve given it away … because fellow students of Alex Jeffreys will instantly know that today’s Blog Of The Day Award goes to the irrepressible Alex Lim for alexliminc.com.
Congratulations Alex, your award badge is on its way !
Categories: BOTD
Tags: Alex Jeffreys, Alex Lim, Blog Of the Day, rant, twitter, video
August 10th, 2009
OK, things are getting tense now as we move towards the finishing line of the Blog Of The Day Awards.
Today’s winner is one that has upped his game significantly during the course of Alex Jeffreys’ traffic competition.
A few weeks ago, he felt that his blog wasn’t cutting the mustard, so he made some changes. It looks quite different from Heidi’s (yesterday’s winner) but it works for me … as always, no one answer is “right”.
And he wins today’s award not only because of that, but also because he has recently been finding and focussing on corners of the internet marketing landscape that are potentially extremely useful and/or profitable, and then passing the good word along. His recent video about trendrr.com is a great example of this.
His latest post has a series of “how-to” documentary videos that look over his shoulder during the construction of his first Squidoo “lens”. I have toyed with Squidoo in the past, but it’s something that I’ve neglected a little recently, so it was interesting to watch these and see how things have changed recently. What I like about this is that it’s “warts and all” … in other words, you are genuinely getting the same raw experience that he had, even when things don’t quite seem to go the way he expects !
He’s also got a fascinating product lined up for a launch in October. The Science of the Sale hooks in to his own personal knowledge of the psychology of selling. He’s really moving ahead on several fronts and this makes his blog a site to watch.
So for all-round improvement and for massive future potential, today’s Blog Of The Day Award goes to Alan “The Schwa” Harris for alanharrisonline.com.
Congratulations Alan, your Blog Of The Day badge is on the way !
Categories: BOTD
Tags: Alan Harris, Alex Jeffreys, Blog Of the Day, The Schwa, video
August 9th, 2009
Well, we’re entering the last lap of the Blog Of The Day Awards and there are only a few spots left to be filled.
Today’s award goes to another blogger that has overcome serious technical difficulties to get her blog on the road. I know, because I was one of those that was trying to help her solve them in the private forum for Alex Jeffreys students !
I’m still not quite sure what was going wrong with the malfunctioning theme that was her first choice, but when nobody seemed to be able to sort it out, she chose to look for another. It’s only in the last couple of days that I thought I ought to check back and see what was happening there.
And what a pleasant surprise ! The theme that she’s chosen is a bit different from most of those that I’ve seen during this competition because it extends right across the screen, rather than having a border. But I think it works well because the central part is filled with some good content. I particularly like the use of images throughout each post.
This is another of those little touches which adds something to blog posts that can lift them out of the ordinary. It’s certainly something that I need to pay attention to in my own posts.
What encourages me is the fact that just like previous winner Shirley Cheung before her, today’s winner has just not let go ! And whether it’s a recalcitrant blog like hers or some other difficulty, we should remember the words of Vince Lombardi:
“It’s not whether you get knocked down,
it’s whether you get up.”
So for getting up and (to mix sporting metaphors) hitting the ball out of the park, today’s Blog Of The Day Award goes to Heidi Passey for heidipassey.com.
Congratulations Heidi, your Blog Of The Day Award badge is on its way !
Categories: BOTD
Tags: Blog Of the Day, overcoming difficulties, themes, Vince Lombardi
August 9th, 2009
Normally, I’d be inclined to think that there is no such time. As Snoopy the dog once said, “I don’t do mornings !”
However, I’d had a restless night and 5.30 found me tossing and turning. In an effort to find sleep again, I was trying to outstare my bedroom ceiling. I was losing.
I could see that outside, for once this summer, the sun was shining brightly.
“Looks like the Balloon Fiesta will be OK today !”, I thought to myself. I looked at the clock and realised that if I got out of bed now, I’d be in time to see the mass ascent at 6am.
After a glassful of OJ and a banana for energy, I was on my way to the Observatory above the Clifton Suspension Bridge where I would could see over the River Avon to the Ashton Court Estate in neighbouring North Somerset. The sun was still low in the sky and once I’d stopped walking, I found it colder than I’d anticipated.
But eventually, the sun climbed higher in to the sky, and before long around 100 hot air balloons were in hot pursuit … spectacular !
For more pictures, take a look here and here.
(Monster ballon pic from sxc.hu by Dave Edmonds)
Categories: General
Tags: Ashton Court, Bristol Balloon Fiesta, Clifton Suspension Bridge, River Avon
August 8th, 2009
For today’s winner, we go even further afield than yesterday. In fact, from where I live, we go to the opposite side of the globe, to South Eastern Australia.
I have to confess that, once again, this is a blog that I have been watching for some time. I have noticed a definite theme developing in terms of the blogs that have won the Blog Of the Day Award. Almost without exception, they share certain characteristics … the best word that I can find to summarise these qualities is that they are all engaging, and that’s very true of today’s winner.
Looking at previous posts on today’s winning blog, we find good use of pictures and graphics. As far as content goes, there’s a nice mixture between internet marketing, associated topics and some personal glimpses. These definitely tell a story and they do it simply and eloquently. The latest blog post details the anxiety of preparing and shooting that important first video.
A link to the video itself would ensure even more viewers, especially because of the freeze-frame image that it would have, though this is a very minor carp on my part ! But do click on the link to see it on YouTube because it’s well worth it ! I think that this is probably the best video that I have seen by any of my fellow students so far.
Not only is it different and novel, but I found it charming and captivating. And there are double digit comments on the post that agree with me.
So, for all of this – but especially for that video – today’s Blog Of The Day Award goes to Melanie Steeden for www.melaniesteeden.com.
Congratulations Melanie, your Blog Of The Day badge is on its way !
Categories: BOTD
Tags: blog content, Blog Of the Day, Internet Marketing, Maria Andros, Melanie Steeden, video, YouTube
August 7th, 2009
We’re moving in to the second week of the Blog Of The Day Awards and today we go west to the city of San Diego !
Today’s winner was one of the first blogs that I looked at when I started my coaching with Alex Jeffreys. At the time, I remember being mightily impressed and having revisited it several times since then, my initial feelings about it have only been strengthened. This guy is one to watch.
I like the look and feel of his blog, though I know that for some a black background is a bit of a turn-off. Personally, I like it in this context. However, as regular “BOTD” readers all know, whilst good looks are important to me, they are definitely not the only thing that I’m looking for.
One of those other things is great content and this guy gives really high quality information both in text and video form. One of the other things that I like is that it’s primarily a blog about blogging … the longer I study this subject, the more I’m convinced that it is key to successful marketing online.
I know that this is not his first blog and the fact that he’s got tons of experience in this arena comes through in what he does here. However, he’s also used this blog as a platform to launch a great series of videos on how to “do” WordPress blogs. I’ve had a peek at this and I have to tell you that it’s excellent.
I know that he’s already earning good money from his blogs and he’s been very up front about his goals. My guess is that he will exceed them.
Matthew Wolfe is definitely one to watch, and so is his blog, matthewwolfe.com.
Congratulations Matt, your Blog Of The Day Award badge is on its way !
Categories: BOTD
Tags: Alex Jeffreys, blog content, Blog Of the Day, blogging, blogs, Matthew Wolfe, San Diego, video, Wordpress
August 6th, 2009
Earlier today, after posting the latest winner of The Blog Of The Day Award (Congratulations Karen !), I logged on to twitter to alert all BOTD followers. Except that … I couldn’t !
As is well documented by now, today twitter was the subject of what seems to have been a “distributed denial of service” attack on its servers.
Result ? Apparently, London ground to a halt !
Not ! I say that in jest because it was also reported yesterday that London has more twitter users than any other city in the world !
But no – we all had to learn how to communicate ordinarily again. (Shock horror !) Well, I have only been twittering for a few weeks, so it wasn’t too hard to re-adjust. If you’re interested in a technical analysis, I recommend Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols excellent “cyber cynic” blog.
If you find it a bit heavy on the technical analysis, (and he does mention one or two conspiracy theories too), there is an important bottom line to his piece.
And that is that these DDoS attacks come from “botnets” set up on PCs, both domestic and commerical, that have been infected by viruses.
The moral of this story ? Make sure that your PC is regularly screened for nasty stuff like viruses and other malware.
Not only will you benefit, so will the rest of us ! At least those that “can’t live” without twitter 
Categories: General
Tags: botnet, conspiracy theories, DDoS, denial of service, security, twitter, virus, Windows
August 6th, 2009
To use a horse racing metaphor, today’s award goes to The Outsider Coming Up On The Rails, somebody that I have been keeping my eye on for some time, somebody who just seems to be quietly getting on with the business of creating a great blog, somebody that is just doing things better and better all the time. There are several reasons.
First, I like the look of her blog … but (and I have to be ruthlessly honest here) I’m not quite sure why ! It’s clean and sleek and not too cluttered. Always good things in my humble opinion. But whenever I visit, there’s a logical part to my mind that says, “That header shouldn’t work …”
But it does ! I don’t know why, but I love it !
Second, the content is great. It’s written in a lovely, conversational style that I find very engaging. More importantly, there’s good value there too.
Third, it’s clear from reading her posts that she’s really “getting” what Alex Jeffreys is teaching his students. Not only does she discuss this, but she also describes what she’s learned and how she’s applied it.
Which brings me to the “clincher”. As a confirmed tech-head, I am a bit loath to even countenance the idea of outsourcing the workings of my blog, my “baby”. But I realise that as my internet business grows, this is something that I will probably have to consider in the longer term.
So when I read today’s winner’s article about outsourcing via eLance, I was naturally intrigued and ultimately reassured. Not only does she explain the why’s and wherefore’s, she also explains how she went about it and the results that she got (which we can now see so clearly). She even gives us a recommendation.
So for all of these reasons, today’s winner is Karen Kalata for her post about outsourcing on karenkalata.com.
Congratulations Karen, your award badge will be with you soon !
Categories: BOTD
Tags: Alex Jeffreys, blog content, Blog Of the Day, blogging, eLance, Karen Kalata, outsourcing
August 5th, 2009
OK, well today’s winner is probably the front-runner in the hypothetical Best All Rounder category of these awards. In my book, he’d also be right up there in the “How Does He Find The Time To Do All This ?” category.
Where do we begin with this guy ?
Well, he’s pretty well up on WordPress, the ultimate tool for serious bloggers. Check out the WordPress Blog Assistance tab on his blog. On more than one occasion, I found myself consulting his blog for details of how to do some of the more basic things that newby bloggers need to do, like setting up a gravatar or the “widlink” widget supplied to us by Garry Parkes.
And he’s prodigious in his output. Only last week, Alex asked him to develop an idea on blog copywriting. Within a week he has produced a series of videos that are about to go on to YouTube. Personally, I can’t wait to see them. Oh and if you check out his blog entry about these videos, you’ll see the names of some of the top dogs in internet marketing that he’s worked for. Social proof or what ? !
Another thing that I’m eager to find out is exactly what numbers he makes at the end of Alex’s traffic contest. I figure that this blog is going to be at or very close to the top of the heap.
Add to all of this the fact that the tone of his writing is enthusiastic but not overwhelming, and it’s personable and sincere.
So today’s Blog Of The Day Award goes to Rob Canyon for escapetoprosperity.com.
Congratulations Rob, your Blog Of The Day badge will be on its way to you shortly.
Categories: BOTD
Tags: blog content, Blog Of the Day, blogging, copywriting, Garry Parkes, Rob Canyon, video, Wordpress, YouTube
August 4th, 2009
Time for the announcement of the latest Blog Of The Day Award.
This guy has won today’s award because he has a cute picture of his dog on his blog
Not !
(Although I did say that I might make these awards on the basis of just one thing, like a picture, so get snapping !)
But seriously, that’s not the only reason. No, because today’s winner would probably come top in the Bursting Out All Over category of my awards. His blog has a veritable torrent of ideas that are all executed with panache and style.
It turns out that we used to be very near neighbours, at least until he upped sticks and moved to the other side of the world. And you can see from the pictures and videos on his blog that he’s living in an idyllic setting. I wish that I’d had the chance to meet him in person before he went south.
But even though I only “know” him though his blog, email and his forum posts, the over-riding feeling that I get from this guy is his passion for what he is doing. He has a brilliant product out there for twitter and he’s soon to launch a series on video for marketers.
His blog totally embraces all the new media like video, and audio. (Though to be honest, the borders make it look like it’s laid out on the living room floor !)
Talented, helpful and enthusiastic. The truth is, I am rather envious of the guy !
If you haven’t already guessed, today’s winner is Josh Bartlett for joshbartlettblog.com.
Congratulations Josh ! Your BOTD award badge will be on its way very soon.
Categories: BOTD
Tags: Blog Of the Day, Josh Bartlett, video
