Benjamin Beck

Successful Guest Blogging Tips With Kristi Hines

beckjamin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:14:44 +0000

Pro Blogger Kristi Hines

I had the opportunity to interview Kristi Hines, who really needs no introduction. In fact you’ve probably read one of her many articles posted on Search Engine Watch, Unbounce, or Kiss Metrics. When she isn’t blogging for these websites she is refining her craft by posting on her own blog Kikolani.com, which was chosen as one of Social Media Examiners Top 10 Social Media Blogs of 2010.

As an aspiring guest blogger myself I was excited for the opportunity to ask Kristi what it takes to become an outstanding online blogger like herself. This is what she had to say.

When choosing a blog topic, how do you know what the reader will like?

When I’m looking to pitch a guest post to a blog, I subscribe to their site first to see the topics they typically write about. Then I check the blog out on PostRank to see what topics are the most popular based on social engagement.

Many say the title is the most important part of a post. How do you make your post titles stand out?

The title is definitely the most important. It’s usually the only thing you see in a tweet and the first thing you see in search results, shares on other social networks, in your RSS reader, and so on. I try to think about what will lead to the most clicks both on social networks and in search results.

In your opinion what does a “perfect post” look like?

The perfect post has a lot of valuable content broken up with great headers, a bulleted list or two, and some awesome images – either screenshots or just visually appealing images, depending on the content.

Can you tell us what is in your guest posting tool kit?

I’m not sure I have much of a toolkit outside of using a combination of Google Reader and PostRank to determine what topics to tackle on a particular site. Sometimes I will also check out the Google AdPlanner to see the traffic stats on a site I might want to post upon to see what kind of traffic they have. Granted, the stats aren’t right on, but it can give me a general idea if the site is bigger than mine or not.

How do you introduce yourself and maintain a strong relationship with big blog sites?

There are different ways to go about pitching a guest post. With Social Media Examiner, my blog was listed in their Top 10 Social Media Blogs of 2010. I followed their Facebook and saw an update that they were looking for writers shortly after they listed me, so I contacted them. If the blog happens to mention you for any reason (listing, link to one of your posts, etc.), that is a great time to strike. If that isn’t an option, then I see if I know one of the other previous guest bloggers on the site to make an introduction to the blog owner / editor. If none of those work, then it never hurts to spend a little time commenting on a blog, tweeting some of the posts, then approaching the blog owner for a chance to post.

Whats the biggest mistake that you see guest bloggers make?

One of the biggest mistakes I see guest bloggers make on my site is not reading the guidelines. Some I don’t think even read my blog – I have received some strange article pitches that don’t even fit my niche. If a site offers guest post guidelines, make sure to follow them as closely as possible.

Personal Side Of Kristi Hines

Where does the name of your blog Kikolani.com come from? What does it mean?

The name Kikolani is a combination of my middle name and grandmother’s first name. I thought it was a pretty cool creation until I discovered it was a first name used in Hawaii.

Mac or PC?

PC, although I use a Mac keyboard with it.

Iphone or Droid?

Droid for my phone, iPad for my tablet.

Hootsuite or Tweetdeck?

HootSuite all the way!

Favorite YouTube Video?

This is one of my recent favorites.

Want More Guest Blogging Tips?

Kristi Hines is a phenomenal blogger and has even written a book to help wannabes like myself to become the caliber of blogger she is. If you are interested in becoming a better blogger I would definitely follow Kristi’s posts and if you really want to improve check out her book “The Ultimate Blog Post Promotion Guide Book”. If you must know, I am not affiliate and don’t get any money if you buy her book. I just think its great for those who want to get serious about blogging.

5 Great Resources For Landing Your Dream Job As A SEO

beckjamin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:15:22 +0000

I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity i’ve had to work at Anchor Wave in Tucson Arizona. They are a great company and have sparked my enthusiasm for seo and online marketing! The time has now come for me to move on to my next adventure, and I’m looking to land my SEO dream job. What that is i’m not exactly sure yet, but I do know it won’t be simple! To best prepare for tests and interviews i’ve been doing a lot of research and here are some of the best articles and videos i’ve found. I hope they help you like they’ve been helping me.

Articles To Help You Prepare To Get A SEO Job

Great Videos To Help You Land Your SEO Dream Job

Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz outlines what questions every SEO should be able to answer in an interview.

Danny Dover when he was back at SEOmoz shows how to get more SEO experience. Great tips!

*BONUS* Blast From The Past Video

Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz outlined in 2008 how to get an SEO job. A lot of this information and strategy still applies to getting a job today.

SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday-How to Get an SEO Job from SEOmoz on Vimeo.

Who’s Hiring Right Now For SEO?

I had the opportunity to interview some of the top SEO experts in the industry to see what they look for when hiring a SEO. 4 out 5 of the experts I interviewed are currently hiring! To be able to work for any of these companies would be a privilege. Would love to hear back from anyone who applies with them.

SEO.com Jobs
Seer Interactive Jobs
Portent Inc Jobs
Distilled Jobs

Help Me, Help You

I’ve come to know that the best way to learn and grow is through helping others. I’ve been helped by so many SEO’s that I would like to pay it forward to others. To all you aspiring SEO’s let me knowhow I can help you. The best way to get ahold of me is through my Linkedin Profile

Make The Most of 2012 With the Top SEO & Social Media Articles and People

beckjamin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:42:28 +0000

2012 is here! What does the next year hold for us in search marketing and social media? I don’t have a crystal ball that works, but I have collected some of the top articles from the experts on what 2012 will be like for SEO and Social Media Marketers.

I also included some of the best people to follow on Twitter to stay on top of SEO and Social Media trends through this year.

2012 SEO Predictions

18 SEO Experts On How To Do SEO in 2012 – Edgy SEO

2012 SEO Tips For Google Instant – Search Engine Round Table

Key SEO 2012 Trends in North Asia – Search Engine Watch

MarketingSherpa 2012 SEO Benchmark Report – Top Rank Blog

SEO Playbook For 2012 – Search Engine Land

2012 Will Divide SEO Practitioners Into Two Camps – Business 2 Community

My Top SEO Experts To Follow in 2012

These are in no particular order, they are all awesome. Who am I missing? Let me know in the comments

2012 Social Media Predictions

What 2012 holds for Social Media - The Next Web

30 Social Media Predictions for 2012 From the Pros – Social Media Examiner

Top 5 Trends for Search & Social Media Marketing 2012 – Search Engine Watch

What Will 2012 Mean for Social Media ? – Time

My Top Social Media Experts To Follow in 2012

Again these are are not in any particular order, they are all awesome. Who else in the Social Media space should I follow? Let me know in the comments

What Do You See For 2012

I’m excited for 2012, its going to be a huge year! Do you have a idea of what’s going to happen in 2012 or of great people I should follow on Twitter in the space of SEO or Social Media? Let me know in the comments, I look forward to your input. Have a great 2012!

LinkedIn’s Holiday Card Easter Egg

beckjamin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:21:57 +0000

I woke up this morning and was checking the usual social networks before I head into work. I did a double take this morning when I came across this interesting character who viewed my LinkedIn Profile.

This is definitely not the typical person that views my account and I was curious of course to find out more about Snow E. Mann’s resume. When I clicked on it to open it up instead of a resume it was a simple holiday greeting card from Linkedin.com.

Holiday Easter Eggs

I don’t know if this is something they did to everyone or if I stumbled into some Linkedin holiday easter egg. If your confused at what an “easter egg” is you need to check out eeggs.com. You can thank me later. Another popular easter egg this holiday season is googling “let it snow”. I won’t ruin the surprise by telling you.

Check out your Linkedin profile and let me know if you got a holiday card as well. Also if you know of any other holiday easter eggs out there please leave them in the comments.

Meaning Of (Not Set) And (Not Provided) In Google Analytics

beckjamin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:57:53 +0000

Video Answer: Difference of (not set) and (not provided)

If you prefer to watch then to read (like i usually do) then please enjoy this video I found by Rosamond Haden-Chomphosy who eloquently sums up the difference between (not set) and (not provided) in Google Analytics.

Written Answer: Difference of (not set) and (not provided)

Not Set- Has Been Around Awhile

Up until now Google has had a (not set) identifier in its Analytics. Not Set means that the user didn’t come to your site through a keyword. They came to your site directly or through a referral site.

Not Provided – New Kid On The Block

If you look at the picture below you’ll see several (not set) identifiers from several sites. There is also a new identifier labeled (not provided). This new identifier came about because Google recently announced that they are encrypting peoples searches. So the not provided search volume is from Google organic search, but could be for several of your keywords.

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Remembering The Difference Between (Not Set) and (Not Provided)

(Not Set) = Not Search Engine, Referrals and Direct links

(Not Provided) = Protected by Google encryption

Is Social The Future Of SEO? Interview with Jesse Stay

beckjamin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:00:03 +0000

I had the pleasure of talking with Jesse Stay of SocialToo and author of Google+ For Dummies and Facebook Application Development For Dummies. It was such an amazing conversation that I wish I would have skyped and recorded it to be able to share with everyone instead of my bullet point notes. He is a truly amazing author and knowledgeable social media pro that I had the pleasure of speaking with. ( You can tell by my picture how excited I was to talk with him)

What makes someone stand out to you in this industry?
There are a lot of “Self Proclaimed Experts”

* People who have truly based decisions off of research or what other people have accomplished

* Someone who has a lot of clients and experience to back up what they are saying

* They look at the whole picture. Not just getting people to the site, or to follow or like, but rather the full experience of the user

* Mass following is easy, but the questions is whats the goal? Whats a conversion? Its not always just money

With SERP’s getting so personalized where do you see SEO’s playing a role?

* Social is the new SEO
* SEO still has a place, don’t give it up, and make sure to optimize your pages. But look towards Social
* Trusted friendships and an identity tells you a lot more than keywords and links, which is why I see Social becoming more valuable

Worth it for small biz owners to be on FB, Twitter, G+?

* Prioritize (audience = which network) then decide
* Embrace social media, you can get alot of feed back from your visitors
* Allow people to see and identify with your company (who the CEO is, how you work, pre-views of what your working)

Who do you look upto?

* Jeremiah Owyang of web-strategist.com
* Scott Monty director of Ford Social Media
* Brian Solis author of Engage and The End Of Business As Usual

Your Comments, Where’s The Future Of SEO?

Would like to hear from you what you think about the future of SEO. Will on site and off site still be highly relevant compared to social signals or voted on web results?

Hulu Puts Commercials Back In Users Control

beckjamin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:45:54 +0000

What Is the New Hulu Ad Swap

I love Hulu because it keeps me up to date with my comedy staples like The Office, Modern Family, and Community. This week when i was getting caught up I noticed that Hulu has changed how it does commercials. Before I would have to sit through whatever ad they had scheduled and if i got bored i could click on the button that asked “is this ad relevant to you?”

Now Hulu has given viewers the option to “Swap” commercials. So if you are really sick of seeing Viagra or tampon commercials you now have the power to swap it to something else. The picture below shows what Hulu’s new ad swap looks like.

What Hulu’s Ad Swap Means For Viewers

Able to choose commercials/products they actually want to watch
Avoid awkward gender specific products
New variety of commercials, instead of the same one played over and over during the show

What Hulu’s Ad Swap Means For Advertisers

Can have commercials seen across several different shows
Better analytics of which shows that have viewers most interested in there products
Need to produce better commercials that viewers will actually want to view

What Is The Future Of Commercials?

Does this mean that all commercials are going to have to evolve to Super Bowl status so that people will select and watch their commercial over their competitors? Will people be able to find a way around the commercials, like a online Tivo which decreases the effectiveness of the commercials?

Where do you see brands pushing commercials in the future?

Are People Blocking Your Site On Google?

beckjamin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:27:27 +0000

Google is always trying to improve the experience of the searcher by getting them the best search results as possible. As amazing and complex as the mystical Google algorithm is, sometimes it doesn’t give the best results. To help remedy this Google provides searchers with tools to make their searches better. Thats why they developed tools like search wiki, stars in search, and now Google +1.

Back in March Google introduce another search tool that you might not of heard about, which was the ability for searchers to block certain urls from their search results. Google said its a way to help searchers find more of what they want. I think that the idea is good, but also i think that people might over do it.

Questions About Google’s Block A URL Filter?

My biggest question is what triggers Google to prompt someone to block a URL?

Even though the article appeared earlier this year I hadn’t seen this in the search results until recently, and it was prompting me to block a popular and reputable site. Are they basing it off of the sites bounce rate, time on site, other factors?

If your site is blocked are you acknowledged?

If my url is getting filtered out by dozens of people I want to know about it, but again the article didn’t mention if the site owners are notified of being filtered.

Can this be abused by my competitors?

This is the next question that pops into my head because i start thinking of a way for people to use Mturk to get mass amounts of people to find and block my url for 2¢ a click. I assume Google’s algorithm doesn’t like to go to sites that have been blocked from search results by hundreds of people.

Your Thoughts On Google URL Filtering?

Do you think this is a good idea or A train wreck waiting to happen? Have you seen these as well or are my eyes playing tricks on me again?

Would like to hear your comments and feedback!

What’s In Your RSS Feed?

beckjamin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:34:18 +0000

It definitely feels a lot cooler when you say it like one of those capital one vikings ”Whats In Your RSS Feed?”. These days to stay up with fast moving technology and industries can be hard. Frankly i don’t know how i would do it with out my RSS feeds. The following are a list of the staples that I check each day. Please let me know what your favorites are in the comments below.

Online Marketing Blog Feeds

SEO Blog Feeds

Social Media Blog Feeds

Other Favorites Blog Feeds

Whats In Your RSS Feed?

What did i miss? What are your favorite RSS feeds to follow? I look forward to hearing them in the comments.

How To Do Social Media Like A Rockstar Without Losing Your Day Job

beckjamin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:40:40 +0000

A lot of my clients say that they want to do social media for themselves or their business but don’t know how they can do it with their busy schedule! Other clients say that social media is not a effective way to find leads.

The following are the tools that I’ve found and use to allow me to post to my social media feeds and interact with potential clients while keeping my day job. Once you get in the rhythm of things you can do this effectively in just 30 minutes a day.

1) Morning Reading

Spend the first 20 minutes of your day learning the latest news for your industry.

Reading the daily newspaper or listening to the news on the drive into work is not going to give you the information you need to stay on top of your industry. Having data aggregators make it easy for you to stay upto date on everything in your industry. If you don’t know where to get your data start with sites like Alltop or Smartbrief. If you already know where to get the data for your industry i suggest using the RSS app Feedly, its the best. Google Reader is also a good one to go with.

2) Schedule Great Content

As your reading these articles in the morning or whenever you come across some great content you want to share with your followers. You don’t want to have to go to Twitter or Facebook to most it. Also if you find 3 great articles in the morning you don’t want to bombard your followers with everything at once, instead schedule them out throughout the day.

To solve this problem I use Buffer App which allows you to set a schedule of upto 10 posts that will be tweeted and posted to your Facebook at the times that you decide. Besides being Free this app allows you to simply right click on any page to tweet it then or put it in your buffer to be posted at your next scheduled time.

3) Engage With Potential Clients

Every business can use more leads and users on social networks are often asking for help. During my lunch break I use Inbox Q to find those who have questions that need answers. I set up my Inbox Q to look for tweets that are “seo -rt -http ?” which means a tweet that are a question that contains the phrase “seo”, but is not a RT and doesn’t have a link in it.

The Inbox Q icon stays in your browser head and pops up a number when someone tweets a possible questions that you can answer. Since we’re using twitter they usually have simple questions and i can give them a short answer. Doing this helps me find possible clients, network with new people, and gain recognition as a helpful industry leader.

4) Respond To Fans

Again you don’t have time to be constantly logging into Twitter and Facebook for updates. That’s why I suggest getting a social media dashboard like Hootsuite or TweetDeck. With these dashboards you can easily monitor your social media accounts to see if you get any comments, mentions, or direct messages to respond to.

I check them in the morning after I get done with my morning reading and then again at lunch

What Helps You Do Social Media?

These are some of the tips, apps, and tricks that I use to help me do social media without losing my day job as an SEO. Would like to hear what you do to make Social Media work for you?