March 26th, 2013
by Luis Cruz
In a previous post on Beating Writer’s Block, we briefly mentioned mindmapping as a way to get ideas out from our heads and onto paper. Today, we’ll revisit that topic and delve a bit deeper into mindmapping.
Many of us take notes in a linear fashion. Lists and outlines take us from one topic or idea to the next, and prose follows a similar linear flow. Even when freewriting, we can only go in one general direction, from left to right.
The problem, however, is that our brains don’t always work in a linear fashion. We often have several ideas floating around in our head, and how they fit together isn’t always evident. Mindmapping allows us to just dump everything we think of onto paper (or a screen), and organize the mess of ideas in a meaningful way afterwards.
How do I do it?
The root of a mindmap is your topic or main idea. Take a blank piece of paper, a whiteboard, or any medium you want. Write (or draw) your topic in the middle, and draw a circle around it.
With your main topic set, start jotting down other related ideas all over the page. You can write these ideas down, but that’s not the only way to do it. You can draw and color them, or you can paste photographs or graphics if you’d prefer. You’re also free to use as much (or as little) color as you’d like.
Every so often, use lines to connect them with the main topic or to the other ideas on the page. The idea is to get something that looks a bit like a tree, with branches radiating from your main topic, and smaller branches or twigs coming out of those branches.
Sometimes, however, what you get ends up looking less like a tree, and more like a tangled web. This is usually the case when you have ideas in one part of your mindmap that connect directly with other parts. Don’t worry – this works too. The point is for you (and others) to see how the different ideas you’ve presented connect and relate with each other.
When (or why) should I use a mindmap?
You can use a mindmap anytime you want – some people use mindmaps when taking notes during lectures. Since mindmaps usually fill whole pages, they tend to be more compact than linear notes, which tend to fill only one side of the page.
Many people (and I’m among them) use mindmaps to do brain dumps. We use mindmaps to get large amounts of information out of our heads, even if we see no obvious way to organize them. By getting everything out on paper, we can start drawing links between ideas, and organize them in a meaningful way.
Do I have to use paper when mindmapping?
It helps, but it’s not a requirement. The most important thing is to have a blank “canvas” on which to lay out all your ideas.
If you’re so inclined, you can use your computer, smartphone, or tablet to create mindmaps. You can simply draw it out in an image editor of your choice, or you can use a dedicated mindmapping software. Since I prefer pen and paper, I haven’t really gotten my hands dirty on any piece of mindmapping software. However, I’d like to try iMindMap someday, which, according to its product description “is the ONLY Mind Mapping app bearing the badge of approval from inventor of Mind Maps, Tony Buzan.”
Have you tried mindmapping?
This time, I’m asking you the questions. Why not try mindmapping yourself? If you’ve ever struggled with organizing ideas in your head, or expressing a jumble of thoughts, then mindmapping just might be the tool for you.
If you’ve already tried mindmapping, please tell us what you think. Does it work for you? If it does, can you share some tips that may help us with our mindmaps? If not, what stumbling blocks have you encountered? Maybe others around here can help you out.
Tags: brain dump, creativity, map, mapping, mind, mind map, mindmap, mindmapping, notes, productivity, productivity tips, productivity tools
Posted in Creative Toolbox, Life Management, Productivity Toolkit | No Comments »
February 13th, 2013
by Luis Cruz
 I’ve often joked that my brain is stored on my phone. Compared to the amazing virtual assistants I work with everyday, I’m a veritable mess. Fortunately for me, my gadgets (and the apps I install on them) help me stay productive, and in a way, serve as my own virtual assistants. They keep track of my deadlines, remind me of tasks and appointments, and do a ton of other things that help me stay on top of things. How? Read on to find out.
Before you continue, you should probably know that I’m an Android user. Some of the apps I’ve listed here work on both Android and iOS, and I’ll include links to the Apple App Store when applicable. If you know an equivalent app on iOS, or if you have suggestions for other apps (on any platform) to try, please share them in the comments below.
Getting things done
I have a pair apps on my phone to keep track of all my tasks (and unfortunately for iPhone and iPad users, I can’t find the same apps on the App Store). The first, Taskos (Android), is a simple to-do list that syncs with my Google account. There are other similar apps out there, and most people will have their own favorites, but I’ve been using Taskos for quite a while now, and it works for me.
Taskos, however, doesn’t work too well for my recurring tasks – and this is where Regularly (Android) comes in. Regularly, according to the app description, “helps you keep track of all those repeating tasks which don’t have fixed calendar schedules.” It reminds me when to replace my toothbrush, switch out the water filter in our water dispenser, clean the A/C filter, and do other things that I have to do every so often.
Taking notes
Evernote (Android / iOS) is one of the most popular note-taking apps around, and for good reason. It syncs your notes across all your devices, allowing you to view and edit them from your phone, tablet, laptop, or anywhere else you have Evernote installed. It lets you tag or label notes to make them easier to find later on, and share notes with others. Those are just the features I use, and I’m sure there are more I haven’t even tried out.
I’ll say it again – I often joke that I store my brain in my phone. The truth is I store a big chunk of it in Evernote.
Avoiding online distractions
I have to read a lot of material online for my job, and one of the perils of doing this is getting distracted along the way. Practically everything I read includes links to other related articles, and those, in turn, lead to other posts. There is a wealth of useful information online. However, because practically everything is just one click (or two, or three) away, it’s too easy to lose hours of productive time just surfing the web.
Pocket (Android / iOS) helps me stay focused on my work. When a useful post leads me to an interesting link that, unfortunately, isn’t quite relevant to my current task, I use Pocket to save it for later. I can get right back to work, while Pocket caches a copy of the post that I can come back to when I have more time.
Because Pocket syncs across your different devices, you can pocket a video you find on your phone, and watch it when you get to a larger screen like your tablet or your computer. You can also save an article on your computer, and read it on your phone while waiting in line for your coffee. I know this doesn’t quite fit under the heading of avoiding distractions, but it’s a benefit of using Pocket nonetheless.
Getting around town
When I have to hit the road, I fire up Waze (Android / iOS) on my phone to keep me on top of the traffic situation and help me get to my destination as quickly as possible. It gives me voice-guided navigation, and even alerts me of hazards, accidents, police traps, and other things to watch out for on my route.
The beauty of Waze is that pretty much everything is contributed by its users. Traffic information is gathered from active users – as long as you keep the app open while driving around, you contribute tons of data. You can also actively contribute data by reporting accidents, police, traffic jams, and other information, but this is entirely optional.
Doing other things
My phone’s built-in calendar keeps track of my schedules and appointments, while LastPass (Android / iOS) helps me keep track of my passwords and login details. Dropbox (Android / iOS) and Google Drive (Android / iOS) serve as online repositories for my files, with the latter also serving as an online office suite.
These apps all help keep me organized, on-time, and on top of things. I rely heavily on technology to stay productive, and in this day and age, I wouldn’t be surprised if others did the same. Please tell us in the comments: where do you store your brain, and what apps help keep you from going insane?
Tags: Android, app, App Store, Apple, application, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, iOS, LastPass, mobile, pepper virtual assistants, personal assistant, Play Store, Pocket, productivity, productivity tools, Regularly, smartphone, tablet, Taskos, Waze
Posted in Productivity Toolkit | No Comments »
February 5th, 2013
by Pepper
We’re always looking for ways to spice up your life, and for the entire month of February, we’ve got two hot new ways to do so.
Hot New Plans
First up is a pair of hot new packages designed to give you more time with your loved ones. After all, you want to spend Valentine’s with your loved ones, not your officemates, right? These plans, which clock in at 60 hours for $650 (that’s about $11 an hour) and 120 hours for $997 ($8 an hour).
If you haven’t signed on to any of our services yet, we only have one question for you: what are you waiting for? If, on the other hand, you’ve already signed up, don’t worry. You can get these packages too, and all you have to do is upgrade your current plan.
Sizzling SEO Services
We can’t forget our loyal clients, of course, and we’ve got something special for you too. If you signed up with Pepper on or before September 2012, you can claim a customized SEO analysis of a website of your choice. All you have to do is send an email to marketing@pepperva.com, and we’ll make the necessary arrangements. Think of it as a little gift to show our appreciation for you.
Don’t have your own website? Don’t worry. We can give you a voucher, and maybe you can give that to a friend, relative, a client, or anybody else. Of course, this begs the question: why don’t you have your own site?
So, are you ready to have the Pepper team help you spice up your Valentine’s? Give us a call, drop us an email, sign up, or find some other way to contact us – after that, you can let go of your worries, and focus on putting some pop in your Valentine’s plans.
Posted in Announcements, Outsourcing | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2013
by Pepper
The Pepper bunch are a hardworking crew, and that’s a good thing. On the other hand, some of us run the risk of pushing ourselves too hard, and that’s not quite so good. Fortunately, every so often, the powers-that-be require us to take some time off to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate ourselves.
Yup, we’re talking about those pesky days on our calendars marked in red: the holidays.
We’re not complaining, mind you – we need our rest too. Without it, we couldn’t deliver the excellent service you’ve come to expect from Pepper. Still, the holidays can sometimes get in the way of pending work.
That’s why we’re sharing the list of official Philippine holidays with you, so we can plan ahead and make sure we wrap up any urgent or pending projects before the holidays.
Don’t worry – you won’t have to memorize it or plug it all into your own calendar. You’re welcome to do so if you want, but we’re your assistants, and part of our job is to remind of you things. Whenever a holiday is just around the corner (i.e. around a week away), we’ll give you a heads up.
Anyway, we’ll quit yapping (or typing) and get right to the calendar. The graphic below should sum it up nicely. If you prefer plain text over fancy graphics, we’ve got you covered too – just scroll down past the big blue box.
| A. Regular Holidays |
|
New Year’s Day
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Araw ng Kagitingan |
January 1 (Tuesday)
March 28
March 29
April 9 (Tuesday) |
Labor Day
Independence Day
National Heroes Day
Bonifacio Day
Christmas Day
Rizal Day |
May 1 (Wednesday)
June 12 (Wednesday)
August 26 (Last Monday of August)
November 30 (Saturday)
December 25 (Wednesday)
December 30 (Monday) |
| B. Special (Non-Working) Days |
|
Black Saturday
Ninoy Aquino Day
All Saints Day
Additional special (non-working) days
-
Last Day of the Year |
March 30
August 21 (Wednesday)
November 1 (Friday)
November 2 (Saturday)
December 24 (Tuesday)
December 31 (Tuesday) |
| C. Special Holiday (for all schools) |
|
| EDSA Revolution Anniversary |
February 25 (Monday) |
SECTION 2 The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient. To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall.
Sometimes, however, getting things done trumps taking a holiday. If you think you’ll need your VA to work during a holiday, just get in touch with us, and we can make the necessary arrangements.
As always, feel free to contact us anytime you have any questions or concerns. We’re always happy to hear from you!
Tags: holiday, Holiday process, pepper virtual assistants, Personal Assistants, Philippine Official Holidays
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
January 18th, 2013
by Luis Cruz
 Welcome to the second part of our primer on virtual assistants. Since you’re here, it’s a safe bet that you, like many people, you don’t quite know what to expect from a virtual assistant, or VA for short, and aren’t quite sure how to work with her. The simple fact is that working with a VA usually comes with a bit of a learning curve, and we want to help you learn the ropes quickly. We hope to do that with this post, as well as others published here on our blog.
We mentioned this was the second part of a primer, and if you haven’t read the first post, we suggest you do so now, then come back here when you’re done. If you’d rather not make the jump right now, we’ll sum up the previous post with its title: don’t expect super(wo)man.
With that out of the way, let’s get on to the tips:
Give clear instructions and objectives
If we could train our VAs in telepathy, we would, but unfortunately, we haven’t found any training manuals to teach us to read clients’ minds. Until then, we’d like you to be clear with your instructions, goals, milestones, objectives, and the like.
If possible, give pegs or samples of output that we can take inspiration from – or even samples of previous work you’d like to improve on. To ensure timely submissions, give us timelines so we know which projects to prioritize. In a nutshell, anything that helps us understand your goals would be helpful.
In some cases, you might want your VA to repeat your instructions in her own words. This will help you gauge if you really are on the same page, and if she understands your instructions clearly.
One great way to make sure you’re all on the same page is by using some of the many tools available online. We tackled some of these tools in our series on virtual teams, so we won’t discuss them at length here. If you want a quick rundown, we favor Basecamp for project management, Skype for communication with clients, as well as Google Drive and Dropbox for file sharing and, in the case of Google Drive, online document and spreadsheet editing.
Tell us how we’re doing
Though it’s nice to know when we’re appreciated, we’re not just looking for praise and blurbs to include in our testimonials. In fact, we’d appreciate any feedback from you, both positive and negative.
Your compliments are nice, and they definitely make us feel proud – but they’re important because they tell us what we’re doing well. On the other hand, your criticism keeps our feet on the ground and helps us identify issues we need to address.
We only raised two main points here, because the key to making the most of our VA services is pretty simple. In a nutshell, the idea is to communicate with us. Your instructions and your feedback help us understand you and your business, and consequently, allows us to address (and maybe even anticipate) your needs quickly and efficiently.
Still, we can’t read your mind (we wish!), so if there’s anything you want or need, please tell us right away. If you’ll be away on holiday, or if you have particular preferences, inform your VA so she can adjust accordingly.
If you’ve gotten this far, we hope our little two-part primer helps you deal with your VA better and make the most of our services. Maybe you have your own tips for working with VAs too – if so, please leave a comment and share them with us too. With your help, maybe we can serve you better.
Tags: Basecamp, communication, Dropbox, feedback, Google Drive, objectives, online tools, Outsourcing, pepper, pepper virtual assistant, pepper virtual assistants, Skype, virtual assistant, virtual assistants
Posted in Outsourcing, Productivity Toolkit | 4 Comments »
January 15th, 2013
by Luis Cruz
 For many people, working with a virtual assistant, or VA for short, comes with a steep learning curve. Most people don’t know what to expect from their VAs, and are never quite sure how to work with them.
We’re not surprised by this, because just a few short years ago, the concept of a VA wasn’t even in most people’s minds. Even today, many people think of computer programs (like the iPhone’s Siri, for example) when they think of virtual assistants.
We hope you know better, and the fact that you’re reading this is a good sign. Put simply, we’re real people, and if you let us, we can do some real work for you and your business. Of course, you’re probably wondering how.
We’ll get to that very soon – with this post (plus another one to follow soon), we’ll give you a little primer on virtual assistants, and answer some questions you may have on your mind. What, for example, can you expect from your VA? More importantly, how can you make the most of our VA services?
Be clear on why you want a VA
What is it you need help with? Are you struggling to keep pace with the dual demands of your day job and your own business? Maybe you need to do a lot of research, and it’s eating up a lot of your time. Perhaps there are some aspects of your work that you simply don’t enjoy, like sifting through all the emails you receive every day, or managing your business’ different social media accounts.
If you want an idea of things we can do, you can check out this list of 11 tasks you can assign to a VA. That’s not all we do, of course, but if you’re new to dealing with VAs, this list is a good place to start. When you’re clear on what work you need help with, you make our job (which is to help you) that much easier. This brings us to our next point…
Don’t expect a jack (or jill) of all trades
It would be great to have a VA that can do anything and everything you ask, but you’d be hard pressed to find one person who can do that. We’re always looking for people like that, but until we do, we can offer the next best thing: a team of people with various skills.
Once you define the scope of the work you need (see how important the first point is?), we can assign you a VA with a set of skills best suited to your requirements. If necessary, we can provide training for some skills, like basic HTML, WordPress, or use of email marketing or CRM software. If you have custom or proprietary tools you’d like your VA to use, prepare to invest some time for training too.
The point is this: we want to do the best job possible for you, but that means that we have to equip ourselves with the right tools and skills first.
Expect an adjustment period
We covered training already, and this next point is related to that. Even after spending time training our VAs and equipping them with the right tools and skills, we still have to account for the different business requirements, work styles, quirks (yes, quirks) and other variables our clients bring to the table.
This means your VA needs to take a bit of time to learn about you, your business, and your projects – and more likely than not, you have to take some time to adjust to your VA. If you’re new to this whole sort of thing, you probably have to get used to simply having a VA in the first place. Our main point is that you should prepare yourself for a brief adjustment period. As your VA gets to know your business, your work style, and other things, you’ll find that she becomes more efficient. This leads to our next tip…
Make sure your VA understands your business
This is key to having her assist you better. If your VA understands your business’ goals as well as her current project’s objectives, she can deliver what you need, and maybe even make suggestions.
Don’t worry, unless your business is really that complicated, there’s no need for a lengthy presentation or a two-hour conversation. If you have brochures, a website, or any materials, you can send them over for your VA to review.
That covers the first part of our two-part primer on working with a virtual assistant. Our main point here, as the title suggests, is that your VA, despite everybody else raving about her efficiency and excellence, doesn’t have superpowers. She just works hard at her job, and calls on a fantastic support team when necessary. We can’t offer you superhuman VAs, but we think we have the next best thing.
Now that we’ve wrapped up here, we suggest you head over to the second part of our primer: Communicate! Before you do that though, please drop us a comment below, and tell us what you expect from your VAs.
Tags: adjustment, business, delegating tasks, delegation tips, expectations, goals, Outsourcing, pepper, pepper virtual assistants, series, training, VA, virtual assistant, virtual assistants
Posted in Outsourcing, Productivity Toolkit | 1 Comment »
September 12th, 2012
by Luis Cruz
 No matter how much you love writing, or doing any type of creative work for that matter, it doesn’t always come easy. It’s inevitable – there will be times when your creative juices simply don’t flow. What do you do then? We have a few ideas.
Just beat it
Sometimes the way to get your creative juices flowing is to simply force them to flow. How? We recently outlined a few tips on Beating Writer’s Block that might help you out.
Of course, sometimes the problem isn’t writer’s block, but rather, a lack of ideas. This is when it might be a good idea to put down your pen and paper or walk away from your computer. Just remember to follow our next tip.
Jot everything down
Ideas can pop into your head any time – in the shower, at the theater, during your daily commute, or even in your dreams. You don’t know if any of them will be good, but one thing we know for sure is that you won’t remember all of them when you finally sit down to write something. However, if you jot all your ideas down in a notebook you’re less likely to let your great ideas slip away.
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to a notebook. You can also use a tape recorder, loose scraps of paper (some great ideas have been sketched out on paper napkins), or anything handy. You can also take advantage of technology by typing notes on your phone or using a voice recording app.
Grab some shuteye
Have you been cranking away at your computer all night? Chances are your creative juices aren’t flowing very well now. Give your mind (and your body) a rest. After a nap, or better yet, a full night of sleep, you should be able to concentrate better and get into a creative groove. Of course, don’t forget to keep your notebook by your bed in case an idea pops up in your sleep.
Sweat it out
Sometimes, it isn’t lack of sleep that cramps your creativity, but stress. Try hitting the gym, going for a jog, shooting some hoops, or doing whatever you want to get a good sweat going. Physical exercise is a great way to combat stress. It can help you clear your mind, and it’s good for your body too.
Go for a swim
We’re not suggesting you jump in a pool (though that’s a good idea too – see the previous point). Instead, we suggest immersing yourself in your topic. If, for example, you write a blog for stay at home moms, try playing with your kids (or your nieces and nephews), or whipping up a meal for your family. When you’re immersed in something, there’s a good chance you can find inspiration for your writing.
Go elsewhere for inspiration
Immersion is one way to get some ideas, but another way is to get as far away as possible from what you’re writing about. You can follow our previous suggestions and try sweating it out or grabbing some shut eye, but you can also get out and do other things.
Do something that relaxes you. Try going for a drive (this usually works for me, but I wish I could bill clients for the gas), mowing your lawn, or even taking a shower. You can also try something stimulating, like watching a movie or TV show, browsing through magazines, listening to some music, or even surfing the net.
Whether you choose something relaxing or something stimulating, when you get back to your desk, you can look at your writing from a fresh perspective.
Read, read, read
We think reading is a good idea, whether or not you’re having trouble writing. When you read a lot, you get a sense of what works, and what doesn’t; in other words, just by reading a lot, you also become a better writer.
Reading can also inspire you to write yourself. Try reading a few passages from your favorite authors, and just maybe, some of their energy (and hopefully talent too) rubs off on you.
We can’t (and won’t) claim that this is an exhaustive list of ways to find inspiration, but we think we’ve covered a lot of ground here. Still, we’d like to know how you find inspiration when you’re running short on writing ideas. Please share some of your own tips, tricks, and suggestions with us by leaving a comment. We’re looking forward to your input.
Tags: exercise, immersion, inspiration, notes, sleep, writer's block
Posted in Productivity Toolkit | 7 Comments »
September 5th, 2012
by Luis Cruz
 Writer’s block sucks.
Whether you’re crafting a blog post, typing up an essay for school, preparing a report for work, drafting an email, or writing anything else, writer’s block sucks. Yes, it sucks so much it bears repeating.
Writing about how much writer’s block sucks (again) doesn’t really accomplish anything though, and as the title of this posts suggests, this isn’t about whining about it. Instead, this post is about working past the block, and finally get some words on paper (or on your screen).
Suck it up
Sometimes, the best way to beat writer’s block is to simply fight it head on. Ignore the editor in your head that corrects and criticizes everything you come up with, and just make sure you get some words and ideas out. Write words, phrases, sentences, or whole paragraphs. If you want, you can just write bullet points instead. The most important thing though, is that you keep writing without reading or reviewing what you just wrote. If you want, you can even switch off your monitor while you type (but needless to say, you have to be a touch typist to do this). When you finally have nothing left in your head, take a break, and when you go back to what you just wrote, only then do you let your inner editor loose.
Whether you call it free writing, stream of consciousness, or whatever fancy term, writing this way usually works if you have a waste basket full of crumpled balls of paper, or if you’re at your computer, you’ve typed something, deleted it, typed something else, deleted that, and kept repeating the cycle. The problem, in this case, is usually an overzealous inner editor; and the solution is to shut him (or her) up while you actually get some work done.
Map it out
The point of the previous exercise is to get ideas out of your head, but it does so in a fairly linear manner. Another way, called mindmapping, does it in a less structured, more convoluted, but still just as effective way.
Start with a blank piece of paper, write your topic in the middle, and draw a circle around it. Now jot down all the other ideas that come to mind. Write a few words or whip up some drawings – just get the thoughts out, and connect these with lines back to your main topic, or with the other ideas on your sheet.
As you jot your ideas down on paper, your sheet might start resembling a jumbled up spider’s web, the roots or branches of a tree, a wheel with several spokes, or anything else your mind can conjure. Keep going, and stop only when you’ve run completely out of ideas. By this time, you’ll probably have a pretty clear idea of what you want to write.
Switch it up
If you normally write on your computer, switch it off and grab a pen and some paper. If you have manual typewriter, you can also grab that instead. If you normally write longhand, try typing instead. The point is to disrupt your writing routine and force your brain to respond to new stimuli and challenges.
Another way you can switch things up is by altering your writing. If you can’t seem to get any momentum going with your blog post, draft some emails instead, or maybe, try writing a poem. If you normally write about a specific topic, like say, technology or finance, change topics and write something personal. Even if you don’t end up using what you just wrote, you can still get some ideas out, and get yourself into a writing mindset.
None of these tips involve getting too far away from your computer, your typewriter, or your pen and paper; we’re saving those tips for another post. On top of this, we’ve only shared three tips here, and we’re sure you have your own methods for beating the block. What are we trying to say? In a nutshell, we want you to chime in. Do you think our tips help? Do you have other methods that you think are more effective? Please tell us in the comments.
Tags: free writing, how to overcome writer's block, mind map, writer's block
Posted in Productivity Toolkit | 3 Comments »
July 3rd, 2012
by Pepper
Remember that scene in the Facebook movie The Social Network, where young Mark Zuckerberg blabbed about his bad breakup with his girlfriend online? He felt so bad and heartbroken, he even compared her to a farm animal. That was blogging back then—a whole new, different platform for nerds and geeks to write about different things, from discussions on astrophysics, to whether Moon and Avatar should be on the top 25 lists of the best sci-fi movies of all time.
However, blogging today has changed its face. It’s no longer just for people who hide behind their computer screens typing the day away. People who have a say on something, or who simply want to vent out their feelings over the Internet, can (and most probably already do) have a blog. In today’s digital world, you no longer need to have the talent of Shakespeare or Virginia Woolf—simply write about something relevant or timely, click “Publish,” and poof! Your masterpiece will be live for the whole world to see.
To start blogging, you must choose a blogging platform first. There are actually a lot of platforms available today: LiveJournal, TypePad, Tumblr—the list goes on. To narrow down your field of choices, we’re going to talk about the two most popular ones since blogging was invented: WordPress and Blogger.
Below is a comparison of Blogger’s and WordPress’s features:
Getting Started
Showdown: Truth is, if you choose WordPress, you’ve got to have technical skills as it usually takes hours to figure out. On the upside, the site is definitely straightforward with all the controls it grants to you, although beginners may find all the different tabs and choices it presents a bit overwhelming.
Blogger, on the other hand, is a whole lot easier to navigate and was built with non-geeks in mind. You only need a couple of minutes to achieve inside-out familiarity with it. Moreover, its interface is built with great simplicity to make it easier for you to post updates on your blog.
Winner: Blogger
Privacy and Content
Showdown: Blogger is a free service, and is hosted by Google, no less. Unfortunately, that also means the search engine giant has a say in the kinds of content you get to post. If you’ve taken the time to read through their Terms of Service, you’ll find that Google can remove or refuse to publish your content anytime and for any reason they see fit. Moreover, Google can also use, host, store, reproduce, modify, publish, publicly display and distribute the content Blogger users post—not a very reassuring thought in terms of privacy.
Meanwhile on WordPress, you’re the only one who’s entirely in control of your blog and the types of content you put in it. The fact that your blog and its contents cannot be deleted without your permission is also a big plus to bloggers looking to exercise their right to free speech and creative expression.
Winner: WordPress
SEO and Advertising
Showdown: Both Blogger and WordPress give you the ability to easily handle and track advertising results. However, when you’re on Blogger, indexing your blog pages only takes 24 hours. Why? Google owns Blogger. ‘Nuff said.
Unfortunately, WordPress bloggers don’t get the same royal treatment from Google, which indexes WordPress pages within 4 weeks. So if you’re all excited and thrilled about getting your ranks up with SEO and advertising, then WordPress may not be the platform for you.
Winner: Blogger
What you must understand is that Blogger and WordPress have their own strengths and imperfections. Most people say that Blogger is for the novices of blogging while WordPress is made for pros.
Whatever blogging platform you choose for your blog, be sure to make the best out of it. In the end, it doesn’t really matter whether your blog is easily indexed in Google, or if it allows you to explore different site management features; it’s all about content. Nobody likes to read nonsense.
Let your blog be your voice. Provide relevant information, and when you see interesting results, it’s up to you to decide which platform best suits your needs.
Tags: blog, blogger, blogging, blogging platforms, pepper, wordpress
Posted in Business and Marketing | 6 Comments »
March 8th, 2012
by Maan Laxa
To keep up nowadays, it’s safe to say that having a blog is a must for every business. Not only does a blog make you stand out from a sea of competitors, it also establishes you as an expert in your field. It’s no wonder why business owners invest a lot of time and money into making the perfect blog.
But no matter how awesome your web design is, or how convincing your words are, it won’t really matter if you have no readers. People will need to know you have a blog in the first place. How? Here are 5 simple steps:
Be a social butterfly with Social Media websites
Thanks to social media websites, introducing yourself to the online market is now a no-brainer. All you have to do is create profiles on these websites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus) and reach out to the community.
- Make sure you place your blog URL in your profiles.
- Link your blog to your profile so that whenever you publish new content on your blog, it also shows up on your updates.
- Post regular updates, share relevant bits of information, join groups, and interact with people. Being active and visible keeps you on people’s minds.
Immerse yourself in Forums and other Blogs
Still having trouble directing traffic to your blog despite fluttering around social media sites? The solution is simple, albeit philosophical: if the mountain does not come to you, you must come to the mountain.
Whatever your niche is, finding a forum devoted to it shouldn’t be too difficult.
- Sign up and interact.
- Establish yourself as someone who can be trusted by sharing valuable information.
- Remember to include your blog URL on your profile and signature so that they know where to find you.
- But be careful not to sound too promotional as you can get penalized.
Spend some time searching for blogs in your niche as well, and you can find your target market in the comments section. Comment on the most recent blog posts, but follow the same rules given above: share relevant information, and avoid sounding promotional.
Make your blog come to life with Video Marketing
Video marketing is a relatively new addition to the online marketing cast. However, videos attract more attention because they use audio-visual elements and engage more of your senses. For your next post, instead of writing a blog, create a “vlog” or a video blog.
- Be as interactive as you can by addressing your viewers directly.
- Speak animatedly and avoid sounding as if you’re reading from a script.
- Make your video even more interesting by adding effects. Just be careful not to overdo it.
- Also, inject some humor to keep your audience engaged.
- Upload your awesome video on video sharing websites such as Youtube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and Metacafe. Share the links on your social media profiles, and even on your forum posts and comments.
Share what you know on Social Bookmarking sites
Visibility is, of course, your primary goal when promoting your blog. One way to get visible is to tap the power of social bookmarking sites. Joining these websites will also widen your network and provide you with good ideas for your next blog post.
- Register in high-traffic social bookmarking sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, and Del.icio.us.
- Get used to the site and pay attention to the content that gets the highest votes.
- Based on what you observed, submit content that will likely get a good number of votes. Instead of submitting each and every one of your articles, only choose the best ones.
- Most importantly, don’t be selfish. Read other people’s entries, make comments, vote on good content, and share.
Blog like a boss with brilliant Content
Some bloggers make the mistake of “slowing down” on high-quality content once they’ve already established themselves on the web. What they don’t know is that they lose readers in the process, and once you lose them, you’re back to step one. Don’t commit the same mistake. It may seem like hard work but you really have to be committed to your blog.
- To gain readers and keep them, post on your blog regularly. If you can’t do it daily, try to write at least twice weekly.
- Write about relevant and fresh topics that will stir your readers’ interests.
- Always aim to be of service to your readers by publishing helpful and valuable content.
- Lastly, keep a list of topics handy so that you won’t fall victim to writer’s block.
We hope these tips help you drive traffic to your blog, but remember than in the end, readers won’t stay unless you have good content. Promotion and good design get you noticed, but the only way to keep your readers is by giving them something worthy of their time.
Tags: blogging, Blogs, forums, social bookmarking, social media
Posted in Business and Marketing | 18 Comments »
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