How to Set Up Google Alerts to Monitor the Web for Interesting New Information

Results of Google search for Google Alerts
January 31, 2013
Filed Under Google Tutorials
2 comments

Google Alerts Will Monitor the Web for You

What Are Google Alerts?

Use Google — and Google it! Here are the results I got today (30 January 2013). Note: these aren’t clickable links. You’ll have to do this in your own browser. Search for “Google alerts” for these results; use the links to explore. Directions follow below this image.

Results of Google search for Google Alerts

Results of Google search for “Google Alerts”

 

Create Google Alerts to Monitor the Web and Get Email Updates

Here’s a link to the page at Google where you can learn about alerts and follow their very clear directions about how to set them up.

http://support.google.com/alerts/answer/175925?hl=en

 

First, log in to Google (using your Google email address as username and your password).

Next, go to the Google Alerts home page. http://www.google.com/alerts

This is what it will look like:

Google Alerts page for set up

After you log in to Google, this is the page where you set up Google Alerts.

 

Set up a search query for your name, the title(s) of any book(s) you have written, and/or any of your core keyword phrases you’d like to monitor the web for. (For example, I monitor the web for mentions of “social media marketing” and “social media for small local business”. I get a daily digest via email.)

That’s it. Just follow the on-screen directions to choose how many results you want to get and how often you want to get them.

Give me an email shout out if this isn’t clear or you get stuck at any point.

Regards,

Kate L Williams
kate at socialbizlocalbiz dot com

Kate L Williams, Social Biz Local Biz

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

Getting Started with Kindle E-Books: Some Early Tips for Newbies

Tips for Getting Started with Kindle E-Books for Social Biz Starters

Kindle E-Book Get StartedI’ve been working with a couple of clients to get their first Kindle e-books uploaded and published. And now that we’ve been at it for a few days, I can see there is some information you need to know before you start typing your new Kindle book into your word processor. So here’s a quick dash off for you (to be followed with some more in-depth step-by-step tutorials and some guidelines for marketing your Kindle books (or using Kindle books to in your marketing funnel).

Formatting Your Kindle E-Book

You may be used to a pretty straight forward process for creating e-books by using Word to create and format your document and then saving as a PDF for uploading to your website so that you can give it away or sell it.

To create a Word document as the first step in publishing your Kindle e-book, it’s good to know (before you start) the following:

1. How to structure your e-book: Create the body of your book first, starting on a new page for each new section and chapter of your book. Do this to make the pagination work no matter how your book pages are formatted during the upload process and no matter what size screen your reader uses to read your Kindle book.

Add a page at the beginning for your Table of Contents and then hyperlink the chapter headings in the TOC.

Do not use headers and/or footers in your Word document. They won’t “translate” as you save and convert your Word document before you upload to Kindle.

2. How to handle images: Images in Kindle have to be placed on their own “line”. Text will not wrap around an image the way it does in Word (or in your blog posts). Insert your images and center them.

Tables don’t “translate” either, so tables need to be turned into images and then inserted into your document (centered and on their own line).

I’ll go into more detail about book covers for Kindle books in another post this week.

3. How to save your Word document: Save as a Word document as a back-up copy and then — save as a web page (HTML). Here’s how:

Your next step, once you get your document ready to go is to save it as a “Web Page, Filtered”. Go to “Save As” and click on “Other Formats”. Then choose “Web Page, Filtered” from the drop down menu for the “Save as Type”.

4. How to convert your file to the right format for Kindle: Use Calibre or MobiPocket Creator software to convert the file to .mobi format. Check them out and “try before you buy”.

As I said, just a quick dash off on the fly while I’m working through this process for a couple of clients this week. Look for more tips and tutorials coming up this week during Kindle Week for Social Biz Starters. :-D

Enhanced by Zemanta

Your WordPress Web Site Security: Don’t Let the Internet “Bad Guys” Break In and Make a Mess

Protect your WordPress web siteI’m worried about the security of my WordPress web sites. And worried about yours, too.

Now that I’ve been working online for a few years and I’ve helped clients develop a lot of blog and social media marketing content, I’ve seen a few “near misses” and a couple of disasters. Internet “bad guys” have found vulnerable places where my sites (and maybe yours) are open to intrusion.

If you are a subscriber you’ve heard my nervous warnings before because I’ve sent out emails to my lists recently. I want you all to have the opportunity to learn what I have and take action to protect your web sites from brute force intrusion–or the vulnerabilities of “known exploits”.  Too much jargon? Too much techie stuff on your To Do list?

I hope you don’t feel we’re bothering you about this web site security stuff. It’s just that I’m so nervous about mine–and my clients’ WordPress web sites that I want us all to follow up on the lead Daryl Lozupone (Renegade Tech Consulting) is providing us to secure our web sites. (We do seem to have quite a few! LOL)

Two Kinds of Web Site Attacks and Intrusions

In Daryl Lozupone’s recent article and checklist addressing WordPress web site security, he describes two sorts of ways hackers might gain unauthorized access to a website:

1. Brute Force

“The most common brute force attack is implemented through multiple attempts to login to your site.” (WordPress Beginners Security Checklist)

Here’s a screenshot showing multiple attempts at a test site: (Click on the image to view in full screen. Use back arrow in browser to return to this screen.)

WordPress Login Log

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hint : One way to prevent this particular kind of attack and intrusion is to get rid of the Admin user account created by WordPress when WordPress is installed. See screenshot below.

WordPress Dashboard Users Screen

 

 

 

 

 

2. Using Known Exploits

“These are far more complex and typically require more skill to implement. The basic idea is that there are known security vulnerabilities for different versions of web software, including WordPress. If the website assailant can determine what version of WordPress you are using, he can then apply exploits known for that version in an attempt to gain access to your blog.” (WordPress Beginners Security Checklist. Free from Renegade Tech Consulting. Link below in P.S.)

Two “Coming Up Quick” Opportunities to Prevent Web Site Intrusions

TODAY: A short, information rich free LIVE webinar. (THIS WEBINAR IS PAST. Hope you didn’t miss it. But, if you did, make sure to pick up your checklist (link below).
4 pm PST / 7 pm EST
Register here: http://socialbizstart.com/events/wordpress-security-webinar/

FRIDAY, January 27: A Social Biz Start INTENSIVE (paid) workshop

Starts 8 am PST / 11 am EST
6 hours of instruction, work periods with one-on-one coaching, Q & A sessions. BONUS: follow up office hours with Daryl Lozupone.
Get it done on the day and spend the weekend (and forever) with the peace of mind you need about your Word Press web site’s security.
More info here: http://socialbizstart.com/wordpress-security-intensive/


So why should you care? Here’s the email I sent last week:

Has your web site had any “bad guys” hanging around? Looking for a way in?
Is there any chance someone could get in and “mess up” your hard work and content?

Or, have you taken care of it?

Is your WordPress site snug and secure now? No worries that the Internet bad guys will stroll into your web neighborhood looking for a “fun” break in opportunity or a chance to use your site as a “free ride” to promote their own site?

If your WordPress web site security system is on your To Do List and likely to stay there for too long while you’re busy running your business and making some money, you’ll be thrilled that we have a Renegade Tech Intensive training coming up:

http://socialbizstart.com/wordpress-security-intensive/

We’ve had enough clients with recent “mishaps” to know that many of you are unprepared. You don’t have a web site security system or a disaster recovery plan. You need to put locks on your doors and bars on your windows. You need to have a disaster recovery plan or you’re in danger of losing all your hard work and valuable content.

Don’t let your WordPress web site remain an easy opportunity. Come along to the WordPress Web Site Security INTENSIVE and “get it done” during the training session. (No more lists of things “to do”, just a list of DONE!)

http://socialbizstart.com/wordpress-security-intensive/

Learn what to do and how to do it–and GET IT DONE during the training!

Wishing you peace of mind,

Daryl Lozupone & Kate Williams
www.SocialBizStart.com

P.S. If you haven’t got your copy of the WordPress Beginners’ Security Checklist yet, here’s the link: http://www.renegadetechconsulting.com/wordpress-beginners-security-checklist

5 Ways to Get More People on Your Email Marketing List

Don’t Leave Money on the TableDon't lose money; don't leave money on the table.

If you’re not building a list, then you’re leaving money on the table. However, you’re also letting a lot of money slip through your fingers if too many of your visitors are leaving your site without joining your list. Here are five ways to get more people to subscribe to your newsletter/email marketing list…

1. Write a Squeeze Page

You can’t just put up the words “free newsletter,” post your subscription form and expect a rush of new subscriptions.

Instead, you need to create a squeeze page, which is a sales letter for your newsletter. This page should include the usual parts of a sales letter such as the headline, the bulleted benefit list and a strong call to action.

Here are two additional tips:

  • Answer the “what’s in it for me” question. From the second your reader lands on your squeeze page, he’s going to wonder, “what’s in it for me?” Your headline should answer that question by promising a big benefit. And every line of your copy should continue answering that question until your prospect is convinced he needs to join your list.
  • Make it reader-oriented. Your letter should use the word “you” as much as possible (otherwise the reader will lose interest). If you have statements that include the word “I,” see if you can rewrite them using the word “you.”

Example: “I’ll show you how to train your dog.”

Rewritten: “You’ll discover how to train your dog.”

2. Offer a Freebie

Yes, your newsletter is free. But you need to offer a little extra bonus to entice subscribers to join now.

This extra bonus might be something like:

  • A free report or ebook.
  • A free multi-part ecourse delivered by autoresponder. (This is one of the best freebies, because it trains your subscribers to read your emails!)
  • Free access to a membership site.
  • Free access to teleseminar.
  • Free audio recordings.
  • Free video.
  • Free software.
  • Or other free tools or resources.

3. Provide Proof

Your prospects don’t believe you. And if they don’t believe you, they’ll guard their email addresses and click the back button. That’s why you should include proof such as endorsements, testimonials, screenshots, video, pictures and other evidence that your claims are true.

Examples:

• You might provide “before” and “after” pictures on a bodybuilding site.
• Or you might provide video proof of your Clickbank account to show that you know what you’re talking about in terms of affiliate marketing.

4. Arouse Curiosity

One of the best ways to boost your conversion rate is by arousing your prospect’s curiosity about your newsletter and/or your freebie. You can do this in your headline as well as in your list of benefits.

Examples:

• “Discover a sales letter trick that doubles your conversion rate overnight – see page 18 to learn this surprisingly simple trick!”

• Or “You’ll find out what five words you can say to a marketer that will virtually guarantee he’ll agree to your joint venture!”

5. List Your Privacy Policy

Finally, you should include a link to your privacy policy on your newsletter subscription page. Most people won’t read it. But it can boost your conversion rate for among those individuals who are concerned about how you’ll use their contact details. Be sure to let subscribers know you won’t trade, sell or otherwise share their information.

Congratulations – you now know five ways to get more people to join your list. Naturally, just knowing these tips won’t grow your list.

So start applying them today, because the sooner you do, the sooner you can reap the rewards!

Related articles

10 Ways That Work to Get More People on Your Marketing List

There’s a fortune that lays hidden in your mailing list. And…

The bigger your list, the bigger fortune for you to tap.

That’s why these 10 tips for getting more subscribers are almost as good as money in the bank…

    1.   Include a call to action at the end of your blog posts.

Let your visitors know that if they like your blog posts, they’ll love your newsletter content. That’s because you save some of your best niche tips, tricks and secrets for subscribers.

To get more subscribers, include a link to your landing page at the bottom of your posts, along with a reason to click on that link.

Example: Discover 101 more weight loss tricks for free – click here!

    2.   Encourage a viral effect.

You can get more subscribers simply by including a note at the bottom of every newsletter where you encourage your existing subscribers to forward your email to their friends, family and colleagues who could benefit from the information.

Example: “Do you know someone else who could benefit from these dog training secrets? Please forward this email to them – they’ll thank you for it!”

    3.   Use your forum signature file to get new subscribers.

If you’re visiting busy niche forums, include an ad and a call to action in your forum signature.

Example: “Free report reveals the health secrets your doctor doesn’t want you to know! Click here to claim your copy now…”

    4.   Point your Twitter followers to a free report.

You can use Twitter.com as well as other social media sites (like Facebook.com) to grow your list. Simply point your fans and followers towards your squeeze page to pick up a free report. Include this link on your profile page as well as in some of your posts (“tweets”).

    5.   Embed your links in your products.

Sometimes people share your digital products with their friends. Sometimes they give away or sell pirated copies of your product. Either way, you can benefit from this if you include links to your squeeze page in your paid products.

    6.   Drive traffic to your landing page using videos.

You can create YouTube.com videos for the sole purpose of driving traffic to your newsletter sign up page. To get the best results, include a call to action at the end of your video where you promise viewers they can get the second part of the video – for free – when they join your list.

    7.   Tap into Squidoo to get new subscribers.

Create Squidoo.com pages around niche topics with the purpose of driving visitors

to your landing page. In other words, all your Squidoo links should point to your squeeze page.

    8.   Co-promote with others in your niche.

Here you can swap endorsements with your partners. You can post your endorsements on your respective blogs as well as in your newsletters.

    9.   Unleash the power of content marketing.

First create a multi-part article series around a niche topic. Then upload Part 1 to the article directories (such as EzineArticles.com, GoArticles.com and IdeaMarketers.com) and upload the rest of the series to your autoresponder. Use your article byline to encourage people to get Part 2 of the article by clicking through to your squeeze page.

    10.       Form a newsletter co-op.

Do a co-registration deal with one or more people in your niche. That is, when a prospect is joining your partner’s newsletter, they also get the option of joining your newsletter at the same time (simply by checking a checkbox).

Summary

You can use each of these ten methods to get dozens, hundreds or even thousands of new subscribers. Just imagine how big your list will be once you apply all these methods!

Choosing A WordPress Theme for Your Website

What is a WordPress Theme?

A WordPress theme is the web design element added  to create the design and functionality of your website (without changing the structure of the basic WordPress framework). I love the analogy provided by John Haydon:

A WordPress theme is your superhero clothing. Your WordPress Pages, Posts, Permalinks and other basic structural elements are the arms, torso and legs of your superhero. The theme is the cape, lariat, boots and gloves.

When Do You Choose a WordPress Theme?

When you are ready to set up a web site with a blog as your business marketing hub, there are 7 main steps: (and we’ll discuss each step in a separate post. Stay tuned.)

1. Choose and register a domain name.

2. Set up your hosting account.

3. Update the nameservers.

4. Install WordPress.

5. Choose a WordPress theme.

6.  Make a list of first few blog post topics and get started on them.

7. Customize WordPress (activate theme, change permalink structure, plugins, categories)

In this post we’re going to address how to choose a WordPress theme because it’s a question that came up in our November Q & A session.

Where to Choose a WordPress Theme

To get off to a quick start, we recommend choosing a free WordPress theme from the WordPress Free Theme Directory at http://www.wordpress.org/extend/themes  because:

  • It’s the one-stop-shop of theme shopping. You’ll find a huge selection under one “roof”.
  •  It’s easy to pick a theme that you know has been recently updated (which means it’s compatible with recent changes to WordPress).
  • You can quickly choose a theme that you can live with for a year while you concentrate on developing and posting content on your site rather than spending a lot of time choosing a theme.

It’s  more difficult to pick a free theme from other sites because unlike shopping at the superstore (e.g. the WordPress Free Theme Directory), you’ll be shopping the small boutiques which means searching and browsing different websites.

Your choice is: shop where there’s a huge selection of different brands/models of a particular item, or go to a small shop that only carries two or three. When just getting started, it is better to go to the superstore to get a better idea of just what is out there.

Free  WordPress Theme VS. Premium Paid Theme

The disadvantage of choosing a free theme initially is that free themes are seldom as flexible or customizable as you’ll want your theme to be in the long run.

Ifyou decide to opt for a premium (paid) theme, we recommend the following WordPress theme providers:

1. Woo Themes

2. Thesis

3.  iThemes

4. Headway

Criteria to Use When Choosing a WordPress Theme

1. Color doesn’t matter, but layout is important. Make sure you check out the layout of various kinds of pages and make that how the elements are laid out on the page and how people get from one page to another (navigation) “works”.

2. The type of content you will be presenting and the basic look and feel need to match. For example, business sites often have a geometric look while artistic sites vary from stark black and white presentation of photo galleries to asymmetrical layouts of “exploding” artwork.

Lorelle has a post that sums it up like this:

Think about your content subject and what first impression you want your viewers to have when they visit your site. Match the look and feel of the site with the content and viewers will quickly “get the picture” of what information can be found on this site.

Resources on the Web

Getting Started with Facebook for Your Business

Originally posted by Kate Williams at SocialBizLocalBiz.com

Your Social Biz and Facebook

Facebook has over 500 million members (as of this writing 10/2010). It’s not only a great place to connect with family and friends, it’s a “destination” networking site for people to share information and engage with companies and brands. Think of Facebook as the temporary apartment you move to in the same neighborhood where you are building a house (your WordPress blog). And when your house/blog becomes the central hub for your marketing, Facebook shifts to become an “outpost” or “embassy” in your marketing world.

“Facebook is a platform, a medium, and a killer app. It’s contagious, infectious, and viral–but in the best meaning of those words.” –Elliot Schrage, Facebook.com

CAUTION: Facebook might not be yours forever.

Facebook is a tool. Use it to attract people and connect with people, but always direct people to your own web site.

You can’t trust that Facebook is “forever”. What if your Facebook account is banned (it happens)? What if your account disappears (for days or weeks–it has happened). Your own web site is the only web real estate that is your own. Don’t run the risk of being stranded and permanently separated from your network.

Start with a Facebook Profile

Your Facebook profile is where all your social networking begins. You present yourself with your own unique profile. A Facebook profile is meant for individuals only. When you sign up for a Facebook account, your profile is automatically created. Your profile is never shared with another person and no business or other entity should have a profile.

You can’t do anything else at Facebook–join groups, manage a business page, promote events, etc.–without setting up a Facebook account as a first step.

To get started at Facebook:

  1. create an account;
  2. start to add a variety of content to your Facebook profile: your picture, information at your Info tab, photos, videos, and frequent posts to your Wall;
  3. find new people to connect with; and
  4. engage people in conversation.

Create a Facebook personal profile and later add a Facebook Page for your business. Use your Facebook profile to connect with friends and practice interacting online with your “warm market”. Add new contacts (Facebook friends) and learn how to engage them in conversation.

The primary business purpose of developing a Facebook profile is to attract people and get them interested enough to visit your web site. Share information and showcase your expertise. Show up as authentically and uniquely you. Find ways to get into conversation with people, on your Wall, through private messaging and eventually using Skype or the telephone to have a conversation.

10 Steps to Set Up Your Facebook Business Page

The video walks you through setting up a Facebook Page (used to be called Fan Page) for your business. The link below the video is a link to a step-by-step guide to the ten steps you can print out.

Click here for your PDF document: Set Up and Use a Facebook Page for Your Business

A Facebook Page is for Business

Facebook pages used to be called fan pages and they were created by Facebook to give businesses a space so they wouldn’t create profiles, which Facebook reserves for individual people.

Keep your profile personal and create a page for your business.

Facebook pages are indexed by Google and they are public. If someone searches for your business or for the search terms/keywords that you use on your Facebook business page, your page will show up in Google search results.

Set up and fill out a Facebook page with an appropriate page name, your logo as the photo for the page and business information. Sprinkle with your business keywords/search terms. Add some content (posts to your Wall, video, photos, etc.). Then, promote your page and engage your customers and fans/friends (people will “like” your page in current Facebook language).

Make your Facebook business page work together with your personal profile to raise “brand awareness.” Brand Awareness= who you are; your passions and interests; your values and strengths; and how your strengths, interests and passions express themselves in your business.

To your great social success,

Kate L Williams, Social Biz Local BizKate L Williams

P.S. If you like this post, please share it with others…

P.P.S. …and “Like” us at Facebook — Social Biz Local Biz–Kate L Williams

Related articles by Zemanta
 

Subscribe to Social Biz Start for How-To, Tips & Tools

Subscribe

Social Biz Quick Start

Click the green "Order Now" button toStart Your 30-Day $1.00 Trial Now!

Join Us

Social Biz Start Info & Training Categories

Training & Resources from Partners

Social Media Tools

Ad Square

Contact Social Biz Start

Email: support@socialbizstart.com
Web: Contact Us

Let’s Get Social!