Ash Buckles

So I’ve been busy this month get my new blog, Reasons To Blog, released and promoted and I’ve neglected to update you on my Google listing status for my keyword, Ash.

It’s been nearly a month since my last update and I haven’t done much to continue to promote my site for the keyword Ash so there hasn’t been a lot of movement either. About a week ago I noticed my listing showing at #88 and then a few days later at #82. Today I’m showing at #102 which is still better than my last position of #108. It will continue to rise and I’m not too worried about it. Overall my traffic is beginning to return as well with much of my new traffic coming from *cough* Twitter *cough*.

Keep up with my quest to get to page one on Google for my keyword Ash by following each of my updates.

Shameless plug: I’m speaking at WordCamp Utah in 10 days. Get registered.

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I was turned on to Natasha’s website, blog, eBay store, etsy store and twitter feed about two weeks ago and I fell in love with her work. I’ve shared her site with a few people and even gathered a few ideas for Christmas presents.

Mostly, I’m impressed with her talent and her ability to take it online through so many social sites and avenues to find an audience.

Here’s some of her work. Go support her.

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How your users view and read web pages can make a huge difference in your success in stepping your users through to the next page, form, shopping cart or whatever desired result.

Several usability tests have been performed over the years and simply reading about usability will open your eyes but testing is the best way to find the most success for your audience and product.

If you haven’t seen heat maps you’ll be surprised to see how well these visualize wear your users eyes are focusing on your web pages. Once you’ve tested your pages you can place your messages, buttons, links and call-to-action in the most appropriate places for the highest success rate.

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UPDATE: Minimum bid has been dropped.

Stephanie and Christian Nielson were involved in a horrific plane crash and are in critical care with burns covering most of their bodies. Their four children are being placed with family as they begin their long recover and everyone is making do the best they can. Follow along here.

We participated in a balloon launch last week to raise money and launch balloons (a Nienie family tradition) so we could take pictures for Nienie and Christian’s hospital rooms. We want them to see how much they’re thought about while they recover.

The blog world has now opened a ton of auctions to further raise money and continue to spread their story. See what my wife is donating along with 165+ other auctions that close at various times during the next couple of days.

I am donating the following:

SEO for Wordpress Package

• I will perform the following:
  • Install plugins to your Wordpress blog/site for SEO purposes
  • Properly setup each plugin
  • Email you (one-time) links to the best SEO resources and share a few little known secrets about SEO
  • Impart over 10 years of SEO wisdom to your blog/site
  • Tell random strangers about you on my blog including a free link; this is good for SEO, but shhh, don’t tell anyone
  • Twitter, to more random strangers, about my blog post about you
  • I’ll even mention you on my new blog; another free link
  • Make you feel better about yourself for donating to such a worthy cause
  • Eat Red Vines in your honor

Rules:

• This is only available for Wordpress
• Bid in $1 increments and be generous
• Auction closes Sunday, August 31 at 12 midnight MDT
• I will not teach you SEO in person or on the phone
• I will not be your SEO consultant
• Publish your bid in the comment below (name and email required)
• Highest bidder wins!

* At the end of the auction, I will post the bid and the winner. If you are the winning bidder, I will then direct you to donate to Stephanie and Christian’s paypal account and ask for a receipt by email.

Please repost, retweet, pass along, tell your network, email your friends and call your mom. Nienie’s family needs your help and I don’t like to work for free; unless it’s for Nienie, whom I’ve never met and know very little about.

Thanks to Design Mom and all the bloggers getting involved.

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My new blog launched this week, called Reasons to Blog, with the purpose of showcasing successful blogs, videos, viral marketing campaigns, social media networking and more.

I’m constantly discussing the purpose of blogging, with most people misunderstanding it and wondering why anyone would want to waste their time writing about stuff that tons of other people are already writing about. The purpose is to find an audience and speak to them. Hopefully with greater success than by other means and possible just because you’ve captured their attention long enough to convince them about your message.

I’ve struggled to keep a record of all the successful campaigns and this new blog is meant to fix that problem.

If you know of a successful story that hasn’t been discussed, please submit your story.

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