May 10, 2014

Hi there! This week, Amazon rolled out the ability to add an item to your Amazon cart right from Twitter, simply by replying to any tweet with #AmazonCart. That could be dangerous for people like me. Also, I want to improve my memorization skills so I'm fixin' to try this handy method. Lastly, I'd love to be able to travel around the world for $418 like this super-d-duper travel hacker. Because as my 6 year old would say, "That's epic!" That is pretty epic.

1. An easy way to create a call to action & connect with your readers

Whether it's signing up for your email list or selling an ebook, you probably have a call to action or two on your site. But sometimes it's hard to know how to craft them well. Ask your readers to fill in the blanks about your niche: "I want to ____" or "I wish someone would ____" or "If only there was ___"? Joanna Wiebe explains how to use these questions to create calls to action in her post “Proof of Heaven”, Propaganda and Feeding Your Audience Exactly the Meal They Asked For.

2. Another place to get free photos for your blog & projects

A popular question I get is this: Can I use photos I find online in my posts? Generally the answer is no (read my post here). However, there are a few places you can find free images. Smashing Mag alerted me to a site called Public Domain Archive run by Matt Hobbs. These images are all in the public domain, meaning you can use them as you like, no attribution required.

3. If you're not listening to podcasts, you're missing out. Here's how to find them...

I love listening to podcasts. Two of my new favorites are Steve Chou's My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast and Jim Wang's Microblogger Podcast. One of the main complaints I hear about podcasts though, is not being able to find good ones. Check out the Top 400 Podcasts in iTunes by Category tool from Regan Starr. It makes finding new ones a cinch. (Thanks to Cliff Ravenscraft from The Podcast Answer Man for the tip!)

4. How to find out which Facebook posts people like most

We all know Facebook reach has plummeted lately, so all the more reason to concentrate on engaging your fans well. Lisa Toner shows you how to find the content your fans like the most (see #2). In a nutshell, export your Facebook Insights as a spreadsheet, paste it into something like Excel or Open Office or LibreOffice (both are free and similar to Microsoft Office), find the "Lifetime Talking About This" column and sort it in descending order (or from Z to A). Post more like the ones at the top of the list.

5. Crossed off my to-do list this week...

I've heard from some readers that Bluehost's upfront cost to get started (about $100) is a bit prohibitive. So, I posted another full-length tutorial that outlines a cheaper alternative, with a discount code. Woot! Read A Cheaper Way to Start a Blog here and share it with others if you think it would be helpful. (Thanks!)

Popular: How to Start a Blog (in 15 Minutes or Less).

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Have a wonderful weekend,

Amy

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