TylerCruz.com: An Internet Entrepreneur's JourneyThe journal of a web entrepreneur on his journey to wealth.

Blog Updates – August 2008

It’s been three months since I last gave an update on what’s new with my blog, so here is a list of the changes and improvements I’ve made during the past 3 months. In my Blog Update posts, I list any notable improvements, modifications, or milestones related to my blog such as new plugins installed, design changes, or new features.

I only list things here that I haven’t already announced or touched on in other posts.

You may wonder why I make these Blog Update posts, where I mention very small or seemingly unimportant improvements and modifications. Well, while they may not seem too notable by themselves, over time these small things can (and do) make a big impact. The key is to keep looking over your blog or site with a very critical eye and to constantly try improving it.

By simply making small improvements here and there, my blog has evolved by leaps and bounds since it’s genesis three years ago. So, maybe you’ll pick up an idea or two by reading my blog updates. Feel free to search for my past Blog Update posts to get even more ideas.

General Updates

Added Newsletter Subscription

I decided to stop being stubborn and finally added a newsletter subscription to my blog which you can find on the right side of my blog, right below the RSS feed area.

By signing up, you’ll get sent an e-mail around twice each month with a snippet of my latest 10 blog posts. I also plan on using the newsletter to keep subscribers informed about upcoming contests and other news. It’s a good way to get alerted when I launch a new contest.

I’m using the e-mail list management service AWeber for the newsletter, as I’ve only heard great things about it. I prepaid for a year in advance. Starting at only $19/month, it’s fairly affordable. AWeber is very popular because they are an extremely whitehat company – all e-mail list subscriptions must be confirmed and opted-in, and they have a zero-tolerance policy for using the services for spamming of any kind.

I currently have 9 newsletter subscribers, but hope for that to grow soon. It’s really a good way to stay in touch for special notices pertaining to my blog such as contests or big news.

Site Search Moved

Due to the addition of the newsletter area on the right-hand side, I moved the site search section to the left column. It’s now higher than it was previously, and works out great.

About Me Page Revamped

My About page was starting to get outdated, and I noticed it could have been written better, so today I spent a couple hours rewriting and updating the majority of it.

I also removed the old photos of myself and added new ones. I’ve done a number of interviews in the past and kept wondering why and how everyone kept using the same old photo of me from back around 2005 or 2006. Then I was told it was because it was on my About page…

I sometimes forget just how many people read the About page and how important it can be to keep it updated, hence my update 🙂

WordPress & Plugin Updates

Kimili Flash Embed Plugin Added

When I first started playing around with Camtasia Studio to make screencasts for some of my affiliate marketing tutorials and introductions, I was going to originally put the actual Flash video in my posts.

I opted against this later on, realizing just how much bandwidth it would eat up. In order to get Flash to display in posts, I found and installed the Kimili Flash Embed v1.4.2 plugin, after countless hours of research and trial and error. 

While I’m not using it right now, I’m sure it will come useful again sometime in the future.

MaxBlogPress Favicon Plugin Added

I installed the MaxBlogPress Favicon v2.0.2 plugin a while back. Adding a Favicon is as simple as uploading the favicon.ico file to your web root directory, but this plugin goes a bit further, making sure that it loads and displays properly in multiple browsers and in RSS readers.

I then took the opportunity to replace my old favicon, which had my real face on it, with an updated one of my mascot/cartoon head.

Upgraded WordPress from 2.5.1 to 2.6

WordPress 2.6 came, nicknamed “Tyner” was released on on July 15th, so I upgraded to that.

Advertising Updates

120×600 Skyscraper Banner Added

I added a 120×600 skyscraper banner to the lower right side of my blog. It’s currently sold out at $100/month, but will be available on September 3rd if anyone is interested in prepaying for and grabbing it now.

It’s the height of nearly 5 125×125 banners, but for half the price. However, it is located a fair ways down the page.

Advertising Page Updated

I made a small update to my advertising page, adding a section for the newly added 120×600 banner and purchase information for the Peel Away Ad which should have been added a long time ago.

Embedded 300×250 Banner Price Increased

I increased the price of my Embedded 300×250 Banner from $325 to $350 a while ago, and then more recently again, from $350 to $375.

This was done in order to keep up with my rising RSS subscriber count (since this ad is displayed in the RSS feed) and since there were 3 advertisers on the waiting list for it.

Stopped Banner Exchange with NetBusinessBlog.com

I cancelled a mutual banner exchange with NetBusinessBlog.com since I was receiving very little traffic from it, and would rather sell the slot for $40/month.

Paid Review Price Increased

I raised the price of my paid reviews and paid plugs from $140 to $150. I usually raise the price once I’ve done 5-6 reviews at that price (showing me that there is still demand for them at that level) and my RSS readership has increased by around 50-75.

Sitewide 125×125 Banner Limit Increased

I increased the maximum number of 125×125’s allowed on my blog from 8 to 9, and then again recently from 9 to 10 due to a large number of advertisers on the waiting list for them.

Guest Bloggers

I’m always looking for more guest bloggers to occasionally submit posts on my blog. Why do I want guest posters? It’s simple really: there are times when I’m too busy to write a new post, and could really use a guest post to fill in the gap. Since I try to post every day, having a few guest posts on file for when I need them is very useful.

I’m looking for good writers who can write about affiliate marketing, making money online, blogging, marketing, or web development and the articles/posts must be written specifically and exclusively for TylerCruz.com.

In return, you’ll have your name attached to each post which can be linked to your own website. This is not so much for backlinks as it is to gain a bit of exposure and traffic. I’m also fine with you writing a small blurb (1-2 sentences) plugging your own blog within the actual post, either at the very beginning or end.

With over 1,700 RSS subscribers reading your posts, you’ll also get the benefit of receiving a lot of feedback from readers and the knowledge that you’re writing to a large, targeted audience. And, of course, you’ll be helping me out as well 🙂

The way it currently works is once a guest blogger submits a draft, and when I don’t have time to write a blog post, I then publish the draft into a post on the site.

If you’re interested, please contact me with a sample post or two.

If I think your writing style and post-length is suitable for my blog, I’ll upgrade your account to Contributor status within WordPress, and you can submit a post whenever you’re willing!