Image Credit: Jason Hines Photography ~ Congrats Kristi and Jason Hines on their new baby girl Lucy.
Maybe you started out blogging to journal. Or to keep track of your own research. Or to learn how to make money online. No matter why you started blogging, you now have skills you can use to earn a living and create a better world.
While many continue to chase get rich quick promises that never come true or churn out content for the sake of content whose only real value is generating traffic and links, I ask you to think bigger and become a real resource.
Take the skills you have and create jobs with them -
first for yourself and then for others.
To make that happen we need to work together. We have to have a system to support each others’ efforts. GrowMap going to PR5 and being recognized in the blogosphere, for influence on Twitter, as a Small Business Influencer, and elsewhere is not because of me – it is because of the others who have supported my efforts and whose projects I support.
I owe many people who I have not made the time to thank. I encourage you to seek them out and follow them. Read their blogs. Learn from them. Klout and PeerIndex both saw fit to delete my lists of collaborators. (They do not want us to actually be able to collaborate easily; and they want to control what we see.) So the best place for now to find them all is using Topsy.
Plug the URL for any post or page into Topsy and you can see who tweeted it for you. These are the people you need to follow and connect with because they understand we have to support each other. Follow and connect with the people who have been supporting me and you will find great people who will return the favor,
Follow and connect with these people who support each other.
Each of you has my personal apology for not getting my lists updated and writing about each of you individually – yet. You all deserve it and YOU are the reason for all that I have managed to accomplish so far.
Do me a favor?
Reaching out to so many people, offering free mentoring, and supporting what they’re doing – sometimes at the drop of a hat – are time-consuming. The owner of DIRJournal has
made what I do possible by covering my overhead so I can write about whatever is most important. That enables me to help all of you, so I need a favor from you:
Give the DIRJournal.com home page a G+ on Google Plus.
IMPORTANT: If the G+ button is already red, clicking it again will REMOVE G+1
Click again and make sure that the button is RED not WHITE
You could win a PERMANENT, FEATURED listing in their high quality directory. Leave me a comment in that post letting me know what you or your business does so I can feature you in a post on one of the 8 DIRJournal blogs.
The owner of DIRJournal makes all that I do in support of
everyone else possible. When we support him, we all benefit!
Contrary to popular FUD rumor, directories are NOT now bad for SEO or shunned by Google. Directories that are run like link farms have been penalized by Google, but high quality, human curated business directories are still valued. Here’s the scoop straight from Matt Cutt’s mouth:
If you are an SEO or work for an agency, I encourage you to consider getting listed in DIRJournal. Their site has hundreds of thousands of visitors each month. They have a team of writers creating quality content on eight blogs covering any topic or industry – and I edit those blogs so you know they’re small business friendly.
If you have questions I’m happy to answer them or introduce you directly to the owner. They have an affiliate program and agencies are encouraged to contact them about discounts for bulk submissions.
You can even suggest content that you want to see. I hope you will subscribe to all their blogs and read what I share there, too. You can see them on my writings tab and I’m working on a way to make it easier for you to subscribe to all of them collectively if you wish. You can already subscribe to each of them individually.
I’ll share some of my favorite posts from those blogs in a post here soon, but for now please just G+ the DIRJournal home page and if you’d like a chance to win that listing enter here.
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Bloggers do have a responsibility to provide information, influence and inspire people. Most blogs, nowadays, are made to earn money. This is a great reality check.
Our generation has to stick together if it wants’ to succeed on the IM market, and this is the best idea which you had in a while, joining in!
Marcie Golden would love you to read ..Reviews on the Best Gaming Gear
It is true, all the bloggers need to help each other in order to make that position they have in the blogging world. It would not have been possible with the mixed support and aid. Well, there is nothing like we owe to others because we all are a family and are bound top help each other in times of need.
Twitter: LinksDepo
December 27, 2012 at 5:02 pm
Thanks , I’m newby to SEO ,but I follow all related to SEO blogs.
Done, i have followed this blog for quite awhile and you are right. It is about time some of us gave back. Nice job with the motivation.
brandon would love you to read ..Imagine Communications to Demonstrate Industry’s Most Scalable Multiscreen IP Video Delivery Solutions at SCTE’s Cable-Tec Expo ’11
Cool blog! I honestly believe that being a blogger means having the easiest access to influence other people and how they think. You are absolutely right with everything. Kudos! Thanks a lot!
This post was a great way for me to reevaluate my blog and my progress. I’m
happy to say that I’ve already started to implement most of these tips. Thanks for sharing your tips!
Blogging is like a lot of things in life most of the people doing it are decent hard working people going about there business in a fair and respectful way. Then there is the minority who don’t care about any ethics or decency for others in the same field and will go about wrecking what everyone else has unfortunately that is one of the down sides of some people’s human nature .
Lee
Lee would love you to read ..Tummy Control Knickers
I think it is online business respect for growmap as it has touched PR5. It is one of the great achievement in blogging.
Maja would love you to read ..A Chance to Avail the Coupons
Blogging is a great way to create income as well as share your knowledge with the internet world. I believe that there is now a higher demand on bloggers because small businesses and online marketers want to make use of their skills to promote their products and websites.
Hmmm Nice Some Good Points Are here But I Agree To Above comments It doesn’t meets Growmap.com Standards…
Gautam would love you to read ..Top 10 Nokia Phones Below Rs10000
Hello,
This is a OK post and it is interesting to read at least. well done
babanature would love you to read ..TOP FOUR (4) WORDPRESS SOCIAL PLUGIN YOU SHOULD HAVE
I can’t say that I found some useful or very important information in this post…But still thanks for sharing. maybe it will help others
Julia Spencer’s recent post.. New Life of Facebook Brand Pages: Perfect Facebook Timeline Templates Showcase
Hi,
I’ve checked out the DirJournal Giveaway, very cool of you to do that. I’ve been submitting my blog to a lot of free directories, I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
It’s only about 4 months old, how long should I wait until I submit to the DMOZ directory?
Happy Holidays, take care.
~Philip
Philip Alex would love you to read ..Building Trust – The Key to Growing Your Online Home Business
Twitter: GrowMap
December 24, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Hello Philip,
The owner of DIRJournal deserves the credit. I write for him and that makes it possible for me to write about important topics that don’t fit on this blog as well.
He texted me a coupon code so that anyone wanting to list their business can save 25% by entering Holiday2012. I just updated the post with the additional information and extended the deadline to enter to win until January 1, 2013. See http://www.dirjournal.com/blog/featured-listing-giveaway/.
DMOZ is tough to get listed in unless you just get lucky. A link from there is still valuable – if you can get it – but many have given up. I explained my philosophy on what to do about DMOZ in DMOZ Now Largely a Waste of Time back in 2009 and I haven’t heard any positive buzz that there has been any improvement there since.
Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Why Your Geographic Location is Your BEST Niche
yes i accept your article for blogging and thank you very much for giving tips.
Twitter: GrowMap
December 24, 2012 at 9:54 am
Hello Asif,
Will you please share with me who is teaching commenters to put nofollow links in their comments?
GrowMap would love you to read ..Media Coverage: It is All About the Eyeballs. Lies and Conditioning.
this is a useless post, not a usual growmap.com post
ravi would love you to read ..Starpad Tablet SP-7011 Price in India and Features
I wasn’t aware that “human curated business directories” are still valued links. Among the many things I will take away from this post, this point is currently the most important and the most useful for me. So, thank you!
Twitter: GrowMap
December 22, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Hello Mike,
You aren’t alone – so many have spread FUD about directories that a large percentage of even the SEO savvy believe they are now dangerous when they are just as effective and important as they have always been.
There is a world of difference between a “directory” that is a link farm, a paid directory that is still a link farm, and a paid directory that is an actual business directory with real readers looking for what you have to offer.
There are over 10,000 listings (last time I asked) in DIRJournal, but because they are categorized by both type of business and location that is not very obvious to someone popping in for a short visit. Many of the posts on that site have gone viral on StumbleUpon, Reddit and elsewhere.
There are 8 blogs publishing quality content that drive visitors to the directory and offer valuable information and this coming year we plan to create pages for key industries like travel, hotels, cars – anything that visitors want to more easily find and businesses would like to have featured.
I encourage anyone who would like increased visibility to connect with me about how DIRJournal can benefit your business. If you are an SEO or agency or have special needs, I can introduce you to the owner directly. And do please give the DIRJournal home page a +1 and add us on G+ so we can get connected there as well.
GrowMap would love you to read ..Media Coverage: It is All About the Eyeballs. Lies and Conditioning.
Twitter: AAAccidentAttorneys
December 21, 2012 at 6:06 am
It’s true, directories can be a useful component for SEO, but they must be used carefully. In the past companies would simply buy up thousands and thousands of links on directories that shot their rankings to the top, but Google is catching onto this practice and hammering down on those who abuse it. Directories can be helpful, but they must be done legitimately, you cannot spam yourself across thousands of them without regard for what/where they may be.
Twitter: GrowMap
December 21, 2012 at 9:45 am
Hi Paul,
You are right, and many don’t seem to understand the difference between a link farm disguised as a directory and a real business directory like DIRJournal. That is why I shared Matt Cutts on video in this post.
Quality business directories are worthwhile, but often – like DIRJournal – they are not free because they have a lot of overhead and people actually verify the listings in them.
DIRJournal is the only directory I know of that consistently creates quality content related to the listings in their directory to bring their customers new business. We will be doing even more of that in the coming year, so I do hope SEOs will consistently use DIRJournal and connect with me to let me know what content they would like to see created to feature what would benefit their clients most.
We have to get past this nonsense perpetrated by corporations that we should not be doing what is good for small business. We absolutely MUST support small businesses that provide what we need because to do otherwise hands our lives over to corporations who do not care about us at all.
We either get serious about helping small businesses be easy to find when we need them, or we will see a future where there are only big box stores and no mom & pops or small businesses where people can make a living. Then there would only be corporate jobs – and not nearly enough of those to go around. Everyone else will be unable to support themselves and the few working will not be able to support “entitlement programs” so those will be gone.
Those who haven’t fully grasped what is going to happen to Social Security, Welfare, Medicare, Veteran’s Benefits, etc. will find these two posts enlightening:
.
GrowMap would love you to read ..Media Coverage: It is All About the Eyeballs. Lies and Conditioning.
Twitter: DAMGFLORIDA
December 21, 2012 at 5:28 am
Gail,
I would like to say since I have starting following your blog and linking to it I have learned a tremendous amount of internet marketing. And my websites have continued to raise in traffic and therefore profit. I would encourage everyone to sign up for the RSS feed. I look forward to working with in the new year
Peter Charles would love you to read ..139 mph On Motorcycle Gets Arrested And A Book Of Tickets
Twitter: GrowMap
December 21, 2012 at 9:54 am
Hi Peter,
Thank you. It is always encouraging to hear that someone is experiencing success. So often, I do not even know who is reading much less who is applying what I share.
Do you use Skype? I have a couple of opportunities I’d like to share with you and that works so much better for me than trying to find a needle in the haystack that is my email. If you do, please reach out to me at your convenience. I’m the only growmap there.
GrowMap would love you to read ..Are You Destroying Your Brand Without Realizing It?
Hi,
have you done this post to get a Google +1 on your website? lol
web design company would love you to read ..The Non-Programmer’s Guide to Setting a Google Authorship Picture for WordPress Pages
Twitter: GrowMap
December 21, 2012 at 9:34 am
LOL…good thing I didn’t because it did not get one single +1 on the site I asked for G+1s on – which isn’t my site by the way. The owner of DIRJournal covers my overhead and that site is owned by him. He pays me to write for his many blogs and that allows me to do what needs doing that does not generate any income.
What we must all realize is that most people never act on anything they read or see on social media. The only thing that really works is to ask someone personally who cares enough about your relationship to actually take the time to do it. This post is proof once again that asking in writing, blog posts, via social media – has a very, VERY low conversion rate.
Personally, I am too old to play games that can not be won – and so I don’t really care much about G+s or what Google wants (but for now will play along at least a while longer) . What I really care about is what really works, making sure people can make a living, and keeping small businesses from going under. That is challenge enough – way more than challenge enough.
GrowMap would love you to read ..Media Coverage: It is All About the Eyeballs. Lies and Conditioning.
okay Great,
I have seen the website of dirjournal and it seems that you have done a good job. Have you done all the things for them or you are just handling their blog ?
Thank you
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