Mike Mueller, Social Media.ist

Pay it Forward Friday:

Thank a Kid.  Mark Zuckerberg in fact.  And to be honest he wasn’t really a kid, he was a college student and that makes him an adult.

But what about the next Facebook?  The next BIG thing?  Think it will be created by some old guy?   Not likely.

That’s why when Kevin Sandridge asked me to help spread the word about a Middle School Tech Ed in Florida - I happily said yes!

From Kevin:

Boone Middle is a Title I school, with more than 80 percent of its students on either free or reduced lunch. Despite the sometimes staggering socio-economic challenges these young people face, they continue to excel and compete at the highest levels in fields such as:

• Robotics - featuring LEGO NXT and First LEGO League
• Structural Engineering and Computer Aided Drafting
• Agriculture and Biotechnology
• Video Game Development
• Graphic Design and Digital Publishing
• Marine Design
• Website Design
• Digital Photography
• Aerodynamics and Flight
• Medical Technology

Competition and the Spirit of Invention
Starting each fall, these students select and work intensively on competitive projects in each of the areas listed above.  As a testament to their efforts, Boone’s TSA members consistently rank among the top middle school chapters competing at the State and National levels .
Take time to check out a page they’ve developed to showcase themselves and share a little about what they’re up to.  As you review their work, please consider donating what you can to help them cover State and National hotel and travel costs. Consider it one way you can contribute to the building of our nation!

They have a cool widget, but you'll have to see it on my blog:

http://areweconnected.com/2009/02/like-facebook/

 

Help these kids out, donate what you can.  You never know, In a coupe of years one of them might just create the next big thing that helps you!  And how cool would that be?

Pay It Forward

Reblog this, or better yet - Tweet IT!

You can reach Kevin at

Kevin Sandridge, Licensed Mortgage Broker
Website: The Florida Home Loans Specialist
Blog: The Florida Mortgage Blogger

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Part 1 – Paying to setup your WP Blog?

Part 2 – The Outside Applications

I started compiling this list when I set up my newest site, http://AreWeConnected.com

WordPress.com says

Takes seconds, costs nada

You can get a blog started in less time than it takes you to read this sentence.

And that’s true.

But to fully get the best results out of WordPress you need so much more.  So I put on my consultant hat and thought about what needs to be done and how to do a complete job .  Here’s Part 3 of what I came up with.

---

The Hidden WordPress Plugins

There are many Plugins  that bring a WordPress blog to a higher level.   These are visible to your blog readers and enrich their experience.

Then there are the hidden plugins.  They do their job behind the scenes, unnoticed.  Yet these silent plugins are critical to the proper function of every blog.

Here are just four of the absolute essentials:

All in One SEO Pack - Part of the reason you are blogging is for the SEO, right?  This plugin (when properly used) brings proper metatags to the party in three flavors, Title, Description, and Keywords.

Google XML Sitemaps - Another SEO silent warrior.  Search engines like a sitemap.  We’re not talking the kind that some sites have for us humans.  This plugin generates an .xml document (map of your complete site) and sends it not only to Google, but to Yahoo, Ask and MSN every time you update your site.  It’s like saying "Hey Google!  Look over here!  Here’s my site, check it out!" Mine is http://AreWeConnected.com/sitemap.xml

TailHitter - Ever wonder just how people got to your site in the first place?  I’m not just talking about "They came from Google".  Deeper .  HitTail is a site that tracks and records the phrase someone typed into a search engine and then clicks on your page in the results.  It is invaluable for tracking what keywords people are using and what is working.  As an example I recently used the OctoMom’s website as an example for a blog post.  Her name is Nadya .  I intentionally spelled her name correct in some places and incorrect in others.  Using HitTail, I could see how many people reached my site only because they spelled it as Nadia .

WP-DBManager - Over the weekend I had a client who’s blog went dead.  It turns out her template design became corrupted.  All her posts were there - just not visible.  Reality Bites .  In the short couple of months here I have 117 posts - database and server errors happen.  Some people have been blogging on the same site for years.  What if all those posts were suddenly lost?  This plugin automatically runs a backup and then sends me a file as an email attachment.  Should I wake tomorrow to a blank site, I can easily restore the data with a couple of clicks!  I have the file sent to a Gmail address so I can never accidentally delete that.  You never think about this stuff until you have a problem.  Think of this as the Drivers Side Air Bag for your blog.  This may be the most important plugin you ever add, but may never need.

Remember, this is just the tip of the…

Photo credit by nick_russill

To be continued…

 

 

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I was thinking today how neat Follow Fridays were on Twitter.  If you don’t know, On Fridays random people will select from their followers and add the #FollowFriday hastag. In effect you are sending out to the twitter universe your list of people you feel are worthy to be followed.

The concept is great and I was wondering if that could also be done in LinkedIn.

Well it can.  Here’s how:

http://www.viddler.com/explore/mikemueller/videos/37/

Here’s my email that I sent out:

As you may know, Twitter has it’s FollowFriday in which you recommend quality people to follow.

What a wonderful idea I thought, so why not bring this concept to LinkedIn?
LinkedIn will allow me to send email to 50 of my contacts at a time.

I have 5 people I think you should connect with if you haven’t already.

Clint Miller (RECR):  http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=22898362

Tamara Dorris:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=8596602

Ken Cook:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=16867688

Jason Crouch:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=13244780

Midori Miller:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=8657963

Is there someone (or 5 people) you think others should connect with?
Please take a couple of minutes and let your connections know.

Have a great weekend!

Mike Mueller
http://AreWeConnected.com

Now that you know how – go create your own 5 people to connect with!

Bonus: Want to tell the Twitter Universe to follow me?  Just click on the button below and fill in the blank!

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First of all I LOVE the idea of ActiveRain profile pictures in the comments. 

I've said it before, "We are all visual in nature".  We connect things visually. Having your picture in my comment stream for me is great.  I can "see" who is connecting with me.  Good stuff.

I also like the recognition factor.  Nothing is cooler than walking into a Tweetup and not having to introduce yourself or instantly recognize someone just from there avatar.  I did that ealier this month when I bumped into Randy Prothero in San Francisco.  No need for introductions....  It was straight to "Hi Randy!"

I do think the size of the avatar images is a little too big.  Currently they are 35 x 35 pixels.

 

Now about these badges...

           

They are overlayed over the profile image of the person who has left the comment. 

Between the large size of the Avatars and the added graphic badges, I am distracted while dropping down the comment stream.

Instead, I proposed changing the size of the Avatar smaller and moving the badges to the end of the comment signature line.

A typical comment would then look something like this:

That's my two cents.  Do I get a badge for being critical of an already good thing?  I hope not.

If so, I already designed it for you: 

 

 

 

 

One of the more interesting things on ActiveRain is the ability for someone else to Re-Blog or post (verbatim) what you have posted.

They can do that with just one click.

I look at it as an honor when someone Re-Blogs one of my posts.  Sometimes I like to go to their blog and thank them.

That would be great if I could click on the button and it would show the Re-Blogger(s).  But it doesn’t work like that.

Unfortunately you have to work to find them.

Here’s how to make that search easy.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/mikemueller/videos/35/

You’ll notice on my outside blog http://AreWeConnected.com that I use Zemanta to offer the same ability for others to Re-Blog.  I have another post all about Zemanta coming up.

(go ahead and Re-Blog this.  I know you wanna)

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I’ll be Live on Twitter Tuesday Radio Show today at Noon EST.

http://blogtalkradio.com/jckc

I mentioned yesterday that the Chat Room just can’t be missed.  One of the best features of the Chat Room is that you can easily share Links.  Links to particular posts, sites and pages that are being discussed.

Today we’ll be talking about two different things, Video and LinkedIn

This is just my way of being a Boy Scout.  I wanted to be prepared to quickly cut and paste any link I needed and have them all in one place.

Video:

Always Use a Tripod

How To: Use Windows Movie Maker

Understanding Video Delivery

How to shoot with a Flip

E. J. Phair brewery and Pub Local Video Example

Adding blog content to Facebook YouTube Link Example

Welcome to my Neighborhood Mashup Example

TubeMogul Upload once, distribute to many

TokBox One on One Video

EyeJot One on One Video

LinkedIn:

Using LinkedIn to connect

Buying Foreclosures

To Our Short Sale Success!

Linkedin Applications

LinkedIn Launches Powerful Events Feature - ReadWriteWeb

Of course, I’d also love to hear what you think…

 

For a long time now, Jason Crouch and Ken Cook have been broadcasting their one hour Radio Show over at  Blog Talk Radio.

They have a great format, with sound effects, intro music and even real sponsors!

I was honored when they asked if I would be a guest.  I’ll be Live this Tuesday at Noon EST.

http://blogtalkradio.com/jckc

There’s a Chat Room that has a rocking great conversation on the side where people can share links and ask questions.  The Chat Room just can’t be missed.  However, if you do have to miss it, it’s automatically recorded and you can listen anytime you like (you’ll just miss the Chat Room).

These guys are smart, they’re funny, and when it comes to promotion, they are hitting on all cylinders.

Here’s just a few examples:

• Their show is easy to remember, same time, same website (consistency)
• They are twittering about the show @JasonCrouch @theKenCook Tweets and ReTweets
• They are using Facebook to drive traffic, here’s the Event Page : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50708303993and here’s the Fan Page : http://www.facebook.com/pages/JCKC-Radio-Twitter-Tuesday-on-BlogTalkRadiocom/70892992328
• They are using sites like Utterli to send out broadcast messages ( http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE3MTczNA )
• And starting next week, they’ll be using LinkedIn’s Events as well:  http://events.linkedin.com/pub/36364 -  hint, hint   ; )

This approach has built their following of loyal listeners.

I heard they are the # 2 show (in this category) on Blog Talk Radio!  Congrats Guys!

It’s success is a combination of all these things and that gives them the ability to attract Social Media Superstars like next weeks guest, Shel Isreal

The man has his own page on Wikipedia!  Can you see why I am honored?

I hope you do listen in Tuesday, Chat away, Call in and ask questions or like I often do, let it play in the background while working on projects.

Go to the website now and click on "remind me", enter your email (they don’t spam) and they’ll send you a reminder!

<===== Click to ReTweet!

And they could have hacked my WordPress blog or most any of my other blogs.

Have they hacked yours?  Would you know?

Here’s how to find out.  Go to Google and enter “site:http://YOURSITENAME.com ” obviously inserting your site name.  Mine currently shows about 250 pages.

That will show you every page Google has indexed of yours.  You can sift thru all those pages or…

Now add  “+spamword” to the search. That’s how I found the above hacked page. Now try a different word, as in Viagra, and another…

OK, how did this happen?

In my case I had setup the wiki in full open mode.  I had installed it (months ago) and then moved on to other things.  (I also have a typepad, a Joomla, and a few other test beds running quietly behind the scenes).

Have a WordPress Blog and this happened to you?

Here’s what might have happened: Somehow the hacker got into your WordPress control panel or gained access into some specific files in your server.   How?  It could have been a Plugin that you installed.  Once installed, he will insert some PHP code in one of the files, create a different sub-plugin, or create a fake .jpg image that will function like a plugin.

How do you protect yourself?

• Use only safe trusted plugins from reputable companies or people.
• Use a current (updated) version of WordPress.  They fixed this security hole.
• Change your login password.
• Check out your server file tree via FTP – look for folders that shouldn’t be there.
• While in FTP – look in your image uploads for strange pics you didn’t put there.
• You can also look on your plugin control for strange plugins.
• If you are really geeky – check out your theme files for .php that shouldn’t be there. (not for the average user)
• Always have a backup. I use a plugin called WP-DBManager which emails me once a week a complete backup zip file (to a separate Gmail account).  Worst case scenario – I’d lose a week of posts. I could set it daily or hourly as well.

Don’t have WordPress? This popular hack was made popular by hacked WP blogs but was and is open to most all platforms (including wiki’s).

Plugins are a big part of what makes the WordPress platform so wonderful.  I wouldn’t shy away from a WP blog or go Plugin Free just because of this.  Just be mindful and safe in what you add and always have a backup!

 

Nadya Suleman is the Mother of the Octuplets that have gained so much attention in the last week.  She’s now a Mother of 14 children and has a website asking for donations.

The Nadya Suleman Family Website

It’s a simple website, with 28 or so images layered on an image map.  A simple PayPal link to donate cash and an address (in an image) telling you where to send goods.

Get this, the site has

• absolutely no other pages,
• no text, the page you see is composed entirely of images,
• the images are titled with generic terms like image3.jpg,
• no “alt image” tags describing what that image is,
• no external links, or internal links,
• The “leave a comment” goes to a cgi script at http://02d0560.netsolhost.com/feedback.html
• and of course, no blog!

Everything a normal website has, every normal feature we have come to think of as normal, this site doesn’t have.

It is a virtual black hole in the Google SEO Universe.

I didn’t create the new Octuplets Mom’s website.  In fact, I had nothing to do with it.  I wasn’t even asked.  Had I been asked, would I have designed something different?

Probably not.

Surprised?  Don’t be.  You see, Nadya and her 8 new babies don’t really need SEO.  Everyone in the world is beating a trail to her.  She doesn’t need metatags, keywords and SEO.  She is getting all the traffic her webhost can handle.

Now for you, me and everyone else not named Nadya Suleman… we are in a very different boat.  If I designed a site or blog for you it would be the opposite of The Nadya Suleman Family Website.

It was just an interesting tidbit I thought I would pass along.

 

 

Let me rephrase that. 

Are you really using Google Friend Connect or did you just join a site and forget about it?

It’s that box that appears on blog and website sidebars.  If you’ve joined a site you should see your picture there.  Visually you might think of it a lot like MyBlogLog.

I’ve recently been adding the GFC module to client blogs and websites and came to realize many people don’t know what it is capable of.

Here’s how Google introduces the product:

I have a slightly different take.

You did complete your Google Profile didn’t you?

Make sure you have a complete Google Profile so that others can better connect with you!  To find yours just go to http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/me

By the way, here’s mine: http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/100617166766890044353

To install GFC on your site you’ll need to be able to FTP a couple of files to your root server.  If you need help – just ask.

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