Are You Ready For WordPress 2.5?

If you're new here, join the community by subscribing to my RSS feed. Enter your name and email address to the form located at the top of each blog page for email updates. Glad to have your onboard!

WordPress 2.5 Logo

So I wake up today and change all of my clocks to one hour forward for the official start of spring time here in London, UK. After switching on my PC and logging in to my WordPress blog I discover the inevitable upgrade for WordPress 2.5 is ready. Looks like the Beta testers have sorted through most bugs (hopefully).

So What’s New?

Well when you head off to WordPress you can see the revamped design. A much welcomed sleeker design by Matt Thomas that uses the entire width of the browser with less of those wasteful white spaces. Take a look at the “sneak peak” to see diagrams of the new Dashboard which has more significance in highlighting important news and is now “widget” based. See more details and examples in diagrams within the development area. I must admit I tend to ignore the dashboard and go straight to the “Write” section and the occasional check of the “Plugins” area for notifications of the any new versions I need to download and install. You must watch the video from Matthew Mullenweg as he goes inside his own WordPress admin interface to show you some of the functionalities of WordPress 2.5.

Top Tip

If you have a test server or domain where you can install WP 2.5 you can perform tests for plugin compatibility and decide whether you like the new features over your current installation. This is a good practical tip to installation success before jumping head first into upgrading all current blogs.

I always use a test domain first as I am very familiar with the hours lost tweaking and battling with little errors, usually related to my customized header file. However it is more than likely that I will wait for feedback from other WordPress users before I commit to the upgrade. Particularly any concerns with plugin compatibility issues.

From what I have read about WordPress 2.5 so far I particularly like the “Few click plugin updates” as described below:

“Few-click plugin upgrades — if the plugins you use are part of the plugin directory since 2.3 we’ve told you when they have an update available. Now we take that to the next logical step — downloading and installing the upgrade for you. This is dependent a little bit on your host set-up, and it may ask you for your FTP password much like OS X or Windows will ask you for a password, but it works well on majority of hosts we were able to test, your mileage may very, plugins in mirror may be larger than they appear.”

To all WordPress users, keep on submitting feedback for future features because at long last we are starting to see some excellent enhancements to the community software that I personally enjoy. Especially due to the fact that I need fewer addon plugins such as Redirection (changing Permalinks and not losing the old link structure in the search engine listing) and a few others because WordPress have integrated more functionality into the basic installation. There was a time when I refused to switch from version 1.5 to 2.0+ because I would lose too many important plugins. However in making that decision I found my blog became vulnerable to potential Phising robots so I had no choice but to go ahead and upgrade to the leastest version of WordPress. As a resulted I had to wave goodbye to some of my most treasured plugins. :cry: However as most of those lost plugins are built-in it has become a win-win situation.

Good luck to everyone who makes a success of the new upgrade to their blogs. I’ll be right with you very soon, maybe.

For now I will upgrade some of my plugins due, Sociable 2.6 and Google Sitemaps 3.0.3.1.

Related Articles:

Warning WordPress Update Left Me Headless

Our Top WordPress Plugins

Holy Crap My Blog Is Screwed!

Script Updates And Keeping Your Site Hacker Safe

eBay Sweden Stays With Commission Junction

Following the official announcement by eBay that they will be moving to their own in-house affiliate management system, eBay Partner Network. I received an email from eBay Sweden’s Publisher Development Manager with the following message:

“I would like to take the opportunity to promote the eBay Sweden program that will continue to have an affiliate program with Commission Junction, and evolve it! eBay bought their Swedish equivalence some time ago, and has closed down ebay.se.

Instead, all attention and effort are put on eBay/Tradera with the URL tradera.com. I wonder if you as a Commission Junction partner have some free capacity to enjoy the opportunity with the eBay Sweden program. Take this opportunity today!

- Advertiser: eBay / Tradera
- Category: Auction
- Website: tradera.com
- Commission: 50 - 85 SEK per CRU (~4,3 – 6,8 GBP / 5,4 – 8,6 EUR)
- Market: SE
- Paid search bidding: no brand bidding
- Product catalogue: yes (API)

The Swedish eBay has got a big group of people as clients from nearby countries too such as Norway and Finland, since no other Nordic country than Sweden has got a localized eBay (Nordic country = Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland).

If there is anything I can do regarding the eBay Swedish program called eBay/Tradera, would you like to contact me?

All the best,

Lina Malm
Publisher Development Manager, Nordic.”

7 Formulas for Articles That GET READ!

7 Formulas for Articles That GET READ!

Many of us have been asked to write an article at one time or another. Maybe it’s a contribution to the company newsletter. Or a promotional article to gain publicity for ourselves or our companies. Some of us write articles regularly for clients.

No matter why you’re writing an article, it’s your responsibility to make it be interesting - otherwise no one will read it. (Except you.)

So how can you make your article interesting and engage your reader? It’s all about the ANGLE. First pick your topic. For example, let’s say your topic is something boring … “car wax.” Now, here’s where many people start writing.

Stop! You need an angle! What aspect of car wax do you want to write about? Is there anything new or sexy in the world of car wax that people are interested in? Some ideas: how the new generation of car waxes helps protect your paint job for twice as long, OR, an overview of the best five brands of car wax on the market, OR what the best type of wax is for your particular car. Get it? These are all angles. (By the way, I’ve never even waxed my car, so please take these ideas with a grain of salt!).

Ready to brainstorm your angles? Here are seven article “formulas” to get you started and get your juices flowing! Some elements of each may overlap with each other, but each formula is truly a distinct animal.

1. The How-To

People love how-to articles! They lead the reader step-by-step through how to reach an objective. They also sometimes offer resources the reader can contact for more information.

What expertise do *you* have to share? Turn that subject into an interesting how-to for readers. Examples: “How to Make Your Employees Stick Around Forever,” “How to Find the Best Dress for Your Figure,” and “How to Promote Your Business for Free.”

2. The List

This is one of the most basic formulas and the easiest to write. Give a short one or two paragraph intro, then launch right into your list. Keep each item to a few sentences max. People love numbers, so number your list and give your total number in the title! Examples: “31 Ways to Organize Your Office,” “15 Tips for Pain-Free Feet,” Five Reasons Management Won’t Be the Same in 2001″

3. The “Straw Man”

Here you set up a premise and knock it down, showing the benefits of your alternative view or approach. This is ideal to use when you’re discussing the drawbacks of a new practice or method that’s controversial right now. Here’s a great example we often see on the covers of health magazines: “Are High Protein Diets the Key to Fast Weight Loss?” You get all excited, thinking you’ve discovered an amazing dieting revelation. But the article reveals, point by point, that high protein diets are unsafe for the long term, and that of course the only reliable way to lose weight is through diet and exercise. Oh well! Back to the treadmill….

4. The Mini Case Study

Raise a provocative question and then answer it with three or four real-life examples. example: For an article titled, “Should You Quit Your Job and Go Freelance?” you could begin with a few stats on how today’s workforce is leaving the corporate world in search of solo bliss. Then you could feature a few real cases, each with different outcomes to show all sides of the issue.

5. The Interview

Choose a credible expert to interview for your article. For example, if your topic is the latest trends in banking, you could interview a top banking industry analyst. Present it in either a traditional article format or do a Q&A format.

6. The Trend

Trends aren’t just for fashion! Whenever a trend sweeps a certain profession, you’ll suddenly see dozens of articles covering the topic. From the latest hairstyle to the latest tax shelter, people want to know all about these trends - their origins, benefits, and drawbacks.

7. The Study Finding

These articles report the results of a study or survey. If you do a bit of research, you can probably dig up a recent study on which you can base your article. Examples:

“Blue Chip Companies Cutting Marketing Budgets Across the Board,” “Armadillos Now Deemed America’s Favorite Pet,” and “More 20-Somethings Finding Love Online.”

(c) 2002 - 2003 Alexandria K. Brown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of the award-winning manual, “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.” To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at EzineQueenTutorial.com

= * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - == * - = = * - = = * - =

What I like best about Alexandria’s teachings is that she doesn’t conclude that your must send out an email every day. In fact she suggests as little as once a week or even monthly. Want to earn more out of your mailing list and keep them happy and long term subscribers. Get a copy of Alexandria’s K. Brown’s tutorial risk free.

eBay Cracks Down On Ebook and Digital Product Sellers

STOP and desist orders have literally been issued on eBay sellers!

According to news from 5Star Affiliate Programs owner, Linda Buquet as from March 31st eBay listings cannot contain digital downloads of any kind. The only place sellers can list their information products is within the eBay classifieds section. This could be viewed as an early April Fool’s prank but it appears to be very serious.

Top Tips

1. Burn your information products onto CD for shipping

2. Use your “About Me Page” to link to your website where you can sell ebooks and information products direct.

3. Add your digital products as back end to sales in your thank you emails.

The Benefits of Selling Information Products

Disadvantages of Selling Digital Information Products

How do you feel about being cast away to eBay classifieds?

Could this be a ploy to get more people to use eBay classifieds and further boost eBay’s incoming traffic?

Or is this a blatant crack down on information products? Maybe due to feedback from customers or the new management making radical changes!

I’m sure there are some more innovative ideas to keep you in business. Share them with other readers by leaving your feedback via the comments.

Happy Easter With Regis Philbin At Disney World

Hi everyone,

It’s been a strange week so far here in London, UK. You’re probably aware that we Brits are always talking and complaining about the weather but I must admit a snow shower in March is just too much. However I’m not going to let that kill my fun with my family and friends. Just tucking into chocolate as I type this post some gotta munch on some more Easter Eggs. :razz:

Anyway have a fantastic Easter wherever you live worldwide!

‹(•¿•)›- -»(¯`v´¯)-» HAPPY EASTER -»(¯`v´¯)- =>

Oh I guess you’re wondering what Regis Philbin (US popular TV game/talk show host) and Disney World has got to do with this article well have a look at this video at Youtube. I only wish I was there enjoying the celebration and natural warm sunshine rather than cuddling up to central heating. LOL


eBay To Migrate Away From Commission Junction

eBay has announced they will be leaving Commission Junction for good by the end of this month. As from 1st April they will be using their own in-house affiliate program. Current eBay affiliates have up unitl May 1st to migrate all of your links to the eBay Partner Network so there is ample time.

“The new platform will go live on April 1st, 2008 PST, at which point eBay will no longer be running its affiliate program through Commission Junction. Beginning April 1st, affiliates should register with eBay Partner Network and migrate their links from CJ to tte new platform.”

- eBay’s Affiliates Managers

Just when I started using the Build A Niche Store BANS type scripts and made a new brandable report. I guess I will just have to update those links all over again and send out a note to all current ebook owners.

That reminds me to add a link to each page at the footer to owners to check for
updates whether they have subscribed for the free report or not. Hopefully this will
solve the problem of me having to rely on email contact.

So if you’re a BANS owner or use any other eBay scripts using the Commission Junction ID keep abreast of the new affiliate problem so you can update your links in good time.

I can’t say I will miss CJ in any way. But I’m so glad I haven’t used raw links in my
report. All I need to do is go into my htaccess file and update one link. Phew!

Recomended Resources:

To get you started on Ebay auctions try the DropShip Source Directory as well as the Wholesale Directory for some great suppliers. I also recommend that you read Robert Tungett’s ‘Auction Riches‘ ezine for more up to the minute Ebay tips and resources.

12 Killer Dropship SECRETS For eBay Sellers
Learn eBay Dropship SECRETS From A REAL Powerseller

 

Amazon ECommerce Web Service 3.0 Final Shutdown Notice

If you have scripts running like those offered by David Cusimano who provides Amazon Associate scripts plus lots of other free datafeed based scripts which he manages updates and sets on his own server on your behalf. This is excellent for people like me who don’t want the hassle of setting up cronjobs and manage updates to each datafeed every time a merchant removes or amends their products.

For example I set up a Calendars.com script on my son’s website and several others and this has sky rocketed my earnings from October up until the present date.

I have emailed David recently to ask whether the new script will be ready before Amazon migrate to the Amazon Associates Web Services new and he assures me he is working hard on this project. Again I’m glad to have this outsourced as here is no way I would know what the heck to do. :neutral:

Looking forward to the new script so that my Amazon UK and Amazon US scripts keep sending me regular monthly commissions.

Here’s the very last email notification Amazon issued on 20th March 2008.

Dear Associate,

By now you’ve received several messages regarding the upcoming Amazon E-Commerce Web Service 3.0 shutdown scheduled for March 31, 2008. Our monitoring indicates that your associate tag was passed into calls to Amazon E-Commerce Service 3.0 between March 10, 2008 and March 16, 2008. After March 31, 2008, we will no longer accept Amazon ECS 3.0 requests. Please make sure to contact your development team or application provider to ensure that they have upgraded to Amazon Associates Web Service (formerly Amazon E-commerce Web Service 4.0) so that you or your customers are not affected by the shutdown.

Please note that none of the links you generate from associates central are affected by the deprecation. So any links, widgets or banner ads that you may have on your site will not stop working due to the deprecation. Nor should you be affected if you migrated after March 16,2008. Please note that this is the last communication reminder that we will send prior to the final ECS 3.0 deprecation.

Refer to the migration guide for assistance in mapping Amazon ECS 3.0 calls to their Amazon Associates Web Service equivalents. Please visit Amazon Associates Web Service Developer Forum to ask questions.

We thank you for being part of Amazon’s Associate Program and look forward to your continued support.

-The Amazon Associates Team

Amazon has so many widgets and resources to help webmasters monetize their website’s and blogs and many more affiliates are finding that their earnings are rising even though the initial commission rates are generally low. However you could set up niche sites for higher priced items such as electronics or video game consoles and not just focus on books.

People already know and trust the Amazon stores so why not capitalize on this ever growing market. Get started with the Amazon Associates program and don’t forget to sign up for the Amazon Associate script you can use the free test version for up to a month before deciding to purchase a yearly license. By that time the newest version should be ready.

Good luck

Nancy P Redford

-»(¯`v´¯)-»HAPPY EASTER!-»(¯`v´¯)-»

10 Ways To Achieve Success With Affiliate Programs

10 Ways To Achieve Success With Affiliate Programs

by Nancy P Redford (c) All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Any business, online or offline, that wouldn’t require any initial cash layout, would be a win-win situation. This is what makes affiliate programs so attractive. An affiliate program allows the affiliate marketer to act as a middleman between the consumer and the merchant. The affiliate marketer is given a commission for every successful sale. Many succesful affiliate marketer’s claim that they have given up their day jobs because of affiliate marketing. The amount they are earning from affiliate programs is significantly larger than their normal income. If you wish to enter the very promising world of affiliate marketing, here are ten tips that would definitely help you maximize potential profit from the system.

1. Focus on a particular area of interest.

You can’t sell products that target different markets. It is better to concentrate on one specific field, study its ins and outs, and work your way around its demands. To illustrate, if you choose dogs as an area of interest, research on the places where dog lovers gather online. Then look for an affiliate program that offers products which cater to their needs.

2. Choose an advantageous affiliate program.

There are some things to consider when choosing the most profitable affiliate program. First among these is the saleability-commission ratio. Usually, products which are difficult to sell offer a higher commission, whereas products that are easy to sell offer lower percentage cuts.

Try to find an advantageous balance. Look for a product that is easy to sell and offers an attractive commission. Additionally, you should also consider the credibility and reliability of the affiliate program. Do they actually pay? Do they pay on time? Are
their products worth something? These are but a few of the things you have to clarify
before committing yourself to their terms.

3. Build a focused and content-filled site.

You will primarily sell the affiliate products in your site. But if your site does not attract that many visitors, sales conversion is virtually impossible. Create a site that focuses on the area of interest you have chosen, and populate it with rich, informative content that people would love to read. Just like that famous line from the movie Field of Dreams, “build it and they will come.”

4. Market your site.

People would not automatically know about your site, so you have to advertise it across the web. Submit it to search engines, exchange links with well-visited sites, and promote it in online communities. You have to spread the word that your site exists, and that it’s good.

5. Market the product.

Once a consistent influx of visitors is established, it’s time to promote the affiliate product you’re selling. This is usually done through a sales page that can be accessed from your site. A sales page is an article full of praises or the product. Things like “it changed my life,” “the secret that they don’t want you to know,” “be a millionaire in one week,” and the likes are not uncommon lines for sales pages. But they work. You could also consider hiring a professional ghost writer to write a sales page for you.

6. Discard anonymity.

Anonymity is a common thing on the internet, but it is bad for a business venture. People would rather deal with someone they know, rather than an obscure username, it is good practice to provide your real name. You could choose to keep your contact information undisclosed or use a P.O Box number or business mailing address.

7. Build a network.

Befriend other affiliate marketers. Share information about the best deals, the most effective strategies, and perhaps, even some lists of potential buyers. Remember, the world is all about a network of contacts. Each person you know would eventually help you out at one point. There is no reason why the internet should be any different.

8. Build a list.

It is not enough that a visitor visits your site. You have to keep him. He may not purchase any of your available products now, but there’s no telling that he won’t decide to buy your future offerings. So build a list by encouraging them to sign up. Create a free service that would make them keep in touch like your own newsletter. Remember, a lost visitor is a lost sale and future income.

9. Protect your links.

Your affiliate link is the one thing that would inform your chosen affiliate program that you were the one who was responsible for a particular sale. Link theft is rampant these days, which is unfortunate, because in affiliate marketing, your link is your bread and butter. So protect your affiliate link at all costs using cloaking software or other methods.

10. Do not limit yourself to one affiliate program.

Join as many as you can without losing the focus of what you want to sell. The greater the variety of the products you offer, the more chances that one will be bought. Joining affiliate programs is free, so might as well make the most out of it.

= * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - == * - = = * - = = * - =

About The Author
 Nancy P Redford recommends affiliate programs as one of the best ways to start an online business without having to create your own products. Download your copy of The Super Affiliate Handbook for expert advice and tips. Be sure to sign up for Nancy’s free newsletter here: http://www.miriadz.com/newsletter.htm

= * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - == * - = = * - = = * - =

IMPORTANT => The above article may be reproduced as long as the “About The Author” details must be included. All LIVE clickable links must be kept intact without modification. You are also welcome to link to this article from your own web site and blog.
= * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - == * - = = * - = = * - =

P.S.
Glad to see Rosalind Gardner is back on track after her short stay in hospital. I’m sure she is more than relieved to be at home eating REAL food again at last. :smile:

Mike Filesaime Launches PayDotCom Widget Ads

Tube Mogul

Mike Filesaime has launched a new widget for his PayDotCom web site. You’ll find an introductory “How To” video presented by Michael Ambrosio. Easy to set up and add to your blog, especially if your blog theme is “wigetized” or widget ready. Where you can go into your admin area to view your “Presentation” and simply copy and paste your PayDotCom Widget code into your widget box. You’ll can view the complete process in the video.

Once you register at PayDotCom you automatically become an affiliate allowing you to earn commissions on referrals.

Choose from a variety of categories depending on what type of products and services you wish to appear on your widget.

- Computing & Internet
- Sports & Recreation
- Home & Family

- Money & Employment
- Business to Business
- Fun & Entertainment

- Marketing & Ads
- Health & Fitness
- Society & Culture

Choose from 18 color templates to blend you PayDotCom widget to best match your site’s look and feel.

I must admit that it’s been a while since I last logged into my account but when I did I was pleasantly surprised by all of the changes. For instance there is now the following updates for this year:

Mar-11-2008 Cash Affiliate Referral Program
Mar-10-2008 Login Page Ads
Mar-07-2008 Site-Wide Ads
Mar-05-2008 Widget Feature
Jan-20-2008 New Feature Related to the Mailing System

Premium Text Link Ads - 30 Maximum - these ads are displayed throughout the site. I haven’t personally used them but if anyone would like to share their experiences please “Add Your Comments”. Or if you’d like to showcase your site where your PayDotCom widget is featured you’re welcome to do so by leaving a note and link in the comments.

I may decide to place the widget on my newsletter front page later today to test out whether people are interested in viewing PayDotCom products and the marketplace.

Happy Easter and Nancy’s Cool Links

BricaBox

Two person social network site BricaBox launches just a week ago. An eclectic mix of YouTube, Yelp, Flickr, Wiki to provide a new social content web site.

“We’ve taken the best of blogs and social networks, added some amazing new tools and features, and created a platform for you to create your own version of your favorite social content website. Choose from our one–click selection of BricaBoxes below to get started.”

This is a new start up business self funded through personal friends and family. It looks promising for people who want to create their own mashup web site without having to get into scripts and web hosting.

Check out their you can out your own site on your own domain. Just another prime example of the power of API and creative ideas!

AOL Buys Bebo For A Cool $850 Million
One of Europe biggest social networking sites is bought by AOL.

Opportunity of a lifetime
Thinking about the economy and your home countries state of affairs then read this article from Seth Godin.

Track The Googlebot With CrawlTrack
CrawlTrack allows you to track what the Googlebots are indexing on your site and across multiple web site’s. A cool tool being experimented with by Mark Wielgus from 45and5.com in his “Non Super Affiliate Mobile.” LOL

= * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - = = * - == * - = = * - = = * - =

Just for laughs. When your pockets and dry and you only have your car here’s some ‘food for thought’. Don’t try this at home folks this is just so cheeky and should bring a smile to your face. My kids love it!
How to get a free meal at McDonald’s

Wishing you ALL a Happy Easter! :grin:

Nancy P Redford
P.S.
Off to watch a movie later today. Take some time out and have some fun if you can. I’m going to see a movie with my boys which should keep them away from the Wii Console for a couple of hours :roll:

Next Page →