Tips and Advice

About Who? How Often Should You Update Your About Me Page?

I read a lot of blogs... I mean a lot. Sometimes I choose to feature them in my 10 by 10 Blog Roll, and the first place I go is usually the "about" page.  Sometimes I can tell by the dates, photos, and links that don't work, that it hasn't been updated in quite a while.

I can understand that links get broken... it happens.  As our blogs get bigger and bigger, we have a hard time remembering what linked to what, and we often don't revisit old posts to update anything.  If you never revisit an old post, one that must be checked, fixed, updated, and changed, is your "about" page.

In the past year, so many things have changed with me, my blog, and my goals, that after about six months of blogging my old "About" page seemed to be written about someone else entirely. So how often should an "About" page be updated? I update mine whenever there is a major change in me, my blog, or my blog's purpose.

Here are five reasons to update your "About" Page:

1. You and/or your blog won an award or received other recognition. While many of us are reluctant to toot our own horns, it is important to share the good things that are happening for you with your audience and potential partners.  It might feel awkward at first, but you worked hard for those accolades, honors, and awards - your audience will be happy for you, and potential partners will be eager to work with you.

2. You have changed the city in which you are based. When opportunities come up and people who want to work with you check out your about page, they may decide how and when they work with you, based on where you live and work.  It's pretty disappointing to offer someone an opportunity or extend an invitation to someone based on the information provided in their bio, only to find that they now live 3,000 miles away - and have for a while.

3. You begin writing for another publication, or your work has been republished. Odds are, if your readers enjoy your writing on your blog, they will be interested in reading what you are writing elsewhere.  If the publication sees that the work that you do for them is generating a lot of traffic, they will probably be more inclined to work with you again.

4. You begin offering new products or services on your blog. Sometimes it is hard to tell everyone everything that you are doing from writing books, to selling merchandise, to consulting, all on your front page.  People visit your "About" page to get a quick overview of who you are and what you do. If you would like your readers to know about your new books, your about page is a great place to list them.  If you sell t-shirts, posters, or are partnering with another blogger or company to provide an interesting service, your about page should provide that information.

5. You have noticed that your blog posts are going in a different direction than they did before. You used to write a personal parenting blog, but now your blog includes more product reviews than parenting advice?  Your blog used to be primarily about fashion, but you find yourself doing more inspirational or faith based blogging?  Add your new subject matter to your "about" page, and let your readers know what is unique about your new (or additional) blog topics.

How often do you update your "about" page? Do you revisit it at scheduled intervals to make changes, or do you wait for significant updates?

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Thank You Everyone!

Thank you so much to everyone who voted for SocaMom.com in the semi-finals and finals of the Black Weblog Awards. SocaMom.com came away with two 2012 Black Weblog Awards - Best Parenting Blog and Best New Blog. For the full list of winners, go to BlackWeblogAwards.com.

Caribbean Parenting Website SocaMom.com wins Best Parenting Blog and Best New Blog in the Black Weblog Awards 2012

We've gotten a lot done this year with getting the blog up and running, two redesigns, our first major event, and two offline support groups - but there's more to do. I'm working to add an educational component to the blog, starting with the activity and coloring sheets for kids.  They are designed to introduce kids to Caribbean culture, but are great for adults to test their knowledge of history and culture in the Caribbean as well.  There are even printable temporary tattoos for Carnival!

More content, news, and cultural education is added to SocaMom.com daily, and your feedback on our progress is greatly appreciated. If you are interested in contributing to SocaMom.com, please click on contact us and get in touch.

I've almost completed the plan for 2013, and I am very excited about the new features we have coming up.

Thanks again for supporting me and SocaMom.com. I appreciate you, and look forward to another fantastic year in 2013!

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20... 30...40... RUN! #MyGeekIsShowing

My mom was an early computer nerd - and she raised one, me. I remember her having the "amber screen" computers in her office, and making sure that my brother and I were enrolled in every computer class she could find for kids our age - and some that weren't.  I would sit in front of the Apple II Plus on weekends creating games and quizzes using BASIC (I thought that was a lot of fun), and trying to get banners and signs for my pretend businesses to print out using the dot matrix printer.

[It's the last day to vote for SocaMom.com]

Once I got to college, it was me, some WordPerfect, and a huge audience. As a marketing student, I was eager to try out all I had learned in class on my fellow Aggies, but being a nail tech only let me try out my advertising skills on a small segment of the student body.  When I saw the chance to run for Miss Junior - I couldn't pass it up.  I didn't know what Miss Junior did - other than look pretty - and since I was not the one to wear heels to class - I wasn't totally sure that I was a good fit. Either way, I was going to have the most memorable campaign on campus... that's for sure. My friends and I went beyond the red Solo cups in the chain link fence, and flyers in the student union.  We went out late at night with sidewalk chalk, and made "Vote for Eva" hopscotch games, and colorful "Vote for Eva" murals.  In the morning, some people were like, "What in the world?" Others rolled their eyes, and still others got all into it and played hopscotch on the boards.

It rained. We went all over campus and drew them again. Then I lost. It didn't rain for a week. Evidence of my failure was written all over the sidewalk. Ugh. Unfortunately, the internet is so much more permanent.

[Don't miss your chance to vote for SocaMom.com]

I may not have won, but the campaign was remembered.  I got a chance to use my creativity to get people to listen, and smile.

On a trip to @teeohwhy's house earlier this year, she gave me these... She had helped me campaign, oh... I dunno... a lotta years ago for Miss Junior when we were in college.  She kept them.  I didn't even have copies, but she had 'em - all this time, from 1995. Now that's love.

Ohh wow. Look at that hair... and that COLLAR!!! 1995.

Gotta love that clip art. WordPerfect.... 1995.

Bangs... hoop earrings... too much silver jewelry, leather watch band. 1995.

Fast forward to 2012, and again, she is supporting me as I compete with some amazing bloggers for Best New Blog and Best Parenting Blog in the Black Weblog Awards.

I didn't go all out and campaign for this. This time, it's different.  This has more to do with what I do - it's not a popularity contest.  I wrote a couple of blog posts, made some fly "vote for socamom" buttons (I mean, I AM still me - something HAD to be done), and then went back to writing.  If I want people to choose SocaMom.com for the best parenting blog, then I need work towards being a good parent for my kids, and to share the information that helps my readers do their best parenting.  If I want people to vote for my blog as the best new blog, I have to show my readers that amazing things can be done in just one year of hard work.

I am so grateful for the support of my friends and family, and if you love my work, click here to vote for SocaMom.com. Thanks to my new friends in blogging, BFF's, friends, sorors, and family who shared SocaMom.com, voted, and got us through to final voting.  Today is the last day to vote, so I'd appreciate you voting just one more time.

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A Lesson in Organic SEO: Type “Completely Wrong” into Google Images

Chatting on Facebook, a friend of mine told me to type in "completely wrong" in Google Images.  So I did.  Now you do it... we'll wait.

Did you type “completely wrong” into Google Images? What did you get?

Page...

If you are doing this during the 2012 presidential election, you probably got pages and pages worth of images of Mitt Romney. Sounds crazy right? You thinking conspiracy?

That’s what some people were thinking, given that it is no secret that the Google CEO is a supporter of the current POTUS. Fox News says that the CEO gave a whopping $5000 recently. Um…. I don’t know about you, but as far as a campaign contribution from a gajillionaire goes – that’s chump change. I did check Yahoo and Bing’s image search, and the same thing came up – not with the same consistency (there were other images mixed in) – but still at the top.

After Page...

In the spirit of the presidential campaigns of both candidates, Google is blaming Romney. Apparently in a speech, he said that he was “completely wrong,” the online press quoted him, and the images associated with those articles have made their way over to Google images – totally organic according to Google. As many of us moms who do the grocery shopping are finding out, everything they say is organic, ain’t really organic. Whether you believe Google or not, when it comes to SEO, what you talk about the most turns out to be what Google is going to pick up.

After Page...

What you think your blog is about, may not be what the search engines think its about.

You may think that your blog is about chicken wings, when in fact, Google and other search engines may beg to differ. If you don’t consistently write good content about chicken wings, that specifically mentions chicken wings – then the search engines won’t connect you with the topic. Does your blog have a singular focus – not just on your “About Us” page, but in what you are writing? Are you linking back to your other content within your own posts? Take a note from Mitt… online, you are what you talk about – even if that means you turn out to be, “completely wrong.”

After Page of results from Google Images...

Did you watch the vice presidential debate? What SEO nightmare do you think Joe Biden or Paul Ryan have cooked up for themselves after last nights performances?

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