>>Creative Commons Keep Your Copyright While Sharing With Others

Did you know that when you create something...an idea, a work of art, a photograph....you automatically own, an all rights reserved copyright to that work? The law restricts others from re-using your work in ways that you may not want it used. What happens when you create something, but don't want to be quite so restrictive. Say, you want to share your work within certain boundaries. This is where Creative Commons Licensing comes in. With a Creative Commons License, you keep your copyright but allow people to copy and distribute your work provided they give you credit — and only on the conditions you specify.

Creative Commons is a great way to get your creative work out there by allowing others to share, enjoy and learn from it.

>>Blog Inspired They Made Something Happy ~ and BOL helped

Meet sisters, best friends and designers Susie and Heidi Bauer, owners of the super creative and hip stationary line, rock scissor paper.

The Bauers were in attendance at the very first Blog Out Loud creative blogging event held at Patio Culture last summer and we're so pleased to announce their new-ish blog "Make Something Happy" {with 23+ posts under their belts, they're hardly newbies anymore}

Recently we received this little note from them:

Hi Megan & Rebecca,

Thanks for the updates. I wanted to let you know that Heidi & I launched our blog after attending the first Blog Out Loud event. It is called "Make Something Happy" and as of last night we have 23 posts under our belt!

www.makesomethinghappy.com

Thanks for the inspiration and the kick in the butt to finally do this!

We love hearing stories like this! Susie and Heidi, your blog is an inspiration to us all! Thanks for sharing Bauer Sisters, You've made us happy!

Rebecca and Megan

Blog Out Loud Consulting F A Q

Life is busy and as a creative person, you are most likely being pulled in a million different directions. Time is not always on your side. That’s where we can help. Building a blog is a valuable opportunity to create an online presence. We will work with you to become a confident and successful blogger by providing tools, exercises, ideas, knowledge and a lot of inspiration to guide you as you set up and begin your blog.

Is This For Me.
The Blog Out Loud Consulting package is for anyone or any business with a desire to break into the blogosphere with a strong presence and the knowledge to give you an optimum shove at that starting gate.

What You Get.
Blog Out Loud Consulting is a virtual consulting service created by seasoned bloggers, Rebecca Orlov and Megan Arquette. For an affordable fee, you will get a customized e-Book built specifically for your blog genre, style and goals plus the Marketing Guide and the detailed questionnaire that you filled out. Consider this questionnaire as your own streamlined personal guide that will continue to help you on your creative goals. And we will really spend time working with you on what you need and need to know. What began solely as a symposium style event has quickly turned into a one-on-one opportunity for individuals and businesses to learn from the experts the power of blogging.

Where It All Goes Down.
The beauty of this program is that it’s done in your own home, cubical, neighborhood coffee shop or where ever you call ‘office’. There is an initial 30 minute e-conversation conducted via Skype {a free downloadable program} where in we e-meet with you, answer any questions and begin the process of customizing your consultation and e-Book.

How We Work.
After we initially Skype with you, the BOL team will get to work working to provide you with an in-depth BOL Questionnaire , a Marketing Guide and a reservation to start building your customized e-Book.

When Is The Right Time Start.
Whether you’ve been putting this off long enough or are chomping at the bit to get this party started, now is the time to contact the BOL team and reserve a time for your personalized consultation. Consider this, every second more than 2 blogs are being created. No matter how you look at it, this is a medium that’s here to stay and will continue to become an integral part of the world.

When Should I Submit Payment.
BOL requests that the payment be done in 2 separate PayPal installments. An up -ront fee is due after the Skype meeting, and will be required in order to receive your questionnaire, marketing guide and reserve a position with the BOL team.

Then what.
Once we have received your detailed questionnaire, we request your final balance in order to begin the process. Then we’ll get to work on building and customizing your own e-Book.

How quick is the process.
A 2 - 4 week turn around is to be expected and we'll stay in touch with you about our progress.

Will the BOL team be available to answer further questions after we're done.
Absolutely, we're happy to consult with you for an hourly fee.

How do I get started.
info@blogoutloudevent.com

>>learning more about SEO

We posted an intro to SEO a few weeks ago and now have a very generous and free download from etsy, with their new guide to SEO. While this guide is specific to etsy sellers, it is still relevant for all bloggers and you can gain tons of knowledge and tips for leveraging search engines and getting your blog out there. Click here to download this free 25-page guide.

>>vegas baby, vegas Don't Let Your Blog Lose Steam

I still laugh at this scene from Swingers, especially at the 1:04 mark. don't let this happen to you and your blog. blogs will get up and running with the best of intentions and then slowly lose steam and pretty much stop posting, like Oprah's Producer blogs. How do you sidestep this situation for yourself when life is busy and work is busy and blogging is the last thing you want to do? Here are a few tips.

>>CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
Instead of looking at blogging as "one more thing to do that can wait", change that view by making it more important. You put stamps on an envelope? Consider blogging an important step in regards to your business. One can work with the other. As you continue blogging, your readership will grow which means more eyes on your blog and more clicks to your business site.

>>MAKE AN EDITORIAL SCHEDULE
we've talked about this before - make an editorial schedule to help you manage your time and your creativity. Say Mon - Wed - Fri are your blogging days. Monday can be an about you post. Wed can be a reblog of something that inspired you. Friday can be about things coming down the pike to look forward to. Obviously your schedule will be relevant to you, your brand and your blog.

>>ORGANIZE YOUR BOOKMARKS
About a year ago I finally got around to organizing my Firefox bookmarks into folders so now when I get writer's block and need a blog post idea, I can reference "Interior Designers", "Paper Goods" or "Small Space ideas" and get inspired.

>>IT'S BLOGGING, NOT A TEST
Blogging is informal and loose...it's fun! Keep it that way by creating a blog that inspires you as much as other people.

Rebecca

>>you are "curating an experience"

>>Click here to learn more about Scott's book,
Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What It's Becoming, and Why It Matters

>>Blog Out Loud Event 03 Belong: Building The Advertising Blog Community. Sponsored by Wiredrive.

We're thrilled to announce our 3rd Blog Out Loud event - BELONG: Building The Advertising Blog Community sponsored by Wiredrive. This is a special event that we are hosting for the advertising community and we can't wait for this evening! The panel of successful ad bloggers will encourage and inspire the companies and people who create the amazing ads you see out in the world to embrace blogging and build up this incredible community. Click here for more details, panelists and RSVP information about attending this event.

>>tips on promoting your blog via social media

Blogging guru, Darren Rowse of Problogger, chats about ways to promote your blog through free social media applications that you enjoy using everyday. He has some thoughtful things to say, including suggestions on creating editorial zones to help with your creative flow.

>>Blog Out Loud Platforms

it's hard to wrap your head around all of the social media available and to decide what's worthwhile for your business and what's a not. we want to help. we've taken some of the most popular options out there for you and complied a list for easy reference. (there are still quite a few not on the list but they are more specific or use in other countries.) so if you've ever wondered if you should Squidoo, Blip or Twitter, you can find it in our BLOG OUT LOUD PLATFORMS list located in the navagation bar and get to it right away.

>>turn your blog into a coffee table book

I love coffee table books. Form + function all in one. Well now you can create your very own special coffee table book...of your blog. I have heard about this before but this is probably one of the better ones. Blog 2 Print gives you the publishing reins and let's you pick how many pages you'd like to publish as well as which posts. A 20-page hardcover book is just $24.95 and 35 cents per additional page. One idea and a cool present to yourself for your 1st blogoversay is to pick your favorite post for each week of the year and publish a 52 page book.

>>blog directories Free Blog Catalogs For You To Join

Remember the yellow pages? Of course. Well, like the iconic phone book listings, there are quite a few of blog catalogs and directories that you can enter your blog name and URL to online for free! There are a few that may require a small fee but consider the value. Here's a small list to get you going.

>>Blog Catalog

>>Bloggeries

>>Blogorama

>>Delightful blogs

>>Design Directory

>>Design Milk Directory

>>Oprah could use a little Blog Out Loud love

I've been a fan of Oprah's for many years. I tivo Oprah. I like her design shows, often showing Nate Berkus making over small spaces. I checked out her site recently - have you been on it? Tons of information and user-friendly. I spotted a little button for Producers' Blogs and it took me to a page listing 14 of her Producers and each had their very own blog. What a neat way to connect with the viewers! They are on it! Um, actually, no they are not.

I clicked on one, then another, and then another. Let's say they all got going around the same time in March with what looked like good intentions and then pretty much dropped off by May. They did about 3 posts average each. They offer a "send a message" button so I thought I would say hello and write a note. Guess what? I received an error message saying that "my message was rejected because the recipient's mailbox was full." bummer.

I think their effort to create these blogs and provide a unique point of view and access is a great idea for their brand and for their viewers to feel connected - what we talk about via Blog Out Loud. To provide access and the inspiration behind the brand, their show in this case, is great and I hope they get it back up. That being said, they are kind of missing the point and it shows right online by the lack of posts and lack of access. I definitely understand how busy they must be but they can take steps to put blogging into their routine. This example shows that it's important to keep up with your blogging. While it takes time and energy, it's incredibly rewarding and important for your business brand. I am thinking Megan and I can do a little Blog Out Loud event with them? Hi Oprah, we are available :)

>>creating content 15 Post Ideas From Just 3 Words

it's common to feel like "a deer in headlights" when it comes to starting a blog, especially when it comes to content. What the hell do I write? creating interesting and relevant content for your blog is important and keeping it up is also important. Here is one exercise you can do to get the post ideas flowing.

>>3 words.

What's your company? Let's say boutique owner. Now define your company in 3 words. Let's say "modern home accessories". The bridge from your business site to your blog will be "modern home accessories". Once you are on the blog side, think about those 3 words and then open them up on a more emotional, personal level. The bullet point list below are just some quick questions I jotted down based on those words that can help you write posts. Answering them are ways to share your story and inspirations with your clients and customers. For example, it's one thing to sell a white pillow. It's another to share the inspiration behind featuring that white pillow in your shop. Maybe your story for why you are selling that pillow appeals to a reader. You just made a "connection" and I'll bet that reader would more likely buy that white pillow from you because of it.

• Why do you sell modern?
• What's the inspiration, in general, for selling your products?
• How did you get into modern?
• First modern decor that you owned.
• Where did you get it?
• What part of the world were you in?
• Why were you there?
• How did you choose to get into home + design?
• How does it make you feel?
• What is your own home like?
• How do you incorporate modern into your home?
• What accessories do you sell in your shop?
• What inspired you to feature these accessories in your shop?
• How do you design a space with your accessories?
• How do you introduce your accessories into different color palettes?

This is one example of how this idea works. Try it yourself and see what your lists looks like. Then take the first question on your list and answer it. Your first post is now done.

Rebecca

>>social media revolution

Social media is bigger then you may think or know. Click here to check out Socialnomic's post featuring a fascinating video of statistics, including the fact that Ashton Kutcher's twitter page has more followers then the population of Ireland, 78% of people trust peer recommendations from blogs, there are over 200,000,000 blogs and that 54% of bloggers tweet or post daily.

>>Google Doodles inspire creative forward thinking Creative Buzz via Your Blog Header

***Added on 10.06.09.***
Google's latest "doodle" (guess these logo changes are called Google Doodles) is to celebrate the 57th Anniversary of the barcode patent. Fun!
***********************

Per Google, "On September 5th, we posted a doodle with the abduction of our second 'o' and a coded tweet from its alien captors: 1.12.12 25.15.21.18 15 1.18.5 2.5.12.15.14.7 20.15 21.19, which translates into "All your O are belong to us"
(a nod to the Japanese video game, Zero Wing)."

"While the link from the doodle to a search for crop circles didn't provide any more clues, we also tweeted the lat/long coordinates of Horsell Commons, the location of the first alien landing in H.G. Wells 1898 classic, The War of the Worlds."

"Now, we're finally acknowledging the reason for the doodles with an official nod to Herbert George, who would be 143 years old today.Inspiration for innovation in technology and design can come from lots of places; we wanted to celebrate H.G. Wells as an author who encouraged fantastical thinking about what is possible, on this planet and beyond."

most of us know that Google changes it's established header upon holiday arrivals and key days by integrating the theme into their design, often using the 'o's to play it up. Just a few days ago I noticed their header looked like an aerial view of a plot of land. (Land Day? What was this???) Well now I know. Google broke outside their mainstream themes to give a birthday nod to HG Wells, who would have been 143 this week. I love that they told a full story and gave their readers the benefit that they could figure it out! Very cool! Click here to read more.

The neat thing about Google's header change is they've created a mini-brand within their brand and people are responding. Once you get your blog up and running, full of great content and ideas, mix it up with a creative opportunity to add to your blog by changing your header. Poppytalk, fave design/craft showcase, changes their blog header by the season. Now that they are established, I know I can go check in on their creative design and, of course, stay a minute or 100 to enjoy their blog. And since your business website will stay the same, your blog header mix up is a great way to remind your readers and clients that you are fresh and up to speed.

::images and image copy via Official Google Blog::

Rebecca

>>33 million reasons to engage in social networking33 Million People In The Room by Juliette Powell

As you get your blog up and running, you'll begin to see some incredible rewards - new readers, new buyers to your business, new e-friends, new inspiration, perhaps a new way to view your creative business. Consider adding to this by engaging in social networking - a facebook fan page for your business and/or blog and a twitter page, to name a few. These applications allow your readers to connect directly to you and that, in itself, is such a neat way to get to know the people that are inspired by your creative business. But it's more then just that 1 person. Their friends, their friends of friends, etc, now have access to you.

I recently read one of the best and well-written books about the influence of social media, 33 Million People In The Room, by talented social media strategist and entrepreneur, Juliette Powell. Aside from sharing social media in an informative and more, say, accessible way, Juliette provides real life examples of how social media works, how it can excel a company and the wielding power people have to make or break a brand. Her main concept (and title of her book) is powerful and a lot to wrap your head around. She shares David Reed's Law, that "networks can scale exponentially with the size and social importance of the network. [add a new person, double your network.] The amount of possible connections and subgroups within your group of just 25 individuals [would be] an astonishing 33 million." Yea, that's a lot to relate to - but you can.

Reed's Law and Julitette's book really shows you the potential your social networking communities can have for you and your own company. Click here to learn more about Juliette and to buy her great book - everyone blogging out there should have it!

Rebecca

>>Blog Out Loud TV Episodes 8, 9, 10

>>Click here to watch new episodes from Event 2.

>>PictoBuilder Make Your Own Inline Gallery

loving the PictoBuilder, a free inline gallery application that allows you to upload tons of your photos and keep them contained in one box. Just register and upload your public photos to Flickr or Picasa and voila.

>>love your name? then buy it for under $8Tips For Secuing Your Domain Name

you probably spent a lot if time coming up with your company name or your blog name so definitely buy your domain for your online presence. It's very important to maintain consistency between your company name and your website or blog name so your customers and interested parties can find you.

Your domain name is the URL that people will type in to find you. For under $8, you can buy your name so go for it - now! Godaddy is one of many sites that sell names, among tons of other services like web hosting and more. Basically, you lease your name for a length of time (1, 2, 10 years) and pay a fee depending on the length. If you are a company owner, you are probably already using your domain name for your, well, company. If you haven't added your blog to your website's menu, then consider buying your company name with 'blog' on the end. Here are a few more tips for using your new domain name.

>>FORWARDING
I bought lovinglivingsmall.com to forward my blog to. This is a free service. So now my readers can reach me both ways - .com or blogspot.com.

>>INSPIRATION FOR FUTURE EVENTS & IDEAS
I have an idea to evolve lovinglivingsmall but am slowly putting the details and ideas together. I decided on a cool name and just bought it. For $8, I was willing to make that investment. I am not ready to use it now but know that I am ready, I have it. Also, knowing that I've secured the name has helped streamline the idea I have.

>>YOU'RE ON IT!
By 'it' I mean you're finger's on the pulse. You are up to speed. Having a blogpost.com or wordpress.com address is definitely fine but being able to point new customers and people to a plain old .com is also very cool.

>>GETTING YOUR NAME BACK FROM SOMEONE ELSE
There's a chance someone may have your name. But don't worry, there are ways to negotiate and secure your name back. Click here to read an article about How To Buy Domain Names via the 4-Hour Work Week

Rebecca

>>Blog Out Loud gets a flash-y look!

we did a little flash makeover to the Blog Out Loud event site and hope you enjoy it!

Click here to check it out.

>>calling all blog designers!

>> blog style Consider Your Template

forget the standard templates that come with the blogging platforms and upload and then custom your own. click here for a thorough list of *free* blogger templates in almost any style, color and form.