Assignment 7, Bootcamp #5 - Guest Blogging

[iCraft Admin]

Since nobody had any success with guest blogging this week, I'll give everyone 1 more week to work on this assignment. To find sites that are looking for guest bloggers, do replacement on Google for "Guest Blogging + Keyword".
Here are a few that came up for "Guest Blogging Handmade":
http://www.iamthelab.com/lab-guest-host/wanted-guest-bloggers/
http://handmadeharbour.blogspot.ca/p/guest-blogging.html
http://blog.fanchimp.com/guest-bloggers-wanted/

This girl mentions a blog that she contributes to -  Poppytalk. Worth following that link and checking that site out.
http://everythinggoldenblog.com/?cat=47
I know it's a bit of investigative work, but that's how you gather valuable info that will help you to promote your store on relevant and popular blogs.

At the same time, keep working on other types of link building and post your questions on forum. This is your chance to learn link building through practice.

I am going to post last assignment next week.

[Jewelry by Kat]

My first guest blog!!!!!!!!        http://www.amyshandmadejewelry.com/blog

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Kat,

Congrats on landing your first guest blogging post! You are the first.

A few notes for you:
- The first link on “bracelet” doesn’t work.
- Actually, you should place link on the whole product name “memory wire wrap bracelet”. Keyword Bracelet is too competitive, so you should try to avoid 1 word anchor text.
- I clicked on the link to your blog and it looks like you re-posted the same post there. That is a big no-no. This is called duplicate content and it actually hurts you more than it helps. Your site and everyone else’s sites, where you post duplicate content, can be downgraded for this reason. This will also anger more savvy bloggers that accept your guest posts. Please remove all duplicate posts from your blog and only post original content on any blog that you get access too.  Hope this helps!

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Thanks for the extension!

I do have a blog that's ready to take my post and it has to be done soon, but it is year end at work and that means lots of administrative clean up on top of regular work.  I proposed I would write it in Word and then the lady can move it to her blog.  I plan to put instructions in the document like underline the words I want linked and then give the URL and put things like "insert picture here" and send along the pictures.

Is that how it's generally done?

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Fairy Cardmaker,

No problem and thanks for the update! That's fine the way you are doing it. Just make sure your links are implemented correctly. Let us know your post's URL, so we all have a look.

[Jewelry by Kat]

Got rid of the duplicate blog

[Red Rock Designs]

Congrats Kat, on your guess blogging post!  It was a good tutorial.  Still working on landing one myself.

[iCraft Admin]

That's great, Kat! Just make sure you update links in the guest post, so it doesn't have broken links.

[JaJeJems]

Good work Kat and Fairy C.  I think that I have one, will let you know for sure tomorrow.

[iCraft Admin]

That's great, JaJeJems!  
Looking forward to it.

[JaJeJems]

Waiting.............!

[iCraft Admin]

Ok. Thanks for the update!
How are the rest of the group doing? Any questions?

[iCraft Admin]

If you ever wonder how Google might define quality content, here is a list of questions that Google published shortly after one of the Panda updates. This list gives us a glimpse into what's important to Google. Scroll down to "What counts as a high-quality site?" section. I think it's a good idea to keep this list handy any time you work on a new article.

Here are some of the questions from the article:

• Would you trust the information presented in this article?
• Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
• Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original rereplacement, or original analysis?
• Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?
• Does the page provide substantial value when compared to other pages in replacement results?
• Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?

[Jewelry by Kat]

One of my directories added me.       http://handcraftedjewelry.gotop100.com/index2.html

Still only one guest blog

one review and giveaway came through                     http://www.emilyreviews.com/2013/05/jewelry-by-kat-hand-made-beaded-jewelry-review-50-gift-certificate-giveaway-us-64.html

[Red Rock Designs]

No takers yet for guest blogging....I did get approved for Top100 directory...but they haven't posted my link yet.  I'll keep checking the site and provide the link when it's published.