Overview

Today I talk about blog designs. This podcast has some conflicting advice, but overall, I am pro having a custom theme if you can afford it and you know your site will be amazing right from the start, and against spending the money if you can’t afford it and are going to focus solely on growth through quality content.

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Show Notes

0:27 – Blog Design

• Beautiful design not needed
• Previous Podcast about Promotion

1:10 – Branding

• Freelance Switch
• PSDTuts

1:38 – Marketing

• Design Galleries

1:48 – Network Design for Digital Life News

• I am a horrible graphic designer

2:04 – Great Blog Designers

• Chris Garrett
• Elena of Design Disease

2:24 – Premium WordPress Themes

2:40 – Custom Theme Design Prices

• Sitepoint
• TalkFreelance

3:12 – The Value of Custom Themes

3:42 – Things to Consider

• Advertising Space
• Branding and Promotional space
• Social Media

4:20 – Images in Content Area

• Is there enough space to display the size of images you want to use?

4:40 – Topic Roundup

5:25 – Wrap-up

Intro and Exit Music

Wired for Loud by David Henderson, found via PodsafeAudio

Originally posted on April 17, 2008 @ 3:54 pm

Overview

Time to talk about guest blogging, or rather, having someone else be a columnist on your own blog.

Subscribe directly to the Podcast RSS Feed to always keep up to date with any new releases.

Show Notes

0:28 – Guest Blogging

• Bill from The Blog Entrepreneur

1:03 – Results of Bill’s Posts

• Are You Blogging Naked?
• My Top 12 Biggest Blogging Mistakes

1:52 – Learning from Other Bloggers and Teaching

• Images in posts to draw attention

2:15 – Rant About Bloggers That Can’t Write

3:12 – Still Looking for Featured Columnists

3:20 – Why Add Columnists to Xfep?

• Need more time to build up other projects before baby is born in November
• Chris Garrett and Chris Garrett are both great bloggers with the first one definitely taking on paid writing positions here and there.
• Some bloggers in 45n5.com/top100 are great.

4:35 – Posting a Help Wanted Sign

• Ask friends to mention the open position

5:25 – Wrap-up

Intro and Exit Music

Wired for Loud by David Henderson, found via PodsafeAudio

Originally posted on April 15, 2008 @ 11:06 am

The title is only true for today. I was hoping to put up a new episode of the Xfep Podcast today, but we just got a new puppy. She is a black lab/husky mix and is only six weeks old. She is very afraid of everything, and as such, she is very dependent on me right now. It’s cute, but a bit tiring. I will be putting up a new episode on Monday, but hopefully I will have a chance to write up some new great content during the weekend, so keep checking back.

Thank you to all those that are checking out the podcast. I would love it if you would all leave some feedback on the length, quality, and content.

Originally posted on April 18, 2008 @ 10:22 pm

So I have decided that it is time to bring back the Xfep Podcast, and I am thinking of doing short daily (Monday through Friday) segments.

Overview

Today, I decided to talk about the change in format and advertising networks I have tried recently.

Subscribe directly to the Podcast RSS Feed to always keep up to date with any new releases.

Show Notes

0:25 – The change in the Xfep Podcast format

• Going to release shorter podcasts covering just a few items each weekday on a wider variety of subjects relating to blogging

1:32 – Advertising Programs I’ve Tried and Failed with Recently

• TTZ Media
• Pepperjam Network
• Show Your Ad Here

6:42 – Finding Advertisers

• Tips on finding advertisers for your blog

Intro and Exit Music

Wired for Loud by David Henderson, found via PodsafeAudio

Originally posted on April 11, 2008 @ 2:02 pm

A little while back now, Chris Garrett and I got together again for another episode of the FourFourNiner podcast, where we answer blogging and design related questions.

From the limited show notes:

David and I are back to answer more bloggers questions! Episode 2 sees us tucking into Blog Networks, Expression Engine vs. WordPress (with input from the legendary Andy Clarke), letting people post to your blog (and David shows us with a snazzy plugin).

Chris, even with me crying for him not too, added some out takes at the end, sure to make some people laugh at us being kinda dumb.

Definitely worth listening to if you have thirty minutes to spare. Check it out on The449 blog.

Originally posted on February 29, 2008 @ 2:37 pm