Notes about adding Photos to WordPress Blog Sites

Q: I’ve uploaded a photo to word press. In the preview, we can’t see all of the people on the cropped view…is it possible to do so?
A: The wordpress system will crop it automatically. When the photo is viewed in the post all the people will be there.

Q: I’ve put notes on most of them…I never know if I should change the 1st line that identifies the photo from it’s’ jpeg name…?
A: Yes, change the first line (photo name) to keywords or explain what is in the photo.

Q: Is it better to put a caption or fill in the box for description? What should we put into alternate text?
A: A caption is good, as well as a description. The alternate text can be the same keywords from line 1, or a variation. Using Winter Park Dental Care or Dr. Linda Winter in alt text is also something you should do as often as possible.

Q: How does one decide what the public would be interested in seeing?
A: The public is interested in seeing what you are looking to share. I am putting some of the photos up in drafts. If you have any commentary to add from you or the staff: how you felt about helping out, feedback you received, how busy it was, etc. that would be great to add with the pictures.

Q: Also, after I spent the time cropping the 2 photos in Photoshop, I then saw the capability of cropping photos in Word Press…..would word press put them in the proper ratios better than what I had to hand create n Photoshop? What’s the easiest, fastest way to do cropping for the blog site?
A: The blog site does minimal cropping for size. If the photos have excess space etc. you should crop (I use windows photo editor) when I just need to crop the edges off etc. that’s the quickest that I have found.

Is your blog hiding?

I recently found a website that had a blog. But I didn’t know that at first. Because “Blog” was not a menu item. Well, it was, but it was a second-level menu item, buried at the bottom of a number of other items. The parent menu item was “Tools”. So I guess I found the blog only because I was curious about what “Tools” meant.

Is your blog hiding? Your blog should be front and center, on your Home page. It’s the most important single part of your website. It’s the part that establishes your credibility as someone who knows what they’re talking about. It’s the part that brings people back to read more. It’s the place where you can let people know your latest thoughts and opinions. It’s the place where they can find interesting and useful information. It’s the place where you can develop relationships.

Don’t hide your blog.

This is a guest post by Tom Harris. Visit his awesome and amazing website here.

Reasons your company should blog…even if nobody reads it…

We’ve been telling our clients for quite a while now that a blog is a must have in a company’s marketing mix. There are reasons, fresh content, Google likes it, sometimes you’ll hit on something a customer or client wants to see, when you automate Facebook and Twitter will get a link back to your site, blogging helps you clarify your message (with yourself) and I could go on and on.

Here’s another list of 10 reasons why your company should blog.
So my question to you is: are you?

To Edit?

movie To Edit? You recently walked around, shooting this and that, and you’re ready to post that baby to the good ol’ internet. One question before you do, have you edited it?

Due to numerous advances in technology, everybody has their chance to be a movie maker, and these days, the good stuff is the good content, no matter if the lighting’s a bit off or someone misspoke. Still, that does not mean an uncut vlog or introduction is worthy of posting. Watchers have the ability to click if something does not please them, so their attention span is quite shorter than it used to be. Therefore, to make a video, editing is key. No special effects are needed, just a bit of good judgment on what should and should NOT go into a video. (Good: Dialogue or images pertaining to the topic. Not-Good: Wild filming to transition from one room to another, or rambling completely off topic, unless it’s amusing or will serve to make a point).

You don’t need final cut, or another $ 1,000 software. Most computers come with an easy to use program right in the programs, no downloads necessary. (Macintosh: iMovie, Windows: Windows Movie Maker). No? Well, even Youtube knows the benefit of editing and it has its own online editing software. Edit well, and prosper.

The InSights Group works with entrepreneurs, small businesses and dental practices on successful social media marketing strategies.

Editing 101 with iMovie

As a personal Mac owner, I have learned to work with iMovie, and if you play with it, you’ll be a master no problem.

First things first, open up your application, which will either be in your dock, or in your ‘Finder’, then ‘Applications’. Once that is open, you can begin your first project. From which ever device you took the video, plug it into the computer, and iMovie will recognize it. Follow the instructions to import it. Then you have free range. Editing 101 with iMovie

High light the video clip you want, and load it onto the area that says “Drag clips here” or some variation. You’re in business. Keep dragging, switching clips around, highlight bits up top that you’d like to cut off and keep going.

Also, by clicking the buttons in the middle bar to towards the right, you can add music from your iTunes, pictures for stills or “Ken Burns” effects (instead of the whole picture in the shot, the picture either pans or zooms to give it motion), as well as text for titles or subtitles, transitions and some pre-existing backgrounds.

With iMovie, you’ll discover you can add effects to your clips, slow down, speed up, or reverse your footage too. You can change the lighting, and how loud or soft your audio is. Play around, have fun and get blogging- or rather- vlogging!

If this did not help you at all, no problem, just click this link to the Apple website of iMovie tutorials that will not only tell you, but show you exactly what to do.

http://www.apple.com/findouthow/movies/

The InSights Group works with entrepreneurs, small businesses and dental practices on successful social media marketing strategies.

Blogging for SEO or Money?

There are two reasons to blog for business promotion. Which reason do you blog?

1) To build SEO (search engine optimization) ranking. Key word rich wording.

2) Telling a great story so that readers will share your message. These are fun, interesting stories told in such a way that people become interested in you and not just your product or service

Unfortunately, most social media people are teaching businesses to blog with key words in mind and not really good , fun content that is easily shared. They focus to much on old school SEO web stuff and not enough on cutting edge social media strategies. When working with your strategist, Be sure to ask the right questions.

Gary, what do you wish people asked you more?

Recommended Blog: Josh Stein

Josh Stein is an Upper Peninsula Realtor who writes a blog about his life and his daily experiences in the world of real estate here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. According to his site, for the last 3 years he has closed more land deals then any other MLS agent in the Upper Peninsula. His blog is not only entertaining but is presented in a fashion that is beneficial for those looking to buy or sell real estate here in the U.P… Josh’s blog can be found at http://www.joshsteinland.com.

“This post is by Rick Curtis. Rick runs a personal development website which can be found at http://www.happyyooper.com. His site focuses on sharing messages and resources that are aimed at inspiring and motivating people to chase their dreams and follow their hearts.”

Is less better than more?

Fewer words is better than more words.

E. B. White wrote in “Elements of Style”: “Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should contain no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

This applies to any written work, whether a brochure, a white paper, an article, a blog post or website content.

Don’t use TMW (Too Many Words)!

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