Another Free Class!

Thanks to Bing for an amazing month of free classes (we gave away over 850 class spots in July!). Since it was such a huge hit, Bing wants to continue their generosity by offering this popular classes again:

Tough Love: What Brands Really Think About Your Blog

August 21, 11 am PST

Sign up for the class by going here. The class is first come, first serve so please make sure you're available to attend before signing up.

We have many other great classes lined up. See the full class schedule here. Sign up while spaces are still left!

Photography by Mieke Willems.

Judging Image Resolution

 As you are working on images for your blog, and perhaps combining several images into one (like creating a style board), you need to pay close attention to image size and resolution. Not doing so will affect the quality of the image.

Resolution refers to the quality of your photo. Digital photos are made up of tiny pixels of color. We need to understand how many pixels per inch look "right" to the naked eye, so that there is no loss of image quality.

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Using Pinterest to Know Your Readers

Everyone loves Pinterest. But how can you use Pinterest to gain a better understanding of your readers and what they like. It's actually very simple. And best part is - you don't even need a Pinterest account to do it!

Here's how it works: Every time an image from your blog or a product from your shop is pinned, Pinterest adds that item to a feed of all user-pinned items from your blog/shop (this does not work for individual etsy shops unfortunately). To see what your readers are pinning take this URL (http://pinterest.com/source/creaturecomfortsblog.com), and substitute your URL in place of mine.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Writing a Guest Post

Guest posting and/or contributing to another blog can be a great way to develop relationships with other bloggers. It's also a great way to grow your blog’s audience. But how do you become a contributor? Follow these guidelines to pitch and write a guest post that won’t go unnoticed.

DON’T sit around and wait

Here’s a little secret about guest posting – you don’t have to wait for a blogger to ask you to do it. Many blogs, even the big ones, publish guest/contributor posts on a regular basis. Do your homework. Come up with an idea that is interesting, unique, and fits well within a blog’s existing content.

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Finding a Mentor

Mentors can be invaluable—offering guidance, inspiration, perspective and motivation. How do you go about finding your own?

To find the right person, look for people in your industry who have blazed the very trail you’re traveling. They’re sure to save you from common mistakes. But keep your eyes open for successful people in any field. If you’re drawn to a person in another industry because of her personality, philosophy or approach to business, she certainly can teach you something to apply in your world.

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