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Web 11

Sunday Special QA No. 10

Posted By on May 31, 2009

Sunday’s a good day to take it easy.

I’ve decided that on Sundays I’m not going to do any blogging except for a very simple post series called “The Sunday Special” where you get to ask me anything you’d like.

You can ask about me about web technology, WordPress, blogging, what I ate for breakfast… whatever.

I can’t promise that I’ll answer all of your questions, but feel free to answer each other’s questions as well.

I’ll try to answer all the questions throughout the coming week.

Simple enough, right? Go.

Blogging, Strategy, Web 8

7 Tips for Starting Your Blog Over without Starting Over

Posted By on May 30, 2009

resetbuttonI have this conversation with people about every single week.

It goes something like this:

Frustrated Blogger:

I’m tired of my current blog.

Me:

Well, what do you mean by “tired?”

Frustrated Blogger:

Well, I don’t like my blog.

Me:

What don’t you like about it specifically?

Frustrated Blogger:

I’m not sure. I think I need to start another blog, a new one.

Me:

Why can’t you just make some changes on your current blog?

Frustrated Blogger:

Ummmm… I don’t know…?

The exact words may be different, but the idea is essentially the same, and it happens to everyone (including me).
Continue Reading…

Blogging, Google, Strategy, Web, WordPress 14

A Genius Way to Keep Your Blog Content Fresh: Create an ‘Aside’ Category

Posted By on May 30, 2009

freshness

People love a fresh and updated blog. Google’s Search Engine (and others) really likes a blog that’s updating consistently and regularly. Many other indexing services and ranking systems take the “freshness” of your blog very seriously.

So, why don’t you update regularly?

Ah, I gotcha. You’re too busy. You don’t feel like you have enough to say. Yada yada yada.

Well, here’s a great way to keep your blog fresh without having to dedicate all that time: Create an “aside” category.

Typically, this type of category is a brief update covering anything you’d like. Michael Hyatt just create one called “Resources” that is perfect for his audience and for his updating schedule, since there are times where he may “skip” a day.

But, with his new Resources section, he can throw up a blog post daily, keeping the content of the overall system fresh while not having to dedicate the typical amount of time he spends on a “full” post.

Genius!

Some other great examples of an Asides Category could be:

  • What Tools your using to get stuff done.
  • Random quotes that you like.
  • What you’re reading currently (Check out TogetherWeThink.com’s “What We’re Reading” section on the right sidebar).
  • Images or a Video.
  • Sites of Interest.
  • Your current location (Geolocation).

Just make sure that you position the Aside outside the main Content Loop in WordPress (or whatever platform you’re using) so that it doesn’t feed into your main content bucket. Putting it in a separate page or on the sidebar will do you just fine!

[Image from Gregor_y]

Social Media, Strategy, Web 5

The Executive Pastor’s Guide to Social Media – Part 5 – The Bandwagon Temptation

Posted By on May 29, 2009

socialmediabandwagon4Let’s be honest: There are tons of great tools and web services out there but not all of them are the right ones for your ministry and organization.

It’s this key difference, and you’re ability to spot it and make the right choice, which will determine not only how you engage in online but also your relative effectiveness and success.

There will be temptation and pressure, from within and without the organization, from your staff, volunteers, congregation, and more, to jump on the newest service and social network.

Resist this at all costs.

Your job is to provide guidance and verifiable truth that your investment not only matches your core mission and vision, but is in line with your goals as a ministry. Not all services will help you get there so you don’t have to endorse them officially.

More thoughts after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Strategy, Video, Web, Youtube 2

The iBible – When Technology Makes Things Harder

Posted By on May 29, 2009

If web technology is making things more difficult than easier then you should probably get rid of it. In addition, if you’re trying to use technology just for the sake of doing it (or just because you can) then you should probably rethink your strategy…

Take the iBible for example!

[HT: Stuff Christians Like]

Blogging, Web 8

Flickering Pixels – Group Blogging Project – Moved Back to June 8!

Posted By on May 29, 2009

pixelspout

Just a quick update that the Group Blogging Project for Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps is going to be pushed back a week so that every one can get a copy of the book (we know that Amazon can ship slowly sometimes…)!

So we’ll start June 8th!

Although we’ve got our core bloggers who will be leading the conversation, we would love for you to join us!

So, get a copy of the book and we’ll see you in a little bit!

Thanks all!

[Image from NickGray]

Strategy, Web 13

Never Stop Learning

Posted By on May 29, 2009

keeplearning

Never stop learning.

I learned this very early on in my career when I quickly realized that if I was to be even half as good as I’d like to be I’d better be willing to become a “student for life” in the areas that I wanted to master.

So I have purposely, explicitly, and intentionally sought out opportunities to learn. I don’t expect that I’ll just pick stuff up by being around people or by doing stuff. I pro-actively learn.

Don’t be arrogant. Don’t be apathetic. Don’t waste the chance to do something great just because you never actually learned how to do it.

And make sure that you help teach others to learn too.

[Image from Jeezny]

Facebook, Strategy, Web 12

The Ultimate Resource List: The Difference Between a Facebook Group and a Facebook Page

Posted By on May 28, 2009

ultimateguidetofacebookgroupspages

Facebook is pretty big, if I do so say myself. A number of ministries and businesses have already jumped in and begun leveraging it for their organization.

One of the inevitable questions that arise is whether or not one should use a Facebook “Group” or a Facebook “Page” for their ministry, because they are certainly different!

Instead of re-inventing the wheel, here are some valuable links that can help you better understand the difference between a Facebook Group and a Facebook Page.

Use them wisely!

The Ultimate Resource List

Knock yourself out. ;)

[Image from LaughingSquid]

Internet Church, Web 28

Confessions of an Internet Campus Pastor – We Can Figure This Out As We Go

Posted By on May 28, 2009

marotte_webMy name is Vince Marotte and I am the new Internet Campus Pastor at Gateway Church in Austin Texas, and I have no idea what I’m doing.

Or at least not yet.

You see, I’m starting a journey, one that has a definite beginning and an extremely ambiguous end. I’d put a link to our internet campus, but it doesn’t exist yet.

In fact, nothing exists quite yet, and that’s why they decided to bring me on.

This is the primary reason I’m introducing myself to the ChurchCrunch community. You see, over the next six months or so, I will be posting about the development of the Gateway Church web presence as it happens.

Line by line, piece by piece.

In addition, I’m going to be moving my entire family from Murrieta California. It’s not just about the “internet,” it’s also about my life with my family in this entirely new role.

I want others to learn from what we are doing as well as provide a platform for you to give us feedback during the process. The concept of internet campus is still so new, that we thought it would be a good opportunity to document one coming together.

Before I start posting, let me tell you a bit about myself and my role at Gateway Church.

Continue Reading…

Strategy, Web 7

Taking a Break is an Entrepreneur’s Panacea

Posted By on May 28, 2009

takeabreak

Being an entrepreneur is tough. What’s nice is that I know that many of you that daily join me on this blog (and elsewhere) are also entrepreneurs. It’s better when you journey with others.

But sometimes the best thing to do is to just sit back, relax, and take a break from our restless attempts to move the digital Kingdom forward and take a look around at what else is going on.

I think the best entrepreneur’s have learned to take this strategic break, a breather, and recalibrate and realign their priorities and goals. Or, perhaps, it’s time to create some new ones.

How are you taking a break from the plethora of opportunities daily? Are you taking that time to truly rest?

We run at a pace that is just simply unsustainable in the online world, let’s be different and take a few moments off, shall we?

[Image from Jorge]

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