How to: Place your cursor over the image and it changes {BEFORE AND AFTER}

A rollover or mouse over image is a great image effect you will have seen used on lots of blogs and websites. When you use this effect with an image or picture you add to your blog, the image will change to a different image once you hover your cursor over it. It's also a very easy to use and can have so many uses.




Here's a preview of a rollover image. Place your cursor over the image to see it change:





You will need to have your images in a hosting service like ImageShack.

This is the code we use to make the image:

<a href="TARGET URL GOES HERE"><img src="URL OF FIRST IMAGE GOES HERE" onmouseover="this.src='URL OF SECOND IMAGE GOES HERE'" onmouseout="this.src='URL OF FIRST IMAGE GOES HERE'" /></a>

You now need to customize the code by adding the images you want to use & the address you want it to lead to when clicked. I recommend to copy this code and paste it on the notepad and there you can edit it.

Once the changes are made, you are done. You can place the image in your blog posts/sidebar or anywhere html can be used. To place in the post content you just need to select the HTML tab on the upper left and then paste the code.

HOW MANY page views is "normal" ?

The number of PVs (Page Views) per user will vary enormously from site to site. Whether having a low number of PVs per visit is good or bad will depend on the site.

You might expect a community site to have quite a few PVs, for example, but an editorial site with information on many subtopics might average only a few PVs per visit (especially if users are coming in through search) because users leave when they've found the information they're looking for.


To make matters more complicated, a user who looks at only a page or two today may come back again and again if he regards your site as an authoritative source of information on a broad topic.


That said, you may be interested in check out this study that shows some statistics to make you consider how is your blog/page doing:

 

Parenting blogs analytics study from Annie Phdinparenting

Also, here are 2 sites to help you check out the stats for your page:

Alexa       -       StatCounter

Using blogging statistics to build a better blog

You can easily find hundreds of blogging statistics around the web. Some of them are stats that mainly state why blogging is important and the others can help you create powerful blogs. I prefer reading the latter ones and implementing them on my blog to get better results.

Along with the blogging stats this infographic provides some tips on how they can be used to create a better blog too.

Why your Business Should Have a Blog

#1 To share your expertise
Sharing your experience, thoughts, tips and strategies on the blog can position you as a thought leader or an expert.

#2 To optimize for search engines

Search engines always like fresh content. Having a blog gives you an easy opportunity to update content frequently.

#3 To interact

Blogs are usually written in a conversational way. They add a personal touch to your business. You can easily have conversations or get instant feedback from your visitors.

#4 To grow your network

If you are posting informative content with value, a relevant group of readers are bound to follow your blog. This is the simplest way to earn subscribers and readership.

#5 To attract visitors for your main siteBlogs with good content and a growing base is a good source of visits to your store.

Working process: #1 Organization

I've been asked to write about my creative working process. This is the first post of a serie where I will try to explain how I work.

First step: Organization

I enjoy a lot this step. I'm a natural planner. Absolutely love to write "To-do" lists and make schedules. But this is not the main reason I do this step. Thing is I'm really busy, this is how goes a normal day to me:

5:00 am -Wake up, get my family ready to be in the school bus at 6:10 am. (You know, showers, breakfast, dressing, make up, kids being lazy and taking their time, me running, etc)

6:30 am - 2:30 pm - At work (I'm a full time PreK teacher)

2:30 pm- Get home, make lunch, help kids with their homework

about 6:00 -7:30 pm -Time for working on my projects (Includes a College Degree I'm taking, distance mode, Clipart and Teaching resources making, Blog and logo design, and writing in my blogs)

7:30 pm - Making dinner, clean the mess

8:30 pm -Go to bed (yes, I'm like a child, I need like 10 hours of sleep to be functional LOL)

So..... It's a lot

How do I do to work on my all projects in 1 and a half hour? Organization!

I use this little schedule + to do list to help me be fucus on what I have to do and don't forget anything:

I put myself deadlines every day to avoid procrastination. But sometimes there are incidentals that hinder me to finish that day's work. So, I write it on pendings and I work on it on sundays.

So, that's the big secret for me. I'd like to know how you get organized. Here is a blank page of my "Schedule + to-do List", please feel free to print it and use it for your own working process:

Enjoy!

New logo and TpT banner design by me

I just made this logo and banner design for Joan from Kidz Count.

How to personalize your facebook fanpage's tabs + a FREEBIE

I just personalized my facebook fanpage. I changed the front pic and the tabs. Look:

I get lots of questions about the tabs. How to install them and how can they be personalized. Actually is really easy:

First you need to find the apps you want to add and install them. I use one for my blog, my TpT store and my top fans.

 

Now you type the app name. I recommend these:

For the blog: NetworkedBlogs
For the stores: Add Page Tab
To create promotions and giveaways (Paid): Easypromos
For the fans: Fan of the week and Topfan

Install it:

 Just follow the directions they give there. They are very easy too.

Ok, with the tabs installed, now you need to design an image for the tab. It must be 111x74 pixels. You can download and use these for free:

Also, you can ask me for custom images for your facebook fanpage.

Now, go to your page, and:

Search for the image you want to insert.

... aaaaaand ......

I hope you find useful this mini tutorial. I'd like to see your facebook pages renewed.