I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want this blog to represent, what kind of articles I want to publish, what kind of schedule I should use for blogging, and a bunch of other things.
One thing I’ve been thinking about is how to share some of the best information I come across each week. You’ll notice I don’t currently have a blogroll (that’s on purpose), but I still want you to benefit from the best articles I’ve benefited from.
So I’ve come up with a concept/schedule for a new feature on this blog. I’m calling it “Five on Friday.” It has a double meaning.
Each Friday, I will share five of the best blog posts or articles I’ve read during the week. The second meaning is more subtle: The posts I share are what you should read before (or at) 5 p.m. on Friday. I’m a bit of a literary nerd, so I like these double meanings.
Hopefully this explains the title of the post. And from now on, you’ll know what my “Five on Friday” post is going to include.
Also, I will be providing comments about each post to help you decide if you should read it or not. I’ve seen a lot of fellow bloggers recommend posts and articles before, but the recommendations usually only consist of a title/link. I think my comments will make these recommendations more valuable to you.
So which posts did I enjoy the most this week? Here they are…
Search Engine Ranking Factors – by Fred Black
I’ve been reading about SEO theories since 2003. Eventually I just stopped reading because none of the theories seemed to work consistently. The only thing that has stood the test of time is the importance of links: what others say about you AND what you say about yourself. In this post, Fred takes a critical look at some recent SEO theory.
Do They Love You or Hate You? – by Terry Dean
The core message of this post is: Make yourself heard. It is more important to be loved or hated than to blend in. This is what I had in mind when I recently publicized my Eight-Month Letter. I knew it would polarize my readers; I promoted the letter anyway.
The Law of 250 – by Robert Phillips
Joe Girard is recognized as the greatest salesman in the world. He sold thousands of cars every year to his clients. How did he do it? He recognized the Law of 250 and used it to his advantage. Good news: You can use this “law” to grow your own business, too.
Free Swipe File – by John Newtson
This swipe file was actually published around Thanksgiving 2007, but I only recently discovered it while reviewing what’s “Hot in My Communities” in MyBlogLog. Here you’ll find sales letters written by Jim Rutz, Gary Bencivenga, Dan Rosenthal, and more. Very helpful if you write copy for yourself or clients.
10 Computer Shortcuts – by Timothy Ferriss
This is a great resource for learning computer shortcuts that allow you to do simple, routine things faster. Some of these I’ve known of before, but forgot. So I’m really glad to have them all published in a single place. Want to know how to instantly move your cursor to the address bar of your browser window? Find out here.
-Ryan M. Healy
{ 6 comments }
Ryan,
Thanks for including me in Five on Friday. I like the double meaning too…very clever.
I read Fred, Terry’s, & Tim’s blogs regularly too so I’m familiar with the quality posts they write. I didn’t know about the free swipe file though so thanks for making me aware of that. I have boxes full of what most people call “junk mail.” It’s full of postcards & sales letters for everything from seminars to ordinary things like lawn care service. They are a great source of ideas whenever I’m stuck in a rut. I’m a fan of Gary Bencivenga and read “Bencivenga Bullets” whenever it comes out so I’m jumping at the chance to add any of his sales letters to my swipe file.
Robert
Thanks Ryan…
Also, I really liked your post on “The Heart of a Servent”.
Fred
Ryan, the links to your posts aren’t showing up as clickable in the emails for some reason. If you notice an unusually low click-rate, that’s why. I have to actually copy and paste it in my browser.
Robert – You’re welcome. Glad you like the double meaning. Like you, I have a box full of “junk mail.” I dip into it for inspiration every now and then. Thanks for dropping by my blog.
Fred – You’re welcome. Thanks for mentioning the servant post; it’s good to hear positive feedback.
Greg – Thanks for the heads-up. Some email systems automatically create hot links out of URLs and others don’t. I may be able to fix it in Aweber; I’ll check and see.
Really Love your new site!
The advise give by James Brausch certainly made sense.
And you are officially on my NO BS list with that comment on Armand
Tell it like it is!
Duke
Thanks, Duke. Hope to “see” you here often.
Ryan
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