Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2

Many DJs have been making the switch to all-in-one digital MIDI controllers. In this Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2 review we will be covering this product in detail, as well as any concerns you may have in making the switch to MIDI products in general.

When we first tried MIDI products, we were surprised by their compatibility and quick-responses when I connected them a computer program. Furthermore, for the first time ever each button on our setup could now do whatever we programmed it to do.

However, there can also be many downsides to using a MIDI controller, which this review will discuss.

Previously, purchasing a Pioneer brand DJ product would involve whipping out a large chunk of change. Although this is clearly not the best Pioneer controller, the Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2 is an economical alternative to DJs wanting to have the best controller possible.

What Makes the Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2 Worth Mentioning?

The Pioneer brand is perhaps the most prominent brand of DJ equipment worldwide. Can you name a famous DJ? Odds are that person has used Pioneer equipment, more than once, during their career.

Putting the brand name aside, this product also includes its own soundcard, ensuring that it functions with the included Serato DJ Intro software flawlessly. Of course, this is only the introductory version of the popular DJ software.

This should be no surprise, though, given the low price of the Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2.

Features that Stand Out
The Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2 (as DENON DJ MC7000 )features only two channels, both of which can only be used with a computer program. Its portable, one cord design however proves to be a great feature for DJs who haul loads of equipment back-and-forth every weekend.

The platters, although fairly large, do not spin on a motor and instead sit idle. A DJ who is used to spinning tracks on vinyl would surely have a difficult time transitioning over to a setup like this.

One great thing about MIDI controllers, though, is the ability to use any of the buttons however you wish.

Do you see all of the buttons on the controller in the above pictures? Each of those can be programmed to do whatever you wish. You could even set up the platter to be your play/pause button, if you wanted to do such a thing.
Tempo Control, EQ Control, and FX for Both Channels

If you are considering this controller, you can rest well knowing that you will have all of the standard features of a modern DJ setup. Both channels have two separate gains, EQ control, tempo control, and sound FX, which are a necessity in any modern DJ setup.



However, remember that having only two digital channels means that you will not be able to hook up an iPod, phone, or mp3 device to your Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2. Ideally, this controller would then be for the DJ who does not have to worry much about taking random requests.

Key Features:
Portable, easy to haul design.
Compatibility with any popular DJ software.
Two channels, both require DJ software.
Only one USB cord required for computer connection.
Built-in soundcard ensures less latency-related issues.
Great for a diverse range of users, not necessarily just music professionals.

Pros:
All-in-one digital MIDI controller.
Small and portable. Easy for storage and transport.
Pioneer brand, with built-in soundcard.
Tempo control, automatic beat syncing, up to 16 sample buttons.
Critically-acclaimed with high ratings.
Reasonably priced.

Cons:



All-in-one devices are harder to repair and/or find replacement parts.
Does not work as a standalone device. You need software.
The platters work differently than vinyl, and produce lesser-quality scratching.
Included Serato software is only the introductory version.
Only two channels.

IROBOT ROOMBA 770

The iRobot Roomba 770 is another tool in your robotic vacuuming arsenal. Having reviewed other models like the 780 series and the Neato, I was interested in seeing how the 770 measured up. The following is a summary of the features before we dig in to the pros and cons and the full Roomba 770 review…

Roomba 770 Holiday Deal Update: The 770 was recently dropped to 32% off at this listing! It’s a record low price and already one of the top selling robots this Holiday season (due to being the best value for the money). UPDATE: This deal just ENDED! But We will let you know as soon as it is back (if it comes back).

The 770 does all the work for you. The sweeping and vacuuming done with just a touch of a button. The Roomba will collect all the dirt and debris from carpet, hardwood, tile and all types of floors. It will do the deep cleaning and hard work for you.

Roomba has a 3-stage cleaning system. The 3-stage cleaning system lifts deep dirt from carpets, tiles, linoleum and hardwood flooring. The iRobot Roomba has a spinning side brush that offers cleaning along wall edges. It will get all those dust bunnies that gather at the edges of your floor and walls.

The counter-rotating brushes performs like a broom and dust pan picking up and sweeping at the same time. The vacuum will suck all this dirt and dust into the canister for removing.

The iRobot Roomba comes with a self-adjusting cleaning head suspension. This allows Roomba to go from carpet to hardwood floors without any adjusting by you. It will self-adjust itself.

This is the perfect vacuum for homes with pets or owners with allergy suffers. This vacuum comes with AeroVAc Series 2 Technology. This technology is designed to remove pet hair, pet dander, hair, dirt and dust from your carpets and floors. The Roomba also offers a dual HEPA filter that captures dust particles.

Many vacuums pick up dust and dirt, but then it re-circulates back out the vacuum into the room, but the Roomba will capture the dust and not let the dust escape and re-circulate back into your home. This leaves your home cleaner and breathing healthier air.

Important Features of the 770

• Vacuuming Bin: The vacuuming bin on the Roomba will pull hair off the brushes and put them into the vacuuming bin. With most vaccum cleaners, the hair wraps around the brushes, then eventually you have to take the brushes off to clean them.
• On-Board Scheduling: The on-board scheduling allows you to pre-set your Roomba for cleaning. You are able to have the Roomba clean when your gone to work. Pre-set the Roomba for up to seven times a week.
• Three Cleaning Modes: You can set your Roomba to three different types of cleaning modes. The clean, spot and scheduled cleaning modes allow you to have a quick cleaning or a spot cleaning. Pre-set your device with the scheduled mode.Self-
• Adjusting sensors: The self-adjusting sensors goes under beds, furniture and even the edges of your curtains. The self-adjusting sensors detects dirt and gets all areas of the rooms.
• Dual HEPA Filters: The Roomba offers dual HEPA filters to capture dust, dander and dirt without letting them escape and recirculate throughout the room.
• Warranty: It comes with a 30-day, money-back satisfaction guarantee. If for any reason you are not happy with your Roomba in 30 days, then you can get a full refund. It also comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The Pros of the iRobot Roomba 770

1. The control pad is easy to use. You just control the Roomba with your fingertips.
2. The self-charging is amazing. When the Roomba’s battery is low, then the vacuum will return to the dock and recharge itself.
3. The full bin indicator lets you know when it is time to empty the bin.
4. The cleaning strokes of the Roomba offers extensive cleaning in dirty areas. The back-and-forth motion gets all the dirt picked up.
5. The Roomba gets the edges of the wall, curtains and under furniture. It does more cleaning than I would normally (this goes for all of the robotic vacuums).
6. The dual HEPA filter gets all dust and dander off the floor.
7. It allows for several room cleaning or a one room cleaning.
8. A longer lasting battery.
9. The scheduling allows up to seven times a week to be scheduled.
10. A full 30-day warranty

The Cons

1. The Roomba is louder than what I expected in this tiny vacuum.
2. It doesn’t always get in fine lines. The cracks of wood floors is one area where if small sand is present, then it doesn’t pick up great in this area.
3. It sometimes forgets where the dock is.
4. The CD that is provided for a manual is a hassle if you have any questions or problem with the Roomba.
5. The bin could be bigger. It picks up a lot of dirt and the bin fills up pretty fast.

CHAMBERLAIN PD210D REVIEWS

If you are looking for dwelling garage opener (for example: MIGHTY MULE MM260 ) which will perform freely and efficiently, then you can surely choose the PD210D Power Drive. This is a device, which comes with half horsepower security and chain drive operation. This serves all your purpose. Check out some of the exclusive advantages of this device.

Protection

The Chamberlain PD210D garage door opener gives you hundred percent security to your property. This comes with an intelligent control system, which has a unique digital code. This ensures safety. You can use new combinations for securing the door.’ This device can generate one hundred billion number combinations for codes.

Defense mechanism

Apart from the security features, this device also comes with a protection against accidental closure. In the case where the door is opened, the PD210D device generates invisible rays, which identifies any object within the area. If it detects any obstacles, it will never allow the closure functions. Therefore, you can have a secured system with this device.

Longer performance

Another interesting quality of this device is that it gives huge longevity. PD210D ensures the right return of your valuable money. This device comes with a six-year warranty, which ensures high performance and safety. This garage door opener is a right investment. It has acquired huge positive reviews. You can check the reviews from the internet and choose accordingly. You will always get the best return for your money.

Characteristics of Chamberlain PD210D

You will love to know the features of this garage door opener. The PD210D has made its entry in the market and has acquired huge good comments. You can take a look at the characteristics of this device for having more confidence. Apart from offering a noise free performance, this device has various other features. Some of the features are discussed below:



It guarantees the inability of cracking the codes
It comes with light sensors which identify any obstacles in its path
The quick rail smart system gives a smooth and problem-free installation
The remote control system helps you to access it from the car
This high-quality device comes with ½ horsepower and six years warranty




PROS:
It gives a time-saving installation process and assemble
It creates less noise as compared to other models, which comes at the same price.
This device gives smooth performance and high durability
It has six-year warranty on motor and other parts
It defends unexpected closure
This has unique code system
It has battery backup so that it does not hinder the process at the time of power cuts

CONS:
It is stated by some users that Chamberlain PD210D produces noise during the performance.
The door opener may operate slowly at times, but the performance remains steady and nice.


Here are all the details about the device that can give you the right idea. However, you must not forget to read the user manual at the time of installation. You must also maintain a regular checkup.

Sidewalk Signs Can Provide Increase on Sales at Your Store

If you're a small business owner I'm quite certain you're constantly searching for innovative ways to generate traffic and boost profit at your shop. A lot of business owners spent for advertising in radio, newspaper and possibly even local magazines. Such investments might sometimes provide decent traffic regrettably often times these don't work all along. But have you ever considered pavement signs?

Putting sidewalk repair contractors in Bronx New York stands in front of your store can potentially increase your earnings up to 30 percent based on research. That's a massive increase for just placing simple signage before your company. Due to its economical price and flexibility, no other kind of promotion will get you the results sidewalk repair contractor Bronx can. In case you have few resources, sign stands, and sidewalk repair Bronx NY can work well then investing in paper and radio. Do not forget that it's not constantly customer are listening to the radio or reading paper. If some did, they will most likely forget your company because of their work and busy schedule. But with Bronx sidewalk repair signs, a customer can always view it as they pass by the store. They'll be encouraged to stop by the wonderful bargains you have on your signal stands. With sidewalk repair Bronx indications, they visit that your advertising and cease to return. They do not need to remember anything.

Moreover, branding is one of the essential keys to building "company customer relationship". Manufacturers now developed signage that you can add your organization logo for additional branding in the kind of vinyl images on the header. This can leave a great impression and construct a distinct value to your enterprise.

Mobile Signage sometimes includes changeable letters and numbers that are very beneficial to passing promotions and deals. This is two-sided so the message could be read either going or coming. It is simple yet simple, portable and incredibly flexible. Changeable Letter folding hints frequently utilized in business, churches, schools, and hospitals. These are made from metal with a powder coated finish to withstand any undesirable weather conditions. Business owners sometimes choose to customized their own designs and images. A Blank A- Frame Folding pavement sign is the best solution for this matter. This two-sided signal stand is made from aluminum and steel coated for durability outside and is simple to use. For more trendy appeal Decorative scroll A- Frame folding DOT sidewalk violation Bronx is a perfect solution for the shop that requires appeal and attractiveness more than just advertising. This decorative fold Bronx sidewalk repair , that features decorative iron scroll work, is a great way to advertise feature products or products available on sale.

United states businesses nowadays have utilized an effective and affordable way of promoting their company and create more traffic in their stores and establishments by employing sign stands and Bronx sidewalk repair . These come in a variety of selections to match your requirements.

Stopping Pornography Addiction - Understanding the Negative Effects

Sex addiction counselors should come from one's own will because, without it, any attempt or attempts will all be wasted. This is actually the reasons why so many have tried and failed since they are only saying that they want to stop yet really don't see any reason they must. The only path for true healing to happen should be to understand the sex addiction therapy fully and become ready to grasp every one of the side effects that it may bring into your daily life. In this article, we'll be taking a deeper look at the facets of your daily life that pornography addiction help porn addiction help can affect in hopes of earning you realize exactly how bad things can get that will help you in hitting that conclusion to go away it once as well as for all.

Connections: this may take care of the sex addiction therapist that you simply have along with your family, buddies, others along with along with your special someone.

Friendships: When you get hooked on porn addiction treatment, you feel increasingly more anti-social, which won't actually be helping out with the romance which you have together with your friends. You feel like you do not really want to be with them since your pursuits have improved and the only means you will be able to obtain along could be if they're into it too.

Household members: Your dependency will be a key - the one that you can't trust anyone with. All of us are knowledgeable about the actual fact however that tricks and families never really blend together effectively, meaning you'll start to alienate oneself from possibly those whom you live with in order to keep doing what you are doing.

Romantic connections: this can likely function as the one that is going to be managed the biggest setback whilst the more you're hooked on sex addiction treatment the more distant you'll become. The final point you will want is to observe your spouse as nothing more than sex addiction treatment NYC.
Time: Try and think about every one of the time that you've lost in front of it or sex addiction counseling just so you may have pleasure in your fantasies or desires. That's the moment you may never get back. That is the moment that might have been employed for something different - something that could make you or your loved ones' life better.

Cash: with the free adult on the net, you are going to probably be able to prevent spending a good dollar while getting the fix. But as this continues you will discover that it'll not be enough. Whenever you've gotten to the point whereby you need to live out your dreams, you don't mind if you've to pay.

In closing, sex addiction therapy NYC is something that you have to start when feasible, but be informed, it is something which you need to proceed with appropriately should you actually want to succeed.

SOLAR PANELS AND SOLAR ENERGY IN RED BANK, HAMILTON NEW JERSEY COULD WELL BE THE SOLUTION TO MANY WORLDLY WOES

We are all use to energy sources such as electricity and gas but when it comes to solar energy and solar panels most of us are somewhat ignorant. Advanced Solar is green systems developer that provides solar energy solutions for commercial, industrial and residential properties in New Jersey. So what can Advanced Solar do for you?

Firstly they will help to educate you regarding important facts related to solar panels and solar energy. They can show you solutions that eliminate most if not all of your utility bills related to electricity and gas. They can help you reduce maintenance costs, eliminate certain expenses and improve your profitability and bottom line.
There are many good reasons to consider solar panels and solar energy. Solar energy gives you security over energy. No big corporation owns the sun or the energy it provides. When you have solar panels installed you effectively own you own power and you subject the whims and weaknesses of the traditional energy suppliers or networks.

Solar power helps to combat global warning and climate change. Much of the tribulations in the world exist because of the phenomena of global warming and climate change. In the long run portable solar panels (for example: GOAL ZERO YETI 150 SOLAR GENERATOR KIT) will also save you money as will not be a victim of increasing costs associated with electricity and gas.
Even when you live in areas with less sunshine you can still benefit from solar power. The main reason is that we tend to adapt our lives around sunshine – for example we are more active during the day when the sun is around.

There are many other aspects regarding the installation of solar panels, for example leasing vs buying options. Ownership of your solar panels will help reduce energy costs and can also earn you money through programs such as SREC. To learn more about this and other pros and cons of solar panels you should contact the team at Advanced Solar

4 Business Blogging Lessons From Google's Chief Blogger

Karen has worked at Google since 2002, specializing in business writing and media relations. Karen first launched Google’s corporate blog back in 2004. Today the company has digital embassies for virtually every product. This armada spans dozens of blogs, Twitter profiles, YouTube and more recently, Facebook. She also developed Google’s corporate strategy using Twitter in 2009; in the first six months, @Google gained more than 2 million followers, making it one of the largest corporate Twitter accounts.

We were able to ask Karen a few key questions about business blogging as a preview of her participation at Connected Marketing Week :

What is the most important thing a company new to blogging should do?

Read other business, news, corporate blogs to get a feel for all that's possible. Some are personal (i.e. an executive writes it), and some are collaborative. Some blogs are all about 'thought leadership' and others are more about customer service and best practices. The main thing to do is get familiar with a wide variety (there is no single right way to do this), and begin to consider what you would want to say.

What questions do good business blog posts answer?
Posts don't literally answer questions so much as establish ground for the company. Do most posts offer useful or unique information? Do they reflect the company's values and interests? Do they demonstrate the people behind the company/products? Collectively, these are the things a good company blog should do.

How do you get people from across the organization to contribute to a business blog?

You have to start with people who are comfortable with writing and editing on the fly, and who have an editorial sense. People who can think broadly enough about what content your blog can encompass. I often advise creating an editorial calendar that people can track and contribute to with ideas - customer stories, presentations from events, commentary, feedback, industry trends, etc. Generally, broader rather than more narrow is a good approach. Don't just wait till you have a big announcement. However, the more often you post, the higher the demand for resources. The people who work on it day in and day out MUST be at ease. If it feels like homework or takes too many revisions, they're not the right ones to do it.

What should be the metrics for business blogging success?

Tangibles: unique visitors, length of time on page, linkbacks, etc - these are all fine to have. I would consider adding Twitter if for no other reason than to further extend the reach of your posts - tweet each new one - but of course Twitter itself is good for much more than that. Beyond that, if comments or other feedback is enabled, then be sure to mine that and respond. The more interactive questions and calls for participation will also yield metrics.

Karen will lead a special webinar as part of Connected Marketing Week . This webcast will cover the latest trends in corporate blogging, Google’s unique take on blogger messaging , and Karen will give webcast participants opportunities to ask her their most pressing blogging questions!

Guest Post: Navigating Handmade Patchwork Quilting Bakery - Fabric Advice For Beginning Quilters

For the person who is just getting into the art and craft of quilting, the first visit to a quilting store can tend to be a bit overwhelming. On the surface, a person might thing that quilting is a simple as finding a pattern, finding the right fabric, having a few quilting specific tools and supplies. While this is true, like most things that are taken seriously by a lot of people, once you start peeling back the layers of the onion, there is a lot to learn. Take fabric for example. Once you start your investigation you will begin to see lots of new and wacky terms. The conversation could go something like this; "Like this pattern? It is very easy, all you need is this quilt kit. However, is you like a different color, you could also make it with these pretty fat quarters, charm squares, jelly rolls, layer cakes or turnovers." Hold on just a minute! Are we trying to quilt here, or have we accidentally landed in a New Orleans Bakery? "Pass the beignets please!". Here is a quick rundown of the terms that you will need to familiarize yourself with to help you navigate this strange new world of quilting fabric.

Quilting Fabric
The best fabric to use for quilting is 100% cotton. Most quilting fabric is 42" wide although you can find wider yardage that can be found to use for backing. Obviously, quilting fabric comes in and infinite number of colors and patterns. It is usually recommended that the fabric be washed prior to using to minimize shrinkage and/or fading. Keep in mind, though, that fading and shrinkage is not quite as much of a problem with higher quality fabric. If this is a concern you can always wash a small piece of the fabric prior to using.

Quilt Backing
Quilt backing is the fabric panel used as the back piece of a layered quilt. Backing can be made from a single piece of fabric or it can be pieced or assembled in another decorative way. Sometimes it is possible to find specific fabrics that are made in wider yardage that can be used specifically as backing. This may be a good approach for getting started with beginners quilting.

Quilt kits
Quilt kits contain all of the necessary fabric, in the yardage that you need, to complete the specific quilt patterns that you would like to make. Usually the backing fabric, batting, and thread are not included in the kits. For the busy quilter kits eliminate a lot time, effort and initial confusion that it takes to pick out fabrics that will work for a specific pattern. It also minimizes waste. Also, if you see a quilt kit that you like then you can be assured that yours will look the same.

Quilt blocks
Quilt blocks can be a single piece of fabric cut to your specification or pattern specifications or it can be a pieced block (several pieces already sewn together in a particular pattern). A single quilt block can be used for different purposes such as a quilted wall hanging, quilted potholder, quilted table topper, quilted candle mat or several blocks can be sewn together to make a larger quilt. For the beginning quilter or quilters on a budget, you may want to search the internet, or our quilt pattern section for a free quilt block pattern.

Quilting Fat quarters
This is a one fourth yard cut of fabric that usually measures 18" x 22" instead of the typical 9" x 42" quarter-yard cut. The advantage of a fat quarter is that it is a wider cut of fabric and more economical than the 9" wide quarter yard for certain quilting patterns. There are many quilt patterns designed specifically for fat quarters.

Quilting Charm squares
These are also sometimes referred to as charm packs, are 5" squares of fabric from a specific fabric line. These come with forty squares in a pack with at least 1 square of every fabric in the line. These may be used to make quick and easy small handmade patchwork quilts by sewing coordinating squares together and bordering with coordinating fabric from that same fabric line or any other coordinating fabric of your choice. There are also new patterns out using charm squares to sew piece blocks.

Jelly Rolls
These are 2 ½ inch wide strips of every fabric from a specific fabric line rolled up jellyroll style. These are nice for sewing the strips together for strip handmade patchwork quilts, eliminating the need for you to cut each strip. They can also be used for checkerboard patterns but sewing the long edges of a desired number of strips together lengthwise and cutting across the seams. These can then be arranged in the desired checkerboard pattern. Again, it is easy because there are a lot of patterns calling for 2" strips and this eliminates the cutting time.

Charming Jelly Cakes
These are a charm pack, jelly roll and a layer cake of every fabric in a fabric line. There are patterns written specifically for these.

Layer cakes
Quilting Layer cakes are 10" squares with at least one of every fabric from a fabric line. Usually used in the same way as charm squares but for use in making larger handmade patchwork quilts. They can also be cut into half and quarter square diamonds to be used in piece blocks.

Quilting Turnover
These are 6" triangles each fabric in the line with 40 pieces in every pack. This eliminates the need for you to have to cut the charm squares into triangles

Honey Buns
Honey buns (used to be called cinnamon buns) are 1 ½ inch wide strips of each fabric in a fabric line. Used the same way as Jelly Rolls, they honey buns eliminate having to cut the strips.

Quilt Panels

Quilt panels are a panel of fabric with a pre-printed design. The whole panel may be quilted or sections of the panel may be cut out and used in a pieced quilt. These are time savers if you use the whole panel because they can be sandwiched and then hand or machine quilted.

Quilt Batting
Quilt batting is the middle part of the quilt that is sandwiched between quilt top and the back. The batting is what gives the quilt its depth and thickness. There is a large variety of quilt batting to choose from. The batting that you choose for your quilt is basically a personal choice. Specifically, you should think about what the quilt will be used for and also experiment until you develop a personal preference. High loft batting is very puffy. 100% cotton batting is a thinner bat and is used when you want the quilt to have an aged appearance as it shrinks when washed, giving the quilt a slightly wrinkled appearance. Pellon, which comes in several thicknesses, is a batting used for table handmade patchwork quilts and wall hangings that you wish to have a flatter appearance.

Quilting Applique
This is the process of sewing one or more smaller pieces of fabric onto a larger background. Applique can be accomplished by hand or by machine. Busy quilters generally use an iron-on applique product. These iron onto the back of the fabric, are cut out into specific designs and are then ironed onto the quilt top. For seldom washed handmade patchwork quilts this is all that is required, for handmade patchwork quilts with heavier use a button hole or zigzag stitch holds the applique firmly in place.

5 Steps to Reduce the Pain of Starting a Business Blog

Blogging can be intimidating for someone who hasn’t done it in the past or grown up in the age where everyone has a personal blog. It is, however, critical that business owners and marketers ‘ blog for business .’ Putting pen to paper or more appropriately, putting fingers to your keyboard is the biggest challenge for most people. So let’s talk about how to get started.

1. If you’re hesitant to put your voice out there for fear of being critiqued, start small. Go to blogs in your industry and start reading. Reading is the easiest way to get started. See what others are talking about, review the comments. Place a few relevant comments on other blogs to get a feel for what it’s like to be out in the blogosphere.

2. Blogging doesn’t have to be technical. Setting up a blog for your business is as easy as setting up a sub-domain or a sub-directory of your main website. If you have an IT team, this will take them a matter of minutes. If not, it’s still a relatively easy exercise. Depending upon where you host the site (i.e. Network Solutions, GoDaddy), their support department should have detailed instructions on how to set-up a sub-domain . There are also inbound marketing software packages that have blog software included.

3. Determine who your audience is going to be and why you are blogging. Think about what you are trying to accomplish with a blog. Is your objective to entertain, educate or just drive visibility to your company/industry? Write these personas down. You may think you’ve thought of everything, but you haven’t. If you had to give a 30 second pitch on all of the people you were writing for, could you? Craft your articles based on the personas you have outlined. This will help you target your audience and solid blog content.

4. Figuring out what to write about when getting started is a snap. Review old email to find common questions that leads or customers have asked about. Chances are you already have quite a bit of content in your email. Drop it into your blog and do a little editing based on how you’ve defined your audience and BOOM… you have your first article. Do this until you feel comfortable drafting new content. If you don’t have information like this available, go to other blogs and take your own spin on controversial or interesting posts.

5. Post! Seth Godin is one of those rare big thinkers and he has produced several best selling books . One of the most interesting points he makes is that you cannot wait for every piece of something to be perfect. You must produce work. Produce it. Get feedback. Tinker with it and then produce more work. If you wait for the perfect topic, the perfect title, the perfect content, you will never get anything out the door. If you never get anything out the door, you’ll never get any better at blogging. Don’t put something on your blog with spelling and grammar mistakes, but just start writing and posting. It’s the fastest way to get better, become a thought-leader in your space, drive traffic and ultimately inbound links.

Checklist: How to Start a Business Blog

Excellent content leaves the reader with something new that they didn’t have before. People like to get something from blogs they read. You don’t have to be Shakespeare to have a good blog.

The fact is that web sites with a blog received 55% more visitors , 97% more inbound linksand 434% more indexed pages than those that didn’t have a blog. Businesses in particular can capitalize on this because businesses that blog experience 126% higher lead growth than non-blogging businesses. Can you really afford to miss this opportunity?

1. CONTENT

Remarkable Content – A mix of content is good. What’s remarkable? Anything relevant and useful, interesting, thought-provoking, controversial, and entertaining. Try things like current news, opinion, and media rich content. Note: this is not your place to talk all about your services or products.
Keep content topical, informative, and non promotional
Check your grammar and spelling
Organize your content

TITLE
Sub-heading

Content with bold words or language indicating importance

Give your readers something to chew on – A blog post should be 400-600 words on average

Search Engine Optimization Basics - As you create remarkable content you will want to optimize that content for search engines as well as users. Make it as clear as possible. This should include updating the following - Page title, Meta description, and internal page links.

Attention Grabbing Headlines – Not to pile on the pressure but your Headline/Title/Subject line is important. In most cases it is also your post URL so make it count. If you can include your keywords. Generally things like top 5 lists, trends, and news focused articles do really well, but add variety and measure what readers like best.

Target Audience – Who are you writing for? Focus on the "who" of your blog. You need to think about the type of person, on average, who you want to attract to your blog.

Bloggers – Who is writing? Will you be the one writing articles? Or are you just a champion/facilitator/coordinator and others will be doing the writing.

Schedule – How often will you publish? – Plan or schedule how frequently your content will be published. Every day or every week or anything in between. Do what is realistic for you. The most important thing is consistency.

2. READER ENGAGEMENT

Call-to-Actions – Your blog should be a lead generating machine. Offers for call-to-actions can include: newsletter sign-up, eBook download or webinar registration. Great blog call-to-actions are action oriented, positive, clear, and direct.

Published Author Name – Give people credit for the content they write and also show your readers who is involved. It is more friendly to know whose work you are reading that have it be a mystery.

Comments – Be sure to moderate your comments for spam. No one wants to read “great post…I will bookmark this” over and over again. At the same time, don’t eliminate good conversations even if they are potentially controversial.

Lists – People like to read posts with a nice, simple presentation of information. The most popular kind are list of: recommendations, popular posts or articles by tags.

Search – Give people the opportunity to find content easily and quickly. People are used to having answers at their finger tips. Chances are that if you don’t provide that information people will wander elsewhere.

3. INTERACTIVE MEDIA


Images – You want to think of images as supporting assets. They are the supporting characters in a feature film. Now, you shouldn’t litter your post with pictures but at least one is good to start. Graphs, diagrams and even screenshots can come in handy as useful blog images.

Video – This is pretty much the same as with images. A good interactive video can help your blog go viral. You don’t have to do your own mini-series but maybe you came across a video that is relevant and supports the point of your content, go ahead and insert it and share it with your readers.

Polls and Surveys – Done right, polls and surveys can give you some good data. They may even be somewhat entertaining. But don’t show a poll about “where you should go on vacation” when your blog is not even remotely related to the subject.

4. SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS


Email – People like options. So give them the option to subscribe to your blog via email. You’ll be surprised that many people will still prefer this over RSS.

RSS – This is a standard feature for blogs. You can take it one step further and make it even easier by just taken the RSS image icon and hyperlinking it to your RSS URL. Within a click you will have subscribers to your blog.

Social Media – This seems like it should be common sense by now, but many bloggers still seem to miss out on this one. Give people the option to share your content. Again, simplicity is the key here. Have the icons display alongside your blog posts. Think about your industry - Is it more technical? If so then include Reddit and Digg. Are you in HR? Then be sure to use LinkedIn etc.

Follow Me Option – Having people share your content is only half of the equation. You also want to build a following on your networks, whether it be your own Ning network or Twitter. Let people know where they can connect with you.
5. MEASUREMENT

Javascript - You should be using some kind of tool for the purpose of tracking traffic, which means you will have to copy and paste some kind of javascript code into your website for that tool to track that information. Don't forget it.

Analytics – Look at page views, links, comments and where content was shared. The same way you want to know how your website is succeeding, you'll also want to know what's working on your blog. And if you've followed the steps above you should also be generating leads from your buiness blog.

BONUS TIP - Things you don’t need

Advertising – Unless you are generating tons of traffic this is a waste.

Splash screens – Pop up screens are incredibly annoying and distracting. Try to keep them at minimum or only shown once, not repeatedly.

Free Checklist
For people who like to have a paper checklist, check out the document below. View this document on Slideshare and click download at the top of the document to get a copy of this checklist for your business.