WanderingSalsero

Optimized blog posts for dance studios

Image via Wikipedia

Optimized blog posting for dance studio owners isn't something that comes natural for most people but it is something that can pay big dividends if done correctly.  Now that I'm writing professionally, I thought it might be nice to mention and briefly discuss the issue of how well studios owners use the time and effort they put into their blog posts.

First of all, I'm going to assume that any really progressive studio has a blog, preferably a WordPress blog, and is using that blog to push their commercial message out to the general viewing and searching public.  Any studio owner who isn't doing that is missing a big chance to automate some of their publicity and marketing.  Blog posts, if done correctly, do get seen by their targeted audience.

But assuming that most successful dance studios do have a blog (I know several that do), the question arises whether or not they are making each word on that blog as powerful and effective as possible.  It's one thing to just be 'chatty' (like I have often been in the past) but it's quiet another thing to have a blog and blog posts designed to maximize that most critical thing for most business.......income and profits.

The most basic thing a studio owner should think about is specifically how to optimize each blog post so that the keywords within it are recognized and indexed by Google.  

Here's some key questions to consider:

• What specific key words are your targeting?
• What is your keyword density?
• Where are your keywords placed within your post?
• Are any of your keywords capitalized, bolded, or italicized?
• Are you posts linked internatlly or externally?
• Do you use proper 'alt tags' for your pictures?

There is a 'best practices' for things such as this and if your competitor is doing it better than you, I guaranteed it's costing you business.  Good content definitely has it's value to the reader but if the ready never sees your post because it wasn't formatted correctly then much of the effort you put into that post is wasted.

These kinds of things, also known as 'on page optimization' is something I've been studying a lot lately and because I know that very few blog posts in the dance business are properly optimized, I'm starting a new service as follows:

I'll do blog posts from 350-800 words on any subject you the blog/studio owner might desire.   Prices start at $20 per individual blog post and come down if you order packages of 3 or more posts at a time, paid in advance. 

Plus, if you don't have a nice Wordpress blog, I'll even set-up and host one for you.....also very economically.  Just drop me an email at xpatflipper@gmail.com or skype me at 'atwill4'.

 

Related articles

• Q&A: Does anyone know the first step in starting out my dance studio? (yogafitness51.wordpress.com)
• How to Optimize Your Wordpress.com Blog for iPad (lockergnome.com)
• 8 Attractive WordPress Themes for Studios (wpjedi.com)

Manila Unmystified.......what's where?

Image via Wikipedia

Any of you guys out there who've ever  wondered about meeting a nice Filipina girl for the purpose, probably, of marriage.....you'll find this interesting.

First of all....a little background.

I've long thought that Filipina girls were pretty.  Of course, to be honest, there's pretty girls pretty much everywhere.  But on the other hand, I think it is safe to make a general statement that certain ethinc and/or national groups do tend to exhibit certain unique characteristics.  And it's..."'different strokes for different folks", right?

 I mean, some guys are partial to black chicks, some guys like fat chicks, some guys like Latinas, some.....etc., etc.

And some guys like'em all.  But there's no denying (and I DID check the spelling on that word) that more and more US and Western guys are 'looking abroad' for romance.

You're doing it anyway.....why not make money at it?

When's the last time you sent somebody a cool video?

Sure....you do it all the time.  Why not get paid for doing it?  Same video...you just get paid for doing it.

Check this uber-cool concept out.

New way to generate customers for dance studios

I'm not gonna spill all the beans because this is something I'm starting to do myself, but I will share a bit of the idea that I think is so cool.  Lemme give you some preliminary facts first.

Did you know that more people surf the net on smart phones than PC or laptops?  True.

And 5 times more people have smart phones than have PC and/or laptops.  True.

And People are rarely ever more than a few feet from their smartphones.  True.

So, that should give you a clue that if you can reach those people with the right message at the right time, you've got a good chance of getting them in for some lessons....or whatever.  Right?

Well, here's the cool part.

Did you know it's possible to set up an ad campaign, kinda like PPC (but a little different) wherein you can actually target people at certain times of the day, in certain geographical locations, certain age groups, and even with certain kinds of cell phones.

See the connection?

Need a blog installed?

Image via CrunchBase

If you've been wanting to set up a Word Press blog but are laboring undering a slight lack of confidence or knowledge, I'd like to give you a personal referral.  I recently contracted with a young lady in the Philippines named "Sofia" to do some WordPress blog work for me.

Sofia apprently has a regular job in the IT industry there on Mindinao Island (in the Philippines) but she is wanting to do some independant work on her own as an 'outsourcer'.  She had registered on Odesk and that's how I found her resume (along with several others).  She did an excellent job at an amazing price (but I'm going to throw in a little extra anyway) and I'd highly recommend her.

Here's here email address:  sarmiento.sofiaalexa@gmail.com

Just y way of background info, I recently was referred to two well establish outsourcing agencies in the Philippines.

http://www.Odesk.com , and
http://www.123employee.com

Based on what I was told it seems to me that Odesk is better for internet 'odd jobs', smaller jobs and work of limited duration whereas Employee123 might be better for larger firms or individuals who have larger or (perhaps) ongoing work they want done.  They both have excellent website so....check'em out, OK?

Dance on TV.......Google TV......ready?

It's been several months since I've mentioned it but you remember how I've always said that there'll come a time when you'll be able to see good salsa performers and dance teams on TV?  And I said that you good performers and good salsa teams out there ought to focus on putting your 'productions' and routines on YouTube and other places?

Well..........guess who's getting into the TV business now?

Yeah........Google.  Are you ready for prime time?

Get into Micro Green Gardening with 'Herb Grow Bags'

I own a domain called www.microgreensgrower.com that I was prompted to buy several months ago by an article I read regarding the growing popularity of 'micro gardening'.  In 'microgreen gardening' people grow small amounts of herbs and other kinds of harvestable plant 'early sprouts', mostly for personal consumption, in very small planter boxes typically on porches, balconeys, verandas, window sills, and other nooks and crannies around the house.

Because I was already familiar with microgreens, I right away knew what 'Herb Grow Bags' were.  I just read about them on Lifehacker. 

If you'd like to have your own personal supply of fresh, (presumably) organic herbs and vegatables, take a look at these nifty little low-tech, inexpensive devices that'll turn your homestead into a personal 'Whole Foods Market'.

Herb Grow Bags

An update on the 'Adjunct Professor' e-course

I thought somebody might like to hear the update on what I'm getting out of that e-course I got from Daniel Hall (the e-entrepreneur friend of mine down in Corpus Christi).

Just to review briefly:

An 'adjunct professor' is somebody who more-or-less does the same teaching job as a regular professor except they're on a non-tenured contract.  As I understand it, the teaching objectives are basically the same but there is neither as many non-essential 'perks' or bullshit as a regular professorial position.

What appealed to me about the idea and why I wanted to find out more about it was that I heard that it was something that could be done online.......like from another country even.

Got it?

So......I got the basic ebook.  But I also took advantage of the upgrade and I've been enjoying additional information via regular MP3 lectures from the course author, Dr. Howard Rubin.  

Dr. Rubin actually is a degreed professor.  His original degree is in some kind of 'bio...' field, I think.  But his recent claim to fame is that he not only discovered the opportunity and multiple advantages of being an adjunct professor in his own career but he also realized what an incredibly unique opportunity it could be for other people.  And he apparently had an idea about creating a product to teach other people how to do the same thing.

Somehow, he met Daniel Hall, and the resulting combination of Dr.Rubin's understanding of this particular field and Daniel's knowledge of internet marketing resulted in the product that I bought.

What I realized from listening to this most recent MP3 is that most of us probably are much more qualified to be an adjunct professor than we realize.  The fact is that in most employment situations employers have a problem just as unpleasant to them as your 'un-employment' problem is to you.  They need people as much as you probably need a job. 

So, in approaching an institution about working for them as an adjuct professor you'd be amazed at how little experience and at what kind of experience can qualify you to at least get your foot in the door......i.e. even being a Sunday School teacher is 'teaching experience'. 

Or, in the case of most of you who read this blog, if you've ever taught a dance class.

Yes, I'd recommend the course to anybody who thinks they might be interested in:

• a different kind of job
• a more flexible, non-traditional type of schedule
• a source of income that could be very compatible with living anwhere else you might want to live (e.g. you can teach online too!)

I think it's a pretty cool idea.  I'm not going to go to the trouble to give you an affiliate link (although I could).  Matter of fact, if you'll search this blog you'll see that I've already given you Daniel's blog URL.  If you're intrested in getting the course, pop over there and snatch it.  It's got a guarantee too, so......you got nothing to lose.

Check out the Wandering Salsero Public Chat Studio!

Look over on the upper right hand side of the blog.  See where it says:

"Public Chat Studio.......enter the public chat studio here"?

That's a new feature I've just added that I think some of you will really like.  I call it 'public' because it's free and I call it a chat 'studio' instead of room because it has many, many more functionalities than a chat room.

The feature that I think is the coolest about it is that you can record whatever you do in it.  Audio and/or video.  Then, it'll give you the HTML code for the 'production' you just made and you can take that code and put in anywhere your little heart desires.

Here's just a few of the uses I can think of for it:

• Interview special guests at an upcoming event you're promoting.
• Interview students or customers to get great testimonials.
• Interview special celebrities you know.
• Interview band leaders and/or members.
• Interview teachers in from other studios or parts of the world.
• Interview national, regional or local event promoters.
• Interview venders of instructional DVDs you're promoting.
• Interview tour leaders and/or promoters.

That's just a few ideas that come to mind.

There's lots more that makes it super cool.  Best thing for you to do is just sign in and click on the link.  It won't hurt you.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Here's an audio I made with some more info:

"Wow!!! It's perfect!!"

In the words of the immortal Steve Martin (AKA: "The Jerk").....".....it's perfect!!"

Yessiree Bob!  With this handy little tip, no matter what happens to the economy, you'll never have to worry about buying anothr wallet.  And you'll never have to worry about not being able to afford handy and unique little gifts for all your relatives and friends. 

Why give them another tie or sweater when you can give them a wallet for every day of the week?  And if their favorite color is red......give'em a wallet made of red paper.  If they carry around a lot of money, give'em a wallet made of two pieces of paper glued together.

Yeah.....I'm sure you can see the endless possibilities.  Who says self reliance and ingenuity is dead in America?  This might be the start of a whole new period of rejuvination for the American industrial basis.  Now we can say that, "Yes, we do make our own stuff!"

Here's the video:

How To Make a Paper Wallet on Howcast