This post is part of a weekly series, Fetching Friday, featuring the resources mashup, a contest for a free pair of Ugg boots, plus Fetching Friday going on vacation on kikolani.com.
The Resources Mashup
Here are some of the best articles I have stumbled upon, retweeted on @kikolani, and read in RSS subscriptions this week.
Blogging / Writing
- 8 keys to blogging success – ask yourself these questions to find out if you have a passion for blogging.
- 7 colossal mistakes bloggers make that are killing them – be sure that if you’re doing these things, you fix them now!
- Karl Staib talks about finding your blogging superpowers – this interview on Blogcast FM covers how to maintain focus, how desire keeps you from your goals, one simple tactic to increase engagement, and more.
- What’s the perfect width for your online content? How to increase the likelihood that people will want to stay on your site to read your content.
- What to do if you take a break from blogging? Great advice which I have taken into account for my upcoming 2 week break (see more under the Fetching Friday Notice section).
Making Money Online / Online Business
- Beginners guide to landing pages – what you need to know to create landing pages that lead to conversions.
- How to learn list building and email marketing from the experts – a reverse engineering approach that will give you expert insight for free.
- How to use E-Junkie and put an affiliate link or advert on your blog – a back to basics guide for those starting out with affiliate marketing.
- 5 favorite but often over looked marketing tactics – breakdowns of how these strategies will increase your traffic and sales.
- How to get free publicity for your business on TV and radio – specific tips including those for broadcast interviews.
Personal Development / Productivity
- What does success look like? 5 tips on how to plan for success.
- Being vulnerable – competition versus connection, and why you need to allow yourself to have new experiences.
- Coping strategy rehab: your prescription for defence mechanisms – six awesome coping strategies.
- If you don’t defend your standards, no one will – having standards, principles or even a code of conduct means nothing unless you actually stick to it.
- Are you anchored to the past? If social media has brought some negative aspects of your past back into your life, exercie letting go of that anchor.
Search Engines / SEO / Analytics
- Expert link building interview with Wil Reynolds – pretty in-depth interview about changes in the link building industry, paid links, relevance, and more.
- 32 SEO tactics to avoid in 2011 – hiding things on your page, keyword stuffing, linking schemes, and other things you should stay away from in your SEO strategy.
- 6 ways to help non-SEOs spot link opportunities – an interview with 7 in-house link builders on the most important link building tasks to in-house link building advantages.
- How to optimize your blog for Google – a very thorough guide!
- A wide smile for funny SEO moments – quotes, pictures, and videos that show the humorous side of search.
Social Media / Social Networking
- How to gain competitive insight with social media – whether you consider them colleagues or competitors, this guide will help you research related blogs or businesses in your industry to learn more about their social strategy.
- Facebook tagging etiquette – a guide for personal and business use so you can avoid abusing Facebook tags.
- How to become a social networking magnet – one simple secret that will make your social media campaign a success.
- 10 powerful LinkedIn tips – I especially love #3 (and you can see why in my comment).
- 8 fun Twitter tools for language lovers – use these to help with defining terms, explaining hashtags, analyzing text and finding more concise ways of phrasing tweets.
WordPress
- 101 ultimate WordPress resources from around the web – huge list of resources for security, how to use WordPress as a CMS, database backup, hacks, tutorials, plugins, and more.
- How to edit a WordPress theme part 2: stylesheet – getting familiar with the WordPress stylesheet.
- WorPress custom menus and Genesis category options – 2 videos on how to utilize custom menu features and how to utilize the blog template in Genesis, exclude categories, and combine custom menus.
- To moderate or not moderate comments – two plugins that will lower your need to do so.
- How to delete and uninstall W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin – if you are running into issues, this might be the solution.
Enter to Win Some Ugg Boots!
Fashion lovers, I couldn’t resist putting this contest up here. Whooga UK is giving away a pair of Ugg boots! All you have to do is follow Whooga Boots on Twitter and/or sign up for their newsletter on Whooga-eu.co.uk to enter. They do drawings once a month, so be sure to enter to be included in the January draw! Also, readers of Kikolani get a 10% discount using the code 1338kikolani – this code expires on January 28th!
Fetching Friday Notice for the Next Two Weeks
For those of you who haven’t heard, I’m taking my first ever two week long vacation beginning on January 23rd through February 4th to Melbourne, Australia. So for the first time in over a year, I will not be running the usual Fetching Friday roundup.
What I will be doing is giving you a list of great blogs to visit that have new posts weekly in the main topics, as well as opening the floor for you to share your favorite posts of the week in the comments. More details will be posted in the following two Friday posts that I’ll have scheduled out before I leave!
Want to keep up with what I’ll be doing? I’m sure I’ll be posting various images on Twitter through Plixi and uploading pics to Facebook too, so be sure to follow me on both!
Where I’ll Be for the Next Two Weeks
Wonder what I’m looking forward to for the next two weeks? Hopefully catching some video like these!
Want to be featured in Fetching Friday posts?
Looking for some link love? Articles featured in the resources come primarily from people I interact with in the comments, and on the social networks. So comment away (DoFollow, CommentLuv, and KeywordLuv enabled), and join me on the networks below, and if your article/photo/video catches my eye, it may appear in following Fetching Friday posts.
The Fetching Friday archives – tons of useful resources on blogging, social networking, and more
About Kristi Hines
Kikolani covers blog marketing and blogging tips for personal, professional, and business bloggers to succeed in search and social media marketing. Kristi Hines is a 
Kristi, how exciting for your upcoming trip down under. Oh so much beauty and fun and hospitality awaits you. Very excited for you. And this gives me time to catch up on my Fetching Friday mashups…..be safe and enjoy your time away!
Farnoosh recently posted Yoga Flow Series 7- Finding Strength in Arm Balances
Thanks Farnoosh! Will be bringing back some great pictures!
Checked out funny SEO moments and I really had a wide smile! I enjoyed that Matt Cutts video too. It is hilarious! Anyway, these are again awesome stuff to keep me busy during weekend. You never fail to deliver great links. Thanks!
And…enjoy your vacation!
Hey Kristi, how’s it going mate? You enjoying Australia? I almost drove down to catch some of the tennis but something came up. Too bad you’re not getting a taste of the real Aussie summer. Still, you may get a little before you leave.
Those Twelve Apostles are something aren’t they. I take it you drove up the Great Ocean Road? Did you see what was left of London Bridge?
Anyway, I better let you go. Thanks for linking to one of my posts.
Sire recently posted Of Good Hosts And Bad Hosts- Beware The Bad Hosts
Oh, we haven’t gone yet… leaving this Sunday! These are videos I found online while researching areas we wanted to go.
But we will be doing all of this stuff I’m sure!
Lovin’ the LinkedIn tips, for sure at the top of my to do list.
Enjoy the well deserved vacation!
Dennis Edell@Direct Sales Marketing recently posted Commentluv and Twitter-Links- Not JUST for Your Readers!
Kristi, have a fantastic trip to Australia! If you get a chance, check out the fairy penguins on Philip Island. They’re hilarious and very likable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhDHOxl5X2g&playnext=1&list=PL211C7E8F3B2BDFF8&index=54
Alexa Samuels recently posted How LinkedIn changed someone’s life in a way you couldn’t predict
I LOVE that video… and yes, we’re doing this tour too! Thanks for sharing the video… it adds to my layer of excitement!
Hi Kristi!
I’ll explore the blogging section – the one break-related, more seo and social media.
No worry about the FF, enjoy your deserved holidays and send greetings to Aussies
Hope seeing your pics on twitter and facebook!
The best trip to you,
Gera
Thanks Gera! I have three batteries for my cell phone, so I should have plenty of charge to do some photo sharing!
Kristi, you are always finding such great reads! I look forward to my friday RSS updates from Kikolani. Ooodles of great content. Thank you. And have a wonderful time on your trip!
I didn’t get to go to ASW, and I have to pass SXSW due to poor planning (sigh, really wanted to go this year), but I hope we can meet up at Blog World. Are you going? Vegas, baby!
Christine recently posted The Blogger’s Facebook Dilemma – when personal mixes with business
I am planning on going!
That is hands down the must attend event for bloggers.
Thnx for including my How to optimize your blog for Google article….its always awesome to find my self on your list (I think this is the second time
Dino Dogan recently posted The Tyranny of Hyperlink Ends Now!
Kristi, aloha. WOW! What a wrap. Thx again for your transcript with SME; it’s terrific. Enjoy a glorious vacation. Look forward to reading your thoughts and seeing the thoughts. Until then, aloha. Janet
Thanks for including my videos/post Kristi!
Have a fantastic time on your vacation- I’m jealous!
Kim
Kim Doyal – The WordPress Chick recently posted VIDEO WordPress Custom Menus and Genesis Category options
Another great Fetching Friday Kristi. I enjoyed watching the videos, especially the last one with those huge waves. I know my brother would love to surf some waves like those. Thanks for sharing, I will check out the post on beginners guide to landing pages.
John recently posted How To Find The Best Guitar Lessons
That is a very cool opportunity. Say hi to the koalas.
Kristeen recently posted Christmas Card Pictures
Have fun, enjoy your vacation kristi , and thanks for the mention.
Shanker Bakshi recently posted WordPress Is the Best CMS Brand of Year 2010
HI Kristi. Fetching Friday is something that I look forward to every single week. Thanks for the phenomenal resources. Keep up the great work.
Nea | Self Improvement Saga recently posted Why Life is Like a Train video
Have a great trip Kristi. Loved the how to optimise for Google post, one of the best posts ever over at SME.
Sarah Arrow recently posted Body Matters
Another useful fetching Friday, Kristi. And thank you for including the link on how to optimize landing pages. It’s exactly what I am looking for.
Great list. My favorite line is from David Risley’s post, 7 Colossal Mistakes Bloggers Make – And It Is KILLING Them … “Most blogs are designed by schizophrenics, or so it would seem.” So funny, yet sadly so true.
Have a great vacation.
Brad Harmon recently posted 9 Lessons Bloggers Can Learn from Cats
Kristi, have a great vacation and enjoy yourself Down Under! I’ll be catching up on all your Fetching Fridays, and reading all these terrific links you’ve provided. This promises to be some super fantastic content.
Thanks again!
Delena
Delena Silverfox@Coupon Codes recently posted iContact Coupon Code
Love the mashup! I have to agree with Andrew from Blogging Guide on the Funny SEO moments. Definitely worth a smile and a LOL. I think I might even send an couple SEO birthday cards this year!
Have fun in Australia! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
Kristi,
Woot woot! Have a great time and don’t worry about your readers. We’ll be here when you get back.