How To Welcome Your Blog Readers

Hello, My Beauties!

Hope your having a great weekend. I have been at it again! I have made some changes to my blog and if you know me, you will know that I am going to tell you about them and how to do it yourself! Sharing is caring and I love you guys so why not! Today I want to share with the benefits of  welcoming your readers to your blog.

Blog, Comments, Views and Subscribers. Are they really that important?

Hello, My Beauties!

I am sitting here face unwashed with not an ounce of coffee, because I had to share something with you, that I feel is very important to us as bloggers. Comments! Yes we want our little nuggets of advice and our views read and and responded to, but are comments really that important to our blogs? Actually no they aren't. 

Blog, Comments, Views and Subscribers. Are they really that important?

They have no value to our blogs rank on any search engine ever, the only person they benefit in anyway is the person commenting, because they can leave a link behind if they choose to do so. What is important however is the view count or how many visits your blog gets. Think about this for a moment. How many websites are out there that get millions of views, but not a single comment?

For instance. lets look at Amazon.com Only after a purchase to you actually comment on this site if you choose to do so. Another big name site is Sephora.com, yes a lot of visits, but not as many comments.

Think about this for a second. The only people who are actually commenting on your blog post are other bloggers and they are just as busy as you are! Yes they are nice and they let me know that I am doing something right, but they aren't what I am going after. I want a high view count and subscribers.

A high view count and subscribers is what will help your blog grow more then anything else out there. 

That's where quality blog posts and helpful content come in. 

Always try to be helpful or give some type of advice in every post.
Review anything and everything within your niche.
Subscribe to other blogs, comment, etc. and if they are human they will return the favor.
Blogging is a very Karmic thing, what you give is what you receive.

So if you aren't bombarded with comments don't feel bad, look at your view count. 

Thats whats important here. And thats what gets your blog out there. The comments will come, right now just concentrate on people hearing or reading your content.

Publish your own magazine 4 free

If you ran a magazine, what would you call it? What kind of articles would it have?
What if I told you, you could be your own chief and editor of your own magazine? How cool is that!

Want your followers to know what you find cool or interesting on the interwebs? Well then you need paper.li.

Paper.li is a website thingamabob that is hooked up to your social medias including your Youtube account and it places all your goings on in a nice magazine style format that is delivered to your followers daily in their email box.

This is great for any active blogger! it shows your audience what you all about and gives them a chance to comment and join your conversations. I really like how professional it looks and it easy to navigate.

You can customize it to your liking with what to share and what not to share. right now I only have three sections Headlines, Stories and Articles. This is great for someone like me who is a bit lazy and doesn't do a lot of online socializing as it gets me inspired to seek out the cool and fabulous, so that my magazine can have some cool articles for my followers to read. It even comes with a browser widget that you can add anything to your magazine in a click!

My magazine is called The Interwebs Chic you can follow it here. https://paper.li/themakeupsquid/1388257556

What will you call your magazine? Let me know so I can follow back :)


Thanks for Visiting, If you liked this post please Like & Share. Please Leave me a comment it lets me know your there, leave your link behind :) Don't for forget to follow this blog!

Update whats going on with me.

Well, as you know I am absent for a while. I haven't posted or edited a video in a long time, a real post or video that is.

The holidays and the move have taken their toll on me and the stress of starting over again has gotten the best of me. I have the ideas floating in my head but, getting in front of the laptop to actually write is another thing.

Its like I lost that drive I had when I would wake up and just start writing or have that aha! moment when I said I have to write this down before I forget. Where did it go? How do I get it back.

I feel it has a lot to do with my surroundings. My brushes haven't been cleaned in over a month, My makeup is on top of a makeshift vanity that is really a T.V. stand. My mirrors frame broke in the move and I am afraid to have it in the house, the kids might get hurt.

The new house is pretty old. It was built in 1941 and their are only four grounded outlets, so plugging something in to charge has become an issue and the outlets are prime real estate.

So with that I feel things are on hold. So I have been trying to find away to situate things so that I can get back to doing what I love. I honestly feel empty without my blog and YouTube. I miss everyone and reading what they have all been up to.

I feel like I am failing the makeup squid and I am losing her. I love her, she is my baby. She is me and I am her. I have to save her.

Thanks for visiting! Please like & share this post. Leave me a comment and don't forget to leave your blog links :)

I'm So Thankful For Blogging Buddies Tag

 I was Tagged by my beautiful and extra smart blogging friend Ashley Maria. She is talented and super fabulous and is currently going through some exciting changes, So if you want to witness awesomeness go check her out on her blog at ciaobella.

If you'd like to spread the love and hop in on the tag, simply publish a post answering the Thankful Interview questions about your blog, about yourself, and then tag some other great blog buddies you're thankful to have so they can do the same! Now on to this tag.

I love these little finger pictures They are so cool :)

About My Blog 

How long have you been blogging?

My first post was posted on August 16th 2013 woohoo!

Are there any bloggers who helped you out/encouraged you when you first started your blog?

My sister encouraged me to start writing a blog, but my girls help me everyday :)

What Social Media has given you the most traffic to your blog? Is there a platform that you don’t use?

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ and tumblr, although I don't use tumblr much but I do have it haha.

How often do you post? Do you have a regular schedule?

At the rate I am going about 1-2 times a week I would like to post more but life said NO!

Where do you blog?

In my fabulous, comfy, never made bed.

What camera do you use?

I Have used a Nikon, Ipod, Ipad, Samsung Glalaxy s4, and my Logitech webcam. I use anything I can get my hands on hehe.

How did you come up with your blog name?

I was searching for a blog name with the word "Makeup" in it while staring at the website squidoo, so TheMakeupSquid was born :)

Do you do any regular “series” posts on your blog?

Once in a while I do a double duty products, but mostly its just random like me.

What draws you to a blog?

The style, layout and sincerity of the post, I hate I feel like I am reading something out of a magazine, if that makes any sense hehe. I want to actually hear a voice when I read a blog.

What turns you off of a blog?

Music! And feeling like the blog is pushing me to buy a product, Just let me know you like it or love it and if I like or love you I will buy it, one day.

How many blogs do you subscribe to?

A lot, to be honest I can't read all of them, there isnt just enough time. But I am all for supporting blogs and Bloggers. So I follow as many as I can!

When do you generally read blogs?

Whenever I can really through out the day, but I haven't been able to read as much as I would like too.

What is your favorite type of post, and why?

Helpful, anything I can learn from. Look of the day, Tips, tricks that sort of thing and anything personal I love getting to know the people behind the blog :)

What is your least favorite type of post, and why?

Nail polish posts, but that only because I am jealous and cant grow my own nails haha!

About Me

Where do you live?

I just moved AGAIN! to JohnsTown PA.

What about your home?

Two story home built in 1941. I cant wait to start decorating it has great bones and so much charm :)

Do you have a “day job”?

My day job is my family, I can't quit even if I wanted to, I heard there was a law or something against that.

How tall are you?

I am a whopping 5'1, but I pack a punch!

Do you have siblings?

I am one of 7. 2 boys and 5 girls total

3 words to describe yourself.

Loud, Weird, hopeful.

Who is your style icon, and why?

Me of course :)

3 favorite bands/musicians.

TheCure, The Smiths and A Flock of Seagulls.

3 favorite movies.

The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Gladiator. I love epic films!

3 favorite books.

The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Memoirs of a Geisha.

3 random/weird facts about you.

I am currently trying to grow my hair out, but at the same time I want to cut it.
I know how to make my husband really really nervous.
I love watching strange documentaries.

Thanks for visiting! Please like & share this post. Leave me a comment and don't forget to leave your blog links :)

How to create a favicon

makeupbeautyandme.blogspot.com

Whats a favicon?

A Favicon is the little graphic on your page tabs on your favorite browser, they are also listed right next to the names of the links in your favorites.

This is a good form of branding, Look at my favicon on my page tab, its that little pink bow :).

every brand needs a favicon, I mean we all the the blogger icon right? That orange B, or that blue G from the Google home page. Well you want one too right?

I am going to show you how to make one of those awesome little icons for your own blog or website.

First you need an image this image can be anything you want it to be, but it must be a even square.

500x500, 1000x1000, as long as it is even it will work.

You can make one yourself if you like but it isn't necessary. You can take your blog button and turn it into a favicon or your face if you like.

I went through a google images and did a search for royalty free png. graphics and found my bow.

png. is the best file format as it is a transparent graphic.

once you have found your image go to 

http://www.favicon.cc/ 

1. click import image

2. choose your file

3. click the shrink to square icon option

4. Click upload

Now you are going to see a bad pixelated version of your image, don't panic.

Click the download button and save the ico file to your machine.

Now log into your blogger account and go to your layout page. and on the top left corner

you will see a favicon widget thingy. Click it and upload your file!

This will take a few minuets to show up on your page, but its there I promise.

I added my blog to my favorites and i shows my favicon right next to my page name I love it!!

I hope this help! if you need any more help please let me know, Good Luck!

If you liked this post please like & Share. It Makes me happy :) Laurie M.

Your Keywords and how to use them

Content is the biggest draw to your blog so, write, write and write some more. Just make sure your content focus is on your keywords or keyword phrase.

makeupbeautyandme

Keyword "makeup" Keywords phrase " how to apply makeup".

Make sure your content is useful within your niche.
Bring your content to your page on a regular basis or somewhat regular basis. this will help your rankings as new content refreshes your standing with search engines.

Links should use your key keyword phrase. If your target in the link is "pink blush" then your link should be "pink blush" instead of a "click here" link.

Place keyword phrases appropriately in text links, image ALT attributes and even your domain name.

People always ask about their labels for their blog posts. There is just one problem here.
Labels "keywords" in blogger are only for your blog itself and has nothing to do with search engines, they help the reader navigate your blog.

The top keywords for beauty bloggers niche.
Makeup, Beauty, Makeup Tips, Cosmetics, Make Up, Beauty Products.


If you liked this post please like & Share. It Makes me happy :) Laurie M.

Comments, are they important?

As bloggers we all want people to comment on our posts, to let us know they like our content, that we are doing a good job, etc...

Courtesy of Google images

But, do comments really help? If someone visits our blog, reads and writes and comment it ends there.
But, if someone goes to your blog, reads and shares the link to the post with their followers or social circles your post goes a lot further then with just a comment.

This is why I like share buttons on my blogs. Asking for a like or a share is easier then to ask for a comment.

With a comment they have to type what they mean to say and from a phone, which is what most people are using these days. The captcha box is pure evil on any smart device.

So pushing a like or share button is a whole lot easier and gets your blog more noticed rather then a comment.

Comments are more for you then the general public, they help keep the conversation of the post going and it shoes the reader your listening to what they have to say.

Asking for likes or shares is a lot easier to ask for from you reader.

there are many add-ons for blogs out there on the interwebs I will list a few of my favs below :)

www.sharethis.com has sharing widget that goes right above your comment section after every post. It offers all the latest social media devices.

www.addthis.com offers a share button widget but you are not able to customize it to your liking.

share.cunjo.com is the least favorite here hard to configure and doesn't give much room to grow.

Sharethis.com is the winner of the sharing widgets in my book and after you customize it, it will install itself for you! Cannot beat the ease of access and use you this sweet widget.

I have it listed installed below so you can get a peek of what it looks like.

Hope this helps, Please don't forget to like and share this post :)

Laurie M.

On a personal note

There is something I want to share with you all, something personal, something special to me.
And that is the other side of blogging, the ins and outs the ups and downs.

And I feel that I cannot do that here since this is a beauty blog, I feel it wont be right to combine the two, it may get confusing to the readers and they may not want to know about my personal journey as a beauty blogger.

So I created a personal blog to share my journey as a beauty blogger, wife, mom woman with you all.

This blog will help other bloggers with tips and advice on creating and setting up their blogs and well as all the things I go through to keep themakeupsquid.com going.

Makeupbeautyandme.blogspot.com

I would love for you to check it out and share your insight with me and also I will be able to answer any blogging questions you may have. Hope to see you there.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Bloglovin!

Bloglovin is a site that allows you to follow your favorite blogs from any device.

However it does have one flaw that I have found.

When you add your blog to Bloglovin you have to paste a code onto your blog to claim it as your blog, which is fine and dandy.

But this is just a way for them to know you are the owner of said blog.

The second step is to add a follow this blog button which is fine and dandy, they do have some cute buttons that will go with any style layout however there is something they don't tell you!

As you can see the top buttons ask you to follow me, which means the persons profile NOT their blog.

This is becoming an issue with people gaining personal followers on bloglovin but not their blog.

It is best to choose an icon button or the blue or pink button for actual blog followers.

When you click on the follow button make sure it is the blog itself you follow and not the Author.

otherwise you will only get notifications of their actions and not of the blog itself.

I have lost over 40+ followers by looking into this, so please be careful with which button you choose!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!