So tonight is the Grand Finale of our game show Bloggywood Squares.

Last week was great fun, and I'm so pleased we seemed to get the balance right between the fun element, and getting some serious learning happening with the questions we asked.

We have the five winners on tonight's show, and it's in a slightly different format - this time the audience has to vote for the best answers to the questions. That means you can influence the outcome!  read more »

I was on a conference call with the directors of a UK based business, a training company, who are looking to social media as a way to generate leads.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One of them asked me "If you had to give one tip to us as we start to work with social media, what would it be?"

My somewhat off the cuff answer was "Be yourself on social media, not "The Company". But do represent the company."

So there are two things to consider today:  read more »

Commenting on other blogs in your niche should be an essential part of your blog promotion strategy. Each comment exposes your name and brand to other bloggers, and gains you a precious link back to your own blog.

Community is at the heart of blogging, and commenting is at the heart of community. Your blog commenting strategy is vital to the success of your blog.

The metrics that matter if you are to be defined as a successful blogger are traffic and comments.

Diligence  read more »

I have had three separate conversations with bloggers this week who feel they have reached a plateau in terms of traffic, income or both.

I came up with some ideas and suggestions, what can you offer to help them?

Are you joining us for Bloggywood Squares?  read more »

Of course that question isn't aimed at you.

Image: djcodrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It's aimed at him. And her. You know them. The ones who:  read more »

So. There we were, planning the launch of the next Beyond Blogging Project. And everywhere, we were reading about some new phenomenon called "Launch fatigue."

It wasn't encouraging.

We wanted to be different, so we wracked our brains for days.

With my creative juices exhausted, it was Jordan and Nathan who came up with the idea - an online game show!

And Bloggywood Squares was born!  read more »

This is a guest post from Kevin Tea.

Two weeks ago a lone gunman ran - or rather drove - amok through the sleepy county of Cumbria killing 12 people and injuring 20 more before turning the gun on himself. No-one knows what went through his brain - apart from a self inflicted 22 bullet - or what the reasons were why on a sunny, warm Wednesday morning he decided to go on a murderous rampage. It did get me thinking about how people become disconnected and in a world where we spend more and more time online are we becoming more wired - or weird - and less able to connect with others in a human manner.

 read more »

Is there such a thing as writer's block?

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you suffered from it?

Is it real, or imagined?

How did you get out of it?  read more »

You probably already know that Nathan started his online business while on deployment in Afghanistan - it's one of many things I admire about him.

Bootstrapping is one of those American phrases you hear all the time online. Wikipedia describes it as "A self sustaining process that proceeds without external help." In other words, and relating it to a business start up, it means doing it yourself and not investing lots of money to do so. It's how 95% of bloggers start their businesses.  read more »

I was lucky enough to get two advance review copies of the book and you can hear what I have to say about it in the video below, and also find out how to win my second special copy.

You can find out more about the book at http://www.deliveringhappinessbook.com/ and you can order a copy at http://www.amazon.com/deliveringhappiness

Other Reviews:  read more »