What is mobile optimization?

Mobile optimization reduces the time it takes for your site to load on cell phone and iPad browsers and configures your site to look good on those devices. So, how do you make sure your blog is mobile-friendly?

Blogger

Google’s Blogger recently introduced a set of mobile templates, which re-format your blog when it’s accessed from a smartphone. To activate mobile templates on your site, go to Dashboard > Settings > Email & Mobile tab, then check the mobile template option and save.

WordPress

WordPress.com blogs have the advantage of two mobile themes that will automatically display when your site is accessed from a mobile device. Visitors will be able to see your posts, pages, and archives, as well as leave comments. You can access the settings from your Dashboard under Appearance > Extras.

Self-hosted (WordPress.org) blogs have a number of options for plugins that make a site mobile-ready. Some of the most popular include WordPress Mobile Edition, WordPress Mobile Pack, and MobilePress.

Tumblr

Mobile themes help your site load faster and display as much information about your site as possible on small phone screens.  If you haven’t already, take a look at your site on a mobile device (the Apple Store is always a fun place!) and see if you need to do anything to improve your readers’ experience.

Online wish lists have made it a lot easier to let your loved ones know exactly what to get you–a big improvement over sending emails with links or writing lists on paper. Most sites have their own function for creating wish lists, but what if you want a bunch of stuff from different sites? Here are a few options:

Wishpot

Wishpot lets you add anything to your gift list using a handy bookmarklet in your browser. When you come across an item you like, click the Wishpot button and automatically add the things you love–from any store–to your lists.

Amazon Universal Wish List

You can add items from any website to your Amazon Wish List with just a few clicks, making it easy to keep track of all the gifts you’re wishing for, all in one place. There’s a Firefox add-on, Safari and Chrome extensions, and an “Add to Wish List” button you can add to any browser you use. If you sell online, you can also add the button to your own site to make it easy for shoppers to add your items to their lists.

ListIdeas.com

With ListIdeas, you can create a list that’s easy to share on Facebook or embed on your blog. Just add items using the bookmarklet, then select the embed code for the list you’ve created. Friends and family can also subscribe to your list’s RSS feed.

Wishbin.com

With Wishbin, you can add items from any website to make a centralized wish list, then share your wish lists with friends and family by creating a “Buddy List” and sending email updates. Downside? The toolbar is for Windows users only.

With so many retailers–from big brands to independent crafters–now selling their wares online, it can be difficult to wade through the options. Hence, the newfound popularity of “curated” shops–a group of items selected according to a distinct style and point of view. Here are two ways to try it yourself:

Boutiques.com

Google’s newly-launched Boutiques.com lets you find items that suit your style by asking about your style preferences in a manner similar to the optometrist: “Is this better, or is this better?” Once you’ve sorted out your favorite colors and silhouettes, you’re presented with a selection of items that suit your tastes.

MyRevolve

Part of Revolveclothing.com, MyRevolve prompts you to create an account and pick your favorite brands and items while browsing the site. You can then share your boutique with friends, and earn anywhere from 1-10% commission on purchases made through your boutique.

So how do you get people to actually follow you on Twitter?

The most important way is by engaging with other people and organizations using the service. If you’re new to the game or just want to increase the number of people following you, try a few of the following techniques:

1. Follow more people

This sounds simple, but when I first started using Twitter a few years ago, I just posted random stuff and wasn’t really following anyone. That’s not the point of the service. Making connections is a two-way street, so go forth and follow! Research shows that most people have a roughly equal number of follows and followers.

If you’re not sure who to follow, try these fashion lists:

• Twibes
• Listorious
• Mashable

You should also check out who other people are following–it takes a bit of time, but it’s a great way to find less well-known individuals who have a fun and interesting perspective.

2. Connect and respond

One of the great things about Twitter is the fact that two-way (and often three- and four-way) communication is so easy. If you see a tweet asking a question relevant to you, respond. Ask for help and give help when asked. Use Search.Twitter.com to find people talking about the subjects that interest you, and respond to them. Interaction is the most genuine, organic way to grow your following.

3. Be visible

Make sure your Twitter profile is part of your email address, your message board signature, on your business cards, linked to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts, and prominent on your blog’s homepage. Include your Twitter handle (ie @StyleSample) so people can immediately see what you’re called, and link it to your Twitter page so people can easily find and follow you.

Add yourself to Twitter directories so people who are interested in similar topics can find you. Try:

• WeFollow
• Twellow
• Just Tweet It
• TweetFind
• TwitDir
• GeoFollow

4. Re-tweet

Use Search.Twitter.com or an application like HootSuite to see which of your tweets are the most popular, and then re-tweet them at various times during the day. This increases the possibility that different people–and new people, see your best tweets. Those people will then either re-tweet those posts, or start to follow you.

and, last yet most important:

5. Create and post good content

Even though it’s limited to 140 characters, Twitter is still considered blogging. Do what you do to keep your long-form blog fresh–create and post interesting content. Share article links, retweet quality posts, ask insightful questions, and don’t be afraid to include a bit of humor!

Gary Pepper Vintage

Nicole of Gary Pepper Vintage is a hard-working entrepreneur who just happens to be gorgeous. Fair? No. Worth the read? Absolutely.

What I Saw Today

Designerman – aka Richard Haines – creates deceptively simple-looking pencil sketches of New York street style on his blog  What I Saw Today. You start to think “Hey, I could do that” until you realize it takes massive talent. Which we don’t have.

Couturious

Who doesn’t like styling models with designer clothing? Couturious is like old school paper dolls crossed with Cher’s computer wardrobe stylist in Clueless–completely addictive.

What are you lovin’ right now?

When I first started blogging I quickly found out the importance of great/fun photos. Photos are the key to your blog, they help pull viewers in and keep them entertained for the time they spend on your site. Sometimes your photos keep readers coming back to see more fun and sometimes inspiring pictures!

After being bored by my own pictures I went on the hunt for some great free online photo editing sites that would help me dress my photos up! Here are three of my favorites:

Photoshop

I use Photoshop whenever I edit my photos. Its interface is so easy that it makes editing photos incredibly simple. You do have to sign up for an account, but it’s free and your images can be stored online for family and friends to view. I love that you can preview how the image will look just by scrolling over the edit options. I also love the pop color feature on this site. Make sure you have a fast connection–it sometimes takes a while to load the photos.

DrPic

DrPic is a great site if you need to do a quick edit or crop your photos. There are some fun options you can use to add frames or a Polaroid effect to your images, and I love the grayscale feature on this site. You don’t need an account–just load a picture, edit, and then save to your computer. Simple! One minor annoyance: the Google ad bar at the top of the picture while you edit photos.

FlauntR

FlauntR has some great editing features and frames you can add. The main reason I use this site is for the text feature–I love that there are so many fonts available. I have never seen so many different fonts offered on a free editing site, and you can move and rotate the text anyway you choose. You do have to create an account to use this site-but it’s free!

Get animated

I remember the first time I saw an animated graphic. I was awe-struck, then jealous because I wanted my own! Soon I was off on an internet hunt for sites to help me create animated graphics. There are a few sites out there, but I always turn to one site to help me create my own animated images.

Gickr

Gickr is free and easy to use–no account needed. You can select up to 10 images at once, the size of the image, how fast the image will move, then hit create. That’s it! Wait for your image to load and you should see the animated image. (I often hit create a few times trying out different image speeds to get the right one.) There are many ways to save it, but I always right click on the image and click “Save Image As”.

Now, loading the image on your blog can be tricky. You first have to upload your animated image to a hosting site like tinypic.com (it’s free). Once you’ve uploaded it to the site you can select the “HTML code for Websites” or “Direct Link for Layouts” code. You’ll then have to put the code into your post via the html/edit page. I’d be happy to help if you ever have any questions!