e-Famous Tip #7 - Encourage Your Visitors to Subscribe

The best thing you can do to hook your readers is have an RSS feed (bloggers will have one), and encourage visitors to subscribe.

'How do I do that?' you might be wondering. It's pretty simple, really:

Publish great content.

This is kind of obvious, but the quality of the content you publish is important. If your visitors don't find it to be useful or entertaining, they have no reason to subscribe. So if you're not presenting your best, that's the first thing you should focus on.

Place a link to your feed in a prominent spot.

Placing RSS links too low on the page is a common mistake many people make. The point is to make it obvious you have one; place your link near the top of the page, preferably "above the fold," meaning it can be seen without scrolling. If people see it, the more likely they will subscribe.

Just ask.

A lot of people overlook RSS links. Sometimes you have to ask others to subscribe, or they won't even think about it. People need a call to action- just ask. What's the worst that could happen? They won't, the same outcome as if you'd never asked in the first place.

Use an image.

Dress up that boring text link with an image. It will draw more attention to the 'subscribe' option, and visitors will be more likely to respond.

Get creative when advertising your RSS feed- these aren't the only ways to encourage others to subscribe. Don't be afraid to experiment. You may find some effective ways to increase your feed count that other web publishers aren't aware of. Try new things, and use your 'hits' to your advantage, and learn from your 'misses'.

e-Famous Tip #6 - Subscribe

What better way to find e-fame than to subscribe to this blog, so you can get my free tips delivered to your RSS reader or email? By doing so, you're opening yourself to more information to help you achieve your goal(s).

Don't worry, I will NOT share your email address with anyone, and you will NOT receive more than one email a day, if at all. Multiple posts are combined into one, and if nothing new has been published that day, no email. It's that simple.

Enter your email address:

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e-Famous Tip #5 - Update Often

The concept is a simple one- the more you update, the more of a reason for your readers to return. Entice them to come back by posting fresh content regularly, every day if possible. Captivate them with your knowledge, wit, or whatever it is that drew their attention in the first place, and don't stop.

Also, for you bloggers.. did you know that the more posts you have, the more chances you will be found via search engines? Each post you publish has its own page, and each of these post pages can be found in search results, granted that you are publishing quality content that is optimized for search. The more pages you have, the better; would you want 3 different entrance paths to your website, or 3,000? (Or more?)

Read more:

• Quantity is Just as Important as Quality
  

e-Famous Tip #4 - Follow Your Passion and Don't Give Up

It takes some time to build your fame. Sure, there have been some overnight successes (and many have bombed just as quickly as they became famous), but for most micro-celebrities, it just doesn't happen that way.

You're going to spend A LOT of time building your personal brand, so follow your passions. If you're into music, create content that has to do with music. If food is your thing, do the same with that topic. You're not going to gain thousands of followers at once, so do something that you enjoy.. because then you're less likely to quit early, when you only have 10 loyal followers and it doesn't seem like you're getting anywhere.

Just keep on keepin' on. Do what makes you happy and don't be discouraged by a lack of success.

Famous, But Poor

Some of you may have the mindset "When I become famous, I'll be rich." Unfortunately, wealth doesn't come automatically with e-fame. It must be created.

Once you're an internet celebrity, it is definitely easier to build wealth than it would be for someone who is not very popular. But not everyone has great marketing skills. It is not uncommon for the average Joe, who knows a thing or two about making money online, to be much wealthier than a micro-celebrity with a huge following, but no real marketing knowledge.

There are countless ways to make money online, and you're going to have to decide which tactic is right for you. Here are a few ideas:

• Monetize your website
• Sell files- mp3's, videos, ebooks, etc.
  
• Sell your creations- books, clothing, etc, and mail them
  
• Use your status to get public speaking/performance gigs
  
• Ask for donations

Personally, I am more experienced in website monetization than any of the other money-making strategies I've listed here (aside from musical performance), and that also happens to be one of the simplest tactics for creating wealth, because all that is required is that you place some code on your website, and maintain it, like you're already doing. There isn't much else to worry about, and you can easily do this in addition to any other ideas you may have.

If you would like to go this route, here are a few articles you may be interested in (Keep in mind, these articles are geared toward bloggers, but any website owner can put this info to use.):

• 5 Tricks to Earning With Google AdSense
• More AdSense Tips for Bloggers
• How to Increase Your Page Views and Profit With CPM Advertising
  
• Why Google AdSense May Not Be Suitable for Your Blog
  
• Make More Money With Multiple Income Streams
  
• 12 Reasons Why Most Bloggers Don't Make Much Money Online
  
• What Every Blogger Should Know About Making Money Online
  

e-Famous Tip #3 - Practice SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, a practice that helps your website(s) rank higher in search engines like Google for specific search terms.

For example, I would like this blog to rank as #1 for words and phrases like "internet famous", "e-fame", "e-famous", "how to become famous online", etc. To achieve this, I would have to practice SEO regularly.

It's really not that difficult. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to hire an SEO professional, but some people prefer to and that's cool. To each their own. As long as you are able to provide lots of keyword-rich content catered to specific audiences, you should be fine.

If you're looking for SEO tips, check out the following articles (they were written specifically for bloggers, but these tips work for just about any kind of website, even if your home is on a social networking site like MySpace or Buzznet):

• Basic Blog SEO: Niche Blogging Series Pt. V
  
• 8 Effective Link Building Strategies
  
• 7 More Link Building Strategies
  
• Optimize Your Blog for Search Engines
  
• 22 Tips for Higher Search Engine Rankings
  

Some platform-specific SEO tips:

• SEO Tips for Blogs Hosted By Blogger
  
• TypePad Users- Change the URL (Filename) of Your Posts
  

Create a Twitter Landing Page

Today problogger Darren Rowse wrote a short article on why you should develop a Twitter landing page, rather than linking directly to the main page of your blog or website. It's pretty sound advice, if you ask me. When people click the link on your Twitter page, they are usually looking for more information about you, so give that to them. Maybe you'll gain a few more fans that way.

e-Famous Tip #2 - Stand Out

What makes you different from everyone else out there? Embrace those features, and just 'roll with it'.

As more and more people are finding (micro)fame via the internet, it's becoming harder for others to 'make it big'. Nowadays, it's pretty friggin' difficult for the average Joe to make a splash. You need to stand out- be different, be funny, be weird. Be whatever it is that makes you unique.

Some examples:

Audrey Kitching, an alternative model, is popular on several social networking websites. Famous for her pink hair and wild fashion taste, Audrey sure knows how to make a splash, and is idolized by countless scenester wannabes.

Catch her on Buzznet and MySpace, and modeling for Tarina Tarantino, Jared Gold, and Hot Topic, among others.



Perez Hilton, celebrity gossip blogger, found fame through creating controversy. Whether he was drawing cocaine onto celebrities' faces, hamming it up on MTV, or being sued for one reason or another, Perez knows how to capture people's attention.

You can catch him at PerezHilton.com, dishing out all the latest celebrity gossip.


Julia Allison, dating columnist, turned oversharing and self promotion into an art form. Between her lifestream and Twitter updates, publicity stunts, and tendency to share too much info about her personal life, Julia always has something to say or show off.

Visit her lifestream at NonSociety.com and check out her Twitter feed.

Get More Followers on Twitter

Do you have a Twitter account, but only a few (if any) followers?

I started a Twitter link love-in at IGTB last month, and you're more than welcome to join.

To participate:

1. Go to the Twitter link page.
   
2. Scroll down through the existing links, find some people who capture your interest, and follow them. (There is more than one page of comments, so click 'Next' to find more links.)
   
3. Submit your own Twitter URL via the comment form.
   
4. Tell your friends! The more people participating in the link train, the more followers you will get.
   

Get TONS of MySpace Friends

Personally, I'm a little skeptical about these "MySpace friend adder" websites. While they are definitely a good way to grow your friend count, they seem to attract a lot of 'fake' MySpace accounts (usually spammers), indie bands, and kids who are self promoting to the point that it's actually hurting their personal brands. It seems to me that the quality of 'friendships' gained in this way isn't all that great, and essentially all you're getting out of this is a higher number on your page.

But, then again, some people swear by these.. so if 'MySpace friend adder' or 'friend train' websites are your thing, here's a list for you. Go ahead, prove me wrong.

*Note: I did not test these websites or any software downloads. Use at your own risk.

1. Adder Demon
2. Add My Buddies
   
3. Open Adder
   
4. Uber Add
   
5. FriendStorm
   
6. Add Everybody
   
7. Bulk Friend Adder
   
8. Friend Adder
   
9. Add New Friends
   
10. My ZZ Space
    
11. My Mp3 Plays
    

e-Famous Tip #1 - Create Original Content

The first step to internet fame is to create original content. It doesn't really matter whether you have your own domain, a subdomain, or are part of a social network; content is king. If your pages don't have any substance, there is no point for anyone to visit them.

By content, I don't mean you have to write long articles or guides (that is, if you don't want to). There are other ways to capture attention- photos, videos, mp3 files, etc. Use your imagination. Just post something new, something people haven't already seen floating around the internet, something interesting.

Three of my photos have been featured on Buzznet so far, because I followed this model.

I must admit, none of these photos are of exceptional quality. But they were still featured, simply because they are original. They are unique. They are something the typical person doesn't see every day, and that's why they were a hit.

I took this photo on my friends' tour bus. I thought the modification to the 'no smoking' sign was funny, and that others would think so too. Turns out they did.

I noticed the contrasting patterns of my lyrics journal and keyboard one day, and thought it would make a great photo. So I emphasized that 'yin and yang' thing with a black and white shot, and again, I got some good feedback.

I have a pair of crazy panda mittens that are pretty hard to come by. They're so unique, and I wanted to show them off. This photo appeals to the fashion trends of today's younger generation, who happen to dominate Buzznet, so again, this photo fared well.

Be creative. Be different. Share with the world.
It works.

Hello World!

Welcome to my new blog, Internet Famous, my personal e-fame experiment. Here I will be blogging about my attempt to become famous via the internet, and share some tips I learn along the way, so you too can put them to use.

You probably have some questions, like:

Who the hell are you?

You will come to know me as Raivyn, a musician and part time blogger. My main two blogs are Idiot's Guide to Blogging and Don't Be Silent. I also have accounts on Buzznet, MySpace, and Twitter.

If you'd like to get to know me on more of a personal level, I suggest you create an account on both Buzznet and Twitter (if you don't have one already), and add me to your friends. You'll find I'm a very well-rounded individual, with a lot of aspirations.

I'm a dreamer, poet, fashion and jewelry designer, photographer, philosopher, entertainer, socialite, and so much more. "Average" is not a word that describes me. I may sound a little egotistical right now, but I promise you, I am not. I am one of the most cool-headed people you will ever meet.

Why would I want to listen to what you have to say?

Because I get it. Self promotion is one of my 'talents'. I'm not sure if it was something I was born with or I learned growing up, but it's one of those things I am naturally good at. I'm one of those people who can walk into a venue when a professional band is playing and as soon as I show my face, I not only capture the attention of the band, but everyone else in the area. Everyone wants to come chat with me, and they tell their friends, and they look for me on MySpace.

Ever hear the phrase "like attracts like"? It's so true. If you're a 'big dog', you will attract other 'big dogs'. I've lost count of the famous people who have come and chatted me up out of their own free will, while they had lots of other people waiting to see them. I've lost count of the number of times I've hung out with a band on their tour bus, an invitation I never asked for. I've lost count of the phone numbers these people have given me. It's crazy how much attention I get just for being in the right place at the right time. I can teach you my secrets.

Sounds too good to be true.

Something like this does come with a tremendous amount of responsibility, but it's good to learn how to handle yourself in front of large groups of people. And there will be haters, but that just teaches you to have a thick skin. As long as you're cool and down to earth, you could live the life of your dreams. If you're immature and egotistical, fame can ruin your life. So yes, there is a risk involved.

I hope you will join me on my journey, whether you're chasing e-fame or not. I enjoy the company. :)