Article Writing, is it still done?

If you are a freelance writer then you will be familiar with the big drop in certain publishing websites such as ezinearticles and hubpages. For example, one notable publisher on ezine was getting a lot of impressions on his writing profile. Since the update (codename Panda) his profile has moved down rapidly in the search results, as has many other people who have seen similar problems with their traffic.

Obviously certain sites were hit more than others, like we know ezinearticles was penalised, but contrary to that, DemandMedia actually saw an increase in their search results. Overall, there were many losers in the update, but also many winners.

...because of the loss in traffic freelance writers were receiving, what are they doing now to earn an income online? It seems the trend has moved quite rapidly into niche sites and expert information exchange. Gone are the days of writing generic text on a subject and getting it high in the results with little to no work.

There are a few options which have now opened up to freelance writers -

- Writing for a niche blog - this is quite popular as many of these blogs already have an existing readership who are likely to share your post. If you are already writing about parenting, then tapping into a popular parenting blog can increase your following to no end.

- Heavy optimisation - if you have built up a readership on an article site, it may be hard to let that go. Some writers have managed to make this work for them though. For example, this baby clothing article picked up quite a lot of traction from the authors readers, who are then encouraged to share it and blog about it. This social media promotion provides extra traffic, but also provides quality links which helps the article rank organically.

- Starting your own blog - if you are a enthusiastic writer about parenting, and already have a readership, then it can be quite easy to start your own parenting blog. Promoting it to your existing readership can be easy and that way you do not have a cold start. Admittedly you will be taking a couple of steps back...but in the end you are in control of everything so you are given a lot more flexibility

HR's Worst Nightmare - Back Pain

It may come as no surprise to some of you that back pain is a killer in the office environment. Okay not exactly a killer, but its a pretty big obstacle for those in HR. When I was reading an article on back pain and ergonomic seating it was interesting to know that nearly 80% of all office workers will suffer from back pain at some time during their career.

I was a bit shocked by this figure so I done a little research myself. I started looking around health care statistics and office absence statistics but they are all at least 3 years old. Then it struck me to start looking at different ergonomic chair manufacturer websites, they sell the remedy so they should know the problem! I actually contacted one back support manufacturer directly and they were nice enough to tell me about their latest statistics (from last year). It turns out that the 80% figure has decreased slightly over the last few years, but it is still well within the 70% range. Thats still around 3 in 4 people which will be affected.
So if you are in HR then you should think about buying your staff some ergonomic chairs, standing desks or even back massagers, you wouldn't want them going sick for extended periods of time!

Baby Shoes themed Website Design

We just found the wonderful Hippychick website while searching for some baby shoes for our youngest, and I was a bit surprised by the level of detail in the website design.
Hippychick are a fairly new company who have revolutionised baby shoes and baby products, with award winning products and business practices they are on the road to success.

We actually got turned onto their category while looking for Shoo Shoos soft baby slippers. Their chosen layout for the page is very simple and elegant, it also draws the eye to the images and the price...which are the most important factors for many parents. Go check it out!

iPhone Apps To Help With Shopping

Like you need help with shopping?

Shopping, an occasional or a weekly ritual, can be the activity your family spends a lot of time and money on. Most people make the biggest mistake of rushing to supermarkets or shops without any idea of what to buy. As a result, they end up spending lots of money. Having an effective shopping list is a must to avoid financial and time-related problems.
iPhones are great to be with while shopping on a busy day. Here are two great FREE iPhone applications that’ll definitely make your trip to the local businesses and retailers a lot easier.

Scandit

You can take a photo of a product’s barcode and this application will provide price comparisons and product reviews. It’s great to have in your iPhone for a more convenient way of shopping things with a tight budget.

Fastmall

Shopping malls are really big to contain all the necessary things that people might buy. It allows yourself do navigate the crowded place effectively as it downloads the shopping mall’s map. Locate the nearest shop for the things you want to buy with just a single shake or push of a button.

Has IKEA Changed Furniture Shopping?

IKEA has become one of the most notorious home furniture shops in the world, and this is obvious through the predominance of their furniture.

Targeting a common market, they offer home wares and furniture for nearly all applications. Because of this you will be hard pushed to find someone who has not purchased IKEA furniture some time in their life.

However IKEA furniture tends to lack any individualism to it, and this is commonly reported by the IKEA opposition. You will find that the majority of IKEA furniture has a distinct nordic style, and is built to a budget. Because of this you will find that the majority of the furniture is flat pack, and it has become synonymous that flat pack furniture is of low quality.

This has sparked a debate over flat pack furniture and hand made furniture, and which is the better bang for your buck?

It is typically argued that the extra spending is fully justified when comparing hand made furniture to flat pack furniture, however The Logical Directory have published an excellent article on flat pack vs hand made furniture.