There are thousands of career-related Web sites out there, and my primary blog, Jobacle, is one of many. Every time I get reminded of that fact, I get a little dizzy, and then I look away. Because I know I can do it better. Or die trying.

The reality is many of these sites have more resources in terms of manpower and financing. But I can’t let that stop me from creating a product that I believe in.

That’s why I wear blinders 90% of the time.

I know that the shrewd MBA grads out there will remind me that monitoring and analyzing the competition is a key component to making your business a success. However I also believe there is something to be said for trying something different.

That’s why I don’t read your blogs, fellow career writers. And if you’re alos writing in an over-crowded niche, I recommend the same.

Sorry if the truth hurts. I hope you won’t unsubscribe. After all, I don’t think any good writer will hold reciprocity as a standard.

The Web is messy. Every now and then take a peek around, but stargazing is for people looking for an excuse not to write. It’s good to know who is writing in the same genre as you, and it’s nice to occasionally come around for inspiration, but i would not make monitoring part of your daily habits.

What say you?

Linking directly to individual pages on a Web site instead of the home page, also known as “Deep Linking”, is a staple of blogging and the Internet in general. It is used as a means to reference sources, forward interesting articles and, generally, get information out there on the Web.

Without deep linking, social news would likely not exist, many Web 2.0 services (such as Delicious) would have to close and even Google would have to drastically change the way it operates. The Web would, almost overnight, become a much more difficult to use and less efficient place.

However, a recent lawsuit filed by GateHouse media has asked new questions about deep linking and its possible legal implications.

Though the lawsuit is clearly misguided in some ways, including the claim that the site loses advertising over deep linking, it is worth taking a quick moment to look at some of the potential legal hazards that come with deep linking and how to avoid them. read more

There comes a time in a blogger’s life when time for writing is a bit too sparse, and you can only post once in a while. And one mistake that most bloggers make is to do those “I’ve been busy …” and “Sorry I haven’t posted much lately …” posts, or something to that effect, where you detail practically everything that makes you busy, to the extent that you miss the point of your post, and focus only on why you weren’t able to post for the past few days/weeks/months.

I’ve been reading through Stephane Grenier’s Blog Blazers (my review at Performancing) and one of the common blogging mistakes cited by the interviewed top bloggers was exactly this. The point is that if you’ve been busy, then you shouldn’t have to explain yourself. Just write. Just publish. Just blog.

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For most bloggers, email is one of their most important tools. Whether it is a means of receiving feedback beyond the regular comment form, a method of obtaining new clients/advertisers or just a way of getting tips for future posts, most bloggers enjoy being available via email.

The question though is how to do it? Anyone with an email address is acutely aware of the high levels of email spam still being spent out, well after Bill Gates promised the problem would be solved, and don’t seek to invite any more of it or have legitimate mail lost in existing spam filters.

Bloggers that want to invite email communication have a serious challenge trying to open the doors to their readers without inviting a deluge of pharmaceutical and scam emails as well. There are techniques that can reduce the problem, but no perfect solutions. Instead, one has to find the answer that works best for them read more

Louis Gray is always churning out so much great content I thought I would share this one with you. Just in case you missed it. This article in mention was actually written by Michael Fruchter.

1) Ask for link exchanges
2) Quality content is key
3) Separate personal from professional
4) Be a two-way blogger
5) Encourage comments
6) Empower your readers with the tools for promotion
7) Don’t forget SEO, at least the basics
8) Establish and build power passports
9) Develop relationships with other bloggers
10) Use your treasure chest wisely

Head on over to Louis Gray to get the full scoop. It is definetly worth your time to explore this in more indepth, especially if you are like me and looking to grow traffic to your blog.

Blogging platforms Wordpress and Blogger still rule the roost (though this blogger digs SquareSpace), but there is a newcomer on the scene. Meet Kontain.

If you are not technically inclined, and willing to sacrifice fashion over form, this could be the platform for you. In other words, this could be your daddy’s platform.

To get started you simply need to input your e-mail address (and verify it within 15 days).

Your blog URL with be Kontain/BlogNameHere.

Media upload limits:

50 items per entry
100MB maximum size per file
250MB total monthly upload

The folks at Kontain plan to introduce social networking options such as friend following some time next year. Read more here.

2009 is right around the corner. If one of your resolutions is to start blogging, Kontain gives you one less excuse. If you’re an experienced blogger, move on!

Bloggers are generally not afraid to link out, but the web overall suffers from some sort of delusion that if you link someone else, your reader will leave you forever. That’s not the case, in fact, if you can send your readers to a page or service that they really use and enjoy, you’ll be remembered as the source of this, and that’s great goodwill and an incentive to return to your blog or site in the future.

Performancing’s got 9 reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid to link out. Hear hear.

For at least some sites and some bloggers, the holiday season has already begun on a rather depressing note. Sites that have posted prices or information from Wal-Mart’s upcoming “Black Friday” advertisements have already been threatened. At least one site, SearchAllDeals, has received a DMCA Takedown Notice regarding it.

Even though the copyright element of the claim is questionable, especially considering that you can not copyright facts, including prices, it is clear that the holidays can introduce a new set of copyright hazards for bloggers and other Webmasters.

So, as we rapidly approach the holiday season, here are five of the biggest copyright hazards that you may need to watch out for as you celebrate the season online. read more

Getting punished never feels good, regardless of your age.

Years ago I was banned from Digg when I created a second account to praise my submissions. Not realizing that I was violating the TOS of the site, I was quickly ‘banned,’ my primary e-mail address unable to access Digg to this day.

Then came the Pay Per Post debacle. Sure I made some cash, but my blog tumbled from a Google PageRank of 5 to 1. And I don’t care what people say, it does make a difference. To date, I have yet to climb back to 5, even with traffic growth and good linkability.

The latest technology spanking came courtesy of Twitter. After underutilizing the service for quite some time, I went on a following blitz. Unbeknownst to me, there is a follow limit of 2,000 currently in place.

All of these situations could have been avoided had I done due diligence. Whether or not you agree with these policies, one thing is clear: I need to start reading the fine print!

I’m a big believer that early adopters of new technology get the worm, so I’m quick to pull the trigger. But I’m starting to think it makes more sense to do your research, have a plan to leverage the medium and let others act as guinea pigs.

What do you think?

If you’re looking for me, I’ll be in the corner with my dunce cap on.

The Million Dollar Homepage has had an endless number of imitators. After all, who wouldn’t want to mirror the success of a product that was started with nothing and turning into A LOT.

Hitting my inbox this morning was the latest variation. What grabbed my attention is that for your contribution, you can get your blog some exposure and get a tree planted. I haven’t yet vetted this site, so you are warned to proceed at your own risk. read more