About Kristen Haley

Posts by Kristen Haley:

Free Wi-Fi in the City

Free Wi-Fi in the City

So I’m starting to hear of all of these restaurants, cafe’s, bars and even YOGA STUDIOS offering free Wi-Fi around Boston, Cambridge, Quincy.. etc.

Here’s a running list that I’m starting NOW :)  Add a comment to your fave w/ a link to their site. More

My 7 favorite WordPress Plugins 2010 :)

My 7 favorite WordPress Plugins 2010 :)

I’ve been using WP for a while now and I figured I’d share some of my secrets.  I understand how hard it can be to teach yourself WordPress blogging but I’ve been consulting my expert, Ms. Google, and she helps me attain everything I’d ever need to (ask for) online.

Akismet:  Your WordPress blog comes naturally with this amazing spam filter, but you do need to sign up to get an API on their website.  To sign up for an API key, click here. Star that email that you get because you’ll probably need that key later on in your blogging career.  You can use it with multiple blogs.

Goto Plugins>Activate Akismet>Settings>Paste your API Key & update. More

How To Change Your Blog Avatar Using Gravatar

How To Change Your Blog Avatar Using Gravatar

Gravatars are the universal avatar syndicated over the web.

Super easy.  From Gravatar.com:  ”Your Gravatar is an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you do things like comment or post on a blog.  Avatars help identify your posts on blogs and web forums, so why not on any site?”

There’s even a video on how to set it up and how and when they’re used:
More

How to create a free sales pipeline using Manta.com

I’m in sales (technically, I sell my services that show you how to blog/use social media better :) .  Who isn’t in some way?  You have to sell yourself to get into college.  You have to sell yourself to find a career when you get out.  You get inundated with ideas and names and companies that it’s sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel but Manta.com at least gives you the directions to get you to that light.  It’s up to you to make use of it.

I used to have a problem with organizing and moving my prospects, whether they be sales prospects or job prospects through a pipeline with whatever tools I have on my own computer until I found Manta.com. More

How to avoid African PayPal scams on Facebook

So it’s a good thing I had the internet on my side on this one.  Apparently, if you send someone an invoice from PayPal, they WILL pay, you send the goods and give them tracking information.. even when they DO receive the goods, they have a chance to revoke payment.

I mentioned that I was selling a camera on Facebook Marketplace, because I figured it would reach friends and friends of friends.  Apparently, it reached some hacked or bogus users. More

Google Alerts

Sign up for basic Google Alerts here: http://www.google.com/alerts.

If you’re looking to follow stories pertaining to a specific subject, like for a paper you’re writing over a full semester or for a product you’re selling and you want competition’s information, you should have alerts sent directly to your inbox once a day.

Information is up-to-date, you don’t just have to read boring news articles (news isn’t BORING sometimes.. have you visited Fark.com?).. you can read blogs about whatever topic you’re looking up.. or view videos, or other media..  It’s a pretty powerful tool and I think you should start using it now.  What are you waiting for?   http://www.google.com/alerts

WordPress Rocks.. and Twitter too

I just migrated my old Blogger posts to this WordPress Blog b/c a little birdie told me it can be used to generate some great SEO :)

Also~Have you heard of Twitter yet?  I’m sure you have but have you utilized it for your business?  In 140 characters up to 1000 times a day, you can sell your product, hotel, mani/pedi, venue, band, mortgage etc. and hit your target market.  Or just anybody.

Think about it:  however many people who follow you and are good followers can be however many little billboards of your brand throughout this wide Twitterverse (and ultimately the whole internet).  If you have something re-tweetable, then you’ll get yourself noticed.  If you have something fun and viral to talk about, you’re golden.

Just remember:  video can be viral if you do it correctly.

Case Study:  look @ Gansett Beer on Twitter @gansettbeer.  They’re interactive with their fans, giving away prizes and offering to let you become a pin up girl via Twitter.  Check out their YouTube page.  Short and sweet, concise and funny videos.  Perfect viral advertising..  now all they have to do is get their 1144+ followers to talk about them.  They’re well on their way.