What this means is content from this blog may be syndicated through WebProNews, or through the ientry content network, namely:

• Search Newz
• Web ProBusiness
• Small Business Update

It’s a pleasure to be listed among the company of other ientry bloggers, such as:

• Aaron Wall
• Lee Odden
• Michael “Gray Wolf” Gray
• Todd “Stuntdubl” Malicoat
• Robert Scoble

and numerous other first rate bloggers.

When I first started blogging in July 2006, my intent has always been to provide quality content and build a community based on that principle.

Seeing the traffic grow month-on-month and receiving more than my fair share of encouraging emails is icing on the cake and a boost when the inspiration engine runs a little dry.

With blogging already becoming the media channel accessible to everyman, the future certainly looks bright.

And the major problem is that many new bloggers have a “more is better” mentality.

Their blogs up as a dumping ground for too many unnessary plugins, icons, and “Top Blog site” tags.

You are a “Top Blog” because your readers come back constantly to check the content.

You are a “Top Dog” when other bloggers point at your blog posts as a resource for their readers to check out.

So if you’re guilty of abusing the social WordPress plugin (which allows readers to bookmark your post at popular social bookmarking sites) in the following manner:

or even:

So if you choose it, don’t go hog wild and display 20 services. Plug 3 services, or a maximum of 5 if you have to.

StumbleUpon is good, so’s Digg and Reddit.

There’re even worse things you can do however, and that’s to icon dump to services like blog reader services in the following manner:

OR:

OR:

OR:

If your mission was to annoy your readers with garish icons, it only serves to cheapen the look of your blog.

It’s fine to go overboard for the first month or so, but if you look at your blog statistics, you’ll have a fair idea of the profile of your blog traffic and refine your blog accordingly.

Leaving everything on your blog and not making the necessary adjustments reminds me of my visits to my bank’s cash withdrawl machine. It prompt me to select from the offered languages of “English, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil (an Indian dialect) and Malay” every time I insert my bank card.

You’re think that after withdrawing cash at least 1,000 times in the last 10 years, the machine would’ve learned a thing or two.

So the lesson is to increase the usability and blog design to optimize traffic, and as a result up your monetization efforts.

Leaving your blog in its ‘status quo’ position is easier in the short term, but it’s bound to hurt you in the long run.

If you’re new to blogging and eager to enhance your skills, be sure to check out this tool.