2012 - BIG Jumpstart Back to Basics Blog Challenge
Total of 21 Posts to Contribute
BIG ?
B - Back to Basics - Let’s review what makes ActiveRain such a special community.
I - Interaction - Let’s meet and greet both new members and established members of our community.
G - Grow Your Business - Let’s share what practices work best for us.
Happy and Healthy and Successful New Year to All! For some of us, just coming off the December 2011 challenge - this contest may seem like no big deal since we are in the rhythm. For others of us, especially newcomers, it may seem like a big challenge to write almost every day. For me, doing a challenge in early 2011 led me - as a NEWBIE - out of the dreadful “BLOGFEAR SWAMP”. Doing that one challenge helped me so much.
Qualifying for Points: Post each blog to the 2012 BIG Jumpstart Blog Challenge Group and any other groups you choose. DO NOT POST at the AR Contest group - please - that’s the designated group for announcing contests.
Points: Of interest to everyone, of course: 3000 points on completion/verification
Begin: Monday, January 9, 2012 (12:01 am Eastern) ~ End: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 (11:59 pm Eastern)
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The 2012 BIG Jumpstart Blog Challenge requires the following:
* Join the group: 2012 BIG Jumpstart Blog Challenge
* Go for your SEO - no extra words required for blog title.
Minimum 50 word blogs as per AR requirements.
* Visibility - your choice - Member or Public
* Twenty-one posts total - no more than one a day and only 18 from required categories. Three posts are "free-style" or "wildcards" -- topic choice is yours. The other 18 are designated.
Contact me by email with any questions.** Two posts in each of the nine categories are required during the Challenge (see below).
** The remaining three posts may be any topic of your choice within the Challenge dates.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: In an effort to keep these directions both short and clear, only bare bones explanations here. If you need more info and/or want more details, go to the topic link - that leads to a longer explanation of post topic. ** Check out the links at each topic heading. ** (PLEASE- re-read the previous sentence.)
B - Back to Basics - a.) Community Guidelines: 2 posts required
Focus on a Community Guideline that you think makes AR the great community it is.
b.) Weltanschauung: 2 posts required
Focus on an aspect of the Weltanschauung that you see as a special part of AR.
c.) ActiveRain University: 2 posts required
Report to us which webinars you chose at ARU and tell us what new skills you learned.
I - Interaction -
a.) Newcomers: 2 posts required
Welcome at least two newcomers and do a blog about each and their AR experiences. If you want, also post these to Craig Daniels’ “Gold Star” Group established for posts about individuals.
b.) Reblogs: 2 posts required
Reblog someone’s special post and in your 50 word intro, explain why you chose that post for us to enjoy.
c.) Invitations: 2 posts required
Profile two people who accepted your invitation to join ActiveRain. If you never invited anyone - send at least two (honor system!) just for the practice. To substitute if no accepted invitations, profile two members whose comments you enjoyed on others' posts which encouraged you to follow their blogs. Or contact someone who hasn't participated in a while on AR and invite them back again. If you want, also post these profiles to Craig Daniels' "Gold Star" Group established for posts about individuals. (Invited folks but no one has accepted? Margaret Rome says: "Don't despair! I send many invitations for each acceptance!")
G - Grow Your Business - not linked - we want to learn from you ...
a.) SEO related Suggestions: 2 posts required
Teach us something you have done to increase your SEO.
b.) Content: 2 posts required
Explain how you choose topics for your blogs and how you develop the theme.
c.) Videos or Photographs: 2 posts required
Use your own original videos or original photographs to accompany the theme of your post. If you are new to video or photo, use the SEARCH feature on AR blogs to find "How To" information.
Completion/Verification? Posts to 2012 BIG Jumpstart Blog Challenge Group will be tallied up. Ask by email for the excel Tally Sheet which is available for you if you haven't received it yet. (Lots of technical opportunities to learn with this Tally Sheet but that's another story ...).
Any questions? Send me an email and I will answer both happily and as soon as I can.
Problems linking? Please let me know by email.
Have a happy day -
Lynn
PS Want to keep track of your posts easily? Use the excel spreadsheet prepared especially for the 2012 BIG Back to Basics Blog Challenge. Fill in the blanks and you'll see what you've done. When you finish, just email it as an attachment so I can verify and send your name in for the points! :-) L.
2012 BIG Jumpstart Blog Challenge Back to Basics Buckhead Altanta GA
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132 Comments on 2012 BIG Jumpstart Back to Basics Blog Challenge
I'm grateful for this extension because it always seemed very foolish for us to write 21 posts to other members over 21 days, when we should be targeting consumers with our blog. This extension gives us an opportunity to spread out the internal conversation on your challenge topics, while keeping our focus where it belongs.
GREAT!!! I just now saw this and am going to start today! Thanks.
Lynn, I am doing this challenge daily, and I MUST say it is a CHALLENGE!!! I'm absolutely LOVING IT! I have learned SO MUCH MORE about ActiveRain because of the challenge. It truly is a Back to Basics Challenge, An Interaction Challenge and a Grow Your Business Challenge!
I can't think of a better way for us to learn about ActiveRain. I commend you on the THOUGHT and EFFORT you took to put this wonderful CHALLENGE together.
It may seem DIFFICULT by looking at it, But it really isn't! Just address each day, one at a time and we all can do this!
THANK YOU LYNN!
21 days to go... been out of it since my dear friend and Godfather passed... I thank Kerrie and Lynn for extending this... and thanks Margaret for the blog about me... I'm going to blog 21 days straight. This is a great contest, I love it. :) Gail
Leah - I can't believe I'm able to do this contest. My new computer died and is on it's way to California, my husband became ill, and my business is super busy. I done 18 of the posts and have 8 more to go. Great challenge.
I just sent you an email with questions about the extension, but I think that I understand now. I believe that you are saying that we don't have to post every day if we started January 9th, and just have to have the 21 qualifying posts by Feb 7th, right?
humm i missed this one!!! and I can not get caught up!!!because you can only do one a day
Good Luck all!!!
This challenge seems a bit complicated, and admittedly I got here late. Do you still get points if you don't get all of the posts done in time? I saw it said your limited to one a day & I cant get all categories done in the time left this month. Thanks!
Whoops...I'm a little late to this party. I'll be watching the posts, however. ...another good education tool! Thanks!
Well even though I'm too late to do this contest, I did learn one thing from this post. Do not post to the contest group. I always do!!! Glad you informed me of that one.
Like several others, I'm afraid I'm a little late for this one. Thank you for putting it together though. The 31 days of May Challenge last year is what kicked off my blogging and I'm hooked!
Cyndi
Hi Lynn,
I just posted my 21st post today in your challenging contest. I have worked hard but have learned a lot and met new friends along the way. I will be sending you my Google page with the 21 links on it.
That Google excel page was a mind boggler but I figured it out. I was trying to post the links from the blog page and not the points page and the font was too big. Like I said, I have learned a lot and it has been a positive experience.
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Please review the email UPDATE letter sent to you on 1/27/12. If you didn’t receive the email, please let me know and I will send it to you again. Check your spam filter in case it got caught. The address is 2012.Back2BasicsChallenge@gmail.com. The email reiterates the requirements and contains an updated TALLY SHEET in excel format. Many people had difficulties trying to understand how to use the initial Google document. SOOOOO,for my wonderful Challenge participants, I re-did the TALLY SHEET.
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Three of the first four Tally Sheets submitted were inaccurate. I KNOW YOU WORKED HARD AND WANT YOUR POINTS!!!! Please use the revised TALLY SHEET that you received in the email or contact me to send you a copy. Everyone has until February 7,2012 at 11:59 pm to complete entries.
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Please be sure what you send in has been checked carefully:
1. All 21 posts are in the Challenge Group - none in the AR Contest Group.
2. All the categories are fulfilled within the time allowed.
3. All the dates are listed on Tally Sheet.
4. All the links work.
Have a happy day -
Lynn
PS Dick Greenberg:
Thanks for the reflection of my dreams in your final Challenge post. You really captured my goals in your comments! Glad it was such a good experience.
Well I am sorry I missed this, I posted many many posts on this subject the first week of the new year 2012. I guess I had the right idea at the wrong time.
Start 2012 Off With ActiveRain Tips for Better SEO
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IMPROVE ~ ActiveRain Resolution 2012
Improve Your ActiveRain Blogging SEO With Twitter.
Share Your Top 10 ActiveRain Posts of 2011.
Competitor's Blogs are a wealth of Information.
Dear amazing contributors to the Challenge,
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Well, February 7th has come and gone.
If you haven't sent your Tally Sheet, please do - the email address is 2012.Back2BasicsChallenge@gmail.com.
Please use the revised TALLY SHEET that you received or contact me to send you a copy.
Please be sure what you send on your Tally Sheet has been checked carefully:
1. All 21 posts* are in the Challenge Group - none in the AR Contest Group.
2. All the categories are fulfilled within the time allowed.
3. All the dates are listed on Tally Sheet.
4. All the links work.
Have a happy day -
Lynn
*SEND THE TALLY SHEET even if you didn't finish everything. If you participated at all, your voice will be included in the summary even if you only did one or two or half of the posts.
Hi Lynn, How do you find out about new contests, challenges, before it's too late to get in on the fun? The Contests link on the menu bar is mostly full of irrelevant junk. Is there one place to go to find new announcements in advance?
to bad I did not see the challenge earlier good luck on the posts
Lynn,
Thank you for the challenge. You are a terrific moderator.
Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO
Bummed I missed this. Looking forward to getting started and being ready for the next challenge : D