Posted: 26 Jan 2010 08:54 PM PST

This is a guest post by Diggy. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

I don’t usually write about blogging or writing but today I’m making an exception. While doing some browsing and stumbling, I decided to look at the top articles on Stumbleupon (a social sharing network) about self improvement to get some ideas for new posts. I was amazed to see articles getting 140,000 views. One article, getting that many views? I think that is what every writer and blogger wants.

So what is the secret? You are about to get a bit closer to the answer.

How To Create a Viral Blog Post

List Posts:
The majority of the posts that go viral seem to be list-type posts. “X reasons to do something” or “X ways to be inspired”. The reason that these posts are so easily shared is that they are easy to read and there is always one or more reasons that relates to the reader. That is why they feel happy to share it and go through the trouble.

Interesting Topics:
Posts that go viral are often about topics that everybody has an interest in. Travel, life, money, sex, relationships. These have a broad appeal and are likely to be shared.

How-to Posts:
If you can provide a solution for a problem then people are grateful. If you can provide a solution for a common problem that many people have, the chances are big that your post will get shared by everyone who finds your solution helpful.

Of course not every post that you write in one of the above three styles will ensure that it goes viral. however, I think that it will greatly increase your chance for creating a diamond in the rough, a post that will get thousands if not hundreds of thousands of views. If your aim is to create viral blog posts, or even just one or two to get more traffic to your blog and new readers, then it is worth it to write articles in one of the three styles I mentioned above (or a combination of the styles).

Diggy writes all about self improvement at his blog UpgradeReality. If you are looking for motivation, inspiration or useful tips to live a better life, subscribe to his articles via RSS or Email.

Original Post: How To Write A Viral Blog Post: 7 Real Examples

TechCrunch Hacked?

Posted: 26 Jan 2010 06:30 PM PST

I was browsing through my RSS feed when I came across a curious (to say the list) post from TechCrunch, when they mention they have been hacked.

I figured it could be Michael Arrington jumping the gun on April’s Fools again (and setting a new world record at the same time…), but after reading the comments it looks like the most popular tech blog on the web was indeed hacked.

Apparently for some time whoever tried to access TechCrunch.com was redirected to another site. You can get more details from the comments.

The site seems to be working normally now, but it will be interesting to read their follow up on the issue, mainly to understand what kind of vulnerability was exploited.

Original Post: TechCrunch Hacked?

Book Review: The Purple Cow

Posted: 26 Jan 2010 02:51 PM PST

I am a bit late with this book review, but from now on I’ll try to stick with the schedule, which is one review every two weeks. Anyway today’s book is a short but powerful one: Purple Cow. It is my first read from Seth Godin (what a shame, I know), but after going through it I already placed three of his other books on my to-read list.

1. The book: The Purple Cow is about being remarkable (and how this is essential to make your business prosper). Have you ever seen one, after all? If you had you certainly wouldn’t forget it! The book has 137, and it is very easy to read. Seth

2. The content: Initially I thought that writing a whole book to give out a simple message (i.e., you got be remarkable) was a waste of paper. After reading it, however, I can say that it is not the case.

Seth did a wonderful job explaining the whys and hows of being remarkable, including real life examples and case studies to help you understand his points better.

I also really liked his writing style. It is clear and succinct, which is the style I strive to achieve with my own text.

3. What I liked: What I most liked in the book were the real stories that Seth shares. For example, he tells you how Herman Miller managed to transform a somewhat commoditized segment – office chairs – into one with space for premium products. He did that by creating a purple cow, the Aaron chair.

4. Who would benefit from this book: Anyone who has or is planning to build a business. Be it an offline or an online business. The message of this book is one that all entrepreneurs should learn by heart.

5. Favorite quote:

You can’t make people listen. But you can figure out who’s likely to be listening when you talk, and then invent the right combination of Ps to overwhelm them with the rightness of your offer. Even if someone is listening your offering of “a little bit cheaper,” “a little bit better,” or “a little bit easier” is just a waste of time. The influential sneezers, the people with a problem to solve – they’re open to hearing your story only if it’s truly remarkable; otherwise, you’re invisible.

Original Post: Book Review: The Purple Cow