There might come a time in your business when you need to generate HTML code quickly for your website or blog. In this video I’ll show you a drop dead simple way to generate HTML code using Wordpress.

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Joel Mark Witt is the Publisher of Folk Media. He is a producer, author, speaker and social media marketing coach who consults with businesses and nonprofits on how to use social media in marketing and communications. Get more from Joel on Twitter or Google Buzz.

It would be an understatement to say that social networking users spend a lot on time on Facebook.  In fact, it was recently estimated that over 8.3 billion hours are spent on Facebook each month.  That’s a lot of time!

What ways do you limit the time you waste on Facebook?  What advice would you give to others who have lost their Facebook freedom?

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by hisks

You should close this article and do something else with your day.

Yes, I said it.  I’m trying to convince you to stop reading this article.  Honestly, I don’t care about your retweets or comments.  If this post received no Twitter glory, I wouldn’t lose sleep.  Why is my behavior so odd and my attitude so negative?

It’s not.  You’re just not used to being productive.

It’s estimated that the average American worker wastes more than two hours a day on the Internet while on the job.  In a standard 40-hour work week, the average worker is productive for only 32 hours.  But, what does the average person read about?  It’s a tough call but I’d like to guess that most people are reading about things they can improve or things they’re interested in doing.  For example, Bob the new homeowner might waste his eight hours looking at home repair information.

We’re a curious breed and we’re always looking for something to occupy our time.  Why wouldn’t a majority of our Internet activity reflect that notion?

That brings us to you and this article.  Why are you reading this article?  Is it because the title caught you?  Are you on this site to learn more about social media?  It could be a number of things but you’re here.

It’s time to put down the instruction booklet and close the Internet browser.  It’s time to do something.

Yes, I said it.

1.  Learn

When you get out of the chair or the cubicle and start doing something, you begin to learn about numerous things.  Naturally, you learn about what you’re doing.  If you’ve decided to unfollow a few users on Twitter, you’re going to find out the method that works for you and is most efficient.  In the exampe of Bob the new homeowner, he might learn by fixing a few things around the house.

But, most importantly, you learn about yourself.  You learn about the areas where you excel and the areas that might require a little extra effort to get things done.  Case in point, I’ve learned that blogging takes a little extra time for me.  I need to allot a portion of my morning to blogging and if I don’t, I’ll get distracted and I’ll never get my post finished.  I learned this because I tried it.  You can’t learn about yourself if you don’t do something.

2.  Produce

It’s pretty obvious but I need to say it: you can’t produce unless you start doing.  It’s a simple fact.  If you don’t put what you have learned into action, you’re never going to be productive.  For example, over the past two or three years, I have learned that I am the beginning part of my day.  I have the most energy, the best creative thoughts, and the most concentration.  If I refused to acknowledge this fact, I wouldn’t have the chance to produce blog posts, email responses, school term papers, and anything else I accomplish on a daily basis.

In order to produce, you need to start doing.  Get out of your seat and move.  Log into Twitter create a profile for your business.  You’ve read about how to do it but you’ve been putting it off.  You won’t produce if you don’t start somewhere.

3.  Teach

This is the best part about getting something accomplished.  Now that you’ve mastered the art of doing, you can share your knowledge and experience with others.  In essence, you’re paying it forward.

Going from unproductive to productive is one of the biggest shifts a person can make in their life.  Believe it or not, a lot of things revolve around your productivity and willingness to do.  For example; if you don’t pay your bills, your credit will be bad.  If you aren’t productive at work, you won’t get a raise.  If you don’t clean the basement, your house will be full of junk.  Productivity leads to effective living.  It’s one of the best gifts you can share with someone.

If all went according to plan, no one should be reading this right now.  If you are, I’ll leave you with a final thought.  Doing something is a critical part of your success, both at home and on the job.  From a social media standpoint, if you don’t do anything, you won’t be able to keep up with the changing world of Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.  You need to go out and get your hands dirty; stay in the trenches.  But, on a personal note, getting things accomplished is a great motivator for a better life.  Once you feel the rush of completing a task, even a small one, you’ll be hooked and you won’t want to stop.

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by Behance

Blogging isn’t new.  In fact, there are over 50 million blogs in existence.  Some are news related, others deal with sports, finance, or hobbies.  No matter what you’re interested in, there is most likely at least one hundred blogs you could read on your favorite subject.

But, good blogging is quite rare.  Out of the 50 million blogs that exist, very few of them are highly functional sources of information.  Most blogs are just skeptics ranting and raving about a particular topic.  There is no life, no strategy, and no validity in those blogs.  Good, solid blogging is rare so when you encounter it, you’re knocked off your feet.  As the reader, you’re captivated and want more.  You are excited about updates and you peruse through the archives to find useful information that may have been published years ago.  You hand on every word the author types and you can’t get enough.  That is a good blog.

Want to know the kicker about good blogs?  They aren’t too tough to develop.  Don’t get me wrong; it’s no walk in the park to create a successful blog.  A lot of work is needed but it’s not as difficult as a person might think.  Check out these tips for creating a successful blog.

• Pick a topic and stick to it.  Readers are much more likely to visit your page if you blog about one or two topics compared to dozens.  Most people like consistency rather than change.  Blog readers are no different.
• Update often.  Many people don’t visit blogs because they aren’t regularly maintained.  Create a schedule of when you will post blog entries and follow it.  Once again, consistency goes a long way.
• Encourage discussions.  Blogs aren’t solely about you telling your side of the story.  Blogs enable readers to chime in with their thoughts and feelings, too.  Ask questions and create an interactive community.
• Ask for feedback from readers.  Chances are good that your readers want to see your blog succeed, just like you do; therefore, they won’t be shy to offer their feedback on how you can improve their experience.
• Post a variety of content.  Readers get bored with text-only entries.  Spice things up by including links to other articles, videos, and slide shows.  The more interactive, the better.
• Form partnerships with other bloggers.  Instead of developing content on your own, contact other bloggers to see if they would be willing to guest blog on your site.  It’s a great way to form a partnership and to gain exposure.  Don’t forget to return the favor!
• Create an email subscription list.  Most people don’t have time to look through your site so you want to bring the content to them.  An email subscription list is easy to develop, maintain, and customize.
• Be candid when posting.  Very few people like to read material that clearly lacks heart, passion, and honesty.  Make sure you’re “shooting straight” with your readers.  They’ll respect you tell them accurate information.
• Give something away.  Whether it’s a document you created on desert animals or a $25 gift card to Subway, find something to offer your readers.  When you show your appreciation by giving something away, your readers know that you are passionate about your work.  Blog readers love passionate people.
• Remember that it’s not about you.  It’s about your readers.  When you make decisions about your blog, you should keep in mind that you are serving your readers.  Instead of asking yourself, “Will this make the blog better?” ask, “Will this make my readers happier?”

Successful blogs aren’t created overnight.  In fact, it takes months or years to cultivate a great blog.  But, stick with it.  Continue practicing the ten tips described above and develop your own list of thing that make a successful blog.  The Internet awaits you and what you have to say.  Make the most of it.  Become rare and become great.

If you have any great blogging secrets of your own that aren’t mentioned here, share them with us in the comments section.  We’d love to hear from you!

Eric Alpin

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by debsch