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Friday, August 21, 2015

Top 30 Most Interactive Tech Blogs

Overview.
Discover the findings of our report / analysis.
The object of this study was to examine contents of blogs chosen from Tech Blogs list - powered by Technorati.com (20th of October). We examined 5128 blog posts created from 14th to 20th October 2013. They were commented (on-site) 107241 times. On average, users created 21 comments per article. At the same time people shared those articles with their friends/followers/subscribers from Facebook and Twitter- 415 266 and 895 462 times respectively.

We created 14 categories to measure interactivity: average onsite comments per post, total onsite comments, total Facebook likes, total Facebook shares, total Facebook comments, average Facebook likes per post, average Facebook shares per post, average Facebook comments per post, average Facebook interactions (total) per post, total Twitter shares, average Twitter shares per post, total Twitter + Facebook interactions , average Twitter + FB interactions per post.

The blogs that appear most frequently in the top 5 for the mentioned categories are: Theverge.com (13 times), Gizmodo.com (12), Mashable.com (12) and Businessinsider.com (11). Mashable.com always takes either first or second place, whenever it shows up in one of categories.

In the analyzed period Mashable.com generated the highest number of interactions (more than blogs number 2 and 3 combined). Businessinsider.com was the most engaging blog on Facebook, where it generated nearly 120k FB comments. It would be more than all other chosen blogs altogether, if it wasn’t for Mashable.com, which generated more than 95k comments.

The Verge and Gizmodo lead the way in terms of number of regular/onsite comments with well over 20 000 total comments each.

BusinessInsider.com was the most active blog, generating almost as many posts as blogs number 2-5 combined.

Macrumors.com was the most onsite-engaging blog with an average of 149 comments per article .

Mashable and BusinessInsider generated the majority of Facebook Likes during our analysis. Both generated about 250k fb likes. It is especially impressive for Mashable which generated more Facebok likes than BusinessInsider while generating 3 times fewer posts.

When it comes to Facebook shares, Mashable.com is the victorious blog with nearly 150k shares. Mashable.com owes its victory in this category to its high number of average Facebook Shares per article (407 comments per post).

Twitter users mostly shared articles from Mashable.com and Gizmodo.com, which generated altogether over 450k shares. In comparison, all other blogs combined generated around 440k shares.
Full results.
View the full results for our Tech Blogs interactivity analysis.
Winners.
Winners of the Most Interactive Tech Blogs Awards.
Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 22 million monthly unique visitors and 13 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged digital networks in the world.

  • 852 149 total interactions
  • 363 blog posts
  • 2343 average social media interactions per post
  • 340 757 total Twitter shares
  • 147 696 total Facebook shares
The Verge was founded in 2011 in partnership with Vox Media, and covers the intersection of technology, science, art, and culture. Its mission is to offer in-depth reporting and long-form feature stories, breaking news coverage, product information, and community content in a unified and cohesive manner. The site is powered by Vox Media's Chorus platform, a modern media stack built for web-native news in the 21st century.

  • 203 304 total interactions
  • 279 blog posts
  • 21 841 total on-site comments
  • 70 803 total Twitter shares
  • 33 101 total Facebook shares
Business Insider is a fast-growing business site with deep financial, media, tech, and other industry verticals. The flagship vertical, Silicon Alley Insider, launched on July 19, 2007, led by DoubleClick founders Dwight Merriman and Kevin Ryan and former top-ranked Wall Street analyst Henry Blodget.

  • 602 705 total interactions
  • 1153 blog posts
  • 20 992 total on-site comments
  • 98 867 total Twitter shares
  • 125 120 total Facebook shares
MacRumors.com is a website focused on Apple news and rumors. MacRumors attracts a broad audience of both consumers and professionals interested in the latest technologies and products. The site also boasts an active community focused on purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod and Macintosh platforms.

  • 27 161 total interactions
  • 42 blog posts
  • 6237 total on-site comments
  • 7404 total Twitter shares
  • 1822 total Facebook shares

About the analysis.

The object of this analysis was to examine contents of blogs chosen from Top Tech Blogs list (powered by Technorati.com / 20th of October). We examined 5128 blog posts created from 14th to 20th October 2013. They were commented (on-site) 107241 times. On average users created 21 comments per article. At the same time people shared those articles with their friends from Facebook and Twitter 415 266 and 895 462 times accordingly. 


We analysed 2 476 124 interactions related to Top 30 Tech Blogs (according to Technorati.com / 20th of October 2013). The analysis was created using data collected by Brand24 social media monitoring and analytics tool.                             

Everything You Need to Know About Your Salary Slip

Every month, your finance department will send you a salary slip once the salary gets paid out.
For most people, the importance of salary slip is only when they apply for a loan or a new credit card. Otherwise, the confusing terms and figures seem like a puzzle you don’t want to solve.
But here’s why you might want to understand your salary slip better.
  • Choose smartly from competing offers when you are looking to switch jobs
  • Optimize tax liability by making full use of the deductions available
  • Understand what percentage of your salary is forced savings (EPF, ESI etc.)
sal-slip1

The income part of your salary slip

#1: Basic Salary
It’s the most important component of your salary and generally comprises 35-50 % of your total salary. Most of the other components are structured around it.

Tax Implications: 100% taxable
Adds to in-hand? Yes

# 2. House Rent Allowance:

It’s an allowance to pay your house rent. Normally, HRA is 40-50 % of the basic, based on your location (metro or non-metro).
Tax Implications: You get tax exemption based on whichever of the following is lower
  • 40% of your basic pay
  • Actual rent minus 10 % of basic
  • HRA component specified on your salary slip
Adds to in-hand? Generally Yes

# 3. Conveyance Allowance:

It’s paid by the company towards cost of travel from home to work and back and is exempt from Income tax.

Tax Implications: Rs 1600 per month or the conveyance allowance component in your salary slip, whichever is lower, is exempted from tax.

Adds to in-hand? Yes, depending on how much you actually spend.

# 4. Leave Travel Allowance:

It’s given by employers to cover the cost of employee travel while on leave. It includes travel expenses of your immediate family members as well.

Tax Implications: Proof of journey required to avail deduction subject to certain limits. Any expenses incurred during the trip apart from travel does not count towards your LTA tax exemption. The exemption is also applicable only for 2 journeys undertaken in a block of 4 calendar years.

Adds to in-hand? No.

# 5. Medical Allowance:
It is given by employers to cover any medical expenses incurred during the period of employment. It is also generally a reimbursed expense and thus subject to providing proof of expense.

Tax Implications: The allowance is exempt up to 15,000 per annum subject to proof of expenses such as medical bills.

Adds to in-hand? Yes. If you fail to provide the proof, you still receive the amount, but will be fully taxed.

# 6.  Performance Bonus and Special Allowance:
It is given to reward or encourage employee performance and varies with performance or company guidelines.

Tax Implication: 100% Taxable

Adds to in-hand? Yes. It can be variable and therefore, difficult to assess as part of your in-hand.

Other Allowances: There are quite a few other kinds of allowances based on the industry or the company. Most such allowances are fully taxable. They might or might not add to your in-hand salary based on the conditions they are subject to.
Make sure you talk to the HR and get a clear understanding of the in-hand and tax implications of your salary components.

The deduction part of your salary slip

# 1. Provident Fund:
PF is typically 12% of your basic salary which is put into a government controlled body, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation. Your contribution is typically matched by the company subject to certain maximum amount, defined as per the company policy.  You can also choose to opt out from the PF scheme.

How to lower this deduction? You can choose to opt out of the PF scheme. In case you opt out, make sure you invest it regularly in better investment options like equity mutual funds that gives you a higher return. If you are unsure of investing the money, it’s best to stay invested in PF.

# 2. Professional Tax:
This is payable only in the following states-Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tripura, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. It normally amounts to just a few hundred rupees each month and is subject to your gross tax slab.
This amount is deducted from your taxable income.

How to lower this deduction? This deduction cannot be lowered.

# 3. Tax deductible at source:
This amount, which is decided based on your overall tax slab, is deducted on behalf of the income-tax department by your employer.

How to lower this deduction? You can reduce this burden by investing in tax savings instruments under Section 80 C or other sections under the IT act.

Things to keep in mind when comparing salary slips in offers:

# 1. Your basic salary is critical as most of your allowances will be based on that figure.
# 2. Look for special allowances and check whether they are performance or event based.

#3. Do not focus only on the in-hand salary. Look at the other benefits the company provides (health insurance, accident insurance, free food, bus transport, better career growth) which might outmatch a higher in-hand salary offer from some other company

Top 10 Mobile Phones Released in August 2015: Devices You Can Buy - OnePlus 2, Meizu M2 Note, Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime, Galaxy A8 and More

India has become a hot target for mobile phone companies owing to growth potential and over a dozen devices were launched in August. Several handsets including OnePlus 2, Meizu M2 Note, Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime, Galaxy A8 and Gionee Marathon M4 have hit the stores.
Devices like Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Asus Zenfone 2 Deluxe, Asus Zenfone Laser, Asus Zenfone Selfie, Sony Xperia C5 Ultra and Xperia M5 were also unveiled in August, but they haven't been released in the market till the time of filing this story.
Here are top 10 mobile phones released in India in the month of August:a

1) OnePlus 2

Current Price: Rs 22,999 for 16 GB, Rs 24,999 for 64 GB
Display: 5.5-inch full HD LCD screen with 920x1080 pixels (401 ppi pixel density)

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1 series
Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Storage: 16 GB internal memory and 3 GB RAM, and 32 GB and 4 GB RAM (no microSD card slot)
Camera: 13 MP main camera, 5 MP front snapper
Battery: 3,300 mAh

2) Meizu M2 Note

Current Price: Rs 9,999
Display: 5.5-inch full HD IGZO capacitive touchscreen with 1080 x 1920 pixels (403 ppi pixel density)
Processor: Mediatek MT6753
Operating System: Flyme 4.5 based on Android 5.0 Lollipop
Storage: 16/32 GB internal memory, expandable up to 128 GB, 3 GB RAM
Camera: 13 MP rear camera, 5 MP front snapper
Battery: 3,100 mAh

3) Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime

Current Price: Rs 6,999
Display: 4.7-inch HD IPS touchscreen with 1280 x 720p (312 ppi pixel density)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
Operating System: Android with MIUI 6
Storage: 16 GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB, 2 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP main camera, 2 MP front snapper
Battery: 2,200 mAh

4) Samsung Galaxy A8

Current Price: Rs 32,500
Display: 5.7-inch full HD Super AMOLED display with 1920x1080p (386 ppi pixels density)
Processor: Exynos 5430
Operating System: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Storage: 32GB internal memory, expandable up to 128 GB, 2 GB RAM
Camera: 16 MP rear camera, 5 MP front snapper
Battery: 3,050 mAh

5) Gionee Marathon M4

Current Price: Rs 15,000
Display: 5.0-inch HD super AMOLED display with 1280x720p (294 ppi Pixel density)
Processor: Cortex-A7
Operating System: Android 5.0 Lollipop with Amigo v3.0 UI
Storage: 16GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB, 2 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP main camera, 5 MP front snapper
Battery: 5,000 mAh

6) Panasonic Eluga Icon

Current Price: Rs 10,999
Display: 5.5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 720 x 1280 pixels (267 ppi pixel density)
Processor: MediaTek TRU
Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
Storage: 16 GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB, 2 GB RAM
Camera: 13 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
Battery: 3,500 mAh

7) BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9983 Graphite

Current Price: Rs 99,990
Display: 3.1-inch screen with 720x720p (330 ppi pixel density)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 (MSM8960)
Operating System: BlackBerry 10 OS
Storage: 64 GB internal camera, expandable up to 128 GB, 2 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP main camera, 2 MP front camera
Battery: 2,100mAh

8) Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime

Current Price: Rs 11,100
Display: 5-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen with 540 x 960 pixels (220 ppi pixel density)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
Operating System: Android 4.4.4 KitKat
Storage: 8 GB internal memory expandable up to 64 GB, 1 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP main camera, 5 MP secondary snapper
Battery: 2,600 mAh

9) Lenovo A2010

Current Price: RS 4,990
Display: 4.5-inch FWVGA TFT capacitive touchscreen with 480 x 854 pixels (218 ppi pixel density)
Processor: MediaTek MT6735M
Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Storage: 8 GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB, 1 GB RAM
Camera: 5 MP main camera, 2 MP front snapper
Battery: 2,000 mAh

10) Lava Iris X1 Selfie

Current Price: Rs 6,777
Display: 4.5-inch touchscreen with 854x480 pixels
Processor: MediaTek MT6580
Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Storage: 8 GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB, 1 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP main camera, 5 MP front camera

Battery: 2,000 mAh

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

5 Signs Your Hard Drive Lifetime is Ending & What To Do

Every one of us owns precious files like personal documents, photos, videos, or audio files, and we typically store them on hard drives. Few people realize that most electronic storage devices, including hard drives, have a rather limited lifetime when compared to the ancient ways of storing information, such as stone, papyrus, paper, or old school records. The average lifetime of a stationary hard drive today is around 5 – 10 years, depending on the type and manufacturer, and it rapidly declines if the drive is subject to strong variations in temperature, humidity, and motion as in not being stationary.
Since a majority of people today own laptops and external hard drives, which get dragged around quite a bit, a realistic hard drive lifetime is probably around 3 – 5 years. This is an extremely short time to reliably store important data. In the best of cases, hard drives fail gradually, giving you the chance to react, get a copy of your data, and replace the storage device before facing a fatal failure. There are a host of signs that hint to a gradual failure of your hard drive. If you are unsure how much life is left on your hard drive, read this article to find out what signs may reveal an approaching failure.

1. Slowing Down Computer, Frequent Freezes, Blue Screen Of Death

These are very unspecific signs that can be caused by a million different things. However, regardless of what the issue behind these symptoms is, it is recommended that you immediately make a backup. If these problems occur after a fresh installations or in Windows Safe Mode, it is almost certain that it is due to bad hardware, and possibly a failing hard drive.
failing hard drive

2. Corrupted Data

If you’re beginning to find files that fail to open and are corrupted even though they saved without errors or if files suddenly disappear, you should get worried. While again this could be due to a multitude of issues, it is also a typical sign for a gradual hard drive failure.
hard drive failure

3. Accumulation Of Bad Sectors

Bad sectors are areas of the hard drive that do not maintain data integrity. They are automatically masked by the operating system and thus hard to identify, especially if large amounts of the disk are currently in use. If you actually run into bad sectors, however, that certainly is a bad sign.
You can run a manual disk check to identify errors that Windows has not spotted, yet. In Windows 7, go to > Start > Computer and right-click on the disk or partition you wish to check. Select > Properties, in the window that opens switch to the >Tools tab and click > Check now… In the Checking Disk window place a checkmark next to > Automatically fix file system errors and > Scan for an attempt recovery of bad sectors.
hard drive failure
Windows will also check for bad sectors, when you perform a full format or chkdsk command. See this article – The Difference Between Windows Full Format & Quick Format [Technology Explained].

4. Strange Sounds

When you hear strange noises coming from your hard drive, it may be too late already. A repetitive sound also known as the click of death is caused by the head as it is trying to write data and recovers from errors in doing so. Grinding or screeching noises indicate that parts of the hardware, for example the bearings or spindle motor, are failing.

5. S.M.A.R.T. Data

There are tools that aim to predict hard drive failure by reading the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) data that is recorded by the operating system. Unfortunately, like most other methods listed above, S.M.A.R.T. is notoriously unreliable in predicting hard drive failure and the catastrophe will often happen before the warning of S.M.A.R.T. kicks in. If you have a working hard drive, however, and would like to have a look at its S.M.A.R.T. data, check out this article – 4 Tools To Predict and Prevent Hard Drive Failure
hard drive failure

I Think My Hard Drive Is Failing, What Shall I Do?

So you are worried that a hard drive failure is just around the corner? The truth is, even if you are not worried, it is! The only thing you can do is always keep backups of your data on a second hard drive. The likelihood that both drives will fail simultaneously are very rare. An exception would be natural disasters like floods or fires. For these cases, I recommend to keep a copy of your most important data in a different physical location, for example at work or with a friend, or possibly on a remote server, for example by using an online backup solution.
failing hard drive
For more information how to back up data, read my PDF manual Stuff Happens: The Backup & Restore Guide.

Conclusion

Do not rely on signs or software to tell you whether you have a failing hard drive. It is more likely than not that it will fail unexpectedly and without any warning signs whatsoever. Rather than trying to forecast something that is even less predictable than the weather, you should rely on backups.
What is your worst hardware failure nightmare, did it ever happen to you, and did you actually lose any data?

Blog Post Ideas That Will Make Your Blog popular

You want your blog to succeed, right? Of course you do! Unfortunately, it takes a lot of determination and persistence to write blog posts on daily basis that make your blog sizzle, viral, or “hot”. I know many bloggers who produce excellent content. Their approach is different, out of the box and it makes them extraordinary. Therefore I have made a list of 101 blog post ideas that most likely make your blog more interesting.
This list is more than enough to keep you busy for the whole year.
#1 Run a contest – I’ve run blog contests (currently not available) on this site before, and all I can say is that it gives great attention and new traffic to your blog.
#2 Review books/products/films – Reviews deliver a lot of value to your followers, and people are constantly looking for honest opinions, not the fake ones that the web is full of.
#3 Make comprehensive guide/tutorial – If you’re a professional in a field or know some topics extra well, feel free to help the ones who have less skills and experience than you do. Tutorials and guides provide a lot of value, which can help drive traffic and convert followers. As an experienced blogger, I teach others how to start and maintain a blog.
#4 Interview someone – Know any celebrities or people who have great stories behind their work/life/career? Interviews are extremely popular in two cases: a) you deliver an interview with a famous person who rarely speaks in public or b) your shares rally insanely useful and practical tips and content.
#5 Post a cool infographic – Infographics help to visualize complicated data, and they’re hugely popular these days. As always, when something becomes mainstream, the overall quality is poor. So, if you’re not a designer, hire one to get a viral infographic that stands out from the crowd.
#6 Criticize a website/blog or a person – The web and blogs are great for discussion, opinions and criticizing. Nevertheless, if you are brave enough to say some crispy words about someone, make sure your text has strong arguments and is based on real facts. Random ranting is pointless.
#7 Make a post full of GIFs – GIFs are the symbol of online entertainment and humor. There are thousands of GIFs and generators that help to produce new ones. See example:  Linkbuilding in GIFs
#8 Create a photo post – Share your favorite photos from your niche or personal photos from your latest traveling adventure. Keep in mind that if you’re not the author, you should always give credit to the original photographer by providing a link.
Blog about your secrets#9 Tell a personal secret – We all have our dreams as well as secrets. Sharing them publicly gives very engaging content to the followers. As much as people love rumors, they love to know the dirty little secrets of other people.
#10 Write inspirational/motivational post with famous quotes – People need little kicks to get going and get things done. Big things start from small ones, and motivational posts can do miracles. Here’s one of the best quotes from Steve Jobs: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else´s life.” Here are some tips for using quotes in your posts.
#11 Share recent travel experiences – Travel blogs and posts are popular, and there are people who earn a living solely from writing about their adventures. Sharing inspiration and tips from your adventures is very useful to your audience, whether you’re in the travel industry or not. In case you haven’t traveled for a while, publish the best or worst experiences you’ve had in certain countries/airline companies/etc.
#12 Host a giveaway – Have you ever thought why products like GoPro become more and more popular with each day? They do giveaway campaigns regularly. People love free stuff, and taking advantage of that helps you reach new audiences.
#13 Write down a conspiracy theory – Have you heard about all the number theories behind important events and people? Now it’s time to start a new one; let your imagination free, or simply share you opinions about the known ones.
#14 Show log files of intense conversations – Who doesn’t like to read log-files that are somewhat offensive?
#15 Write a short story – No previous experience with writing fiction? Publish your short story (about 200 – 500 words), and ask your followers for feedback.
#16 Sing a song – Great artists and singers are not born overnight. First, they’ll have to discover their talent. Find your new hobby or passion in music.
#17 Create a list of something – People are lazy. They don’t want to waste time on searching and gathering information. That’s the reason why lists are popular. Create a TOP10, or better yet, a TOP100 list. Lists of movies, books, influential people, or any other topic can easily generate buzz.
#18 Write down all the thoughts you had in mind today – This is pretty mindf*#?, but if you are bored, then you can try this method as well.
#19 Share your goals/dreams publicly – Write down all your goals for the current year or dreams where you want to be in 5 years time. It gives nice pressure and motivation to achieve the goals, and it will excite your loyal followers.
#20 Make a link carnival and ask others to join – All sorts of link carnivals and linky parties are becoming very popular.
#21 Announce that you’ve turned the comments into “do-follow” so you can get more comments – You will probably get 50% more comments in that way. However, the downside of this technique is that you might receive a lot of “spam” blog comments as well. CommentLuv is a great plugin to start with.
#22 Build your to-do list – There are many to-do list apps and services, but try to publish your tasks on your blog. Other people will have the opportunity to learn from you. How you build your tasks, how broad or narrow they are, etc. can all be helpful to your audience.
#23 Write a post in response to some recent post/news – In other words, become an opinion blogger or analyst. When you manage to write high-level content on hot topics, your blog can be featured on major newspapers and websites.
#24 Make a full case study about something – We covered tutorials already, but case studies reveal what you’ve done, how you’ve done it, and what the results are. This is extremely interesting for many folks, especially for me.
#25 Share your favorite blogs/bloggers in one post – It’s a bit similar to “Make a list” idea, but sharing the blogs and bloggers you follow is never a bad idea. Give the resources to your readers; believe me, they are grateful and won’t stop following you.
#26 Invite your readers to submit guest posts – Are you struggling with new posts or have to leave for some time? Ask people to write guest posts. It’s a win-win situation; you get the content, and they can build up their name or brand.
#27 Publish the best comments that your blog has received throughout the history – Are you using a vote system on your comments or just know the posts where some comments have raised very fruitful discussions? Share them in a separate post.
Blog income#28 Share your blogs income + traffic numbers – Prove that a blog in your niche can have reasonable traffic numbers and maybe even be profitable. Bring Google Analytics data to daylight and it’s very nice if you provided some analysis in important points, for example a major change in traffic numbers etc. Pat Flynn has done that, why don’t you?
#29 Tell a joke – That’s pretty straight forward. Humor never gets old, and great jokes are really entertaining.
#30 Bust a myth – There are thousands of well-known things that actually are not true. In other words, they’re called myths. Take some time and do some research to disprove some of them. If your follower love it, feel free to become a MythBuster.
#31 Produce or publish your art – Online galleries and portfolios look cool and can be the first step to the world for artists. So publish your paintings, comics, graphical design masterpieces, and other creations as well.
#32 Publish a post about your success and epic failures – Being successful means making mistakes (or in other words: failing). But failing is not all bad. It’s a learning experience that allows you to be better the next time. So, that’s the reason why you should talk publicly about your success and failures, to let others learn from it.
#33 Ask your readers to tweet, like, and share the posts they like – Spreading the word about your blog or posts is important, but sometimes people need a little extra kick to do that, so write a post for that.
#34 Start a poll – That’s simple. Want to know what other people prefer or think about a certain topic? Start a poll to get quick overview.
#35 Write a post about things you regret doing/not doing – When you surf around Quora or Yahoo Answers, you’ll find many very popular topics and posts about the things people regret doing and not doing. Try to write down your own list.
#36 Pose a rhetorical question in your blog post – This blog post idea is similar to posting random quotes just to produce some content, but it can really spark a discussion, even if the question is rhetorical.
Awesome image#37 Post a picture that speaks more than thousand words – Sometimes you can and SHOULD post images that tell us a story. It does not only grab attention and increase your visitors average time spent on the blog, but it’s also extremely interesting. Check this.
#38 Publish some little or unknown facts – The Internet and different encyclopedias are full of facts, some of them really random. For example “Did you know that the pink/red/white color of flamingos comes from the food they eat?” You can gather those facts in your own post to generate buzz.
#39 Publish an In Memorian post – It’s polite to commemorate the people who pass away.
#40 Bring out the most important dates in history – Pick a country/war/invention/company, and write down the important dates of it. People love to get general but detailed overviews.
#41 Tell about your latest event experiences – Visited a concert or a festival lately? Write a review about it.
#42 Publish your CV online – Show your previous experience and the things you are good at. You might get a job offer for doing that.
#43 Post an obvious lie – You can turn things upside down when you tell an obvious lie inside your blog post. People might get mad at you, but that doesn’t matter.
#44 Write where you’d like to travel – … and encourage others to do the same in your comments. This kind of conversations usually turns out pretty big.
#45 Blog about marketing secrets – Tell your readers about your top secret strategies, techniques, and tactics you use to get more followers and traffic.
#46 Write about the most important lessons you’ve learned in your life – What is more kind than helping others and analyzing yourself at the same time?
#47 Tell your readers what they should do to succeed – Create a blog post that explains your readers what they should do in order to become successful as you are.
Video blog post#48 Do a video post about your day – Let your readers see about your daily life. For me, it’s extremely interesting, but you also need to have some courage to do that. In either way, it’s up to you.

#49 Show off your personal stuff; car(s), house, accessories – This is something that creates many different opinions among your readers. Don’t be scared to show your stuff. It can also turn out as a motivational blog post from someone who doesn’t own those kind of things. People love those kind of things.
#50 Build a list – Build a list of your readers. You can use Aweber or Mailchimp for that; in that way you can inform your readers about the new posts you’ve made.
#51 Create a blog post about your bad habits – Smoking, alcohol, drugs. Tell them something shocking!
#52 Offer free help in your industry to get new contacts – Free help gives you great reputation and people will start sharing your blog more often as well as suggesting to their friends. It helps to grow into a branded expert.
#53 Research and analyze a topic in your industry – Well written and analyzed posts get great attention. Invest time and grow your followers by that. Many professional bloggers write one post for more than 12 working hours, they invest a lot of time to produce perfect posts.
#54 Answer to every single comment personally – Make your readers feel special and honored. It takes only a couple of minutes to answer them personally but you can get new friends, co-authors or even business partners.
#55 Write a longer “About Me” post – Classical About Me posts are a couple of lines but introduce yourself more and write a longer one. People like to know what’s the background of the content they’re reading but they usually don’t have time to check LinkedIn accounts or just Google the name.
#56 Create a post that utilizes a bar chart or pie chart – Infographics is one of the hottest keywords in the web industry. Visualizing data makes it easier to read, gather interesting data and build charts!
#57 Write down your monthly personal budget and expenses – You can document what ever costs you like. Take your website and show how many dollars you’ve spent on it and also show the income/revenue side of it. Additionally, you can use the same model on your family budget.
#58 Participate in reciprocal guest blogging – Talk to your followers and look for people who’d like to write you a guest post and you’ll write one by yourself.
#59 Post linkbait – Don’t know what linkbait is? Have a look at here: 10 extraordinary linkbait examples
#60 Make a post about your most popular posts – Gather the data behind the most popular posts (traffic, shares and comments) and write them down in a single post.
What "if" blog post#61 Publish a “What If” post – Use your imagination and write a post about what if you’re going to move to another country or travel the world or win billion dollars. People love to dream and believe that these things will happen to them.
#62 Publish online courses/e-books – If you’re an expert in your field, invest time in writing and publishing courses and e-books. Create quality content, and people will be ready to buy it for nice amount of money. When money is not an important aspect, publish the content for free.
#64 Turn on Gravatar images on your blog comment – Make it as a real conversation by turning on Gravatar images (just like my blog has).
#65 Build your portfolio – A portfolio is a great way to showcase experience. It’s a wide-spread myth that only artists and photographers can use it. Build a portfolio of projects you’ve run, the applications you’ve coded, and so on.
#66 Write in your own everyday language/writing style – Forget the well-known rules, and use the expressions you use every day. It’s a great way to make your posts more enjoyable and stand out.
#61 Share food recipes – Don’t know what to write about? Share the recipes of your favorite meals and desserts.
#68 Publish a post about cons and pros about something – Things are never black & white, and there is nothing perfect in this world. There’s always some cons about something.
#69 Show others how to secure their blogs – This is something that is useful and interesting at the same time. I recently posted an infographic about “What if Your WordPress Gets Hacked.”
blog-webinar#70 Hold a conference or a webinar through blog post – Have a “group” meeting at next Saturday 9 PM. I’m more than sure that if you hold a live event through your blog then there will be people watching it.
#71 Ask for general feedback on your blog – Sometimes you can improve your blog by the way your readers want. Minor tweaks here and there can add value that can bring you more traffic and returning visitors.
#72 Curate or summarize someone else’s work – Write short summaries to bring out the most important aspects or points in other published writings. This helps save a lot of time for the readers who are only looking for the most important information.
#73 Publish a list of your most successful Tweets/social media posts (based on re-tweets & likes) – Have you had any success with massive re-tweeting, liking, or sharing? Share the tweets and posts with others.
#74 Compile a list of common mistakes in your niche – Many people don’t know the basics and make common mistakes. Write tutorials to help them prevent these misunderstandings.
#75 Publish a manifesto – See a sample here.
#76 Make a post about future plans – Dreaming of being a world-class analyst or an entrepreneur in five years time? Looking to start studies at a university? Write the plans down; it’s interesting to read them later on, and it gives new ideas to other people as well.
#77 Write down an extremely long blog comments – In that way you can show your readers that you actually care about their comments & opinions.
#78 Thank your audience for following you – Show that you respect them.
#79 Write about why you actually started blogging – Simply tell your followers how it all started…
#80 Abandon your blog for a week and make others think “what happened to you” – It’s pretty risky, but if you are famous blogger – this will get you a lot of buzz.
#81 Write the list of things and activities you want to do before death – Ever seen the books in the bookstore called “1001 places to visit/foods to eat/artists to listen before you die?” Build your own list, and inspire others to do that as well.
#82 Show others how to do something extremely FAST – Everybody likes to do something quickly. As you know, time is the most valuable thing in our lives. For example, David Risley teach you how to blog fast.
#83 Write a satirical blog post – Satire never gets old, but don’t be too harsh. These posts can easily go viral, but be sure you’re prepared for backlash.
 #84 Write a series of blog posts – To make your readers constantly engaged with your blog, then I suggest you to start a blog post series. Here’s a good example of blog post series: How to Make a WordPress Plugin #1.
#85 Publish a questions and answers blog post – Make a “Questions Monday.” Promise to answer all the questions your audience has.
#86 Post a quote – People adore quotes that make them think and spread motivation, so use them wisely.
ebook#87 Launch a free e-book about your best blog posts – Gather the most viewed and commented posts together and convert them into an e-book that can be published on Amazon or other online bookstores.
#88 Run PPC campaign through Facebook to your blog posts – It costs a little, but this option means a lot of new traffic and followers.
#89 Update/invest in customized blog post design – Great blogs and posts need great design to keep the readers coming back. Hire professionals; never try to do “something” in PhotoShop unless you’re not a designer.
#90 Make 404 page that is a game – That’s a fun way to get people staying on your page. See the tutorial HERE.
#91 Make a handwritten post and publish it by taking a photo – Hand-written texts look amazing and shows your creativity as well as character.
#92 Make an ultimate resource post – Operating in fishing niche? Publish a list of most useful resources for that.
#93 Invite experts to comment your posts – Busy people work the most, but they’re quite often ready to help if you offer them value from your side. If you ask them, do it kindly, and state clearly why they should do it and what they get for doing it.
#94 Publish a post as an audio file (mp3) – Write your post and record it as an audio file. It allows the readers to follow the blog on the go; all they need is an mp3 player or a smartphone.
#95 Make list of useful & interesting people to follow in your niche – This is another “TOP” category post idea. List the useful people who provide great insights; these posts become viral quickly.
#96 List nostalgic post about different blogs in your niche, and show readers how they’ve changed from 2000 by using web.archive – Web design and trends have changed a lot. It creates great WOW effect for people to see how ugly the websites used to be back in the dot.com bubble times.
#97 Link to new or interesting patents in your niche that amazes people – Ever heard that Apple patented the two-finger movements on smartphones and tablets? Here’s your chance to shine.
#98 Ask some billionaire to write a post for you – As these people are often too busy to respond, they enjoy fame and publicity. This is definitely worth a try, even when you fail.
#99 Rant about something that REALLY disturbs you – Ranting on the Internet is sometimes pointless, but well-argumented posts may get a lot of attention.
List of blog tools#100 Create a list of online tools you find useful – There are literally dozens of tools that can make life a lot easier, create a list of the ones you use or would like to use.
#101 Dare your readers to do something – And then ask them to report back on how it went. Or, have them dare you to do something, and then post a video of you doing it.
#102 Host a voting contest – Ask your readers to nominate the best blogs in your niche. This can turn into several posts since you can take those nominations and write a “Top 100 Blogs in the Industry” post. Notify the winning blogs so that they’ll send some of their followers your way.
#103 Curate content in your niche – Did you read some interesting articles this week? Link to the best ones in your blog post as a resource for your readers.
#104 Wish yourself happy birthday – Are you entering the second year of your blog? Wish it a happy birthday, and then show readers how far you’ve come.
#105 Make a list of interesting stats in your niche – Want to blow your reader’s minds? Create a useful resource of stats in your niche.
#106 Repost a long email response to a reader’s question – Do you often get personal readers’ questions only to respond in a long email? Share that response with your other followers. (Just be sure you’re keeping any emails, names, etc. confidential.)
#107 Write a FAQs post – What questions do you get asked constantly, either about yourself or your industry? Create a FAQs post answering all these questions. Repost this as a page on your website so that it’s easy to find for newcomers.
#108 Write an ultimate list – Choose a topic and write an ultimate list of ideas so that it’s the first go-to resource for your readers.
#109 Create an A-Z post – For example, write an A to Z post on travel tips or an A to Z post on the best WordPress plugins.
#110 Develop a profile on an influential figure – Is there someone in your niche you admire? Write a profile on them detailing who they are, what they do, why you love them, and where your readers can learn more.
#111 Shoutout to your mentors and fans – Write a post naming specific people who have influenced your blogging journey. Be sure to let them know when the post is public to help drive their followers to your site.
#112 Showcase a reader – Do you have a strong relationship with some of your loyal readers? Ask one of them if you can interview him or her and post his or her responses on your blog.
#113 List the best apps in your niche – Are you in the finance industry? List and review the top 50 mobile accounting apps. The more apps you list, the better.
#114 Write a makeover post – Did you just get a haircut? Maybe you remodeled your kitchen. Show your readers the before and after photos.
#115 Run a month of giveaways – Each day, post a new blog post (or have a guest author), and then include a quick gift for one winner at the end of each post. Be sure they have to earn it, such as by leaving a blog comment to be eligible. Add in a few “surprise” gifts so they don’t always know what’s coming.
#116 Hold a guest post pitching contest – Do you accept guest authors on your blog? Hold a pitching contest where readers can pitch their idea in the comment section and give each other feedback before you decide which pitch will turn into a published blog post on your site.
#117 Develop a quiz – Use a quiz-building application like Online Quiz Creator, and make your next post into a game for your readers.
#118 Create a glossary – Do people get confused about terminology in your industry? Write a post detailing the definition to commonly confused words in your niche.
#119 Write an open letter – Do you have someone you’ve always wanted to say something to, whether it’s your child or a celebrity? Finally say those things, and then post it on your blog for the world to see.
#120 Share a worksheet – What’s the number one thing your readers want to know about themselves and your niche? Create a worksheet that will help them answer that question. For instance, if you’re in the finance industry, you might develop a “Get out of Debt” worksheet that will help readers better plan their finances.
#121 Share coupon codes – Do a bit of research and find out which online stores in your niche are offering discounts or coupon codes right now, and then share that information with your readers.
#122 Create a list of free eBooks – People love free stuff, so help generate some buzz by creating a long list of helpful and free eBooks in your niche.
#123 Predict the future – Tell you readers where you industry is going in the next five years, or talk about where you think a celeb will be in a year or two.
#124 Compile a list of jokes – People love to be entertained. Make them laugh with a list of jokes related to your industry.
#125 Draw a comic – Show your personality by drawing and uploading your own comic. Try to make it clever and funny to drive more traffic.
#126 Write a poem – This is a great option for lifestyle bloggers, but if you can provide enough entertainment value, your poem can become wildly effective in any niche.
#127 Tell your readers who to follow on Twitter – This type of posts provides a lot of value to readers, and you just might get the attention of some influential people in your industry.
#128 Make a list detailing influential people’s response to a single question – Connect with a dozen or so popular individuals in your niche, and ask them all the same question, such as, “What’s your go-to marketing tactic that you believe is the most successful?” Compile their answers in a blog post, but be sure to ask their permission and to give them credit for the answer.
#129 Highlight the key takeaways from a recent conference – Are you planning to attend a conference in your niche? Be sure you’re taking notes so that you can report back to your followers the most important points covered.
#130 Make a list of hacks – People love it when they discover something that will make life easier. Write a list of hacks that will make your readers say, “Why didn’t I ever think of that?”
#131 Write about your plans for the holidays – No matter what holiday is approaching, share with your readers what you’ll be doing. This gives them a heads-up if you’ll be gone, but it also sparks conversation. Be sure you ask them to share their plans as well.
#132 Record a Skype call – Get in touch with a well-known person in your niche and talk with them via Skype. Record the conversation and post it for your viewers to see later. You can also host live calls via Google Hangouts.
#133 Put on a skit – People absolutely love short entertaining videos. Video tape a quick skit, whether you want to send a political message, educate your viewers, or just produce a spoof that will make them laugh.
#134 Host a free live workshop – Who would pass up something free, especially if you have something valuable to offer? Share some of your training and consulting material with your readers via a live online workshop.
#135 Write a blog post about 135 blog post ideas (or more) in your niche – List down 135 blog topics in your niche; a lot of people find it useful :).

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