Are Social Networking Sites Phasing Out Blogs?

Online social networking sites have absolutely exploded in popularity with all age groups on the internet. The ease of use and navigating of these social sites has opened the door to even the technically timid. Facebook has even recently reported that baby boomers outnumber high school age users at their site. Connecting with others at various online communities has become as common as watching TV. The advent of online social marketing has helped to further boost the overall use of social sites. Currently there seems to be no limit to the growth of online social networking.The booming popularity of these online communities was initially started by blogs. The ability to interact with others online was recognized and immediately embraced by users.
Wanting to further personalize the online experience many flocked in droves to blogs.From this evolved blog marketing which quickly became the accepted blueprint for what was perceived to be the future of online marketing. All told blogs became the popular choice of internet users for both socializing and marketing. Then along came online social networking.Now the question is whether blogs are in danger of fading into oblivion in the face of the growing acceptance of social network sites?On the surface it would appear so and here are 3 reasons why:Established Traffic at Social Network SitesWith the popularity of many social network sites it is easy to find an already established flow of traffic at the site. The need to invest time and energy to generate traffic for your site is not necessary as would be the case for individual blogs.Site Optimization is Not NecessaryCapitalizing on the traffic you find at any social site allows you to circumvent the need for various forms of site optimization.A social site allows you direct contact with others making it easier for you to deliver your message. Site optimization techniques such as keyword usage, quality content, and backlinks are necessary in order to increase your rank with search engines. A higher ranking is needed so that you may then gain direct contact with prospects in order to deliver your message.In a nut shell gaining access to prospects is quicker and easier using social networking traffic.Ease and SpeedThe ease of leaving quick and casual promotional comments or posts is attractive to many marketers online. Within any of these online communities communications are generally highly unstructured and informal thus allowing promoters to speak on a more personal level with site members.Online social networking sites no doubt have gained a tremendous following. As noted above there are some very compelling reasons for the popularity of social networks sites. Addressing the idea that blogs could fade into oblivion due to this popularity, well that’s not likely. Blogs still offer tremendous flexibility to the site owner along with the opportunity to put a personalized stamp on the site itself. This is a huge benefit that can’t be overlooked. Both these sites serve similar yet different purposes which should allow them both to coexist and flourish online for some time to come. So don’t kick your blog to the curb since it remains a uniquely effective platform for making money online!

Colors and Styles of Graduation Gowns and Accessories

Ancient universities at one time used to have a very strict dress code for their students and faculty. One of the main ones being that they had to wear a robe over their clothing every day and these robes ranged from solid black to more elaborate robes such as robes that were decorated with gold trimmings. Throughout history the robes, or graduation gowns as they are called today, were exclusively solid black in color but, in today’s modern society a lot of the graduation gowns now are made to match the school’s colors.Only the last hundred years have we begun to see these colored gowns be added into the overall dress code. In England, for example, the trend started by robes being developed that set the different degrees apart such as a robe for a bachelor degree, one for a masters and one for a doctorate degree. Some of the more common ones is white for the arts, red being for the church, olive is most generally reserved for those in the pharmaceutical field and yellow representing the wealth that occurs in the various angles of the science degrees.You must be aware however, that each institution will have a completely set of different policies and because of this, there is often a lot of confusion over which color relates to what field of study. Within the United States, the colors for the various graduation gowns have pretty well become standardized so it is not hard to tell them apart. Here is a list of some of the more common ones that you may find at your next college graduation ceremony.· Orange-Worn by those graduating from the Engineering field· Russet-Forestry Majors· Crimson-Journalism Field· Lilac-Dentistry· Maize-Agriculture· Drab-Commerce, Accountants, and Business majors· Copper-Economics majors· Light Blue-Education Majors· Golden Yellow-Science· Gray-Veterinary field· Salmon Pink-Public Health· Sage Green-Physical Education· Olive Green-Pharmacy· Purple-LawThese are just a few of the colors and the corresponding fields that they represent. As you can see the list can become almost endless. It is also no wonder why there has been so much confusion when it relates to the types and colors of gowns that are available.The best way for you to find if your college has a standard graduation gown for your particular field would be to talk to someone. They will be able to give you any information that you may need and also where you may be able to order your graduation gowns through to be sure that it matches the rest of the graduating class.

Adventure and Safari Holidays

When most people think of holidays they think of lying on a crowded beach or reading a good book by the pool and thinking about what restaurant to dine at later. For some people that certainly isn’t the case, many people really want to do something different during a break away and thanks to numerous companies they now can.There are countless types of Adventure Holidays available to try out; with everything from a Safari Holiday to a trekking holiday across Mount Everest. Really the choice is endless.White-water rafting, horseback holidays and rock-climbing are just some of the many activities you can partake in on an adventure holiday. These are a mere dip in the water of the endless list of holidays available to try, all organised with safety in mind and with enough thrills and spills to keep you returning year after year.Here are a few examples of the most popular adventure holidays:-Safari holidayIf you have dreamed about getting up close to one of many wild animals in their own habitat then a safari holiday is the holiday for you. With a choice of walking, canoeing or lodge safaris each with their own advantages you can certainly find a great tailor made exotic safari holiday to suit your every need.Trekking holidaysMany people love walking and hiking, not simply confined to moorlands or parks people are now able to choose a holiday where they can trek across foreign lands in total safety. By foot certainly is the greatest way to travel and explore. Some holidays can be personalised so that activities are either longer or shorter depending on the travellers experience or fitness. Popular locations include Nepal, Turkey and Egypt.Astronomy holidaysThese are a new type of holiday available for people to experience, the ultimate experience for any astrologers who are interested in experiencing some of the greatest events in the stargazer’s year. It doesn’t matter what experience or knowledge you have of astrology as most Astrology holidays are guided so any questions you might have can be answered. Certainly an alternative holiday but incredibly fascinating and informative should this be your interest.

Property Development Bridging Finance

Bridging finance is effectively a short-term loan, normally taken for a period of up to 12 months which can be used for a number of purposes from consolidating debts, purchasing new property or undertaking an office refurbishment. Property developers often turn to bridging finance as a short-term solution that will allow property refurbishment or builds to commence even if the initial injection of cash is not present. Whether you are a small property developer working on just 1 or 2 properties a year or an established property development company with many schemes, property development finance is available to you.How do property developers use bridging finance?Many property developers use bridging finance as a means to buy property at auctions, or new developments as well as to undertake improvements, conversions and refurbishment. This injection of finance allows developers to get projects started in the absence immediate funds. Some property developers will also use bridging loans to break mortgage chains, to purchase buy-to-let properties or raise working capital.Here is a good example of when and how a property developer may call on a bridging loan:A developer has viewed two properties, both require refurbishment and both present an attractive and lucrative resale opportunity. The properties are known amongst the property developer community and there has been interest from a number of parties, speed is therefore of an essence or another developer will secure these properties. A bridging loan can be put in place where a normal mortgage application would have resulted in the property going to another developer who had the funds immediately available. Bridging finance can be made available at short notice especially if both the property and developer present a credible investment, this allows the developer to buy the properties and begin his renovations.This is a classic example of when a bridging loan can secure a property for the developer; it allows the developer to secure the property without the need to sell any of their existing property or assets. This is particularly useful when property is bought for the sole purpose of immediately selling it on again for a profit. By using bridging finance the only additional cost for the developer would be the interest paid on the short-term bridging loan.Bridging loans are also great for those developers who want to reduce or reorganise their costs and equity or are looking to execute draw downs across an investment portfolio to release some cash.

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