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Blogging Essentials: 7 Plugins to make your blog Printer Friendly

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It is common knowledge among blog enthusiasts that the first thing you should put in mind when having a blog is usability. If a blog is visitor-friendly, expect hundreds or even thousands of visitors just because of that fact. Content in itself is useless if your visitors can’t fully enjoy and/or use it.

For this simple reason, we tend to add custom navigation panels, use clean and simple themes and utilize a multitude of plugins and add-ons that cater to this need. More often than not we get too busy with all the complexities in blog management that we forget the simplest details. Content sharing. Making sure people can easily share your content is one of the things the blog owner should not forget to prioritize.

And something a lot of bloggers overlook is…. a print friendly website. Sure, it might be a little “old-school” but the reality is this, most people want something they can actually read on paper. Plus, adding one on your WordPress blog is as simple as installing a plugin.

To make it even easier for you, here is a compilation of the 7 best plugins to optimize your blog for print.

1) PrintFriendly (WordPress version 1.5 or higher)
Printfriendly is one of the many plugin out there that will make your life easier just because it can. Co-authored by Joost De Valk, creator of many SEO plugins out there, PrintFriendly puts usability and customization first for the visitor. Not only does it provide print support capability for your blog, it also gives your visitor the capability to convert your post into a customized PDF file.

URL: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/printfriendly/

2) PrintWhatYouLike (WordPress version 1.5 or higher)
It works like most top-tier print functionality plugins out there. You can edit the post and even unedit it to get the original post format. It also allows you to print in a pdf format. One good thing about this plugin is that it allows you to decide where you can place the “print” button on your blog.

URL: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/printwhatyoulike/

3) Cleanprint (WordPress version 2.0.2 to 3.0.1)
Cleanprint is considered on the most flexible and user-friendly plugins for print functionality. Aside from the usual print and pdf capability, it also gives users the capability to forward the blog post to different email services from the page itself.

Editing can be done on a pop up editor with your basic editing tools. The best thing about Cleanprint is its capability to let users print the post in a “magazine” style format that includes both the header and the logo. Albeit compatibility issues with some WordPress themes, Cleanprint still stands as one of the more popular print functionality plugins out there. You can also choose where to place the print button (either top or bottom of a post).

URL: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/cleanprint-lt/

4) WP Print (WordPress2.8 or higher up to 3.5.1)
A flexible plugin that lets the blog owner specify different print styles through the use of dedicated CSS files. You will be given the choice to embed the print option through a PHP call (for advanced users) or a short code (for amateurs and beginners). You can also exclude certain parts of a post through the use of a special short code. This plugin almost has no problem with compatibility with most WordPress themes.

URL: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-print/

5) Print Me! (WordPress 3.8 or higher up to 3.4.2)
As the name suggests, Print Me! gives your user the choice to print the entire content in a printer-friendly format. Placing it on your blog is as easy as placing a shortcode. The short code can also be embedded in different custom post types with no known hitches. For advanced users, the plugin can be embedded just about anywhere in your blog through a PHP function.

URL:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/print-me/

6)
Print Button Shortcode (WordPress 2.9 or higher up to 3.4.2)

For people who want easy and nonsensical print functionality then Print Button Shortcode is the best one there is. Just insert the [print-button] shortcode wherever you want in your content and the print button will appear and do your visitor’s bidding. Customization goes as far as being able to print only div elements by inserting the said div elements within the shortcode. This is great for people who just want certain regions of their pages to be printable.

URL: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/print-button-shortcode/

7) WP Print Friendly (WordPress 3.1 or higher up to 3.5.1)
WP Print Friendly is all about unique features. This plugin allows you to configure different print templates for pages, posts and other custom posts. This allows you to provide optimized printing templates for your visitors for different parts of your site.

URL: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-print-friendly/

Did you already optimize your blog for printers? Share your experience and favorite plugins in the comments below!

 

Guest Post by:

Rogier van Evans of Inktweb.nl, an online store selling cartridges, toners and other printing supplies. A big lover of technology, start-ups and debating on Android vs Apple.

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Guest Post

Is An MBA In Marketing Worth It?

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John Pleasants

Different degrees come with different benefits. Some come with pay increase advantages, some come with work schedule benefits, and some come with increased job opportunity benefits. When it comes to evaluating the worth of a MBA degree in marketing, the best thing a person can do is sit down and learn about its many advantages. This type of degree curriculum is designed specifically for individuals who want to be business leaders. While completing studies, students in a MBA marketing program will learn about different business theories, the hierarchy of business management, supervision techniques, and much more. For the most part, students taking part in this type of degree program will spend their time completing projects.

Increased Job Opportunities

With a MBA in marketing, a person is likely to have more job opportunities than a person who does not have the same degree. In fact, many employers within the United States require for their marketing personnel to hold such a degree.

More Money

People who have just graduated high school are not the only people who pursue a MBA degree in marketing. In fact, many people who have worked for years and years are choosing to obtain such a degree, and for good reasons. This type of degree can help a person earn more money. Some companies choose to promote employees who earn a MBA in marketing, while others will often simply increase a employee’s pay. No matter how the increase in pay occurs, obtaining a MBA in marketing is definitely worth it when it comes to making more money.

Expanded Network

When students take part in a MBA program, they often interact and complete projects with a number of other students; this helps students increase their contact lists. In addition to partnering with students to complete projects, many times, students will partner with local firms and organizations. The more people and organizations that students can get acquainted with, the better off they will be at getting a job once they have graduated. Being able to work with organizations and firms also helps students decide what atmospheres they prefer to work in.

New Fields of Study

The field of marketing is one that is always expanding. By taking part in a MBA marketing curriculum, students are able to expand their marketing knowledge, and also become acquainted with new marketing topics. Many students often find that they prefer to work within a certain area of marketing such as business branding. A MBA degree in marketing can provide students with the specialized knowledge that they need to enter into the area of marketing that they prefer being employed in. Other popular, specialized areas of marketing include mobile technology, e-commerce, digital signage, and much more.

Time-Efficient

Obtaining a MBA degree in marketing can be accomplished in a relatively small amount of time. In fact, many MBA marketing degrees can be earned in as little as 15 months once four years of undergraduate studies have been completed.

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Leslie Cannon is a marketing director who contributed to the online guide to the Top MBA Programs for Marketing.

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The 6 Worst Things About Huge Colleges And Universities

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The 6 Worst Things About Huge Colleges And Universities 11

For many people, one of the most important choices they will make during their lifetime is choosing which college to earn a degree from. Even though small and large colleges each have their advantages, larger ones most definitely have their disadvantages too. Let’s take a close look below at why it is a good idea to steer clear of studying at a large college or university.

The 6 Worst Things About Huge Colleges And Universities 12

1) Classes are Too Large

When studying at a large college, students often find themselves in classes with hundreds of other students. This is much unlike a smaller college, where class sizes usually stay under 50 students. When in large classes, students do not get the opportunity to ask questions as they do in small classes. Also, professors of large classes rarely get to know their students because there are too many.

2) Teaching Done by TAs

Many large colleges have a variety of courses taught by TAs. TA’s are not ‘dumb’ in the knowledge they teach; however, they are often beginners and very inexperienced. Learning from TAs often means that students will not be provided an in-depth learning experience. For the amount of money paid to go to college, students should always seek to be taught by professors who have many years of experience under their belts; this can be found at most smaller colleges.

3) No Freedom in Degree Curriculums

Most larger colleges have strict degree curriculums that students must adhere to. In fact, students are almost never entitled to take courses that do not fall into a particular degree curriculum. At smaller colleges, students are provided flexibility in the courses that can take. Some even allow their students to design their own majors.

4) Little Communication with Professors

Because professors at large colleges teach hundreds of students, sometimes thousands, on a weekly basis, it becomes quite impossible to communicate with a professor on a regular basis. Some professors require that students only visit them during office hours, which sometimes is only one time a week. Waiting in line at the professor’s office can sometimes take hours. When going to school at a small college, students are better able to speak with their teachers on a consistent and frequent basis.

5) Little Coursework

Many large colleges limit the number of papers that students write and submit because professors simply do not have enough time to read through and grade hundreds of students’ papers every week. With little or no coursework, students’ final grades are almost completely derived from their grades on mid-term and final exams. On the other hand, at small colleges, students are able to sharpen their skills and improve their overall grades by turning in several papers during a semester.

6) No Personalized Attention

When attending a large college, even if a student is struggling with something, it is highly unlikely that he or she will be able to receive personalized attention from a professor. This can greatly cause a student to struggle with his or her grades. In fact, it can hurt so bad that it causes a student to be suspended or expelled. At a small college, students are able to receive one-on-one attention from instructors; thus, enabling them to obtain a deep understanding of the subjects they study.

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Todd Browning is a college professor who has written an excellent and informative guide to the top online schools and degree programs.

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The Psychological Effect Of Releasing A New Product Or Service – For Your Employees

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The Psychological Effect Of Releasing A New Product Or Service - For Your Employees 16

If you provide a service or product, then the amount your business earns will always be at the mercy of the clients you are selling to. In other words, a company’s profit will always be dictated by how much its customers are willing to pay for that product, and how valuable they believe it to be.

This means that you can’t easily just ‘up’ your profits. Unlike being an employee or an individual worker, you can’t just ask for a ‘raise’ because few people are happy to start paying more for the same service they’ve always received.

The solution of course may be to release a new product or service, and by simply re-packaging your existing offerings and promoting them well, you can start to increase your profits without drastically increasing your overheads.

But this has another benefit too – which is the psychological impact it can have on your employees. Let’s look into what such a change might mean for them…

Shaking it Up

The Psychological Effect Of Releasing A New Product Or Service - For Your Employees 17

Imagine you have been doing the same thing day-in-day-out for years. You consider yourself pretty good at your job, and so good in fact that you could probably do it with your eyes closed. While you may indeed be very good at your job though, this will undoubtedly lead to your becoming at least a little complacent and perhaps also somewhat ‘stagnant’.

This is the state of play then when you’re suddenly told by your employer that you’re creating a new product that needs to be better than anything you’ve ever done before. This is your ‘premium’ product, and you’ve been chosen to work on it. What’s more, you’re going to be charging the clients more for it too.

Suddenly then, even if you previously thought you were working to the best of your abilities, you will undoubtedly improve and the quality of your work will continue to go up – particularly if the new work comes with a raise.

This is something that you can do over and again too – so potentially you can keep on improving the quality of your staff’s work and thus your end product.

Other Factors

The Psychological Effect Of Releasing A New Product Or Service - For Your Employees 18

There are some other factors to consider here though. For one, you may well find that in giving your staff a new kind of product to work on, you will end up making them try even less hard when they go back to the old product. You can avoid this by giving the new product to one or two members of staff exclusively until the demand is great enough to get more of your employees to work on it. This way you will get 100% effort from those on the new product, while also giving your other employees something to work hard towards. They’ll want to get put onto the premium product, and as a result, they’ll start creating more premium-type work at the same salary.

You should also note the psychological principles at work here and understand just what it is that’s making your staff work harder. It’s not just the product or service you see that’s making them work harder – it’s the simple fact that you are challenging them and that you’re keeping their work varied thus giving them a kind of ‘refresh’ that will help them to engage more with what they’re doing. There are plenty of other ways you can do this too, whether it means simply moving your staff around the office/work site, whether it means updating the systems and tools they’re working with, or whether it means giving feedback and actively challenging your staff to keep improving.

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The Psychological Effect Of Releasing A New Product Or Service - For Your Employees 19 

Jack Russel is a mechanical engineer and runs a business that deals with supplying railroad construction tools. He is a nature lover and frequently goes hiking with his friends and also takes time out of his busy schedule to share his thoughts on various blogging sites.

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