Mind Press interview's Lew Marklin

This last week Mind Press caught up with Lew Marklin, former host of ADHDtv and host of the

new TV show Icon News, due out this fall 2011 on Dish Network and cable:

Mind Press: Good morning Mr. Marklin, good to have this opportunity to have you on the blog

Lew Marklin: Good morning, thank you for having me!

Mind Press: So, tell me about your new show Icon News

Lew Marklin: Well, it's a 30 minute celebrity Icon News show. Each week an Iconic figure

comes to our studio via Skype, and discusses issues that they have faced in the journey to

iconic status. It's a very fast and positive show and offers viewers an insight into the

celebrities lives, cultures, passions and offers answers to help people in today's world

find answers to overcome the challenges that our economy has put us all in.

Mind Press: Now when you say cultures, what exactly do you mean?

Lew Marklin: Icon News does not just cover Hollywood actors and actresses. The show covers

music, political figures, anything deemed Iconic in the grand scheme of things, but also, we

like to cover figures that maybe do not get the coverage from the other outlets. Our first

episode showcases, actor, Dominic Rains, who has two break out roles this year in The

Tacquadores and JINN. Dominic happens to live and work in Hollywood, but his amazing story

starts when he was born in Tehran Iran. The two movies are amazing films that will not get

mainstream credit because of their Middle Eastern roots and Muslim conotation, therefor we

set out to cover the films and bring this daytime TV star from General Hospital a coming out

party as a noteworthy film star.

Mind Press: Now religion, that's a tough subject to tackle, you have a strong Christian

base, how does that translate?

Lew Marklin: You know, it's funny that you ask that, and this episode was a great example,

because you have Dominic talking about two movies that are based in Islam, myself, the host,

who is a strong Christian believer, and then Dominic talks about his own faith as a Buddhist

and if that's not diverse enough for you, later in the show, we showcase Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad

who is a Hindu, born in Detroit MI. I love the diversity and believe that in this world,

nothing truly changes until people come to a place where they can just sit and listen to

each other. Walls of prejudice break down and the world becomes a more informed,

understanding and peaceful place, if not just a smarter place to raise our children!

Mind Press: So, this show is a much different show than ADHDtv, how did this all come

about?

Lew Marklin: Yes, this is very true. ADHDtv was a very fun project. I learned so much

from that opportunity, but in the end, we learn and grow and mature and grow up and that was

probably a lot of "ands." It was sort of a crazy show. News has always been in my heart,

but ADHDtv was sort of the craziness and humor working its way out of my system, and my

passion for journalism eventually surfaced in Icon News. A lot of eye brows raised with that

show because it was so edgy. It was really a man show that was billed as a late night news

spoof. We would literally laugh ourselves into hysteria at times, on set, and just had a

blast, but then there were some intense times and hard knock learning that took place and I

would do it all over again in a heart beat, but I like where I am at now.

Mind Press: Where does your fascination with news come from?

Lew Marklin: You know, It's sort of weird, when I was a kid, I had a brother in law that

worked network news for NBC. My dad always bragged about how great he was and how great NBC

was, so I sort of grew up fantasizing about it. He would pull out a tape recorder when I

was 2 years old and record me talking, all the way up through elementary school, then when I

was about ten or so, my friends and I would record these crazy news reports on cassette

tapes. God we must have had a hundred tapes piled everywhere with our crazy news skits.

Then we got a hold of a camcorder and started using that. I eventually went to school to

study Broadcast Journalism in Santa Barbara California and began interning at a local ABC TV

station, KEYT TV, running teleprompter and floor cams for live morning and evening news so

that I could see how everything works. 5 Years later I was a Producer and Senior Editor at

that station, but that is not where I wanted to stop on my journey and I knew that.

Mind Press: So you have a production background as well as an on air background?

Lew Marklin: Yes, that is correct. I have been a camera man, an Editor and now a producer.

Mind Press: How does that translate in what you are doing?

Lew Marklin: It has been a true God Send. I really wanted to take a pro active approach

into taking my future into my own hands. In the beginning, no one believed that I had what

it takes to be an on air talent. The opportunities were not opening up, so I decided to

take matters into my own hands and create the opportunities for myself. I also figured that

it would give me a fall back plan if things went wrong. I could still live a very

comfortable life as a Producer or even editor, if the bottom fell out on my on air dreams.

So I built my future on a rock, and now I play a very active role in the pre production,

Directing and post production phases of the project. So, to answer your question, it

translates very well!

Mind Press: Yes and I see that you produce several projects, besides the shows that you

star in, simultaneously. This must keep you very busy!

Lew Marklin: Absolutely, and yes, it keeps me busy and out of trouble!

Mind Press: What are some of the shows that you are working on now, and have worked on?

Lew Marklin: Well, hmmm, I almost have to check my own iMDB these days to remember, but

this year, I am producing a Christian TV show, entitled Arise & shine, that is slated to air

on Sky Angel Network, a new show called TwentySixMiles, starring John Schneider and Billy

Dee Williams is in the works and I have not received my paperwork, so I don't know what I

will be doing on that one yet, but we are looking forward to that. Then this last year or

two, I Co-Executive Produced on Ultimate Women Challenge, for LHP Productions and NBC

Universal. It is a Reality show that showcases 16 beautiful and talented female MMA

fighters who live and train together then duke it out to wear the crown. Then there is a

kids game show pilot, entitled That's Funny! starring Georgia Van Cuylenburg that we are

still working on. Going back a ways there are some talk shows, a hip hop music video show,

of course ADHDtv and a cooking show, Living Better with Steve Spitz, that should be airing

over on Ion this year.

Mind Press: Which do you like better, being the star or being the producer?

Lew Marklin: You know, on any given day, you might get a different answer. I have come to

like them both. Being a Producer is very challenging in a different way and I truly enjoy

taking a concept, branding it and watching it grow. I also like nurturing other on air

talents and watching them realize their dreams, but being on air is pretty cool. The

attention is fun and having the ultimate creative power is awesome!

Mind Press: What do you think is your most memorable moment thus far in your career?

Lew Marklin: You know, this may sound funny, but opening day 2004, of the Los Angeles

Dodgers. I was an intern at the time, working as a camera utility and editor. I worked at

the stadium 10 or more hours a day for almost 3 months before the actual baseball season

started, so the anticipation for opening day just grew and festered until I couldn't take it

anymore. I grew up a Dodgers fan, in Los Angeles, and this was like a dream come true for

the inner child in me. On opening day I met all of the announcers, then the players, some

other various celebs, then stood on the mound with a camera, next to 5 or 6 of the all time

great Dodgers Hall of Fame players while Fernando Valenzuela threw out the first pitch. I

tell ya, the hair on my neck stood on end at that moment and I almost got teary eyed. The

stadium was sold out and the crowd was absolutely nuts. I knew at that moment that I was

doing what I loved and was not even getting paid to do it!

Mind Press: There is so much more that we would love to ask you, but there just isn't

enough time or room on the blog. We can't wait to see the new show and wish you the best of

luck and hope to have you again soon!

Lew Marklin: Thank you, I really enjoyed the opportunity, and look forward to future chats!

Mind Press: Everyone, be watching for Icon News this fall on Dish Network and cable. You can sneak peek the show on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/IconNews

Inspiration

Get fit in Istanbul

Traveling is about seeing new sites, meeting people from different cultures and trying new experiences. Your new experiences may include eating snails and intestines for the first time. However, there are also things you can do while traveling that benefit your body and soul (not to imply that snails and intestines may not be the best for your body)

Istanbul is the ideal place to try new fitness activities. Below is an Istanbul guide to the Pilates, gyrotonics and yoga.

Pilates has been around for quite a while in Turkey. The first Pilates studio was opened by Judy Ataman in 1999 at Planet Health Club in Kuruçeşme. Now, there are almost as many Pilates studios as there are simit vendors! Pilates has become increasingly popular and it is a great way to tone your body and fix postural problems. Pilates is ideal for people who want to learn how their body works. A good Pilates teacher will teach their client all about anatomically correct movement and will explain any kind of postural problems the client may have and not be aware of.

Gyrotonics is another “new” fitness fad although it started almost 25 years ago. It is new in Turkey and was introduced it to Istanbulites 8 years ago. It is slowly catching on, and will be all the rage soon. It is a series of 3 dimensional movements with the goal of liberating the spine and thereby creating a more functional and responsive body. Gyrotonic is for the kind of person who likes to move organically and who learns through doing rather than “being taught”. It is also great for anyone with scoliosis or those of you who have suffered from a slipped disc in the past.

Yoga isn’t new and yet there are so many different kinds of yoga being taught that it seems like there is always something new and different to try. Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Bikram Yoga and Anusara Yoga are just some alternatives. If you are a person who likes to focus on the spiritual side of things, Yoga is the way to go. Just like with Pilates, there are almost as many yoga studios as there are types of Yoga. Try them all and see which one suits you the best.

Increase what you think of as Istanbul tourism, and expand your horizon with one (or all) of these fitness options on your next vacation.

Is it Safe to Go to or Live in Japan

Is It Safe To Go To or Live in Japan?

 

Whether a visit to Japan has been a lifelong dream, or your company is relocating you to Japan, chances are the radiation levels and possibility of future natural disasters have been looming on your mind. How safe is Japan now, anyway? Can you visit or move there now? Will it be safe to visit in the future?

 

• Travel to Japan

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other United Nations associated health regulators have stated that travel to Japan is safe.

 

While general travel to Japan has been deemed safe at this time, it is important to note that some areas should still be avoided. Besides areas directly surrounding the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, most areas have now recovered the use of most essential services. Travel to Tokyo is acceptable, but travel to more rural areas should be approached with caution.

 

Be aware that many travel insurance companies are denying coverage for recently booked travel to Japan. Trips booked since the earthquake on March 11 will likely not be covered, so it is important to make sure you'll be completing travel before spending money on the trip.

 

Verdict: With the exception of heavily affected areas, travel to Japan is safe.

 

 

• Moving to Japan

 

Unless you are planning on moving to a rural area of Japan very close to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, or near the epicenter of the March 11 earthquake, moving to Japan is safe at this time. Despite media reports of increased radiation in food even as far as Tokyo, it's important to remember that the levels of radiation found in these foods were not unlike levels found naturally in other foods. Keep in mind, also, that foods that have been deemed to have unsafe levels of radiation in Japan are now restricted from distribution, so irradiated spinach or milk aren't going to accidentally hit the shelves of Japanese grocery stores.

 

If you are being relocated to Japan for business purposes, it is unlikely that your business would not be informed of the current conditions in the relevant area. If you feel unsure about the situation, it is best to contact the hotel or apartment manager. They will be well informed of the situation, and will be able to advise you as to whether the move would be wise at this time.

 

Verdict: Don't move to Fukushima or coastal areas close to the epicenter of the recent earthquake. Most other areas, aside from very rural areas heavily affected, are now safe.

My name is Christina Embree and I blog about radiation sickness.

Why Your Professors Should Be Your Best Friends in College

The influence professors have on every student's college is obvious. So since everyone can admit that professors are vital in the learning process, let's take a few minutes to realize just how little they are utilized. There are so many ways to get to know your professors better, and you need to take advantage of them. These relationships will have a trickle-down effect that can put you steps ahead of other students and potentially in the work force.

 

Go to office hours. Your professors will likely never know who you are until you introduce yourself. The simple fact of a teacher knowing who you are can have a huge impact on your grade and education. The best time to get to know a teacher is during their office hours. Find any reason to go to office hours, even if you have to pretend to ask for help on a topic you mastered long ago. During this time the professor is usually alone, so the one-on-one time will give you a great opportunity to make a good impression on your teacher. The next time the professor looks over the class roll, your name will automatically stick out and you will gain an immediate advantage.

 

Become a teaching assistant. This might be the most beneficial thing you can possibly do during your college career. The fact that a teacher trusts you and thinks highly enough of you to give you partial responsibility of his or her class will impress future employers and colleagues. You will develop a close relationship with the professor as you experience what it's like to be on the other side of the teacher-student relationship. As you help teach the course, you will gain a level of mastery in the class that few students do. Another added benefit is that most T.A. jobs pay decent money. The main goal is to cultivate a relationship with the professor that will be a valuable network down the road.

 

Do research with a professor. If you have a particular passion for a certain subject, find a position doing research for a professor. You will have the opportunity to work closely as an assistant on the professor's personal projects. This provides excellent exposure to the field in which the teacher specializes. You will receive exclusive advice and instruction from the professor that other students don't get. As with being a teaching assistant, you will form a stronger relationship with the professor and prove yourself to be a quality student with a desire to learn. 

 

You will experience a lot of academic growth as you strive to become better acquainted with your professors. When the time comes to apply to that ultra-competitive graduate program or your first job, your relationships with your professors will come in handy. A solid letter of recommendation can be the deciding factor in these kinds of situations. You will be glad you went the extra mile to put yourself out there, and the opportunities will keep coming.

 

Chris Faires is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them understand which online courses and online schools they can choose from to reach their goals.

Top Ten Benefits of Being Bilingual

Why learning another language is worth your time.

 

1. Improved cognitive ability — Learning another language challenges your intellect, requiring you to think of things in new ways. Perhaps the best way to keep you mind healthy is to keep it active and exercise it in new and exciting ways. Learning another language not only requires you to think extensively about the words you use, but how to form the correct sounds in your mouth.
2. Greater understanding of English — If you are looking to increase your understanding of the grammar and structure of English, perhaps the best way is to leave it behind and learn another language. It didn’t matter how many times English teachers in high school tried to teach me about prepositions, gerunds, and adverbial clauses, I never quite got it. Learning another language requires you to dissect your language, twisting the phrases around until the sentence structure is correct.
3. Being able to understand a foreign language — Perhaps the best advantage of being able to speak a foreign language is obvious. Walking out into the street, you can understand so much more of what is going on around you. I loved returning from Peru (where I learned Spanish) and watching Toy Story 3. I was able to understand every word when Buzz Lightyear was accidentally got set to the “Spanish mode.” I can also pick up bits of Portuguese and Italian if I listen closely.
4. Increased cultural sensitivity — It is difficult to immerse yourself in the language of another without learning to love the people that speak it. Being able to read Don Quixote in the original Spanish gives you a completely different experience. Speaking another language helps you to more completely immerse yourself in another culture.
5. Better employment options — According to Forbes.com, bilingual employees earn 1.7% - 4% more than their counterparts. With the globalization of business, the world has become much smaller. The demand for bilingual employees is destined to continue growing.
6. Independence while abroad — Next time you go out galavanting on a global trip to Asia, it wouldn’t hurt knowing a little Japanese. Being able to communicate directly with others will eliminate the need for a translator. This not only cuts the cost significantly, but will grant you a more intimate experience immersing yourself in the culture.
7. Helps you to have a keener ear — Learning another language demands that you listen keenly and distinguish between different words. Reproducing those sounds requires you to listen attentively to the sounds you, yourself are making. 
8. Graduate school — Though your GPA and test scores are important for getting into graduate school, many look at other qualifications as well. Speaking a second language distinguishes you from the crowd and shows your persistence. The study skills you pick up while becoming bilingual will also help you take on the increased workload of graduate school.
9. To forge relationships with other people — Although people all over the world are learning English, it is a great show of respect to take the time to learn another language. Speaking the language with a native speaker is an excellent way to put them at ease and form friendships.
10. You can have secret conversations — Although this doesn’t necessarily top the list, I remember one time when my sister and I talked about what we were going to get my dad for Father’s Day right in front of him. This benefit can easily be turned negatively but it has often served as discreet way of communicating.

 

 

There are huge benefits to learning another language. The experience not only helps you learn about other cultures, but also about yourself.

 

Derek Gurr is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them understand which online courses and online schools they can choose from to reach their goals.

Natural Solutions for Radiation Exposure and Protection

Natural Solutions for Radiation Exposure and Protection

 

Radiation encourages the circulation of free radicals in the human body, which can result in DNA damage, cancer, and other health conditions. Currently, everyone on earth is exposed to some level of radioactive energy and it is essential that individuals take steps to counter this bombardment and to reduce the amount of exposure wherever possible.

 

Natural Ways Lower Radiation Levels

 

There are simple remedies that can be used to decrease the body's load of radiation from which almost anyone can benefit. Those who have concerns regarding their level of radiation exposure may wish to consider the following:

 

Introducing more chlorophyll-rich foods into one's daily diet is an excellent way for individuals to reduce their radiation levels. Chlorophyll rich foods include spirulina, blue-green algae, kelp and seaweed. Such herbs and plants contain iodine and a wide variety of rich minerals that prevent radiation from harming the thyroid gland.

 

Eating antioxidant-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, yams, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries is also a tasty way to lower the body's radiation levels. Antioxidant vitamins such as D, E, and C also help to combat free radical damage from radiation or other sources.

 

Natural Remedies for Radiation Exposure

 

Although chemicals and drugs are sometimes used to counteract the effects of radiation, there is also a vast array of natural remedies that can assist in preventing radiation damage, as well as help to reduce radiation levels in exposed persons.

 

Naringin

 

A bioflavonoid found primarily in citrus fruits such as lemons and grapefruit, Naringin is an aggressive scavenger of free radicals, therefore it may also significantly reduce damage caused by radiation. In addition, citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, which is also an antioxidant.

 

Melatonin

 

A sleep remedy used for insomnia for hundreds of years, melatonin has been proven to reduce oxidative organ damage and injury. Research suggests that there are many benefits associated with the used of melatonin in combination with other therapies for cancer patients. According to the Journal of Pineal Research, melatonin was also shown to protect against damage caused by ionizing radiation in laboratory rats. Melatonin can be purchased at health food or vitamin stores and the recommended daily dose is 1-3 mg. However, as this supplement is a remedy for insomnia, it is not advisable for one to use melatonin when he or she needs to remain alert.

 

Iodine

 

Iodine offers a high level of protection against radiation-based free radicals and the damage they cause. The current therapeutic dosing recommendations depend one's age, weight, and level of exposure; however, general guidelines are 130 mcg for adults and adolescents and 65 mcg for children 3-12 years of age. 16 mcg of iodine is the recommended dose for babies up to 3 years of age. When used in conjunction with a potassium supplement, iodine protects the thyroid gland for up to thirty days, but this protection will only last for 24 hours in absence of the potassium supplement. In addition, if exposure has already occurred, iodine is capable of removing radiation lodged in a person's thyroid gland.

 

Tetracycline

 

Tetracycline, a frequently prescribed antibiotic, helps to protect human neurons against the damaging effects of radiation-induced apoptosis. The results of many scientific studies suggest that certain derivatives of tetracycline such as cephalosporin, ceftriaxone, minocycline, and doxycycline can even protect neurons from apoptotic death.

 

Calcium Bentonite Clay

 

Used for decades to clear up cystic acne, calcium bentonite clay has the ability to counter attack damage from ionized radiation in humans. This clay can be purchased online or at health food stores and should be used as a body scrub for optimum results. The mixture can be applied over all areas of a person's skin and hair, although one must avoid getting it in his or her eyes. It should be left in place for ten minutes and then vigorously scrubbed off. In cases of acute exposure this process can be repeated every 6 hours for the first full day.

My name is Christina Embree and I blog about radition exposure.

Automotive Geniuses and their Creations

History has shown us that once a new product, machine or gadget is introduced and accepted into the market, others start playing with it, modifying it and many times improving the original. The automobile is no exception, after the Model T and all its variations were accepted by the public many other geniuses started to make changes and invent new things to add on to it.

The cars we drive today are nothing like the original models, they have evolved through almost one hundred years of history. During this time many people made contributions, some small some large but they all put in a grain of sand to create the cars we ride today. Car history is not only about speed and power; it is about comfort and accessories. Since boys will always be boys the first changes and improvements were related to engines, suspension and gears.

If you go back in time and look at automobile inventions of the past, it is possible to find an electric car as far back as 1834 and a hybrid in 1920. It is said that many of these inventions were hidden and kept away from the news so the internal combustion engine would develop and the great European and American car manufacturers could grow and conquer the Earth with their huge gasoline guzzling beasts.

Once the internal combustion engine was king and it was established that we would use them forever, geniuses started to modify them and convert them into muscle cars or super-fast cars. In 1940, a man named Tucker adapted a helicopter turbine to a car and raced it on the flats in Death Valley, yet even before that a car with 1250 horse power that reached the amazing speed of 270 miles per hour was built, ordinary people with great minds and even greater dreams accomplished these feats.

Most of us only dream of driving at those speeds and probably would not do it if we had the chance to. Speed and power are not the only great innovations and inventions affecting cars, there are others that we do use and appreciate every day. Power steering makes our life much easier and so do air conditioning during the summer and heat during the winter. These may seem simple things compared to turbo engines and cars racing at 300 miles per hour, but they sure make our life easier.

Innovation in the automobile world never stops though, there are always new things popping. The car that parks itself, the electric eye that will stop the car if it is about to run onto something while backing up; these are examples that help us drive better and safer every day. Cruise control, fog lights, winches, special off road suspensions and so many other things that we consider normal and ordinary today were one day new and innovating.

Just sit back and remember the day you watched television in color for the first time. It was marvelous wasn't it? Today, forty years later it is nothing, we are watch9ing disasters and shows around the world live and in high definition, what is next? Only the dreamers, creators and innovators of the world know it.

Searching online at Kanetix.ca to compare quotes is one of the best methods to find the cheapest rates for car insurance. Especially if you search online for Kanetix insurance quotes, you will be able to see which insurance provider in Canada offers the most affordable rate of insurance for your vehicle in just a matter of minutes.

Looking out for elderly drivers on the road

My mum didn’t learn to drive until her late thirties. Up until then she was either too scared or couldn’t see the point (she say the latter and I suspect the former), but as soon as she passed her test and my parents bought a little red Rover, she fell in love with it. In the end, I think she actually proved herself to be a better driver than my dad, she definitely had a better sense of direction, but that wasn’t the important thing. The really good thing that earning to drive did for my mum was giver her a sense of freedom. Now that she’s past her sixty fourth birthday, I think we’re both worried she’ll have to give that freedom up soon.

 

Back in the eighties, my parents decided they didn’t want to be in the centre of town anymore and they decided to move out to the suburbs. And while they knew they’d make the right choice, and I’m grateful that I got to grow up in a small town with plenty of grass and play parks, but I know my mum found it difficult to be somewhere out of the swing of things at first. Finally, after realising there was no way the bus service would be good enough for her to rely on, she decided to learn how to drive.

 

Some of my favourite memories of childhood are of me sitting in the passenger seat beside her as she drove us to do the shopping or for a day out with my little bother in the back. She used to sing to us, and later along to the radio. These days, my mum is still driving (and still singing), but we’re starting to think that her days might be numbered.

 

At the moment, she’s still very good behind the wheel and her eyesight is very decent for someone her age and to be honest, I think that left to her own devices she’d be safe on the roads for a long time to come. However, more and more often we’ve been noticing a negative attitude form other drivers. I think a lot of people assume that just because she’s past a certain age, she’ll be a menace on the road. Which is a real shame.

 

There’s been some controversy about things like compulsory extra driving tests for pensioners in the last few years, with some people - like race car driver Stirling Moss coming out in favour of it - and other folks, such as the RAC, saying it’s not a good idea.

 

After a bit of a ponder over it, I actually think it’d be a good idea. If everyone knew my mum had been passed as fit to still be driving, maybe they’d be more courteous to her. The only thing I think would be a problem is the cost,  have you seen how much learning to drive costs?, but if that could be subsidised or lowered for pensioners, I think it could be a positive step.

For the time being though I’d just like people to let my mum enjoy her last few years of driving, she’s careful on the roads and pays her car insurance just like everyone else - so let her make the most of it please!

 

Jennifer is a part of the digital blogging team at cashzilla.co.uk who work with a growing number of finance brands. For more information about me, or to keep up to date with the latest in finance news, check out my posts at cashzilla.co.uk or visit my Twitter account, @cashzilla.

How to Write an Awesome Facebook Advertisement for Your Blog

Even if you’re not an active user, if you haven’t heard of Facebook, you must have been living under a rock for the past few years. Since its creation in 2003, Facebook has quickly become one of the world’s largest networking and social media websites in the world. A lot of times Facebook is used for pleasure, providing a fun and innovative way to use today’s technology to keep in touch with friends and loved ones. What many businesses and entrepreneurs fail to take advantage of are the advertising powers that Facebook can provide. It’s not just a social network- it’s a place where every business can branch out and reach millions of potential clients or customers.

If you’re familiar with Facebook at all, you may have noticed (and even clicked on a few) of the advertisements present on your homepage and profile. Businesses of all kinds are finding that utilizing this popular social outlet to advertise their services or products can be very fruitful. But with all of these other competitors out there getting the same idea, how are you supposed to ensure that your ad gets more interest than all of the rest? The trick is in writing an awesome ad that is going to grab even the most internet- challenged user’s attention. This is also really helpful when you’re trying to generate traffic for your website or blog. Pitching the right Facebook ad can get people frequenting your blog much faster than other possible methods. But how do you write the perfect ad for your blog?

Captivate your Audience Appropriately

Facebook monitors all of its advertisements and checks them for true statements, accuracy and even grammar. If you’re using slang terms, insulting anyone or anything or WRITING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS (the equivalent of yelling at someone in person!) your ad will probably not last very long on the site, so you’ll want to make sure that your ad is honest, to the point and in proper English. Come up with a phrase that describes what it is that you do or what you’re trying to sell and make the reader want to click your advertisement to learn more. For example, “Train that dog right- the first time!” would be a great lead-in to a landmark blog page containing dog training articles and posts.

Market to Key Demographics

When you create your Facebook ad, you’re given options regarding your target demographic and audience. Take advantage of these tools and try to reach people of whatever age, sex, religion, etc. that you think are going to find your business or product useful. For example, if your blog is about hairstyling, you probably will want to rule out middle-aged men as part of your target audience. Of course, to each their own (there might just be some middle-aged men that are passionate about hair design!)- but you’ll be more successful if you are able to predict who your general audience is and try to market mostly to them.

Don’t Forget to Keep it Light and Fun

People are typically on Facebook for entertainment purposes. They want to play games, catch up with friends and family and look at things that are interest to them. If you get too serious with your blog advertisement, it might not get a lot of attention. You don’t want to act like you’re trying to educate others, but rather entertain them. So the more whimsical and creative your ad is, the more likely people will want to click- and visit your very fascinating blog!

Crafting a great advertisement may take a bit of time but taking that time will help you to create an effective advertisement that will be worth the money spent on advertising. Give it a try for yourself and you'll be amazed at the results you achieve!

About the Author: Tony S. is a full-time writer, blogger, and educational consultant. He writes marketing tutorials and educational resources for thos ei ncluding various career fields. He's also a regular contributor to a growing certified ultrasound technician career guide.