#its very hard to stack them without a size difference
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oh hello equius can you let nepeta climb on top of you for a lovely stack of grub
you are lucky he's tolerating this
#homestuck#hs#homestuck ask blog#ask blog#ask grubquius#equius zahhak#nepeta leijon#grubpeta#ignore how small she looks#its very hard to stack them without a size difference#aughhh i shouldve made equius tiny#too late now
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FÄNGELSEHÅLA is the Swedish word for "dungeon."
We are inviting you to play an epic adventure with the elegance of the instructions from everybody's favorite furniture store!
This tabletop role-playing game takes a minimalist approach, offering an immersive experience without the complexity. Forget thick rulebooks and intricate character sheets – FÄNG is as easy to grasp as connecting the dots in an instruction manual.
Designed for new players and one-shots that allow you to embark on quests with mechanics so straightforward that you can be up and running in minutes.
Make characters within minutes using d66 tables and jump right into the adventure!
You can choose from character options of Alv, Dvärg, Krigsman, Tomte and Trollkarl. (Elf, Dwarf, Warrior, Gnome & Wizard) Each character option providing some unique benefits in the game.
Each character also receives a heirloom and curse to help round out their back story and make the game play a little more exciting!
Attributes of Will, Tinker, Agile and Tuff ranging from 2-4 that are the base pool of white Action Dice as well as any extra dice added from character benefits
Top two Action Dice are totalled to beat a Difficulty score on a scale of 12
Jinx is a tie, and there is success with a complication
Use Luck Dice to improve failed Action Rolls
Difficulty Scale
<6 - Don't bother rolling... characters just do it!
6 - Pretty easy, you had better be able to do it
7 - Expected outcome, unless you mess up
8 - Pretty hard task, but not surprising that you did it
9 - Damn hard, but with all your concentration, you can do it
10 - Very difficult, to the point that pulling it off is surprising
11 - Almost Impossible... don’t kill yourself in the process
12 - Impossible... best you can hope for is a Jinx
The "DOOM STACK" for Tactile Game Play
Character damage and trauma is tracked with black Doom Dice which you stack on the table - or track on character sheet if you are on a wobbly table, camping, or just think it's too gimmicky (it's fun though... you should try it!)
Difference between the Action Roll and Monster Difficulty is Doom to the loser
If your Doom Stack tumbles during battle, the character is unconscious, or you trigger a trap if you accidentally knock them over while getting a snack!
Risk using Doom Dice to help Action Rolls but then add them to your Doom Stack
* Dice are not included as part of the game, but hopefully you have some extra lying around, or can find some at your Friendly Local Game Store. It's not necessary to have different colors of dice (white, black and a third color for luck), but it makes game play a bit more clear! Dice with dots tend to work better than numbers, for quickly determining success.
* The base game mechanics were inspired by the d6 system first developed for Ghostbusters RPG by Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis & Greg Stafford, which has been foundational for dice pool mechanics across many TTRPGs
Each adventure is minimal game prep from random d66 tables that provides the dungeon rooms and its contents. It's so easy that you can probably even run it without a Doomsayer (Game Master).
In true ZineQuest fashion, you will receive a 36-page saddle-stitched landscape digest-sized zine (5.5"H x 8.5"W), with black and white interior pages and heavyweight card-stock color cover and inside cover pages.
This format was chosen to lie flat and be accessible while you roll on the d66 tables. It has the bonus of looking like an instruction manual!
Kickstarter campaign ends: Wed, February 21 2024 3:05 AM UTC +00:00
Website: [Dieku Games] [facebook] [twitter] [instagram]
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I've always wanted to learn how to draw bigger people but I often only find tutorials for like muscular men with six-packs and stuff so I was wondering if you have any tips or tutorials or something because the way you draw both men and women has me in a chokehold ahshdj they all look so good and soft and like they'd give the best hugs!!!
aww thank you so much! 💖🤧 and i can definitely help you my dear, i've been in the same spot as you - its really hard to find good references of fat bodies without encountering heavily edited pictures or ads about how to loose weight. you really need to have luck or know people who can help you. but ur in luck, i got some pointers for you >:)
Look for pictures of athletes, preferably of sports that require body mass such as rugby, american football, any throw sport (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin), wrestlers commonly have some body fat on them, POWER LIFTERS.
I would avoid (fashion) models because the pictures are often edited heavily and thus warp your perceiption of fat distribution, but they're not too bad for ordinary fullbody poses, so we gotta work with what we got.
I have a pin board i made for myself with various bodytypes, consisting of athletes and plus size models that i hope can help you!
What really helped me to really emulate and portray mass on bodies is simply drawing rounded shapes (NOT circles. rather egg/soft trapezoid shapes, overlapping with each other). Fat stacks ONTO your muscles, it will make everything rounder and softer. You can play with the shapes to create different fat distribution.
Here is a post from hometownrockstar on tumblr about this topic thats very insightful with sketches explaining everything.
Morpho: Fat and Skin Folds: Anatomy for Artists by Michel Lauricella. this book is the holy grail i swear. i finally purchased a real copy of the book not too long ago and i use translucent paper and simply trace the sketches from the book for practice and its a GODSENT. definitely worth an investment.
I previously only owned it as a pdf, which i will gladly send to anyone who sends me a dm or an ask :) for copyright reasons i wont distribute it openly. and zlibrary recently got shut down so lmfao we gotta help each other out
Drawing from life! there's this awesome site with homemade photographic references for artists of fat bodies called fat photo ref. you'll need to ask for admittance via email but they usually respond fairly quickly, took 2-3 days for me. :) its all organized in tags so you can quickly sort and browse.
Hope this helps! <3
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EARLY MORNINGS AND OVERTIME | Nanami Kento x Reader JJK fanfic | Chapter 14: At Last (FINAL CHAPTER)
Pairing: Nanami Kento x Reader (fem, first person pov)
Word count: 5347
Fic Summary: A smutty fic in which Nanami Kento brightens up the mundane, flour-dusted life a college dropout working in a bakery.
Chapter Summary: After seemingly walking into a trap, our baker must find a way to get herself free.
No smut warnings this chapter.
Read on AO3. Masterlist. | Previous Chapter |
This isn’t good. This isn’t fucking good. I look around frantically, searching for the source of the noise but there’s nothing to be seen. Even with the help of my glasses I quickly threw on, I still can’t see whatever is steadily closing in on me.
How could I have led myself into a trap like this? I ended up doing the exact thing I was afraid of… I ended things with Nanami because I didn’t want this exact scenario to happen.
Then again, if he’s not here to witness what happens next, I guess I succeeded in at least part of my goal in separating myself from him. He may never know what happened to me but hopefully he’ll assume I just ghosted him and lived the rest of my life in safety - not that I met whatever terrible end I’m about to meet.
He can’t ever know I ended up like this… the thought of him being devastated brings me to the brink of sobs. I clutch my hand to my mouth instinctively, holding back tears or vomit or screams - at this point I could hardly tell.
But I have to focus if I want even the slimmest chance of walking out of here. Ever since I spent a week of training at the cabin with Nanami I’ve been keeping a small slicing knife from work sheathed on my leg. I’d normally use it for cutting precise layers of cake to carefully stack atop each other. Now, I can only hope it’ll be enough to thwart whatever intelligent cursed spirit has been stalking me in this alley. I know I need to exorcise it to make this cat-and-mouse game end once and for all, but I don’t know if I’m even capable of that right now. And without Nanami in the picture to help me learn… I try not to think about what that means for my likely short future.
Something crashes against a dumpster across the alley again, snapping me out of my daze. Three rodents quickly scurry out from underneath the heap of trash as if they’ve been spooked.
I need to remember every single piece of training Nanami taught me. We never made it to close combat, but hopefully I can prevent the curse from getting close enough to try.
Pulling the short but sharp slicing knife from its sheath with shaky hands, I raise it up chest-height in a protective stance. Elbow bent straight ahead, forearm parallel with my chest, palm facing down… I grip the hilt of it as hard as I can while my eyes desperately scan the street for a clear view of the circling cursed spirit.
I slowly turn in a tight circle, subconsciously stepping off the sidewalk and into the empty road. I’d rather be in an open road than stand too close to the nearby building and risk having my back to the wall without means to escape. I already feel vulnerable enough as it is, I don’t need to make myself an easier target.
A snuffling, gasping sound snaps my attention to another narrow alley down the desolate road. I’m officially not alone.
My eyes widen as I attempt to make out the figure peeking out from around the side of the building. The first thing I notice are the claw-tipped dark green hands covered in spores and scratch marks. The skin covering this being is scaly yet blemished with golf ball-sized lumps as if it’s filled with air bubbles vying to break the surface.
Just the upper half of its head is peeking out, but I can see all I need to see in order to know I should be very, very afraid. There are no recognizable features in any place you would expect them to be on a person’s head. Three rounded eyes dot its face in a triangle-shaped pattern: two spread apart on each side and one at the top. Each eye’s pupil is spinning in a different direction, yet I can somehow feel all of its attention on me. Even from this front-facing view I can see its neck protruding from its head. Instead of being located at the base, it sprouts upward from the back of its head. It seems to curve downward towards the rest of its body, as if the head and body are connected by a bent straw. There is no mouth or nose to be seen, but I don’t doubt there are terrifying rows of sharp teeth lining its gums.
A flicker of light catches my eye, and I quickly shoot my glance back to the space in front of me. I began shaking so much that the thin streak of sunlight peeking through the clouds reflected off my knife like a mirror. I give a half sigh of relief to know I caused the flicker myself and swiftly bring my eyes back to the alley to focus on the threat at hand.
It’s empty. There’s no hands, no glimpse of a head. No curse to be seen at the edge of the alley anymore.
Shit. Shit shit shit shit. How could I take my eyes off it for even a second?! Now I nee-
Pure panic takes over every cell of my body. In the brief second since I looked away, the curse quickly advanced in my direction and is now blocking my entire field of view. It’s so close I can smell the rancid odor leaking from its skin - a mixture of garbage and spoiled milk.
If I didn’t already know I was being hunted by a curse I would have never believed that this horrifying-looking creature is the same type of being as the flyhead. There are absolutely no similarities between the borderline innocent-looking flyheads and what appears before me.
I was right about the teeth: they’re razor-sharp and there’s rows upon rows of them. But I was wrong to expect they’d be found on its head. Instead, there’s a grinning, teeth-filled mouth on each long limb: towards the end of each forearm and ankle. They’re positioned as if made for kicking or striking its victim while simultaneously biting down on its flesh. It’s a design of nightmares.
Before I can gulp down my sheer terror, a shrill, cackling laugh begins to bubble up out of all four mouths of the cursed spirit. It’s ear-piercing and nearly causes me to drop my knife while reaching for my ears. I’m gripping the sides of my head when the laugh turns into a scream that unexpectedly launches me backward, as if blown by an invisible wind.
I hit the ground in an instant, landing with a backwards somersault. I thankfully avoid an injury to my head due to my hands still being tightly gripped to the sides of it. I shuffle backwards hastily, scuttling my palms and feet on the hard pavement.
After collecting my bearings, I reposition the knife in my hand into a throwing position - there’s no way this will do me any good up close. If I want to have any chance of making it out of here, it seems I’ll need to rely on my good aim to hit at least one eye on the terrifying creature and run.
Steadying my breathing, I rise up on my feet and lift my arm above my head, ready to launch the knife that’s already become slick with sweat in my palm.
The curse hasn’t even moved from the same spot in the road, although that terrifying and haunting cackle has begun to bubble up out of its mouths again.
I train my eyes to the mouth on its left ankle… it seems like the target I’m most likely to hit.
With a deep inhale, I remember the hours of practice I spent aiming my throwing knives at the cabin with Nanami. How he made me hit the same target on a far away tree trunk over and over again. Until I learned how to still hit my target even with distractions. With the way he distracted me.How he took his time slowly lifting his hand up my thigh until he cupped me aching between my legs.
The maniacal cackle of the curse snaps me out of my memory of Nanami. If this throw doesn’t work, if it doesn’t give me a chance to run and get away safely, I’m at least glad I got to spend just a second in my mind with a fond memory of Nanami. I don’t want to die without at least the briefest moment of peace that only he can bring me.
Flexing the muscles of my arm, I grip the knife even tighter and throw. It sails through the air faster than any practice throw I’ve done, and looks to be exactly on track to hit the ankle-mouth I aimed for. I ready myself to run once I see it hit its mark.
Still soaring, the knife is just inches away from the now eerily-silent curse when it suddenly darts away in a flash to dodge the weapon. Without warning the curse once again materializes beside me in an instant, this time on my left. Again, I see each of its mouths open wide and scream, blasting me off my feet in the process. I fly through the air for barely a second before hitting the wall of the building I previously stepped away from. The force knocks the air out of me and snaps my head to the side hard enough to see stars. I’m unable to break my fall to the ground and cry out at the pain of my legs folding as I hit the pavement.
Every fiber of my being feels unbearable with pain and shock, but I can’t let myself stay down and vulnerable to attack. I attempt to scramble back up to my feet as fast as possible so I can reorient myself and decide what to do next. Panting, my eyes dart around in search for the curse but it’s nowhere to be found.
If I was panicking before I’m absolutely frozen in fear now. The curse is nowhere to be seen and I’m now weapon-less. Shaking, my eyes continue to scan every inch of the road in front of me desperate to s-
Without warning I hear the third shriek and feel the blasting wind of the curse knocking me completely off my feet - this time landing further down the road. There’s no doubt in my mind I must have broken or at least dislocated one of my arms now. The pain is past the point of ignoring and tears are silently filling and falling out the corners of my eyes. I instinctively wipe one away and realize why the curse took me completely off guard - my glasses are gone.
Disoriented and confused, I look back to where I was first thrown against the hard exterior of the building. There on the ground, shattered and bent, are the one thing that allowed me to see curses and have a fighting chance out of getting here alive: my glasses.
A sob tears out of me at the sight of them completely destroyed and unusable. I pull my knees to my chest and wrap my arms over the top of my head in a panicked fetal position. I’m done for. Absolutely done for. And I didn’t even stand a chance. Or save Nanami any of the heartbreak - I’ll still getting killed by this goddamn curse even after all the terrible things I said to break up with him. I should have known this plan would have never worked.
I hear the guttural cackling of the curse return and realize this must be the end for me. If this is how I go, I can’t do it cowering on the ground. Using my one good arm, I press my palm to the pavement and slowly begin to rise to my feet so I can at least prove to myself I’m still strong enough to die standing.
Each vertebrae in my back feels battered and bruised as I extend it to stand. Before I reach my full height, I’m nearly knocked back down for another reason. The curse hasn’t attacked, but it must have been aiming to, because before I can even hear a shriek I see the familiar, strong body I’ve come to love so goddamn much dive in front of me. Nanami found me. He came back to me. Even after all I said.
He shouts at me to run while winding up his arm to deal a strong blow to the now invisible curse with his weapon. I can hear the impact despite not having my glasses on to see the actual strike to the curse. I’m thankful to hear a horrific yelp from the curse after Nanami’s weapon makes contact, but Nanami doesn’t seem to be relieved or at ease from the looks of his body language. He’s immediately readying his weapon again, running to the side at an impossibly fast pace to strike his weapon again. This time, it looks to have been a defensive hit, as though the curse was already recovered from whatever damage his first hit did.
“I said RUN!” Nanami barks breathlessly without looking in my direction. I realize I’ve remained wide-eyed where I once stood, though now I’m back to a seated position since getting knocked over by Nanami’s defensive dive in front of me. The short but strong burst of energy that coursed through me to stand up earlier is now gone, and I’m afraid I don’t even have it in me to run at this point.
Just as I debate crawling in a desperate attempt to find cover, I see Nanami get thrown aside as if the curse just picked him up by the shoulder and tossed him like a doll. He’s able to land on his feet in crouch much more deftly than I did, but it’s still obvious he’s hurt.
I must have gasped aloud in the process because Nanami once again shouts at me to get out of here, this time barely getting the words out without a sputtering cough. I can tell he’s hurt - probably worse than he’s even letting show.
I’m in no condition to help him though, am I? No weapon, no strength, not to mention zero ability to even see the enemy we’re up against. All I have is myself. But I can’t fail him again today.
If this curse truly has the upper hand and I’m not able to escape my fate afterall, I have to at least use the last tool I have left: myself. I can distract this curse with myself. This way, I’m not failing Nanami by lying to him about wanting to break up or worse, by dying in a way he thinks is his fault. I can choose to get up and walk back towards Nanami and this invisible curse blindly, meeting my fate and showing Nanami its not his fault. Then, he’ll have the chance to use this distraction as opportunity to get away and save himself.
It doesn’t take me long to decide on what I have to do. If I’m being honest with myself, I’m not really distraught at the fact I’m willing to sacrifice myself to a horrendous monster. Not the possible pain, or suffering. Rather, the only thing that’s upsetting me is knowing that this means my time with Nanami is really over for good.
I take a deep breath to muster the courage to stand just as Nanami is knocked to the ground again. He’s been striking the curse time and time again, and yet it isn’t preventing him from being overpowered.
He still hasn’t gotten up yet… I know it’s time for me to do what I have to do. And hopefully spare his life in the process. I hope he can forgive me.
“Here, over here!” I shout the words as loud as I can despite the cramped feeling in my lungs. I’m pushing myself off the ground and onto my feet as quickly as I can, though it feels like it takes me an entirety to get upright. As I stand at my full height, I raise my one good arm and flail it aimlessly - unsure where the curse is located but drawing attention to myself nonetheless.
I have to take one last look at Nanami, to tell him what he needs to do.
Swallowing air and fighting back tears, I turn my head to his direction and force out the words in one quick sentence: “I didn’t mean what I said.. You have the chance to get away now.. I’m sorry-”
Just as Nanami’s eyes widen and jaw drops in understanding, I feel a giant, scaly body tackle mine to the ground and everything goes black.
…….......................................………
The afterworld, or heaven, or wherever I am right now feels nice. Calm. It feels… serene. I’m not scared or nursing any broken bones back to health. I’m not even sad about leaving Nanami - because he’s here.
By “here” I mean the nondescript Parisian bakery Nanami was referring to when describing our imagined proposal story. I’m living out that day, here in the bakery and the park with him. The bread we pick out tastes more delicious than anything I’ve ever had, and the champagne he pops for us once I say yes and slip on the ring tastes like stars in a glass. All of my senses are heightened here in the most pleasurable way. And everything looks more beautiful - including Nanami. He looks happier than I’ve ever seen him, and so carefree. I’ve never seen him this at ease. Maybe it’s be-
The sense that my body is rolling uncontrollably is confusing at first but quickly shocks me with alertness. My ears are ringing, my clothes are tattered, and my lungs are burning from a lack of oxygen. I’m alive…? At least barely it seems.
Getting tackled by the cursed spirit must have knocked me out. I’ve never experienced any type of dream state like that before. I can’t waste time dwelling on it though since I’m now back in the fray. I expect to hear scuffling feet and heavy breathing and clashing of weapons, but there’s none of that. It’s totally silent.
I’m finally able to fully open my eyes and reorient myself to my surroundings. I’m still here on the same road since I was tackled, but that doesn’t help the confusion.
I’m on high alert in case the curse pounces on me once again, but I don’t hear its cackling laugh or pointed claws or anything. I don’t hear anything. Even Nanami…
A new level of fear sinks in as I spot Nanami. My voice is so hoarse that the shocked cry I involuntarily make doesn’t quite come out. I lurch forward on all four aching limbs, desperately trying to propel myself closer and get to the collapsed, non-moving body across the narrow roadway.
My brain and body barely feel connected or functional - all I can think and see and do and feel is try to get to him. In what feels like days I’m able to drag myself over to him and throw myself on top of him. He’s on his side with his back to me, so I have to drape myself over his shoulder to see his face and check to see if he’s breathing or conscious.
His eyes are open, his chest is repeatedly rising with shaky breaths, and he’s… alive. I garble out another cry at the relief and shock. He’s alive and yet he’s still here unmoving and probably gravely injured.
I lick my lips to attempt to speak, but before I can utter a word he slowly drags his eyes to the side and turns his head towards me. He looks almost catatonic without expression, but the moment he turns enough to see my face he’s overcome with a look of sheer relief and sadness.
“I thought… I thought…” the words are barely coming out, but I know exactly what Nanami means when he says it.
“I’m alright, I’m here,” I respond - trying to convince both him and myself I’m still alive. There’s so many things I need to tell him… but first, I need to know if we’re still in danger. I have no idea if the curse is still around or if he managed to exorcise it. Clearly he didn’t run away as I had planned. “Is… did you exorcise it?” I’m practically shaking with nerves at the prospect of having to continue facing this thing.
Nanami still can’t quite form any words, but I know things are going to be okay when I see him nod slowly. I practically collapse against him, wrapping him in my arms once again and sobbing into his chest to hear that we’re not being hunted anymore. I can tell he’s crying too because I feel the shake of his chest.
We continue to hold each other, exhausted, in this heap for a moment until all the words I need to say to him come flooding back.
“I’m sorry,” I start to spurt out while slowly raising myself to a seated position. “I’m sorry for everything. I thought I could fix things and save you by telling you we were done and then when that failed I thought I could save you by buying you time and sacrificing myself in the process and that didn’t-” I’m cut off when Nanami manages to pull himself up as well and promptly leans in to kiss me mid sentence. He envelops my mouth and slowly works his tongue past my lips and it feels like he’s kissing me like its the last time. It really almost was.
He only pulls back to say, “I didn’t mean what I said either. About not being able to picture us together for the long term. I can picture it, clear as day… and that’s why I was so scared. I said I couldn’t promise a lifelong commitment because I was scared a situation like this would interrupt that commitment. And it almost did-”
“Stop,” I cut him off, tears still brimming in my eyes as I hold his face. “It didn’t. I tried to do the same thing and predict the future but it didn’t work. Of course my plan didn’t work. I thought that whatever curse was threatening you with taunts to hurt me would see us break up and wouldn’t be able to use me as a pawn anymore. But of course that wouldn’t work. Abruptly breaking up doesn’t change the fact that you would still be devastated if I got hurt… The curse would still get its revenge against you, breakup or not…” How could I have been so clueless? I start to beat myself up but realize I did the same thing as Nanami - the fear prevented me from thinking clearly. Also, part of me starts to feel an overwhelming surge of heartbreaking love for Nanami. He still cares so deeply for me no matter what, even after all I said. I thought I could release him from the trap of my fate, but now I realize those fears weren’t my fate - no one else decides my fate but me. I’m strong enough, (I’ve been taught well,) and risks don’t scare me anymore.
“We can’t predict the future,” I continue on, “and I won’t let you sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of my perceived safety. And I won’t let myself do it either. We owe that to each other and ourselves. I didn’t mean it when I said I didn’t want to be with you because your life and work is so risky - I only said that because I foolishly thought I’d be saving you the heartbreak.” If the situation wasn’t so dire I might even laugh at the irony of how we’ve nearly killed one another in our clueless attempts to save each other.
‘If you can’t promise me a future that has you safe in it, then I never want to see you again.’ My past words haunts me. How I thought hearing this would be easier on him than taking our chances getting hurt in the future is now a mystery to me. Now, I don’t care about a promised future, I just want to start my future with him at my side.
“We can’t control what dangerous, shitty situations are going to come our way whether we’re together or not - so why deny ourselves the chance to at least be happy in the meantime?”
Nanami looks at me with such genuine, emotional longing that I nearly start crying all over again. I can tell he has a million words to get out as well but is still so shocked by my near-death that it’s difficult to speak. “We… we can move away from here. Leave the city where cursed energy is higher and go further out of town.”
“Yes!” I completely agree without question. I can tell he never wants to experience this scenario again, and I don’t blame him. And, I want him to be safe. I want to see him be carefree and at ease the way I did in my dream. “What about the cabin? We can go there as soon as we get healed and figure it out from there. I’ll go anywhere with you.”
His eyes seem to spark back to life a bit at the suggestion. He starts to smile and nods in agreement before kissing me again. It feels impossible to pull myself away again, but making sure he’s physically okay is more important right now. I start to scan over his body, looking for broken bones or bloodstains. Apart from the same road rash I’m sporting, he doesn’t seem to be in as bad of shape as I thought. Still, we both will need help to heal. “We need to get to a hospital-”
He raises his hand to stop me and explain that he has a colleague who can help us. He’s able to reach for his phone and call them right away.
We continue to sit side by side, waiting for one of his jujutsu peers to pick us up so we can be healed. I’m not sure what that entails but I trust him.
Just as a black sedan begins to pull up to the curb, Nanami turns to me again before standing. “Seeing you hurt like that… and thinking you were gone, I…” he chokes up, unable to finish the sentence. He gulps and inhales before starting again, “I need to know I’m doing all I can to protect you and prevent that from happening ever again.” Another inhale. “I’ve always hated jujutsu sorcery, and now more so than ever. It can’t… it won’t be a part of my life again.”
I stare, confused, at his face. He looks determined and decided.
“I have the ability to see and sense curses still, that’s not going to change… but I’m choosing to distance myself from jujutsu.” We’re both standing now as the car pulls up, and he looks deep into my eyes as he reaches to open the door for me and says, “What’s important to me now is making a commitment to truly enjoy a restful life… with you.”
My response comes as easily as loving him does, “I like the sound of that.”
………….......................................................……….
Two Months Later
Packing up all our belongings from the cabin is an odd feeling. Not odd in a bad way, but odd in a too good way. Nanami and I have spent the time to heal our wounds physically and emotionally. Seeing me collapse took a toll on Nanami that was hard to shake. Thankfully, stepping away from the city and its overflow of cursed energy was the right move.
Now, we can spend the warm afternoons drinking tea on the small table in the backyard, and spend the chilly evenings snuggling in bed with the windows cracked. This is the first time we’ve really felt peaceful together.
The only reason we’re packing to leave is because Nanami bought us a place of our own! It’s even further out of town and on a bigger piece of land, so we really get the chance to tuck ourselves away in our own little world. I cannot wait to finish packing the car and making the drive over there this afternoon. I plan to surprise Nanami by growing a garden in the yard with all sorts of different herbs and veggies. That way I can experiment with cooking new types of savory breads and pastries for him to try.
With the last of my small bags in hand (Nanami wouldn’t let me carry out any of the heavier ones,) I pull the front door of the cabin shut behind me and walk out to the car. Nanami is there loading up the open trunk with the larger boxes, and smiles as soon as he catches sight of me.
I give him a quick kiss as soon as I step up close to him, and he puts his hand on my back before quickly moving it under the bag’s strap on my shoulder. He swiftly lifts the bag off my shoulder and places it gently in the trunk. I can’t help but smile at the simple kindness he shows me every day without even thinking twice about it.
“We’re just about ready to go,” he lets me know while shifting some of the boxes in the trunk to make room for the remainders. “I just need to move one more thing back here - can you hand me that container to your right?”
I look to the stack of boxes he’s referring to and grab the small open container from the top of the stack. There’s an envelope peeking out addressed to me. Holding it between my fingers, I turn back to Nanami and ask what it’s for.
“Open and take a look,” he replies with a sly yet innocent smile.
Curious, I pull open the envelope and reach inside for its contents: two small pieces of paper. I hold them in my hand and keep reading them over and over again, unable to believe my eyes.
Inside the envelope are two tickets for a flight to Paris.
....
After much deliberation I decided on making this a happily ever after afterall <3333 our fave worker bees deserve it fr :’(
THNK U all for coming along this journey with me - it’s the first fic i’ve ever published and there were times i never thought i’d be able to finish it. writers block gets so real. but its my love for these characters and stories that motivates me to stay creative and i love them for that:)
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Day 9: Dry
Desert life. What to say about desert life. The average person would look at a desert and see a desolate wasteland where nothing could ever hope to survive. No water, no food, just dry sands and blistering heat. But the average person is wrong. Desert environments can hold an absolutely unique and diverse ecosystem full of life that’s perfectly suited for conditions we deem harsh and nonviable. You just have to know where, and how, to look.
Animals in this desert are doing everything they can to escape the heat of the suns. Any time you see a tilted rock, or a crack in the ground or a lump from something under the sand then there is a good chance you've found an animal seeking shelter. These little patches of shade are highly contested so once an animal finds itself shielded from the sun, it takes a lot to make it leave.
On several occasions, we were able to walk right up to animals sheltered amongst the shaded patches of the rocks. Despite wanting to run, they would rather endure whatever fate we had to offer them then lose their valuable defense from the sunlight. Every animal in this desert was faced with the same difficult conundrum: leave shelter or starve, and many decided they weren’t going to leave their shade for anything
One animal we came across found a curious loophole in this quandary. Instead of leaving its shade rock to find food, it evolved a way to carry shelter with it. It is labeled as the Goliath Rock Worm, despite being neither a worm nor a rock. It collects large chunks of sandstone and stacks them onto its back creating a mobile cave that it can duck into at any time to escape the sun.
It may not look like it, but it's actually in the split limb family of notoclades. Its 8 limbs secrete a sticky mucus which then coats a thick layer of pycnofibers at the extremities. This mucus is very good at picking up sand particles, which get coated in mucus themselves, creating bigger and bigger sand lumps. As they grow, the pycnofibers grow with them, becoming the wattle to the ever growing lumps of sandy daub on these animals' backs. This shelter, plus the added defensive and camouflage, keep the worm safe as it grows, where it can reach anywhere from ten to twelve feet in length and can carry up to five times its body weight in sand on its back.
They grow to their massive size by filtering food particles out of sand. The deserts of Atria are full of dried out polyp buds waiting for the rains, fallen crab-bugs, dried up algae that blew too far from home, and more. They scoop up a mouthful of sand and sift out the seeds and debris, leaving behind a trail of clean sand in an iconic switchback pattern. And it is always eating. You can tell from this trail they leave behind that they spend their whole day crawling across the desert, sweeping their vacuum like head back and forth across the sand, scavenging for any morsels that fit in their mouths.
Despite their relatively solitary nature, these animals are seldom found alone. Their size, and much needed shelter, turn them into entire ecosystems here in the desert. Furthermore, they're always on the move and so many animals use them as a slow moving transport service across the dunes. We found more than twenty wholly different species all living amongst the cracks and crevices of the rock worm's shelter. Beetles flitting around its head, small reptile-like animals basking on the highest sandstone point, tiny desert rays stuck to the underside of the rocks, even smaller desert lockwings built nests in the deep rocky groves.
Deserts are far from lifeless. The lives of the animals that live here are hard ones, but the way species adapt to the hardships always produces something beautiful. Sadly, these environments are still so fragile. Without this one specific rock worm, hundreds of other animals that depend on it would be stranded with no shelter. Imagine the damage that could be caused by removing an entire species. That's why what we're doing is so important; That's why we need a sample from everything. We don't know the ripple effects that would impact all of Atrian life if even one thread in the tapestry of life goes missing.
[End Transcription]
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Stressing laissez-faire economics at the expense of ultra-nationalism, the two young leaders of Confederation have made the far-right alliance popular enough to be the probable ‘kingmaker’ in October’s parliamentary election.
Dressed in a perfectly pressed white shirt that almost glows under the neon lights, 36-year-old Slawomir Mentzen, the most popular of the two young leaders of the far-right Confederation (Konfederacja) alliance, is pacing up and down at the side of the stage rehearsing his upcoming speech.
Taking place on August 18 in an exhibition hall in Kielce, a town of 180,000 in southern Poland, this is the first event in an election campaign (dubbed “concert tour”) that the two leaders of Confederation, Mentzen and 41-year-old Krzysztof Bosak, are planning to keep up until the general election set for October 15.
As multiple speakers take their turn on stage, the audience keeps an eye on the pacing Mentzen – he is without doubt the star of the night. Mentzen has built his popularity largely on social media: in January, his posts on TikTok garnered a staggering 40 million views, compared with just 5 million for the politician in second place, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, an older politician also from Mentzen’s party.
When Mentzen’s turn comes, he doesn’t disappoint. His speech can be better described as stand-up comedy, with self-deprecating images or memes about his political rivals projected on a large screen behind him as he cracks joke after joke. The audience, made up primarily of young and middle-aged men (though there are some women in the hall), is visibly excited, laughing out loud with each snarky remark.
Mentzen, a tax adviser and craft beer producer, advocates for radical cuts in tax and social security contributions, and an associated reduction in the size of the welfare system. At one point during the evening, he pulls out a thick stack of 10,000 pages on which he says is printed the text of all Polish laws setting out taxes on companies, and then tosses them into the air in a grand gesture.
“If you work hard, then you will be free,” Mentzen tells his audience, describing his vision of the future. “Rather than depend on bureaucrats, you will be free and dignified. This is a beautiful idea.”
Support for Confederation entered double digits at the turn of 2023, and by the beginning of summer the alliance, which is made up of three different extremist parties, was polling around 14 per cent. Because of Poland’s particular form of proportional representation (the d’Hondt method) and the overall balance of power between the governing Law and Justice (PiS) and the liberal opposition, Confederation could find itself in the position of ‘kingmaker’ after the election. Both PiS and Civic Platform are reported to be considering adding MPs from Confederation if that is what it would take to form a governing majority.
Given how close the alliance is now to power, some observers say it’s important to emphasise that Confederation is still very much a radical far-right political force, despite the ‘civilised’ face adopted by its young leaders. And one of the areas where Confederation in government could have its biggest impact is Poland’s unwavering support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
‘Gays’ over taxes
Mentzen and Bosak used their respective speeches in Kielce to talk mostly about economics and system change; they presented Confederation as a third party challenging the political status quo that is dominated by PiS and Civic Platform. Yet, from time to time, they let slip phrases that, like a nod and a wink to the audience, betrayed their ultra-Catholic and ultra-nationalistic values.
“I prefer even gays to taxes,” Menzen said after explaining some tax reform he would introduce that would collaterally benefit unmarried people too.
“I am not racist or xenophobic,” Bosak said in turn, “but it cannot be that after one week of living in Poland one gets the same rights and privileges as Polish people who have lived here for generations.”
Bosak began his political career over 20 years ago in All-Polish Youth, an ultranationalist group, and now leads the National Movement, an alliance of nationalist and ultra-Catholic groups which co-organises the annual Independence Day march on November 11, at which anti-Semitic and racist slogans are the norm.
His wife works for the ultra-Catholic organisation Ordo Iuris, which spearheads attempts to restrict reproductive and LGBT rights in Poland.
Mentzen is newer to politics. He sparked controversy in 2019 during the campaign for the European Parliament when he described the five objectives of his group: “We don’t want Jews, homosexuals, abortions, taxes and the European Union.”
Mentzen defended himself by claiming his words had been taken out of context, as he was merely explaining what would theoretically work to garner support. However, numerous statements made by Confederation members, widely available online, show that these are indeed key topics for Menzen’s political movement.
Rafal Pankowski, head of the Never Again anti-racism group in Poland, told BIRN it would be a mistake to judge Confederation by the tamer type of discourse that Mentzen and Bosak have indulged in lately. Pankowski said the Confederation electoral list is full of “known hardcore extremists”, pointing out the key role in the far-right alliance of two notorious politicians, Grzegorz Braun and Janusz Korwin-Mikke.
Braun heads the Confederation of the Polish Crown, one of the three parties in the far-right Confederation alliance in addition to Mentzen’s New Hope and Bosak’s National Movement. As BIRN has previously reported, Braun is known for opposing the opening of Poland’s border to Ukrainian refugees at the start of the war and expressing support for vigilantes who attacked non-white refugees from Ukraine on the streets of the border town Przemysl in early March 2022. He has also been central to the Polish anti-vax movement.
Korwin-Mikke, who was formally replaced as leader of New Hope by Mentzen but is still active in campaigning for the party, is described by Pankowski as “the politician with the longest record of making outrageous statements about every minority and in praise of Vladimir Putin”.
War weary
Despite a majority of Poles maintaining support for Ukraine and its refugees, anti-Ukrainian feelings could still prove to be a trump card for Confederation in the upcoming election.
Among those attending the Kielce event interviewed by BIRN, most said they were there because they shared the economic or worldview goals of the two leaders. Yet some expressed interest in a separate issue.
“Confederation is the only party in Poland to have a different position on the war in Ukraine,” 21-year-old Tomasz told BIRN. “I count on an open discussion today to be able to ask questions about this. I think we should be watching out for our own interests and stay neutral in relation to the war in Ukraine.”
Some studies and commentators have noted a sense of gradually rising fatigue in Polish society with helping Ukrainian refugees and supporting the war effort. And provocations from Russia and Belarus, such as the two Belarusian military helicopters crossing into Polish air space in August, are aimed at accentuating that trend. Confederation is well positioned to take advantage if that happens.
“Confederation made a decision early on to hold an anti-Ukrainian refugee position, which at the start cost them a lot, as their support was at below 5 per cent,” Pankowski explained. “But it may have been a clever decision to play a long-term game and they are now reaping the benefits.”
“Confederation plays a role in accentuating anti-Ukrainian feeling and is benefiting from that,” he added.
Katarzyna Zimolag, who is running for parliament on the Confederation list, denied that her party was anti-Ukrainian. However, the politician told BIRN that the support Poland has provided to Ukraine should be reassessed, as the economic situation in Poland means Poles are struggling too and their needs need to be put first.
When asked what could be the policy implications of having Confederation in government, Pankowski replied it was hard to say, as Poland is already ruled by a party with very right-wing views, even if there’s always room for more.
“Confederation in government could really have a negative impact on how comfortable Ukrainian refugees feel in this country and could also undermine Poland’s overall support for Ukraine,” he said.
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The discord server voted for meet the stuffed animal(kind of, it was a big tie) so here we are! In trying to take pictures for this I ended up with three separate days worth of material, so there'll be more stuff from this photo session next week and the week after!
Meeting Exxa! My crocheted Centaur stuffed animal. She has 1 white foot because I wanted to give her one white foot. Her tail is also white and brown streaked! Kitsune, Cosmic, Isolotl, Axo, Ace, and Squishy had to stack up high just to try and get vaguely level with her. Too bad they're so smol. (They had to be stabbed onto toothpicks to get them to balance like that, trying to stack small not at all flat things is hard without internal support. Don't worry, they're all okay, they don't have internal organs)
Whoops they fell over, oh no.
Meeting my look-alike doll Alexis and my mom's doll Clara! Aren't their couches cute? Both of them have numerous clothing choices, but aren't their current outfits adorable?
Kitsune over here getting awfully close to Clara's face, Squishy intruding on her lap, Axo on the back of the sofa, and Ace sitting like a reasonable isopod. Cosmic's investigating the books on the table, and Isolotl is happily sitting in Alexis' lap.
A lil close up shot of Isolotl and Alexis! (Note on this one, I had to basically tie Alexis to the chair so she'd stay sitting like that and not straighten out like she wanted to. Clara didn't have this problem because she has a wire skeleton)
Closer up shot on Clara and the other lil isopods. Note the detail that's nigh impossible to see on the books and just pretend they look really cool, because they do. They're home-made tiny books too, mind you.
Clara was trying to put the blanket *on* one of them, but it seems Axo and Ace have misunderstood and now Axo is ontop of the blanket, and Ace has moved to ontop of the couch.
This is Kaiju! He's a close cousin of these little tiny isopods. I do have another couple isopod sizes, but this is the most dramatic size difference. Kitsune and Squishy of course have no fear and have hopped up ontop, while the others look on in some worry. (Fun fact here is that Kaiju isn't for sale because of his size! Big yarn comes in large skeins, yes, but there's a lot less yarn in those skeins. So while he doesn't use much more yarn then the lil guys, compared to how much yarn is in a skein, he does use more. Also trying to make him made my hands hurt, so that's also no bueno)
Another friend! This is a seal I got from a zoo gift shop. Isn't it cute? It's a very good cuddle buddy as demonstrated by Axo and Isolotl under its fins, and Kitsune and Squishy balanced precariously on its head. Ace and Cosmic are reasonably a bit more cautious.
Having fun using the seal's back as a slide! Who knew seals made such good slides? First picture has Isolotl at the seal's head while Kitsune is at the bottom fins, second pic has Isolotl in the process of going down the back, while the third and fourth pictures have Ace on the head and Isolotl getting to the bottom.
Also from zoo gift shops, although from different ones, we have Emperor and CT! Emperor is an emperor penguin chick, and CT is a black-footed penguin by design but is named after a humboldt penguin in the zoo I got him from, also named CT. The penguin he was named after was such a hoot to watch and really enjoyed the tassle on the end of my pen. It was really funny and adorable.
Finally, we have my Waddles family! Yes I have three Waddles, all in different sizes. No regrets. The smallest Waddles in the middle is actually well over a decade old, I got em back when I was very little while I was taking piano lessons. The clip on its head has long since broken off, but that's alright. If you'll note the eyes aren't sparkly, that really notes how old these beanie boos are lol. First picture is the three isopods lined up in front of the three Waddles, the largest one on the right, medium on the left, and the smallest one in front. Second picture has Squishy ontop of the medium one's head, Kitsune on the biggest one's head, and the other four in a row on the bottom going Axo, Cosmic, Ace, and Isolotl.
#Includes Not Isopods#crochet isopods#kitsune#squishy#shenanigans of the highest order#shenanigans#Axo#Ace#Isolotl#Cosmic#CT#Emperor#Exxa#Clara#Alexis#Seal#Waddles
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Stylish engagement rings in Toronto: The latest trends and classic designs
You can find a lot of beautiful and stylish engagement rings in Toronto. There are many different kinds of diamonds and styles of bands that you can choose from. These designs range from vintage styles to stacked style and salt-and-pepper diamonds. Experience the art of custom jewellery design at Serli & Siroan. Request a consultation now and take the first step towards the perfect engagement ring.
Moissanite
Moissanite engagement rings are a beautiful and elegant piece of jewelry that will provide a lot of sparkle without the high price tag. They are also very durable and can be worn daily.
Moistsanite was first discovered as a gemstone naturally in 1893. However, it was not until 1998 that a patent was issued by Charles & Colvard for the production of moissanite. This made it possible to produce a gem that is nearly colourless, as well as durable.
Moissanite is an extremely hard stone. It is only second to diamond on the Moh's hardness scale. The process of making a single stone can take two to three months.
The moissanite process involves extreme heat and pressure. As a result, it is very difficult to scratch the stone. Although it is not as hard as diamond, it is still more durable than other stones.
Stacked-style rings
If you are considering getting married this holiday season, consider stacking your rings. Stacked style rings are the newest rage in jewelry. There are many ways to design a stack, and they can tell a story of your love.
One of the best ways to create a stacked look is to wear fewer rings. The trick is to choose the right bands to balance each other out. This can be achieved by choosing different metals, shapes, and profiles.
One of the best ring stacking tips is to get an engagement ring with a raised mounting. This will help your rings sit flush and allow for a more streamlined stack.
Another good tip is to try on a stack in person. Rings can come in all shapes and sizes, and you might be able to find a stack to fit your particular needs.
Cognac diamonds
If you're looking for the perfect diamond to wear as an engagement ring, you may want to consider purchasing a cognac diamond. These diamonds come in a variety of colors, making them ideal for any ring.
When choosing a diamond, it's important to keep in mind the quality of the cut and the type of metal used. You'll also need to find a stone that's certified. A certified diamond is one that has been tested and verified by an established gemological institution.
In addition to the clarity of the diamond, you should also look into the origin of the color. Purchasing a GIA certificate is a way to get accurate grading information.
Cognac to champagne diamonds are increasingly popular, and many consumers are seeking out these fancy colored stones. Champagne diamonds are light to medium brown in colour, and they are primarily created by nitrogen impurities. They can be quite expensive, though.
Salt-and-pepper diamonds
Salt and pepper diamond engagement rings are a great choice for couples on a budget. They are less expensive than traditional white diamonds and also have a unique look and personality.
Salt and pepper diamonds are a relatively new option for engagement rings. These stones have gained a lot of popularity over the last five years. Many women like the unique characteristics of these stones.
These diamonds come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and cuts. Some of the most common cuts for salt and pepper diamonds are rose, marquise, and step cuts. The price for these rings depends on the designer, the gemstone size, and the amount of gold in the setting.
The cut of the stone plays a big part in enhancing its beauty. Fancy cuts can make these diamonds even more eye-catching. However, these stones will lose their brilliance if they have a lot of inclusions.
Vintage wedding bands
Vintage engagement rings are a popular choice. They can be a beautiful, resilient and unique option, as well as a great everyday piece of jewellery. It's also more environmentally friendly than buying a new ring.
The best vintage engagement rings combine aspects from a couple of different eras. For example, Edwardian jewelry was characterized by curved lines, feminine images and colored stones. On the other hand, Retro era engagement rings were simpler with diamonds and bezel settings.
Another common vintage engagement ring design is a marquise-shaped diamond. This shape provides a beautiful elongating effect on the finger.
Another trend is the use of diamonds in a cluster. In this design, smaller diamonds are set around the center stone.
Another popular vintage engagement ring is the Victorian antique style, which incorporates a crown-like halo of diamonds. Rose and silvery diamonds pair beautifully with this design.
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Will burn for mac copy and burn protected dvd
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD HOW TO
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD FOR MAC
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD 1080P
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD MP4
Insert a blank DVD, and a message will pop up.Ĥ. Click the Share button and export it to iTunes.ģ.
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD MP4
In addition to using iMovie to edit your videos, you can also use it to burn videos in MP4 or any other supported format to DVD.ĭuring the process, you can also edit your MP4 video and choose a DVD theme that you like.Ģ.
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD FOR MAC
iMovieĭeveloped by Apple Inc., iMovie is a video editing software app available for Mac and iOS devices. 6 Alternative Methods to Burn MP4 to DVD on Mac Method 1. Once it finished, you will have a DVD, which you can use for gift sending or playing on your home DVD player. The amount of time depends on computer hardware and the size of the MP4 videos. Edit the MP4 videos and choose a menu if necessaryġ) Click the icon, and go to edit your MP4 videos by trimming, cropping, rotating or adding sorts of effects.Ģ) Choose a menu template that is suitable for your DVD, and you can also choose as no menu.Ĭlick the icon to preview if the videos meet your needs.ġ) Click the button > select the output format from DVD Disc, DVD Folder, and ISO File > adjust the DVD settings.Ģ) Start the MP4 to DVD burning process. This MP4 to DVD burner for Mac supports burn video files in batch, so you can add as many files as you need. (If your Mac doesn't have a DVD drive, connect an USB DVD drive to the Mac)ġ) Launch the software, and click the icon- the second tab to switch to the burning interface.Ģ) Drag and drop your MP4 files to it. Install the software on Macġ) Download iFunia DVD Burner and install it.Ģ) Go grab that stack of blank discs you have, insert it to the DVD drive and pull up a chair. How to Burn MP4 to DVD on Mac with the Best DVD Burner: Step 1.
Convert videos to virtually any format.
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD 1080P
Download 1080P & 4K videos from YouTube, Vimeo, dailymotion, and 1000+ video sharing sites.
Comes with a variety of DVD menu templates, which comes in handy if you're creating DVDs as a holiday gift.
Make DVDs taken by iPhone, iPad, Samsung, camcorders, etc.
Edit and personalize videos by trimming, cropping, merging, adding watermark, subtitles, menu, etc.
Burn any types of videos to DVD smoothly and without losing quality.
To offer an all-in-one solution, we’d suggest you to use iFunia DVD burner (also named Video Converter) for the entire MP4 to DVD Mac process, attributing to its powerful features:įree Download iFunia DVD Burner for Mac Now > When hunting for the best software to burn MP4 to DVD Mac, it’s important to find one that’s reliable and able to retain the quality of the original video. Some of them are thine in their simplicity, others stand out with a huge feature set. We have taken a look at a range of different MP4 to DVD burners for Mac, along with those bundled with your machine already. Burn MP4 to DVD with the Best DVD Authoring Software for Mac DVD is a very good way to send and preserve your favorite video clips forever. That burning MP4 to DVD Mac will greatly reduce the burden of your hard drive.Ĥ. Most digital files especially videos recorded by camcorder are very large, and require big memory. DVDs are easier to store than digital file, so you won’t have to worry the computer crash or disk damage.ģ. Burn the MP4 files to DVD discs as a holiday gift.Ģ.
WILL BURN FOR MAC COPY AND BURN PROTECTED DVD HOW TO
Below, I will show you how to burn MP4 to DVD on Mac, with all the things you desire to know provided.ġ. Luckily, this is not the end to create DVD from MP4 on macOS Catalina, (High) Sierra, El Capitan, etc. To burn MP4 to playable DVD on Mac, you should convert MP4 to DVD (the QuickTime video format for Mac) at first and then burn DVD with iDVD, iMovie or other similar applications.īut iDVD has stopped developed since Mac Lion, and as for iMovie, you must take time to learn how to use this complicated application. However, the built-in “Burn to Disc” feature will result in a data disc (no standard-conform video-DVD), which will play on Mac but not in a DVD or Blu-Ray player. If you just need to save some space on your Mac, you can put the MP4 video into a folder > right-click it > choose the option to burn your folder to disk. burn MP4 to DVD on Mac) gradually becomes outdated, it’s still a necessary function for certain people.
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The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
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The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
0 notes
Text
The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
0 notes
Text
The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
0 notes
Text
The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
#túi_giấy_epacking_việt_nam #túi_giấy_epacking #in_túi_giấy_giá_rẻ #in_túi_giấy #epackingvietnam #tuigiayepacking
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Text
The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
0 notes
Text
The Link-Earning Stack Every SEO Should Strive For
Being an SEO, you can’t go a day without hearing about links: “Links are crucial!” or “Prioritize links!” or “Links are the nourishing lifeblood of the almighty algorithm!”
But for those of us who’ve taken the next step to actually figure out how to earn said links, we realize it’s not that straightforward.
It’s hard to sum up all of that in the tweets and LinkedIn posts that get shared about link earning, because the truth is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all link earning approach or vendor. You need a link earning “stack” that appropriately reflects the complexity of your marketing and content goals.
In an ideal world, here’s what that stack would look like. (Hat tip to Paul Zalewski, SVP of Marketing at Verblio, who gave me the idea for this breakdown!)
Passive link earning
Objective: Set up a foundation for link earning with lower effort over time
Content needed: A “linkable content” asset (this is key)
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to acquire the first one or two links, to help the page initially rank
Passive link earning is any content you can create that will naturally earn links over time without having to actively promote it on an ongoing basis. These pieces are designed to carry their weight in earning links without much active promotion (which is what separates it from the next category, post-specific link earning). They’re often not directly tied to your product or service, though if they are, that’s certainly a bonus.
When SEO teams can collaborate with content teams on creating “linkable content,” passive link earning magic can happen.
Some common examples of linkable content include:
Statistics-based or definition-focused posts: People are always looking for stats to cite or definitions to link to.
Tools or other interactive resources: If they’re useful, folks love to share them!
“Best”/”Top” posts or annual reports: People like to reference lists they’re on or share lists that are interesting, valuable compilations.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media Studios is excellent at this strategy.
This post presents new data points around blogging, and it’s earned 2,761 linking domains! How? Because there are so many blog posts about blogging (meta) that want to include statistics relevant to the point they’re trying to make — and Andy is providing them.
Here’s an example of an Alexa blog post citing a data point from the Orbit Media piece:
If you want to dive into this link-earning type more, I recommend reaching out to either Andy or Alex Heinz, who I just saw give an awesome presentation on this very topic.
Targeted link earning
Objective: Help elevate a particular, valuable post in the SERPs
Content needed: N/A — the post you want to boost already exists
Promotion needed: Manual outreach and promotion to more niche sites
You write a piece of content and you know it’s killer, but you want an initial boost to elevate it on page one.
You probably want to build credibility to that page by earning a link or two that will help demonstrate its value.
This is post-specific link earning. It usually involves highly tailored outreach in which you pitch sites to link back to your post. While it’s often a pretty manual effort, even a couple of links can make a huge difference.
I’m going to use Golden Thread Tarot as an example. I do not work with or for them, so I can’t confirm they did any manual outreach. But this example still illustrates my point. Also, tarot reading is my newest obsession.
Their page on how to read tarot ranks in positions 1-3 for highly relevant terms:
This is a great example of a page that should be prioritized for targeted link earning so they can continue to maintain their positions. Why? Because people searching to learn more about reading tarot are the perfect potential customers for their tarot deck and app. Notice how the page has plenty of calls-to-action.
Obviously ranking for “money pages” won’t always be easy, especially for higher-volume terms with greater competition. But if you’re truly creating the best content in response to the searcher’s intent, a couple of links can give you a boost.
There is some overlap between targeted link earning and passive link earning, but the primary difference is that in the former, you’re designing a piece of content from scratch with the sole purpose of building links. The latter is link outreach you conduct in order to boost a page that’s important to your audience acquisition and conversions.
Site authority link earning
Objective: Improve the overall authority of your site/brand
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
A rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, the boats are your specific pages of content, and the rising tide is your site’s domain authority.
If your site and brand are deemed authoritative, it increases the chances that your individual pieces of content will be considered authoritative, as well.
I’ll use one of our brand partners, Sidecar Health, as an example. We’ve been creating newsworthy stories on their behalf and distributing them through the Stacker newswire since December, and Sidecar Health’s domain authority has increased by four in a few months.
The strategy is to create top-of-the-funnel, newsworthy content that authoritative news publications would be interested in running. That way we can earn links/canonicals that demonstrate that the brand is producing valuable content.
Our first story for them was about rural hospital closures across the country. It earned 300+ pickups on sites like MSN, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, and more.
When you earn this type of link equity to your site, you can then leverage internal linking to distribute that equity to pages that are important to your SEO goals. In using this strategy for just a few months, Sidecar Health has seen a 77% increase in keywords in positions 1-3 in the SERPs.
This type of link earning is often the missing piece for brands who have found that their on-site content is top-notch, but their traffic is plateauing anyway.
Niche link earning
Objective: Earn more relevant authority in your specific niche
Content Needed: Original reporting and/or newsworthy data
Promotion Needed: Pitching journalists or setting up syndication relationships
You can view niche link earning as a spinoff of site authority link earning. Niche link earning just focuses on a lower DA and higher relevance.
I’ve been talking a lot about authority in this piece, and for good reason: it’s one of the most important aspects and benefits of earning links.
But relevance is a piece of the puzzle as well. You don’t want to be earning links that have nothing to do with your brand, even if you’re taking a tangential approach mentioned in the previous section.
It’s good to supplement your general link earning strategy by ensuring you’re earning links from more relevant sites, that are specifically aligned with your brand offering.
To continue the Sidecar Health example, in addition to the links we’ve earned for them, their backlink profile includes links from sites like Verywell Health and Healthline as well as even more niche sites like Health Care Business Today and Electronic Health Reporter.
If you’re finding that you’re not naturally earning links from respected sites in your industry, it’s certainly worth trying to pitch them on your content or build syndication partnerships with them.
A well-rounded link earning strategy
Any one of these link-earning strategies can help move the needle for your organic growth, especially if you’re just getting started.
However, as you mature your program, you’ll need all of these strategies in order to grow sustainably and consistently. The trick becomes understanding how to implement these strategies — whether in-house or outsourcing. A common approach I see is having an internal team that focuses on post-specific and niche link earning while hiring outside help with passive and brand authority linking.
Whatever you try, remember to consistently check that you have your bases covered so you achieve the organic traffic growth you’re aiming for.
0 notes
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