We have tried to keep our Alpha users and the other readers of this blog posted on our progress toward releasing a Beta version of our My.ComMetrics.com blog benchmarking tool.

Things are coming along nicely and the Beta release is just around the corner. In the meantime, we have opened a Twitter account to keep our users informed about:

- new features, and
- progress

So far we have succeeded in keeping the number of tweets down to one or two each week, as promised in one of our early tweets:

MyComMetrics: Dear, reminder, this account keeps you POSTED about software releases/changes on http://My.ComMetrics.com 1or 2 tweets each week #tools2watch

Almost two months have passed since that message was posted and the account is enjoying a steady growth of followers.

My.ComMetrics.com bio on Twitter

Usually the messages we send out look something like the examples listed below. They focus on the web-based software, including providing links to new features or showing screen-shots of the results:

MyComMetrics: Simplified our offerings, 3 service levels is what we offer,still FREE for testers http://howto.commetrics.com… #tools2watch
MyComMetrics: Fixed the descriptions and the sign up procedure so people have an easier time to understand http://short.to/ke2 #tools2watch #smMetrics
MyComMetrics: NOW change profile,get alerts when stats change & start benchmarking against YOUR blog => view image => http://snipr.com/abycz #tools2watch
MyComMetrics: UPDATE | login | http://My.ComMetrics.com | click Profile http://ad.vu/9x4t | change info & customise ALERTS http://ad.vu/9x4t #tools2watch
MyComMetrics: UPDATE | login | http://My.ComMetrics.com | click Profile| blog rankings & key metrics change | get ALERT http://ad.vu/rd73 | #tools2watch

Exclusive Newsletter for Subscribers
Our monthly newsletter appears every four to six weeks, something which associates and Alpha testers are automatically subscribed to receive. It keeps people informed about the most important stuff and alerts them to developments in the blogosphere that might make a splash.

The first issue was: This Month in Blogging Effectiveness – January 20, 2009

The next one will be coming your way soon: This Month in Blogging Effectiveness – February 26 2009 (watch your inbox for it!)

Why we love our Alpha users
We believe that Alpha users are special people; they test our tools and provide us with extremely valuable feedback about how it works.

In return, our Alpha users deserve special treatment, which means that they get the full experience without paying a cent. Even better, people who are Alpha users, AND actively use the tool get a free subscription when we release Beta version 1.0 sometime this Spring. In order to qualify for the freebie, you need to complete a free Alpha-user registration and start testing our tool as much as possible. Why? Because it will help you increase the bang you get for your buck when you blog. We are in the process of packing more oomph into our tool. In turn, this will allow you to track various blogs and see what works and what fails. And that’s just the start.

Various subscription plans on offer – See how they work
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Here’s what I’m suggesting for today. Please register yourself for free or pass on this link to some of your friends so they can benchmark themselves – to get better. Once we release Beta things will change, except for Alpha users: they get a free ride. C’est la vie.

Enough about what I think and feel, what is your take? Share your thoughts below; they are what matter most.
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