Business Blogging - How to Build A Better Blog

Chitika eMiniMalls

Here's another source for you to monetize your blog -- a hot new advertising network called Chitika eMiniMalls.  You have to apply to be accepted into their advertising network.  It may take a few days to get approval.

I got approved yesterday and this morning I've set up some Chitika eMiniMalls on this blog and my new personal blog at Slim People in Progress.  As you know I like to test new stuff so I'll see how this pans out for me.  So far Blogads has done the best for me as far as earning revenue, but I hear that Chitika does very well, especially if you have a product oriented blog (by product I mean physical products like gadgets, cookware, pet stuff, etc., not digital products and services).

Anyone like to share their experience with Chitika to date?

If you want to learn more about making money from your blog, check out Michael Pollock's ClamBlogger.

Six Figure Blogging with Andy Wibbels

Andy Wibbels of EasyBake Weblogs fame, is putting the finishing touches on his Six Figure Blogging home study course.  It's based on the live program he and Darren Rowse of ProBlogger presented a couple of months ago to wide acclaim.  Apparently 1000 people signed up for the intro call alone.

I have not personally attended this program, though I heard rave reviews.  You can check out the free audio from the intro call and decide for yourself.  The Six Figure Blogging Course will be available for a 25% discount from November 28 to December 2.

If you attended the course and have feedback, testimonials or comments, please leave a comment here so others can benefit. Thanks!

Checking on Your Stats

Every week we get a SiteMeter report on how many visitors each blog gets. You should be monitoring this for your own blogs, of course. Why? It tells you if you are going somewhere ... or not.

For example, here are this week's stats on visitors to this blog:

Visits
            Total ....................... 16,332            

            Average per Day ................. 78            
            Average Visit Length .......... 2:30            

            This Week ...................... 547   

If you keep the emails from Site Meter in a folder, then you can go back six months or more, and see right away if your traffic is growing.

If it's not, then it may be time to re-think the time and energy you place into the blog. For example, my www.bizbooknuggets.com  blog was not getting very good traffic. So I've started a partnership with some book reviewers who run a virtual book club once a month. This will add fresh content and build readership.

When you track your traffic, you get a reading on what works and what doesn't.

Why Write a Blog?

Rich Ord asks this provocative question in his article on WebProNews.

And it's the first question you should ask yourself before starting a business blog. When we work with clients, we have them fill out an extensive questionnaire and worksheet before we set up their blog.  We want them to be sure they know what they're getting into! :-)  Here are the first 4 questions we ask:

1. Examine the reasons why you want to publish a blog:
a. What are your 3 higher purpose reasons?  What is the real purpose of your business?
b. What are the 3 business objectives for your blog?

2. Who is your ideal reader?
Who are you writing to/for? Who is your ideal client? Describe three.

3. How do you want your readers to feel when they read your blog?
a. List three emotions you would like to inspire in your readers:
b. What do you want your readers to DO when they read your blog?

4. How much time do you have to devote to your blog each week?   

_____________ hours per week (include reading, research and posting)

The last question is pretty darn important.  If you don't have the time or the inclination to write and use your blog as one of your marketing tools, then absolutely do not start a blog.  It will be a big waste of time.

What do you think? Why start a business blog?

1ShoppingCart.com Features The Blog Squad

Wow!  The Blog Squad strikes again.  Shop Talk, the online newsletter for 1ShoppingCart and their many private label systems, features us and the Build a Better Blog ebook in their November newsletter's Merchant Spotlight.

This past Wednesday we interviewed Martin Wales, VP at 1ShoppingCart about the powerful automated shopping cart/marketing system.  Then he turns around and features us in their newsletter. Very cool.  Thanks, Martin! 

P.S.  Check out Martin's other business, Customer Catcher and sign up for his marketing tips.  He's good.

Blog Squad Interviewed by The Coaching Insider

During last week's International Coach Federation's 10th Annual Conference, your's truly -- The Blog Squad, was interviewed by Ken Winston Caine of The Coaching Insider.  You can check out The Blog Squad intereview here.

TypePad TrackBack Update

Yesterday I was working with colleague Adam Urbanski clarifying how TrackBacks work.  We attempted to do a couple of test posts using TrackBacks and it wasn't working.  I opened a support ticket with Typepad and here's our exchange:

It seems that TrackBacks are not working. I have been trying to show a client how it works and after pasting a TrackBack from a post into the field in the Compose a post page, it says it's pinging, but the TrackBack is not showing up. Is there a long lag time?

Hi Denise,

In order for a TrackBack to go through successfully, you should also include the Permalink for the post you're pinging in the body of your post.

So, as an example from your blog, I'd include the Permalink in the body of my Post, like this one:
http://nextlevelpartner.typepad.com/nxtlvl/2005/11/google_search_r.html

And then add the TrackBack URL in the Ping field:
http://www.typepad.com/t/TrackBack/3678776

Please let us know if you have questions.

Well, I've been using Typepad for over a year and never knew that the only way for a TrackBack to work was to include the permalink. Is this the case when tracking back to non-Typepad blogs as well?

Hi Denise,

This was a recent change, it was done to help fight TrackBack spam. You would want to do the same for non-TypePad blogs as well.

Blog Comment Spam

Want to know more about blog comment spam?  Here's an excellent post on why you must avoid automated blog commenting software, AND why it's such a good idea to take the time read other blogs and post legitimate comments on related blogs to drive more traffic to your blog.

Really Simple RSS Guide from Yahoo

Yahoo, this whole RSS thing is getting really simple!

Most people are curious about RSS, especially when they hear it's a way to feed messages and info to people's desktop without going through email. But only a small percentage (10-12%?) of people are savvy enough to be early adopters and actually use this so-called high-tech tool.

Now Yahoo is making it really simple to understand and use. If you're like me, you can skip the understanding of how and why it works, just start using it and you'll see.

My favorite and most simple way of using it? I set up My Yahoo as my default internet page, and then add blogs to it by a simple click or two. When I open up my internet connection, I get the up to minute news, the movies, the tennis results...and my favorite blog summaries when they have been posted. Beats having to surf to find... Here's more info on this:

Yahoo Releases Publisher's Guide to RSS

One way to get quickly indexed by Yahoo, is submitting an RSS feed to them. If you're still a little fuzzy on how this whole RSS thing works, Yahoo has released a guide Publisher's Guide to RSS to bring you up to speed.

Blog Squad picks a winner!

Last week Patsi and I attended the International Coach Federation's 10th Annual Conference in San Jose, CA.  We didn't actually attend the sessions -- we had an exhibitor booth where we were touting the benefits of blogging for coaches.  At the booth we were collecting business cards for a drawing to give away a free blog set up and training to one lucky coach.

We have a winner!  In a random drawing from the business cards we collected we drew David Brownstein's card.  David is a personal and professional coach in Hollywood, CA.  David bills himself as a Career Coach for the Entertainment Industry and he is ICF certified.  Check out his website at www.hollywoodcoaching.com

Congratulations David!  We look forward to working with you.