Business Blogging - How to Build A Better Blog

Financial CEO Creates a Savvy Blog

The Blog Squad is proud to announce Chris Mercer's blog MerceronValue.com, with whom we are doing some improvement consulting.

This is a blog about financial matters, and in particular, is the blog of a savvy CEO expert in business valuations and investment banking. Now those are two areas that baffle me, but Chris writes with clarity and makes those topics interesting even for the ignorant or ill-informed.

Chris is a prolific writer and also has two books in his specialty niche. We recommend a visit to Mercer on Value, to read the wide variety of topics that includes categories such as Blogs and Blogging, Books and Book Reviews, Building Business Value, Buy-Sell Agreements, Personal Success, Valuation Standards, Values, and Marketing.

Here's a great post about setting up Google Reader that makes the process seamless.

Blog on, Chris!

BBS: 10 Ways to a Killer Blog

What follows are my UNEDITED notes from Robert and Maryam Scoble's presentation on 10 Ways to a Killer Blog.  They actually overdelivered and gave 15 tips.  When I'm able to, I will clean up and edit the list.

10 Ways to a Killer Blog
Getting noticed in the word of mouth network

1.    Blog because you want to; can give you power beyond belief; blog what you like and care about; passion keeps you going long term.

2.    Read other blogs; pay attention and figure out what you like, what style you like; talk back with bloggers; brings out a feeling of community and bond like no other for personal and professional support; become an authority on your topic in your marketplace

3.    Pick a niche you can own – be different; it’s a google world; the search bar is the interface to the world; everyone comes through the search field. If that’s the case how to they find you.  Searches are generally 1-3 words; focus on specific niche; The London Underground (example)

Boomers Are Making a Difference - New Blog Launch

The Blog Squad and Linda Franklin announce the successful launch of her blog for boomers, High-Yield Living for Boomers, at www.boomersmakingadifference.com.

Here's what Linda offers: "High-Yield Living is a lifestyle choice. It's knowing how to get the maximum rewards for your time and effort. High-Yield Living for Boomers is a program that gives you all the tools you'll ever need to counteract the effects of reverse puberty.  It's a rejuventating blend of cutting edge information and ageless inspiration."

Linda Franklin started this blog to help all boomers deal successfully with the many challenges facing our generation.  The Boomer Program targets 5 areas we're struggling with the most - health, beauty, relationships, finance and spirituality.

Wow, that's a lot of relevant material, if you are anywhere near the age zone we're talking about here. Who couldn't use some relevant information on health, beauty, relationships and finances? Actually, just the thought of it all makes me more spiritual...(I start praying like mad)!

Blog Business Summit Day 2

I've decided to skip the early breakfast session this morning since it's on how to use RSS feed to monitor the web.  There were a couple of sessions yesterday that focused on feeds so I'm going to use the time to catch up on a couple of other things. 

I'll definitely be at the opening keynote about Branding in the Age of YouTube.  After that is a session by  former Microsoft blogger, Robert Scoble on Ten Ways to a Killer Blog.  Then a session on podcasting and videoblogging, a keynote by John Battelle on Blogs, Search and the Changing Media Landscape, Blogging and SEO strategies and finally The Future of Blogging.  Another full and stimulating day ahead.

Blog Business Summit: Random Notes

As mentioned in my previous post, I find it difficult to listen to the speakers and write a coherent blog post.  Some people have the knack for live blogging, like my colleague Paul Chaney (read his series of posts here) and the great folks who are putting on the Summit.

I am taking notes, cryptic, and I will do my best to translate them for you here.  Last night I had dinner with Kevin O'Keefe of Lexblog and Barry Hurd of Blogging Systems. Kevin does work similar to The Blog Squad but focuses on blogs for lawyers.  He was on a panel about small business blogging, a topic near and dear to my heart.  He said that last year he spent $57 on marketing and his business is on track to make 7 figures.  That's the power of a blog -- his only marketing tool!

One session I attended was on engaging the blogosphere.  This session covered much of the same content that we covered in our program How to Pitch the Best Bloggers.  Always nice to get validation from others for our ideas and programs.

Tip: Use an aggregator and read 10-20 blogs for a month to see what they’re writing about before you approach them.  Have respect for what the blogosphere is about. People in the blogosphere need to understand what you want from them.  Be clear about what you’re looking for from the blogger.

Use technorati to get real time feeds on the topics you’re watching.

Another tip from the Small Business Blogging session was to make sure your About page is complete:  info about you, what your service and products are, and how to contact you. Do not hide your contact info; make it easy for people to find you.  You're in business and your readers need to know what you do and sell.

2/3 of the people who use the Internet, use it to research products and services before they buy.  Your blog is your marketing tool so use it to engage your readers and showcase your expertise.

I realize my notes are really more cryptic than I intended so I have to spend some time deciphering in order to give you more info.

Blog Business Summit Day 1

I'm here at the Blog Business Summit in Seattle.  The conference center is right on Elliott Bay and it's beautiful.

I realized that I cannot blog and listen to the speakers at the same time.  I'm taking notes and will do my best to translate them later into blog posts.  So far I've met Dave Taylor (AskDaveTaylor.com) and many other big name bloggers.  My pal Paul Chaney of Blogging Systems is here and we've been catching up since our last meeting in May in Washington D.C. 

Everyone's been asking about Patsi. Where is she?  She's getting lots of good wishes for a speedy recovery from her back surgery.

Authenticity is the theme of the day and the last session was on how to engage the blogosphere.  The content was pretty much the same as in the program we recently presented on how to pitch bloggers.  Glad to know we're right on in our direction.

Next session on Audience Measurement  is starting now.

Dave Taylor at BBS

Just received the notes from Dave Taylor's keynote speech at the pre-conference workshop for Blog Business Summit, which began today.  If you can't be at the Summit, you can benefit from the live blogging and the notes that will be posted throughout the 3 days.

Blog on!

New Blog Launch: Living Life by Dr. Elizabeth Barhydt

A new blog has been launched by The Blog Squad and Dr. Elizabeth Barhydt: www.lovinglifehealth.org.

This blog features articles on natural healing and living pain-free without drugs. Dr. Barhydt's blog represents her non-profit educational organization dedicated to research and teaching in touch healing.

It showcases her knowledge and services providing lectures, hands-on workshops, and individual educational sessions.

Here are a few of the categories on the blog:

• Back pain, headaches, neck stress, shoulder pain
• Fun
• Learning Difficulties, dyslexia
• Live a better, less Stressful and Less Painful Life
• Relieving Stress and Pain without DRUGS
• Repetitive Muscle Stress
• THE B.E.S.T FOR LEARNING
• To be able to love life without pain
• Touch for Health

Welcome, Elizabeth, to the Blogosphere!

Blog Etiquette: What are the Rules?

Rohit Bhargava has started an interactive writeboard through Basecamp (our favorite project app), for bloggers to write the ultimate guide to blogging etiquette. All bloggers are invited to participate and share your do's and don'ts on how to read and interact on blogs.  This will eventually be a great guide for those new to blogging.

I plan on adding a few of my own when I return from Seattle.

Blog Business Summit

In a few hours I'm catching a plane to Seattle to attend the Blog Business Summit. I'm disappointed that Patsi will not be attending with me (recovering from back surgery), and I'm very excited about the event.  The list of attendees and speakers is impressive and I fully expect to be stimulated to the max. 

Among the many people I want to meet, I look forward to connecting with Dave Taylor in person.  Dave was a guest on Conversations with Experts and is a keynoter at the conference.  He's the author of Growing Your Business with Google and a very smart guy. 

I also want to meet the team who at Blog Business Summit and reconnect with my blogger pal Paul Chaney.

Sessions I plan to attend include:  Engaging with Bloggers, Audience Measurement, RSS and Feeds, Entrepreneurial Blogging, Branding in the Age of YouTube, Ten Ways to a Killer Blog, and of course, John Battelle's keynote on Sunday afternoon.

If I remember, I'll take pictures and if I'm not too mentally exhausted, I'll post about the sessions.

Tags: bbs06, blogs, blog business summit 2006