Business Blogging - How to Build A Better Blog

Email Updates Help Drive Traffic to Your Blog

I have completed three blog critiques in the last two days. One of the first things I look for is a way to subscribe to the blog by email.  In all three cases, either there was no subscription form or it was buried way far down on the sidebar.

TIP: Make sure you have a way for your readers to subscribe to get updates. And having RSS feeds is not enough. You may be savvy enough and know what an RSS feed and how to subscribe, but most people are not.  Who is your audience?  Are they technically savvy?

If not, make sure they can get email updates by using a service like Feedblitz.com.  I'm not sure of the exact stats, but last year it was believed that only about 12% of blog readers used RSS feeds.  So what about the other 88%? Don't leave them behind.

Finally, once you add an email subscription form, put it where people will see it.  At the top of a sidebar is usually best because it's visible right away and reminds your readers that they can get updates.

Does your blog need some help? Get a Blog Squad critique and learn what you can do to improve your results.

Branding by Blogging

Bud Bilanich is The Common Sense Guy.  He was also one of The Blog Squad's early blogging clients.  It was some time in 2005 that we set up Bud's blog www.CommonSenseGuy.com on TypePad.com. Bud took to blogging like you wouldn't believe.

Yesterday Bud Bilanich sent us a copy of an chapter he is contributing to a book called One Great Idea. His great idea is that he decided to use a blog to brand himself and his business. And he credits The Blog Squad for teaching him everything he knows about blogging. :-)

Bud says:

As a small business owner whose brand is me, I have recognized the importance of personal branding. I am a keynote speaker, executive coach, organization effectiveness consultant, and author. I am my business; therefore, my brand needs to speak for me.

Free TeleSeminar: Blogging to Gain Expert Status and Exposure

"Blogging to Gain Expert Status and Exposure"
Thursday, June 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT)
No Charge
Register:  http://www.platformbuildingsecrets.com/teleseminars.html

On June 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET, we're being interviewed by Dr. Larina Kase for her Platform Building Secrets program. We'll share secrets like:

• How to begin and build a great blog
• How to use your blog to build your platform- get speaking engagements, build your list, sell your books, get media appearances
• How to drive traffic to your blog
• How to use other people's blogs for maximum exposure for you
  And MUCH more!

Blogging is one of the very best and least expensive platform-building and marketing strategies- we hope you'll join us to learn more.

Register Now.

Confessions of Two Professional Bloggers

A couple of months ago Patsi and I were invited to be guests on a podcast called Find Your Ideal Career. Host Michael Spremulli interviewed us about blogging and how we got into this business.  At long last, the interview is posted so you can now hear our "Confessions"!

Your Online Brand: Does It Work for You?

Blogging and Beyond with The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D., and Denise Wakeman
With Guest Expert: William Arruda, of Reach Communications

June 28, 2007, 3:00 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET)

What's YOUR Online Identity?

Do you know how others view you online? Do you know what prospects find when they "google" you?. Whether you are a solo professional or own a company, it's important to take charge of your online identity to ensure you have a positive personal brand.

In this episode of Blogging and Beyond, we interview personal branding expert William Arruda, of Reach Communications and co-author of Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand. Tune in as we explore about the do's and don'ts of creating an online identity that works in your favor.

Use this link to listen live on the air at 6:00 p.m. ET on June 28.

Do you want more bang for your blog?

Want more bang for your blog?

A blog can work like a charm for attracting new business, but sometimes, well, you spend a lot of time and energy writing and it seems like no one is even reading it!

Here's a way to get a blog makeover from The Blog Squad at a greatly reduced fee and in an easy to use format.

Have you asked yourself these questions:

• What kind of results are you getting from your business blog?
• Are you attracting new clients?
• Do you know how to optimize your blog content for search engines?

You may not be blogging effectively. 

The Blog Squad to the Rescue!

TypePad Adds More Features This Week

The folks at TypePad have been really busy. This week they announced more new features.

• Del.icio.us and Digg This links can now be added to the post footer. Previously you could add them as a feedflare to the bottom of your post.  This change is better because it takes them out of your post into the footer in a smaller font. Less disruptive to the content of your post.  If you have Feedburner's feedflare enabled, you'll have to edit that so you don't have the links in both the body and the footer of your post.
• You can now choose whether or not you want to allow readers to comment and trackback to your TyepPad pages.
• Permalink URLs are now create with hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_). I didn't know this, but apparently this is better for the search engines.
• Changes were also made to page view statistics.

One thing that's not mentioned in the post is that the Technorati tag links are now also in your footer and in a smaller font.  Also a good improvement.

So how do you format your footer?

Marketing Your Book with a Blog: 5 Reasons

It was standing room only at the PA-LA meeting last night. The Publishing Association of Los Angeles invited The Blog Squad to tell all you need to know about publishing a blog to market books.

Here are 5 reasons the features of a blog make it an ideal marketing tool for authors and publishers:

1. Blogs are easy to manage your content using categories
2. Search engines love blogs - making it easy for readers to find you
3. Blogs allow you to get feedback and input from readers
4. You can create a community of fans who love your writing
5. Blogs are easy to customize the look and feel to match your book cover/image/branding

Here are more pictures from the event:

BlogHer07 is coming up...

Anyone planning on attenting BlogHer07 in Chicago? The 3 day conference is in Chicago, July 27-29.  I'll be moderating a panel discussion called Blog to Book and Back Again:

Book to Blog and Back Again
Let’s talk tactics: what does it take to get your blog turned into a book. What are agents and publishers looking for? What about self-publishing? And then once you have a book, how can your blog augment and enhance the book and help its sales? Denise Wakeman moderates a discussion with people on both sides of the aisle when it comes to the Blog/Book opportunity, including blogger/authors Ariel Meadow Stallings and Gina Trapani and literary agent Kate Lee.

Unfortunately Patsi is not able to attend, so it will be just me representing The Blog Squad in Chicago. If you're going to be there, please let me know, I'd love to meet you there.

Think Like a Copywriter when You Write on Your Blog

Blogging and Beyond with The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D., and Denise Wakeman
With Guest Expert: Brian Clark, www.copyblogger.com 
June 21st 2007, 3:00 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET)

The Secret of Effective Business Blog Writing...

...think like a copywriter. Good blogging and good copywriting share many of the same attributes - clear language designed to focus on the needs of the reader by using stories, education and a demonstration of benefit and value.

In an overly crowded marketplace, a well written blog allows you to catch people's attention, and capitalize on that attention by building trust, sales and profits. Brian Clark, of Copyblogger.com fame, shares the art and science of effective business blog writing.

Brian Clark is an Internet marketing strategist, content developer, entrepreneur, and recovering attorney. In addition to building three successful offline businesses using online marketing techniques, he has sold scores of products and services online via joint venture and affiliate arrangements. You can read his popular blog at www.copyblogger.com.

Use this link to listen live on the air at 6:00 p.m. ET on June 21.