In yesterday's teleclass on Branding and Blogging (replay available here), we received dozens of great questions from the audience. In the time allotted (we went over 90 minutes!) we answered as many as we could. A few more questions have come in which we'll answer here.
Q: Is this seminar going to teach us how to create a blog from the BEGINNING steps forward and how to put it on the internet? Or do "you" assume that we already know this? As well, do we need to familiarize ourselves on anything regarding blogging prior to Session #1? If so, would you guide us as to what we would need to research and where would we go to find this info.
A: The Branding and Blogging program is not an intro to blogging course so we will not be doing any "how to" around getting a blog set up. However, you do have time to get going on your own before the beginning of the program.
We recommend you set up a blog on TypePad. You get a 14 day free trial. We have an ebook that can accelerate your set up time plus you get an extra 60 days on you free trial. You can take a look at the ebook here: www.buildabetterblogsystem.com or we also have a program where we setup and train you on how to blog at www.buildabetterblogservice.comYou can also get a ton of info about blogging at our blog at www.buildabetterblog.com
Q: Great call tonight! I'm wondering how to effect a blog move for better branding. How best to get your readers to move with you and how much of your archives should you take? And what of all those old links? Just redirect them? Instantly or with a message saying you've moved?
A: This is a complex question. First, you can rebrand an existing blog if you still want your readers to access all your past info. But you cannot change the domain URL since you would break all the links. You can start a new blog on a new URL, but rather than moving the content, link to your old blog and it's archives. You don't want to lose the links that others may have to your content.
Getting your readers to move to a new blog will require ongoing communication with them. You can put a final post on the old blog with links to the new blog. And you can ask them to resubscribe to the new blog, over and over.
If you have a subscription form, with Feedblitz, for example, all you have to do is update the feed URL and your subscribers will automatically be moved to the new blog.
Q: Listening to the replay of your great class. I am a trainer, speaker, consultant for the hospitality industry. How do I make sure I am not giving away my product by posting on a blog 2-3 times per week? If I teach them great content on the blog, why should they pay for a class?
A: This is a question we get ALL the time. First, on the blog you are building a relationship with your target customers. By giving them valuable information, you are demonstrating your expertise and building credibilty in their eyes.
No matter how much information you provide on your blog, there's nothing like a class or working in a one on one relationship. If someone really connects with the content you provide and has a problem for which you can supply the solution, it's likely they will hire you to help them. This has been proven over and over.
For example, Tom Evslin author of Hackoff.com, published every word of his book on his blog and still sold thousands of copies when the book was finally published.
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