Business Blogging - How to Build A Better Blog

Online Marketing Challenge Poll

We have a new poll posted on Biz Tips Blog. We want to know the biggest challenge you face with marketing your business online.

Please take a minute to vote.

TypePad Bloggers: A Challenge for You

In my Google Alerts today I saw this item and think it's so important, I want to make sure you read the post...

A Challenge for TypePad Members!
 By Ginger Tulley
This Monday, October 1, TypePad members will have the opportunity to make a big difference in the lives of public school kids by participating in a Blogger Challenge through Donors Choose.org. Donors Choose is a non-profit organization ...
Everything TypePad - http://everything.typepad.com/blog/

I have supported Donors Choose in the past and urge you to take a look at the challenge TypePad is presenting to help the organization.
 

Blogs Are Boring, Why Should I Care?

We got an email today from a blog skeptic: "I am listening and learning -- still not convinced about blogs though. Most I read are boring -- or I say, who cares?

I'm a writer and editor and although I understand the importance of online marketing, how can a blog really help an author? I'm just not convinced. It's like when the book reader first came out -- and who's using them?"

Great question. The truth is there are many boring blogs out there. But there are also some that are great reads and very imformative. I say subscribe to the great ones and ignore the rest. And when you do find blogs you like, you'll learn a lot about why they are successful and how you can create your own blog success.

Denise and I, as The Blog Squad, haven't yet banished all boring blogs from the Blogosphere, even though a few have dropped off the face of the world. Who are we to say what's boring and what's not, anyway.

We'd like to give you an overview of what you need to learn BEFORE you start blogging. We've created a special report, 57 pages, called What the Heck's a Blog? You'll learn:

• 8 essential elements a good business blog MUST have to be successful
• What you need to do BEFORE you set up a blog
• The basic questions you MUST answer to create an effective blog
• Why and how to use a blog to write and market a book ... the full transcript from a teleseminar The Blog Squad did with Internet Multi-Millionaire Tom Antion

Want to find out more? Your investment is only $7 (value $47). For more info and to get the report click here.

About Page: What does yours say about you?

Yesterday we were talking with a blog makeover client and the topic of her About Page came up. I read somewhere (can't remember at the moment) that the About page is one of the most read pages on a blog. Why? Your readers want to know who you are! They want to connect with you and know you as a person, not an anonymous blogger.

The About page is your opportunity to tell your story. It's where you tell readers (in the first person, please) about your passions, your expertise and how you can serve them.

I'm in the process of rewriting my About Page. I've actually set it up as a separate blog so I can customize what I put in the sidebar and how it looks.  Since I link it to several blogs, I didn't want it to be linked to the header from my Biz Tips Blog which would be the default. I'm still working on my story, so don't expect to see that yet!

The other reminder I have is to INCLUDE A WAY FOR READERS TO CONTACT YOU. I was reminded of this when I read Marcia Yudkin's Marketing Minute yesterday.  She says "Bloggers don't hide!".  It is so frustrating to find someone you want to connect with and there's either no name and/or no contact info. And please, make sure you include a picture on your blog. Again, it's about making a connection with your prospects and readers.

If you're seriously in business, remember a blog is a marketing tool.  Make it easy for prospects to contact you.

Mobile Device Marketing

Mobile Messaging:  How  to get your message to millions

September 27, 2007, 3:00 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET)

Blogging and Beyond with The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D., and Denise Wakeman With Guest Expert: Russell Morgan, Founder, ITSPA 

With the increased use of mobile devices such as the iPhone, how can you get your message out to a larger audience that consists of mobile, young and smart professionals? Mobile marketing is the wave of the future to reach millions anywhere, anytime. The Blog Squad™ interviews Russell Morgan, founder of the Information Technology Solution Providers Alliance.

Use this link to listen live on the air at 6:00 p.m. ET on September 27.

TypePad Featured Blog: Next Level Biz Tips

My very first blog, Next Level Biz Tips, started in September 2004, is going to be a TypePad Featured Blog on Thursday.  I think I submitted it for consideration at least a year ago so you can see it takes a long time.

Why is this a big deal? With millions of TypePad users world-wide, that can be a lot of exposure not only for my blog but for The Blog Squad. There is a potential to attract thousands of people to my site on Thursday and for a few days after that. My job is to make sure compelling information is right at the top with links to other relevant information.

If you use TypePad as your blogging platform, I urge you to submit your blog for consideration. It may take awhile, but it will be worth it.

BlogRush: Focus on the blog post title

I've been using BlogRush for about a week now.  The jury is still out for me, but I'm keeping my eye on it. I have 31 referrals, have had 9552 impressions and a whopping 12 clicks. Whoo hoo.

OK, with BlogRush it's all about your blog post title. It better be good or you won't get the clicks. The widget that goes on the sidebar isn't very wide so you don't have a lot of space to play with. I've been watching the post titles that come across and haven't seen too many that I want to click on. I'd say you have a max of about 7 words to get your compelling message across.

Here's a list of blog posts about writing headlines and blog post titles. Study them and apply to your blog. Then, let me know how your click-through rates are on BlogRush.

3 More (Really) Quick and Easy Blog Writing Tips

I've posted over on my writing blog two blog posts this week called Quick and Easy Blog Writing Tips, and this is the 3rd post in the series designed to make maintaining your blog as easy as pie and much more fun.

I always believe that if I'm not having fun doing something, then I won't do it long enough for it to be worthwhile.  So here we go:

1. Start your blog post with a great photo. This one has been in my pictures folder for over a year, just waiting for a good excuse to use it! I can't claim it is either Huey or Dewey, my little darlings. Nor do I claim that either of them could write a good blog post. What I do know is that a good photo is worth a blog post and you can give it any meaning your imagination comes up with!
2. Invite a guest writer. This accomplishes a lot, because not only will you get fresh content, it will get new traffic to your blog. Since most guest writers will have their own blogs, they'll tell their own blog readers to go visit your blog.
3. Invite readers to write a post they'd like published on your blog. You can ask them to submit their posts by email, so that they won't be published in the comments section and you can choose the best, or let them submit in the comments section and let readers choose the best.

I haven't actually tried this last tip yet. So I don't know how it would go. The first two tips have worked really well for us.

I haven't tried the cat trick at the computer yet either...ours are still working on their piano lessons. ;-)

Related posts:
Quick and Easy Blog Writing Tips
3 More Quick and Easy Blog Writing Tips
15 Ways to Find Blog Content

Great Blogs: What goes into them?

Don't you love it when a client asks you a good question, like 'what makes a great blog'? Maribeth Pelly is a marketing and media coach who is undergoing a Blog Squad makeover, and wants to learn.

What's great about this question is that it makes you think. Now I'm sure I must have written an article or a blog post about this at one time, but what do I think makes a blog great now, in September 2007?

You may have a stinky blog in terms of huge traffic, compared to the so-called 'A-list' blogs. As far as I'm concerned, your blog may be Z-listed and still be great. A blog is great if it does what you want it to do for your business.

All blogs are different with slightly different purposes. In general, though, your blog is great if it:

1. Gets you found by the people who need you
2. Establishes you as an expert in your niche
3. Builds credibility and trust with readers so they see you really know what you're talking about
4. Develops and strengthens relationships with readers through interaction and conversation
5. Showcases your personality so readers feel they know you, your values, your passions

BlogRush stats now live

The BlogRush system is now working so members can see their stats and try to make some sense of what's going on. Here's what my dashboard looks like:

This shows how many credits I've earned from impressions of the widget on my blogs.