Blog Marketing: Feed the Content Machine
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Blog marketing is an excellent content generation strategy and a powerful component of an SEO strategy. This lens discusses ways to start a blog and keep it going, and the role blogging plays in a search engine optimization campaign.
Blog:
"Blog," which is short for "Web log," refers to a web site that is a chronological listing of thoughts, articles, videos, and other material on the part of the web site author.
Blogging Advice
Here are five pieces of advice for your blog (you do blog don't you?).
1. Go deep. Here's what we mean - unless you're the kind of writer who is so fascinating that people will hang on your every word no matter what you say - and it's probably a safe bet that you're not - the best way for you to attract readers is to focus on a narrow subject. Pick a niche and stick to it. Become known as a top expert in a very narrow field.
2. Establish relationships with other bloggers in your field. Now, I will admit, we are terrible about doing this. We publish this blog but do little posting of comments to other blogs, which is what we should be doing. My only excuse is that we're so dang busy we do good just to get this blog posted. But YOU should do better. Spend some timming reading and commenting on others' blogs and you will help drive traffic to your blog.
3. Use traffic-generating keywords in your blog. Set up an account at Nichebot.com, then use it to find keywords that generate a lot of traffic. You might also want to go to some of the social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us and look in the tag clouds to see what tags people are using for blogs in your industry. Using these keywords in your blog will increase your blog's exposure and drive traffic to it.
4. Monetize your blog...subtelly. Use in-text links to link to products or services for which you are an affiliate. You will probably have much more success with this style of link than a more obvious banner or AdSense-style link. Not only will you generate more clicks, but it will seem less like you are advertising than simply making recommendations. If your readers trust you, then they might just take your recommendations...and make you some money.
5. Blog a minimum of three times per week, and ping your blog out to various directories every time. If you don't have time to effectively author and promote your blog, then you need to find someone who can do it for you.
1. Go deep. Here's what we mean - unless you're the kind of writer who is so fascinating that people will hang on your every word no matter what you say - and it's probably a safe bet that you're not - the best way for you to attract readers is to focus on a narrow subject. Pick a niche and stick to it. Become known as a top expert in a very narrow field.
2. Establish relationships with other bloggers in your field. Now, I will admit, we are terrible about doing this. We publish this blog but do little posting of comments to other blogs, which is what we should be doing. My only excuse is that we're so dang busy we do good just to get this blog posted. But YOU should do better. Spend some timming reading and commenting on others' blogs and you will help drive traffic to your blog.
3. Use traffic-generating keywords in your blog. Set up an account at Nichebot.com, then use it to find keywords that generate a lot of traffic. You might also want to go to some of the social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us and look in the tag clouds to see what tags people are using for blogs in your industry. Using these keywords in your blog will increase your blog's exposure and drive traffic to it.
4. Monetize your blog...subtelly. Use in-text links to link to products or services for which you are an affiliate. You will probably have much more success with this style of link than a more obvious banner or AdSense-style link. Not only will you generate more clicks, but it will seem less like you are advertising than simply making recommendations. If your readers trust you, then they might just take your recommendations...and make you some money.
5. Blog a minimum of three times per week, and ping your blog out to various directories every time. If you don't have time to effectively author and promote your blog, then you need to find someone who can do it for you.
Blogging Platforms
These web sites make it easy to set up and maintain a blog.
- Blogger.com
- This platform is owned by Google, which may be an advantage. Blogger has some cool features, but there are times when Google is very slow to fix bugs, if they are fixed at all. Often not a good choice for a blog that is hosted on your own server.
- Squarespace.com
- A very new platform that is more advanced than many others. However, there is a fee ranging from $8 to $50 per month, depending on the level of plan you sign up for.
- WordPress.com
- Possibly the most popular blogging platform, this free platform is successfully used by thousands of bloggers.
- Blog.com
- A very easy to use platform with free and paid versions.
Blogging Books on Amazon
ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income
Amazon Price: $15.74 (as of 07/13/2009) 
Blogging For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
Amazon Price: $14.29 (as of 07/13/2009)
The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/13/2009)
Blogging Videos
Blog Posts from Google
- Big Business Blogging | PepsiCo's Josh Karpf: Using social media ...
- The Social Media Business Council, formerly the Blog Council, is a brands-only community that helps large organizations build successful social media programs. Members gain instant access and advice from the heads of social media at the ...
- Affiliate Marketer Defined | Work At Home Business Blog
- Work at home business tips, marketing, affiliate marketing information and income opportunities, website promotion marketing and WordPress tips.
- Blogging For Your Business Success | Internet Marketing Company ...
- Let's get back to business basics?not because you don't know your own business, but because blogging can help each core fragment of what makes up a successful and viable company. The core needs for any business are as follows: ...
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Company Bio
Jerry Work was working in Memphis as a financial analyst at one of the top business appraisal firms in the country when he realized he wa... (more)
Jerry Work was working in Memphis as a financial analyst at one of the top business appraisal firms in the country when he realized he wa... (more)
