Are you ready to Blog? 

Knowledge is Power! Feedback is Empowering!

Why Blogs? Why Network Marketing? What's the fit? 

Blogging and Network Marketing - A Match Made in Heaven!

First, it's important to understand the nature of a blog. It's designed to build relationships with people through authenticity, value, and service; the very same elements that create a dynamic network marketing organization.

A blog is much like a personal website, only its focus is more of a personal journal or diary of your thoughts, experiences, or coaching on a particular topic. Each blog post or "diary entry" is left open for everyone to read.

Because of this authenticity, a blog is a fast way to build your online presence as it provides an ideal venue for network marketers to establish their credibility and expertise. Your blog will carry an informal voice that enables your visitors to get to know you, trust you, and like you. Blogs brand and promote you.

Blogs also invite interaction. Since your readers can post comments to your writing, you are creating a conversation with your possibility thinkers deepening the relationship and building rapport. Through your reader's comments, you'll discover what they're thinking about, what solutions they're looking for, or what questions they may need answering.

Blogs are quick and easy to update making it ideal for busy networkers.

When done correctly, blogging is one of the best ways to get listed in the search engines through keywords and consistently serving your readers with fresh relevant content.

Through your blog's RSS feed, your blog readers can opt into receiving your blog posts instantly to their desktops, a reader, or by email allowing you to stay connected, create your network, and build your list of possibility thinkers.

Your blog content will give concentrated value on your topic. Whether your focus is sharing your mlm journey, personal development, motivation, or the nuts and bolts of building a network marketing business, you have the ability to make readers do more than just think. You can change the way they feel, set them on a new path, inspire, inform, and challenge them to action.

Blogs in Plain English 

For a fun and fast explanation on blogging, watch Blogs in Plain English by Lee LeFever of Common Crafts.

Join the Blog Revolution and move your MLM - Network Marketing Business to a New Level 

10 Simple, Non-techie Steps to Creating your Network Marketing Blog

1. Who is your ideal reader?
When you identify your target market, you will begin to define the theme of your blog and the topics for your writing.

2. Examine the reasons or purpose of why you want to publish a blog.
Will your blog focus on educating others on your particular niche or will it be more of a personal journal documenting your experiences?

3. How do you want your readers to feel when they read your blog?
What's your writing style? Will you write as a humorist, visionary, educator, or nuts and bolts trainer?

Writing Tips:
Keep your posts short and focused - remember to use an informal voice and to inform with value.

5. Select a Title and name your blog.
Think in terms of keywords and your target market. What's your niche? How does it relate to your online presence? Make it catchy!

6. Sign up for an account at a Blog Platform.
Here are our top picks:

http://www.typepad.com
http://www.blogger.com
http://www.wordpress.com

You may have a blogging platform built right into your personal website building system

7. Register your blog name or title as a domain name for your blog.
By transferring a domain name to your blog, you'll begin to brand you and your blog through your domain.

8. Create your blog design.

Choose a template from your blogging platform that best suits your style with colors, layout, and site side bar options.

Choose colors that complement your main or personal website, any logos or headers. You want your visitors to move seamlessly through your sites without being "jolted" around as they tour your online marketing package.

Set up your content categories for your entries. What specific topic areas will embrace the overall theme of your blog.

Develop your "author profile" page with a short bio, photo, and what your visitors can expect from your blog.

9. Establish a regular writing or posting schedule.
How much time will you devote to your blog? Make a commitment to at least one post per week. Posting 3 or more times a week awards you as a serious blogger!

10. Start a "Blog Idea" folder on your hard-drive.
Once you know what you're blogging theme will be, starting becomes a lot easier. Set aside a day to brainstorm 20 post ideas you could definitely see yourself using on your blog. Keep filling the folder with snippets of ideas that you can grow into quality blog posts. You can gain blog ideas by perusing other newsletters and blogs, gaining inspiration from quotes, expanding on ideas in your favorite books, recommending tools or resources, sharing life's daily happenings...whatever motivates you and will give value to others.

Idea Tip: Have at least 3 to 5 blog posts ready to go when you start blogging. This will reduce any stress if you're not confident in writing on a schedule.

Updates from our Leading Forward in Network Marketing Blog  

Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Promoting and Driving Traffic to your Blog 

Once you're up and blogging, here are simple tips and ideas to get traffic to your blog

1. Get submitted to blog directories and search engines.
One of the most up to date and best lists of blog directories can be found at:

http:www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55

2. Submit your blog to regular search engines like Google and Yahoo.

3. Invite Email Subscriptions to your blog.
Have an opt in form on your blog so visitors can receive your posts by email. This can be done through http://www.aweber.com, the industry's leading autoresponder system, or you can sign up for a service such as http://www.feedburner.com which will provide a script to place on your blog for email subscriptions.

Feedburner is a free tool for bloggers with tons of cool options & features. For your readers, it creates a user-friendly RSS interface. For you, it gives you detailed stats on your subscribers.

4. Claim your blog on Technorati.
By opening an account and registering yourself at technorati, you can "claim" your blog. When people search technorati for content using your keywords, your blog will pull up in the search results.

5. Add your blog's RSS feed to other websites
You can place your RSS feed on your personal website or profiles on various social networking sites such as Squidoo, MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, BestofHomeBusiness. The RSS allows for each entry post to be displayed simultaneously onto other sites as soon as you publish the post.

6. Create more links to your blog:

in your email signature

in your Article Resource Box

in your newsletter

Business Cards

forum posts

Twitter posts

7. The best way to gather traffic to your blog is by commenting on other blogs within your niche or target market.
Your comments should be of such value that someone reading your comment will be interested in you and link back to your site. When you're placing comments, you'll have the option of placing a link back to you. Provide your blog's link.

8. Write value rich content! - Your blog posts need to embrace the qualities of being interesting, original, thought provoking and provide real value to your readers.

Creating value-packed content is key in attracting and retaining readership. Each blog entry should Educate, Entertain, and Engage your reader.

The Anatomy of a Powerful Blog 

Let's take a look at the most common elements of a blog and learn the Blog Lingo

Your Blog Title and Tag Line - Your blog's title is a quick way for your readers to figure out what your blog theme or topic is all about. Think of keywords and target market when selecting a blog title. The title is branding you and your blog. Add a tag line under the title to help add more clarity and focus to the topic of your blog.

Post - Each blog entry is called a post and carries its own unique post title. Typically, your most recent blog post will appear first or at the top of your blog's home page with previous posts in reverse chronological order. Eventually, your posts will roll off the page and into your archives.

Archives - This is a collection of your past posts on your blog, organized by month. As you create new posts, the oldest posts will roll off the home page and "recycle" into the monthly archives.

Comments - Your blog readers can leave their responses to your post. The ability for your reader to leave comments engages them to interact with you. These will appear right below your post. You can also write a response to their comments creating more conversation.

Permalink - Permalinks create a permanent and direct link to a particular blog post. This is important when you want to link someone to a specific post. If you send them to your blog's home page, they'll need to search for the post. If you give them the permalink, they will be brought directly to that post.

Tags - This allows you to "tag" each blog post with relevant keywords or phrases. This helps people to find your blog posts in searches at Technorati.com.

RSS Feed - RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Subscription. Instead of your your readers going out to your blog every day to see if it was updated, your readers can subscribe to your feed and will receive your blog posts directly into their feed reader. RSS is a spam proof, virus free way for your readers to stay connected with you.

Trackback - When you enable this feature, a "trackback" is link to another blog that is commenting on one of your specific blog posts. Trackbacks appear at the bottom of your posts.

Blogrolls - A blogroll is a list of your favorite blogs or websites. It tells your readers a little more about who you are by viewing your preferences.

Ping - Each time you publish a new post, a notification or "ping" is sent to various online services to notify them that your blog has been updated with new content.

RSS in Plain English 

A Fun and Simple Way to Understand RSS

Recommended Blogging Tools and Resources 

The Blog Squad

Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman, of The Blog Squad, are the leading blog experts. They are coaching people and businesses on how to attract and connect with potential business partners through blogging and other online techniques. These gals are down to earth, funny, and masters at blogging! Sign up for their Free Newsletter and browse their teleseminars and ecourses.

Build a Better Blog Ebook

The Ultimate Guide to Boost Your Business with a Professional Blog. From creation and setup, to writing tips and promotion, The Blog Squad have left no stone unturned. This powerful ebook contains step-by-step instructions of what to do to get your blog looking great. You'll gain confidence in writing, and pick up hundreds of tips on optimizing your blog for getting maximum traffic. It's one thing to create a great looking blog, another thing to make it work for you by turning readers into business partners.If you buy one book on blogging, make sure 'Build a Better Blog System' is it.

Blogging Starter Pack

A Take-You-By-The-Hand - Step By Step Blogging Guide "in Plain English"

31 Days to Becoming Better Blogger

A task a day, for one month. Some are very little, others will take a little while, all of them will make you (and your blog) better. Make the next month your best blogging month yet - one day at a time!

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Feedback and Lead Forward! 

This lens is at its best when it creates conversations for greatness.

We value your thoughts, comments, and questions. We look forward to learning and growing with you. Blog on!

jackieulmer Great lens! 5 stars for you and thanks for putting everything in such common sense language! No wonder you are such powerful leaders in your business. EXPECT Success! Jackie Ulmer Posted June 10, 2008

tanyahommes Your lens is very organized and informative. It provided the readers with the importance of why everyone should be blogging. Great Work! Posted April 19, 2008

Charmingscents Wonderful Lens. You guys are so helpful. Posted April 12, 2008

Jimmie Spears

Thanks for all of this valuable information, It makes my overall blogging that much stronger. Inorder for me to build my home business! Have a blessed day.Also helps me with my lens. www.squidoo.com/jimmie53cleanair

Posted April 11, 2008

esericsu This is a very helpful lens.Thanks. Posted April 09, 2008

kannan

Hi,

It is a great lens about blogging and using blogs for network marketing.
keep up the great work.

best wishes,
kannan
http://www.growing-self.blogspot.com

Posted March 28, 2008

annalaura brown

thanks for such a great lens on blogging. This is awesome

Posted March 25, 2008

TheCandleLady Thanks so much for this lens! I am really trying to do more with my lenses and I want to start blogging! You are always so helpful with your information! Posted March 21, 2008

YvetteMason Deb and Brad, You guys are awesome! You provide such great training resources for your downline. Thank you for all that you do! Posted March 21, 2008