With so many blogs being created every day, it’s a mystery to many bloggers how to make their blog stand out. There are many types of blogs or purposes for blogs and a certain number of tactics are applicable to just about all of them.Some companies choose to hire a blog consultant, but others like to try things internally. For those “DIY” companies and individuals interested in practical tips for marketing and optimizing a business blog, try out the following list of blog marketing and optimization tips:
Decide on a stand alone domain name www.myblog.com or directory of existing site www.mysite.com/blog. Sub domain is also an option blog.mysite.com. Avoid hosted services that do not allow you to use your own domain name!
Obtain and install customizable blog software – WordPress and Moveable Type are my favorites.
Customize blog look and feel templates – aka design.
Research keywords and develop a glossary – Keyword Discovery, WordTracker, SitePoint, SEOBook Keyword Research.
Optimize the blog:
Template optimization – RSS subscription options, social bookmark links, HTML code, Unique title tags, URLs, Sitemap
Add helper plugins specific to WordPress or MT
Create keyword rich categories (reference your keyword glossary)
Enable automatic trackback and ping functionality.
Create Feedburner Pro account and enable feed tracking.
Setup a Google account for Sitemap, validate and prep for future submission.
Identify authoritative blogs, web sites and hubs for outbound resource links and blogroll.
Format archived posts, related posts.
Enable statistics for tracking – Google Analytics, ClickTracks.
Submit RSS feed and Blog URL to prominent RSS and Blog directories / search engines.
Engage in an ongoing link building campaign.
If podcast or video content are available, submit to Podcast and Vlog directories.
Submit blog url to paid directories with categories for blogs – Yahoo, BOTW, bCentral, WOW, JoeAnt.
Optimize and distribute a press release announcing blog.
Request feedback or reviews of your blog in relevant forums, discussion threads. If you have a resourceful post that will help others, point to it.
Research and comment on relevant industry related blogs and blogs with significant centers of influence.
Post regularly. If it’s a news oriented blog, 3-5 times per day. If it’s an authoritative blog, 3-5 times per week, but each post must be unique and high value.
Monitor inbound links, traffic, comments and mentions of your blog – Google Alerts, Technorati, Blogpulse, Yahoo News, Ask Blogs and Feeds.
Always respond to comments on your blog and when you detect a mention of your blog on another blog, thank that blogger in the comments of the post.
Make contact with related bloggers on AND offline if possible.
When making blog posts always cite the source with a link and don’t be afraid to mention popular bloggers by name. Use keywords in the blog post title, in the body of the post and use anchor text when you link to previous posts you’ve made.
Use social networking services, forums and discussion threads to connect with other bloggers. If they like your stuff, they will link to you.
Remember when web sites were a new concept and the sage advice to print your web address everywhere you print your phone number? The same advice applies for your blog.
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If your blog’s goal is to promote you as an authority, interview other prominent bloggers in your industry. Your own credibility will improve by association.
Build out your online networks through services such as MyBlogLog, Twitter and Facebook and leverage them to promote particularly useful content on your blog.
Once your blog has 1000 or more subscribers, show your Feedburner badge
Host images with Flickr making sure to include an anchor text link in the image description back to the post where the image is used.
Use your blog to gain press/media credentials at relevant industry conferences and use the event to create content, connections and increase your knowledge.
This post was originally published on June 15, 2006 and has continued to receive many inbound links. As time changes, so do some tactics, so we’ve added a few tactics (after original 25) that have emerged in their usefulness. What would you add to this list?
http://www.toprankblog.com/2006/06/25-tips-for-marketing-your-blog/
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Marketing Methods
Thanks About.com
There are different methods when it comes to marketing. This includes direct marketing, relationship marketing, advertising, public relations, and positioning. Use these resources to find out which method will work best for you.
Advertising (1)
Public Relations (15)
Direct Marketing (13)
Relationship Marketing (19)
Guerrilla Marketing (6)
Viral Marketing (11)
Positioning (3)
Top 5 Reasons Customers Don't Buy From You
There are times where businesses spend money on marketing, but for some reason their products still don't sell. Consumers show no interest in their product, it's almost as if the marketing message is invisible to them. There are five reasons that customers don't buy and when we can take those reasons and evaluate our marketing message against them. This will help us in understanding why consumers may not be buying our product and how we can change our marketing message to turn that around.
Word of Mouth vs. Viral Marketing: What's the Difference?
Word of mouth marketing and viral marketing are often confused to be the same. Learn why they are different and what you can do to ensure the success of both types of marketing campaigns.
Five Tips to Generate Word of Mouth Marketing
We all know that economic times are tough. I always suggest that businesses don't pull their marketing budget. Not all business listen, unfortunately. That's why I want to share with you a few tips that will help you generated word of mouth marketing for your business. Word-of-Mouth marketing is the most difficult to measure, but it's also the most cost effective, because it costs you nothing. …
How Much Should I Spend on Marketing?
Determining how much of your resources to marketing within your company can be the biggest obstacles that businesses face. There are guidelines that will help in allocating your resources.
Rebate Marketing Program: Can It Work for Your Company?
Rebate marketing programs have existed for years, but is it a campaign that you should consider? There are key components that can make a rebate program successful, but they are not for everyone. Learn how to determine whether a rebate program is right for your products and how to plan it so that it carries a marketing benefit to your company.
Lead Generation: A Dying or Thriving Business?
What is the future of lead generation? Is it dying as some suggest? Learn how I think the future of lead generation will change as well as why I think it's one of the most viable marketing methods that is used online.
Wanted: 100 Referral Partners
The process of building sufficient word of mouth to produce the number of clients you need can seem daunting. C.J. Hayden shows you how to begin building your network in three easy steps.
5 Tips to Creating an Effective Blog
Blog marketing works. It's effective and inexpensive, but how do you create one that is successful in marketing your business? Use these 5 tips to help you create a successful blog that will draw traffic and increase your business visibility.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
10 Important Internet Marketing Tips
Each of the following Ten Marketing Tips is based on a highly effective - but often overlooked marketing tactic. How many are you using? How many have you overlooked?
Tip 1: Insulate yourself against the impact of change by increasing the number of products and services you offer ...and by using a variety of different marketing methods. Only a small portion of your total business will be affected if the sales of one product declines or the response to one marketing method drops.
Tip 2: Customers are prospects too. Stay in contact with them. Find or develop other products or services you can offer them. It's easier to make a sale to a previous customer than to someone who never bought from you.
Tip 3: Avoid making any claim that sounds exaggerated ...even if it is true. A bold claim creates doubt in your prospect's mind and jeopardizes the sale. Reduce any bold claims to a more believable level.
Tip 4: Express numerical claims as odd numbers with fractions or decimals. For example, "Our clients save 17.7 percent" sounds more believable than "Our clients save 20 percent" ...even if 20 percent is the accurate number.
Tip 5: To create an absolutely irresistible offer, combine a special discount price and a set of valuable bonuses in the same offer.
Tip 6: Develop a series of 4 or 5 different special offers. Use them one at a time with an expiration deadline. When one offer expires, replace it with the next offer and a new deadline. Continuously recycle through the same series of offers. This enables you to keep using special offers to generate sales without taking time to develop new ones.
Tip 7: If you're attracting many prospects who really don't have (or can't get) the money to buy your product or service ...you need to change your market. Target a market where prospects have an intense desire for the benefits produced by your product or service - AND the money to buy it.
Tip 8: Set yourself apart from competitors by offering an exclusive benefit your competitors cannot copy ...or one they're not willing to copy. One business owner I know includes his personal phone number on every order. His competitors don't - and they are not likely to start making themselves that accessible to customers.
Tip 9: Advertising copy produces the biggest response when each reader can believe the message was written specifically for him or her. As you write any sales message, visualize you're writing to one person instead of to a large group of people. This will help you write in a less formal and more personal style.
Tip 10: Most sales are not made on the first contact. Develop a method to capture and save the names and contact information of prospects who don't buy from you. Follow up periodically. A little gentle coaching will eventually convert many of them into buyers.
Each of these 10 marketing tips implements a simple but highly effective marketing tactic. Take action now to apply those you overlooked. You'll be surprised by how much business it produces for you.
Thanks articleplus.com
Tip 1: Insulate yourself against the impact of change by increasing the number of products and services you offer ...and by using a variety of different marketing methods. Only a small portion of your total business will be affected if the sales of one product declines or the response to one marketing method drops.
Tip 2: Customers are prospects too. Stay in contact with them. Find or develop other products or services you can offer them. It's easier to make a sale to a previous customer than to someone who never bought from you.
Tip 3: Avoid making any claim that sounds exaggerated ...even if it is true. A bold claim creates doubt in your prospect's mind and jeopardizes the sale. Reduce any bold claims to a more believable level.
Tip 4: Express numerical claims as odd numbers with fractions or decimals. For example, "Our clients save 17.7 percent" sounds more believable than "Our clients save 20 percent" ...even if 20 percent is the accurate number.
Tip 5: To create an absolutely irresistible offer, combine a special discount price and a set of valuable bonuses in the same offer.
Tip 6: Develop a series of 4 or 5 different special offers. Use them one at a time with an expiration deadline. When one offer expires, replace it with the next offer and a new deadline. Continuously recycle through the same series of offers. This enables you to keep using special offers to generate sales without taking time to develop new ones.
Tip 7: If you're attracting many prospects who really don't have (or can't get) the money to buy your product or service ...you need to change your market. Target a market where prospects have an intense desire for the benefits produced by your product or service - AND the money to buy it.
Tip 8: Set yourself apart from competitors by offering an exclusive benefit your competitors cannot copy ...or one they're not willing to copy. One business owner I know includes his personal phone number on every order. His competitors don't - and they are not likely to start making themselves that accessible to customers.
Tip 9: Advertising copy produces the biggest response when each reader can believe the message was written specifically for him or her. As you write any sales message, visualize you're writing to one person instead of to a large group of people. This will help you write in a less formal and more personal style.
Tip 10: Most sales are not made on the first contact. Develop a method to capture and save the names and contact information of prospects who don't buy from you. Follow up periodically. A little gentle coaching will eventually convert many of them into buyers.
Each of these 10 marketing tips implements a simple but highly effective marketing tactic. Take action now to apply those you overlooked. You'll be surprised by how much business it produces for you.
Thanks articleplus.com
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