A successful blog is able to serve many goals and become a real support for a winning online marketing strategy. But a blog doesn’t become successful alone; there are several key tips to follow.
It is important to understand that it is not the blog tools or technology that yields marketing success; it is how a blog is executed (Strategy & Management).
Blog power
In their truest form, blogs are a web-based log of entries (or posts) about a particular subject or subjects. Blogging serves a number of vital online marketing purposes simultaneously, boosting credibility, visibility and sellability; but more than everything, blogging enables creating relationship, connecting people with a conversation.
- Blogging drives traffic via the production of new content
Blogs are powerful search engine optimization tool to pop an organization‘s name to the top of search engine results pages listings. Search engines are constantly sending their “spiders” out for a new content to index so that their search engine results have relevant data. Blogs often get a higher search priority because of their frequency of content. Blog posts can drive traffic to the main website via links and informative content.
- Blogging gives the organization a human face
Putting a human face on an organization builds empathy and trust. Studies have shown that consumers are more likely to buy from organizations that put a human face on their websites.
- Blogging proves commitment to customer service
Lack of trust is a barrier for many first-time customers. Blogging allows the organization to demonstrate its commitment to customer service by having the blogger relay stories about how the organization helped a user solve a problem.
- Blogging helps reputation management
Blogging is a no-cost way to instantly distribute press releases to an organization’s user and press base.
- Blogging enables market research
You can ask website visitors or current blog readers’ questions via blog posts or a poll. The feedbacks can be very authentic and compelling. Knowing what readers are passionate about will help organizations create or improve products, services or marketing campaigns that speak directly to their users.
- Blogging optimizes Customer Service
Take common questions and post the answers as a blog post. A service centric blog can help reduce the number of questions in the first place.
- Blogging builds communities
Blog’s ability to allow readers to post comments creates a true conversation. Organizations use their blogs to share relevant content, sometimes posting links to other blogs or websites that may be interesting to their readers. The more bloggers aggregate great content and information, the more likely readers will go directly to their blogs
Blog creation tips
Blogging is more than an online marketing option. It is responsibility. Blogging requires dedication, passion, discipline, commitment, respect, patience, education, generosity, humility and understanding. There are several key tips to follow to create a successful blog:
- Clearly define the basis
Who is the end user?
What is the purpose of the bog?
How do you want to connect with the reader?
What content will be valuable to your readers and target market?
- Create the connection with your readers
The best blogs are a marriage of facts and opinion. No matter what the blog theme is, readers want perspective. The more successful blogs are “lifestyle theme” where the blogger is sharing ideas and opinions about more than just the products they have to offer. The blogs are appealing to many people because readers feel they are not just connection with your products, but they are also connecting with you.
- Content is king
Blogs that have interesting, authentic, valuable content geared toward prospective and current customers are the most appealing and ultimately the most successful.
Some of the best blogs are short, sweet and to the point.
Blogging does not require professionals to be expert writers, just enthusiastic expert in their fields who are willing to share tips, advice, and sometimes links to other web contents that serves, supports and sells readers.
- Organize your content
Organization of content is a point to consider for scalability.
- Design your blog
Design is a huge factor in website credibility and usability. Having a game plan for design before create the blog is very important. Putting a professional design spin on a blog can have a big impact.
- Search Engine Optimization
A blog is a great tool to help boost search engine visibility. The constant addition of fresh content and the ability to create links within blogs all work to attract searches.
Use priority key phrases when writing copy, headlines and hyperlinks.
Remember that engines give priority when URLs and content have consistency.
When you post, tag the article with relevant keywords to assist the search engines index the site.
Track the most commonly keyword searches of visitors who are finding the site (using Google analytics) and use it as label, category, and link names.
Get other blogs or websites to link back to your blog. Start by posting from them and contact them to show that you have featured them and ask them to feature you back. This can diversify content, ignite interest in your blog and help create new partnership.
Optimize your internal links with search-rich phrases. Search engines look at external and internal links.
- Network and do online marketing outreach
Announce your new blog via press release
Form blog partnerships with other bloggers
Offer to guest write on other blogs or websites to increase traffic back to your blog
Interview influential people
Build readership. Equip the blog with widgets to make it easier for readers to subscribe to your blog via e-mail or RSS feed
- Get some blog content ideas
Write as simple as possible and keep it short
Plan a writing schedule and keep to it
Make a list of topics to cover
Look at the calendar to find new content ideas
Stay informed of the latest industry news (create Google alerts and an industry news dashboard in iGoogle
Try a top 10 list
Interview people in the industry
Embed videos from YouTube or other sources
Include educational articles
Author how-to articles
Blog promotion tips
- List social media directories to submit to more visibility
Register the blog at the following sites:
Technorati.com
Best of the Web blog Directory: Blogs.botw.org/
Blogged.com
Blogsearchengine.com
Blogcatalog.com
Blogarama.com
The open directory project: Dmoz.org
PitchEngine.com (to get press releases socially submitted)
Article marketing sites (To repurpose blog’s content into articles for more visibility)
Industry or subject-area directories
- Submit blog posts to be voted on
Digg.com
Reddit.com
- Other social media sites
Mixx.com
StumbleUpon.com
Tweetmeme.com
Delicious.com
Kaboodle.com
Blinklist.com
CoRank.com
Slashdot.com
Propelle.com
Folkd.com
Netvouz.com
Mister-wong.com
- Additional ways to increase traffic
Add social media widgets (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn)
Add RSS feed and email sign-up widgets
Optimize your twitter account with contact information
Create a Facebook page for the organization: www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
Create a YouTube account: This account can link back to the blog and increase SEO if it is set-up with search rip phrases in the account description
Create a Flickr.com account to share photos
Create a LinkedIn company profile: www.linkedin.com/company/linkedin
Add share buttons to each blog posts
Use twitterfeed.com to feed your blog to a twitter account
Use the NetworkedBlogs.com application to import the blog to your Facebook fan page
Want to know more:
http://www.famousbloggers.net/building-successful-blog.html
http://blogforprofit.com/28-days-to-build-a-better-blog/
http://weblogs.about.com/od/startingablog/tp/SuccessfulBlogRequirements.htm
Author:
Sevan Flament
Source:
Lorrie Thomas, Online Marketing, The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course
Sponsor : www.vancouvermysteries.com
