Posts Tagged ‘Blogging’

It’s so easy to shake my head in disapproval when someone else does not update their blog consistently. I am shaking my head at myself right now. No posts yet in September? What kind of Internet Marketer am I?

It takes a lot of work to nurture a blog or online community. It takes commitment and discipline to produce useful information consistently. And boy does it get hard after that “honey moon period” is over and your blog isn’t so new anymore.

I must admit that I have had a hard time with this blog. The more that I’ve explored other Internet Marketing blogs on the Web, the more annoyed I’ve become at this industry. My blog is another funnel of noise in a sea of trite posts about Google Chrome and the iPhone.

But the best that I can do is to share information that I think is useful for you, small business owner. I learn a lot along the way. So hopefully I can explore more answers to the question, “How can I build awareness on the Internet for cheap or free?” I’m sure that I still have plenty of answers.

Technorati Tags: blog, Blogging, blogs, internet marketing, marketing, web marketing

Aaron Wall made a great point about the difference between articles and blog posts. Also some interesting discussion in the comments. (Especially the link to an article about the same subject by Jakob Nielsen, which I read at the time and then promptly did not apply to my situation.)

I’m sure that there are some industries that still need new blogs. But I currently sit in an industry with too many. Internet Marketing is probably one of the wortst industries to be a blogger in because there is so much noise and so many echoes about the same topics.

I don’t fancy myself as a top blogger, but I do enjoy it. I also feel that I have important stuff to say, so I’m going to treat that stuff differently than a blog post. This blog should be for bite-sized ideas, not lengthy articles.

For those of you who have been following along, that means that my mini-series about running an AdWords campaign is not going to be a series of blog entries, but rather a series of articles. Something didn’t feel right about the idea of the mini-series. I’m glad that I could figure it out.

Technorati Tags: aaron wall, alertbox, Blogging, internet, internet marketing, jakob nielsen, marketing, seo book, usability, Writing

One of the biggest opportunities any company has on the Web is to own a conversation. There are small tribes of passionate people forming all around the world. They need a place to talk about their very specific interests, problems, and triumphs. This happens in what we call web communities, or “social media” sites.

I’ve worked with a lot of people that believe that if you build, they will come. Putting up a forum or a blog is only the first step. (Or maybe the second step.) Anyone can do that. If you think that’s all that it takes, then you’re not the unique flower that you think you are.

Practicing what I preach

A few months ago, I adopted and revived a community called ColdFusion on Wheels. It’s been a great experience. The community is a group of people that wants to see something special happen. Most importantly, they want to be a part of something special.

How did the community form? Did someone put up a forum about an existing product? No. A few guys have worked hard on building a piece of free software, and that’s what everyone talks about.

It’s also been a very challenging experience for me. There is no visible benefit to volunteering my time, so it’s hard to stay motivated and to contribute myself.

The takeaway

Any successful web community needs to be based on an asset, and the conversation needs to be interesting. Be it about a book, a church, or a music group, some work needs to happen first. And in most cases, your product is not going to be worth talking about on its own.

Remember, if it was easy, then everyone would be running a successful community.

Technorati Tags: Blogging, forums, internet marketing, marketing, Social Media, viral marketing, web marketing

SEO Black Hat came up with a great tip about writing effective headlines: mimic tabloid headlines.

Think about it: tabloid headlines must grab your attention immediately to get you to make that impulse buy. Sound anything like internet marketing? Hmm… Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: adwords, Blogging, digg, email marketing, internet marketing, ppc, Search Marketing, technorati, web writing, Writing

I’ve always wondered how some bloggers do it. How do they consistently release stories? For me, inspiration has always come in spurts. When I write one good post, I more than likely can write 10 more quality posts in the same sitting.

If you’re anything like me, then it’s a good idea to write your posts when you have time and inspiration. Before publishing, set your blog to release your new entry in the future. And set the schedule so that your posts are being published at even intervals. Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: Blogging, internet, web, Writing

This is a call to bloggers to practice what you preach and then share your results with the rest of us. If you can’t live up to your own hype, then maybe you should consider not wasting our time with your vapid blog entries.

It’s time for a useful blogosphere, not one riddled with information pollution. Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: blog, blogger, bloggers, Blogging, blogosphere, blogs, marketing

In the 20th century, the success metric for marketing was eyeballs. But that’s just not enough for the 21st century. Relevance is the name of the game. Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: Blogging, email marketing, facebook, google, link building, marketing, marketing experiments, relevance, seo, seth godin, social networking, yahoo

Ahh, the good old saying, “If you can’t measure it, then you can’t manage it.” Google’s FeedBurner service helps solve this problem with your RSS feeds (What the hell is RSS?), and it adds some really cool features along with it. Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: atom, Blogging, feed, feedburner, feeds, google, review, rss, Technology, tool, Tools, web

Right now, I feel like the barber with a bad haircut. I’m giving tips about Internet Marketing, yet I’m using a blog with the default WordPress theme.

I wouldn’t be surprised if people think that I’m a spammer.

Sure, I’ve got my reasons for appearing so slavish. I’m busy doing work for clients. But for you as a visitor, you don’t care. Do I want to be the guy who’s too busy to have a nice blog, or do I want to be the guy that goes the extra mile?

Let this be a lesson: your blog’s personality is very important. Right now, my blog makes me look like a used car salesman.

Technorati Tags: blog, Blogging, marketing, spam, spammer, spamming, wordpress

Aaron and Giovanna Wall have published a killer guide to SEO for your blog.

The Bloggers Guide to SEO

Even if you don’t have a blog, there are tips worth learning for promoting your web site.

Technorati Tags: blog, Blogging, seo