starting a blog? ask these questions first…and a CONTEST.

When you decide to blog, you need to ask several preliminary questions. For the bloggers that are publishing a blog for the purposes of growing their business, establishing themselves as an expert, selling products, promoting services, etc…certain questions must be asked first – before you begin – in order to reach your goals. Here’s the list:

1. Why are you blogging? What is your goal, your mission, your raison d’etre?
2. Who is your audience? You will write, I hope, different kinds of posts if you’re communicating with 12 year-olds vs. electricians.
3. What is your audience looking for? This will influence your post topics, your keywords and your tone.
4. What do you know? Please only write about things you know – we look to many bloggers as sources of quality information, add to the trend.
5. Who knows what you don’t know? Interviewing experts offers vital information to your readers and it rounds out the information. I know, I know – I think I know everything too…but I don’t!
6.  What does your schedule look like? It is best to pick regular blog publishing days and stick with them. We are all creatures of habit and we tend to expect our blogs to air at their usual times – like our favorite TV shows.
7. Can you commit? The biggest blogging pitfall is not following through. If you can’t commit, pay someone to. If you recognize blogging as a powerful marketing tool for your business, it’s worth it.
8. Can you write? Valuable information that is captured in quality prose raises your levels of professionalism, engagement, return visitors, joint partners and respect. Hire a writer to help you if this isn’t your forte.
9. Does blogging make sense for your industry? Is the Pope Catholic? Sorry, I’m biased. I’m hard pressed to find a business that wouldn’t benefit in some way from a member’s establishing themselves as an expert, driving qualified traffic to their website, spreading the word, etc. But, if you can think of one, send it along. Let’s see if you can stump me. The gauntlet has been thrown. I’m giving away:

• 2 quality links from my blog to your blog or site AND
• a Blogging Roads post featuring your business
  

(unless it is mean, dirty distasteful or unfriendly, according to me). Just comment below or email me directly: julie(at)writingroads(dot)com

Filed under Blogging, How To, The Business | Tags: blog, blog marketing, blog publishing, Blogging, business blog, copywriter, copywriting, freelance writer, how to blog, Julie Roads, marketing writer, Writing Roads | Comment (1)

the benefits of having a blog for your business, company or self

Why blog? BECAUSE:

Static websites (that do not continually upload content, but act as an online brochure) do not rate in site rankings. To compete in your industry and to be found by the world, you must add valuable, pertinent information to your website on a regular basis – a blog is the perfect platform.

1. Blog posts are dramatically less expensive than newspaper, magazine, radio, TV or web banner ads. For instance, ONE well-placed newspaper ad that guarantees a view by all readers can cost upwards of $50,000.

2. Blog posts are eternal advertisements. They live forever online, whereas a newspaper, magazine, radio or TV ads are gone with the trash/recycling or are missed when someone grabs a snack during the commercials. With a blog, you can be found by a potential client because they searched for a topic you blogged about 5 years ago.

3. Your main blog topic is the trunk of the tree, and each post is a branch that broadens your reach via topics, keywords and skill showcasing. While ads may have a headline, a company overview and contact information, each blog post offers vital information on each facet of your business or industry. This profoundly widens the net that you throw and establishes you as an expert in your field.

4. Because blogs are ongoing, the information you post is timely, relevant and cutting-edge, as well as proof that you are a steadfast, reliable presence.

5. Your blog is a showcase of your expertise and a portfolio of your work.

6. A standard ad is built for the general public, or even the general public of a specific readership (re. Boston Magazine, Science News). Each blog post focuses on a specific element of your profession and contains highly researched keywords that pull qualified visitors to the blog and your site.

7. In essence, blogging is a pure form of permission (or relationship) marketing. Your readers and potential clients found you, you did not coerce them into visiting with bells and whistles and flashing lights. You offered value and information, and they came looking for you.

8. Everyone is online and Web 2.0 supports people in participating, communicating and connecting online. The blogging platform encourages these interactions and a powerful sharing of information and referrals forming strategic web relationships.

9. Traveling purposefully through the blogosphere is essentially a dream networking situation. This is not a Chamber of Commerce Meet ‘n Greet. Here, you can pick and choose who you want to talk to, you have time to think before you speak and you have more than a business card – you have your blog standing behind you, backing you up and showcasing your incredible expertise.

10. When you build your readership, the possibilities of additional income streams (not attached to how many houses you sell, clients you have, hours you work) is endless. Some examples would be product sales, advertising and webinars (people are hungry to learn online in their own time, in their own home).

11. Even though there are currently about 90 million blogs…not everyone has one. Establishing yourself with a blog puts you ahead of many competitors in your industry.

12. You can do it all by yourself. You won’t need to pay a web master to update, edit or add to your site.

13. When new sites are created, the search engines ‘sandbox’ them and don’t immediately rank them or allow them to be searchable. A consistent blog and strategic blog marketing can circumvent this quarantine completely, making you available and findable to the world.

14. Blogs are made to grow. In size, readership, widgets, plugins, options, content, opportunities. The same blog platform can reach 5 or 5 million. The same blog can house a small outfit or a Fortune 500 company.

Filed under Blogging | Tags: blog, blog benefits, blog marketing, blog publishing, Blogging, copywriter, copywriting, freelance copywriting, Julie Roads, online networking, sandbox, website rank, Writing Roads | Comments (8)