Building an Effective Web Presence - Step #11 - Start a Blog



Step #11 – Start a Blog


Over  the past ten months we identified steps one through ten in the process of building an effective web presence:   1) Define your ideal client; 2) Identify specific goals; 3) Create a call to action; 4) Give customers what they expect; 5) Be a better communicator; 6) Get found; 7) Improve Your Link Popularity;  8) Setup and optimize your free Google Places listing;  9) Make it easy to share; and 10) Be analytical.

The eleventh step is: 

Start a blog and write … often.

If you’ve ever attended a Jeffrey Gitomer seminar, you know he talks about the path to wealth (and dominating your competition) is writing.  Gitomer says write daily and offer something of value to your customers.  Good advice. It should be no surprise that one of the keys to dominating your competition online is writing, as well.  A blog (short for “web-log”) is a great way to start.

When I present workshops about growing your web presence, as soon as I say “blog”, I often get deep groans from the audience.  The fact is, content is king on the Internet. Search engines soak up fresh, original, and useful content … internet users like the same thing.  Is it any surprise that websites with strong content and frequent supporting blog posts around a great topic tend to rise to the top of page one results? It shouldn’t be!

Blog Platforms
There are several free blog platforms that you can use to get started. Some good ones include:  Blogger.com, WordPress.com, Tumblr.com, and Posterous.com.  I use Blogger.com for each of my blogs.  It’s owned by Google and I am a fan of using Google’s products when it makes sense.

Watch this short video from Google to see how quick and easy it is setup and start your own blog ... for free!





What to Write About
The two most important things for a successful blog are compelling content and frequent updates.  Frequent updates are important, so set aside 15-20 minutes to write a post. It WILL make a difference over time … commit to doing it.

Compelling content can be a bit more challenging.  To get the creative juices flowing, consider some of the following ideas:

  1. Lists
    People like lists. Write short posts around your area of expertise entitled, “The Top Three Ways to…”, or “5 Steps to …”
  2. FAQs
    Write short blog posts around frequently asked questions about your business or area of expertise.
  3. Photos
    Craft short blog posts around photos … from your business, your clients, your products, or your interests.
  4. Recommendations or Reviews
    Offer your clients and readers recommendations or reviews around items related to your expertise.

Once you get a few blog posts under your belt, you can really go crazy and connect your blog to your business Facebook page. When you do this, all of your Facebook fans will automatically know when you’ve published a new post.


Make time for blogging. You won’t regret it. Jeffrey Gitomer says, “Writing leads to wealth...”
Sandy Waggett says, “Blogging leads to great search engine rankings.”

What are you waiting for? 
Start your business blog today at http://www.blogger.com!


, Owner
MSW Interactive Designs LLC ~ We put the web to work for you!

MSW Interactive Designs LLC specializes in small business web design, website hosting, search engine optimization, and social media services.

573-552-8403

TWITTER:  @putthewebtowork

Comments

  1. Nice job on this Sandy! To learn more about Blogging, make sure to come see her seminar that will be presented on Wednesday 16 November at Tan Tar A at 1:00!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Mike! UPDATE ON VENUE - the Blog seminar has been moved to The Inn at Grand Glaize. Same date and time, Nov 16 from 1-3.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi
    Excellent information about free business listing thanks
    free business listing site

    ReplyDelete

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