Business Blogging - How to Build A Better Blog

Business Blogging Roundup and Wordpress Plugin Infographic

2012-05-26T09:36:29-07:00

The amount of content flowing around and past us every day is staggering. I scan and read a lot of articles with emphasis on blogging, online visibility and marketing on the Web in general. I also post one or two articles per week on DeniseWakeman.com and some are relevant to bloggers.

Daily, I share great articles on my Facebook page, on Twitter and on my Pinterest Business Blogging board. Following are links to some articles you may not have seen in the past few weeks...

Building Community on Your Blog (a lot of comments on this one)

Top 5 Reasons to Use Pinterest with Your Blog

Content Marketing System - Jeff Herring's Webinar Replay

20 Simple Ways to Boost Blog Subscribers (Hubspot)

A Simple Plan for Writing One Piece of Powerful Online Content Per Week (Copyblogger)

9 Ways to Find Guest Blogging Opportunities (Tom Treanor of Right Mix Marketing)

And, here's an infographic I ran across on Pinterest about essential Wordpress Plugins:

Must have plugins for WordPress by WordPress Jedi

Want more plugins? Check out 24 Impressive Plugins You Should Consider.

Did you read (or write) a great article about business blogging this past week? Post a link in the comments below and I'll check it out.

Profitable Content Creation - Content Is Cash and How to Get Your Fair Share

2012-05-22T10:30:49-07:00

This a guest post by Jeff Herring at JeffHerring.com.

Content is the basis of EVERYTHING online. Creating your content and then marketing it well is how you profit from your content online.

Create It - The key to successful content creation is to be prolific. What most people do is wind up staring at a blank screen. I don't want you to do what most people do because most people are broke.

Instead of staring at a blank screen I want you to use templates. Create a 7 tips article or a 3 mistakes article. Then all you have to do is fill in the blanks with your information.

Another great way to become prolific is to just write on regular basis. Make it a habit, and you'll find the flow.

Market it - So many people create their content and then do nothing with it. Again, don't be most people.

There are so many ways to market your content that you really can't run out of ideas. Start with your blog. Then post your article on EzineArticles and other top Article Directories.

Next is Social Media. Use your article content or parts of your content on Facebook, YouTube,Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also turn your content into teleseminars and webinars.

Convert it into products and services and sell it - What most people do not realize is that while you are creating your content you are also creating your information products.

For example, a simple 7 tips article expanded on easily becomes a great eBook. In a similar way, a collection of several articles on a specific topic gathered into one document becomes an ebook or mini-guide.

And that's really just getting started. There is so much more you can do. One of the best ways to offer an info product is in multimedia, and you can easily create print, audio and video training from your content.

Want to learn more about how you can create your own profit pulling content? Join me and Jeff Herring for a free workshop webinar to learn Jeff's insider tricks to creating Profitable Content That Practically Creates Itself.

Wednesday, May 23, 2013

11:00 am Pacific Time (click here to see the time where you live)

Details and registration here

****Bonus For LIVE Attendees Only ****If you are on the webinar live (as opposed to catching the replay) Jeff will tweak and strengthen the content you create while on the webinar.

About the Author:

Jeff Herring is The King of Content Marketing. Jeff has been building his own businesses with Content Marketing since 1994. With his exclusive Content Marketing strategies, Jeff has fast become a Living Legend of Quality Traffic Generation. He has long been the “behind the scenes” guy creating Direct Response Content for many top internet marketers and business leaders. Jeff is going to show you a simple yet powerful system for creating a repeatable end-to-end business that allows you to create, market and profit from your content at will, all without being a great writer or even writing one lousy word.

Meditation as a Blogging Practice

2012-05-14T06:45:00-07:00

This is a guest post by Linda Dessau of ContentMasteryGuide.com.

This recent Twitter interchange with small business marketing consultant and former meditation instructor Jeff Korhan got me thinking about meditation as a blogging practice.

I find it most helpful to brainstorm, draft and write my blog posts in the morning. This rejuvenates my creativity for the day ahead, fulfills my most important marketing strategy and fills me with a sense of accomplishment that energizes my productivity for other tasks.

Sometimes, this creative work begins as a form of written meditation, long before I set foot in my work space. I start by simply opening myself up to the universe and writing down whatever message seems important for that day, similar to Julia Cameron's morning pages.

The way I carry this into my blogging is by printing out my draft blog posts and having them with me during that morning writing time. Away from my desk, with a clear, focused mind, it's been amazing what I can come up with.

Writing this post has been a wonderful reminder of this creative tool that's available to me. I've already printed out the draft of my next post so I can start accessing my clear, focused mind to enhance my blogging practice.

(Here are the direct links to the resources that I shared with Jeff Korhan in the Twitter conversation above: Idea catcher free training, article and video.)

Linda Dessau, CPCC, is the author of Write Your Way to More Clients Online and the founder of ContentMasteryGuide.com. You can pick up her free guide, How to be a Weekly Blogger, at www.ContentMasteryGift.com.

Do you use meditation? Are there any other activities that seem to evoke new ideas or creative solutions to questions or challenges that have you stuck? Please share in the comments below.

Is Digital Publishing Part of Your Content Marketing Plan?

2012-04-27T14:17:10-07:00

If you missed it on DeniseWakeman.com, my colleague Ellen Britt and I have a survey running about how professionals and small business owners like you, are incorporating digital publishing into their content marekting.

We would love to get your input, and then, if you choose, we will send you a copy for the indepth industry report we create from the information we glean. At the moment of writing this post, 770 people have added their two cents. Our goal is to have a minimum of 1000 responses.

Whether or not you're actively involved in digital publishing, or plan to, your level experience is important to us.

Click here to take the Digital Publishing Survey. It will take less than 5 minutes of your time.

How can this information help you?

If you use the Web to market your business, it's vital to stay on top of trends and how your colleagues and competitors are taking advantage of new tools and marketing tactics.

We anticipate this report will reveal a great deal of information about what types of business owners are actively using content marketing, how it's working for them, what their challenges are, and the liklihood of integrating digital publishing in the future.

If you're a marketer, no doubt you'll get a lot of inspiration for new products and services you can create to fill unmet needs.

We're closing the survey on May 5th. Please help us with the research so we can create a really awesome, useful report for you. Click here to take the survey.

Thank you!

Recommended Reading:

13 Steps to Creating Your First Kindle Ebook

Digital Publishing Pinterest Board (growing collection of articles, tools and resources)

Why Your Business Blog Needs to Be More Than a Diary

2012-04-13T06:38:00-07:00

This is a guest post by Linda Dessau of ContentMasteryGuide.com.

As your business grows (and grows up), it can be inspiring to look back at a chronicle of what you've accomplished and how far you've come. Having that record is one of the benefits of blogging, and a reason to continue dating your posts.

But when business blogs are completely filled with announcements and personal musings from the business owner, that's a missed opportunity to connect with your prospective clients.

Sure, your family, clients and other supporters will always be thrilled to hear of your latest successes, accomplishments and lessons learned, but what about someone who is just getting to know you? Will those things mean as much?

Will posting personal updates get you more business?

Let's say you have a prospective client named Rosanne. She's at a networking event and tells your friend Jeff that she's dealing with a difficult situation right now. "I've got just the person who can help you!" Jeff says. He hands her your business card and tells Rosanne that you provide services and solutions for people just like her.

When she gets home, she visits your website to find out more about you, and sees a link to your blog. Here are five possible reasons that Rosanne might check out your blog, and how your "personal update" posts might meet her needs (or not):

To see how active your business is, and the current state of operations. Congratulations, your personal updates will do a great job with this one. Be sure to create a category that makes it easy to find your latest news, such as "News," "What's New," "Announcements" or "Updates."
To get to know the voice and personality behind the business - who is the person (or people) she'll be receiving services from? Great, your personal updates can definitely deliver this, as long you write authentically while staying consistent with your brand.
To get a sense of how well you take care of people, including the care you take to provide helpful information that is clearly written and easy to find. Uh-oh, personal updates won't help you much here. You'll want to add some client success stories as a glimpse into your approach to client care.
To learn tips she can use immediately to relieve her problem. Hmm, I don't think your personal stories will help here, either, unless you combine them with "how to" articles that break down her complex problem into bite-sized pieces. Of course you can't diagnose or help Rosanne until you get to know her, but you can start caring for her with these basic solutions and resources.
To assess how knowledgeable you are. Rosanne wants to know that you're an expert she can trust with her problem. After all, she may be considering investing her time, money and energy into working with you. For that you'll need to share your expertise, not just your experience. At this point, Rosanne doesn't want to hear funny stories, rants or creative musings. She wants reassurance that you know your stuff!

If you do want to share a personal story on your business blog, think about how you can turn that story into a lesson that highlights your expertise and reinforces your brand. How can you make a connection between your experience and the problems you help your clients solve?

Getting people to visit your website is a pretty empty goal for your blog. Make sure you're helping them once they get there. By doing that, you can turn someone from a stranger into a prospective client. From there, you can work together to decide whether you're a good fit.

At the very least you'll attract new readers who are likely to come back (and maybe even bring some friends) - as long you continue to invite them.

This post originally appeared on the Content Mastery Guide website.

How have you used personal stories to reinforce your business message on your blog? Please post your thoughts and examples in the comments below.

Business Blogging vs. Facebook [Infographic]

2012-04-11T14:50:26-07:00

Just ran across this infographic and I have to say, I'm in total agreement and have been preaching this for several years. This doesn't mean I don't think you shouldn't be using Facebook as a marketing tool, but think about where you're putting your effort and what you get out of it...

Embedded with permission from Patricia Redsicker.

Which side do you come down on...Facebook or Business Blogging...which is better for YOUR business?

Facebook Marketing - Two Resource Articles for Your Online Marketing

2012-03-12T11:57:04-07:00

Recently I posted a couple of articles on DeniseWakeman.com about Facebook marketing. While they are not specifically about business blogging, if you are using the Web to market your business, then no doubt Facebook is one of your online tools. In case you missed the articles, I want to make sure you get access to these resources.

First, if you are intimidated or confused about how to create videos, there's a cool, easy and FREE tool you can use to create videos from the pictures in your Facebook albums. In the post I share five ways you can use this for your business.

CLICK => Easy Video Creation on Facebook [cool tool alert!]

Second, if you have a business page on Facebook, then no doubt you know the format is changing to the Timeline style at the end of the month. This means you need to be more strategic about creating the big bill-board style cover image and the small app images for your page. I've compiled a list of about 50 designers who create timeline covers, as well as links to some articles about the specifics you need to know so you don't run afoul of Facebook.

CLICK => Graphic Design Resources for Facebook Timeline Cover Images

I'm still studying how to optimize and leverage the Facebook page changes for business. Get blog updates or "like" my Facebook page to stay in the loop about the strategies and tactics I'll be sharing with you in the coming weeks so you can stay relevant and visible to your audience.

Do you proofread your blog posts?

2012-03-06T08:51:57-08:00

Whether you're writing a blog post or a status update, posting a tweet or writing a description for your video on YouTube, if it's for your business, you need to get your grammar right.

I confess that sometimes, my fingers are flying, I'm pressed for time and I neglect to proofread my writing. Not good. Inevitably I find a typo or a grammatical error. Thanks to Copyblogger, now you've got a cheat sheet if you find yourself confused about when to use "affect" or "effect".

Check out this great infographic for a quick grammar review...

15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly...

Like this infographic? Get more copywriting tips from Copyblogger.

Which "goof" do you make the most?

How Giving Away Information Can Lead to More Local Clients

2012-03-02T06:20:00-08:00

This is a guest post by Linda Dessau of ContentMasteryGuide.com

Are you worried that the tips, suggestions and advice that you're posting on your blog will take away the need for clients to hire you directly?

Don't worry, because that is NOT the case!

First of all, people who are looking for do-it-yourself solutions because they're not ready, willing or able to pay for your services were not going to hire you anyway. They do, however, have wide networks of people who may. Providing valuable content to those people and their networks will improve your visibility as well as your credibility.

After all, you are a highly trained expert. Always remember that the personalized services you deliver to your clients can never be replaced with information on a blog.

Let's use a reader named Sarah as an example. Sarah would be an ideal client for you – she lives in your area, she's dealing with an issue that you can solve and she's online actively looking for solutions for that problem.

Sarah finds her way to your blog and reads a post about that very issue. Maybe a friend posted one of your links on social media, or maybe she found your website listing in a local networking directory (maybe you even got lucky when she did a Google search).

No matter how she found you, what's important is that Sarah loves what you've written. It makes sense, it seems doable and she trusts you enough to try your suggestions. Good job. You've obviously made a powerful connection – even though you may never have even met! Let's carry out this scenario with four different conclusions, each of which can lead to new clients for you:

The suggestions work and Sarah successfully achieves relief from her problem and/or begins a new practice that enhances her life or business in numerous ways. Maybe she'll browse through the mountain of helpful content on your blog to see what else she can try. Or maybe she'll decide that now she wants more! Who do you think Sarah will hire to take her to that next level?
Sarah struggles to implement some of the suggestions. She can see how they might work, but she had trouble integrating them into her daily routine. She needs help taking these suggestions and personalizing them for her own unique situation. Who do you think she'll call on for that help?
Sarah's friend Gordon mentions that he's having some of the same issues. Whichever of the previous scenarios has played out for her, where do you think Sarah will direct Gordon for help with the problem?
Sarah continues to read your new blog posts, since she got so much benefit from the other one. She's also happy to share these with her network. Sometimes she even includes a personal note about how much you've helped her. The next thing you know, Sarah's friends, colleagues or family are finding suggestions on your blog that make sense and seem doable. And they already trust you because Sarah has endorsed you. Now they're proceeding through the scenarios above. And who will they think of when they want personalized help, or know someone who's struggling with any of the issues you can solve?

Remember that there are hundreds of prospective clients who need your services right now who are never going to see or read your blog post. So there is no need to hold back on posting your best ideas. You're not giving away the farm by posting valuable, high-quality helpful content. You're sowing the seeds to a long and fruitful relationship with your prospective client and their network of contacts.

What's your experience been with giving away content on your blog? Do you feel you have gained or lost clients? Post your thoughts about giving away your best info in the comments below.

How to Use Mindmaps to Create High Quality Content at Breakneck Speed

2012-02-15T06:20:00-08:00

This is a guest post by Sharyn Sheldon at Business Content PLR.

How to Use Mindmaps to Create High Quality Content at Breakneck Speed

Do you ever dread the thought of sitting down to write an article or create some fresh, high quality content for your blog? Maybe you have an idea you want to write about, but you get stuck in the middle. In my case, there are times when I can't even get the first sentence out because there are too many ideas and I don’t know which one to choose first. Other times, the words flow smoothly and quickly.

The key to speeding up your web content writing pace is good planning. If you’re like me, you probably learned about creating outlines in grade school. You might even resist creating an outline for that very reason. After all, we're free of all those restrictions now, right? Wrong! An outline is your best friend in developing a piece of content that flows beautifully and speedily.

Using Mindmaps to Create Content Outlines

How can you create an outline without the pain of feeling like you're back in Mrs. Murphy’s class, watching the clock and waiting for the bell to ring? One great way is by using a mindmap. This can be done either with a piece of paper, or some software. I use Freemind on my PC and iThoughtsHD on my iPad. The first is free and the second is $9.99. You can see an example of the mindmap I used for this article in the image above.

Once you're ready to focus on some content creation, here are the steps to follow to get your outline/mindmap laid out:

1. Plan the topic.

This is as simple as doing some keyword research to identify a topic that people want to hear or read about. This is the center “node” of your mindmap. You can think of a catchy title later.

2. Identify your main points.

The major points of your content form the skeleton of your mindmap. Each one is a branch off the center node. If you are not sure what your main points should be, then do a little research first and jot down all the points you want to make. Then group those into the major categories that will form your skeleton.

3. Identify at least 3 supporting points for each major branch.

These supporting arguments are branches that come off each major branch. They would form the sub-bullets in a slide or paragraph.

4. Note examples for each branch or point.

You don't need to have examples for everything, but there should be at least one per major branch. Add them under the list of supporting argument branches, or insert them as branches that come off the ones they relate to.

5. Move branches around to reorganize your mindmap as needed.

Now that you have a full visual of your content, you will see what's missing or what doesn't make sense.

6. Finally, create a branch that will be your conclusion.

Add some sub-branches that reflect any concluding thoughts you want to emphasize.

Now that your mindmap outline is done, you are ready to create the actual content piece. You can record yourself talking through the points on the map, create slides that contain each point, create a video as you talk through each slide, and/or just write an article from the outline. A combination of these and other methods will give you a variety of unique content pieces all from one mindmap - great for building traffic and link diversification!

I hope this gets your creative juices flowing and eager to start mapping some ideas. It's a breeze to write high quality content when you are freed from the task of struggling for ideas as you write. With it all laid out, you can focus on other things (like finding an interesting word to use from thesaurus.com).

Another great way to create unique content quickly is to apply these same tactics with a PLR article. Grab my FREE guide to learn more – 10 Easy Steps to Creating Unique Content with PLR.

About the Author: Sharyn Sheldon is first and foremost an avid learner. She has spent over 20 years working with Fortune 500 companies designing learning solutions that improve employee performance. Now she has taken that love of learning to the internet with Business Content PLR. If you are a business consultant, coach, or internet marketing service provider, her site is the place to go for content that will help you and your customers achieve business success.

Related Posts:

Is it Cheating to Use PLR on Your Blog? Interview with Nicole Dean

PLR vs. Ghostwriting. Which is Better?

The Content Conundrum: Should Bloggers Use PLR Articles?