Its A Blog, Not A Sales Letter
The recent spurt of interest in blogging has begun to ignite the hope that people can make a full-time income from blogging.
Although there are a few people actually doing this, there aren't too many business models yet that can support someone making a full-time income from their blogs.
I believe that blogs should be an important part of any traffic-generation plan for a website, but don't depend on the blog itself to do much selling.
Blogs are best viewed as an addition to site content, in reality, a very simple content management system that helps you update your site more frequently, so your search engine listings and traffic increase.
Email campaigns are still the best way to produce sales on demand and to announce specials and time-limited offers, because blogs do not yet have the immediacy and reach of email.
Blogs are not about selling anyway. As an internet marketer and publisher, I find that blogs can be an excellent tool to support your main business, to provide value, build relationships with prospective customers and to build your personal brand and image.
For corporates and small businesses, blogs can help put a human face on an otherwise bland business site. In the corporate world, blogs are being for internal communication and knowledge management, and for brand building and public relations campaigns.
Nike's Art of Speed blog is an excellent example of subtle brand building using blogs.
As an internet marketer and publisher, here are some ways you can use blogs to support your business.
1. Write reviews of products in your field
Writing reviews not only allows you to benefit from improved search engine listings for the product you are reviewing, but allows you to provide your subscribers with information that contributes to their purchase decisions. That makes it an ideal way to earn affiliate income.
2. Direct traffic to your articles
If you've written an article and published it online, use your blog to post a teaser, perhaps describing what made you write that particular article, and then link to it so you get your readers to also visit your website and check out your other offerings.
3. Direct traffic to your ezine archives
Post a few paragraphs or the editorial of your ezine or newsletter issues on your blog and link to the archived issue on your website so that your readers can read the rest of the issue there.
4. Talk about what's going on in your life
People buy from those they like and trust. As an online journal or diary, a blog is the ideal medium to share details of your holiday, the things that made you laugh (or not), your own humorous take on life, anything to let your prospective customers get to know the person behind the website better.
5. Comment on developments in your industry
A blog is an ideal place to post your personal opinions, favourable or not, about the developments in your industry. If you are not happy with someone's customer service, or have been defrauded, they are also a good way of warning other potential victims. Becoming a source of industry information is part of the process of branding yourself as an expert.
There are many more ways that you can promote yourself, your products and services using a blog, but the ones above should get you started for now.
Just remember to use your blog for the purpose it was meant to be used. To brand, to communicate, to connect.
Leave the selling to your sales letter.
Copyright © 2004 Priya ShahPriya Shah is an ezine publisher by day and doubles as a Blog Maniac by night. Blog Brandz is the legitimate offspring of her affair with the blogosphere.
 Google News Updated : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:58:10 GMT Hurricane Omar gains strength and nears Puerto Rico - Reuters
Reuters - By John Marino SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Hurricane Omar strengthened on Wednesday as it bore down on Puerto Rico and the small islands of the northeastern Caribbean, and could be a "major" storm by the time it reaches them, US forecasters said. Omar on the Move. Paloma Next? Hurricane Omar heads for US Caribbean islands Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:12:36 GMT AMR Plan to Buy 787s Will Update Fleet, Bolster Boeing Program - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Susanna Ray and Mary Schlangenstein Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- AMR Corp.'s American Airlines said it may buy as many as 100 Boeing Co. AMR overcomes fuel costs to squeeze out small profit AMR 3Q Net Down 74%, To Buy Up To 100 Dreamliners Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:24:10 GMT Polls: McCain forced to play defense in some red states - CNN
CNN - HEMPSTEAD, New York -- New polls out Wednesday in some crucial states that could decide the race for the White House suggest Sen. John McCain is having to defend himself in areas that once were reliably Republican. Union sues over policy banning political material at polling places Pollsters say odds of McCain winning election 'incredibly remote' Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:34:00 GMT Migraine-hit Janet Jackson to resume US tour - Reuters
Reuters - By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A rare form of migraine forced Janet Jackson to cancel several dates on her Rock Witchu concert tour but she planned to return to the stage on Wednesday in Washington, DC, her manager said. Jackson was laid low by migraines Janet Jackson: She's Baaaaack* Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:02:47 GMT It's officially over: Madonna and Guy Ritchie are divorcing - New York Daily News
New York Daily News - BY LEO STANDORA Madonna's marriage to Guy Ritchie really is kaput , her rep told the Daily News on Wednesday. "Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after 7 l/2 years of marrige," Liz Rosenberg said in a statement. Video: AP Exclusive: Madonna, Guy Ritchie to Divorce It's Official: Madonna And Guy Ritchie To Divorce Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:56:56 GMT Obama’s spending how much on ads? - Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor - By Jimmy Orr | 10.15.08 It’s been a week of non-surprises thus far. Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones has been suspended - again. McCain calls for 'voter fraud' inquiry A stolen election? Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:03:33 GMT Jerry Jones exposed as gutless by Goodell's ruling - FOXSports.com
FOXSports.com - by Ian O'Connor Ian O'Connor is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry," which Kirkus Reviews calls an "exemplary sports history. Video: Dallas' Adam Jones Suspended Again Give Cowboys credit for not counting on Adam 'Pacman' Jones too much Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:52:30 GMT Increase Search Engine Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Do you need help adding RSS feeds to your blogger?... Read More Niche marketing is an old and very successful marketing strategy... Read More Like anything else, a little work can pay dividends. Well-written... Read More A lot of commotion was made some time ago when... Read More I've been searching the Internet for blogging sites for a... Read More -- What Is A BlogA blog (or web log as... Read More Let's start at the beginning. What is a 'Blog' and... Read More It even surprised me. Yes, even though I have... Read More A xanga is something akin to a blog. It all... Read More In 1999 I asked my friends and colleagues if they... Read More Blogs, are often defined as frequent and ongoing publications of... Read More 1. It is perfect for creating a web presence for... Read More In recent years, it's been pretty obvious that "blogging" (Web... Read More Over the past year or so, more and more webmasters... Read More What are Blogs?Having heard the term previously but not having... Read More Did you know that there are free ways that you... Read More RSS gets 100% of your content delivered, but it's no... Read More Blogging is a term that means different things to different... Read More How to blog to make money from it?Truly the whole... Read More If you have been using opt-in email marketing for sometime,... Read More Let me ask you three questions to get you thinking.... Read More RSS(Real Simple Syndication) is the newest form of content syndication... Read More RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It's a format that... Read More RSS Feeds.RSS also known as rich site summary or real... Read More Web gives a lot of exposure; weblog stabilizes the exposure... Read More
Adsense
websites
Easy RSS for Bloggers
The Viability of Blogging to a Niche Market
Tips for a Better RSS Feed
RSS For Fresh Content & Better Ranking
Blogging Communities Turn Faceless Strangers into Close Friends
How to Make Money with Your Blog
Blogging Tutorial
How Yahoos Recent Facelift Can Mean More Traffic To Your Site
How To Make A Cool Xanga
Got Blog?
Blog Marketing: Guerrillas Stalk the Internet
Start Blogging Now: 10 Reasons Why You Really Need a Blog for Your Business
Blogging will Soon Take Over the World
How to Cash In on Blogs
Web Blogs, Defined, Explained and Understood
3 Overlooked Ways to Get Hundreds of Links and Prospects to Your Blog
The 7 Steps to Promoting Your RSS Feeds on Your Website
Use Blogging to Manage Your Entire Web Sites Content
What Blog Can Make Money?
Will The Real Spammer Please Stand Up!
RSS - How to Promote and Profit From Your Feed
Update Your Websites Content Automatically 24/7 Using RSS(Real Simple Syndication) and RSS Feeds
What Are RSS Feeds?
What Are RSS Feeds
Blogging Advice - Give Your Readers What They Want
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
The Idiot?s Step-By-Step Guide To Blogging for Profit
Blogging is easy, blogging is fun. And what's more?it can... Read More
Make Money with Your Own Blog
Well, basically, setting up a blog means that you are... Read More
Should Bloggers be Helping Google Fix Their PageRank System?
By now, most bloggers have heard the announcement that the... Read More
Do Marketers Really Need RSS?
The recent Forrester Research study, which claims that only 2%... Read More
Marketing With Blogs - Part 1
Marketers have found that blogs are excellent tools for communicating... Read More
Advertising in RSS Feeds: Are we risking disaster?
Advertising in RSS feeds is something that Google is considering... Read More
Small Business: To Blog or Not To Blog
A weblog, or "blog" started out as a personal journal... Read More
Strategic RSS Positioning: How to Hotwire Your Site to Google!
There's no denying it, the Internet has changed. The change... Read More
3 Ways to Publish RSS
As RSS news syndication gains popularity among users, new ways... Read More
Utilize The Power Of Blogs To Market Your Business On A Budget
Budget marketing with blogs is one of today's top methods... Read More
Why are you abusing RSS
When you are involved in RSS everyday you get to... Read More
The Art of Business Blog Writing
"It is precisely minds of the first order that will... Read More
The Real Bloggers Must Come From Another Planet - I Can?t Find Any Here On Earth
What in the world is up with the world of... Read More
Top 10 Places to Find the Most Popular Blogs
The easiest way to get acquainted with the conventions of... Read More
Blogs As A Marketing Tool
Blogs are the biggest things to happen to the Internet... Read More
Web Blogs, Defined, Explained and Understood
What are Blogs?Having heard the term previously but not having... Read More
Why Blog?
It seems everyone these days is talking about blogging. Everywhere... Read More
Strategies to Make Your Blog More Interesting
Putting up your business blog is an advantageous way of... Read More
Why Blogs Have Become the Search Engine Optimization Equalizer
ALEXA WEIGHS IN...For those who are unaware of Alexa, it... Read More
Are You Thinking of Republishing RSS Feeds?
There is lively debate about the republishing of RSS feeds... Read More
5 Easy Ways To Use RSS On Your Site
You hear so much talk about RSS these days on... Read More
How to Get a Blog on the Internet
Of all people in the world I was easily one... Read More
Blogging Policies, Does Your Business Need One?
Weblogs or Blogs as they are more commonly referred to,... Read More
Could There Be A New Way Of hearing The News Stories We Feel Are Relevant In Our Lives?
Mainstream media has become a single-minded authority on how we... Read More
How Direct Sales Reps Can Use Blogging
One of the tools that a smart direct sales representative... Read More
Blogging, RSS & Feeds |