In 2009 I started the 30 Day Power Blogging Challenge. The idea caught on and I repeated it two more times before deciding that others should carry on their own version of the Blog Challenge. There are now so many blogging challenges I have lost count. There’s even one for therapists to get them started with blogging! Every time I see another one pop up I smile, knowing that my original idea was innovative and continues to help so many people.
So, What Is A Blog?
A blog, or web-log as it was originally called, is an online diary or collection of thoughts and ideas. But actually it is much more sophisticated than that. Your blog is a website that publishes your entries, known as posts in reverse chronological order, with the most recent post shown first, at the top of the page. Readers are also able to comment and share their own blog’s information so that the conversation around any topic becomes an interactive one.
But the true beauty of having a blog lies in its simplicity. There is no need for you to learn HTML code or web design, otherwise needed to operate a traditional website. You can also update your blog via any Internet connection, whether you are on another continent or even using your smart phone.
Setting up a blog can take as little as thirty minutes and then you’re ready to publish your content. It’s honestly that easy. This is definitely a skill worth having.
How Is Blogging Applicable To My Business?
The ease of publishing your content on a blog makes it a perfect marketing vehicle for any type of business, online or offline. Whether you are working from home or are the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation, blogging on a regular basis will enhance your marketing strategy.
Blogging Is The Single Most Important Activity You Will Engage In To Build A Lucrative Online Business
I’ve always said that your blog is your ‘Home on the Internet’. It becomes the ‘face’ of your business that prospects can identify with and become a part of through comments and the ability to join your list. These days we all like to be a part of the conversation and actively participate in the conversation. it is typical that a new reader will leave a comment on one of my posts and then join my list, prompting me to take a look at their site and reciprocate in some way. That’s the beginning of a relationship in my mind.
Huge corporations and entities like General Motors, IBM, Huffington Post, and Microsoft have set up blogs to effectively market their services or products as a cost-effective way of communicating quickly with their prospects and current customers. By providing a venue for people to talk about their product, companies can easily find out what they really want and then tailor their products and services accordingly. This ongoing virtual conversation between the company and the customer has dramatically cut costs and increased revenue because they receive first-hand research information at almost no cost to them. It’s the perfect way to get instant feedback.
If you are an online entrepreneur working from home, the same strategies apply. Use your blog to:
- Build relationships with people who are interested in what you do
- Provide relevant content on your niche topic
- Find new readers and prospects through your keywords
- Establish trust with your prospects while gaining credibility
- Create deeper awareness about what you have to offer
- Test new ideas and research your market by encouraging your readers and to participate in discussions
Are you blogging regularly, or is it a challenge for you? I’d love to hear from you and take a look at your blog, so please leave a comment below.
I do enjoy blogging but I also want to write articles for article marketing and I have two books in the process of being written. I have just created a completely new give away for my blog to increase my list and a product to introduce to my list later this month. While doing all this, it can be a challenge to keep blogging three times a week, so I have had to discontinue the “30 day blog challenges” for now. I also spend about an hour a day commenting on other blogs I enjoy. I have put a restriction on those, that they must have “commentLov” which might not be fair on my part, but commentLov works for both me and the other blogger. I have found that I need to divide my day where each process has it’s time slot, thus there is a time set aside three days a week, to write a blog post. Having two web sites, even this can be challenging, and I am starting to do a little “outsourcing” which at one time I thought I would never do. I always carry a notepad, pen and mini camera because you never know when an idea will jump up right in front of you.
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William,
Thanks so much for your detailed comment on your blogging strategy. I agree that Comment Luv (available at http://connieloves.me/CommentLuv) is an incredible way to build your business, I believe we should also comment on relevant blogs that have not yet discovered it. Yes, outsourcing and even using PLR as a source of new material can be excellent ways to be more productive in your business.
Connie
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…The New Normal for Business: Having an Online Presence
Thank you Connie, for writing this. It is a very timely reminder. Blogging is definitely a challenge for me. I don’t particularly enjoy writing and it takes me hours just to write a simple 400 word blog post. I can always find tons of things I need to do for my business before writing a blog post but I am working on changing this both for myself and for my audience. I know putting my ‘voice’ out there will benefit my business so I am committed to writing a post more often than I have in the past. It will get easier and take less time the more I practice.
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Debbie,
Great insight here. Many people struggle to come up with as much content as they need. Consider using PLR for some of it, as I did here with this post. My recommendations are Alice Seba at http://ConnieLoves.me/AiceBundles and Melissa Ingold at http://CoachingStickyGlue.com and http://connieloves.me/ReportClub.
Thanks so much for your comment.
Connie
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Getting Started Online – Online Marketing Tips Podcast
Even though I enjoy writing, I have difficulty posting often enough. Because many of my posts involve screenshots and some technical how-tos, I procrastinate. I’m also a bit of a perfectionist, and I second guess myself too much.
My goal this year, though, more than the blog posts, which I will continue, is to email my list regularly and boost my social profiles. So far, I’m starting the year better, but plenty to do on limited time.
Deb Aldape recently posted…When the “Blue Screen of Death” Comes Calling
Deb,
You’re an expert in an area that all of us need – technology. I believe that PLR would be very useful to you, as long as you rewrite it a bit to share your ideas and insight.
Connie
Connie: I watch with interest you messages I get online from you. I have kind of a strange niche, I am now and have been a aircraft mechanic for 15 years, I run my own repair/restoration shop, and have a web site where I share aircraft repair knowledge with others interested. I’ve spent a lot of time on my web site but get nothing ($) from it. I would like to start to get a little income for all my efforts. Can you help me wade through all the “Stuff” I get online and get me up and running with a mailing list, blog, and some advertising? Thank you very much for your help, I hope you are the one that can help me make this a viable enterprise.
Eric
Eric,
Thanks so much for stopping by to share your business ideas. I love your niche because it is well defined and you have expertise in this area. The sky is the limit for what you will be able to achieve with this.
Connie
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Affiliate Marketing Tips – Online Marketing Tips Podcast
Strategic blogging is definitely a proven marketing
strategy Connie!
And as you mentioned in your excellent post it’s one the very few marketing strategies, that let’s us do exactly what the major corporations do, for a whole lot less money!
And still build our businesses and strengthen relationships!
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