Blogs - easy, difficult or a waste of time?

[Matt1959]

I'm considering doing a Blog on my website as I can see the value in getting keywords in it etc. Also, more importantly, I like the idea that it appears a way of connecting with potential clients and coming across as human and transparent and all that stuff thus helping inspire trust in people to use me.

But I've got some misgivings - namely - although I can write things down that "I" think are interesting, how do I know that readers don't think its naff (in which case it defeats the object)

I don't write novels nor copywrite etc so surely my offerings are going to be a bit hit and miss:|

I'd like to give blogs a try but don't want to make an arse of myself

Are Blogs worthwhile (apart from keywords) or are they old hat and a bit cheesy now?

Any comments welcome....

 

[Utopia Waste]

I think they are worthwhile. Don't worry too much about your writing style. Your writing will improve as you write more and more in your blog. You can also get some tips by reading other blogs in your particular niche.

 

[sm1]

I'm sure you won't make an arse of yourself - just be entertaining and share your thoughts - that's what people want to see in a blog

Your main website is there to talk about everything from a business perspective, so let the blog be you naturally.


Cheers

 

[AuctionMaster]

although I can write things down that "I" think are interesting, how do I know that readers don't think its naff

All you have to do is - focus on your website's topic, talk about the thing related to the stuff you sell etc. Have a look at our companies blog:

http://www.spicyauctiontemplates.com/blog/

We write about the topics that are related to our general market - eBay sellers. Follow news and just re-write them in your blog adding a personal twist, give useful tips and tricks etc.

Are Blogs worthwhile

Yes - they are! You can leave comments in other industry blog posts with links to your website, create track-backs -- watch this great video on how to do it:

http://www.jackhumphrey.com/fridayt...do-a-trackback-to-get-more-links-and-traffic/

You can get a coder to set up Wordpress blog on your website for around 40$ - and posting the posts is very simple - just log in and fire away!

 

[lesliedocherty]

Blogs are a good idea, as for sounding naff, i have a few guest writers who contribute and since we started posting every day our visitor numbers have quadrupled.
Blogging is worthwhile, keep at it, we have just moved to PR2, which i know doesnt mean much, but pleasing all the same.

mines is http://www.fatbuddhastore.blogspot.com

 

I think one is better off using your energy to improve your main site ranking with SEO.

Earl

 

[J-Wholesale]

If you do go with a blog, make sure to keep it on topic. First time bloggers are prone to veering into the personal when the initial well of ideas dries up. There's nothing worse than following a blog on marketing or web design over weeks or months, only to have the writer abandon his specialist subject and begin talking about his sick dog, or weight loss programme.

Keep it relevant.

 

[Matt1959]

thanks everyone. I think I'll give it a go. The only problem I see with peoples blogs is that they lose interest with the last entry being six months earlier. Anyway, I've taken a look at the links to blogs on this thread - I think if you can write entertainingly, it makes for an interesting read. Lockie on here does a good one as well...

 

[worlddom]

There's someone on the forums here that has a good site related to blogging - http://www.betterbusinessblogging.com

This article regarding things to consider before starting a blog might be worth a read.

 

[Sarkin]

I have added a blog to my web site as google loves fresh content so it is two fold, but as others have said work on the seo as well

 

[thekitchendesigner]

I have wanted to do a blog and have it set up, but havent written anything. Main reasons being what to write, and how do i know people will find it and read it!??

The last one bothers me partcularly, as i can see myself spending time on writing industry related blogs, and no sod reading it!!?!?!

 

[worlddom]

I have wanted to do a blog and have it set up, but havent written anything. Main reasons being what to write, and how do i know people will find it and read it!??

The last one bothers me partcularly, as i can see myself spending time on writing industry related blogs, and no sod reading it!!?!?!

You can submit to blog and rss directories as well as promote through relevant forums, social media sites and comments on other blogs.

The latest post on the site I recommended outlines 17 different types of blog post!... worth a read.

 

[tlewis]

I have wanted to do a blog and have it set up, but havent written anything. Main reasons being what to write ...

Blogs are great but can very soon become a chore. But it doesn't have to be just your thoughts, as Lesliedocherty suggested look around for guest writers or you could include interviews with people from your industry.

 

[DanMartin]

But I've got some misgivings - namely - although I can write things down that "I" think are interesting, how do I know that readers don't think its naff (in which case it defeats the object)

This article will be useful.

 

[lesliedocherty]

The reason we done guest writers, is they already have strong blog following and when they announce on their blog they are doing a weekly spot on ours, our traffic easily doubles that day and following day.

Also importantly the stuff they write about is entirely relevant to our site, and we are now seeing good traffic to our main site from the blog.

 

[eMarketing Mark]

@Matt1959
You know the readers that you want to connect with better than anyone (perhaps prospects, customers, suppliers, partners?), so you will be the best judge of what they want to read about from you and what will help differentiate you and your business in their eyes. That's the goal really. Is it cheesy and naff? Only if you think that talking to people, answering their questions or marketing your business are naff things to do!

@ Mark (the Kitchen Designer)
There are lots of different things that you could write about but don’t get hung up about Industry topics unless that’s going to be of interest to the readers you want to attract. If your business is more focused on individual clients rather than trade, then address things which will interest them – I’d start with making a list of questions that you routinely get asked when people are thinking about engaging your services and write a post around each one. If one customer is thinking about it then no doubt others are as well.
Maybe look at how quality kitchens add value to house price (in todays’ environment), get a colleague in to write on methods to pay for a new kitchen, what are the trends in design, “celebrity kitchens” etc. Just a thought. In terms of promoting it, a lot is done automatically for you in a properly set up blog but this post gives some more (well, 52) ideas to help the process further.

@ Worlddom
Many thanks for the mention!

All the best,

Mark

 

[Tim R-T-C]

For a business blog you might get a few hardcore fans, but more likely the blog will be read as a one-off by site visitors and potential customers so make sure to:

Keep updating - nothing makes a site look old than a last blog post 6 months ago. If you don't have time to make a proper post, just a quick note explaining that business is busy etc. to at least keep the blog moving. Other quick posts can include links to other business blogs, or this site for example.

If you really don't have time, then delete the blog completely - an out-of-date blog is more damaging than not having one.

Keep it professional, as mentioned above, no potential customer wants to know about your detailed private life (unless it is cute, eg. baby or kittens!) but try and keep a personal touch.



If you do it right, it is a good way to make yourself seem more human, let customers know about developments and generally pass the time.

 

[4little1s]

Hi,

I think it is worthwhile creating a blog, and as someone mentioned in the thread earlier, don't worry too much about writing style as its something that you pick up from experience and also from reading other people blogs.

Keep it updated and fresh, use relevant stuff on it. I have a business and a personal blog which I generally update every couple of days. Not sure if it helped the PR or not but I would like to think it helped.

Mark

 

[4little1s]

Just thinking out loud here....is it worth having multiple blogs ? (apart from the exta work!)

 

[Sarkin]

Yes, set up multiple blogs on diffrent IP addresses then scrape free articles add to diffrent blogs then link back to you main site.

 

[freddie112]

Just be yourself. Provide good content and you will develop a following.

 

[Alex Bellinger]

I think blogging is a great idea, (as you might expect), but I have a concern.

Increasingly they are becoming a kind of astro-turfing of the internet, designed with SEO as the prime motivation. Chances are most visitors to your blog are going to be drive-by google traffic.

Does anyone have any data from their own sites which shows what % of visitors to a blog post then click on to a page for a product or service the site is primarily selling?

Cheers

Alex

 

[4little1s]

Thanks for the feedback, all helpful stuff.

 

[Sarkin]

There are no "do follow" search engines for blogs, these blogs once submitted to the engine get spamed like crazy.

 

[Alex Bellinger]

@sarkin, yes they do get huge amounts of comment spam, but most blogging systems have pretty effective systems in place to counter these. Alternatively, you could just switch comments off!

 

[4little1s]

Hi,

Yeah I would be intersting in know from a Marketing perspective if there are any tools that could be used to show the path from Blog to an actual sale. We have a comments field in our sales process that says 'where did you hear about us?' but not many ever say from the blog.

I think you are right there is a SEO drive behind it but don't think thats a bad thing...


M
http://www.4little1s.com

 

[Web Design Company]

Blogs will surely help you. Keep the SEO factor in mind and write in an interactive way. I'm sure your readers will love it. Also, make sure that you respond to comments in quick time as this will generate loyalty in your readers as they will feel more interest in participating in the topics that you write about.

 

[lockie]

Blogs are great from an seo point of view and thats why i started one.I didn't actually realise anyone read it until matt1959 made a comment in this thread!
I suppose what you think may be boring to others is actually not as you thought.

 

[the white rose]

I'd like to give blogs a try but don't want to make an arse of myself

If you're not scared, then you're not pushing yourself enough. If you're scared you're on the right track.

I'm an author and my first book is due for publication in a few weeks. I used to be scared of what people would think of the book, but there is a rule that is applicable to every writer of every book (as a blogger, you'll still be a writer) - which is that no matter what you write, whether it's War and Peace, Harry Potter, Ulysses, or a piece of disposable chic lit (cringe) then the reaction will be the same.

Some people will love it. Some people will hate it. Some people will shrug their shoulders and not care. Some nutjobs will think the author is the anti-christ. Others will start hero-worshipping the author. But the vast majority will remain simply indifferent. You and your work (or me and my work, or Dostoevsky and his work) are not that important in the cosmic scheme of things; no-one is. Once you've got that firmly in your head, it will free you to do what you want. Just remember that whatever you write is in the public domain so try not to slag anyone off; it makes you look cheap. If you do have to be negative then make sure it's funny...

Re blogging specifically...

I've been blogging on average once a week since 2006. I started my blog as a potential platform for my first novel. A self-proclaimed top NY literary agent who used to blog anonymously, sneered on her blog in response to me talking about mine, that it was a waste of time blogging as a platform unless you were already famous. That was the single biggest piece of asterisk I'd heard in a long time and I ignored it and carried on blogging. From an SEO POV it's a dream. I write about artists, filmmakers and musicians, have interviewed a few and get constant visitors to old articles. For example, if you google for Harry Enfield Yorkshireman (a character in Harry Enfield's television show in the mid 90s) my blog is right up there in the results - that article is still constantly read.

EDIT: Actually that leads to my White Rose of Yorkshire blog which was a local blog I set up to run concurrently with my main blog. I'm in the process of transferring all those old articles over to my main blog now.

Go for it, and most importantly, write what entertains YOU Matt, and have fun.

 

[Officebird]

I haven't really been following this thread but I will now as I have had some blog success over the weekend. I have only just started doing a blog and have had trouble finding the time as well as finding content. I don't want to start writing about my gerbils!!

Anyway, I put a little notice on there saying I now offer Registered address/mailing services and over the weekend I have had two queries directly from the website contact form. I'm really pleased as it means people have actually found it!! I think I will start doing this blog thing a little more often

Good Luck. I'm off now to read the resty of the posts as I think there will be some interesting advice included in this thread!

 

[Keepsmilin]

I'm considering doing a Blog on my website as I can see the value in getting keywords in it etc. Also, more importantly, I like the idea that it appears a way of connecting with potential clients and coming across as human and transparent and all that stuff thus helping inspire trust in people to use me.

But I've got some misgivings - namely - although I can write things down that "I" think are interesting, how do I know that readers don't think its naff (in which case it defeats the object)

I don't write novels nor copywrite etc so surely my offerings are going to be a bit hit and miss:|

I'd like to give blogs a try but don't want to make an arse of myself

Are Blogs worthwhile (apart from keywords) or are they old hat and a bit cheesy now?

Any comments welcome....

Thumbs up for Blogs!!!

Cheers,


Ezylet.com

 

[the white rose]

I don't want to start writing about my gerbils!!

Hey, Officebird, there are a lot of people who eat, sleep and think gerbils (eh? no, that didn't come out right) - if you are passionate about your gerbils then write about them, about any funny incidents that happen, about how you care for them, any experiences you've had. Illustrate your articles with photos of your own gerbil(s) - easy with a digital camera - and someone will arrive on your blog having googled about gerbils (apparently a lot of people do google about gerbils.) Don't worry what people will think of you! In about 100 years nearly every human being you see around you will have gone, so what does it really matter what anyone else thinks, eh?

 

[Officebird]

Hey, Officebird, there are a lot of people who eat, sleep and think gerbils (eh? no, that didn't come out right) - if you are passionate about your gerbils then write about them, about any funny incidents that happen, about how you care for them, any experiences you've had. Illustrate your articles with photos of your own gerbil(s) - easy with a digital camera - and someone will arrive on your blog having googled about gerbils (apparently a lot of people do google about gerbils.) Don't worry what people will think of you! In about 100 years nearly every human being you see around you will have gone, so what does it really matter what anyone else thinks, eh?

If I put things about my gerbils (ruby eyed white mongolians by the way) then won't google see it as irrelevant and penalise my site because of it?

 

[4little1s]

Blogs are just great fun, sure there is the SEO side of things but sometimes I think its good to write about anything, its good to get stuff off your chest sometimes and writing it down is always a good way.

 

[the white rose]

woops sorry double posted it...

 

[the white rose]

If I put things about my gerbils (ruby eyed white mongolians by the way) then won't google see it as irrelevant and penalise my site because of it?

I don't know enough about SEO to know how this would work, Officebird. I do think it's a good idea to have a general theme for your blog though, that way you get repeat readers. So yours could be a gerbil specific blog, or one tailored just to registered address/mailing service queries, but on the other hand, you could have a personal blog on which you advertise your mailing service but also discuss gerbils. I wouldn't worry too much about how google rates you to start off with, just do what feels right for you. Most of all, it has to entertain you because otherwise you won't have the impetus to blog once a week, which you need to do to get repeat traffic. Blogging shouldn't be a chore, it should be a pleasure.

I went through a (short) phase of having blog subjects lined up on my year planner a few weeks in advance, and it just didn't work. Now I go on instinct; every week I know something will have inspired me enough to blog about it, and it is that genuine passion in your writing (even if you're a techy writing about a supposedly dry subject such as coding) that keeps readers coming back again and again.

 

[the white rose]

I'll have a good read of this entire thread when I've got time. In the meantime, I've figured out an easy hack for adding a customisable signature to your blog which when updated updates all your previous blog entry sigs at the same time, just like on BB forums (this one for example.)

I used to put sigs in manually at the end of the body text of each article. But the problem was that the old ones are now out of date yet are still being regularly read by people arriving through google. This hack will prevent the out of date sig problem happening in future, but as I hadn't worked the hack out before, I now have 197 articles to go through and manually get rid of the old sigs.

Sigh. Hence I will now spend the rest of the day catching up on BBC4 on bbci on the laptop whilst I do this on the main PC. You will never have to do this though! See below:

How to Put a Customisable Signature in Your Blog in Blogger

 

[tun80]

not sure if it's been mentioned on here already, but take a look at copyblogger.com, excellent resource for this very subject, and it costs diddly squat.

And blogging gets the thumbs up from this skeptic.

 

[jBullet]

I haven't had time to read this entire thread but blogs are certainly a good idea if you have the time to create high quality blog posts about the particular industry. They are a great way to give a presence of being an expert in your particular industry and to make contacts. Of course, they are a great way to provide great information to other people and to help your own writing skills!

 

[4little1s]

Is there a tool that anyone recommends that can update multiple blogs at the same time. I have a few blogs and find I am spending more and more time updating them