10 Commandments of Blogging

As an entrepreneur, the emergence of blogs was my burning bush. I didn’t understand it at first, but I’ve come to see that salvation (now known as content marketing) is within reach. If only we’re willing to believe. All joking aside, using a smart keyword strategy (hint: there’s research involved) and the right social media channels (for your business), you can refocus your marketing dollars into a content marketing strategy that’s both sustainable and cost-effective. Combine keywords with a strong on-site blogging platform and social media engagement and you’ve got the winning formula. Simple, right? Wrong. It’s simple but not easy. Understanding how to use content marketing is a lot like reading the catechism. Begin with the basics and then it’s practice, practice, practice. And the more you practice and memorize the “rules” the more you’ll understand some rules are made to broken – and others will land you in (Google) hell. I’ve been blogging since 2007. I’ve written more than 2,000 posts and contributed to national newspapers and magazines like the Boston Globe and Women’s Health. But I still look at what I do as a work in progress – we’re all still learning how to do this better. Feel free to steal my cheat sheet and use it to get to those pearly gates with a few less sins on your blogging dossier. Get Creative As a blogger, you are first and foremost a story-teller. Information isn’t merely doled out; it’s artfully told. The heart of giving good blog is how the information is presented. The details of the stories are where we find the magic. Blog with intention. Tell The Truth Facts and truth are not the same thing. Information can’t be made up, nor can the essential facts of a product or service. Using fictional scenarios and made-up quotes is against the rules and more than a little smarmy. Tell the truth, according to you. If you lie or stretch the truth, you’ll likely be called out for it and the road to redemption is all uphill from that point. Respect The Contract There’s an implicit contract between you (the blogger) and me (your reader). For my time as a reader, I understand and believe that your blog is going to give me something of value. Link to other relevant articles or purchasing information. Make your post the lighthouse that shines light on the information sources I need if I’d like to learn more. Get Personal A blog post is personal, not because it’s about yourself, but because it allows us inside your blogger head. We see your thought process. Unlike a responsible journalist or technical writer, you don’t remove yourself from the story. You’re a participant in it. You, the writer, are always there, indicating for us what you think about the subject at hand. Give To Get Your blog should vibrant and alive and full of opinions and engagement. People who write great blogs understand the value of sharing and of feedback. A blog is opinion-based and the true power of it lies in the comments that follow – and your response to them. FYI, if criticism scares you, developing a thick skin and a sense of humor should be your top priority before launching your blog. Engage Your Readers Every single comment posted on your blog deserves a response. Every single one. Your readers took the time to share their feelings and you owe it to them to acknowledge that gift with a response. Not responding to a comment is like not answering your customer service line. Doesn’t exactly extend a warm and cozy feeling, does it? Be Nice Not everyone is going to agree with you or even understand you. Some people will be critical and mean about your writing. Some may even call you names. My advice? Be nice. Don’t reduce yourself to a flame war on your own blog. Thank the haters for taking the time to visit and share their thoughts and then move onto the next comment. Share With Abundance Just because you write it doesn’t mean they will come. Using social media will help the search engines find you faster and bring more people to your site. It’s called content marketing – using keywords to signal to the search engines that you’re doing something over here that’s worth taking a look at. The downside is that if you use the wrong keywords, you may the wrong kind of traffic – or traffic that doesn’t convert. Elevate Other Bloggers Blogs are a powerful force because they intertwine and work together. Writing a blog without ever reading a blog is impossible – the system is built on reciprocity. What’s more, developing a unique voice on your blog takes time and practice and other bloggers can help with their valuable feedback. If you never visit another blog but expect other bloggers to visit you…enough said. Don’t Give Up I can hear my mother saying, “If it’s worth doing, it not going to be easy.” Sadly, she’s right. This stuff isn’t easy and it can hurt when you publish your brilliant post and no one (other than your mom) visits. Don’t give up. You can do this. How can I be so sure? You’re reading my blog post aren’t you? Cheat Sheet: Blogging Do’s and Don’ts Blogging Do’s: Use the first person Use lots of detail Go as deep as you can Show instead of tell Keep it tight Make a point Tell the truth Blogging Don’ts: Overstate your point Be afraid to get your hands dirty Water it down Make things up Rely too heavily on cuteness

Author:  Julia Rosien 

*Very good article so I wanted to share.  

To Blog or not to Blog?

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is DigitalFridayand I’m going to encourage you to think about blogging if you aren’t already.

Blogging requires a consistent time commitment and may not be right for ever brand. You have to create relevant content that resonates with your customers. Blogging for the sake of blogging isn’t going to add value if no one cares about the content or follows you. Here are my top 5 reasons to blog.

1) Continuously seeking new content keeps you on top of your game. Creating a blog and presenting it to your audience requires you to stay current and be an expert on your subject matter.

2) Blogging positions you as a content expert because people are following the blog and relyingon your information.

3) It creates an inbound marketing campaign. We’ve talked about the importance of thisin previous blogs. You are creating a presence on the internet and competing against other businesses that are also mounting inbound marketing campaigns. SEO loves blogs and the chance of customers discovering your work increase as you place more content online.

4) Blogs arevery useful tools in other ways as well. When I engage potential clients I often send them pertinent links from my own branding videos. The blogsbecome powerful salestool in my marketing tool kit.

5) You are able to engage your followers. They will comment, share likes and dislikes and you have the opportunity to respond and develop a relationship.

Blogging does create attention for your brand. The simple fact that you are reading this blog proves my point.

*This is an article from branding/marketing guy named Jim Glover but he really hits on the point of why you should be blogging.