Successful Blog

Marketing Products and Services That Involve Extra Effort

by 1 Comment

Think Analyze Evaluate Assess 3d Words beside a thinking personWhether you simply market the product or service and/or you are the owner, it is important that you understand your marketing audience. One of the most critical reasons for this is due to some products or services getting a little more scrutiny at times than others.

If you find yourself having to market products or services that garner a little additional attention than most others, what is your strategy? Do you even have a strategy in place? If not, it would behoove you to take the added time needed to craft a sound strategy. Doing so will make it easier to get your product or service to market. As a result, you will see your revenue stream (or the stream of those you represent) improve too.

That said what extra efforts are you putting into marketing certain products and services to get them sold?

Use Myriad of Marketing Maneuvers

So that you can be a winner with any and all marketing products and services you put out there, the key is leaving no stone unturned.

For instance, are you marketing medical marijuana to the masses? While medical marijuana has gotten notable approval in many corners of the country, some feel it is a prelude to abusing marijuana and potentially other drugs. As a marketer for any companies backing medical marijuana, how do you put your message out there in a positive manner?

For starters, if you are touting the positive results of one getting a marijuana card online, use examples of individuals battling health problems to have benefitted from getting the drug.

Such examples can be shown in your blog posts or even videos on your website.

As an example, some testimonial videos from men and women having used medical marijuana to their benefit in fighting cancer or other diseases can do wonders. It not only sends a message of success with the product, but it gives others in that position hope.

With your blog posts, talk about not only some individual examples of medical marijuana success, but also trends in the overall marijuana industry.

Get Credible People Backing Your Marketing

One of the best groups to have backing your marketing initiative would be those in the medical community, notably doctors.

Countless doctors have seen first-hand how medical marijuana can give hope to those battling illnesses, diseases, pain and more. As a result, it is not uncommon these days to hear more and more physicians backing medical marijuana.

As part of your marketing initiatives, using some information from said doctors would help back your cause. In many cases, people are more apt to get behind something when credible individuals say they support it.

Gambling with Marketing Initiatives

Another example would be gambling.

For decades, there have been supporters and non-supporters behind the idea of not only casino gambling, but also online gambling. As a result, millions and millions of dollars’ worth of marketing (for and against) have been spent on gambling ads and more.

If you back gambling, your marketing initiatives would want to show how the proceeds from gambling go to help residents of the respective states (senior citizens, children when it comes to schooling, public transportation etc.). If you are against gambling, your marketing efforts are typically directed at showing how some people can lose everything. While there are many responsible gamblers out there, some do not know when to call it quits. As a result, they can end up losing pretty much everything when all is said and done.

As you can see, marketing some products and services can at times prove challenging, but that is why having a sound strategy is so important.

In being a marketer, how do you go about marketing certain products and/or services that some individuals and/or groups may be against?

With marketing being such an important cog in the business machine, taking that extra time and effort in some cases can make all the difference.

Photo by BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

How Local Businesses Can Run Their Blogs Like Online Pros

by Leave a Comment

By Jessy Troy

Local businesses have a bit of a reputation for having awful blogs. It isn’t surprising; local companies tend to be brick and mortar, and the ever changing world of online marketing can be difficult to keep up with, even for experts. Local businesses are used to promoting on a more traditional level.

But blogging offers a cost efficient, simple and effective means of reaching your target audience. Having a good content strategy in place means getting more for less, and competing with those local companies that have managed to figure out a good social angle.

Here are some ways that local businesses can run their company like pros.

Remember That SEO Counts, But Has To Be Modified For Location

Search engine optimization has moved leaps and bounds since the days of keyword stuffing and page spamming. Google’s shifting algorithm has made the rules a lot harder to follow, but thankfully taken some of the power from shady practices that rewarded bad, or even stolen, content.

When scaling for local content, you have to remember that location is going to be your best friend. Your industry is probably vast, so you can’t compete based on those keywords alone. But add your city and you have a much smaller pool.

For example, “Thai restaurant” is going to generate way too many leads, and Google will narrow it for the user, but maybe not narrowed enough. But “Thai restaurant San Francisco” is much better. “Thai restaurant San Francisco Hyde Street” is another one you could use, or your area code.

Not only will this narrow results, but it is what people are more likely to search for.

Make sure you submit your blog to high-quality local directories like this one. This helps you get found!

Being hosted locally increases search visibility dramatically. Here’s the list of hosting providers where you can use country filters to search. Handy!

Integrate With Social, Then Target Based On Geolocation Stats

You can integrate your blog with social networking, and start taking advantage of ads. Then use those pages to target people as they come into your area. It is one of the many benefits of mobile social use, such as through Facebook apps.

In fact, Facebook has a whole host of ways to market as a local business. Check out their page on Local Awareness Ads for more information.

Write About What People In Your Area Care About

Most of your blog’s success is going to come down to the content. While you can offer general information about your industry, including helpful how-to’s, people can get these anywhere on the web. You should be trying to exploit the fact that you are local, and so have a local touch to your business.

Write about things you know your community cares about. Follow a tone that is appropriate for the customers you know you will be looking to speak to. Are these people with large families. Young professional couples? Singles?

Advertise Your Blog On Local Media

You can make people aware of your blog by talking about it on local media. Many local news shows, radio stations, newsletters and newspapers will do features of local businesses. You can casually mention during one of these spots that you have a blog people can go to for whatever information you provide.

Of course, this should not be the primary message behind a media spot. But it is a nice aside that could help create a loyal reader base.

Find Other Blogs With A Following Locally, Then Guest Post

Are there other blogs that are locally based and get a decent amount of visitors? They might be a good place to go to look for a guest spot! Contact the blog owners and pitch a post that you think would be valuable to their readers. Tell the who you are and offer to put a link to their blog on your website.

Connections like this can be very helpful for both parties. Not to mention a good chance to begin networking offline with others in your area.

Ask Local Experts For Interviews, Advice, and Quotes

There is a local blog in my city that has an attorney on every two weeks to write a blog post answering people’s questions about accident claims and issues. The company in question is an auto shop that specializes in fixing accident damage.

Notice how they managed to expand out of their direct industry topic, while remaining relevant, and in a way that is much more helpful to their customers. After all, people are going to them to fix their car, so blog posts teaching how to do anything more than basic maintenance would be pointless. But they know their customers would be facing legal claims, and so offer help that way.

It is an ingenious idea we can all take note of.

Blog About Local Events

What local events are coming to your area? Find out, build hype, attend, and then blog about it. Write a big post showing pictures taken, telling stories, and thanking people for attending. Run a contest in the lead up to get customer participations. Set up a booth with gifts, or interactive party activities.

You can even microblog live, using the event hashtag on Twitter. This is a great way to piggy back off the popularity of, say, a festival.

Tell Local Stories

You have an entire community of people who you can introduce on your blog! Tell the stories of those around you. Do interviews, and find out the interesting details about people’s lives. Do spotlights, and show your appreciation for the people in your area that make your city a great place to live.

Small, local businesses can really get away with this tactic in a way corporations can’t. Imagine for a second that Walmart releases a campaign talking about an old woman who has saved money and lives off of her small pension shopping at Walmart. Seems exploitive, and possibly a fake story by an actor, right?

Now imagine that same situation, but on the blog of a small, local shop. The impact is much greater there, more genuine.

Take Your Local Business Blogging Level To ‘Expert’

Blogging is a great way for local businesses to get into the online marketing game. Do you have any tips? Let us know in the comments!

Author’s Bio: Jessy Troy is a creative writer and editor at Social Media Sun. She Tweets as @JessyTroy.

Top 5 Things to Consider When You’re Blogging and Traveling

by 1 Comment

How to blog

by
Amanda DiSilvestro

Blogging on the Go: How to Make Traveling the World “Work” for You

This post coming to you from a campervan somewhere between Byron Bay and Sydney, Australia — it can be tough to try and keep your blog up and running while you’re on the go. One of the greatest things about being a blogger and writer is the idea that you can do your writing from anywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. This also doesn’t mean that you should sit home and let this great opportunity pass you by, but it does mean that you have to come up with some focus and discipline; fast.


Image: Can blogging while
you travel work out for you?

Working from home and working while you are traveling are two very different things. If you’ve been able to manage getting your work done with the lack of a real office, then you’re certainly off to a good start when it comes to working while on the go. However, there are a few things that are different and a few other qualities that you will likely need if you want to be successful as you travel wherever that plane or campervan may take you.

Top 5 Things to Consider When You’re Blogging and Traveling

It’s important to remember that working while traveling isn’t for everyone (as great as it may sound). Below are a few tips to help you make sure that you’re ready to be a traveling blogger:

  1. Get ready to work while you’re in the car or on a train or bus.

    Traveling often involves taking long rides to neighboring towns and tourist areas, and this means taking some sort of transportation. This is a great time for you to be working because these rides are usually pretty lengthy and there isn’t much else to do. However, you have to consider whether or not you get carsick and can actually work in a moving vehicle. Many people are able to get away with not working while literally on the go, but it’s the most convenient if you’re ready and willing to make it happen.

  2. Make sure that you’re prepared to miss out on certain activities.

    Part of traveling is the excitement of doing everything and seeing everything (especially if you’re with friends or family). It can be difficult to watch everyone travel down to the beach or check out that famous restaurant on the rooftop and just sit there and work. However, you have to realize that it won’t be possible for you to see and do everything. You have to make time for work, and this will mean having to say no to certain outings. For many (myself included), this is the hardest part about blogging while traveling and it’s often enough to cause a blog to fail.

  3. Consider the time difference and whether or not it will affect your business.

    You would be surprised at what an affect time difference will have on your blogging. If you’re working for a company, you are going to want to make sure that you’re online at least a little bit during the work hours of your company, and for you this could be right in the middle of dinner. You will also want to consider the different times that your content as well as the content your submitting to others is the most successful. If you’re writing an article late at night and then it goes live, is it really going to do you much good to promote it while the audience of that blog is asleep? You will want to make sure you have lots of scheduling tools in order!

  4. Try to spread out all of your travels.

    Let’s face it—if you’re going to travel while you blog you’re going to do it right. You will likely want to see more than one country, but it’s important that you spread out the times in which you travel. Make sure that you have a home base for at least a few months so you can really crack down and get some work done. It is during the transition periods that work suffers the most.

  5. Make sure that the Internet is readily available whenever you need it.

    This is one thing that can take many by surprise. They assume that they can just use Internet cafes or easily buy a wireless router, but this isn’t always the case. You want to make sure that you have this under control before you leave. In most countries, the best thing you can do is buy an Internet card in the country you’re visiting (bringing one from another will cost you too much money!). However, this isn’t always possible in more remote countries, so you’ll want to make sure you really research and decide if that is a country you can even travel to with a job. And remember—don’t forget your converters!

Have you ever maintained a blog or a blogging job while traveling the world? What were some things that you wish you had known before you got on the plane? Let us know your thoughts and tell us your stories in the comments below!

Author’s Bio:
Amanda DiSilvestro gives small business and entrepreneurs SEO advice ranging from keyword density to recovering from Panda and Penguin updates. She writes for Higher Visibility, a nationally recognized SEO consulting firm that offers online marketing services to a wide range of companies across the country. Connect with Higher Visibility on Google+ and Twitter to learn more!

Blogging on the Road: How to Keep Up When You Travel a Lot

by 1 Comment

how to blog series

by
Ann Smarty

Understanding Online Business

When people ask about me, I usually have two main descriptions I go to: I am a travel-lover and a blogger. These two things make up so much of who I am and my life that they are the very first details that spring into my mind. Which is great, because they are two parts about my life that I truly love and would never change.

You would think the two would naturally intertwine, and in a way they do. I have plenty to say after each journey, and love showing pictures and videos taken along the way as I speak of my experiences. As I started out backpacking around the world in my earlier days, I have some serious stories about it. Which I am always eager to tell.

The problem is finding time to blog while I am traveling. This is something I have always wanted to be able to do, as my impressions and details would be much clearer and more accurate when it had only just happened.

It took me years to develop this skill properly, rather than relying on guest bloggers or hiatuses to get me through. It all comes down to a few tricks of the trade.


ImageCredit: Alex E. Proimos Learn the tricks.

Have Backups At The Ready

No matter how good your intentions are to blog while on the road, it won’t always happen. Your best bet is to have a small collection or prewritten articles in draft. That way you can publish on those scheduled days where you don’t have the time, ability or just energy to write.

Install Apps

Here’s a detailed guide on how to stay connected with your iPhone. Here’s another one for Android. It all comes down to which apps you choose to stick with as there are plenty!
Rely On Photo Or Video Posts

You don’t always have to tell about your day with words. Instead, you can post a vlog or collection of photos. It gives you a post, will update your viewers and also engage them visually.

Have A Blog Day

You know those days that you can’t bring yourself to go out and do anything? Even the most experienced travelers in the most beautiful and exciting destinations feel like this once during their trip. Take that day to lay low in your hotel room or hostel, and take advantage of the available internet connection. If they don’t have one, spend an hour or two at an Internet cafe or business with free WiFi. Knock out a few blog posts so they are ready and scheduled to go out. Then you won’t have to worry about it. If you are fast and determined, you will actually be surprized how much you are able to do in ten minites!

Fall Back On The Guest Bloggers

I mentioned before that I don’t like to rely on guest bloggers when I travel, and that was true. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like them at all. I love guest bloggers, and they have saved my butt more than once. I always have one on hand when I travel, who knows they will be called on to write at specific times. Or will just be expecting an email if I need them. MyBlogGuest is also always there to rescue!


This is one of my favorite ideas. Ask readers who are interested in writing for the site submit their ideas or blog posts on a relevant topic. Hold it like a contest with the winners having their posts published while you are traveling. You would be surprised by how many responses this tactic can get, especially from other writers looking for some exposure.

It isn’t always easy to keep up with a blog when you are a frequent traveler. But that doesn’t mean it is an impossible feat. In fact, it is quite simple to do if you just spend some time preparing for it. The tips above should help you out.

Author’s Bio:
Ann Smarty Ann Smarty is the blogger and social media gig launching Viral Content Buzz, the free social media promotion platform focusing on high-quality.


Thank you, Ann! Great information, Great guest post! Great birthday present to include SOBCon among them! 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Earn Money Blogging? Not Unless You Avoid These Pitfalls

by 3 Comments

How to blog series

by
Emily Green

cooltext443809602_strategy

Blogging can make you money but only if you avoid some of the annoying pitfalls that can actually cause you to lose money instead of gaining it. The following are several common and very costly pitfalls that bloggers all over the Internet encounter on a daily basis.

The Time Sucker That is the Internet

The Internet is a minefield filled with numerous distractions. There are social media outlets, games, blogs and search engines that just seemed designed to distract and waste your time. However, if you are looking to make money on your blog you need to avoid these distractions at all costs and apply yourself to networking, writing blog posts, researching and interacting with visitors.

If you are finding it hard to avoid distractions consider some of these time saving methods:

  • Set a timer
  • Block distracting websites
  • Create a schedule and stick to it

Will Write Soon – Losing Contacts

Contacts are everything in the blogosphere. It can often be easy to assume that the contacts that you have made in the blogging world will be there forever, but if you don’t keep in touch you’ll notice that they slowly start to disappear. Avoid losing contacts associated with your blog by devoting a few hours every week to emailing, tweeting and touching base with your numerous contacts and with Android tablets that are designed to keep you online 24/7 there is no reason you can’t keep in touch!

Due Date Delays

Guest blogging or writing blogs for others can be a great way to earn cash, but you have to be willing to stay on a strict schedule. Many of the blogs that welcome you with open arms to guest blog or blog for them have strict schedules they need to keep. When you agree to blog make sure you stick to the deadlines, not only will it help ensure you get paid for your writing but it helps build your reputation within the blogosphere community.

People Pleaser – Catering to the Billions on the Internet

There are billions of individuals on the Internet and as a blogger it is your role to make sure that you don’t offend them. Offending your audience is a sure fire way to send them packing to another blog and cost you money. Remember the more visitors you get the more money you can make! Offending a part of your audience will certainly cost you in the end.

That doesn’t mean you can’t voice your opinion or talk about controversy. No, it just means that you will have to keep comments and blog posts classy and within the limits. And if you do make a risky comment or blog, just remember you risk losing that audience.

Need a little extra cash? Looking for a way to earn money? Grab a computer or a tablet and start blogging. Just remember avoid these four common pitfalls and you’ll be on your way to earning money just for writing and blogging of favorite topics.

Author’s Bio:
Emily Green is a freelance writer and a lover of technology. For work or play, she prefers using an Android tablet . Follow her on Twitter as @emgreen85.

6 Steps to a Business Blog that Attracts Customers

by 1 Comment

How to Blog Series

by
Marya Jan

cooltext455576688_blogging

Small Business Owners Can Make a Blog a Customer Magnet

Do you have a business blog?

Or, do you feel like rolling your eyes when people tell you to get one?

Who reads a business blog anyway? Aren’t they places where business owners talk about their star employees, new products in the pipeline, latest on advertising efforts, and publish other bits and pieces of information that nobody cares about.

In other words, they publish incredibly boring stuff.

Well … not necessarily.

And it doesn’t have to be that way for you either.
Your blog can be a customer magnet.
Don’t you want to bring more customers to you?

6 Steps to a Business Blog that Attracts Customers

Here are six small steps you can take right now to ensure that you never go down that path – path that leads to boredom and ultimately abandon of your site. These are six steps to a small business blog that draws customers closer to you.

#1 Publish non-promotional content

The first thing you can do is stop promoting your products and services on your blog. Really, trust me on this. Your blog is not the place to that. Your website is, your online catalogue is, not your blog.

People don’t sign up to hear from you if all they are going to hear about your fabulous products – which no doubt, they are. People sign up because you post some interesting and engaging content that they don’t want to risk missing any of it.

For instance, I subscribe to my son’s speech pathologist’s business blog. Yes, she has one, and a fantastic one at that. (My son has Asperger’s Syndrome so he needs help with social skills and pragmatics.)

I have signed up to her blog because she routinely publishes stuff about what’s new in the world of ASD therapies. She recommends great resources, and what’s happening around town. She highlights successes of her other clients (with permission, of course). She tells parents quick tips that we can follow at home.

What a great blog she has where she publishes such useful content that people who can’t even afford her services now, sign up. And they might eventually, in future.

#2 Offer a freebie for email opt-in

Speaking of signing up, the whole purpose of blogging is to capture first time visitors email addresses straightaway, before they leave your site and forget all about you.

It really helps if you offer them some incentive – an ethical bribe if you may. My son’s speechie has got a 7 page report on how to find the right speech therapist for your child and when to do it. Indirectly plugging her service? I don’t really care, the tips are solid.

Think about if, if you have a child who doesn’t speak at age 3, would you not opt-in for information from a credible source?

Offer a freebie, and turn your blog into a lead generation machine. Psst … that’s the why you are blogging anyway.

#3 Publish content regularly

This is a topic of hot debate. But before you start freaking out, understand that your business blog is different from those huge blogs that everybody on the planet seems to follow.

Often, they have teams producing content for them, and either they are news sites masquerading as blogs, or blogs who grew big over a period of time. The owner usually monetizes them by placing advertising on them do they need an infinite number of visitors and hits to their site. Hence, they often update multiple times a day.

Your blog is different; you can get away with updating once a week. That is what I do and it works for me.

#4 Make yourself human & position yourself as an expert

Are you a huge company or a small business? I am thinking the latter.

While you may not have a really corporate voice on your website, it will still pay to come across as a living, breathing human on your blog.

You get to engage with your readers, who could possibly be so impressed with you that they will eventually buy from you.

Even if you don’t, isn’t it a good feeling to show your human face and just chill?

Like Sonia Simone of Copyblogger says, create Know, Like and Trust on your site. Get people to know and like you by being approachable and talking about your company’s mission. Post content that will get them to trust you.

And let’s not forget that we only buy from people we know, like and trust.

#5 Give your blog an audit

If you already have a business blog, give it a cold, hard look. If this blog was written by somebody else, would you subscribe?

Is it easy to navigate or feel cluttered? Does it look professional in its appearance?

Think about what sort of content are you publishing. Think about the frequency and length. Really think about the headlines. Which brings us to our final point; writing to earn people’s attention.

#6 Write like an A-list blogger

And lastly, do you know why most business blogs stink?

It’s because they person doing blogging has no clue how to blog in the first place. Blogging is a genre in itself, and in order for you to get people interested in your content, you must do as the Romans do.

Make your posts screen friendly and easy to read. Make them scannable using subheadings, bullets, bold and numbered lists, in the body of the post. Refrain from using long paragraphs. Make them short to really break up the text.

Keep your posts short – aim for a length of 500 words. You can write that in an hour. Think of this time as an investment in your business. Or, if you can’t spare a single minute, hire a freelance blogger.

Author’s Bio:
Marya Jan is a proud content creator for Open Colleges, (an education provider with awesome business and writing courses. When she is not busy blogging for them, she can be found helping small business owners revamp their blog content at Writing Happiness.