Successful Blog

Define Your Own Blogging Success

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The headlines scream new (and often contradictory) dictates in black and white, every morning.

“Blogging is dead.”

“Content is King.”

“Video is a must-have.”

“Orange is the new black.”

Wait, that last one is just a Netflix show. I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention.

You must define your own version of success for the marketing tools you’re using.

If blogging is your chosen tool, there are many possible versions of success:

  • A creative outlet
  • Leads for your business
  • Search engine rank/traffic
  • A portfolio or resume of published work
  • Thought leadership or credibiilty in a niche
  • Platform for book authorship
  • Information & tips for your customers

The only way you fail is if you end up just going through the motions without a purpose.

“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.” Yogi Berra

 

Monetized Blog vs Non-Monetized Blog

The first big dividing line would be, do you want to make money directly from your blog?

Direct monetization routes would include a paywall in order to read the posts, or the selling of sponsorships. In both of these cases, you need to be pretty established up-front in order to succeed. No-one is going to pay to read your posts unless they already know how fantastic you are. Teaser content might be effective in this case.

By the same token, you won’t be able to sell sponsorships until you’ve proven a large readership or a very definable audience. Sponsors will want to know your page views and number of subscribers, something that’s not generally very impressive when you’re first starting out.

If you know that you want to run ads in the future, but don’t have enough traffic to be enticing to advertisers, set reader expectations. Consider reserving a footer banner or sidebar square that you will use for future advertising, and use it to promote something of your own (or for a friend). If you make it look professional, you will be subtly letting readers know that your blog will contain advertising. Much better than launching with no ads, and then stuffing them in all of a sudden, months later.

Indirect Blog Monetization

If you want to derive value from your blog, but not direct monetary value, consider the following:

  • Include a call to action with every post
  • Be minimalist with your sidebar information; don’t distract from the primary CTA
  • Be sure to collect email information, to start building your own marketing asset for the future
  • Make it very clear what the purpose of the blog is…if you’re all about thought leadership, consider a photo image of the primary author (perhaps a photo taken at a speaking engagement). Remember social proof too. A quote from a peer or colleague might be appropriate on the page.
  • If your blog is supporting an SEO strategy, don’t be “that guy” who stuffs keywords without meaning. Google doesn’t like that anyway. Focus more on creating in-depth, valuable articles on a regular basis. If your blogging platform includes SEO tools, use them!

Tracking Success

All of the effort you’re putting into your blogging will be for nothing if you don’t have any way to measure progress.

Once you’ve determined what blogging success looks like, you must come up with a way to track whether it’s fulfilling the purpose.

Here are some examples of things you can track:

  • For a “thought leadership” blog – track social mentions of your name or brand, or links back to your blog from other authority sites
  • For a business blog – track leads or emails captured
  • For SEO – track your rank for specific search terms
  • For a customer-focused blog – track any decrease in support requests, or if you’re using customer satisfaction scoring (like Net Promoter Score), see if that is affected over time

Don’t forget to baseline your metric before you start, so that you can see progress as it happens.

The metrics shouldn’t be set in stone, either. Establish a quarterly routine of looking at the numbers, reviewing your blog, and making tweaks as necessary.

Your blog is only one tool in your marketing arsenal, but it should be part of your marketing metrics in order to be effective.

How have you defined blogging success for yourself?

 

Featured image via Flickr Creative Commons: Paxson Woelber

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Take Your Resume on the Road

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Airplane At The Terminal Gate Ready For Takeoff - Modern InternaDon’t automatically turn down the idea of taking a gap year in between college and your first professional job.

If you spend that time traveling, you could be looking at better job opportunities on the horizon than if you go straight from college dorm to cubicle norm.

Here are some great reasons to fill your backpack and roam if you want to:

You Can Demonstrate Your Independence

Many employers complain that kids go from living at home to living on campus and then starting their first professional job without ever having to be independent. They then end up with young employees who don’t know how to manage their time at work, and can’t manage project tasks without asking everyone within sight for help.

When you do some traveling either solo or with a buddy, you can prove to interviewers that you know how to take matters into your own hands and take care of yourself without your parents’ help.

That says a lot for a 20-something, and it will help distinguish you from other job candidates.

Your Resume Will Grow

If your only jobs prior to college graduation were part time gigs like pizza delivery guy or dog walker, your resume is probably full of a whole bunch of white space. You need to find some way to bulk up your resume so it looks like you’ve actually done something worthwhile.

As the following article looks at, here is how travel enhances your resume.

You can add all the places you traveled to, new skills that you learned along the way, and include some references of places you stayed, such as bed and breakfasts, hostels, etc. If you picked up a new language during your travels, add that to your resume, too.

More to Discuss During the Interview

Interviews can get downright terrifying, especially when your interviewer asks you something, you answer with a couple brief words, and they say nothing more. It’s like they’re waiting for you to fill the empty air, but all you can hear are crickets.

As someone with some traveling under your heels, you won’t be short of stories to tell of your adventures.

You’ll find some way to integrate your travel tales with the job requirements your boss is looking for. Is he looking for a problem solver? Tell him or her about the time your taxi driver didn’t show up, but you made it to the airport anyway.

Is he or she looking for an arbitrator? Tell them all about your haggling skills in the open markets in Morocco.

You’ll Become More Worldly

There’s nothing more boring than a person who’s never been away from their hometown.

If a person doesn’t travel, they have little to no way to truly understand people or world events. There’s just no context in life unless you actually venture outside your front door.

A worldly person can make conversation with just about anyone on some topic or another.

As a job candidate – even one only recently out of college – you’ll exude more confidence and worldly experience if you take some time to travel before you settle in to a professional job.

Don’t let others dissuade you from traveling when you’re young and out of college. There’s no better time to see the world.

This is a time of life when you have no ties, no commitments, and no timeframe when you have to get back.

Roam around the world and come back a better person.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Kate Supino is an experienced traveler and recommends it to anyone who is the least bit curious about the world.

Freelance Writing – Guide to Inspiration

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Freelance inspiration

By Jessy Troy

 

I have spent several years in the wonderful, strange world of freelance writing. While it is a blessing in many ways, it can also have a downside. Mainly trying to maintain inspiration and motivation when writing for such a large number of publications. From magazines to newspapers to webmasters, there are so many projects that can sap your time and energy.

Because the topics are always the same, and they are almost always on subjects you have to come up with, it can be difficult to get that spark of artistic genius that leads to a successful, interesting article.

While common sense would dictate that taking a hiatus to clear the mind would be the way to go, such as with novelists, that isn’t an option for the freelance writer. This is the job and if you don’t do it you don’t get paid.

But all is not lost, whatever despair you may feel. Keep this list of ways to keep your creative juices flowing, to look at whenever you find yourself stuck.

Freelance Writing, a Guide to Getting Inspired

  • Get away from your computer and do something relaxing, such as go for a walk, get a cup of coffee or take a long shower or bath.
  • Move on to something else for a while and go back once you feel more clearheaded.
  • Ask someone’s opinion. This can be anonymously on the web, or from someone that you know personally. Just make sure all direct quotes are properly credited.
  • Find sources on a topic. You should obviously never copy these sources, but using them for ideas can be a great way to bump start the brain.
  • Go back to old ideas. Remember that article you were thinking of writing three months ago that ended up as a hastily written sticky note pressed to the side of a filing cabinet? It might be time to get on it.
  • Check out some local places and see if anything strikes you as interesting. Maybe speak to a local business owner about the latest news, or ask around about any interesting developments in your area.
  • Get a community calendar or join a website with a local community focus. This will often show you upcoming benchmarks in time for your city, state or county. Take some time to research an upcoming anniversary such as when your area was founded, and write something interesting and educational to commemorate it.
  • Check out sites that host press releases, especially those about trending topics.
  • Use real time search engines to see what people are speaking about right now, to see if there is anything interesting you could look into.
  • Use your own life. For example, I am a writer and I frequently struggle with trying to come up with ideas for articles when I have been writing all week. I am now writing an article to discuss that, and to give other writers the benefit of my brainstorm on the subject.
  • Write an article based on a numbered list. For example: Five Ways to Get That Summer Look in November.
  • Ask for help: There is a free community for people to brainstorm together!
  • Go out for a night on the town with no set plan of what you are going to do, in an area you don’t know. Ditch the car so you can walk around and learn about new restaurants, movie theaters, galleries, cafes, etc.
  • Find a client or publication that is looking for a specific topic to be researched and written about.
  • Get writing! You will be amazed at what can come from a stream of consciousness.

How do you keep yourself elevated and inspired? Please share your tips!

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

5 Great Guest Blogging Topics for Healthcare Providers

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by Mickie Kennedy

Managing a successful, interesting blog is of great benefit to a small practice as most people begin their health-related research online.

This can be incredibly tricky and time-consuming; HIPAA rules and increasing government regulations have seen to that.

Providing reliably accurate information is absolutely essential: not only so your readers and potential patients view you as a trusted source, but also because providing incorrect information could result in your website being removed and even a huge fine levied against your practice.

But blogging on your own website can get lonely, especially when you’re just starting out. One great way to get in front of a new audience is to guest post on another blog.

Start by offering a guest blog post to a colleague or partner.

Or take a poll and find out where your colleagues and patients get their information online and ask to write a guest post there. 

Not sure what to write about? Here are some topics to get you headed in the right direction:

  1. Medical Research
    Share some news on the latest advancements either in technology or medicine to give readers better insight when it comes to making health-related decisions.
  2. Conferences and Events
    If your company is attending a conference or promoting a health event, write about it. You can also do a giveaway of any conference or event swag.
  3. Share a Personal Story
    Write about a health experience that you have had personally or get permission to share another person’s experience. (Always be very aware of HIPAA rules!)
  4. Common Problem
    If there is a common problem (like allergies) that your practice sees often, blog about. Patients looking for an allergy doctor will see you as an authority on the subject. You can also research comments on the blog to see what readers have questions about most often.
  5. Infographics
    Health information can be a lot to process and infographics can help! Share one that your company has created or another public infographic on health issues.

There are many other topics will result in a successful guest blogging experience, which helps to build your practice’s credibility. Some other thoughts to keep in mind as you pursue writing opportunities include:

  • Research
    It is imperative that you know the blog that you are writing for and are familiar with their readers. It is near impossible to be granted a writing opportunity from a cold call or email.
  • FAQs
    If they have a frequently asked question section on their page, review it for potential guest topics. Is there a particular subject that your practice deals with regularly?
  • Recycle
    Look at previous posts from either your blog or theirs and find topics that you can explore more in depth.
  • Crowdsource
    Ask your readers which topics they want to know more about or take a look at trending health topics through Google or Twitter.

As you know the medical field changes rapidly so choose your topics with care, especially when covering subjects like new technology or emergencies; be sure to state your qualifications up front to prove your great track record; and be sure to add a call to action at the end of your guest post so that their readers can follow you as well.

Do you have any other tips for writing practices in the healthcare field? Talk to us in the comments.

Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases, offers Free Whitepapers and eBooks for businesses of all stripes.

Featured image via Flickr, Creative Commons: www.audio-luci-store.it

Do Your Workers Need More Education?

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secretary-and-boss-discussing-10054901

If you are reviewing your employee benefits package, you may want to consider continuing education.

While not one of the traditional components of benefits packages for employees, it is an attractive addition.

People like the idea of getting education for free to help their careers and income potential to grow.

Benefits for Employers

Offering continuing education doesn’t just benefit the employee; it provides advantages the employer as well.

The most obvious advantage is the fact that you can promote from within when a higher position opens up. Instead of hiring strangers to take a supervisory position, you can place someone you already know and trust in that job.

It also helps reduce the cost of turnover because employees are more likely to stay with an employer if they feel they can continue to grow and advance.

They also know that they will make more money if they can promote up through the department or even move into a new department within the same company.

Happy Customers

The better trained your staff is, the better satisfied your customers will be.

This translates into more revenue for you. Even small businesses can benefit from helping their employees get more education.

For example, say you own a beauty salon.

As the following article looks at, by offering your staff the opportunity to take cosmetology online classes, they can learn new techniques or expand their knowledge while continuing to work. They can sell their new skills to customers in the form of additional services.

This concept works for just about any small business, so explore how it can help your company.

Are There Any Downsides?

Even if you can see all of the advantages to offering employees continuing education, you may wonder about the downside. The first is the cost.

Of course, you can limit the cost by offering to pay only for tuition or for a portion of the tuition.

To prevent your employees from getting the training and then leaving immediately, you can also include a requirement of service for a reasonable period of time.

For instance, an employee may need to be employed for at least a year and plan to stay at least a year after completion of education.

The other big disadvantage to employers is that employees have gained new skills that they can take elsewhere. However, this is not as big of a problem as you might think.

By offering educational help as part of the employee benefits, you show that your business cares about the people who work there. It inspires loyalty in the staff and the employees are less likely to leave.

People who make a decent salary and have the opportunities to grow and face new challenges in their jobs are less likely to look elsewhere for jobs.

Instead, they will turn their focus inward when they are ready to make changes.

By offering continuing education to employees, you equip them to become even more valuable to your organization and encourage them to stay and share their new skills with your company.

Photo credits: Images courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Got Credit

 

About the Author: Joyce Morse is an author who writes on a variety of topics, including business and education.

Why You Hate Networking and How to Fix It

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By Lindsey Tolino

Do you hate networking?

At the beginning of the year, I started networking more intentionally than ever before. There were aspects of it that I hated, but surprisingly, there were also parts I loved.

I hated feeling like I was just a prospect in someone’s eyes. But on the other hand, I loved getting to know others through open conversations. I hated the transactional aspects, but I loved the relational ones.

Transactional vs. Relational

Transactional networking is self-seeking. Those who network transactionally seek to know only the minimum necessary about a person in order to further their own business. They are primarily concerned with how to serve their own business.

Relational networking is cooperative and even selfless at times. Those who network relationally seek to get to know others in order to serve them better. They are primarily concerned with building mutual, cooperative relationships.

I’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum when I’ve networked. At one intimate networking event, when I asked a gentleman what he did, he proceeded to talk for ten minutes. He spoke ad nauseam about his viewpoints and his work. It was difficult for others to speak because he filled the time. After the event, the gentleman reached out, asked for a meeting and implicitly offered his services. Though I turned him down, a few weeks later, I discovered I was on his email subscription, though I had never opted-in. He failed to get to know me, to know what would serve me best and to build a relationship with me. Ultimately, he was out to serve his business first and foremost.

On the other hand, I met my favorite client through relational networking. I actually met his friend first at a networking event and we bonded over our mutual love of cities and cigars. He then put me in contact with my now-client, who is a small, private cigar manufacturer. I’ve had cooperative, mutual relationships with both guys since.

Networking should feel more like making friends than sitting through a timeshare pitch. It should be invigorating and encouraging. If we hate networking, it’s because we’re doing it transactionally instead of relationally.

How To Fix It

To fix it, we need to start with ourselves. We need to trust that it’s better to give than receive. We need to let go of our self-seeking desires in order to esteem others. As we become more relational, we’ll attract more relational people. The more relational we are, the more we’ll further relational networking.

Oh, and in my experience, it’s really hard to convert a transactional networker when you’re at an event, so it may not be worth your time to try. Instead, you can graciously get their info and assure them you’ll reach out. You can then express how you felt and send them this post after the event.

Let’s not look out for our own interests when we network, let’s look to serve others instead. We’ll all enjoy networking immensely more if we do. And I have a feeling we’ll all be better off for it, too.

Image Info: Original photo by Sylwia Bartyzel.

About the Author: Lindsey Tolino comes alongside artisans, craftsman and people monetizing their passions to help them create healthy businesses. She shares her heart at ToBusinessOwners.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTolino or connect with her on Google+.