Successful Web Design and Internet Marketing Strategies from Desiree Scales, CEO--Bella Web Design, Inc.

Top 10 Ways to Attract Good-Looking Readers to your Blog

So, you have a blog. Are people actually reading it? (Hopefully your blog has statistics which you can check on a daily basis so you know the answer to that question.) If you're looking to attract more (good-looking) blog readers, here are some tips that have worked for me:

1. Make sure your content is good, readable and engaging. Your writing should be conversational and topics educational. Make sure you have checked for spelling errors and have someone else read the post over before hitting the publish button for a second opinion.


2. Use Twitter to gain fans. www.twitter.com is a great way to tell the world you've just posted to your blog. Read my last two posts to learn more about how Twitter works.


3. Make sure your feeds are connected. A feed is  is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. It tells the world you've posted something to your blog. www.feedburner.com is a great example of a feed aggregator (blabbermouth). Your blog designer should have connected you with Feedburner, Google and Technorati to start with to help announce your posts. Feedburner also has a great tool which you can put in your email and on your website which announces your last three posts.


4. Link back to your blog from your website. You should have a very prominent link or even a page dedicated to your blog on your website. People are naturally curious and will probably click the link to find out what you have to say.


5. Link to your blog from your emails, newsletters and any communication (business cards, posters, brochures). My blog is just as important (if not more so) as my website. I post it EVERYWHERE!


6. Make sure your LinkedIn profile, FaceBook profile, etc. link back to your blog. Are you catching the theme yet? Create as many incoming links to your blog as you can. FaceBook has a great application which allows you to post to your FaceBook page automatically when you update your blog.


7. Think about Google (and other search engines) when you post. Make sure you use keywords in the title and first lines of your posts to get great search engine placement.


8. Good old fashioned word of mouth. Talk about your blog when you are in meetings, seminars, etc. Old fashioned conversations are the best way to spread the word and build trust in your brand.
   


9. Comment on other blogs. Joining an online conversation is a great way to get in front of people. Make sure you post the link to your blog in your post.


10. Keep blogging and don't stop! Pretty obvious, but the fact remains, those who blog often gain the most readers. The more you post, the more readers you boast. (Sorry, Friday humor at its best!)

Now, to me a "good-looking" reader is one who will read your blog, then spread the word about it. To quote Martha Stewart, "That's a good thing!"  Follow these steps and I guarantee you'll attract those attractive readers who eventually become your biggest fans!

It Doesn't Matter How Many People Read Your Blog...

One of the leaders in marketing, Seth Godin, presented a conference call today. I was one out of 2000 who participated. It was based on his book "Meatball Sundae."

One of his main points was that so many people are focused on "how many" people are following their blog, website, Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook that they forget its not about the numbers. What really struck home with me was its really about how many of those followers are influential enough to spread the word about your company. Pretty interesting thought eh?

In other words, don't concentrate on those numbers. Concentrate on attracting people who are influential with the ability to create "fans" of your company. Now, how do you attract those people? That's my next blog post. Stay tuned!

Our First International Blog Launched Today--In Japanese!

Check out

ラン・ウォーク ジャパン

at http://gallowayjapan.typepad.com!

The Power of Blogging (FREE!) Webinar: Co-Hosted with Anil Dash from SixApart

Announcing our latest free webinar "The Power of Blogging" with Anil Dash from SixApart as co-host. (SixApart are the good people who gave us TypePad, without which this blog would not be possible!) We'll be talking about:

• The benefits of using a blog to enhance your business
• Gaining trust in your marketing by positioning yourself and your company as experts in your field
• How to blog effectively
• How to keep people coming back

The free webinar will be February 26th at 1 pm EST. Please click here to sign up. This is one webinar I'm really looking forward to. Anil is awesome and calls himself the Evangelist of Blogging. Should be fun!

New Blogger, Jeff Galloway, uses Blog to Generate Business

A client of mine has just joined the ranks of new bloggers: www.jeffgallowayblog.com Jeff Galloway is an Olympian and running coach who has a lot of great advice to give to his passionate running readers (like me!). I have wanted him to write a blog for a long time because I knew that it would be full of great tips and advice.

When I met him, Jeff already had a site at www.jeffgalloway.com which has a lot of good information and which he uses to sell items such as books and running gear. The site was good, but it didn't enable Jeff to get personal with his readers. After meeting Jeff on a running retreat in March, I knew he was the perfect blog author candidate because of his candor and excellent writing skills.

I told Jeff that his blog would further spread the word about his running techniques and also link people back to his main site to help sell his books and other items. I convinced him that the blog will also give readers a chance to get to know him a bit better and thus, gain their trust and generate new business for him.

So we struck up a deal--he is now my running coach and I am his blogging coach. So far, its been a great relationship. (Except for the fact that I'm facing an 8 miler today and its so darn COLD!)

For those of you also interested in running, keep watching Jeff's blog for more great tips and information that will help you "run until you're 100!" For those of you that don't run, take a look anyway and see how a blog could enhance your own site and establish you as the "expert in your field."

Bella Web Design Blog Reader Appreciation Contest

As of yesterday, we've reached over 1,000 visitors to our blog since we started it in October 26, 2006. Pretty cool, but as of March 23rd, that number will SKYROCKET when we become the latest Featured Blog at TypePad.com!

We are so excited by the honor of being recognized by our fellow bloggers out there and the management team at TypePad, but we know that our success depends on you, our readers and we would like you to take part in the celebration.

Please post a comment anytime between today and 5 pm March 23rd and you'll be entered to win a SuperCertificate® from GiftCertificates.com worth $100. Here are some rules:

1. No reason to buy anything from us--winners do not have to purchase services from Bella Web Design, Inc. or Simply Bella Web Design in order to be eligible to win.


2. Winner will be drawn randomly at 8 am EDT on March 26th and announced about the same time right here on this blog.


3. Gift Certificate will be emailed to the winner on March 26th before 5 pm EDT.


4. Employees and contractors of Bella Web Design, Inc. are not eligible. Neither are family members of any employee of Bella Web Design, Inc. (Sorry Dad!)
   

Its the least we can do to show our appreciation for all of you who read our blog and help make us a success every day! Good luck and a big THANK YOU to all of you who have read our blog since October and warm WELCOME to our new readers!

Blogging Goes to a New Level or Look Who's Blogging Now

You won't believe this. I'm so proud of the guys and gals in the Chicago Police Department (my hometown!). They have a BLOG called the Checkerboard Chat! Take a look http://cpdweblog.typepad.com/chicago_police_department/

Take an inside look at the type of dangers they face on a daily basis and their thoughts on crime and their job. They write about daily incidents around the Chicago area. There is even a prayer for an officer who died in the line of duty. This blog really makes you think about what these great folks do on a day to day basis for their city. This takes blogging to another level completely. I'm still amazed at what you can do with a blog.

What Blogs and Frogs Have in Common

Sallie Boyles (www.writelady.com), our resident web site writer, sent me a great article yesterday on blogging. Its rather funny but makes some great points about blogging in general and how to capture your audience (like flies?).

Sallie has been working with Bella Web Design, Inc. for about a year and her services come automatically with a web design package. She is also available to ghost write blogs and email newsletters. Here is her article--Enjoy!

What Do Blogs and Frogs Have in Common?

The word blog in my mind conjures a vision and voice of a frog in a bog croaking his heart out to the nearby birds, bugs, fish and fellow amphibians. His audience and his whole wide world are one in the same. Therefore, Mr. Frog is the quintessential blogger.

Think about it: Any critter within “earshot” is free to heed each chord the little guy contributes to Nature’s chorus. And with a voice that carries, he makes a big splash. Once the puniest pollywog in the pond, the constant crooner has completed his evolution: He is now a larger-than-life legend—or maybe not. 

You see, effective blogging requires a degree of talent. Especially when used as a marketing tool, the message quality—in content and in delivery—is vital. A smart frog, therefore, will ponder a few notes before shining the spotlight on his lily pad: 

• Your audience will tune out excessive croaking.   

 Becoming the “go to” place for ideas and resources is powerful, but think twice before saturating the media with you, you and you. Consider the relationship of supply and demand relative to value— too much of anyone is not good.

• Your audience wants the melody—not the minutia of notes.

  Memorable points should be made concisely with clarity. If you have  several, unrelated messages to share, present them in different formats.Attention spans are short.

• Your audience will hear the same old tune as background noise.

  Rather than hopping onto the latest hot topic or snapping up all the trendy buzz words, chime in with refreshing ideas and approaches. You’ll break  through the clutter—and possibly provoke others to think!

• Your audience doesn’t want to hear you sing for no reason.

If you don’t have a point, what’s the point? Enough clutter exists in the  media, and releasing more junk benefits no one—especially not you.

• You cannot catch a fly if you’re moaning for a minnow.

What is your passion, and how does that passion involve your target  audience? By sharing your enthusiasm in words which relate to your  public, you face a greater chance of captivating and converting individuals within that group. 

All in all, if you’re blogging for a bigger, brighter spotlight, consider your message in light of your target audience—just as you would pursue any form of PR or advertising. 

It takes more than luck to shine through the muck while surviving the gators out there! 

The Case for Corporate Blogging

Here is a great article I came across that makes a great case for corporate blogging entitled "Why CEOs Should Love the Blog"

Some of the points in the article:

• Corporate blogs show your company is transparent and not afraid to share information. This builds trust between the company and the public.


• Corporate blogs are a great recruiting tool and show new employees that the company actually has some "cool factor."


• Blogs are a low-cost way to be found in the search engines (although search engines are getting more savvy to blogger's techniques and aren't accepting as many posts as they once did...more about that coming soon)

Again, I can't emphasize how important it is for companies to take this step and start blogging. I've already seen an increase in activity on my own site due to my blog and its only a few weeks old.

Set Up Your Own Blog Now!

Technorati Launches State of the Blogosphere Address

Every quarter or so, Technorati CEO and founder Dave Sifry issues a status report for the Blogosphere at large. Here are some of his findings.

• Technorati is now tracking more than 57 Million blogs.
• Today, the blogosphere is doubling in size approximately every 230 days.
• About 100,000 new weblogs were created each day, again down slightly quarter-over-quarter but probably due in part to spam fighting efforts.
• There is a strong correlation between the aging and post frequency of blogs and their authority and Technorati ranking.
• The globalization of the blogosphere continues. Data appears to show both English and Spanish languages are a more universal blog language than the other two most dominant language, Japanese and Chinese, which seem to be more regionally localized.

Blogging continues to be an ever popular means to communicate to the masses. The most popular blogs are written by well-known magazines and newspapers such as CNN, MSN and New York Times.

Business blogs are still coming on strong and the most successful blogs are the ones who post multiple times per week. This is my own main area of interest. Businesses with blogs that are active become the authority in their field organically. This means the word spreads via "word of mouth" about these blogs. I'm hoping to do that myself with my own blog and help my clients do the same.

The bottom line is that blogging isn't going away anytime soon and will probably evolve into something even bigger in the future. Its very inexpensive and easy to do. The only hard part about blogging is finding the time to do it. My time is usually 5 am, but I actually enjoy blogging in the peace and quiet of my home. It helps me to collect my thoughts for the day and prepare for the hours that are busiest. Can blogging and meditation be linked somehow? Hmmmm, interesting thought to contemplate in another post....