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Are you using a blog to attract customers, promote your business, and sell your product or service?  Here are a few tips for making your business blog successful with both customers and search engines. 

1.  Always provide high-quality, value-added content. While your main interest as a business owner may be to sell your product or service, your prospective customer is more interested in what you have to offer that won't cost him anything. This is one reason content will always be king even in the business sector of the blogosphere. Not only does value-laden content draw the reader in and hold his interest; it also provides useful information that makes his life easier, which increases your credibility and keeps your customer coming back.

Steve Rubel, of Micro Persuasion, gives five reasons Why Text Remains King of the Web. You'll want to check them out.

Willie Crawford also states, in How to Get Massive Free Website Traffic:  

You can also create traffic by putting things on the Internet that people are attracted to. You can create content by writing articles or blogging for example. I love content creation and have written over 1100 different articles. My articles teach people how to solve pressing problems, and at the same time point them to me (my sites) as a great resource.

2.  Optimize your high-value content by including appropriate keywords in all your blog posts, supplementing this technique by making good use of keywords elsewhere on both your blog and your main website. Embed keyword rich links in your blog content to take the reader to appropriate pages on your main website which feature your products or services. Other prominently yet tastefully displayed links, set up for ease of navigation along the top of your blog or in your sidebar, will help your readers locate everything your site has to offer, benefiting both you and them. 

In You're Up a Link Creek Without an Anchor, Debra Mastaler has this to say:

Most people involved in SEO knows [sic] about anchor text and its benefits...Anchor text is a query ranking indicator and considered the most powerful component of link popularity. Since link popularity is what (mostly) drives search rankings, I'd say it's a pretty important part of your SEO program.

3.  Always allow your visitors to move freely between the pages of your website. For the ultimate good of your company, never attempt to prevent your visitors from leaving a web page - no matter how much you may be tempted to try to keep them there. This strong-arm cyber tactic never works and only serves to annoy visitors, making them sorry they ever clicked your link in the first place. It often also steels their resolve to flee your site as quickly as they can and stay as far away as possible in the future. Such an "audience reaction" brings zero value to your business. So, please resist the temptation to try this highly questionable tactic, and always respect your readers' right to freedom of movement on the Web. It will pay off in the long run.

You can't prevent people from leaving your website...if they don't want to stay, from Newcastle University has the following to say on this topic: 

Worrying about whether or not your users will return to your site, or attempting to actually prevent them from leaving is futile: provide a valuable service and your job is done. If they need your site again, they will return to it. People vote with their feet and attempting to prevent them from doing so will at best cause user irritation and at worst will be an accessibility or usability problem.

4.  Supplement your on- and off-page blog SEO with other types of social media. This can help increase traffic to your blog, as well as to your main website. Use keyword-rich descriptions and links to your blog content and company web pages on social media sites such as Facebook and Digg to draw traffic and keep it flowing between your sites and thereby make the most of the current social media goldmine. 

In Blogs Are for More than Just SEO, Lee Odden has this to say:

...When it comes to blogs, consumer information discovery trends are involving social networks and social media at an increasing rate. Recommendations are competing with search. When looking at the web analytics of our blog and client blogs, social media traffic is in the top 5 referring sources of traffic. Blogs are social and social media sources will become increasingly important for many business blogging efforts in the coming year.

Some great places to incorporate keywords in your business blog are:

Blog Template:

• Blog title
• Tagline
• Post URLs
• Categories
• Tags
• Recent Posts list

Blog Posts:

• Post titles
• Post subtitles
• Link anchor text
• Close to other keywords
• Image captions
• Image titles/ALT tags

Special Pages:

• About Page 

Earlier this year Businessweek made a good case on How "Social Media will Change Your Business". The article may have originated in 2005 but the editors of Businessweek decided to update it for 2008. Although focused mostly on Blogging - the article gives a good grasp on how big businesses are incorporating social media into their communication efforts. Another aspect of social media is also how businesses are adjusting to other people blogging about their business - topics that were once highly classified may not be anymore. Just ask Boeing.  In "Blogger Gets off Ground with 787" Blogger Jon Ostrower  goes from simply following the launch of Boeing's new 787 to actually breaking a story based on insider tips and research. 

It is a constant balancing act for companies that engage in social media - on one side is the need for "privacy" and on the other is the customer's need for translucency. eMarketer's post on "Getting Clever About Social Media" talks about this symbiosis as well as the growing social media spending within companies. 

At just over $1.4 billion, social network ad spending still represents a small percentage of total online ad spending, which eMarketer estimates will reach $24.9 billion in 2008. But marketers do not have to wait for social networks to perfect their business models before using the medium. Ms. Dyson said that marketers should also relax about the possibility of their brands appearing adjacent to consumer-created content. If they get trashed in blogs and Websites, they should listen to any criticism and respond.

U. of Massachusetts Dartmouth released research on "Social Media in the Inc. 500"  and compares corporations that have adopted social media between 2007 and 2008. According to the findings:

This research proves conclusively that social media has penetrated parts of the business world at a tremendous speed. It also indicates that corporate familiarity with and usage of social media within the Inc. 500 has nearly doubled in the past 12 months. 

The social media that continues to be the most familiar to the Inc. 500 is social 
networking with 57% of respondents in 2008 claiming to be "very familiar with it" 
(compared to 42% in 2007). Familiarity is related to usage.  It is interesting to note, 
however, that even those forms of social media less familiar to the participants are still 
used by at least 20% of them.  Just over one quarter of the Inc. 500 reported social media 
was very important to their business/marketing strategy in 2007.  That number has 
increased to 44% just one year later. 

Social Media is here to stay, regardless of what "form" it takes or how its used, one thing is certain - as people get more and more comfortable using social media tools in their day to day lives they will also expect the companies they do business with to do the same. 

Lets face it-- there is really nowhere to hide- the economy is slipping and sliding and so is everyone's meager funds. As a popular politician said, we "saw our 401ks become 101ks". According to comScore the state of the economy, among other things contributed to the 35% growth  in the financial news and research site category:

Current economic conditions - including rising gas prices, general inflation concerns, housing troubles and stock market uncertainty - have Americans seeking to stay informed about the factors influencing their personal finances," said Jack Flanagan, comScore executive vice president. "As a result, the financial news and research category has grown substantially during the past year, with strong visitor gains occurring at most sites, including above average gains at category leaders Yahoo! Finance and AOL Money & Finance.

If you're the type to be glued to your screen (vs. the type to run for the hills and cower) it might be good to ponder-- where do you get your financial information? Maybe you see one (or more) of your preferred sites on the comScore list.    

Top Financial News & Research Sites May 2008 vs. May 2007 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore Media Metrix
	Total Unique Visitors (000)
	May-07	May-08	% Change
Total Internet : Total Audience	177,487	190,858	8
Financial News & Research	47,493	64,287	35
Yahoo! Finance	11,740	18,492	58
AOL Money & Finance	10,266	15,222	48
MSN Money	12,087	13,707	13
Forbes Property	5,497	7,014	28
Dow Jones & Company	5,177	6,613	28
CNN Money	5,242	6,040	15
BNET	166	5,563	3,261
TheStreet.com Sites	1,749	5,289	202
Reuters Sites	3,286	4,795	46
Reed Business Information	2,436	3,872	59

 

Want to check out what the "next generation" is looking into? Young Money  gives some insight on who they think would be the best financial websites for young adults ages 18 to 34: 

There are other good financial websites geared for young adults such as the Wall Street Survivor stock market game... and FastWeb.com, a scholarship search engine. Brass is another website worth checking out. But those sites are limited in the topics they cover. I really like http://www.commoditynewscenter.com because it does all of this! Videos, market commentary and easy to use charts help me to keep up with everything going on in the commodity markets!

Additional sites that help connect you to your financial research match: 

• Moneysmartz.com has a section that reviews  financial related sites and gives you overviews/profiles. 
• TimesOnline has their 50 best business blogs with rankings divided according to economics, banking and finance etc. 

In a recent post, I discussed how a business blog plays an indispensable role in reputation management and crisis management. However, for the millions of small and midsize companies with no real exposure to a public crisis, and for the larger firms that never experience one, a business blog is still a necessity.

Talkin' 'bout their generation

Baby Boomers, who still call most of the corporate shots, are accustomed to thinking in Baby Boomer terms. When I speak on business blogs, people often make the comment, "That all sounds great, but my customers don't read blogs."

My reaction to that is, fine, but what about tomorrow's customers? What's your transition plan for the day when today's customers become yesterday's customers?

Two things are critically important about the younger segment of the market.
1. They demand two-way, transparent communication.
2. They prefer to communicate digitally.

This is so obvious it barely needs stating, yet consider how many company Web sites have the following attributes.
1. They push the company message without giving customers a way to respond.
2. They use digital communication as a means to move customers into a phone conversation or live sales presentation.

Unfortunately, a growing number of people don't want to move into a phone conversation or be engaged in a live sales presentation. Instead, they want a completely digitized buying experience. Is your company able to provide one? If not, newer, younger customers are going to seek out - and find - the Amazons in your industry and become their loyal customers, not yours.

A business blog is a key part of a digital buying experience. Online conversations make it possible for customers to understand who you are and what you offer. Just as important, online conversations make it possible for you to understand what customers want and need. And, since customer wants and needs are continually changing, a company fully tuned in to the market will adapt faster and better than the competition.

True, some customers would rather communicate with you on the phone or face to face, regardless of their age. However, in a diverse market like ours, it's imperative to offer communication options for every taste. Lots of folks will say things you need to hear in a blog comment -- things they would never tell you on the phone or in person.

In Glengarry Glen Ross, the formula was ABS - Always Be Selling.

Today, the formula is ABL - Always Be Listening!

 

Stop the Presses is a sobering book. Its tag line -

Bullet-proofing Brands and Protecting Reputations in an Age of Peril

Yikes! The authors, Richard A. Levick, Esq., and Larry Smith are writing about crisis management. Throughout history, large corporations have been vulnerable to a media inspired or inflamed crisis; but more and more, smaller companies are vulnerable as well. Why?

• More and more people are using the Web to gather information about companies
• More and more niche bloggers are writing about companies and industries
• Some of these bloggers have an agenda
• Small stories broken on blogs can become viral overnight and seriously disrupt a firm's reputation, or worse

In such an environment, silence is not golden. Say the authors -

"Savvy bloggers and readers won't stand for corporate rhetoric or tactical obfuscation ... Developing and implementing a substantive blogging strategy in advance of a crisis is therefore critical. A blog gives businesses a way to stay ahead of the news cycle by presenting, testing, and refining a company's message, distinguishing facts from fiction, and correcting any misinformation that may be circulating and propagating through the blogosphere." (p. 87)

Of course, another outstanding communication benefit of a blog is that it allows customers and interested third parties to have conversations with your company. A great deal of misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be cleared up by talking with consumers, not at them. Some of the most powerful - and most persuasive - communication in the business world now takes place in the comments section of a blog post. Remaining silent or aloof is no longer an option, because people are going to have conversations about your business whether you're participating or not.

Ironically, many firms shy away from launching a blog because they believe it will attract or magnify controversy. The idea of publishing a negative comment - a rather common occurrence these days - still sends shivers up some corporate spines. In reality, as the authors of Stop the Presses explain so well, a business blog serves to alleviate controversy; provided, of course, the firm has a well thought out content policy and capable, well schooled writers.

The best news of all is this. Even if the crisis never comes (and we hope that's the case), a business blog still contributes mightily to the corporate cause. More about that next time.

Although much has been written about promoting a business online, one thing that has impacted businesses today way more than mere web presence is the "new" power of the online customer. All the positive influences of having a state-of-the-art web site, miles of thought-provoking blog entries and virtual reams of up-to-date newsletters may be easily written off by a flick of a button when you encounter a negative customer feedback or review. For almost every industry you will find sites dedicated to reviewing its products/services; sometimes even a customer's own personal blog is capable of broadcasting personal feedback in a way that could reach hundreds or thousands of people.  

This is certainly not a new phenomenon, but the popularity of myspace sites and other social-networking portals have redefined the term "word of mouth". Case in point - the Steak and Shake episode as outlined in Liz Fuller's post Crisis Case Study: Steak and Shake Refuses Service to Deaf Mom   - an awful incident of bad service becomes a post in a blog and as you can see the rest is history --

The next day, she (Karen Putz) itemized over 80 blogs that had picked up her story.  The story was also picked up that night by ABC News and Fox News.  Today, approximately three weeks after it happened there are almost 1000 hits on Google when typing in the search words, "Steak and Shake" and "Deaf Mom" and worse yet  "this story appears in positions #3 through #9 on the front page of Google when searching on the terms "Steak and Shake".

So what is a company supposed to do in this instance?  Shel Holtz gives a primer on Crisis Communication Fundamentals  that might help you outline actions that need to be taken in case of negative PR hits such as that of the Steak and Shake incident. Liz Fuller also addresses crisis management in her post When A Crisis Hits, Where Do You Want To Be?  where she has this to say about crisis management-

 
The best case scenario is where your business already has established a blog. Using the existing blog to manage the crisis is a natural extension of the blog's reach to your customers.

The coin does flip both ways, the "power" of mass communication that some consumers/customers have may be pretty devastating when turned against you, but on the other hand, the positive influences of good word of mouth can certainly turn the tide in your favor as well. Understanding the online sphere that your business "lives" in and where your customer finds information is one step towards keeping a finger on your companies' identity and reputation.

(Image courtesy of FreeFoto)

Today marketing is all about conversations. Especially online marketing. Consumers are no longer content to be the passive recipients of a canned message delivered on a corporate Web site, no matter how much it's glitzed up with fancy graphics and animation. Consumers want to be involved. They want to ask questions, make suggestions, and share ideas. And they want a response.

This change in consumer mood explains the explosion of blogs - over 70 million of them at last count. The change in mood explains a phenomenon perhaps more explosive even than blogs - the raging popularity of social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Businesses should pay attention to LinkedIn in particular. It's a collaborative community of professionals exchanging ideas, tactics, strategies, job opportunities, and much more.

If your company's Web site is essentially an online billboard, you're not giving customers what they want. Here are a few ways you can make your site conversational.

Add a blog. Give customers an opportunity to talk to you about any topic on which you choose to write.

Add conversational pages. You don't necessarily need a full blown blog for customers to talk to you. In some cases commenting functionality can be added to a static Web page, creating a "mini blog", or what I call an "in-between blog".

Add an information center. Have a section of your Web site dedicated to announcements, press releases, personnel updates, industry links, and other time sensitive/useful information.

Add an RSS feed. Once you start doing the above, give customers the ability to subscribe to your Web site, so they don't have to come looking for all the new information you publish.

Write content in the first person. Which would you rather hear?  "ABC Company delivers innovative solutions to the construction industry," or "We can solve your problems"?  Make your site personal and engaging (and persuasive) by writing as if you were writing a letter to a single individual.

Add or enhance your contact form. Does your Web site make it easy for customers to get in touch with you? If so, do you encourage customers to use it? Do you make it easy for them to categorize a request or a question? Do you explain how and when you will respond, and who will do the responding?  A robust contact form is no longer a frill, it's a must.

If you've invested in a search marketing program (a wise choice!), it's all the more reason to update and "conversationalize" your Web site. Once customers find you on the search engines, you'll want them to stick around and come back.

Let’s face it, everyone has to start somewhere. You’ve done your homework, created your blog, wrote posts, spread the word, maybe even had a few positive comments but alas, now all you hear are crickets.

The truth is, even the most experienced and successful bloggers have been there. All I can say is the experience of not being “read” brings about a lot of deep introspection. If anything, this is a good time to hone your writing skills and feel less inhibited in your views. No one said that blogging would be easy, and this time is certainly a test of your “sticktoitivity”. If you truly believe in what you bring to your blog audience, this isn’t the time to give up.

Darren Rowse’ post “What to do when it feels like no one is reading your blog” tackles this conundrum and gives you his thoughts based on his time at the pulpit.

Seth Godin’s If no one reads your post does it exist? gives a more holistic view on this.

The act of writing a blog changes people, especially business people. The first thing it does is change posture. Once you realize that no HAS to read your blog, that you can't MAKE them read your blog, you approach writing with humility and view readers with gratitude. The second thing it does is force you to be clear. If you write something that's confusing or in shorthand, you fail.

Finally, I suggest you gather inspiration from those that have “made” it , you might be surprised at how entertaining they are as well…

According to Technorati the most linked to Blog is engadget, and next in line is Boing Boing

Sara Ost’s healthbolt was ranked number one by MedGadget and under the “you have too much time to kill category” you can always read more tips on blogging with 113 blogging tips

I found this story of Stephan Spencer’s (CNET’s resident blogger) daughter quite interesting. Her successful launch (albeit humble in relation to some major blogs/websites) of her Neopet site could definitely be a benchmark for how a small business should go about planning their site/blog. Here is a bit on how she got started:

In early 2006, when Chloe was 15, she decided to devote a blog to Neopets, a virtual pets site popular with kids the world over. After performing some keyword research through WordTracker and Google Suggest for her blog's title and section headings, she discovered that "neopets cheats" was a hugely popular search term to target for her blog. So she settled on the name: the "Ultimate Neopets Cheats Site." She then used the free WordPress.com service to start the blog. Chloe's site was able to ride on the coattails of WordPress.com's trust and authority in the eyes of Google, thus sidestepping the "Google Sandbox" and jumping to page 1 in Google for the term "neopet cheats" within two weeks of launch.

Pretty good for a 15 year old! Here are a couple of key learnings—

- Define your niche, market, and “product” well
- Do start off by checking out tools such as Wordtracker or Google Suggest and see which keywords are being used the most as it relates to your business/industry. Pick one that you find works best for you and integrate (if possible) into your url or blog name
- Create a site that answers the needs of your market – strong content and navigation being at the top of the list.
- As your visibility grows so should your site. Be flexible with changes that you may need to implement in order to continue being relevant to your market.

Finally, it may be good to tell yourself – “If a 15 year old can do it, so can I.”

More tips that may get you started on the right foot--

Successful Blog Tips
21 Tips

Not everyone has the time to write thought provoking posts every day, especially if you’re running a business. Yet blogging has become mainstream and is still worth the time and effort, especially for a small-medium business trying to be heard above all the Internet “noise". Here are four tips for new business bloggers.

- In the main, keep your business blog focused on business. It's more professional, and most likely your customers don’t really want to know what your dog had for lunch the other day (unless your business is selling dog food).

- Write posts that are pertinent to your industry/niche and feel free to react on current trends or issues – your views will reflect on how your company operates or is managed.

- Publish lists of your favorite industry Web sites or references. People are always interested in adding to their own list – keeping it updated will also give people reason to come back for more.

- Take a step back and look at your topics- Do they position you as an expert? Are the topics relevant and interesting to your market? Your blog will only be as successful as it is useful.

For further details on starting your business blog--

Blogging Baby Steps

Blog Review Checklist

WorkZ New Blog Checklist