Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

You Don’t Need to Be First on Google to Attract New Local Clients With Your Blog

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When I read Seth Leonard's article about the Google hoax, I breathed a big sigh of relief. At last someone put into concise words what's been niggling at me for years. [Update January 19, 2013 – This article is no longer available.]

"You shouldn’t ignore search engines completely," he writes, "Just don’t break your back trying to game the system." And he goes on to share four great ways get your website seen, which are definitely worth a look.

MagnetThe benefits of blogging extend far beyond attracting strangers via Google and other search engines. Blogging has the power to strengthen your community connections, turning them into happy clients, raving fans and powerful referral sources. For example, you can:

  • Email a blog post to someone to follow up after a networking meeting
  • Paste the permalink of a recent blog post into an appointment reminder to a current client
  • Print out copies of your best post and encourage your clients to share them with friends and family – be sure your contact information and logo are included

For more ideas, visit Wellness Blogs to learn three ways to attract local clients for your wellness practice, clinic or studio.

Are you still unsure about how blogging leads to business? Check out the free webinar, "Strategic Blogging," or contact us today to learn how we can help.

How FreshBooks Connects via their Blog

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In the recent "How to Write a Blog Post" webinar, I highlighted these four blogs as examples of the four different types of blog posts you can write:

  1. The Wegman's Fresh Stories blog, for this example of a "how to" post
  2. Southwest Airline's Nuts About Southwest blog, for this example of a personal post
  3. The Coaching4Clergy blog (my client J. Val Hastings), for this example of a thought leadership post
  4. The FreshBooks blog, for this example of a connecting post

FreshBooks are innovators in the field of online invoicing, so it's no wonder that their blog is so creative and entertaining (they can even sing!).  

Freshbooks

Connecting posts, like this customer portrait of Kristel Yoneda, take the pressure off the blogger to always be dreaming up brand new topics or material (making it much easier to be a weekly blogger).

In this case, the majority of the post comes from an outside source (Kristel's responses to a set of interview questions). Yet the post author's personality still shows through; in the title of the post, in the flavour of the interview questions and in the brief introduction (I might have also added a conclusion).

Client stories are a great way to demonstrate your product or service in action, and will be an interesting read for everyone who visits your blog – people love stories!

Here's another benefit to this type of post: Any blog post that features a client, blogger, author or expert can nurture your relationship with that person - be sure to call the person's attention to your post using my tips in Trackbacks, Reactions and Link Love.

P.S. Did you notice that this post itself is a connecting post? Not only did I use the FreshBooks customer portrait as my central topic (adding my comments and teaching points to make it useful and relevant for you), but the lesson itself was borrowed from the webinar I delivered last month. Now that's how to make blogging easier!

Blogging Makes Being a Local Celebrity a Celebration

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PaparazziBlogging can feel like an ego-driven pursuit, especially when we get too caught up in the numbers: how many "Likes" do I have on Facebook, how many comments am I getting, how many people are there on my mailing list?

When I talk about how blogging makes you a star and the "go to" expert in your industry, I see some people shy away from that idea. They say they don't want to be a celebrity; they just want to help people and earn a good living.

Maybe it's time we redefined what it means to be a celebrity, and why it's an admirable goal for any service-based business.

What if becoming a celebrity was actually a celebration? Here are five ways that blogging can make it so:

  1. You can use your blog (and your celebrity status) to give back to your local community. 
  2. Blogging builds your confidence and helps YOU see just how much of an expert you are. After all, it's easier to plant your flag of expertise on top of a mountain of content.
  3. Your celebrity status can be an inspiration to others in your local community, and shows them what is possible.   
  4. Blogging is a way to express the meaning behind your business – why you do what you do. So as you blog, celebrate your passion!
  5. Your celebrity status will attract a tribe of people with the same passions and interests, and your blog can be a forum for them to celebrate as well. They may comment (or they may not, and that's okay, too!), or simply show their affinity by sharing your content with their own tribes. 

Have you been shying away from your celebrity status? What's one way you could celebrate it, starting today?

Top 10 Blog Post Idea Generators

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woman with ideaDuring the How to Write a Blog Post webinar, I mentioned how quotes, statistics and other powerful article openers can also be idea generators for your blog posts.

I’ve combined those here with some of my other favourite sources for blog post ideas. Happy writing!

  1. Images – Instead of just searching for an image after you’ve already started or finished your post, why not browse an image site and see what ideas it sparks?
  2. News – Elena Verlee wrote about how to turn news stories into ideas you can pitch to journalists – or write about in your blog. You can also check out my Write for the Headlines series of blog post ideas for coaches. If you prefer to focus on good news, this blog is for you.
  3. Google Alerts – This tool allows you to filter the news by signing up for email updates when anything new is posted about a particular topic. Subscribe to the topics you and your clients are most interested in. Whether you just pass it along or write your own review/response, make sure to put yourself into the content that you share.
  4. Google search – You can also just go to Google and begin typing different phrases about your topic ideas or blog categories. Google will automatically suggest phrases based on what other people have searched for. Check out what people want to know, what information is already out there AND what’s missing.
  5. Statistics – HubSpot and the Content Marketing Institute are great sources for statistics about social media and content marketing. Find the organizations or associations who are generating statistics about your industry, or browse Stats Can in Canada or the Census Bureau in the United States.
  6. Quotes – Type in a search term at a site like ThinkExist and see where it takes you.
  7. Social media updates – Identify the people whose updates tend to get you thinking. They may share quotes of their own, powerful coaching questions, thought-provoking ideas or links to their own blogs or others. Bookmark these profiles or set them up as a saved search.
  8. RSS subscriptions – Do the same thing with the bloggers you go back to time and again for ideas, quotes and resources. You can either sign up to receive their latest posts by email or set them up in a “Blog Ideas” folder in your feed reader.
  9. Your Inbox – Could your last email exchange be your next blog post? Take note of any requests you receive for advice and recommendations. You’ll help more people when you share your answers as a blog post.
  10. Question and answer forums – Browse Quora, LinkedIn Answers, LinkedIn groups or other discussion and research forums. Which questions can you answer? [Update January 19, 2013 – LinkedIn Answers will be discontinued at the end of January 2013.]
  11. BONUS: Live events – Get out and talk to people, both in and out of your target audience. You never know where you’ll find a unique perspective on your topic.

The next time you’re staring at a blank page and waiting for inspiration to strike, try your luck with one of these blog post idea generators.

Business Owners, Ask This Question Before You Post a Photo on Social Media

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PhotographerWith the plethora of mobile devices and apps at our fingertips these days, business owners can stay in touch with their network anytime and from anywhere.

These updates keep you visible to your clients, prospective clients and referral partners. When you consistently deliver valuable content – tips, solutions and resources to improve their lives or businesses – the people in your network will learn to trust your expertise. Solid content is what turns social networking into business networking.

Of course it’s not all about business, though. Part of the reason to participate on social media is to be social, and to give your network a peek behind the scenes of your business AND your life.

Photos are the perfect way to deliver that peek. Like any pet parent, sometimes I can’t resist sharing cute photos and stories about my greyhound Patch. Usually I limit these to my personal profile account on Facebook, but not always. I know that many of my Twitter friends are dog lovers, so these posts help us connect on a different level.

Depending on your business, photos can draw people in to want to know more about you and what you do. They can also entice prospective clients and customers to try your products or services.

But before you share a photo on a social networking site, ask this question:

Does this photo belong on my blog, instead of on a photo sharing site?

Here are some benefits to posting candid photos about your business on your blog:

  • Seeing is experiencing – It’s one thing to say that you had a successful event or an awesome morning of baking, it’s another to show photos of your happy attendees or delicious treats.
  • You’re the host – When you alert your social network that there are new photos on your blog, you’re inviting them to YOUR site (your home, as it were), rather than to a third-party site.
  • Brings YOU into the blog – One of the reasons people visit a blog is to get to know the person/voice behind the business. These conversational snippets are part of what makes a blog a blog.
  • Makes the next step easier – Once people are on your blog, they’re only a hop, skip, jump and link away from taking an action – whether that’s to call you, read more about your product/service, visit your business or place an order then and there.

Three Steps to Sharing a Photo on Your Blog

While it may not seem as fast and easy as sharing through social media, posting a photo to your blog can be as simple as 1-2-3.

  1. Check your mobile options – Typepad and WordPress’s self-hosted and hosted platforms all provide mobile posting options.
  2. Post your photo
  3. Scoop out the details – Describe all the action that’s going in your photo, and be sure to mention the related product or service. Give your reader the links/info they need to take the next step.

With a little practice, sharing photos on your blog can become second nature. As a result, the people who enjoy your photos can also enjoy your products and services.