Blogging Basics – Page 34

Content Creation Manifesto – Summary

March 23, 2010 By Linda Dessau

I was recently challenged by Andrea J. Lee and other esteemed thought leaders to take a stand in my business. And not only that, but to hold myself, my readers and my clients accountable for staying aligned with that vision.

The first result (there WILL be others) is this Content Creation Manifesto, delivered in seven parts. As I publish each part, I will add the links to the titles below.

P.S. I borrowed this format from Leesa Barnes, who shared a wonderful example of a strong manifesto. Thanks, Leesa!

Content Creation Manifesto #1 – You need to be writing

Content Creation Manifesto #2 – Writing is coaching

Content Creation Manifesto #3 – Good writing is pointless

Content Creation Manifesto #4 – Self-care is not an option

Content Creation Manifesto #4b – It’s all been said before (added Jan 27, 2011)

Content Creation Manifesto #5 – Some people won’t like you

Content Creation Manifesto #6 – Spelling counts

Content Creation Manifesto #7 – Automation is personal

If these ideas resonate with you, please keep in touch by signing up for email updates. There is a form on the top right-hand side of this page. We will never sell or share your personal information.

Content Creation Manifesto #1 – You need to be writing

March 23, 2010 By Linda Dessau

There are people who need your help who aren't finding you. When you don't write, publish or share your ideas, you stay hidden. Even people who've met you and liked you will forget you exist.

START NOW by browsing sample article topics for coaches. Choose a topic and get to work!

Head back to the Content Creation Manifesto Summary for links to #1-7.

Social networking beyond the link: 5 ways to turn your blog post or article into a conversation starter

February 8, 2010 By Linda Dessau

In today’s post I chat with social networking and marketing implementation specialist Kristen Beireis of the Coaches’ Marketing Source.

Linda: Kristen, I’ve never heard the term “conversation starter” before, related to social networking or content generation. What’s the difference between a conversation starter and a regular status update?

Kristen: A conversation starter is intended to get a discussion going. It’s not an “in the moment” or “this is what I’m doing” post, like a regular status update would be. This is a pre-planned update that is meant to stimulate a conversation with those in your network.

Linda: My new blog posts and ezines are automatically posted to my LinkedIn and Twitter accounts already – why isn’t that enough?

Kristen: Blog posts are great information and should be posted to your accounts, but there is much more you can do. Posting a blog link just says “read this,” and constantly broadcasting to your network can really get people to tune out. I’m sure there’s a conversation to be had around your blog post – you just need to find a way to invite people to engage in that discussion with you. That will get them tuned back in.

Linda: Great points, Kristen! So how do we do it?

Kristen: Expand on the content in your original blog post or article, and take it just a bit further. For example, you can:

Ask questions that get a conversation going around the topic.
Post controversial statements that get people to think about the topic.
Start a conversation with a colleague to ask their opinion about the topic (you might want to email them privately first to let them know you’ll be doing this).
Post quotes from some of the comments you received on the blog or by email (ask permission first for the email comments!)
Ask people to share stories if they can relate to what your piece was about.

You can also include some “teaser” posts with links, the same kind of thing you might use as a promo or introduction in an article directory, but keep those to a minimum and focus on interacting with your network. People get tired of seeing those links all the time.

The point here is to create an engaging discussion around a topic that you are an expert in.

Wow, thanks so much to Kristen Beireis for stopping by and enlightening us about how go “beyond the link” when we share our content on social networking sites.

How to leverage your written content: 25 great things you can do with 500 great words

February 7, 2010 By Linda Dessau

When you pour your heart and soul into writing an article that really hits the mark in providing solid value for your target audience, it's sad to think of it only getting one chance to shine in the world. But that's exactly what happens for so many entrepreneurs who write articles as a strategy to build relationships, trust and credibility with prospective clients.

Maybe you send the article out in your monthly newsletter. Maybe you post it on your blog, if you have a blog. Maybe you post it to your website.

What a waste of your brilliance to only use it once!

Here is just a sampling of the many ways you can leverage your content in an integrated marketing strategy. This will not only keep you on the minds of your prospective customers, it will fuel your own creativity to think of more and more ways to play off that one original article.

25 ways to re-use a great article

Put the words in a different order (explore your topic from another perspective and write another article about it)
Read the article out loud and make a podcast (Audio Acrobat is a handy tool for this)
Interview someone else about your topic (e.g., an expert, a colleague, a client)
Create a poll about the topic (ask your blog readers and social networks to answer)
Ask questions about your topic on your social networking sites
Send the article out in a newsletter to your mailing list
Post the article to your blog
Link to your blog post on your social networks (you can set this up to happen automatically)
Print your article out as a handout (add photos, graphics and your logo and contact information)
Submit your article to a general article directory (e.g., EzineArticles)
Submit your article to a targeted article directory (e.g., Coach Spotlight)
Submit your article as a guest post to someone else's blog
Present a tele-seminar about the topic
Present a workshop about the topic
Combine these words with other great words you've written and share them online (e.g., as an e-book or home study program)
Combine these words with other great words as a printed book
Create an actionable worksheet about the topic
Start a debate about the topic (post a provocative statement to your social networks)
Challenge another blogger to a duel (find someone with an opposing view and ask them to write about it)
Send the article to clients or prospective clients who ask you about the topic
Select some key words or phrases from your article and make them into a slideshow (add some photos and turn it into an online video)
Discuss the topic in front of your webcam (and turn it into an online video)
Create a diagram out of the topic (give your readers a visual map to follow of the topic)
Make a word picture out of your article (http://www.wordle.net/)
Link a song (http://blip.fm/) or movie to your topic and share the connection with your social network

Please don't be limited by these 25 things, my friend. Go forth and turn your content into new and wonderful solutions for the people you serve.

[Update December 31, 2012 – This article was originally posted on the snap! va marketing blog, until Karri Flatla moved on to a new career.]

Article marketing: How to be keyword rich AND creative in your article titles

November 22, 2009 By Linda Dessau

I fully admit that I haven’t put much effort into SEO – search engine optimization. I prefer to focus on creating great content, and building relationships with people who will help me share it.

On the other hand, I believe that by using SEO techniques, you can be of service to the people out there who desperately need what you have to offer. You are putting yourself in their path so they will find you and you can help them.

Now that’s something I can get on board with!

Three Tips for Keyword-Rich Article Titles

While I think we’ve already established that I’m not an SEO expert, here are three things I’ve learned about writing keyword-rich titles:

1. Do a little research. Find out what terms people are actually searching for (Google has a tool for that), related to your article topic.

2. Fish in a smaller pond. Choose the keywords people aren’t searching for THE MOST. There is less competition to deal with.

3. Be top-heavy: Use your keywords at the beginning of your title. Instead of “The Top 10 Ways to Discipline Your Teenager,” try, “Out of Control Teens (6,600 searches worldwide last month): Top 10 Discipline Techniques.”

So is that it? Just stuff your title with keywords and fight for a spot on the front page of the search engine results? Nope. I would always encourage you to write for people first, and search engines second.

Three Tips for Creative Article Subtitles

You might notice that I’ve used titles and subtitles in my examples. As a loose rule, put your keywords in the title and get more creative in your subtitle.

Here are three ways to bring more creativity into your article subtitles, so they’re attractive to your ideal readers:

1. Play with your words. An alternate title for this article might have been, “Article Marketing: How to be creative AND rich.” It’s a play on words – a deliberate deception, if you will – since instead of finances we’re talking about keywords. Be cautious here. If your article content is too much of a departure from your title, you risk losing the trust of your readers.

2. Make an outrageous connection. Get people curious to find out how the two things in your title could possibly relate, e.g., “Business Planning 101: What My Kitchen Renovation Revealed About My Business Goals.”

3. Repeat what works. What do YOUR readers respond to? Look at your open rates, click-through rates, comments and email replies. Which titles got the most response from your specific readers?

Also consider the type of article you’re writing, and for what purpose. For stock articles that you’re going to submit to general directories, you might want to experiment with a plain, descriptive, keyword-rich title.

But for specialty articles that you will email to your subscribers or submit to a membership site or specialized directory, you will want to inject more personality and flair.

Ideally, your titles will be rich enough to show up in front of hundreds of people, and creative enough for your ideal readers to self-select and click through.

Remember that click-throughs are only part of the story. You need that reader to get all the way to the bottom of your article so they find and follow your call-to-action (hopefully an offer for your pink spoon) and join your tribe.