Archive for February, 2010
12 Tips for Blog Traffic
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Blogging is one of the best marketing ideas for many solopreneurs and can become the cornerstone of your marketing plan. Here are a dozen ideas for getting more traffic to your blog:
- Post entries on your blog as frequently as possible. Search engines will rank you much higher if there is frequent new content. Several times a week is a minimum.
- Include a place on your blog for people to subscribe. The best blogs allow the reader to get posts through either an RSS feed or by email.
- Use tags on every post. Tags are labels that the search engines use and that will help your posts be found on blog directories. It’s hard to tag too much.
- Submit your blog to blog directories. Here’s a list of 20 “essential” directories from Loren Baker.
- Use guest posting. Have others add content to your blog and write original content for others. Readers of the other’s blog will check out what you have on your blog.
- Comment on other peoples’ blogs. Whenever you do, make sure to leave the URL for your blog. When people comment on your blog, be sure to answer them.
- Create community & conversation. Include calls to action in your posts, ask questions and request comments.
- Use share buttons to the bookmarking sites such as Digg, Delicious and StumbleUpon. Each of those sites will provide a widget or plugin for the share button. Submit your very best posts yourself.
- Post on Twitter when you have a new post on your blog. An application such as Twitterfeed.com can automate this process.
- Be sure to use an application to post your blog feed to your Facebook profile or fan page.
- Craft your post titles carefully. Use plenty of keywords, especially at the beginning of the title. Numbers also rank well in titles.
- Spread the URL for your blog offline in all your marketing literature and online in your email signature.
BlogTalk Radio – Business Success 101
Posted by: | CommentsRegular readers of this blog know that I was recently at the NAMS internet marketing training. While there, I met John Panico, also known as one of the Social Media Dudes. That lead to an interview on BlogTalk Radio with John and his partner, Dennis Lynn. Both these guys were curious! 
Our conversation turned out to be a probing inquiry into what it really takes to be in business these days. I expected to talk a lot about social media – all 3 of us agree on the value of that. But what we really focused on is what I would call Business Success 101 – who you really must be to succeed as a solopreneur, traits to cultivate, steps to take to get your business started, what it takes for small business growth and more. John and Dennis really were interested in the two areas that I think most solopreneurs struggle with – entrepreneurial mindset and marketing. I even outlined for them what it takes to have a great marketing plan. I hope you’ll stop by BlogTalk Radio and listen in on the recording of our conversation. You may be glad you did!
Promote Your Business With Podcasts, Online Radio Shows and Videocasts
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Part of promoting your online business is getting in front of as many people as possible. While you are there, give them something interesting to read, listen to or watch that will direct them to your website through a link. One of the ways that people like to hear about new sites is through podcasts.
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a multimedia tool that people can follow. Think of it as audio or video information that you can listen to or view on your computer, iPod, mp3 player or any other multimedia enabled device. It’s like having your own radio show on your website.
Podcasts can be syndicated using RSS (really simple syndication). This is the same process that people use to keep up with blogs and websites. The RSS feed allows them to receive updates when changes are made on the site so they don’t have to visit every day.
Creating your Podcast
There is software available to help you create your audio and video files. You can embed code for them on your website so others can view them.
Beyond the technical aspects, the purpose of the podcast is to present interesting information to your readers in a new and unique way. People browse the Internet to find useful items. They like to read, but would admittedly like to watch or listen as it is a more convenient way to get the same information.
So what will make your podcast stand out? Use engaging dialogue, present relevant topics and use visually appealing props and sets for video casts.
Going Viral
For one, don’t forget the keywords. You want people to be able to find your podcasts when they use their search engines. Even if you are using mainly audio, include keyword optimized titles, tags and links in your podcasts.
Submit your podcasts to directories. Use every avenue to get yourself in front of the public. That includes creating press releases to announce your podcasts if you are introducing them for the first time. Optimizing your press releases and submitting them to free press release sites keeps people finding them even after you are through using them.
Let your existing customers in on the new podcast. Use your email list to keep them in the loop as you unroll your podcast project. Give them links directly to the podcast so they can view it and hopefully pass the link on to others.
Your podcast can be turned into a radio show with regular guest spots. Interview other business owners in your niche and notable online personalities who would be of interest to your readers. A recurring show can increase your traffic and your following.
Want to get people to your website? Create a podcast. Turn it into a radio show or recurring video cast to create a following and gain more traffic to your business.
Use Affiliate Programs To Get Your Business Noticed
Posted by: | CommentsWebsite promotion gets the word out about your online business. If you are already making sales, using other, more advanced promotion methods can increase your targeted list of potential buyers and hopefully sales too. Affiliate programs are designed to do just that.
The idea behind affiliate programs is simple. You use other businesses and websites to promote your products on their website. They are doing the legwork while you reap the benefits. But, they also get a commission when people click on their link and head on over to your website.
For the business owner looking to increase their visibility among their target market, starting an affiliate program is a win-win situation. For one, your affiliates (those are your promotion partners) are not paid unless they fulfill your agreement. Some affiliate programs pay per lead, click or per sale. Each link is coded so that you know which affiliate link has been used to access your website.
Secondly, when you achieve those leads, clicks and sales through affiliate promotion, your business is getting exactly what it needs. Here’s an example: Let’s say that you are trying to build your list. If five affiliates each have ten people click and sign up on your website – that is fifty more names for your list. But, these are not just any names. They are people from your target market who are already interested in your type of product since they accessed you through a related site.
To get the desired results from your affiliate program, you have to put in some work. It all begins with choosing the right businesses to advertise your products for you. In reality, if you choose poorly, then you haven’t lost any money but you have lost time and energy and most of us don’t have that to spare when we are trying to grow a business.
Look for businesses that have at least two things in common:
• Lots of traffic
• Great reputation in your niche industry
What you want is to put your product in front of people who have made their business a success. It is a smart choice to get companies with similar interests involved in your venture. You don’t want them to be in direct competition, but if they operate within the same niche, you can be pretty sure your products will interest their visitors too.
Offering top notch tools in your affiliate center will attract just the kind of people you want to promote your website. Include graphics, website content, brandable reports and eBooks, banners and other nifty items to help them to help you make your business an even bigger success.
Affiliate programs are one way to promote your website and leverage the power of others to do it. By working with your affiliates and giving them the tools and knowledge necessary to be successful, you’ll not only promote your business more, but also increase sales.
Training Updates
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s been wintry here in North Carolina as in many parts of the country and we were hit especially hard with ice and power outages over the past 5 days. This has made it impossible to start the scheduled classes we had planned – no power, no internet, no class – the good news is you still have the opportunity to hop in before we get going!
Command the Stage: Secrets of becoming a Professional Speaker will now be beginning on Monday February 15th at 7pm ET and running for 5 weeks. Peggy Collins will be teaching us, myself included, how to get started in the world of speaking for pay. Peggy has told me that she will not be teaching this class again at this price, so sign up now and join us Feb 15th.
The February class of Social Media Made Easy will now be starting this Thursday, Feb. 11th at 7pm ET. If this doesn’t fit your schedule, you can register soon for the March class which will begin March 9th at 1pm ET. Both classes are four weeks of 90 minute webinars so you will really understand the basics of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Register here.
Here’s a new training item for you. Starting in March, I will be presenting a Social Media Work Group for more advanced and hands-on help with social media strategy and techniques. Keep your eyes open for more info about that opportunity. If you have not taken Social Media Made Easy, get in that class now as completion of the basics will be required to take the advanced work group instruction.
Finally, the month of February is the time when you can get the best deal on internet marketing training. The NAMS4 event (Niche Affiliate Marketing Systems) will be in August and has its lowest price right now. For $297 you can get three full days of hands-on training from powerful experts dedicated to answering your every question. Don’t wait – the price steadily increases as the event gets closer. NAMS is an amazing training and I hope you will join me there in August.here’s my affiliate link again.
