The Buzz on Blogging and How It Effects Your Biz

Whether your new to business or been in it awhile, you have likely heard about blogging. Blogging may seem like just another thing you have to do in the long list of to-do's to run and grow your business, but used properly it can create more visibility for you. So, in other words it is a great tool to attract potential clients.

If you optimize your blog and post consistently valuable and useful information the search engines will love you. Simply put, when someone types in keywords of something they are looking for and you are blogging about what they are looking for on a regular basis, they are likely going to find you in the search results.



Basically, you are creating a valuable tool to drive traffic to your website and it cost you practically nothing. The best part is that these people searching and finding you are considered "pre-qualified" because they have chosen to click through to read your content. If your content is valuable and informative they are going to want more and will likely sign-up for your list.

You are building a relationship with your blog readers. They are getting to know, like and trust you through your posts and interaction on comments. This helps make it easier for them to take action in the future when you offering a product or service to them. They are more inclined to buy because you have built that relationship with them and experienced your expertise.

Remember that blogging is a marketing tool and to make it work you have to be consistent. You should be blogging at least two to three times a week. Saying you don't have enough time is an excuse. You have to make time. It is just as important as going to your networking events or any other social media that you spend your time on. You are doing it to attract new clients, period.

Blogging is a wonderful way to connect with your audience, to provide valuable and useful information to prospects and customers, to sell your products and services, and to drive traffic to your website. Have fun with it and just do it!

Marketing Your Biz via Social Networks

If you have a biz but aren’t using social network marketing to promote it, you are losing out on literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of potential readers and customers.

Social network marketing is becoming, if it’s not already, the number one way businesses are marketing today. This is because the potential to reach people all over the world is on the Internet through social networking.

In order to make social networking work for your business, obviously you need to be a member of the major social networks. However, more is required. You must be active on the social networks. You simply can’t just belong but not interact with other members and expect to build your business that way.

The whole idea of social networking is not simply to drive more traffic to your blogs and sites, it is to build relationships with potential new readers, subscribers and customers. It is then through those relationships that your new contacts will come to know and trust you. People buy and do business with people they know, like and trust.

So, how do you go about making social networking work for your business? One way is to add, follow or friend people in your target market or niche. Then, begin building relationships with them first. Yes, let them know about your blog, but don’t be all about expecting them to go read it without first knowing why they should. This is where the relationship comes in. Offer the valuable content, engage and help them. Once your subscribers know they can trust you and that you’re not just out to sell them something, but you genuinely want to help them, they will be interested in what you have to say and what you have to sell or your services.

Social networking can be tricky too. You may have a tendency to want to build up your number of friends and followers, but if they are not part of your target market or niche, then they are just a bunch of people. If you don’t have to offer what you’re followers need and want, then all your efforts are a waste of time.

As mentioned earlier, social networking takes time and effort. If you don’t personally have the time to devote to really make social networking work for you, hire an assistant or social network manager to do it for you. It won’t do you any good to belong to social networks if you never have the time to spend building relationships with your potential new readers.

The hottest social networks right now are Twitter, Facebook, Digg, De.lic.ious and Stumble Upon. Of course there are numerous other social networks you can join as well, but these are recommended to get started. Trust me; you will be plenty busy trying to keep up with these five.

Once you start building relationships through social networking, then you can begin promoting your products and services to your audience. But remember, helping your readers, finding ways to benefit them is what’s going to keep them coming back to your site for more! Don’t let your relationship become all about only selling to them.