Scrappy Marketing Solutions Blog

Who's Who in Online Marketing Blogging

I recently received an email from Jimmy Atkinson, at WHDB.com, alerting me of a "Who's Who in Online Marketing Blogging" sort of list he had compiled: 100 Awesome Webmaster Blogs by and for Women.

...over four days through simple keyword searches and through reading blogs and other resources, we discovered at least one hundred women in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SEM (Search Engine Marketing), public relations and marketing, design, business, social media and in IT. All these women have one thing in common - their work revolves around the Web.

The sum total of the Web women listed here represents just the tip of the iceberg on women involved with Web matters - although we agree with Zeldman that men seem to outnumber the women in this realm. With that said, the women we discovered are strong, talented, innovative and resourceful. And, many of them have joined forces to help each other and many other women.

This is quite a list!  If you are interested in reading about Search Engine Optimization/Marketing, Public Relations, Web Design, and Social Media, consider this your blog reading "shopping list"!

Here's how Jimmy's list breaks down:
Women in Search - 19 blogs
Women in Marketing - 20 blogs (including ScrapbookMarketing!)
Women in Design - 17 blogs
Social Media, Organizations, and Writing Skills - 14 blogs
Women in Business - 14 blogs
Women in Tech - 16 blogs

This list has me thinking I should compile a list of "Who's Who in Scrapbook Blogging" - what do you think?

I would welcome your comments about the "readability" of the blogs on Jimmy's list - do you read any of them regularly?  Which do you find the most useful?  What have you learned from them?  Did the list omit any significant contributions from women bloggers?  Do leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Blog Marketing: Search Engine Optimization for Blogs - SEO

One of the points I addressed in my Blogging 201 class at MemoryTrends was on keyword research - basically I advised people to do it and use it (as in...DO the keyword research, then USE the research when writing your posts).

I recently stumbled upon an-oldie-but-a-goodie post (from 2005!) on this topic at ProBlogger: Search Engine Optimization for Blogs.  Darren covers much the same territory that I did in my class.  I really like how he outlined the questions you should ask yourself when writing content (posts) for your blog:

Keyword Rich Content - identify a few keywords for your article that you’re hoping will get indexed highly by Google. Don’t pick too many but consider the questions

• How do I want people to find this post in Search Engines?
• What will they type into Google if they want information on the topic you’re writing?
• How would I find information on this topic in the Search Engines?
• What results come up when I do plug these keywords into Google?
• What other keywords are other sites using?

The answer to these questions will give you a hint as to what words you’ll want to see repeated throughout your article a number of times.

He also goes on to describe where in each post you should include these targeted keywords.  To give credit where credit is due - and send some search engine juice his way - I'll just link back to his post on Search Engine Optimization for Blogs, where you can read more about it.

There's one key point to keep in mind when judging results of search engine optimization efforts, a point I continually reinforce to my blog consulting clients -  if you aren't writing about a topic (or keyword), don't expect the search engines to find you for it.  In the same vein, if you want to be included in search engine results for a specific keyword - WRITE ABOUT IT!

Remember - showing up on search engines (or rather, in search engine results) depends heavily on what terms or phrases people use to search.  If you want your blog or website to show up in searches for the keyword phrase, "Kansas City scrapbooking", you MUST use that phrase repeatedly in your text - in page titles, in subject lines, and in blog posts.  But only optimize for that phrase if you have a store in Kansas City, or offer product related to scrapbooking about Kansas City.  Otherwise you might draw people to your site/blog, and have nothing that relates to their current needs.

To attract search engines for specific keywords, highlight those keywords in the text on your site, and hyperlink them to a relevant page on your site.  For instance, if I want to be found by people searching for "craft press releases", I will write a post including
tips on writing or submitting press releases, and I'll use the phrase "Craft press releases".  I'll highlight that phrase, and link it to the Page on my site that details my press release writing services.

That tells Google that information on "craft press releases" can be found at *this* URL (the underlying URL, hyperlinked to that "anchor text").

Be watching upcoming issues of Craftrends magazine for an article on just this subject - and let me know what questions you have about search engine optimization, so I can address them in the article.  Feel free to leave a comment on this post, or just email me.

Speedlinking 11/11/07: Educate Yourself in the Way of the Blog

Speedlinking for Sunday, November 11th, 2007

• SEO 2.0 | 101 Ways to Make Your Blog More Popular and Successful.
• 101 Blog Posting Ideas
• Ebooks/ECourses for Achieving Success at Blogging
• Networking Effectively with Social Media

Blogging Statistics

Via the Blog World Expo Event website:

• Over 12 million American adults currently maintain a blog.
• More than 147 million Americans use the Internet.    
• Over 57 million Americans read blogs.    
• 1.7 million American adults list making money as one of the reasons they blog.    
• 89% of companies surveyed say they think blogs will be more important in the next five years.    
• 9% of internet users say they have created blogs.    
• 6% of the entire US adult population has created a blog.  
• Technorati is currently tracking over 70 million blogs.
• over 120 thousand blogs are created every day.  
• There are over 1.4 million new blog posts every day.  
• 22 of the 100 most popular websites in the world are blogs 
• 120,000 new blogs are created every day .    
• 37% of blog readers began reading blogs in 2005 or 2006.    
• 51% of blog readers shop online.    
• Blog readers average 23 hours online each week.

Resources cited in their statistics:
PewInternet.org
Sifry.com
AdAge.com (PDF)
Blog Readers Spend More Time and Money Online By Sean Michael Kerner

Scrapbooking Blogger Links

Monday in my Blogging 201 class, someone asked for some “good” scrapbook blogs to read.  I told him that Ali Edwards, Donna Downey, Cathy Zielske, and Scrapability’s blogs were all very popular, but for a more comprehensive list, I said I’d just post a list to my blog! 

I keep a public blogroll of scrapbooking blogs at Bloglines, which I have posted here.

I also have a del.icio.us linkroll on Scrapbooking Industry “Thought Leaders”.  Click the Comments link below to leave me a comment if you think anyone is missing from my Thought Leader list.

Blog Marketing: Add Audio with Free Conference Call Recordings

I found a fabulous FREE resource I just had to share: Free Conference Calls with LiveOffice.  (via Lifehacker).  I used it the other night with 2 clients, each of us calling in from a separate phone number.  It worked great!  The call lasted an hour, and there was no interruptions, no static, nothing.  Just a good solid phone call.

It was a long distance call (712 area code), but big deal.  You can get a toll-free bridge number for 8 cents a minute/no monthly fees, but free is pretty nice.

Here's the clincher -- besides being free, you also have the option to record the call (also for free). An hour later, you'll find an MP3 file of the conference call waiting for you on the Web site, with html code to put it on a website/blog, or the URL for an RSS feed.  How sweet is that??

Here... check out my husband and I trying out the recording feature:

Or just download the file here:
Enclosure

This will make recording interviews (and consulting calls) sooooo nice!

Blog Marketing: Queen & Co

A great example of a scrapbooking manufacturer who is using a blog effectively to market their company: Queen & Co.

What I notice when I look at their blog:

• separate photo galleries for each of their product lines (i.e. Sprinkle Brads), showing product in use in projects (plus credit to the Design Team member, always nice)
• links to each product line at the company website
• A listing of Design Team members' name in the right margin, and links to blogs when available
• Announcement of a contest, and a request for submissions via their blog.  They will post the winning projects on their blog.  Contests are a great way to encourage participation via your blog.
• Individual posts on new product launched at the most recent trade show, with clear, closeup photos of the product, as well as sample projects
• "sneak peek" posts of upcoming projects and products
• The About page gives a brief history of the company, and gives insight into the company's purpose: "to always create playful products that are bursting with bright color and pattern."
• The About page and Email Me link are featured "above the fold" (high on the left side column)

Four things I would suggest to improve this blog:

• Add RSS feeds via Feedburner "above the fold" (high enough that people don't need to scroll down).  Don't make people search for the "Subscribe to this blog's feed" link near the bottom of the left column.
• Add an "Receive Updates by Email" option via FeedBlitz, again, above the fold.
• Link to the blog from the main website.  Each incoming link makes the blog seem popular and helps in search engine rankings.
• Blog more frequently -- even once a week would be beneficial, both with search engine rankings, and for keeping in touch with your audience.

Just creating a business blog isn't enough; you have to tweak it so it's truly effective, and there is upkeep involved. So many business blogs I see aren't doing these things -- it's cool to see a company that's doing it right.  Way to go, Queen & Co!

What Makes an Effective Small Business Blog?

Here's an good example of a business blog building awareness for its niche: The Small Business Buzz.  Site owner Chris Brunner describes his blog this way:

A daily blog by site owner Chris Brunner covering business news from around the world. Discover links to tips and advice that can help you run an efficient, more profitable business.

Here's why I think this is an effective business blog:

1. Starting with that description, he gives his readers a reason to come back -- they will get "tips and advice that can help you run an efficient, more profitable business".  If you have a business blog, explain/describe what the BLOG is about, which is different than an About Me profile describing who you are.
2. He gives examples of how people use his services -- which not only highlights his customers' businesses (and gives them a nice ego boost for being selected); the examples also highlight what his work looks like.  Win-win!  I've seen a similar example in Paula Gardner's PR newsletter from the UK -- she highlights her clients' recent media exposure.  That gives her clients a nice boost, and establishes her credibility as being about to get people noticed by the media.
3. He actively seeks out posts on other blogs that relate to his business (business cards), and small business in general -- then he links to those blog posts and comments on them.  This interconnected web is what blogging is all about.  He links to other blogs, and comments on them as well -- this is a well-established way to build traffic to your blog.
4. He notices articles about his niche in newspapers, links to them, adds a few comments, then ties it back to his business.  Another easy way to add current, relevant content to your blog, while also plugging your business in an unobtrusive way.
5. Chris uses his blog to educate his readers.  In one post, he links to a relevant term found in Wikipedia.org, provides a few comments, then ties it back to his business.  Fantastic!  I never would have thought of using Wikipedia like that.
6. He actively hosts, participates, and highlights Blog Carnivals.  I'm still wrapping my brain around this concept, but even at this point I can see the marketing potential of Blog Carnivals.
7. He blogs regularly.  Posting even once a week keeps your business in front of your target market.  Blog irregularly, with months in-between, and your visitors will stop seeing your blog as a viable, valuable resource, and stop visiting.  No visitors = ineffective marketing tool.

There are other reasons, but you get the point.  Check out his blog; study it; figure out how you can tweak some of those ideas to make your blog a more effective marketing tool.

I happen to have a few ideas on blog marketing, and I've put together a couple of Special Reports - one geared toward general small businesses, and one written specifically for scrapbooking businesses. 
Download your own complimentary copy of the PDF:

• "Blog Marketing: 27 Ways to Promote Your Small Business with a Blog"
• "Scrapbook Marketing: 27 Ways to Promote Your Scrapbooking Business with a Blog"

technorati tags: small business, blogging, blog marketing, business cards

Edited to Add: ME "Liz" Strauss linked to this post in her 7/21/06 edition of "SOB Business Cafe" (SOB meaning "successful and Outstanding Bloggers", not the other thing...LOL)
 

Blog Consulting Services Update

I recently updated the options available for my Blog Consulting services, to include some choices for do-it-yourself'ers, and those looking for the best value for their marketing budget.

Option A is for you if you already have a blog, and are comfortable editing HTML, but aren’t sure how to get more visitors to your blog.

Option B is for you if you already have a blog, want to increase exposure, but don’t have time to add “widgets” or aren’t comfortable with editing HTML.

Be sure to check out my newly-updated Blog Consulting Marketing Services.

technorati tags: blog+consulting, marketing

Technorati tags bookmarklet

Here's a great blog promotional tool, via the Technorati Tools page -- from the Free Hogg Blog: Technorati tags bookmarklet. (it looks like Hogg might have gotten it from Lorelle, but I'll leave you to do your own detective work further back than that.)

"Tagging" your blog posts with Technorati tags is a way to help drive traffic to your blog, because your post will show up on that tag's page at Technorati.com.  And if someone searches Technorati for a specific tag, such as scrapbook marketing, your post will show up in the listing.

So the above-mentioned bookmarklet allows you to click a bookmark, and this javascript prompt pops up, asking what tags you want to include, you type in your tags, and it automatically generates the HTML code to add to your post.  Sweet!  The javascript sure beats handcoding the tags for each post, or copy and pasting code for individual tags.  So, I'm sharing the love.  Enjoy!

technorati tags: Technorati+tags, blogging, blog+marketing