Tag Archives | blogging

How to Get Started on Twitter

By on June 21, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Featured Post, How to Start, Social Media, Technology

twitterUsing Twitter is a great way to start building your online brand.  If you can send a text message, you can tweet.  You can only communicate using 140 characters on Twitter, but if you want people to Retweet (RT) or share your content, you should cut your tweets down to 125 characters.  Here a few quick rules:  Listen first, then engage with people directly, then start sharing articles of interest to attract your target audience.  Once you establish relationships on Twitter you can then start writing your own blog and tweeting your original content.

 

  • Decide what you wish to accomplish before using Twitter. Are you trying to establish your expertise,  looking for a new work opportunity or simply want to connect with others who share a special interest or expertise?
  • Figure out who your target audience is and where these folks hang out online. (You want to be as specific as possible in targeting your efforts.)
  • Establish your own website. It does not make sense to use social media if you do not have a place to drive traffic, like your own website.
  • Developing a list of 3-5 blogs or websites. It’s a good idea to develop a daily habit of going out to a few websites and finding content to share on twitter
  • Remember that social media marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get out of it what you invest in it.

 

5 steps to Establishing Your Twitter Account:

  • Set up an account
  • Enter your profile information & photo
  • Find your friends
  • How to follow someone
  • How to post messages

 

Step 1: Set up an account

  • Go to http://twitter.com and click the big green “Get Started – Join!” button.
  • On the resulting screen, enter the username you want, your desired password, your email address and complete the spam checker
  • About your username:

 

Step 2: Enter your profile information

  • Your profile information is important. If you want people to want to connect to you, you’ll need to tell them a little bit about yourself. Try not to write anything scary or silly; or too personal. You need just to explain your expertise and/or interests. And your location should be a larger city nearby.
  • Log into Twitter, and click on the ‘Settings’ link at the top of your Twitter homepage.
  • The ‘Account’ tab of the ‘Settings’ section includes a text box that lets you input a 160-character blurb about yourself, along with a link to your website.
  • The ‘Picture’ tab lets you upload a picture to your profile.  It is best to post a smiling picture of yourself

 

Step 3: Find your friends

  • There are a few simple ways to find people to follow on Twitter:
  • Click on the ‘Who To Follow’ to search for people who Twitter suggests you follow.
  • Invite from other networks will search your email address books (aol, hotmail, gmail etc.) to see if anyone has associated any of those addresses with a Twitter account.
  • Invite by email is a way to invite your friends to join Twitter through email.
  • Search tab allows you to search for new people to follow. You can mimic this function by using http://search.twitter.com.
  • You can search for the city where you live to find other users in your area. Enter your industry to find business peers. Enter your hobbies to find people with shared interests. The potential list is endless.

Step 4: How to follow someone

  • You can log in twitter from anywhere, you can use desktop applications, or you can connect from your phone.
  • To follow someone
    • Hover over their @username, click link, read their bio & recent tweets. If they seem interesting, hit follow

Step 5:  How to post messages

  • To post a regular message
  • Just type it into the box that says “What are you doing?” and hit the ‘update’ button below
  • To send an open message
  • When sending an open message to someone publicly, type “@” followed by their username, then the message. Here’s an example:
  • encouragement4u @smallbizlady How did you overcome your biggest business challenges? Check out these stories! http://budurl.com/eqbx

 

Send a Direct-message

  • To send a private direct message to someone, type “d” then a space and then their username. So, to send me a direct message you would type “d @smallbizlady That was a great #smallbizchat on Twitter last night!”
  • Note: you can only send direct messages to people who you follow, and who follow you back.

 

How to Retweet or RT someone else’s message

  • If you like what someone says, and want to show your followers that message.
  • Copy the tweet (not username), then hit grey arrow to reply, add ‘RT’ before the @username Put one space after @username & paste original tweet. If it is too long, You can edit, but only for space.  Here’s an example of a Retweet:
  • Holly_Hanna RT @smallbizlady 32 Tips to make online customers love you –http://tinyurl.com/op9bbk (this is really well done)

 

Quick Twitter Tips

  • Remember to click your @username  to see messages/tweets folks are sending to you openly.
  • Remember to Follow your Followers
  • Under your username & photo click followers to see who followed you and decide to follow back or not.  When you have time its nice to send a thanks for the follow note.
  • Now you are ready to get started. Welcome to Twitterverse!


Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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Ask @SmallBizLady: How do I follow-up after a business conference?

By on June 17, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Technology

Every Friday, I answer your small business questions in a video blog segment called Ask Small Biz Lady. This week, I took a question live from the New York Times Small Business Summit.

Here’s the question: How do I make a plan to follow-up after a business conference? Here’s the answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3rKLFEkF_I

 

Immediately  reach out to all of your new connections on LinkedIn.

  • Separate your new contact into piles email follow-up vs. hand-written note.
  • Wait 5-10 business days to follow-up your initial contact with a personal phone call. I really enjoyed attending this year’s conference.

Here’s some key takeaways: It’s all about being ready to do commerce via mobile devices. All websites need to be mobile ready and google is coming out with some innovate tools to help…stay tuned.

LivingSocial.com CEO Tim O’Shaughnessy, enlightened the audience by explaining how important it is to have a local sales presence for an online business. He also made the audience aware of all the other services his company can provide for small businesses beyond daily deals, which I am intrigued to learn about that more fully.

Susan Sobbott, President of American Express Open, shared sobering statistics on social media use among small businesses. 35% are using Facebook, 14% are using LinkedIn and 10% are on Twitter regularly.

If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, Small Biz Lady, leave a comment on this blog using the contact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smallbizlady or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson I’m always here as a resource.

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How to Make the Most of Social Media Marketing

By on June 14, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Grow Your Business, Social Media
social networking

Image taken from Google Images

Leveraging the power of social media to market your brand in the Web 2.0 world is imperative to remaining viable as a business owner.  Having social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn aren’t enough to take advantage of the marketing opportunities that new media environment has created.  You need to adopt a comprehensive strategy to deliver the results that you want.

Here are five (5) key strategies to insure that you make the most out of your social media marketing efforts:

Have a Plan and Set Objectives: As an entrepreneur, the temptation might be to just jump in and start using various social media platforms to promote your brand and products, but before doing so, you need a clear understanding of how you’re using social media to augment your core marketing efforts to generate leads and convert them to sales.  Social media alone can’t be the “be-all, end-all” of your company’s plan, so having a Social Media Marketing Plan that specifically shows how social media outlets will be used to promote your brand is key.

Know Your Niche: In a world where Facebook has over 500 million registered users and Twitter sees 155,000,000 tweets a day from any of its 200,000,000+ tweeters, your message can be easily lost in the “noise” being created in the social media space.  Targeting your market and knowing the best places to reach key members of your audience is the best way to insure better returns for your efforts.

Encourage Conversation and Dialogue: If you run a blog, enable your comments and allow visitors to contribute their opinion and provide a sense of community around the content you’re providing.  If you visit other blogs regularly, leave useful comments (i.e. relevant to the topic at hand and not just a standard “Great Post!”) and provide your contact/blog information within your comments profile (if possible).  Encouraging conversation and dialogue among the people who already find your content compelling is a great way to learn what makes them tick and ensure that you can keep providing what they need to keep them coming back to you.

Be Easy to Contact: It may seem like a “no-brainer”, but you’d be amazed at how many websites, blogs, and Facebook pages provide absolutely no way to get in touch with the people behind them.  If your goal is to facilitate a relationship with your customers using social media, you have to be available to them. This can be done by providing easy ways for your customers and future customers to get in touch with you by providing online forms on your websites and blogs, giving email addresses and phone numbers (if you check them regularly and intend to respond), and even providing your Skype ID (if you use the service).  Making it easy for people to contact you will provide one more way that you can hear what your audience wants.

Monitor Your Progress: Any Social Media Marketing effort is dead in the water without assessment.  Be sure to manage and tweak Social Media Marketing Plan to determine if you’re meeting the long and short-term objectives you’ve set for your company.

What other strategies have you used to maximize the return on investment

of your social media marketing efforts?

Kindra CottonKindra C. Cotton is a Serial Entrepreneur, Technology & Social Media Specialist who runs a  small business consulting practice specializing in brand marketing, market research, and strategic information consultancy.  Her flagship brand “SSS for Success (Small Business Survival Specialists)” specializes in preparing small and medium-sized organizations to take advantage of the free and low-cost marketing avenues that exist online.

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Ask @SmallBizLady: How can I get my kids to “buy in” to my business?

By on June 10, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Business Inspiration, Mompreneurs, Your Small Business

Here’s the answer:

 

Every Friday, I answer your small business questions in a video blog segment called Ask Small Biz Lady.

This week, we are taking on the question: How can I get my kids to “buy in”  to my business?

If you want to get your family to support your business follow these steps:

  1. Communicate with them and teach them what you do.
  2. Don’t be afraid to put even the little ones to work; Get them a job in the business
  3. Share your ideas and ask for their feedback
  4. Everyone loves to be asked for advice, so you can’t go wrong there.

If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, Small Biz Lady, leave a comment on this blog using the contact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smallbizlady or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson

I’m always here as a resource.

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The Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program Could Be Your Answer

By on June 8, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, BYOB2011, Cash Flow & Finance, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology, Your Small Business

Comcast Interactive Capital, the venture capital affiliate of Comcast Corporation, one of the world’s leading media, entertainment and communications companies, today announced that is has partnered with DreamIt Ventures (“DreamIt”), the leading technology accelerator for entrepreneurs, to provide seed funding, training, mentoring and other benefits to five minority-led startups through DreamIt’s accelerator program. The partnership with DreamIt, entitled the Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (MEAP), is Comcast Interactive Capital’s first investment initiative from the $20 million fund created by Comcast as part of the NBCUniversal transaction that is committed to expanding opportunities for minority entrepreneurs.

Comcast Interactive Capital and DreamIt are now accepting applications and will select five minority-led startups to participate in DreamIt’s three-month accelerator program taking place in Philadelphia this fall. The deadline for applications is July 8th and the program will commence on September 9th.

Kerry Rupp, Managing Director of DreamIt, said, “We are thrilled to have Comcast Interactive Capital as a partner and are looking forward to working with them. DreamIt is proud to provide assistance and opportunities to help entrepreneurs grow, and we know that Comcast will provide invaluable expertise and partnership to this process.”

MEAP will provide minority entrepreneurs with the opportunity to engage in an intensive, company-building experience. Applicants who are accepted into MEAP will be a part of DreamIt’s broader Fall 2011 initiative in Philadelphia and will be offered the opportunity to learn from, and be mentored by, recognized experts in marketing, brand building, business development, financial modeling, business plans, distribution and customer acquisitions. In addition, they will be provided with office space, working alongside the other startups selected and be provided with donated legal, accounting and administrative help. At the end of the three-month period, the startups will have the opportunity to pitch to venture capital and angel investors at a demo day in Philadelphia to secure further funding to create a sustainable business.

For details on how to submit an application for the Comcast Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, please visit the DreamIt website atwww.dreamitventures.com/about/Comcast-MEAP.php.

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)


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Are you Google-able?

By on June 6, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady, Social Media, Technology, Your Small Business
google logo

google logo

If you’re ready for a midcareer makeover, you can get new clothes and a new haircut. But even more important, you must make yourself what I call “Google-able.” That means you need to create a smart social media footprint.

By day I work as a small-business coach, and I keep coming across amazing professionals with extraordinary credentials who want to build a consulting practice or establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.

But here’s the problem: When I put their names in Google, I come up with nothing. No website, no social networking profile — not even a guest blog post. These people may have advanced degrees and impressive titles on their resumes, but there is no electronic evidence of their expertise and accomplishments. Since this has happened several times over the last few weeks, it dawned on me that I needed to help fellow midcareer folks understand this new paradigm.

Gone are the days of calling around to get the 411 on a potential business partner or new hire. These days, people do an internet search before you ever get a call about a new opportunity. Recruiters and corporate executives routinely conduct internet searches when looking for talent and don’t always advertise open positions. Many believe you don’t even exist if you don’t have a social media footprint.

Here are five essential steps to get started online.
1. Smile and click.

One of the key things you need prior to establishing yourself online is to get a professional headshot. Go ahead and spend money to get a good photo. It should be a smiling shot that is friendly. Even though you are communicating over the internet, people still want to see who they are talking to.

If you haven’t established an online presence yet, keep this in mind: You are using the skills you already know — how to communicate with people. Creating an online presence simply helps people find you. Think of it as your virtual business card, which is far more useful in 2011 than the paper variety.

2. Sign up at LinkedIn.

The first step to building your brand online is to stake your territory: One of the best moves you can make is to set up a profile on LinkedIn. Yes, you’ll also want to establish a Google profile and sign up for a Facebook or Twitter account, too. But LinkedIn is the most important.

“If you are looking to do anything in the professional world, LinkedIn is where you need to be. LinkedIn is the ultimate buyers’ market,” says Patrice Rutledge, author of Using LinkedIn.

Here are her top tips to make your profile shine on LinkedIn:

  • Add your profile and be sure to fill it out 100 percent. Your profile should use the appropriate keywords that your target audience would use to search for your expertise (including job title and certifications).
  • Use applications to enhance your profile (SlideShare presentations, Google presentations, portfolio display or box.net to add a resume).
  • A detailed company profile is important for a business owner. Be sure to link it to your personal LinkedIn profile.
3. Create a website.

The next thing you can do is register your name or your business name as a website domain and create a simple one- to five-page website. If you are interested in establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry, adding a blog to your new website is a great idea.

I realize that this might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. You can register your own domain name and then hire a virtual assistant who specializes in social media to help you set it up. (By the way, a virtual assistant is an entrepreneur who assists business owners and busy people with time-consuming tasks, allowing them more time to focus on profit-generating activities.) With a few basic lessons, and time with tutorials, you can get going in no time.

4. Sign up for a Facebook account.

Cathy Larkin, founder of Web Savvy PR, conducts hands-on workshops to teach baby boomers how to use Facebook. Her clients often want to know what to talk about on their Facebook Fan Pages and how to create a good profile.

“I show people how to use Facebook rather than telling them how to do it,” Larkin says. “It’s all about figuring out what your intended audience wants to hear, learn or know about.”

She offers the example of a real estate agent who posted information about how to clear two feet of snow from your roof, which is much more creative — and useful — information than simply listing houses for sale.

Here are Larkin’s three tips for using Facebook Fan Pages:

  • Consider your keywords. Your domain name for your Facebook Fan Page should include keywords that people will use to search for you online.
  • Set your Info page as your default page. If someone visits you on Facebook, they will quickly get a sense of who you are and what you do (and hopefully fan your page).
  • Upload photos and online videos. It’s a great way to promote your products or services and add rich content to your Facebook Page.
5. Don’t forget Twitter.

Thomas MacEntee, the 48-year-old founder of High-Definition Genealogy, says its best to think of social media as a garden you have to tend.

Laid off from his tech job in Chicago in late 2008, MacEntee reinvented himself as a family historian — helping people investigate their family trees — and utilizes social media to connect with clients. It took MacEntee about a year to build his business.

He’s been so successful mastering the intricacies of Twitter — the free service that allows users to share information in 140 characters or less — that he now teaches a social media class for baby boomers called “Twitter: It’s not just what I had for breakfast anymore.”

He says the key to Twitter is giving as much as you get, and listening as much as you speak. He says some boomers have a problem with these concepts. “They think they are giving away their work for free, but it’s part of building yourself as a brand and an expert,” says MacEntee.

Here are some action steps to get you started building your online brand.

  • Decide what you wish to accomplish before using social media. Are you looking for a new work opportunity or simply want to connect with others who share a special interest or expertise?
  • Figure out who your audience is and where these folks hang out online. (You want to be as specific as possible in targeting your efforts.)
  • Create your LinkedIn account immediately. Add a great photo, import your contact database from your e-mail and join one group.
  • Expand to your own website, Facebook and/or Twitter.
  • Start developing a list of potentials blog topics. It’s a good idea to developed an archive of blog posts at least three months prior to launching your blog.
  • Remember that social media marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get out of it what you invest in it.

If you follow all of these tips, when someone types your name into the world’s most famous search engine, they will immediately have your virtual business card — and so much more — right at their fingertips.

This article was originally posted on SecondAct.com. The content of this article is copywritten by Entrepreneur Media all rights reserved. www.secondact.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known as the SmallBizLady, is an entrepreneur, professional speaker, small business coach and the author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months. In 2010, Forbes magazine named her as one of the Top 20 Women for Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter.

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Blogging, & Handling Corporate Inquires & Monetizing your Online Brand.

By on June 3, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Business Inspiration, BYOB2011, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology, Women in Business, Your Small Business

SmallBizLadyCheck out  this quick video from the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference. Fellow blogger Jewel Figueras of http://www.JewelsFabLife.com was interviewed by LaShanda Henry creator of SistaSense blogs for entrepreneurs and the Black Business Women Online Social Network.

http://www.sistasense.tv/smallbizlady-and-jewelsfablife-talk-blogging-and-working-with-brands-part1/

We discussed blogging, handling corporate inquires and monetizing your online brand.  Enjoy!

I’m always here as a resource.
If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, SmallBizLady, leave a comment on this blog using thecontact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/smallbizlady  or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson

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Ask SmallBizLady How Can I Get Started Blogging?

By on March 4, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady

Every Friday, I answer questions on my blog in this Ask Small Biz Lady segment, posting video answers to frequent small business questions.

This week, we are tackling the question: How Can I Get Started Blogging?


Determine who you want to talk to:  It is important to speak to the same customer every time you write on your blog. The most successful blogs are focused on a niche market.

Develop signature content: Develop a system and theory that is unique to your industry. The goal of blogging is to position you as a thought leader.

Develop a list of 25 or more blog topics: Start writing your content at least three months before launching the blog. Give yourself a way to build up your archive of great blog posts.

If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, Small Biz Lady, I’m always here as a resource.

Leave a comment on this article, send a message using the contact us page, tweet me – @smallbizlady, on Facebook or you can hit me up on LinkedIn.

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Writing Your Way to Greater Sales in Your Small Business

By on February 1, 2011 in Guest Articles

Writing Your Way to Greater Sales in Your Small Business, by Shannon Harmon

Say it with me, “Content, Content and More Content.” We’ve all heard the stories about bloggers who create blogs that generate thousands upon thousands of dollars each month in revenue.  They’re living on an island somewhere sipping something delicious and blogging their way to an early retirement.  Okay, if we were in the same room, I would scream this; but since we’re not, pretend like I am—wake up! 

It’s highly possible your blog won’t be a cash cow that puts you on easy street, but please don’t despair.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.  You can create a blog that grows your brand and helps create a steady stream of income for your business just probably not the way you think.  Would you believe me if I told you there is a way to grow and build a profitable brand through your writing?  What’s the solution?  It’s your content.    

Look at what you’re writing.  I mean really, really look at what you’re writing.  Do you trudge to your computer and bang out a few key-word filled posts in hopes of boosting your search engine rankings, or do you research useful content and put together a compelling, engaging post? 

Ask yourself this—do my readers return for more, and do they comment and share my content? 

That’s really the essence of a successful blog that will grow your brand and develop relationships that will grow your business over time.

As you generate thoughtful, information-rich content, people will return and return again.  And you, my friend, will become somewhat of an expert in your industry.  Now who doesn’t like contacting the expert when they need assistance?

Need a few starting points to set your powerful sales tool in motion?  Try these three quick tips on for size. 

Plan in Advance Whatever you do, don’t simply sit down at your computer and hope for inspiration.  Think big picture about your blog and how it fits into your bigger business plan.  Then, sit down with a blank calendar for the month and write down your post ideas.  

Research Don’t write anything without reading at least three sources on your topic.  I know what you’re saying—it’s just a blog post for goodness sake.  It’s so much more than that.  It’s a virtual business card and resume all rolled into one.  As people who need a particular service or product go on the web and happen upon your blog, it shows them what you can do and your level of expertise all in short, 400 word posts.  So, be well-researched and prepared, and let your readers and potential customers see that you do more than post fluff.  Over time, fluff doesn’t sell. 

Connect Connect your posts to your bigger business goals.  Your blog shouldn’t be an island unto itself.  Connect with other bloggers in complimentary industries.  Connect to readers and guest bloggers via social media. Whatever you do, make sure you connect.  It’s the lifeblood of a thriving blog and a viable business. 

Finally, have fun with it.  Your enthusiasm for your own writing shines through each post.  If it sounds like you’re watching paint dry as you write, then your readers are likely to feel the same way as they read.  Jazz up your posts with a little dose of personality, and you’ll be a happier blogger and your business will reap the benefits. 

Shannon Harmon is a writer and business owner committed to helping entrepreneurs craft insightful, intelligent writing strategies designed to grow their businesses. For more information: http://www.jonesharmonwriting.com

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How To Monetize Your Blog

By on December 2, 2010 in Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat

Tune in to Smallbizchat with Smallbizlady on TwitterEach week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview with @kingsleymaunder. Kingsley is a serial entrepreneur who launched his first start-up in 2001 and his current business, Konector, is his third. Konector helps small businesses ‘konect’ with influential bloggers so that they can work together to promote their products and services to their target market. For more information http://www.Konector.com


Smallbizlady:  So are bloggers making money?

Kingsley Maunder: Absolutely, more bloggers are making money today than ever before. Blogging is now mainstream and there are multiple revenue streams.

Smallbizlady: What are those multiple streams of revenue for bloggers?

Kingsley Maunder: Bloggers can receive revenue from display ads, search ads, rich media ads or through affiliates. Some bloggers also get paid to post, either on their own site or on others, and they get paid to speak at or attend events. Those bloggers who are more proactive also sell their own products and services, for example ebooks or home study courses, and they also set up shopping carts to sell third party goods. Many receive free products in exchange for reviews, although this isn’t cash in hand.

Smallbizlady: How much can a blogger expect to make?

Kingsley Maunder: Blogging is a profession, and like most professions how much you earn varies. At the top end you have bloggers like Yaro Starak who earn $20,000 to $50,000 a month. He is very open with how much he makes and how he makes it – through banner and text ads, affiliate marketing, and creating and selling his own products and services. Yaro has an ebook called ‘Blog Profits Blueprint’, which is definitely worth a look if you are interested in making money from blogging.

Smallbizlady: Is there anyone else you would recommend following?

Kingsley Maunder: A few of the other bloggers to follow are Darren Rowse, Chris Brogan, John Chow and Erica Douglas. Darren is one of the co-authors of ‘ProBlogger, Secrets for Blogging Your Way’ to a Six-Figure Income.

Smallbizlady: What about those blogs that don’t have millions of followers?

Kingsley Maunder: Through my work at Konector, I have researched and analysed hundreds of blogs. The one thing I see consistently is that the most successful blogs focus on a particular niche. You don’t have to have a huge number of visitors to make money from your blog. If you can prove to brands that you target a very specific audience, an audience that they want to promote to, then they are more likely to work with you. Also, if you focus on a particular niche, you are more likely to rank higher on Google and consequently earn more from affiliates.

Smallbizlady: Tell me more about affiliates, which network would you recommend?

Kingsley Maunder: The two big ones are Clickbank and Commission Junction. Using them you can easily find a product to write about. There are also clever affiliate plug-ins, like 123LinkIt.com, that analyze your content on the fly and automatically generate affiliate links for you. This means that you just write your content and the software helps you find the revenue.  And you also have Amazon too.

Smallbizlady: You also mentioned getting paid to post. How do you get paid to post on your own site?

Kingsley Maunder: In most cases you will get paid to post about third party products or services. IZEA has a service called SocialSpark where advertisers ask bloggers to write about their brands, and the bloggers get paid for every post. How much the blogger earns varies from $7 per post to $300 per post. The average is between $15-$25 for 200 words.

Smallbizlady: Does this come into conflict with the FTC guidelines?

Kingsley Maunder: Not if you do it correctly and follow the guidelines. This is a discussion all on its own, but I recommend having a look at the FTC website to find out more.

Smallbizlady: How about getting paid to post on other sites, how do you find this work and how much does it pay?

Kingsley Maunder: One of the best places to go to find this type of work is the ProBlogger website, http://jobs.problogger.net/. It is a job board for bloggers. As a blogger you will get paid in the region of $15-$25 per post (300-400 words). At the lowest you are looking at $12 per post (300 words), and the highest is $75 per post (500 words).

Smallbizlady:  You mentioned advertising as one of the main revenue streams?

Kingsley Maunder: Google Adsense is still very popular. According to Technorati, Google Adsense still has the number one advertising slot on 44% of the sites they reported on. There is however much more competition out there and the more traditional ad networks are moving into this space, which means more money.

Smallbizlady:  So how much could a blogger make from their ads?

Kingsley Maunder: This varies, depending on the number of page views a month. The top tier sites have over a million page views a month. For a top banner ad they could charge $1K for 60 thousand impressions. They would charge the same amount for a smaller Blogad (150px x 200px) for 850 thousand impressions. For the mid-low tier sites, 65 thousand page views a month, a Blogad can be sold for $700. If you take into consideration that you can fit 6-10 Blogads on your site, that could be a nice earner.

Smallbizlady:  What one piece of advice would you give bloggers who want to earn the most from their blog?

Kingsley Maunder: The most important thing is to find your niche. Run your blog like a business. I would go as far to say that you should have a light business plan, and I would recommend Tim Berry’s book, The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan. Find your unique selling point and make sure you are the seen as the expert in that field. You don’t have to have the most number of page impressions to attract revenue, but you must be seen as an influencer.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as @SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda Emersonexperts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

kingsleymaunder

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How to Reinvent Your Business Blog

By on November 18, 2010 in Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat

Tune in to Smallbizchat with Smallbizlady on TwitterEach week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview with Cathy Larkin @CathyWebsavvyPR & @WhyDoWeBlog. Cathy Larkin is a social media strategist and 20-year public relations pro. Founder of Web Savvy PR, her boutique firm provides traditional PR and marketing support as well as social media coaching, strategy and execution.  Her specialty is making social media less intimidating for folks who are not so “tech” savvy.  You may also know her as the co-host of #SmallBizChat.  For more info: http://WebSavvyPR.com and http://WhyDoWeBlog.com.

Smallbizlady: When do you know it’s time to reinvent your blog?

Cathy Larkin: The most obvious is if your site is not converting readers into whatever you are looking for – RSS or email subscribers; customers; brand advocates; attendees of your classes/webinars/workshops; buyers of your book, ebook, audio products; or not generating enewsletter sign ups. Between the growth and changes of your own business, shifts in the economy, and the ever-changing online landscape – your blog, website or homebase, may no longer be keeping up with your business. Your site may need a cosmetic “face lift” for a refreshing new look; it may need a few tweaks of its features and functionality behind the scenes (themes, widgets and plugins oh my); or it may need a major overhaul of strategy, content, focus and/or look/feel.

Smallbizlady: Are there any reasons why I should NOT revamp my site?

Cathy Larkin: If your brand is well-known, well-liked and is working for you – think long and hard before leaving it behind just because it “seems” old to you. You might just want some “blog botox” rather than a complete “blog facelift, let alone “blog reconstructive surgery.”

Smallbizlady: What are 7 questions small business owners should ask themselves annually about their business website?

Cathy Larkin:

  • Does my site present my business in the way I want?
  • Does the look of my site reflect my biz today?
  • Do I post quality content frequently enough or too often?
  • Is my content aligned w/ my reader’s needs & my business goals?
  • Do I get comments/interaction, am I building community, engagement, trust?
  • Is it easy for readers to navigate; are the buttons and features clear?
  • Does my site convert readers into customers (or whatever conversion metric you consider important)

Smallbizlady: If someone wants to revamp their business blog what types of changes should they consider?

Cathy Larkin: If your site is looking old and tired, you may need more, better or different functionality. You haven’t been keeping up with plugins, theme or blog software updates/ upgrades. You are on a blogger/wordpress/typepad hosted site and want to move to a self hosted site on your own domain name. If you have a traditional website, you may want to add a blog. Or you may need to revamp your content – pages & posts.

Smallbizlady: What is the biggest reason why people but off updating their web presence?

Most of us know if our site needs work, but we put it off, it seems too much trouble. Some folks paid someone to put up a site for them, and other than putting up new blog posts – they haven’t done much else with it. It may be time for an overhaul.

Smallbizlady: What are the pros & cons of revamping a biz blog?

Cathy Larkin: Pros: A new updated look and feel can be as simple as a new blog header graphic and a refresh of site colors. Your goal is to create a better response when people land on your site. Better functionality can increase click thru and conversion rates and retention of readers. Better SEO or search engine optimization – organic search traffic; better response via social networking sites

Cons: Revamping a site takes time and or money, and if not done well can make it worse. You could also get push back from existing readers, who are used to a certain look or approach. You could suffer a loss of traffic.  If you completely restart with a new URL or change your site to a new structure you could suffer a loss of links and page rank (although this is often temporary).

Smallbizlady: What are some external ways you can update your blog?

Cathy Larkin: Look at your existing branding from your logo and business cards, to your social networking sites and your blog. Do they present a unified brand image and message? If not you may need a graphic designer to help you unify the look and feel of your brand overall. Maybe all you need is a new blog header graphic, that communicates what it is that you do. Another key element is a tagline, which clarifies for someone, that they came to the right place. A strong tagline lets them know what it is that your site can do for them – right from the start.

I’ve added a post on http://WhyDoWeBlog.com – with an expanded check list of items to review and analyze on your site: http://bit.ly/a3eQ87

Smallbizlady: What are some behind the scenes things we can do to our wordpress blogs to tweak it?

Cathy Larkin: Before you do anything, backup your site on wordpress and your webhost before doing any changes to the site. Be sure that your theme, plugins and wordpress software are up to date. Check to make sure everything it working, check for broken links and old plugins that don’t work (or are no longer serving their purpose). Upgrade each plugin individually. When you go to upgrade plugins – make sure they are compatible with the version of wordpress you are running. If you have plugins that aren’t useful, deactivate and/or uninstall them; they can slow your blog down.

If you are active in social media – make it easy for others to share your content.  There are many social sharing plugins.  Once you add a plugin, be sure to go into the settings and set it up.  For example, you can often add your @username to brand your tweets etc.  For example, with tweetmeme, you can set it up so your @username is automatically added to the retweet text of your post on Twitter.

If you are using a free wordpress theme, it might be worth exploring a paid or premium theme – anywhere from $49 to $87. Or it might be time to barter with or hire a designer or blog consultant to customize your site and take your theme and blog to the net level.

Smallbizlady: What if I am on a hosted site (WordPress.com, Blogger or Typepad) and I want to get more professional with my site?

Cathy Larkin: I am a wordpress.org kind of a girl. but I’ve talked with a folks who know Blogger and a couple who made the shift to a self-hosted site at http://wordpress.org. If you are taking the time to create content, you want to own your own content. The self-hosted wordpress blog software offers more tools and more robust functional themes and tools to change the look of your site as well. Blogger & Typepad both do have a way to host on your own domain, but WordPress.org seems to be winning the “most functional and flexible” battle.

Smallbizlady: If I’m not a techy myelf – what do I need to look for in someone to help me out?

Cathy Larkin: You want someone who comes highly-recommended, whose sites you like, who is easy to work with. Beware those who want to do it all themselves and resent you looking over their shoulder. Beware of someone who is very techy and talks down to you. I have seen several folks have their sites taken over by “helpful” people and had disasters occur – I’ve had to help a few recover from vendors like that.  Ideally – you want someone who tells you in a document – what changes they are planning on making to your site – so if there is a problem later – you can know where to start to fix it.  Make sure you get access to passwords and links to anything that they set up for you. NEVER let anyone buy a domain name “in your name.” The one who pays – legally owns a URL.  I know of at least two times a designer held a site & domain name hostage against payment when there was a dispute. Be a good client to work with too.  Have a few model sites to share with the designer, be involved, but don’t get in the way. Discuss a plan going in, and a timeline for completion, I usually pay 50% upfront, the rest at the end, and get a project plan in writing. Confirm if your fee includes one or two revisions of the header graphic; find out in advance what changes are extra.

Smallbizlady: What about internal strategy and content changes?

Cathy Larkin: Yes, reviewing your content is a crucial part of revitalizing a blog. Make sure that your content (blog posts and static pages) positions you in the way you want your readers to see you – especially if your business model has changed. Look at how often you post. What posts convert for you? What gets comments, what gets retweeted or talked about on Facebook? What posts get linked to from other sites? (This is a big part of Google page rank) What topics have you been missing? What topics should you revisit from a different direction? Don’t be afraid to ask your readers what they want to see more of, or less. Could adding video or podcasting help you reach more readers? Look at what your audience responds to. I decided to launch a second blog site to focus on blogging, separate from my main brand, because that is what my readers best responded too.

Smallbizlady: What if our biz model has changed and we really want to make a real branding/site shift?

Cathy Larkin: Rebranding can be tricky, but it can be done. For this you really want to take a hard look at your site, URL, do a hubspot website grader analysis – see the number of incoming links, and your site’s page rank. Look at your RSS subscriber numbers and comments and retweets per post.  You should understand know how many engaged readers do you have. Identify your business goals, Identify your niche audience, know where they hang out online, decide what content you can provide to get their attention. An example @JimKukral – kept his same site – but moved from blogging to video blogging for a year, and is now doing only ebooks from his site. Bold moves that seem to have worked for him. @DannyBrown shifted from his PressReleasePR site a few years ago to his http://DannyBrown.me site and let his old site go a month later – after he was sure the new one was working.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda Emerson business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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#SmallBizChat Q and A How To Build Buzz for your Content

By on May 13, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed. on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @TheRiseToTheTop, David Siteman Garland on How to Build Buzz for your online Content. After running three companies, and not finding a good resource for small business marketing info out there, Garland founded The Rise To The Top, a local TV show, daily online show, and website rich with content to meet that need: helping entrepreneurs and small business owners learn to market themselves in a fun interactive way. For more information: http://www.therisetothetop.com.

Smallbizlady:  If you want to build an online brand what top three things should you do first?

David Siteman Garland: The first thing you need to do is quantify your niche and business model. At the end of the day, you have to make money. Where is it coming from? What is your niche? How broad and specific is it? Do you need money right away or can you moonlight doing this until you make enough income? Do you have a product now or do you want to develop something later?

The second thing you need to do is to setup or have setup for you an interactive website. You can start with a nice, well designed, functional wordpress blog. The key here is to have a design that sticks out. There is way too many poorly designed website out there. Imagine someone is coming to your website and they are a really important member of the media or a potential customer and your site looks like 1992 with a little graphic of a digging man. It isn’t going to fly.

Finally, start trying your hand at creating content. The key here is to create content that is educational, inspirational and/or entertaining. That is what spreads and build your brand. The idea here is to become a trusted resource as opposed to a product pusher.

Smallbizlady: If you decide to create online content, what are your options?

David Siteman Garland: There are lots of options but it all starts with platform, which is your home on the web.

First, play to your strengths and also how your community or potential community likes to consume information.

Video? Audio? Text? Those are the big three you have to choose between or mix ‘em. (you can add in photos as well). Bottom line though is to have a plan and experiment. A good quote from youth speaker Josh Shipp is to assume half your audience is blind and the other half deaf.

Next up is deciding your platform. Will be it be a blog? WordPress? Tumblr? Posterous? Go off your existing website or a new domain?

From there, it goes into researching, implementing and promoting.

Smallbizlady: What is the easiest way to create online content?

David Siteman Garland: There isn’t a magic formula.

However, that being said, there are certain types of content that do really well online: How Tos, Unique Interviews, Tips, Tricks, Lessons, Stories. Anything that is all about the community.

The easiest thing to do is try something. You need far less equipment now than even a few years ago. Text is just a computer and the Internet. Add in a microphone for audio. Add in a pocket camera and you have video.

You can always examine your niche to see what is popular and what other thought leaders are talking about. How? Via searching on Twitter and sites like Alltop.com. You will see the cream of the crop and it should spark ideas on creating content.

Smallbizlady: When should you start developing your online content?

David Siteman Garland: Now! But, first make sure you have somewhere to post it. Your home base. Remember, we are essentially leasing space for free on social media sites. We don’t own them. But we do own our website. It is our real estate.

In my opinion, it is always the right time to start. No need to over think it. You might have a product now or you might develop one in the future.

Smallbizlady: Should brands think like media sources and publishers? Why is that?

David Siteman Garland: Absolutely and this is one of the fundamental concepts that will lead small business owners to success in the future.  It used to be your only outlets to attract customers/clients was traditional media, advertising location and other old-school methods.

The web has changed everything.

Sure it takes hard work, but brands have to view themselves as publishers. Their own media source of experts. Bloggers. Video Bloggers. Podcasts. You create your own media and go directly to the consumer with it.

Think about this for a second. Who would you trust more? Someone that is always promoting their product or someone that offers a library full of unique videos, how-to articles, interviews, etc. The part-media source, part-business wins every time. Plus when you are a media source, you are showing your expertise which can lead to traditional and new media coverage.

Smallbizlady: How soon should you start trying to monetize your online content? Should you have a revenue model in mind going in? And do you have any revenue suggestions?

David Siteman Garland: Yesterday (just kidding). But seriously, you can start now on day one. There is an illusion of size online. Meaning, you have to be really, really big to make money from your content. It simply isn’t true. If you got 50 new customers, would you be happy? How about 5? I know, I would. You don’t need hundreds of thousands of people to view your content for you to be successful. Imagine if 1 person engaged with it and that person was the key to millions of dollars and connections. Would you be happy?

I would think of multiple revenue streams and then you don’t have to put all your eggs into one basket. I would say you need to keep revenue in mind early on. Otherwise you have a hobby. That is fine, but at the end of the day, you need money to run a business.

Here are 7 ways to monetize your content:

  • Sell your own product/service
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Selling yourself (consulting, speaking, etc.)
  • Sponsorships
  • “Traditional Advertising” (banner ads, etc.) (not recommended)
  • Content marketing
  • Sell content to syndicators

Smallbizlady: Should you pay for a marketing company, or PR firm to create content for you?

David Siteman Garland: This is one of those tricky situations. In my opinion, no. Why? Because no one knows your content and company better than you.

A PR/Marketing firm might be better suited to help spread your content, bring in partnership opportunities, guest blogging opportunities, etc.

If they are savvy and forward-thinking, they might be able to help with headlines, research and content suggestions.

In the end though, it is best to do it yourself.

Smallbizlady: How do you bring in viewers/readers online?

David Siteman Garland: Great question. And there are many more besides these:

  • 1) leverage what you already have. If you have customers, tell them. Via email. In person. On receipts. Tell Mom and Dad. If you have a store, put signage up.
  • 2) (and this is really first) make sure your site is setup like peanut butter. Easily spreadable. Have the basics: A retweet button, Facebook share, RSS feed, way to stay in contact via email subscriptions, etc. And remember to know your audience! Are they tech savvy? If so, they might use StumbleUpon, Digg and other Social Bookmarking Sites.
  • 3) Social media as a relationship building tool and not just a way to broadcast your message. Be a human. Interact with other folks in your niche. Give people a REASON to follow you. As long as you are giving first and helpful, there is no reason you can’t promote.
  • 4) Guest blogging, guest posts, interviews. Nothing better for bringing in the traffic!
  • 5) Paid content. Some high-end sites are offering unique ways to “pay to play” where you might sponsor a content series (such as videos) and other unique models with the goal of bringing in traffic and subscribers.

Smallbizlady: What if you don’t want to create online content but still want to get involved with other content creators as advertisers/sponsors/partners?

David Siteman Garland: Two options:

  1. Become a content DJ. Find the best/most unique/funniest stuff in your niche online and bring it together in a unique way for folks. Perhaps a Top 10 List.
  2. Sponsor A Content Creator

If you absolutely don’t want to create and want to get involved with online content OR you do create and want to leverage the audience of other sites, there is a new trend in content marketing. It is a blend of sponsorship + advertising + PR.

This means perhaps you sponsor a video series, or a series of blog posts. Not simply throwing up a banner ad. You business becomes PART of the content.

Smallbizlady: How should you go about creating content to be promoted on bigger sites?

David Siteman Garland: Use your content as a handshake. Lets say there is a huge site. The first thing I would do is create content related to that site for my niche. For example, lets say you sell soap and want to be featured on Soap.com (made up). I would write an article or create a video promoting Soap.com. Perhaps it would be an article on their top five articles over the past month. Or encouraging your community (big or small) to check them out.

Then, I would reach out to them on social media or email. Introduce yourself and share the link. Ask for nothing. All you are doing is starting a relationship.

I would also make sure to have a presence on their site. Leaving thoughtful comments. Promoting their content on your social media pages. Give love to get love.

Once the relationship is formed, suggest a piece of content. Or even better (and more ambitious), just write or create something (WITHOUT PERMISSION) and send it to them. You would be surprised what might happen!

Smallbizlady: You mention on your blog that there’s a rise in creative paid content. How can entrepreneurs capitalize on this paid content?

David Siteman Garland:

  1. Identify key sites you want to get involved with. Use Alltop.com to search your niche and/or Google Blogsearch.
  2. Reach out the site owner and say you are looking for something outside-the-box of a basic advertisement and you want to get involved in the content.NOTE: Any reputable blogger will tell you that trust is a big thing with audience. Therefore, if you have a bad product, most bloggers won’t blindly promote it. Make sure it is a fit for you and the audience.
  3. If you really want to get the ball rolling, suggest something. For example: Lets say you sell soap and you find a soap blogger. Suggest a 3-part series sponsored by your soap company on the big mistakes in buying soap, or best soap-buying practices.

See where I’m going here?

Of course you have to a budget for this, but if you target correctly, it should pay off ten-fold. Would you rather spend hundreds of thousands on a big mass media ad to get 100 customers? Or spend some money maybe a few thousand with a blogger/content creator in your exact niche for the same 100? Or 50? Or 20? Or maybe even 200?

Smallbizlady: Tell us about your model for creative content sponsorships and has it been successful?

David Siteman Garland: We use the model listed here for The Rise To The Top and RISE.

The first rule is simple. We would NEVER EVER promote a product we don’t use, would use, or trust. Unfortunately, we have had to turn many down but we never want to break that trust and bond with our audience.

If a company approaches us with a product/service that is perfect for an entrepreneur, we come back with suggestions. For example, lets say you have a really cool app maker for the iPhone and want to promote it to entrepreneurs and it is a quality product. We might suggest a 3-part video series sponsored by your company. Part 1 might be 5 reasons your company needs an iPhone app. Part 2 might be the 3 ways to promote an pp. Part 3 might be the key mistakes to avoid when making an app.

In each episode the app company will be mentioned, plugged, and they often offer something directly to RISE viewers. For example enter the promo code RISE for 10% off.

We make the content interesting and fun. Then we syndicate it out to our 20,000+ subscribers, social media following, etc.

And as you know, the best thing about online is that it stays up and gets passed around long after the episode comes out. That is good for Google Rankings, sales and more.

Plus, we noticed many traditional media sources come in and spot unique companies and the PR buzz continues up and down the food chain.

Smallbizlady: Do you have any additional tips on how entrepreneurs can benefit from developing online content?

David Siteman Garland: The value is there if you put in the time, energy and at some points money. The biggest thing is patience. This is all a process.

Also, stay in the loop on the latest trends, tricks and resources. It always seems things are getting smarter, faster and cheaper.

The benefits of online content/blogging are limitless. First, it positions you and your company not just as a business but as a thought leader/expert. This can lead to media interviews, partnership opportunities, recruiting opportunities, and more. Plus good ole’ Google loves the content.

Second, you build an audience to spread the word for you. Nothing better than word-of-mouth on steroids.

Third, it is personally rewarding and a lot of fun. More fun is a good thing, right?

Here are two links to content on David’s site that adds even more depth on the topic of content marketing:

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

Melinda Emerson, known to many as “SmallBizLady,” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Coach and Social Media Strategist who hosts #Smallbizchat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs.  Her first book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months was released in March 2010.

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Small Business SEO Basics

By on April 29, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, Grow Your Business, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Your Small Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @WayneHurlbert. Wayne is a well known SEO and internet marketing consultant. He is also a highly regarded speaker and business book reviewer. His advice on business blogs and social media is sought after by leading companies worldwide. Wayne blogs at  http://www,blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com Blog Business World. Wayne also hosts the twice weekly internet radio program  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/WayneHurlbert Blog Business Success

Smallbizlady:  What is SEO and why is it important for small business?

Wayne Hurlbert: SEO  or search engine optimization is all about your small business website becoming easier to find by the major search engines including Google, Yahoo, and MSN Bing. Small business websites can compete successfully with their much larger competitors by becoming more search engine friendly. For a search engine, the size of the company is not important. What matters is that the site be most relevant for a search for a specific keyword phrase. SEO is not about tricks, but about providing good relevant content for people searching for information.

Smallbizlady:  Should a small business owner think in terms of target markets with SEO?

Wayne Hurlbert: Yes. Just as a small business marketing plan seeks out its ideal customer, SEO efforts should be targeted toward potential customers searching for solutions to their problems, as consumers or business people.  This means a combination of SEO for raw rankings on the search engines; SEO for e-commerce; SEO for branding your company,  products and services; SEO to generate leads for later sales: and SEO to maintain your company reputation. The good news is people will be searching for all of these types of information, and by providing relevant information on separate pages on your site, you can achieve high rankings for any or all of them.

Smallbizlady:  How do I know what keywords and phrases to target on my site?

Wayne Hurlbert: You must do some keyword research. First of all, write down all of the phrases that you believe fit your site, in 1 to 4 word phrases. Try them in different combinations. Ask your trusted employees, customers, and vendors what phrases they would use to find your site. You can also use Google’s Adwords Keyword Tool https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal or Google’s Search Based Keyword Tool  http://www.google.com/sktool/ Both will give you additional ideas about heavily searched keyword phrases relevant to your site.

Smallbizlady:  Are links into my site important and how can I get more links?

Wayne Hurlbert: The first step is to provide link worthy content. Your site should be much more than simply a brochure site. That type of site doesn’t rank well as it contains little real information to attract links, and links provide the power to boost your rankings. Be sure to provide informational pages that show expertise in your industry, provide tips to help customers solve real problems, and additional specialty pages of possibly product reviews, industry news. useful tools and downloads, and other ideas suitable to your site. All of these pages can attract links. A blog page on the site is very powerful. Bloggers are free and generous linkers who will readily link to information and posts of interest to their readers. Blogging platforms like WordPress provide ease of blogging, as another set of pages, within a website. The blog posts provide many more relevant keyword phrases, that also rank well in the search engines.

Smallbizlady:  How do I start to optimize my site for the search engines?

Wayne Hurlbert: Start with your domain name. If it’s not already determined, attempt to create a site domain that is relevant to your product and service. This is, of course, not possible for the main domain name if it already exists, but keywords can be added to the URL of each interior page, giving them URL domain power. A critical area on any site is the title tag. That is the wording that appears in the blue bar at the top of your browser. This is the title of the page, like a book title. The interior page title tags are like the chapter names in a non-fiction book. They tell the search engine what is the topic of each page. The title tag should contain your most important keyword phrases for that page. The company name doesn’t have to appear in the title tag, and if it does, place it to the right of the page. Search engines consider the most left placed keywords the most important. Don’t use the same tag on every page. Every page is distinct and needs a separate title tag.

Smallbizlady:  How many keyword phrases should each page contain?

Wayne Hurlbert: Don’t fall into the trap of writing for the  search engines. Write for your customers. If a page is difficult to read, or looks artificial and badly written, no one will stay on your page anyway. Those are customers who are lost. When writing copy on a page, keep it relevant to the topic of your site, and write for real people. There is ample evidence, especially from blogs, that writing good informational copy will rank highly, as well as being easy to read. As you write, your important keyword phrases, in various orders and combinations, will appear naturally anyway. Never write for the search engines. Always write for people. Be certain to include your company contact information including street address, and any relevant and frequently used local or regional location terms, to build local search.  A local focus in the title tags will also boost your rankings for customers seeking your products and services in your city, state, province, region, or country.

Smallbizlady:  How do I create links that work better for SEO?

Wayne Hurlbert: When you create a link within your site, to another page on the site, never use words like “here” or “click here” on the clickable link line. The wording on the clickable link line is called link anchor text and is very important to the search engines. It also tells the search engine what the page being linked is about, as the link anchor text is like a mini-title for the page. Use the keyword phrase, most relevant to the page being linked to, that you want to raise in the rankings. Don’t use the same link anchor text all of the time though, as that looks spammy to the search engine. At the same time, it misses the opportunity to use alternate but still relevant link anchor text to boost yet another keyword phrase.

Smallbizlady:  How can I add links into my site from offsite sources?

Wayne Hurlbert: One of the best techniques for adding additional inbound links is articles. Submit your articles to the many article sites on the internet. Be sure they link with appropriate link anchor text to the most relevant page on the site. Some article sites permit a second link to the home page as well. Be sure to use both if available. Offer to write articles for other sites and blogs. Many webmasters and bloggers will be happy to add your article along with a link back to your site. Be sure to add your site to legitimate internet directories, but avoid at all costs link farms and other linking schemes. You can drive traffic, but not much link value though, from forum signature lines, Twitter profiles and post links, Facebook pages and LinkedIn profiles. Having a YouTube page can also help your rankings, and it too can be optimized.

Smallbizlady:  Should I worry about being penalized and banned from Google?

Wayne Hurlbert: Google is not out to get you. They want to eliminate spam from their rankings. As long as you follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines http://www.google.com/webmasters/, and never use any dirty tricks or “black hat” SEO, your site will remain penalty and ban free. Don’t let yourself be fooled by anyone offering quick rankings through questionable means. Those rankings may never even materialize anyway, but Google could penalize or ban your site for using them. You can indeed rank well in the search engines with ethical “white hat” SEO techniques. There are no quick fixes. Good theme relevant content on your site will win out in the end.

Smallbizlady:  Can I optimize the photos and graphics on my site?

Wayne Hurlbert: Yes. In fact, optimizing your site photos and graphics serves more than one purpose. To optimize a photo or graphic, you have really two optimization opportunities. One is the caption line below the photo or graphic. Use a descriptive version of a relevant keyword that is suitable to describing the picture. Use a mouse over alt attribute tag to describe the photo or graphic as well. Use a short relevant keyword phrase different from the caption to double your phrases. For people who surf with graphics off on their browser, the mouse over also tells the visitor what is in the photo or graphic.

Smallbizlady:  How soon can I expect results from my SEO work?

Wayne Hurlbert: Google and the other search engines send their spiders, the little computer bots that crawl your site, out all of the time. Results can appear quickly if good relevant changes are made. Some results may take longer. Some keyword phrases are much more competitive than others, and are much more difficult to optimize for higher rankings. As a result, SEO is a process, not an end in itself. SEO is a continuous work in progress, as you add more pages, fine tune your title tags, rewrite your copy, and add more links. Before starting your SEO program, check the rankings of the existing site for your keyword phrases to create a base line. With that base in place, you can monitor your improvements, as they happen, on a regular basis. Don’t be alarmed by short term blips downward. They happen. Instead, optimize for the long term, using sound ethical SEO techniques for the long term. You can then ride out any ups and downs that can happen in the search engines.

Smallbizlady:  Are number one and page one rankings in Google enough for success?

Wayne Hurlbert: SEO is only one marketing tool in your internet tool chest. Top rankings are of no value if no one who visits your site becomes a customer. Note the real value of writing for people, and not the search engines. The purpose or purposes of your site go far beyond the vanity of ranking on the first page in Google. Those rankings are only one part of your marketing plan. Be sure the copy on the page speaks to the customer, provides valuable information, and generates leads and sales. Note that well written copy ranks well, and builds your customer base, helping your business to grow. SEO is a tool, but it’s not a magic bullet. Use SEO wisely, however, and your small business will compete successfully on a global basis, against much larger competitors.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

Melinda F. Emerson, also known as Twitter’s SmallBizLady is a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach whose areas of expertise include small business start-up, business development and social media. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs.  She is the founder and CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, an award-winning strategic communications firm. She has created productions for such companies as Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Comcast. Her first book Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works!” was released in March 2010 by Adams Media.

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How to Blog for Money

By on January 21, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Katherine Reynolds Lewis @CurrentMom. She is a former newspaper national correspondent who now runs her own freelance writing business focusing on work, personal finance and parenting for magazines, Web sites and newspapers. She’s the founder of CurrentMom.com, an incubator for emerging mom-focused technologies and women entrepreneurs. For more information www.currentmom.com

SmallBizLady: What skills and background make someone likely to succeed at blogging for money?

Katherine Lewis: Obviously, you have to be a decent writer. But some of the most gifted writers I know would never succeed as bloggers because they don’t have the business sense and the ability to budget their time. You need to be ruthlessly efficient in creating high-quality content that people want to read. You have to avoid the tendency to get sucked into a topic and spend way too much time on it. It also helps to have the self-confidence to present yourself in an appealing way and the commitment to make it through the start-up period when you’re writing reams and making very little.

SmallBizLady: What are the biggest mistakes beginning bloggers make starting out?

Katherine Lewis: The biggest mistake is assuming that everyone will be fascinated by the minutia of your life or that you are funny if you’re not. It’s easy to look at personal blogs that skyrocketed to success, like Dooce or the Julie/Julia Project, and think, “I could do that too!” The truth is that blogging is a lot of work and making it big on a personal blog is like winning the lottery. Be a critical editor of your own writing. The next biggest mistake is relying only on advertising for revenue. You need to put together a business model that includes other revenue streams, such as sponsorships, affiliate commissions, direct product sales, donations, e-courses or seminars, network marketing, consulting or even pay per post. But don’t expect a blog that is heavily sales oriented to resonate with readers; one rule of thumb is 80 percent valuable content to 20 percent sales messages. (At most.)

SmallBizLady: How do you get a gig writing a blog for a corporation, association or Web site?

Katherine Lewis: Writing a blog for hire can be less work at first if you are guaranteed a certain income. Many of the outfits that pay you only for pageviews you receive will be just as much work as starting your own blog from scratch — with the downside that you likely don’t own your own words. You land a paid blogging gig the same way you get any job: network, network, network. These days, every business owner either has a blog or thinks she needs one. If you can demonstrate your blogging skills, you can market it as a skill alongside the other business services you may perform.

SmallBizLady: How much can you expect to get paid to blog?

Katherine Lewis: This is a very controversial topic in all of the blogging and writing groups I belong to. There are lots of organizations offering $5 or $10 a post, or only paying based on your pageviews or conversions. I would discourage anyone from traveling this route, unless you want a platform to sell an existing product/book or market yourself as a consultant. But there are decent gigs out there where you can earn $50 to $100 for a relatively simple post. The most I’ve ever made for a single blog post was $500.

SmallBizLady: How should you use social media to promote your blog?

Katherine Lewis: Any way you can! Everyone who creates content needs to have a Twitter account and Facebook page, in my opinion. I’d also add LinkedIn and StumbleUpon to that list, if you have the time. Use social media to find like-minded bloggers and develop relationships with them. Make sure you leave comments on their sites and link to them, and you might also swap guest posts. Social media is also a great way to expose your off-line network to your blog posts.

SmallBizLady: Should you blog for free in order to put together a portfolio of work that will land you future paid work?

Katherine Lewis: I don’t ever blog for free. But I’ve been a professional writer for 15 years. If you’re just starting out, I could imagine blogging for free just to get into the practice of writing regularly for an interactive audience. Or if you want to explore a new voice or new content area. Just don’t expect it to lead to a dream gig; at most it would give you a step up.

SmallBizLady: What are the best resources for beginning bloggers who want to make money at it?

Katherine Lewis: I like @Problogger @copybloggger @typeamom - and for those on a more professional track: @mediabistro @poynter @ONA

SmallBizLady: How long does it take to start making real money blogging? How much time do you need to spend and how do you structure your blogging?

Katherine Lewis: A lot. A lot. If you’re starting a blog from scratch, it takes at least six months to establish yourself with Google and other search engines. Then you can build some serious pageviews and eventually make something more than bus fare. I’d suggest structuring your blogging in a very disciplined way because it’s easy to let it take over your entire day. Better to limit it to two extremely focused hours, if that’s a pace you can maintain over the long term.

SmallBizLady: How do you come up with ideas for content? Don’t you run out of ideas for blog posts?

Katherine Lewis: At any given time, I have about a dozen ideas that I am dying to write about, in each of the topic areas I cover. I can’t imagine running out of ideas. I keep ongoing lists of story ideas and add to them as I read the news or talk to people. I’m a voracious consumer of all forms of media, and usually that stimulates more ideas. If you are at a loss for ideas, search Google Insights or Adwords for the keywords that you imagine your readers would be searching for. Look at your blog statistics to see what keywords are bringing people to your blog; create more content along those lines. You can always write about events in the news or upcoming holidays.

SmallBizLady: Do I need to worry about the new Federal Trade Commission guidelines for bloggers?

Katherine Lewis: Absolutely! I’m not a lawyer, but my basic understanding is that bloggers must disclose any benefit we get in exchange for a review or a blog post, whether that’s free products or outright payment. When in doubt, disclose. More: http://bit.ly/2Cuu2F

SmallBizLady: What’s the best advice for people who want to blog for money?

Katherine Lewis: This is not a pursuit for the faint of heart. You must pace yourself so you don’t burn out before you can start making money. Network relentlessly, and give at least as much as you take along the way. Be willing to adapt your business model along the way to add new elements or abandon ideas that aren’t working. Be stingy with your time — only spend it when you have a clear vision of how it will help you achieve your goal. Most important, don’t neglect your real life. Have fun blogging, but take a break from the computer once in a while!

Links to relevant articles:

http://www.currentmom.com/currentmom/2009/11/get-started-freelance-writing-for-money-3-questions-to-ask.html

http://www.currentmom.com/currentmom/2009/11/why-are-you-blogging-money-or-selfexpression.html

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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