7 Secrets to a Successful Business Blog-How to Blog Smart

Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D. and Denise Wakeman

Today's software makes it so easy to set up a blog that it
seems like everybody and their neighbor has a blog. Yes,
they are a fad right now. And yes, they are a great business
tool for any business, large or small - and they're here to
stay. 

Especially for the independent professional, a blog is an
easy communication tool to build credibility and trust. Most
importantly, blogs make it easy for people to find you o­n
the Web.

But 9 out of 10 blogs created will be abandoned because they
can take up a lot of time in a busy professional's life, and
results may not be evident right away.

There are several keys to making your blog work for you,
instead of the other way around. o­nce you learn and
integrate these steps, it should take you o­nly 10-20 minutes
per post. It's recommended that an additional 20 minutes a
couple of times per week should be spent reading and
commenting o­n other blogs and sites o­n the Web so you can
bring valuable information to your readers.

7 Secrets to a Successful Business Blog

1. Write valuable content and share stories to showcase your
knowledge and expertise. Don't forget to explain how you
work with clients and let readers know how to contact you,
hire you, buy a product or register for your services.

2. Write 2-3 times a week, short articles of 250-350 words
each time. Occasionally, a longer article can be shared,
using the extended post feature.

3. Link profusely to other resources o­n the web. This is
essential for building traffic and enlarging your reading
audience. Spend some time, 2-3 times a week researching your
area of expertise o­n the Web. Leave comments o­n other blogs.


4. Submit to blog directories and ping each time you post.
If you don't know how to do this, get a blog coach or buy
and read an instructional manual, such as the ebook at
www.BuildaBetterBlogSystem.com. 

5. Track and monitor your visitor stats. Install a counter
on your blog so you know what's happening. For example, a
free counter can be found at www.SiteMeter.com.  

6. List all your products and affiliate products and make
sure you have the landing pages properly linked. Use your
affiliate links and ad-tracking features if you have a
shopping cart. 

7. Don't forget to link to your own website and vice versa!
This is o­ne reason we prefer to have the blog separate from
your website, rather than installing blog software
incorporated into your website. It's like having two fishing
poles in the pond.

Like any marketing effort, persistence pays off. In six
months of regular blogging, assuming you are providing
valuable content, you should see a significant increase in
your web site traffic, the client leads, and overall total
revenue for your business.

If not, you're not blogging smart!

As the The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman have
teamed up to work with professionals to maximize their
marketing strategies by implementing blogs, ezines and
ecommerce tactics.  They have co-authored "Build a Better
Blog: The Ultimate Guide for Boosting Your Business with a
Professional Blog"," Confessions of a Reluctant Blogger:
From Boring to Brilliant in 30 Days" and "Secrets of
Successful Ezines: A Guide to Writing and Publishing an
Ezine that Gets Results." http://snipurl.com/Ezine_Blog