This week sees an inquisitive approach for the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to Todd's great business blog known as A Penny For....
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from A Penny For... there are many discussions of business, markets, and economics.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is entitled "Press releases: Getting media coverage" where I discuss how sending out press releases can help get your business some valuable media exposure.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will make a visit to Andrew Hughes' economics and education blog called AnyLetter.
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the A Penny For... hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you a chance to get your two pennies worth. (groan)
Monday, May 9, 2005
Sunday, May 8, 2005
Free teleseminar: Conversations With Experts - Michael Pollock
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of the Build a Better Blog System.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET - FREE
Guest Expert:
Michael Pollock of Small Business Branding, featured in the Build a Better Blog System.
Small Business Branding in the Digital Age: The New Savvy Solopreneurs
There's a new breed of solopreneur today. (S)he's street smart and lives from the heart; nimble and technically savvy. (S)he weaves an intricate web of like-minded souls who feast upon the products of his/her energy and spirit. Like some of the world's biggest companies, (s)he's well-known, respected and sought after for the value (s)he consistently delivers to her network. During this conversation, we'll talk about this new breed of solopreneur as well as some of the skill sets (s)he uses to become a successful small business brand in the 21st century.
Michael Pollock has spent the last six years studying and coaching small business owners. More recently, he's directed his energy toward creating the Small Business Branding blog, a content-driven weblog focused upon the success and fulfillment of solopreneurs.
Michael also produces SavvySoloCAST, The Official Podcast for Savvy Solopreneurs.
In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Michael holds a full-time sales position for a family-owned RV dealership in Northeastern Connecticut, and he's the proud father of a very bright, 11-year-old girl named Haley.
Register: www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Saturday, May 7, 2005
Blogging: When it's not a good idea
Blogging can be a bad idea.
Business blogs are not the answer to everything.
I'll bet you never thought you would read those sentiments on this blog.
Not only are those anti-blog thoughts posted here, but Darren Rowse at Pro Blogger is actively seeking the case against blogging.
Along with providing the framework, for the discussion of blogging's downside, Darren's post has elicited many interesting comments. Be sure to read them too.
Like finding reasons to finally throw out a treasured heirloom or a comfy sweater, thinking about why a blog might not be the best thing for everyone, can be done. A business blog advocate simply doesn't want to do it.
Let's make the case against blogs in general, and business blogs in particular.
First of all, a blog is simply a tool. Like any tool, it can be used by a master craftsperson, or by someone who can't get a thumb out of the way in time. It's all in the way the blog tool is applied to the job.
A blog should begin a conversation and develop a relationship between blogger and reader. If that's too sappy and dripping with sentimentality for you and your preferred hard nosed approach to business communications, then a blog will turn out badly. If interpersonal skills are not your long suit, then interaction via blog posts, comments, and trackback are not for you.
Blogs can require a lot of work to maintain. More precisely, they take a large amount of writing to be successful. If you can't write, spell, or create even a rudimentary written sentence, then blogs are not the secret your business success. A blog that goes months, without any fresh posts, is not a good plan of action either.
Blogging takes time. If you prefer to spend your precious moments in the business trenches, then keyboarding a post will be more chore than reward. A blog should be fun. If a root canal is more appealing to you than writing a blog post, then I would suggest a different form of business communication. The pain of a root canal will go away. The pain of posting, for a non-writer, will linger for an eternity.
Blogs that do little but advertise a product are worthless. No one wants to read, let alone link to a blatant advertisement. If your only goal for the blog is sales copy, then spend your time writing your website's sales and landing pages. It would be far more productive for you. Little is worse than an entirely unread blog.
Blogs are often started without a plan or an overall concept for its existence. Simply having a blog, just because all the cool kids have one, is not going to make it a success. A blog needs a reason for being.
A mission statement is a good idea. A rambling series of entirely unrelated posts, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, won't help your business. It might give you a chance to quote the Bard though. Of course, even Shakespeare had to sit down and write interesting plays, that told a coherent story. So should your blog.
Starting a blog for SEO benefit is no way to run a railroad either. Hey, I don't get to criticize blogs often, so I thought it was a real opportunity to lay on the cliches, thick and heavy. Enjoy.
Anyway.
Good SEO is about providing interesting and informative content and links to your readers. Good content attracts inbound links from other blogs and websites. Bad copy is good for nothing. It's also bad for SEO.
No one eagerly reads bad copy. Your blog gets ignored by linkers. You get tired of blogging to empty seats. Posts decline. Google gives you the cold shoulder. The end.
As you can see, blogs are not for everyone.
Business blogs are definitely not for everyone.
Some people say there are too many blogs. Others (and often some of the same ones) say that blogs are simply another passing fad. They may be right about some blogs. They are wrong about all blogs.
New blogs are created every minute. Older blogs are abandoned at an alarmingly rapid pace as well. In the market place of ideas, good blogs will gain, and keep their readership. Less than stellar blogs will fade into the night sky. They might never even explode as supernovae. They will just turn into darkness; unread by human eyes.
Good blogs will last and stand the test of time.
Badly written, uninformative, boring, directionless, and blatantly hucksterish blogs will vanish.
All is right with the world.
Business blogs are not the answer to everything.
I'll bet you never thought you would read those sentiments on this blog.
Not only are those anti-blog thoughts posted here, but Darren Rowse at Pro Blogger is actively seeking the case against blogging.
Along with providing the framework, for the discussion of blogging's downside, Darren's post has elicited many interesting comments. Be sure to read them too.
Like finding reasons to finally throw out a treasured heirloom or a comfy sweater, thinking about why a blog might not be the best thing for everyone, can be done. A business blog advocate simply doesn't want to do it.
Let's make the case against blogs in general, and business blogs in particular.
First of all, a blog is simply a tool. Like any tool, it can be used by a master craftsperson, or by someone who can't get a thumb out of the way in time. It's all in the way the blog tool is applied to the job.
A blog should begin a conversation and develop a relationship between blogger and reader. If that's too sappy and dripping with sentimentality for you and your preferred hard nosed approach to business communications, then a blog will turn out badly. If interpersonal skills are not your long suit, then interaction via blog posts, comments, and trackback are not for you.
Blogs can require a lot of work to maintain. More precisely, they take a large amount of writing to be successful. If you can't write, spell, or create even a rudimentary written sentence, then blogs are not the secret your business success. A blog that goes months, without any fresh posts, is not a good plan of action either.
Blogging takes time. If you prefer to spend your precious moments in the business trenches, then keyboarding a post will be more chore than reward. A blog should be fun. If a root canal is more appealing to you than writing a blog post, then I would suggest a different form of business communication. The pain of a root canal will go away. The pain of posting, for a non-writer, will linger for an eternity.
Blogs that do little but advertise a product are worthless. No one wants to read, let alone link to a blatant advertisement. If your only goal for the blog is sales copy, then spend your time writing your website's sales and landing pages. It would be far more productive for you. Little is worse than an entirely unread blog.
Blogs are often started without a plan or an overall concept for its existence. Simply having a blog, just because all the cool kids have one, is not going to make it a success. A blog needs a reason for being.
A mission statement is a good idea. A rambling series of entirely unrelated posts, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, won't help your business. It might give you a chance to quote the Bard though. Of course, even Shakespeare had to sit down and write interesting plays, that told a coherent story. So should your blog.
Starting a blog for SEO benefit is no way to run a railroad either. Hey, I don't get to criticize blogs often, so I thought it was a real opportunity to lay on the cliches, thick and heavy. Enjoy.
Anyway.
Good SEO is about providing interesting and informative content and links to your readers. Good content attracts inbound links from other blogs and websites. Bad copy is good for nothing. It's also bad for SEO.
No one eagerly reads bad copy. Your blog gets ignored by linkers. You get tired of blogging to empty seats. Posts decline. Google gives you the cold shoulder. The end.
As you can see, blogs are not for everyone.
Business blogs are definitely not for everyone.
Some people say there are too many blogs. Others (and often some of the same ones) say that blogs are simply another passing fad. They may be right about some blogs. They are wrong about all blogs.
New blogs are created every minute. Older blogs are abandoned at an alarmingly rapid pace as well. In the market place of ideas, good blogs will gain, and keep their readership. Less than stellar blogs will fade into the night sky. They might never even explode as supernovae. They will just turn into darkness; unread by human eyes.
Good blogs will last and stand the test of time.
Badly written, uninformative, boring, directionless, and blatantly hucksterish blogs will vanish.
All is right with the world.
Friday, May 6, 2005
Business cooperation makes everyone a winner
Businesses working together.
Sharing resources of capital and personnel.
Splitting up of contracts among two or more small business contractors.
It sounds like a dream, and to many people it simply sounds too good to be true, and impossible to implement.
Yesterday, I wrote about how small business people can work together, form strategic alliances, and share customers and contracts. By cooperating, rather than competing with one another, everyone becomes a winner.
The question has arisen as to whether or not business cooperation is a realistic possibility.
I think business owners and managers working together is not only realistic, but perhaps the best and most practical way for those businesses to succeed.
As business bloggers, we have already learned the value of working together and of helping others achieve their goals. Bloggers freely link to one another's posts, and blogroll each other's blogs. Thinking of providing interesting and informative material for their readers, bloggers are generous with information to help others learn and share new ideas.
Many bloggers have already begun to work together on projects. As individuals and small business owners, the contracts and ideas are simply too large for one person. Business partners are required to complete the project or to fulfil the contract.
Out of blogger cooperation, an alliance of businesses is formed.
While the blogging community is only one small corner of the overall business world, bloggers are some of the leading innovators.
New ideas are us.
By working together and forming partnerships that benefit everyone involved, bloggers can set an example for the rest of the world of business. New ideas and concepts that work are often absorbed into the business and corporate mainstream over time.
Bloggers working together can show the world how competition is so last century.
Cooperation is the way of the future.
Let's have the business bloggers lead the way, and shine the light of business cooperation to the world.
Sharing resources of capital and personnel.
Splitting up of contracts among two or more small business contractors.
It sounds like a dream, and to many people it simply sounds too good to be true, and impossible to implement.
Yesterday, I wrote about how small business people can work together, form strategic alliances, and share customers and contracts. By cooperating, rather than competing with one another, everyone becomes a winner.
The question has arisen as to whether or not business cooperation is a realistic possibility.
I think business owners and managers working together is not only realistic, but perhaps the best and most practical way for those businesses to succeed.
As business bloggers, we have already learned the value of working together and of helping others achieve their goals. Bloggers freely link to one another's posts, and blogroll each other's blogs. Thinking of providing interesting and informative material for their readers, bloggers are generous with information to help others learn and share new ideas.
Many bloggers have already begun to work together on projects. As individuals and small business owners, the contracts and ideas are simply too large for one person. Business partners are required to complete the project or to fulfil the contract.
Out of blogger cooperation, an alliance of businesses is formed.
While the blogging community is only one small corner of the overall business world, bloggers are some of the leading innovators.
New ideas are us.
By working together and forming partnerships that benefit everyone involved, bloggers can set an example for the rest of the world of business. New ideas and concepts that work are often absorbed into the business and corporate mainstream over time.
Bloggers working together can show the world how competition is so last century.
Cooperation is the way of the future.
Let's have the business bloggers lead the way, and shine the light of business cooperation to the world.
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Cooperation or competition: Choosing the right option
Fierce competition.
Never give an inch.
Is that really the best way to operate your small business in the Twenty-First Century?
I am not convinced that taking no prisoners, as Mary Schmidt of Mary's Blog puts it, is the best approach to business.
Neither does Mary.
Mary says about the competitive model:
I agree with Mary.
Working together with other businesses, is a far better policy for any entrepreneur to incorporate into her strategy, than cut throat competition. Even the term "cut throat" sounds messy and pointless.
Because a small business, and especially a startup enterprise, lacks funds for staff and departments, not everyone can do everything. As a result, much of the work on many business projects has to be either contracted out, form a strategic alliance with others to complete, or be offered to another business.
In the end, a business owner or manager might employ all three strategies at different points in time.
Contracting out requires a working relationship with trusted subcontractors. A strong working relationship with the allied business is essential for success. The client requesting the work will trust your judgement. Selecting a competent and reliable contractor is necessary for achieving everyone's satisfaction.
Taking no prisoners simply won't work in this scenario.
Forming strategic alliances might mean sharing work and contracts with a rival business. That's not always a bad thing. Being able to accept a contract, that might be too large for either company to fulfil, benefits both (or even more) of the strategic alliance companies.
As smaller businesses, the company seeking the project completion would benefit from more hands on personal contact, and perhaps faster turnaround time.
Cooperation definitely works better in this picture.
Often a small business finds itself booked to capacity with clients and customers. Another project or contract simply can't be added without hurting exisiting clients, and perhaps your own business itself. In these cases, the best option might be to recommend another business to the client.
Often, agreements to refer business can be worked out with other entrepreneurs. Since every small business seems to have times of either feast or famine, sharing work with one another can even out those cash flow peaks and valleys.
Working with other business people, and forming friendships and partnerships, benefits everyone involved.
Once again, friends succeed ahead of bitter rivals.
My advice to all business owners and managers is to develop a spirit of cooperation.
Help other businesses to achieve their goals. Most business people will gladly return the favour to you, should they be in a similar over booked situation.
In the end, working together helps everyone to succeed.
Never give an inch.
Is that really the best way to operate your small business in the Twenty-First Century?
I am not convinced that taking no prisoners, as Mary Schmidt of Mary's Blog puts it, is the best approach to business.
Neither does Mary.
Mary says about the competitive model:
But, the “take no prisoners” approach is so outdated in our virtual marketplace. My competition today could well be my partner tomorrow. In fact, I often ally with (or refer business to) people that could be perceived as rivals. Better for everyone – including my clients. My friend and colleague Roxanne has coined R2R (Rival to Rival) for this new era. There are many different niches out there – thanks to the connections made possible by technology – and enough business for everyone, if we’re really good at what we do. And, people are finding that “nice guys” can and do finish first.
I agree with Mary.
Working together with other businesses, is a far better policy for any entrepreneur to incorporate into her strategy, than cut throat competition. Even the term "cut throat" sounds messy and pointless.
Because a small business, and especially a startup enterprise, lacks funds for staff and departments, not everyone can do everything. As a result, much of the work on many business projects has to be either contracted out, form a strategic alliance with others to complete, or be offered to another business.
In the end, a business owner or manager might employ all three strategies at different points in time.
Contracting out requires a working relationship with trusted subcontractors. A strong working relationship with the allied business is essential for success. The client requesting the work will trust your judgement. Selecting a competent and reliable contractor is necessary for achieving everyone's satisfaction.
Taking no prisoners simply won't work in this scenario.
Forming strategic alliances might mean sharing work and contracts with a rival business. That's not always a bad thing. Being able to accept a contract, that might be too large for either company to fulfil, benefits both (or even more) of the strategic alliance companies.
As smaller businesses, the company seeking the project completion would benefit from more hands on personal contact, and perhaps faster turnaround time.
Cooperation definitely works better in this picture.
Often a small business finds itself booked to capacity with clients and customers. Another project or contract simply can't be added without hurting exisiting clients, and perhaps your own business itself. In these cases, the best option might be to recommend another business to the client.
Often, agreements to refer business can be worked out with other entrepreneurs. Since every small business seems to have times of either feast or famine, sharing work with one another can even out those cash flow peaks and valleys.
Working with other business people, and forming friendships and partnerships, benefits everyone involved.
Once again, friends succeed ahead of bitter rivals.
My advice to all business owners and managers is to develop a spirit of cooperation.
Help other businesses to achieve their goals. Most business people will gladly return the favour to you, should they be in a similar over booked situation.
In the end, working together helps everyone to succeed.
Carnival of the Vanities at Fresh Politics
The 137th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities, is up at Taylor W. Buley's political blog called Fresh Politics - Politics From The Student Perspective.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry post is entitled "Visitor traffic: Ideas for gaining more blog readers" where, as the title suggests, I offer some several easy to use techniques, for getting more people to drop by your blog and read your posts.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's the technique that I use.
I have the honour of hosting Carnival of the Vanities right here at Blog Business World on Wednesday, June 1, 2005.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Barry N. Johnson's political blog called Cynical Nation.
In the meantime, head on over to Fresh Politics - Politics From The Student Perspective hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry post is entitled "Visitor traffic: Ideas for gaining more blog readers" where, as the title suggests, I offer some several easy to use techniques, for getting more people to drop by your blog and read your posts.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's the technique that I use.
I have the honour of hosting Carnival of the Vanities right here at Blog Business World on Wednesday, June 1, 2005.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Barry N. Johnson's political blog called Cynical Nation.
In the meantime, head on over to Fresh Politics - Politics From The Student Perspective hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Blogs and agriculture: Farming the blogosphere
Agriculture and blogging are really made for one another.
Perhaps, I should say they can grow together and produce a bumper crop.
Darren Rowse of Pro Blogger has been running a brief two part series on agriculture and the blogging world. Part two of the blogs and farming series is found here.
Darren quotes his friend who farms in Australia. Darren's friend compares building up a blog, and developing a readership to the business of agriculture. Both businesses require patience along with the necessary inputs of labour and capital. Risks are inherent in both blogging and in agriculture.
Note that the weather and crop prices are out of the hands of the farmer. The search engine algorithms of Google, Yahoo, and MSN are also out of the blogger's hands. In both cases, planning and research of the markets and environment are necessary to reduce that risk to manageable levels.
Over time, both produce a crop, and hopefully, a profit.
Return Customer (via Pro Blogger) picks up and expands on the topic of farming and blogging.
I have long believed that agriculture and farming were ideal industries to add a blog component to their operations as well. A blog would be particularly powerful for market gardeners, organic farmers, purebred livestock breeders, pedigreed seed growers, and any producer who markets a product directly to other farmers or consumers.
The farming and blogging analogy is the type of leap that aids in creative thinking.
Finding two seemingly unrelated items or industries and discovering the parallels leads to many new insights and ideas, that benefit those who take the time to consider them.
Creative thinking, like that demonstrated by Darren's friend, is a powerful business tool. Finding similar patterns can develop new ideas and ways of viewing problems and opportunities in business. The comparison of farming to blogging is one such creative leap. Like many businesses, the same sort of analogies can be drawn, leading to a much more successful business.
I consider creative thinking to be a way of actually reducing risk.
By finding new ways of looking at the way the business operates, problems that seemed unsolvable can be remedied. Overlooked money making ideas can be integrated into the business revenue stream.
Like adding a livestock, orchard, or market gardening component to an existing grain producing farm, new sources of income can be developed.
Business bloggers can learn some valuable lessons from agriculture.
It's time to plant a bumper crop in your blog.
Perhaps, I should say they can grow together and produce a bumper crop.
Darren Rowse of Pro Blogger has been running a brief two part series on agriculture and the blogging world. Part two of the blogs and farming series is found here.
Darren quotes his friend who farms in Australia. Darren's friend compares building up a blog, and developing a readership to the business of agriculture. Both businesses require patience along with the necessary inputs of labour and capital. Risks are inherent in both blogging and in agriculture.
Note that the weather and crop prices are out of the hands of the farmer. The search engine algorithms of Google, Yahoo, and MSN are also out of the blogger's hands. In both cases, planning and research of the markets and environment are necessary to reduce that risk to manageable levels.
Over time, both produce a crop, and hopefully, a profit.
Return Customer (via Pro Blogger) picks up and expands on the topic of farming and blogging.
I have long believed that agriculture and farming were ideal industries to add a blog component to their operations as well. A blog would be particularly powerful for market gardeners, organic farmers, purebred livestock breeders, pedigreed seed growers, and any producer who markets a product directly to other farmers or consumers.
The farming and blogging analogy is the type of leap that aids in creative thinking.
Finding two seemingly unrelated items or industries and discovering the parallels leads to many new insights and ideas, that benefit those who take the time to consider them.
Creative thinking, like that demonstrated by Darren's friend, is a powerful business tool. Finding similar patterns can develop new ideas and ways of viewing problems and opportunities in business. The comparison of farming to blogging is one such creative leap. Like many businesses, the same sort of analogies can be drawn, leading to a much more successful business.
I consider creative thinking to be a way of actually reducing risk.
By finding new ways of looking at the way the business operates, problems that seemed unsolvable can be remedied. Overlooked money making ideas can be integrated into the business revenue stream.
Like adding a livestock, orchard, or market gardening component to an existing grain producing farm, new sources of income can be developed.
Business bloggers can learn some valuable lessons from agriculture.
It's time to plant a bumper crop in your blog.
Tuesday, May 3, 2005
Blog post ideas: Follow up previous ideas
Followup blog posts.
Writing a blog post that continues a previous, but often unfinished idea, provides a number of real and very tangible benefits.
Returning to a previous ongoing controversy or concept, provides a useful and interesting source, of blog post ideas. Often your longer term readership will appreciate finding out more information on an idea previously presented in your blog.
Blog SEO efforts are also enhanced, by picking up previous themes or topics, and running with them in several new directions.
Followup posts are ideal for political, legal, and sports blogs. Each those blog categories is ideally suited to continuing column ideas. Most regular readers will be very intrigued as to how the initial case, policy, or game under discussion, was resolved.
For personal bloggers, ongoing postings are part of the reason for the blog in the first place. The ongoing daily life of the blogger is a continuing saga in and of itself. Following up on some previous event in the blogger's life flows naturally in personal blogs.
The concept also works very well for business blogs.
Business bloggers can create an ongoing series of posts, revolving around one business oriented topic.
Later, as new ideas are formulated, the blogger can return to the previous series, and the accompanying reader comments, and renew the discussion. By picking up an older post concept, the idea can often be developed further, to the benefit of all.
When referring to a previous post, be sure to link to that column directly. Place a live link, using the post permalink, directly within the new post. Make certain the link appears early in the discussion, so readers unfamiliar with the previous posting can get up to speed on the ideas presented.
While it's not considered by some bloggers to be a proper policy, linking to your previous post is a courtesy in this instance. It's not quite the same thing as linking to your own post in support of your own argument.
In this case, it's simply providing background information for new visitors to your blog. Having everyone familiar, with the previous post or posts on the subject, helps to further the discussion.
Following up previous posts also provides a sense of completion for previous ideas.
A concept isn't simply thrown out on the blog, and left hanging, and unresolved. Returning to an as yet uncompleted thought process, can lead to new and exciting discoveries about the idea.
Sometimes, the readers simply want to know how the story turned out in the end.
There is also a positive SEO value to followup posts.
By linking the new post to the previously related post, a better and more powerful internal blog linking structure is created. The linking of two related sites also creates a stronger relevance of the topic for search ranking purposes. In effect, the blog with several related posts on the same topic becomes themed for that topic.
Creating theme relevance is a very important part of any SEO effort.
Followup posts create that theme relevance with little additional effort on the part of the blogger.
In blogging, some of the best SEO is no real conscious SEO at all. It's all part and parcel with the blog format itself.
Looking back to some previous posts, occasionally left unresolved, provides a wealth of blog posting ideas.
Return visits to previous posts are not only helpful to you as a blogger, but they are often of tremendous interest to your readers as well.
Follow up those old posts, and see where they lead.
Writing a blog post that continues a previous, but often unfinished idea, provides a number of real and very tangible benefits.
Returning to a previous ongoing controversy or concept, provides a useful and interesting source, of blog post ideas. Often your longer term readership will appreciate finding out more information on an idea previously presented in your blog.
Blog SEO efforts are also enhanced, by picking up previous themes or topics, and running with them in several new directions.
Followup posts are ideal for political, legal, and sports blogs. Each those blog categories is ideally suited to continuing column ideas. Most regular readers will be very intrigued as to how the initial case, policy, or game under discussion, was resolved.
For personal bloggers, ongoing postings are part of the reason for the blog in the first place. The ongoing daily life of the blogger is a continuing saga in and of itself. Following up on some previous event in the blogger's life flows naturally in personal blogs.
The concept also works very well for business blogs.
Business bloggers can create an ongoing series of posts, revolving around one business oriented topic.
Later, as new ideas are formulated, the blogger can return to the previous series, and the accompanying reader comments, and renew the discussion. By picking up an older post concept, the idea can often be developed further, to the benefit of all.
When referring to a previous post, be sure to link to that column directly. Place a live link, using the post permalink, directly within the new post. Make certain the link appears early in the discussion, so readers unfamiliar with the previous posting can get up to speed on the ideas presented.
While it's not considered by some bloggers to be a proper policy, linking to your previous post is a courtesy in this instance. It's not quite the same thing as linking to your own post in support of your own argument.
In this case, it's simply providing background information for new visitors to your blog. Having everyone familiar, with the previous post or posts on the subject, helps to further the discussion.
Following up previous posts also provides a sense of completion for previous ideas.
A concept isn't simply thrown out on the blog, and left hanging, and unresolved. Returning to an as yet uncompleted thought process, can lead to new and exciting discoveries about the idea.
Sometimes, the readers simply want to know how the story turned out in the end.
There is also a positive SEO value to followup posts.
By linking the new post to the previously related post, a better and more powerful internal blog linking structure is created. The linking of two related sites also creates a stronger relevance of the topic for search ranking purposes. In effect, the blog with several related posts on the same topic becomes themed for that topic.
Creating theme relevance is a very important part of any SEO effort.
Followup posts create that theme relevance with little additional effort on the part of the blogger.
In blogging, some of the best SEO is no real conscious SEO at all. It's all part and parcel with the blog format itself.
Looking back to some previous posts, occasionally left unresolved, provides a wealth of blog posting ideas.
Return visits to previous posts are not only helpful to you as a blogger, but they are often of tremendous interest to your readers as well.
Follow up those old posts, and see where they lead.
Monday, May 2, 2005
INCITE hosts Carnival of the Capitalists
This week sees an insightful approach for the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a stop at the group blog known as INCITE.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from INCITE there are many discussions of business, markets, and economics.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is entitled "Relationship marketing: Business blogs are the key" where I discuss how adding a business blog to your marketing efforts will help to build lifetime business relationships with your customers, many of whom will become brand evangelists spreading the good word about your business.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will make a visit to Todd's great business blog known as A Penny For....
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the INCITE hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you a chance to get some new blogs in sight. (groan)
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from INCITE there are many discussions of business, markets, and economics.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is entitled "Relationship marketing: Business blogs are the key" where I discuss how adding a business blog to your marketing efforts will help to build lifetime business relationships with your customers, many of whom will become brand evangelists spreading the good word about your business.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will make a visit to Todd's great business blog known as A Penny For....
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the INCITE hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you a chance to get some new blogs in sight. (groan)
Sunday, May 1, 2005
Free teleseminar: Conversations With Experts - Priya Shah
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of the Build a Better Blog System.
Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET - FREE
Guest Expert: Priya Shah of eBrand360 and Bog Brandz, featured in the Build a Better Blog System.
Using Blogs to Market Your Products & Services
Blogging has given a voice to even the non-technical layperson who has something to share with the rest of the universe. If you want to market your products and services online, blogs are ideal personal branding vehicles that you can use to share your expertise, grow your influence and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
Priya Shah is a former journalist and currently the CEO of eBrand360. Her areas of specialization include internet publishing, internet marketing, search engine optimization and business blogging.
Register: www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)