Brilliant Blogging
Successful internet marketing today requires that a number of tools be deployed simultaneously in order to optimize the online business. A website, social networking, and a recurring e-zine or e-mail program are all very useful. But arguably one of the best tools for building a strong personal brand online is the blog. The problem is that most people don't use it effectively, and wind up wasting their time.
The key to brilliant blogging is compelling content. If you are providing solid content and valuable, cutting edge information on your blog, you will build a strong and loyal following. If you also sell products or services, it's only a matter of time until this group of people starts buying from you. On the other hand, if you turn your blog into a journal documenting the mundane and trivial aspects of your life, nobody will read it because they simply don't care.
For example, if you spend time blogging about your recent business trip, and how you felt on the plane, and how tired you were, and what you had for dinner, yada, yada, yada, it might make you feel good writing it, but realistically, who besides yourself really cares? Maybe a family member might--maybe--but people value their time and reading about the routine details of a routine business trip just doesn't qualify as compelling information.
On the other hand, if on your trip you came up with some great new idea, or had a revelation about an important topic, or perhaps even accomplished something that could help others, blogging about these things makes perfect sense. The key here, as with any business transaction, is value. If someone is going to spend their precious time reading your personal blog, they had better get something useful in the process. If they don't, they're gone never to return. If they get some value, perhaps they'll stay, and perhaps they'll come back again. With each blog entry, you have to reacquire their loyalty and the only way to do that is through compelling content.
Writing a good blog entry is not necessarily easy, even if you're a professional writer. Many people just try and fill up word count so they can cross the blog entry off their to-do list. This is a huge mistake. A blog entry should be thoughtful, value-laden, and impeccably written. Acknowledge that your blog is a business function, and not a forum for self expression, and manage it accordingly.
The key to brilliant blogging is compelling content. If you are providing solid content and valuable, cutting edge information on your blog, you will build a strong and loyal following. If you also sell products or services, it's only a matter of time until this group of people starts buying from you. On the other hand, if you turn your blog into a journal documenting the mundane and trivial aspects of your life, nobody will read it because they simply don't care.
For example, if you spend time blogging about your recent business trip, and how you felt on the plane, and how tired you were, and what you had for dinner, yada, yada, yada, it might make you feel good writing it, but realistically, who besides yourself really cares? Maybe a family member might--maybe--but people value their time and reading about the routine details of a routine business trip just doesn't qualify as compelling information.
On the other hand, if on your trip you came up with some great new idea, or had a revelation about an important topic, or perhaps even accomplished something that could help others, blogging about these things makes perfect sense. The key here, as with any business transaction, is value. If someone is going to spend their precious time reading your personal blog, they had better get something useful in the process. If they don't, they're gone never to return. If they get some value, perhaps they'll stay, and perhaps they'll come back again. With each blog entry, you have to reacquire their loyalty and the only way to do that is through compelling content.
Writing a good blog entry is not necessarily easy, even if you're a professional writer. Many people just try and fill up word count so they can cross the blog entry off their to-do list. This is a huge mistake. A blog entry should be thoughtful, value-laden, and impeccably written. Acknowledge that your blog is a business function, and not a forum for self expression, and manage it accordingly.
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