Blogging

Blog Monetization Without Advertising

by Jason Falls · April 29, 2013

Is it possible to monetize your blog, website or digital presence without advertising? Certainly it is, but only in certain contexts. Consultants or businesses can focus their energies on providing thought leadership and educational posts with the thought that interested parties will reach out to them to hire if and when they need the help. The organic content leads to search engine results which leads to traffic which leads to leads, and so on.

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6 Questions for 6 Blog Editors

by Andy Crestodina · April 17, 2013

Daily deadlines. Huge audiences. High expectations. The big marketing blogs attract readerships that rival small newspapers, but with only a fraction of the staff. And there’s one key role inside every great marketing blog: The Editor.

They’re often behind the scenes, in the shadow of a more famous celebrity blogger. They rarely get (or take) much credit. But these people make it happen. They’re the keepers of calendars and the champions of quality.

So let’s get to know our local blog editors. We picked our favorite marketing blogs and emailed a few questions to the current and recent editors. Here’s the lineup…

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The Secret Sauce Of A Great Blog Post

by Ilana Rabinowitz · January 17, 2013

People are wired to connect. Neuroscientists have discovered that there is a part of our brains in the prefrontal cortex that helps us tune into other people, making the connections that are necessary to create relationships that help us survive.

How does this little bit of neuroscience have anything to do with blogging? Because the most successful blog posts are those where the writer has tuned into something that the reader is experiencing. This affects that part of the brain, generating an emotional connection with the reader.

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Does Your Content Strategy Tell Your Customer’s Story?

by Kat French · October 5, 2012

I bet you thought I was going to write about analytics and content strategy again, didn’t you? Or possibly a further discussion of data supported content decisions. Nope! This week, we’re going a different direction. Ultimately, my goal here isn’t to get content specialists to stop worrying and learn to love spreadsheets. It’s to get you to step back and look at your content from a big-picture perspective. Sometimes that means looking at objective data sources like Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools. But sometimes, it means looking at more subjective tools. Like for instance, storyboards and plot outline diagrams.

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How to Choose a Blogging Platform

by Kat French · September 26, 2012

According to Wikipedia, the term “blog” has been around since 1999. I’ve personally been blogging since 2004. Over the years, I’ve test-driven dozens of blogging platforms, including some social network/blogging hybrids like Tumblr and Posterous. Some of the blogging solutions I’ve used in that time are still around, while some have faded into “web 2.0″ oblivion.

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Life Is Messy. Work Is Messy. Share It All.

by Ilana Rabinowitz · August 8, 2012

Last week, our company, Lion Brand Yarn Company, hosted a number of craft bloggers who were in town to attend the BlogHer conference. It was quite an impressive group of women. Juggling family and entrepreneurial ventures while staying fit and doing charitable work — I get tired just thinking about their lives!

But great accomplishment comes by a path that is has rough patches and is at times chaotic and unpredictable.

Courtesy Carrie Lundell. This Mama Makes Stuff.

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If Your Content Doesn’t Excite You, It’s Time To Rethink

by Jason Falls · August 6, 2012

Ask yourself if the content you provide on your blog, social channel or email newsletter excites you. And don’t just say, “Of course, it does! I write it!” and dismiss the question. Actually take yourself out of your own mindset and worldview for a moment. Put yourself in the mindset of a customer. Now does it?

Occasionally, you’re going to answer, “no.” You’re going through the motions and pounding out content, but it’s become stale, predictable or just average. It’s not that it’s always bad … but it doesn’t stir emotions. It doesn’t spark other ideas or actions (like sharing). It doesn’t make you say, “Holy Smokes!”

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How Long Should Your Blog Post Be?

by Ike Pigott · July 20, 2012

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of people asking this question. The answer varies quite a bit, so let me be more definitive.

A blog post is as long as you need it to be to make your point, and no more.

But what about the search engines? What about the research about most clicked posts?

Forget them. They measured content that you didn’t write, for people who you don’t care about. It’s like averaging the height of the top 100 chess Grandmasters, and telling you that the optimum player is 5′ 7″.

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