John Paytten
asked:




Blogging is something that seems so easy and simple that many people fail horribly at. The reason for this is that it is unlike most formal types of writing, which is what most people have studied in school, while also being subtly different the simple “journaling” that many turn it in to. These simple tips can help.

1. Instead of writing in a disconnected stream of consciousness style about whatever is on your mind, think about how it can help someone reading it. Instead of writing about your dead pet, write about dealing with canine grief or something similar.

2. Anything remotely valuable will be appreciated or needed by someone, somewhere, on the internet. Just make sure it has a target audience and they will come, Kevin Costner style.

3. This is not a text message to your friends. Yes, grammar and spelling are not an accurate expression of your intelligence or the quality of your blog, but people make snap generalizations. Proofreading can solve this problem.

4. I’m glad your are proud of your vocabulary and writing ability, but their is a reason why most newspapers are written at a fifth grade level. Keep it short and to the point.

5. Link often to people that are smarter than you. No one can be an expert in everything, and sometimes simply compiling information for someone in a specific field can be more useful than a half-hearted attempt to seem more knowledgeable than you are.

6. On the mechanical side of SEO, use keywords often. If you want to be noticed or successfully monetize your site you need to be aware of search-page rankings and internet visibility.

7. It is OK to write like you talk, as long as you are adhering to most grammatical and sentence construction rules. The best way for someone who does not consider themselves a “natural writer” to succeed at blogging is to write in this way. Clear communication and authenticity is more important than sounding or looking good.

8. Write clearly (short sentences, only one concept per sentence). No double speak or jargon; no more than one idea in one sentence- don’t make your readers have to think about your meaning. Spoon feed them. Use commas and dashes liberally.



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Kerrie Sheehan
asked:




Blogging has been practiced by people online for many years now but has only become popular in last few years. People especially teenagers now use blogging as a way of expressing their fears, concerns or just as a way of keeping in touch with their friends online. Marketers have also realized that blogging, if done well, is one of the best free advertising methods available to promote their products and/or services.

What exactly is blogging?

People in the past used to hand write journals about their business or diaries about their personal lives. A blog is the widely used term that refers to web log which is really just an online journal. Blogs themselves can be free to set up and used for anything from a fun leisure activity to promoting a business.

Blogging for your internet business is becoming very popular and can be quite lucrative. However using a blog for an offline business can also be used to promote your business for free. As more and more people use the internet for information about what products and services are available to solve their problems, blogging will increase the awareness of your products and/or services.

How do you set up a blog?

A blog can be set up very simply by following the instructions on one of the free blogging sites of Blogger, LiveJournal Weebly, HubPages or Squidoo to name a few.

If you already own a website a blog can be set up on the same domain using a free platform such as WordPress. Most hosting platforms now offer a very simple way of creating a WordPress blog through their cPanel. Just login and follow the instructions.

How to use a blog to advertise your business online.
Keep your customers and subscribers informed of the latest news in your industry and how it affects them. Announce your new products in your blog even though you have added them to your main website. More and more people as subscribing to blog feeds which will alert them about your new blog entries. Express your opinions, advice and views on specific products and/or services related to your business. Write reviews of the products you sell giving a balanced view of the benefits and drawbacks. Leave the sales pitch to your main website. Include links that other websites for further relevant information about your products and/or services as these will improve your SEO (search engine optimization) and improve your ranking in the search engines. A good way of achieving this is to add well written articles as well as your original content to your blog. Extra income can be earned by affiliate links embedded in your blog posts. Invite your blog readers to comment on your blog entries. This will help build your expert status with your readers and their feedback will help you improve your business. Comment on other blogs that compliment your business to gain valuable back links to your blog and main website. Find a forum in your industry and write informative posts but avoid use them to sell your products. Use your forum signature to do your selling.



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Mark A. Abrahams
asked:




For those who are interested in making some extra money with their blog in order to pay for all the bills that they accrued over the holidays, they should know that one thing that people look for when they are considering paying someone to advertise on their blog is how much traffic the person’s blog gets.

]]> http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/24/blogging-how-do-people-find-your-blog-and-what-do-they-get-there/feed/ 0 http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/24/blogging-start-now-fast-and-easy/ http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/24/blogging-start-now-fast-and-easy/#comments Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:33:10 +0000 admin http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/24/blogging-start-now-fast-and-easy/

Jack L O'Ryan asked:




I will never forget the time when I first heard the word “blogging”.

I thought “what in the world is blogging?” Then after I found out what it was I thought “why in the world would anybody do such a thing?”

Then I heard that people were making some very nice incomes for their efforts from blogging.

At the time that blogs started popping up all over the place it was still a time that people were paying webmasters a lot of money to put up a decent website. So the high cost of having your own website kept a lot of people from entering the Internet world as anything but an outsider.

Now enter the WordPress blog. With the Word press blog anyone can learn to put up a blog simply and with ease.

After someone has bought a domain name they then proceeded to by hosting. Since the WordPress blog has become so popular almost any hosting service has what is called a cPanel and within this cPanel you can find a “one click” method by which you can quickly install your own WordPress blog.

This has proven to be very revolutionary. It has become a road by which anyone can have their own blog and have it up and running within a few moments.

This is fantastic. Now, a person doesn’t have to have a lot of money, nor do they have to spend a lot of time learning codes and Internet language to build their own presence on the wonderful World Wide Web.

Within a WordPress blog system, a person starts out with a simple default template on which to work from. However; you are not forced to stay with that template since there are so many people that have created other templates that you can choose from.

These templates have so much variety to choose from. You can choose from a business template, to one that is more relaxed, or one that has a feel for lovers, animal lovers or whatever.

There are some that will cost you and there are many that are free. So the lack of money on your part does not mean you have to settle for a template that is not suited to your likes or taste.

Also, within many templates you will find that they are very customizable. So, you can find a template and make it your own template and make it all your own with your own personality or whatever you choose to do with your blog.

So, if you are just starting out, getting a WordPress blog up and running is a great way to go.



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Maria Duron asked:




For a business to succeed, the products, services, and messages that marketers are sending to consumers must fit upcoming trends to guarantee that marketing strategies meet what the consumers are interested in.

According to a forecast done by JWT Intelligence, a marketing and communications consulting firm, upcoming trends will be determined by different factors like advancing technology, the idea of shared responsibility, and the economic situation. If marketers consider these in their coming efforts to gain and appeal to consumers, they have a higher chance of keeping up with consumer needs.

Through the efforts of JWT in determining trends in the coming year, here are some of the changes in marketing, communication, and connection that marketers are going to see next year.

More Accessible Products and Services – due to the economic situation, marketers must find a way to make their products more economic-friendly. Consumers are faced with budgeting their money, but you still want them to purchase your goods. Try to reinvent products that will be inexpensive to consumers. Businesses can try to repack their products in smaller containers and sell them at a lower price, rather than offer bigger ones that may take them off budget.

Live a Little – consumers are more restrained now when it comes to purchasing products and services, but they are also found to willingly spend a little on things that will make them feel that they are not missing out on life. Marketers can take advantage of this by sending marketing messages on how consumers can still enjoy the pleasures of life with your product and services.

New Generation Business Owners – there are a lot of young entrepreneurs these days. Marketers need to create marketing and communication strategies that will appeal to these entrepreneurs.

Shared Value – due to cultural shifts and the rise of shared value, marketers must look into building their brands by establishing partnerships with local non-profit causes. This strategy will benefit the business through exposure and good cause, and at the same time benefits customers and the society.

Eco-Friendly Foods – consumers are becoming aware of the environmental impacts of food choices. Marketers can include in their marketing message about how their brand is helping the environment, in any way, in terms of producing goods. Consumers will be more inclined to go for products that are eco-friendly in the coming year.

Single Adults – because there are a lot of women these days that prefer to live on their own, marketers should reinvent their image of single adults. Successful women these days are buying their own property, therefore it is a good time to recreate messages that will appeal to single adults, especially to women.

A Dose of the Unexpected – reinventing randomness, different points of view, inspiration, and discovery will play a key part in upcoming trends. Giving consumers something different and random will benefit marketers if they want to attract and maintain consumer interest.

Touchscreens – touchscreen devices like tablets are really popular these days. It is interactive, easy to use, and appealing to consumers. Marketers can make use of these devices to attract consumers. Last year, Burberry placed iPads in their stores so customers can easily browse through their collections.

Redefine Aging – people are now more comfortable with and positive about aging. Marketers need to redefine how consumers view their age and the elderly. They can do this by choosing people with more depth and texture instead of the young skinny girls to represent their brands.

Premium Offerings – through technology, products are giving consumers the experience of receiving something more appealing. Marketers should focus on showing the premium offerings their products have to increase customer experience. Products can create unique and valuable gifts for others, such as the Postagram app by Sincerly. The app allows users to snap photos and send them as postcards; this adds a more personal touch to the postcard increasing its value for the customer.

JWT’s forecast results are based from a year-long study of consumer and market trends. The study used different research approaches to give businesses tips on what to expect from consumers this coming year. Businesses are dedicated to determining upcoming consumer trends because this is a way to keep that connection between consumers and what businesses can offer. Marketing strategies are also built on consumer trends to make sure that they hit the right mark with the way they communicate and market their products and services.



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Suzi Elton asked:




Do you experience marketing as an effort where you are always “chasing” your target market and they don’t seem to have much interest in your services? That’s no fun. You want to create a situation where your target market is chasing you. You may be thinking, “Sure, like that’s going to happen.” Well, yes, it does happen for some businesses. If you are selling your services, and you want to get out of the marketing “chase”, here are a few quick ideas for you.

1. Be the best at what you do.

Make sure that all the work you turn out is excellent and superior to that of your competitors. If you turn out second-rate work, your market will sense it. They pick up on a sloppiness in your attitude or approach and they “head for the hills”. Present your business professionally, and make sure that you follow through on all your promises. Don’t make promises you can’t keep and keep all the promises you do make.

2. Be there for your clients.

This does not mean that you necessarily “hold their hands” about their personal problems, but let them know that once they start working with you, they are no longer alone in solving the problem you can help them solve. There are times when doing that might not be convenient, but it is what will result in referrals and loyalty.

3. Respond immediately to all contacts from prospects and clients.

If you don’t want to respond to a prospect or client, perhaps you are not working with your target market. It’s OK to refer problem clients on to someone who is better at working with those types. Make a point of getting back to all business contacts immediately – even if all you can do is make an appointment for when you could talk to them.

4. Check out your attitudes, and see if you may be driving prospects away from your business.

When you have direct contact with prospects, do you demonstrate that you are scattered, frazzled, unfocused, inconsistent, unorganized or not on top of the business? Remember that you are representing your business at all times, even when you are at social gatherings. Get centered and get in control of the business issues before you go out to network. Think about what you’re saying about your business and your clients when you talk to others.

5. Be sure you have professional-quality marketing writing and website writing.

Get a target market profile together that describes exactly those issues and prospects that you want to work with. Try it out on a few prospects before you finalize any printing. Be sure you have all the basics of your business in place and up to date (marketing writing and website writing). Don’t expect to attract clients without these professional tools working for you.

If you feel that you have to “chase” prospects, take a look at these ideas and see what you could do to reverse that trend. Some businesses do not have the “prospect chasing” experience, so that means you could correct this problem.



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Sean R Mize asked:




If you have decided to become involved in blogging, there are three advanced blogging concepts that very well may prove helpful to you. Armed with these concepts, you can lay a foundation for your own personal or professional success as blogging.

The first blogging concept that is important to understand is topicality. In other words, those blogs that enjoy the greatest success are created and written by people who really understand and are on top of current topics and trends. Therefore, it really is important for you to keep abreast of the latest developments and trends in the world today. By being on top of the very latest trends and developments, you will be able to write about topics that will attract a crowd and will attract a great number of readers.

The second blogging concept that you need to come to an understanding is to develop an expertise in a particular area. By taking the time and making the effort to become an expert in a particular area, you will be able to attract attention to your blogging efforts because you will be recognized as an authority in a particular area. As with topicality, if you are able to set yourself up as an expert in a particular area, you really will be able to attract the attention you want and need to enjoy blogging success in this day and age.

Finally, you may also want to consider developing strategic alliance with other individuals, including other people who may be involved in blogging. Through these strategic alliances, you will be able to draw upon other vital resources to enhance the overall value of your own blogging efforts.



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Herman Drost asked:




You can make more money with a blog marketing your own products than selling affiliate products.

]]> http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/21/blogging-pros-cons-of-marketing-your-own-products-from-your-blog/feed/ 0 http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/20/the-current-craze-to-hit-us-blogging/ http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/20/the-current-craze-to-hit-us-blogging/#comments Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:15:33 +0000 admin http://www.nowlookfor.us/2012/03/20/the-current-craze-to-hit-us-blogging/

Amy Twain
asked:




It’s the newest craze or very much “in” thing to hit us right now. Blogging is intrinsically something which several of the oldies or the old fashioned take for granted, but for the young and emerging beginners, it could seem such an overwhelming web of issues and vague questions that has to be resolved…and uncover. The concept of blogging is all about starting a bigger and wider extent of conversation or discussion and also about sharing info. Therefore, whether you are providing your clients or customers a chance to interact with you, communicate or correspond with fellow enthusiasts and hobbyists, or you merely want to increase your presence online, blogging is a great and surefire way to do it.

Blogging is naturally an open and wider means of communication. Why This Activity Matters Most To Businesses: If you own a small business and want to learn and understand the basics of why your company must need a blog, then, this is a good starting place. It is a great way of reaching some new clients, keep in touch with existing customers, build and develop a brand, and of course, to discover, enhance and grow your creativity. It’s the ideal solution for boringly consolidated, much commercialized Web sites. Blogging is a continuous exchange of ideas with so little in the way of up front cost (well, other than the chore involved in regularly updating your content, that is!) well, for one thing, most search engines prefer certain websites which are regularly updated, and it’s a marvelous and innovative style of making sure that your content is always new and fresh and hence habitually monitored by Google and others.

What’s more, it is all about socializing-the connections, via comments, track backs, attendance, participation, links, etc. Most importantly, it’s all about bloggers. It is about the relationships you create (or break) along the blogging road. There are some that’s meant for individual blogging while others are for group publishing to make and develop small networks of bloggers. It might well have stretched faster than any other media in the history of mankind, yet the laws of slander, libel or defamation of character may still be applied to you. It’s very much a “current” phenomenon, and whilst you may make an enduring content, it is likely that at least most, if not some of your posts would be time sensitive.

You also need to ask “how will you want to blog”, “what would you be blogging about”, “why will you like to blog”, and especially “who will you be blogging for” before you could begin to learn. Yet many are still not well aware of the maximum potentials or assets of this activity. The capacity to create knowledge and infos easily available is a very fun, if not fantastic aspect of blogging. This activity could be very time-consuming (or very addicting if you won’t watch out) but if you are keen about it, you would either share the whole work load with other people or select a subject wherein you have a stable steam of prospective blog issues to come your way.



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