Many blogs are not written just by the owner. There are others who come in as guests to give the readers a new face to watch now and again. But, be careful about how much guest blogging you do. It may be costing you more than you think. Why do people use guest bloggers? For one, they are having a hard time keeping their blog up to date. A guest blogger fills in the gaps that are sometimes present. Your readers get fresh content and you get a break. Also, guest bloggers can increase your reputation. If a popular blogger…

“A Bookshelf Brand” – it sounds like it might be a compliment doesn’t it? We might think that our bookshelf is where we keep our important stories and reference resources. I can see how one could think that way, but I’m referring to brands that are inactive for any reason. You might be a bookshelf brand if: 1: You have no idea what your brand values are, let alone understand whether management’s values compliment them or not. 2: You’ve actually gone through a branding process and the report is gathering dust on that bookshelf. You’re a planner not a doer.…

We are all familiar with visual brand images, but have you ever considered audio brands as part of your image? Every brand has a visual image including their logo and color palette. These elements are often developed with a special consideration given to establishing an icon. Icons are a form of sensory trigger that immediately reminds the customer of a brand the moment they are exposed to it. Color icons are UPS’s brown, ING Direct’s orange and Mac’s golden arches. Audio branding is a sound. Hearing it immediately makes you think of the brand exactly the same way a visual…

Maximize Your Time with Guest Bloggers When you operate a blog, with or without the online business to go with it, it takes up a lot of your time. Readers want fresh content on a regular basis. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with their voracious appetite unless you have help. Blogging Help Seek out writers for your blog. Think of it as another writing project. If you are familiar with ghostwriting services, you can hire writers to write posts for you that you can then publish yourself. With this type of help, you are asking a writer or…

Guest blogging means that you are writing blog posts for someone else. It may be that they asked you to do it and they are paying you. Or you are living out your dream of writing for a high-profile blogger who can get you noticed. Either way, blogging for others can become a drain on the creative juices. There are advantages to writing blog posts for others: •    Exposure (the good kind) •    Name and brand recognition •    Business opportunity •    Chance to write on new topics This is only a few of the reasons. But, when you decide to…

Search engines not only look at the keywords on your website and in your content but the types of links that are connecting you with others. Use your bio to help increase those quality links when you decide to guest blog for others. Guest blogging gives you a chance to interact with other audiences. You have your own readership and they like your voice. But maybe others just haven’t found you because you are in a smaller niche market or you are more general and they are reading in a specific niche. Blogging for others can bring you both together.…

In our society there is an urge to be the biggest and the best. Both are good things (don’t get me wrong). Being the best is a powerful goal and we should all strive to achieve our best effort. But the first goal – biggest – isn’t necessarily what you should be stressing over. I’ve been involved in a number of events lately, and in every case the organizers were stressing over attendance. Will all their efforts bring out the audience numbers that will allow them to brag post event. Granted, when audience numbers directly equate to exhibitors showing, poor…

It is every blog owner’s nightmare that they will let the devil in the front door. Everyone who wants to blog for you is not right for your blog. But, when the naughty blogger comes to visit, you’ll have to smooth things over with your audience. You are a blog owner who wants to find guest bloggers. It could be because you need more time to attend to the other areas of your business. Or, you are looking for ways to increase your traffic. A new voice on the blog can stimulate growth and give faithful readers new reasons to…

Writing is one of those activities that only get better with practice. Maybe you are a fair enough writer for your online content or blog, but you can always improve. Writing about a variety of topics for others gets those creative muscles working again. Many writers have written on a number of topics and in a number of media before they decided on the one they liked. If your business is writing, then in the interest of expanding your skills, guest blogging is a great way to do that. Guest Blogging Guest blogging is when you write blog posts for…

You have worked hard to build your blog audience. It may be an extension of your online business. The blog is where customers and other visitors can pick your brain and find out about products and so forth. Maybe it’s time to branch out and ask others to post to give your readers some variety. Variety is the spice of life they say. If you have gained a following on your blog, the readers more than likely love your voice. But, other bloggers can add another dimension to your site. Here is an example. Let’s say that you have an…