By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Cornett]Brandon Cornett
Are you a business owner trying to figure out the whole blogging thing? Have you been wondering if it's worth your time and effort to create a blog for your own business? By the end of this article, you'll understand the many benefits and will be better able to decide if blogging is right for you.
Let's start with a quick definition, just so we are all on the same page. A blog is simply a content-management system that allows you to publish information onto the Internet, quickly and easily. New information is typically added in reverse-chronological format, so that the most recent posts are always up top. The blogging program does most of the technical stuff for you.
10 Reasons to Start Blogging for Your Business
That's about as far as I'll go into the technical definition. You'll learn more about the inner workings if and when you decide to start a blog for your business. This purpose of this article is to give you some good reasons to make that decision. So without further ado...
1. Easy Publishing Tool
Type your post for the day. Add some hyperlinks or images with the click of your mouse. Hit the "publish" button. You've just updated your blog with new information, and it's live on the Internet. Once you install the program, it really is this easy to use.
2. Search Engine Visibility
Starting a blog will not magically propel you to the top of the search engine ranks, as many people seem to believe. But with that being said, a blog has certain benefits that help with search rankings. It's easy to publish new content for one thing, and this is key to online visibility. Also, blogs are text-rich and cleanly coded right "out of the box," so the search engines have an easy time crawling through them and finding new information.
3. Expertise / Authority
If you as the business owner can demonstrate your expertise within your industry, people will be more inclined to purchase your products or services. By publishing quality information on a regular basis, you can more easily establish such authority. In other words, you can use blogging to position yourself as a "thought leader" in your industry.
4. Makes Your Website Sticky
Who wants to revisit a website that never updates its content? Not me. This is another area where a business blog can benefit you. If you have a wealth of useful content on your website, and that content gets updated regularly, your visitors will stick around longer. This increases the chance they will contact you, purchase from you, subscribe to your newsletter, etc.
5. Potential for Conversation
Most blogging programs come with a comment feature built in. At the bottom of each post, readers can leave comments in a box provided for that purpose. So instead of the one-way communication of a traditional website (where I talk and you listen), you now have a two-way conversation taking place. You can probably see the business-building potential of this.
6. Potential for Leads
Can you generate leads and inquiries through a blog? Sure you can. We just talked about the two-way conversations that often takes place. When people fill out that comment form, they usually include their email address. There's a lead source right there. People will also feel like they know you after reading your blog for a while, so they'll be more inclined to contact you directly.
7. Return Visits
Blogging programs make it easy for people to stay in touch. For example, your visitors / readers can simply subscribe to your blog's syndication feed to receive future updates automatically. There are also programs available that can convert your posts into an email newsletter format. That way, people can sign up to receive future posts just like signing up for any other e-newsletter. It's a handy tool that can keep people coming back over and over again.
8. Versatility / Multipurpose
I already mentioned how you can use a certain type of "plugin" to allow readers to subscribe. In reality, there is a mind-boggling array of plugins available that can do all sorts of neat things. How you use your business blog is limited only by your imagination. Use it as a news add-on to your existing website, or use it as a full-featured website with pages in addition to posts.
9. Encourages Trust
Let's face it. Consumers naturally distrust unfamiliar companies. And who can blame them? People hear the word "corporate" and think of Enron-like characters plotting schemes that screw the little guy while lining their own pockets. It's a harsh reality, but a reality nonetheless.
How does a blog fit into this? Well, it makes you seem like a person instead of a company, for one thing. It shows you're not afraid to step into the spotlight and speak with people about your business and your products. This is one of the reasons people like Bill Marriott (of the hotel chain) have started blogs in recent years.
10. Dare I Say Fun?
Do you enjoy sharing information about topics you know well? Do you like to write? Are you interested in web technologies and seeing your words published live on the Internet? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, there's a good chance you will truly enjoy blogging. Who knows... you may even become addicted.
Brandon Cornett uses his SEO Consultant Blog to provide Internet marketing advice to small business owners. To learn more about this topic, or to contact the author, please visit http://www.austinseoguy.com/seo-tips/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Cornett http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-10-Reasons-to-Start-a-Business-Blog&id=1376600
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Top 10 Reasons to Start a Business Blog
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Why AdSense Isn't Performing Well on Your Blog
By TC Thorn
I'm fortunate enough to make a nice living from running Google AdSense on my blogs and websites, and I often get questions from folks who are trying to figure out why the program doesn't perform for them. How can you make dollars - even hundreds of dollars - a day instead of mere pennies?
In this article, I'm covering some of the most common reasons people have trouble making money from AdSense.
1. AdSense works best on niche consumer-oriented blogs
To those of us who have been making money online for a while, this seems obvious, but lots of new folks haven't had that ah ha realization yet.
If your blog is a journal of your life or serves mostly to entertain, it's not going to be a good candidate for AdSense (and - I'll be honest here - it's probably not going to make much from other programs either).
The best performers are blogs that are focused on a specific niche. Even more, that niche should have lots of products or services associated with it.
For example, a blog on home improvement (many of my sites are in the home and garden niche) can do well since there are all sorts of tools and products people buy when they're looking to remodel or otherwise improve their homes. There are also plenty of services related to this niche, everything from roofing companies to pool maintenance outfits. All of those companies that offer products or services in that niche will want to advertise on your blog, and they're willing to pay well for qualified clicks.
On the other hand, if your blog is unfocused or attracts people looking more for entertainment than information related to products and services, you'll find advertisers less likely to pay well (that's when you see those 1 and 2 cent clicks).
2. Ads must be placed prominently in order to attract attention
I noticed a gal on Twitter complaining that AdSense was making her something like 18 cents a day. I checked out her site, and lo and behold, her tiny 125x125 AdSense block was way over on the right side of her blog below the fold.
If you want to make money with AdSense, stick those ads where people will see them!
This means getting them as close to your content as possible (if you can wrap the ads right into the blog post, it's best) and keeping them above the fold (people shouldn't have to scroll down to see your ads).
Also, don't be afraid to use big ad blocks. Those large rectangles are the best performers - people can't miss them. If you want to make money from your blog, you can't be shy about placing those ads prominently.
3. Write about products or services that cost a lot
It's a foregone conclusion that you'll make more per click from a blog that reviews $500-$1000 backyard grills than one that reviews books or cds that cost $20. The profit margins are a lot higher on big ticket items, so advertisers can afford to bid more per click.
It's also helpful if the items you're writing about are easily purchased over the internet. Even though hot tubs cost thousands of dollars, they tend to be items that people try out first and buy locally. On the other hand, software packages that cost a few hundred dollars are logical choices for ordering online.
As you can see from this short list, the real secret to doing well with AdSense is to pick your niche - and start a blog - based on the potential for profit rather than adding AdSense to an existing blog and hoping it will make you rich.
If your existing blog isn't at all consumer oriented, but it has a lot of traffic, you can always use it to drive traffic to a new blog that does work well with the AdSense model. Don't give up - you can definitely make good money from AdSense (and other affiliate and advertising programs as well), if you're willing to build a site that will appeal to both visitors and advertisers.
The author earns a full-time income from running Adsense on her blogs and websites. For more advice, check out the AdSense section of her writing blog.
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Labels:adsense, Google adsense, blog info, blogs, blog for income, blogging for money
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Most Profitable Adsense Blog: What Does It Look Like?
By Christopher Kyalo
What does the most profitable Adsense blog look like? What can a blogger intending to take advantage of the Google Adsense program learn from such a blog?
The most profitable Adsense blog tends to have plenty of pages of useful content. The Adsense program feeds off content-hunger. It is widely believed that the availability of so much free information online has dramatically reduced the hunger for information. Actually the very opposite is true. The World Wide Web is to information what the radio was to pop music sales. The most profitable Adsense blog owners have long realized this fact.
Would you believe the fact that initially record companies resisted having their songs played on radio. That is until they realized that rather than quench people's thirst and demand, radio dramatically increased it. Folks would listen to a song on the radio and line up in music stores to purchase it. The most profitable Adsense blogs will tend to serve their content in such a way that they help to create even more hunger for information rather than quench it. They do this by providing such interesting information that visitors to the blog immediately desire to know even more.
This is one of the most important distinguishing factors about the most profitable Adsense blogs.
Find out how you can learn more about the best Adsense make money secrets from an expert who makes over $19,000 a month from Adsense. Or grab my ezine on Adsense secrets for free by sending a blank email now to clickaffiliatesecrets-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
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Labels:adsense, adsense blog, blog profits, money blog, blogging for money, blog info
Make Money With Blogger
By Tracey A Edwards
Want to make some extra cash? Well with all the great free resources on the internet it is now even easier to do that and my favorite way is to make money with Blogger. Blogger is Google's free blogging platform and one of the easiest and simplest ways to get started. All you need to do is decide on a name and theme (what you are going to write about) and start posting. Now of course there are still some extra things that you need to do to make your blog profitable than just start writing so get comfortable while I fill you in on the best ways to earn some nice money from a free Blogger blog.
Before you set up your blog you need to spend a little bit of time thinking about what you are going to write about. The reason you should do this first is so that you can decide on the best name for your blog. Having keywords in your blog's title will give it a tiny boost in the search engines so choose wisely. Obviously it needs to be something that is tied in with the theme of your blog, so if you are going to write chocolate recipes then something like cookingwithchocolate.blogspot.com would be a good name. Oh and if you do decide to blog about chocolate then let me know because I'd love to try some of your recipes!
Now you can go ahead and start your blog. Head over to Blogger.com and follow the easy instructions to get started. Once you are done you can start by writing your first post.
Unsure what you should write about? Think about how you can offer your readers great value. My recipe example from before is great, or you can offer tips on how to make money online or even choosing the perfect lipstick for your skintone. Obviously you'll need to tie each post into the theme of the site so you can't just write about random topics and hope to gain a following. Pretty soon if you write everyday or at least a few times a week your blog will start showing up in search engines and people will begin to visit.
Now that you've got traffic you can put some money making features onto your blog. One of the easiest ways to earn some cash is to write reviews for products in your niche that you earn a commission on. Every third or fourth post make a review about a product that is helpful to someone in your niche. So going back to our chocolate example, perhaps you can recommend a great fondue set or chocolate moulds that your readers might like.
You can find lots of different items to promote where you earn a commission from places like Amazon, eBay or digital products on Clickbank. Pretty soon your free Blogger blog will be making some great money for you.
For more great money making ideas grab your copy of Blog Cash.
You can get a free sample chapter of Blog Cash at http://www.traceys-ebooks.com/blogcash/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracey_A_Edwards
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Labels:blogger, make money with blogger, blog info, Google blogger, blogger and affiliate programs
How to Build Your Money Blog
By Liam Smith
With the growth of the World Wide Web, blogging has given a platform and a voice to those of us who may not have had one previously. Blogging will help you get your message out to the public, and you can make money blogging as well.
If you would like to know how to start a blog, here is what you do. Simply do a blog search, and when you find a blog style you like, the homepage will have a link that you can follow to create a blog. After you fill out a short online form, you are on your way to becoming a blogger!
A common beginner blogging mistake is thinking that once you create a blog, viewers and money will start rolling in. Before you learn to blog for money, you should know how to build your blog. The most important thing you can do is post original quality content. When you post your content, always use the spell checker. Proper grammar and spelling will give your blog a more professional look. For more information, do a keyword search for "beginner blogging course" and "beginner blogger products."
Now that you know how to blog, you will need to get some readers. The best way to do this is to visit other blogs, and post quality comments on them. The authors and readers of the other blogs will see your comments, and they may visit your blog and post a few comments themselves. Posting on message boards and forums are also a way to advertise your blog. When you do this, search out message boards that share a common interest with your blog, and offer a link. (If you visit a blog about stamp collecting, and you post a link to a blog post about how to grow tomatoes, you might get banned for spamming.)
Building a good-sized readership is important if you are going to build blogs for money. The more readers you have, the more money you can make. There are many paths to becoming a big time money blogger. One way you can make money with your blog is by using contextual ads. Contextual ads scan your post for content, and automatically put up links to products they think your readers might be interested in. When a reader clicks the ad, you make money. The amount of money ranges from a few cents to a few dollars, but these can build up after time. Contextual ad companies have the blog tools and blog software you need to maximize profits.
A more profitable way to make money blogging is to join a network that will give you access to advertisers who will pay you to post about their products. The more popular your blog is, the more money advertisers are willing to pay you for your posts. (I've seen some that pay as much as $75 dollars for a 200-word post!) If you go this route, remember that you must still post non-advertisement quality content on your blog, and you must continue to advertise your blog for maximum profits.
Now that you know how to build a better blog, and how to make money blogging, the rest is up to you. There is no magic formula that will help you make tons of money overnight, like everything else in life; you will need to work at it. But take my word for it, blogging can be very rewarding.
For more information on Beginner Blogging visit our website at http://www.learnbuildingblogs.com for comprehensive advice, reviews and tips on Blogging Programs that you can use to build your first money blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liam_Smith
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Build-Your-Money-Blog&id=1856714
Labels: blogging, money blog, blog info, money blogging, contextual ads
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