- By: Jason and Skye Mangrum
Like many important people before you – perhaps you've underestimated the power of blogging. Blogs can be used, not only as the single easiest way to get a listing in the search engine for your desired keywords, but also serve the fantastic purpose if building a relationship with your quickly growing list of readers, listeners and viewers.
After a light lunch today, I was left in the greatest mood. So I figured I would sit down and share with you 10 ways you can share my success and popularity using blogs.
1. Use a keyword specific blog title and description. When creating your blog, I just used the free service www.blogger.com you're asked to title or name your blog and give a short description. Take this chance to think a little.
Ask yourself:
a) Who do you want to read your blog?
b) What is your interest or topic - what will you enjoy writing about?
If you have a poetry blog for example – use the word poet or poetry in your title and description. You can research the popularity of your keywords use Overture's free tool here: http://inventory.overture.com
2. Try to update often (short daily entries work great) using hand written or bot generated keyword rich informative content. Give your visitors something they want to read. I love to write so I create all my original posts, but if you have a site that needs traffic or a topic that you don't know much about you can set up an automatically updating feed using other people's blog posts, or articles. Each entry is seen as its own html page, so the engines see your blog as a multi-paged site, that is updated regularly and rich in links and keywords.
3. Create an interesting profile. Searchers and fellow bloggers love the fact you're a real person, this helps to build personal relationships. Again, put a little time and effort into this one. Tons of people peek at your profile, and Blogger.com keeps track of all your views, so open up and share a little. Everything on your profile page is taken as a searchable keyword. Things like: what you like to do, your favorite movies and music, etc. Each one will get you listed under that topic in the blogger.com directory.
4. One way to jump right in and get visitors and feedback immediately is by posting to similar blogs and linking back to your blog. Say you have a poetry blog: you can use Blogger’s search tool and your keyword – in this case "poetry" or "poet." (Another way to get a quick high listing is to search Google for example "poetry blog.")
You can post a comment on their blog, just a short personal remark will do. Keep it polite, no one wants to hear negative criticism. Blogs are more personal than chartrooms or forums, and often contain personal views and opinions of the author, so don't go stepping on toes. The point is to make contact, build relationships, and exchange links. More links to your blog equals more free targeted traffic for you.
5. RSS is your friend! Create an RSS feed, by hand or using Feedburner. This gives your readers the option to subscribe to your blog with just a click. What this means to you is 100% deliverability of all the content you write by the readers request – your posts are sent directly to your subscribers via their RSS reader otherwise known as an aggregator. They are personally notified every time you post to your blog. And best of all, no spam complaints ever, and they get every update you make – no blockers or filters. Total word freedom!
6. Spread your feed by submitting to RSS directories. This is a one time deal, and you can either search and do it manually or use the tool I used: RSS Automator (it finds and submits to tons of different directories for you).
Only submit each blog once. This is a lasting deal that could mess up your good standing if you do it multiple times. So to be sure you get a listing, only submit to directories once. (This is not the same thing as pinging; you can ping every time you update your blog.)
7. Ping your blog every time you update using pinging services like pingomatic.com and pingoat.com. This lets the directories know you have updated and added a new post to your blog.
8. Create a personalized or branded RSS reader/aggregator. Talk about top of mind awareness. You don't have to be a programming genius for this one (though it helps.) There are a couple services that for a small one time fee will customize a reader for you, with your logo, header and graphics, and preload it with any media you want. So with this you're sure to be seen and remembered every day. Check out one of the best services here: http://www.tristana.org/publishers/specs
9. People love to read you, but hearing you is even better. Give Podcasting a try - there are tons of ways to get started here. I would personally recommend http://www.Libsyn.com for all your Podcasting needs. It uploads, stores, hosts, and sets up the RSS and pings for you. Like Podcasting for dummies. Then just submit your podcast to different directories and readers like Apple iTunes, and ipodder.org.
10. Radio is great but now you can create a following by imitating the idiot box. Give your subscribers another way to obsess using Video-meets-Blogging or "The Vlog." This is a medium that is far from saturated. The possibilities are endless, and you're only limited to what you limit yourself. Though it has not been promoted too widely, the new Apple iTunes Podcasting feature supports Vlog subscriptions as well.
Top 10 Ways to Get Awesome Free Search Engine Listings, Targeted Traffic And Greater Link Popularity Using Blogs
Skye Mangrum is the author of RSS for Artists, Bloggers, Podcasters, Vloggers,
and Ninjas. Learn all about Skye and her unique uses for today’s
modern technology by sending a blank email to: NetNinja@Aweber.com |
