First Word

Do you blog? Have you ever tried to match up your blog topics to audience response (which is what you absolutely should be doing)? I'm always looking for ways to increase readership. So I regularly read my readership statistics. Here is what I've found. Keywords do count but finding the keyword of the day is challenging . Keyword interest fluctuates like weather changes. You honestly cannot gauge it. One day this keyword works the next day it no longer works. My advice, keep playing around with different "popular" keywords and mix it up. The popular posts' real value . The only popular posts that consistently rank up in my blog seems to have "sex-related" themes. Now if I were writing an erotic blog this might be great. Why is that the reason? Because I heard this statistic: 70 percent of online traffic is seeking sexually-related content. Problem here is I am an author and publisher not a sex proprietor. The idea is to attract the right traffic ....

The 10-minute blog results from a full morning schedule of back-to-back meetings. It's the one you do when you already woke up early (and you're not an early-riser) and now you have 10 minutes to write and you don't know what to write. The 10-minute blog is designed to keep your blog readership consistent, posting regular, and writing fresh. Well, fresh is relative when you have 10 minutes and nothing to say. I could, though, prove that I type really fast in 10 minutes ;). Daily blogging is important. It keeps the search engine optimization on the "labels" or keywords out there being picked up by the search engine crawlers. It keeps Google alerts alerting. The ideal is to blog every day. At the same time, don't kick yourself if life gets in the way. Or just do the 10-minute blog.

Do you want to build readership for your blog? Are you a non-writer but you want to hire a writer? Are you thinking, "I could pay to have it done a couple of times a week..." Most clients don't want to pay a writer to blog more than a couple of times a week. Understandable given the expense. Blog writers are paid per hour. The obvious value in blogging isn't easily put into a results measurement either. The number one question is almost always, "How do I know if it's working?" So let's walk through some of these points. How often should you really blog to be build effective readership ? This answer may not be the one you want to hear: every day. You have the minimum which I say is 2-3 times a week. Then you have the favorable maximum, which is daily (sometimes including weekends). Two to three times a week builds audience but it becomes more sporadic than consistent. You'll see in the statistics spikes in readership that coincide with articles ...

The biggest failure I see entrepreneurs do is fail to promote effectively at key moments. If you have a newsletter, blog or website you should have links and information about it on every promo piece. You can't drive traffic to your website simply by having one. You have to advertise and promote it. Blog -- same thing. You have to promote your blog to increase readership. Keywords and social media are not enough. Your blog is designed to market your business and increase visibility and therefore exposure to your brand. You have to spread the word about it at every opportunity. Also, if you're doing speaking engagements, make sure you're either bringing a sign-up sheet to capture audience contact information for a newsletter or to promote an upcoming product or service. Make sure you ask permission (naturally). Again give the audience a business card or postcard to promote your other marketing material. You often have to continually touch your audience until they remember,...

I'll never forger this: I was at a networking function and this woman was discussing her blog. She said she had 5,000 page views a month (heck I struggle to get 2,000). She was an average business person. Here is what surprised me: her blog was about knitting . Realizing that I my blog was well under her page views, I suddenly had blog-envy. How does a blog about knitting get 5,000 page views per month? I randomly ask myself that question all of the time. Actually the question I really ask is: how do I increase my blog readership? Hmm ... My blog is about publishing, business and marketing (and I occasionally sprinkle in humor) -- check. I write about broad interest and general topics, too -- check. I include pictures when I have them to post -- check. I think over my "labels" very carefully -- check. I "think" my writing is good LOL (insecure writer syndrome) -- check. So, what's the deal? How can I increase my blog readership? Why does knitting get...

I blog almost daily. I don't blog on Sundays (my fingers day of rest). I use Blogger, which has analytics to measure traffic to the site. The "Stats" show which articles are viewed, and the numbers. The average page views per day for this blog are about 50-75. I am always looking for ways to increase readership. Labels or keywords are what pull traffic to the blog. If you blog, pay attention to what "labels" work for your readership to increase. Let me digress. Does your blog have analytics? If not, you should either attach that feature or find a new blog system that provides it. Blogging without measurement of readership is like riding your bike blind: you don't know where you're going and you can crash and burn. What is the point of just slapping up random content that no one reads? I know some bloggers don't care and slap it there anyway. But if you blog for your business you should care. Education-based marketing, which is what good blogs for b...

It's done! The 3L Publishing website got a major facelift. You can see the new website by clicking here . I also wanted to show off the site. Most people don't realize that 3L Publishing also provides marketing and Web development services. Yes, we focus mostly on our core business, which is publishing, but the marketing programs designed to promote books are also available for individuals and small businesses to utilize. We are experts in marketing and PR. Our marketing programs include: Websites Media kits Brochures Branding and Logo Creation Newsletter Templates and Content Blog Design and Content Support Business Card Design Bookmark Design Signage We also write marketing strategic plans, which many companies should be considering creating their marketing plans for 2014. If you would like more information on these services, please contact us at 916-300-8012 or send an email to info@3LPublishing.com. 

I run into two kinds of writers. Writers who are absolutely, totally in love with the craft. And writers who are either infatuated with the idea and glamour of being a writer and do nothing to back their declaration: I am a writer. These "writers" are the ones who will ask stupid questions like, "Are you a real writer?" I remember once I was getting a massage and the masseuse asked, "Are you a real writer?" I muse over that question. I've been asked the other silly question, "Are you a real publisher?" To answer both questions: I don't think that writing is like imitation lemonade, artificial or sweeten with Sweet 'n Low. Can you be a "juice drink"? How about on my website (www.3LPublishing.com) I post one of those warning labels: writing and publishing sweeten by an artificial talent that involves a lot of hot air and misleading information and is bad for your business . Maybe next time I'm asked, "Are you a rea...

A prospective client mentioned she blogged but quit because it was too confessional. I started wondering why the confessional nature of her blog made her quit? I thought she should just quit "confessing" on it and shift the content if she had an audience. Then I wondered, should a business owner or entrepreneur "confess" anything on a blog at all. Here is my conclusion: It depends on the nature of your business . Let's begin with that premise. Are you a counselor? Well, most counselors are not supposed to delve into their own lives so perhaps direct confessions are a no, no. Do you sell products and services? You might want to stick to the product and service world you live in. Do you write self-help or inspirational books? Ah, now we're getting into an area where a little "confession" helps your product and adds credibility to what you're talking about. When I "confess" anything on this blog it typically is with the idea that like ...

This discussion takes place I would say about twice a year -- target marketing. I am forever on the receiving end of a mass marketing campaign that is so off-target, I wonder if the marketing executive even understands what he or she is doing. The biggest offenders typically come from those who put little or not effort into their mailings lists or who they are doing outreach to. So, let's start with today's offense. If you are my "friend" on social media (Facebook) chances are you connected with me and not the other way around. I don't do much "friending" because I really don't need to do it. People come to me, and I have about 3,500 connections, which is plenty. This morning I have a message from a guy who asks two of the offending "mis-target" questions. Here they are: 1. Do you blog? 2. Do you want to learn how? Let's start with the basic breakdown. First, this person didn't look at my profile at all. The biggest and proba...

Do you know what are analytics? These are measurements of what your website or blog are doing (essentially a measurement of readership). Analytics measure things such as page views, click-thrus, sites where clicks come from, and where the clicks come from (countries), and more. If you use Blogger then you know analytics are also called stats aka statistics. If you're considering starting a blog, I recommend you take advantage of FREE services like Blogger. You can pay for services such as Typepad , which is more robust; but I have found for the average user the depth of a service like Typepad isn't necessarily worth it. Typepad does have two different levels of keyword searches and allows the user to break the blog into self-created categories. For example, on World Less Traveled's blog , it is broken down into categories such as vacation, travel tips, State Parks, recreation, etc. Her analytics measure pretty much the same things as Blogger, but you cannot see the depth ...

It's a la, la, la day and I have to blog ... well, I try to blog daily. Why do I blog daily? I'll tell you ... No. #1 -- Daily = Attraction from those Web crawlers . The web crawlers for the search engines are out on a daily basis, searching for new keywords to lure the little spiders to your page. This act attracts more readers. No. #2 -- Daily = building an audience . People who read the blog on a daily basis want to keep reading and no new material deters repeat business. Readership goes down if you don't keep them coming back for more. No. #3 -- Daily = interested readers = prospective business . Steady readers may some day convert to customers.  Customers/clients pay the bills. Simple. Necessary. No. #4 -- Daily = interested readers = prospective business = virtual relationship building . Steady, interested readers who convert to prospective business become clients. You have to build a "relationship," which is done through the constant flow of inform...

So, we went to Bodega Bay and spent the afternoon at Wright's Beach. It was a beautiful, clear afternoon (after the fog lifted). I thought I would post this picture and recommend a quick trip and/or escape. BUT this is a business-related blog not a travel blog LOL, so I also thought I would share three great tips about blogging. I was talking to a business man in Occidental who owned the French restaurant we ate at. He mentioned he blogged, and he has 3,000 readers per month, which is pretty good. I have roughly 2,000 per month myself. It takes a lot of blogging and great content to build up your blog readership. I thought I would share three ways to make your blog a success and build readership. Tags or Labels Count -- make sure you always tag each blog. The Google and search engine crawlers look for those keywords. Make sure you use tags that would work in the mainstream. For example, if you're talking about your iPhone, make sure you tag it as Apple AND iPhone. The mo...

I am amazed at how many people confuse my weekly newsletter First Word with my First Word blog. So, I thought I should give you a clear-cut definition of the two marketing pieces. First, though, I should tell you that THIS is my blog. This Web page is my blog. My newsletter you can sign up for by going to www.3LPublishing.com and signing up by clicking on the newsletter button on the homepage. So what is the difference between the two? Blog -- a blog is a Web-based kind of "diary" if you will where you talk about things related to your business or life. It is always best to choose a topic or theme so your readers come to understand and know what to expect when they read it. I try to take a humorous or irreverent approach to both my blog and newsletter, and I discuss subjects, from publishing to writing, and from public relations to marketing, and from personal to self-help subjects. Once every now and then, you will find something completely random and unrelated just to ...

Friday morning musings really translates to I don't know what to blog about today LOL. Usually when I don't know what to blather about on the blog, I just start writing and see what comes out of my mouth. Oh! Here is a good one: It doesn't matter ... what doesn't matter? Here is my list of things I don't think anyone should ever fuss about (aka who cares ... or reality check) and it goes like this: 1. How many millimeters from the text is from the gutter in a book. Yes, an author once fussed over that one! 2. Asking me to verify that I really did spend those 2 hours on a project that in reality would have taken most people three times that amount to do ... yet you're worried I really did spend a whopping 2 hours on it. This one falls under the category of "reality check". 3. Getting a bargain-basement quote on publishing services (you know it's a deal) and yet still asking, "Can I get another discount?" Or the other favorite: "W...

In the soon-to-be-released 3L Publishing book 10 Powerful Women 10 Strategic Insights into Successful Business , blogging is discussed as a powerful social marketing tool. A few key points important about blogging and its value for marketing your business. According to the 10 Powerful Women , companies that blog have 55 percent more website visitors and overall 88 percent more leads (in consumer market) and 67 percent more leads in (business sector). The main reason I persuade our marketing clients (yes, 3L Publishing does have exclusively marketing and public relations clients, too) to blog is the ability to drive more traffic to their websites. The search engine optimization (SEO) that arises from keyword labels pushes out to the Internet and pulls in visitors who do Google or Yahoo searches to find your blog articles. You need to ensure you make it easy to drive that traffic to your website by having that information readily available through information about your blog and links ...

Ack! I haven't blogged today. Well, I can tell you why ... it's invoice day. I spent my entire morning doing invoicing. Of course, you have to invoice if you're a business owner -- there is no way around that one. I put my odd title "Don't Forget to Hug Your Publisher," because we all need a hug once in a while, huh! As a newly single publisher (and since my kids don't live with me), I miss hugs. Touching is so healing ... and yes, this blog is all over the place LOL. Why? Because I wasn't sure what I was going to say to keep you all entertained. Are you entertained yet ... or do you just want to hug me? I'm very huggable indeed. If you haven't hugged someone today, grab the nearest person and give them a good squeeze! Your immune system will thank me.

Do you know what is information-based marketing? It is pretty much what it sounds like. The power of providing loads of great information to market and promote your business. I get asked all of the time, "Why are you willing to share so much of your expertise for free?" Because most business people and authors cannot do what I do. Giving and sharing information doesn't take away from my business, it gives me business. Once prospective clients understand the value of the information I am giving away, they typically are sold on my knowledge and expertise. Once sold on what I know, they are more open to hire my company to work with them. Blogging is a tool to provide information on a daily basis (yes, except Sunday) and build a following. Followers may not directly do business with your company, but if they're impressed enough with you they will refer you to friends. Prospective clients also research those they work with, and your blog becomes part of what they research ...

You are super time consuming, and I can't think of anything meaningful to say to you on this fine Saturday evening. Oh, blog you are my obsession yet we just can't talk today. I need to keep you loaded with content, but my brain is overloaded. I love you blog, and I want to keep my blog readers coming back for more, but I just am not in love with you. No, dear blog it's not you; it's me. I'm just not ready to be in blog relationship. Of course not blog. We'll still be friends. I promise to come back to you on Monday; but my other blog, Brea's blog , wants me to come over. So, I'm really sorry, blog you will have to sit ... empty, alone, blank, bereft, lonely and wordless.

We have services like Blog Talk Radio and video blogs becoming much more common. Then you have numerous social media available to choose from. You have written forms of media -- blogs, eZines and online advertising. What is a company to do? All of them? Some of them? I am constantly having people try to persuade me to try video blogs, which someday I may try. But when presented with so many time-consuming options, it is difficult to know what to do. Should I become a radio personality? Should I become an entertainer and do a video? Should I become a writer and blog? What if you have none of those skills? You can hire out yet if you do this every day that cost can escalate and become expensive. Is the return on investment there to justify it? Here is my best advice: You should absolutely do some or all of those marketing tactics . If you're voice isn't radio-friendly, take Blog Talk off the table. If you're just not ready to shoot a daily or weekly video, take video off the ...