GoogleDocs is a great tool for writing and tracking blog content. I have used a lot of strategies to write blog posts. I’d like to share some of these methods so you can learn from them.
Methods to write blog posts:
-Typepad/Wordpress
The disadvantage of this method is that you end up with a lot of drafts and it obscures your posted content (on the back-end). I’ve generally found it best to write my blog content outside of the blogging platform and then copy and paste when the content is ready. There are exceptions to that rule.
-Notepad
This is one of my favorite tools for creating web content. It is a simplified form of content without any of the underlying code that comes from a Word document. The disadvantage is that line breaks are sometimes an issue. You may end up having to go through your post and change the line breaks manually. One disadvantage is that Notepad does not have spell-check. And I don’t know about you, but I occasionally spell words incorrectly.
-Microsoft Word
Word is a great tool for writing any kind of document, but you often run into issues when transferring to a web publishing tool. Word has a lot of underlying code that can be misinterpreted when published on the web. For an example of this, simply copy and paste a document into your blogging platform and then click the html button. You will see all sorts of strange code. (Not good.) When you actually view the published web page, you may see strange characters.
-GoogleDocs
I have used GoogleDocs for writing blog content for a few weeks. It seems to work pretty well. You can create folders and documents. The text transfers well into my blogging platform. (Note that there is sometimes a lag time after you save something before you see it in the folder. It’s a little unnerving, but it shows up within a few minutes.)
In Part 2 of blog post series, I will share details about how I track blog topics. (Hint: I make a list of topics that I want to write about in advance.)
Rick Cooper
Online Marketing Expert
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Apr 20
Drive Traffic by Commenting on Blogs
So, once you are in the habit of blogging and you have the ability to capture leads, then you simply need to send more people to your blog.
Here’s a simple technique that people often overlook. Many people look for the more challenging or complicated techniques. I look first to do the simple things that will drive traffic and create backlinks to your site.
The technique is simply to comment on other people’s blogs.
It’s a simple idea in concept, but how do you actually implement it consistently?
Here are 3 simple tips:
1) Compile a list of blogs where you can post comments
It’s not enough to simply post a comment once and you’re done. To be effective, you should post periodically to different blogs. When you get started, post a comment on a site once per week. Then, later cut back to once or twice a month.
Why this often? First, you want to engage the other blogger in dialogue. It’s just like connecting on a social networking site. If you post often enough, people will remember who you are and you will become friends.
In addition to that, if they like your ideas, they might actually feature you or their blog. Or, they might share a resource you offer.
2) Keep your comments short
Remember, this is their blog. Don’t write a novel, keep it brief.
If you feel compelled to write more on the topic, write it on your blog. Then, link back.
Don’t include a hyperlink in the body of the comment. See the next section for more details on how to send people to your blog.
3) Link back to your blog
When you post your comment, you have the opportunity to include a link back to a website. There will be fields for name, email and website. But, where should you send people? Should you send them to a lead capture page, a website, or a blog?
In general, the best approach is to send people to your blog. If a person is interested in reading blogs, then they will probably be interested in reading another similar blog.
So, should you send people to the home page of your blog? The SEO experts say that it’s best to include a link directly to one of the posts on your blog. Pick a post that has similar content to the one you are commenting on. Or, write a new post and link to it.
Are you in the habit of commenting on blogs? Or, is this a new idea for you?
If you want more traffic to your blog, then try this strategy. And be sure to pick some high profile blogs to comment on also. Make sure the topics are relevant. If you’re writing about organization tips, don’t comment on a political blog. Different audiences, different interests.
Set a goal now to comment on 3 blogs in the next 2 weeks. And while you’re reading this post, take a moment now to comment on this blog. Make it happen!
Rick Cooper
Marketing Coach