how to boost your blog using Twitter and emails

Blogs are a powerful way to pull readers to your website, to educate and entertain them and lead them to action on your website. But how do you attract readers to your blog?

Compelling and useful material is, of course, essential. But other communication tools can also be useful to advertise your blog across the web.

We look at Twitter and the good old email.

Email: The Copyblogger site recommends pushing people to your blog using an email newsletter. Copyblogger says email your blog’s RSS feed as a newsletter; start a simple opt-in email newsletter; link back to your blog; and place newsletter subscription tools everywhere.

Twitter: Put up an appealing Twitter post (aka a Tweet) about each blog post you make, and link back to your blog post. Heaps of readers will see the Twitter Tweet (especially if you have built up a group of Twitter followers) and so will be able to visit your site if they are attracted to your message. If you search and monitor the Twitter traffic, you will easily find people with an interest in the information on your blog ands can tailor your Twitter messages to attract them.

how to find valuable social media conversations

Frustrated trying to join social media conversations relevant to your industry but not sure where or how to look for them — here’s some mighty tips from the guys at ReadWriteWeb.

It shows how to identify the top blogs on any topic; how to find their most popular recent posts and their best blog archives; and how to find where else they are having conversations online.

A little bit techie but easy enough to follow and worth its weight in gold.

blogs influence consumer purchasing, says report

Blogs help make people buy things online, says a new US report. Better get blogging!

The number of people reading blogs at least once a month has grown 300 percent in the past four years. What they read strongly influences their purchase decisions and can move them to the point of actual purchase, the report says.

And here’s another reason why a blog for your own company or area of expertise might be a good marketing tool … the report says a niche focus increases your influence.

More than half (56%) of people who found blog content useful for product decisions said blogs with a niche focus and topical expertise were key sources.

According to the report, blog readers take the following actions from their reading:

• Decide on a product or service: 21 percent
• Refine choices: 19 percent
• Get support and answers: 19 percent
• Discover products and services: 17 percent
• Assure: 14 percent
• Are inspired to make a purchase: 13 percent
• Execute a purchase: 7 percent

blogs can make small brands big

Today’s newspaper may be tomorrow’s fish and chip wrapping, but the internet will never go away. That’s the sage warning of an online-PR expert in Auckland who recommends managing your online reputation carefully, and also taking advantage of the cost savings that online PR allows – “You have the potential to make a small brand big online.” Find out more here.

what’s the big deal about blogs?

What is a blog? How do they work? What can you do with them? How can you build relationships and communities with them? Find out through this simple and engaging animation with a strong message.