blogging « Talk, Inc - Find Your Voice

5 ways we’ve increased our blog traffic

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

One of the most exciting things about blogging is gaining new followers and knowing your content is being read. If your blog following is a bit lackluster consider the following tips:

1. Make subscription easy. The easier you make it to subscribe to your blog, the more frequently readers will do it. You may already provide an option to subscribe by RSS but if someone doesn’t know what that is or gets confused along the way, they may give up. By making an email subscription available, your blog becomes accessible to different levels of computer users.

2. Help people find it. Encourage people to visit your blog by adding a link to all of your outgoing correspondence including your email signature line. Also, add links to your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.

3. Be active in the blogosphere. Reading and commenting on other relevant blogs can help drive traffic to your blog. Write meaningful and helpful comments on other blogs and include a link back to your blog. This can encourage valuable relationships with other bloggers and will also be seen by their readers.

4. Make a commitment to blog daily. The more frequently you blog the more attractive your blog is to search engine crawling. Frequent posts will also give your current followers more reasons to revisit your website and possibly pass it on to friends.

5. Brag a little. Take time to submit your best blog posts to bookmarking sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon and Delicious. This will help people find your blog and if they like what they see, it makes it super easy for them to come back again and share it with friends.

These tips don’t require much tech savvy and can be highly effective in increasing traffic to your blog. Success will come from being committed, enthusiastic and interesting.

Tags: blogging, Internet Marketing Wilmington NC, Social media
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments

Talk’s Blogging 101 Webinar - Slides

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Thanks again to everyone who attended our Blogging webinar! If you have any additional questions that we didn’t get a chance to answer, please feel free to leave it in the comments below and we’ll respond how we can there! Check back later today for a video of the presentation.

Blogging 101 Webinar

View more documents from Debbie Elliott.

Tags: blogging, blogging in Wilmington NC, blogging wilmington nc, blogs, Pillar posts, talk inc, Webinar, Webinar in Wilmington NC, Webinar Slides, wilmington nc
Posted in Professional Development | Comments

Talk’s upcoming webinars

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Talk is hosting a free one-hour webinar on the fourth Thursday of each month. Don’t wait! Register below for June, July and August.

Blogging 101
Admit it. You don’t blog. You don’t read blogs. You don’t even know what a blog is. You think if you made it this far in business without blogging, why start now? Here’s the skinny: EVERYONE should be reading blogs. NOT everyone needs to write one. But if you’re a business owner or manager, you may want to start. To learn how to create an effective blogging campaign for your company, sign up for our free webinar entitled Blogging 101 on Thursday, June 25 at noon.

Social Networks 101
Why social networks? Because used properly, they can stimulate word of mouth buzz about your company. And with 80% of consumers reporting that they trust recommendations from friends and acquaintances when making purchasing decisions, word-of-mouth is the most effective marketing money can buy. To learn how social networks like Facebook, Delicious and Flickr can help you grow your business, sign up for our free webinar entitled Social Networks 101 on Thursday, July 23 at noon.

Business IS Personal
It’s a new brand world out there. In this webinar, we examine how to promote the brand called “You” without competing with or compromising your company brand. Personal branding is the process by which we market ourselves to others, and thanks to today’s social media tools, anyone can build a personal brand online. To learn why and how to build your personal brand, sign up for our free webinar entitled Business IS Personal on Thursday, August 27 at noon.

Tags: blogging, Personal Branding, Social Networks, Webinar, Webinars, webinars in Wilmington NC
Posted in Professional Development | Comments

Register for our Blogging 101 webinar

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

webinar03icon

Admit it. You don’t blog. You don’t read blogs. You don’t even know what a blog is. You think if you made it this far in business without blogging, why start now? Here’s the skinny: EVERYONE should be reading blogs. NOT everyone needs to write one. But if you’re a business owner or manager, you may want to start.

To learn how to create an effective blogging campaign for your company, register for our free 1-hour Blogging 101 webinar on Thursday, June 25 at noon.

Tags: blogging, Internet Marketing, Internet Marketing in Wilmington NC, Webinar, webinars in Wilmington NC
Posted in Professional Development | Comments

An introduction to iGoogle and Google Reader

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

With so much great content on the Internet, it is impossible to stay current on all your favorite websites and blogs without some help. iGoogle and Google Reader are great tools to help you organize your favorite news sites and blogs. Google Reader allows you to subscribe to blogs via RSS (Real Simple Syndication), which means that once you’ve subscribed, new content is automatically “pushed” directly to your iGoogle page for your review, simplifying your research and saving you valuable time.

To create an iGoogle account click here and choose “Get Started”.

You will then be prompted to choose subjects of special interest to you such as news, cooking, sports and politics.
Customize your page with a theme to replace the standard white Google page and violà, you have your very own iGoogle page!
Click “Add stuff” to discover hundreds of tools, games and gadgets that you can add to your iGoogle page. Our favorites include The Daily Puppy and Quotes of the Day.
In your computer’s preferences, make sure your iGoogle is your default page so each time you turn on your computer, this is the page your computer opens onto whenever accessing the Internet.

To sign up for a Google Reader account click here.

If you already have a Google account, use it to set up your Google Reader.
If you don’t have a Google account click “Create an Account” and follow the instructions. You will be required to log into your email account to access a verification email from Google. Make sure to click the link provided in the email.
After your account set up is complete, you can begin to build your subscription list. You can do this directly from your Google Reader by clicking “Add a subscription” and entering keywords to search for one of your favorite blogs, Find Your Voice for example.
Once you find what you are seeking, just subscribe and your reading material will be delivered to you instantly.
To subcribe to a blog via RSS, simply click on the blog’s RSS symbol.You will be transferred to a page to select a reader service. Choose Google and the blog will be automatically imported into your Google Reader. Once you get comfortable with the service, you can organize your blogs into categories and folders for easy review.

Photo by: Mark Knol

Tags: blogging, Google, Google Reader, iGoogle
Posted in Internet Marketing, Talk | Comments

My second first day

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

I’m nearing the end of my second first day working at Talk. Having been invited back as a summer intern after a week-long externship in March, I feel like I have returned home. Not only does Talk offer an incredible learning experience, friendly uber-talented co-workers and adorable top dog Camden but also the opportunity to completely submerge myself in a to-do list.

For the last four years I have lived my life carrying around my to-do list and savoring the enjoyment of checking items off. Post graduation, I enjoyed one whole week without homework and without a job. I enjoyed sleeping in and naps on the beach, hoping to offset my sleep deficit from late-night studying, but I can only handle so much of that. With no agenda, I have had way too much free time to ponder issues of unemployment, pending financial doom and my recently canceled health insurance.

Today, Kirsty mentioned writing for Intern Diaries and reminded me that I have a unique perspective. I am one of the many recent college grads who is interning after graduation regardless of previous internship experience, because of the economy.

It’s a frustrating time for young professionals such as myself. I worked relentlessly to make myself a strong candidate for jobs after graduation, having interned for the American Heart Association, worked at Pyramid Public Relations, been an active member and leader in PRSSA, volunteered in my community and graduated magna cum laude. I did everything I could to prepare for the job market only to find that there were no relevant positions available.

I hope that if you can identify with my situation or know someone who can, that you will follow my Intern Diaries this summer. As my internship and job search progresses, I’d like to share what I learn to help you out or maybe just to make you laugh.

Tags: blogging, intern, Intern Diaries, Marketing in a Recession, PRSSA, Public Relations Agency in N.C., Talk
Posted in Professional Development | Comments

Things We Love 5/20

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Debbie loves A Dog’s Day – Owned by Stacy Boyd, A Dog’s Day is a mobile grooming company that will pick up your dog at your home or place of business, whisk her away for some primping and pampering and then bring her back just a few hours later looking gorgeous! Camden had her first visit with Stacy this week and she’s never looked better. Stacy’s prices are competitive and her love of dogs is obvious. Camden just about jumped in her lap the first time they met. A Dog’s Day also offer boarding. Call Stacy at 910-616-0069. Your dog will thank you.

Jennifer loves etsy.com - This week I have rediscovered etsy.com. While cleaning out the “favorites” on my home computer, I came across this website I hadn’t visited in a long time. Etsy offers all handmade items at very reasonable prices. You’ll find everything from accessories to woodworking on this site. You can bet that some of the next gifts I buy for family and friends will be from this great website!

Kirsty loves Scanwiches – OK this week’s pick is mindblowingly-unrelated to the worlds of marketing, PR and advertising. However, it does showcase the fact that you can find anything on the Internet. And also proves that with a really great idea for a website, you can wind up in the New York Times. So, maybe a website that features scanned images of sandwiches is not so unrelated after all.

Nathan loves Blogo – For those of you who spend a lot of time blogging, or at least spend a lot of time writing posts that don’t make it past the cutting room floor for your blog (I know I have a lot of those), Blogo is probably the best blogging software I have used. Its icons can be a little confusing at first, but it synchs seamlessly and perfectly with any blog platform you use. Best of all, it does a great job formatting your post, something that even the prestigious wordpress still does poorly. While it does cost a some bucks, Blogo is money well spent for prolific bloggers!

Shawn loves Colorado based First Bank’s latest billboard and online campaign – I’ve become a bit jealous of the great chemistry between First Bank and their creative team. The results are very edgy, current and what I consider truly “outside of the box” thinking. Advertising may be on the decline and under attack but if done well can still have a great impact. Past promotions such as “Bank in your ski mask without getting arrested” and “This is the closest thing we have to a private jet” are great examples of trusting your creative team and being rewarded with worldwide buzz. The latest campaign shines a light on small businesses – literally. They have taken the simple message “We care about small business” and brought it to life by actually showcasing small businesses. They show Mrs. Bennett and her piano lessons, Abbey the babysitter, Rod the wedding singer and Joan the math tutor. Are they real? Apparently they are. In fact, Mrs Bennett is so booked that she is referring new calls to another company. Perhaps I should open a First Bank business account.

Susan loves author blogs – Social media isn’t just for traditional businesses. There has been a big push lately for authors to have their own websites, blogs, twitter accounts, etc. Linda Gerber, a Young Adult writer, understands that to reach her target audience, she needs to go where her target audience is. So with the release of her latest novel, Death By Denim, she hosted an online release party with guest bloggers and giveaways to generate buzz. I devoured the book Saturday afternoon, joined the online party by reading and commenting on the blog, sent her a Tweet telling her how much I loved it and received “Aw. THANK YOU!” in response.

Tags: A Dog's Day, Advertising, blogging, blogo, Etsy, Linda Gerber, Scanwiches, Social media, Things We Love
Posted in Professional Development | Comments

Talk on the Street: May 11-17

Monday, May 11th, 2009

Welcome to our first edition of Talk on the Street. Every Monday we’ll be posting events, seminars and meetings you can’t miss if you live in Southeastern North Carolina. So, if you’re interested in business, marketing, advertising, public relations, social media, networking and much more, check back here weekly. Send any events for our consideration to kirsty@talkinc.com.

Thursday, May 14 | Coastal Entrepreneur Awards

Join our favorite business journal and hundreds of the region’s most inspiring entrepreneurs for breakfast at the UNC Wilmington Burney Center. Co-presented by the UNCW Cameron School of Business, the event will honor the “Cape Fear region’s next generation of business stars.” Register online here.

Saturday, May 16 | Wilmington Bloggers Meetup

This is the 7th meeting of a new group in Wilmington, who informally gets together the third Saturday of every month at Connections Internet Cafe on Racine Drive, to talk about blogging, Internet marketing and social media. Whether you are a novice or an expert, you will fit right in with this group of journalists, small business owners, Realtors, business coaches, marketing mavens and much more. You can RSVP through Facebook.

Tags: blogging, Events, Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Internet Marketing Wilmington NC, Networking, Social media, Social Media in Wilmington N.C.
Posted in Internet Marketing, Marketing, Public Relations | Comments

Social media for non-profits

Friday, March 27th, 2009

In these difficult economic times, non-profit organizations have taken a greater hit than most. Donations are down, volunteerism is sliding, grant money is tight and banks aren’t lending. Although the forecast looks grim, there is a silver lining for non-profits in the form of social media, a resource that many have yet to tap despite the affordable price tag of free to pretty darn cheap. Non-profits can use social media to achieve goals like increasing involvement, finding and keeping loyal donators, publicizing events and communicating a positive message their communities. Below are just a few of the many possibilities of social media for non-profits and examples of great organizations that are using these resources.

Facebook causes page
Facebook makes it really easy to get your friends involved in your non-profit with a customized causes page. Put your missions, values, logo, fundraising goal, and links on the page, then send invites to your Facebook friends. Anyone who joins can donate to the cause, invite their friends and post discussions and comments. This creates a place for your non-profit to communicate with the people who care the most about what’s going on and keep them up-to-date on fundraising goals and successes. Check out the causes page for Project Pet Project for an example.

Blogging
Non-profits do so many wonderful things for a community, and most of us are often unaware of all that they are doing. A blog is a great way to connect with your audience to share success stories, event details and new initiatives without waiting for these stories to get picked up by the media. The blog for Carolina Canines for Service is an excellent example of non-profit blog.

Firstgiving.com
Fundraisers are often a major source of income for non-profits, and these days even solicitations for a good cause go unnoticed or unwanted. Firstgiving.com is a much easier, less invasive way to get donations or pledges to your fundraiser through personalized webpages for fundraisers or teams within a fundraiser. Participants can send their webpage link to friends and family or post it on other social media sites like Facebook or a blog. This makes donating super easy and accessible to anyone with a few bucks to spare for a good cause. To give Firstgiving a try, donate to Talk’s team page for the Walk for Those Who Can’t.

Tags: blogging, Carolina Canines, Facebook, Social media
Posted in Issues Management, Professional Development | Comments

Ten ways to build your blog readership

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

So you’ve started a blog. Now what? Now the real work begins – you have to attract readers. Here are ten tips to help build your readership and turn your blog into a must-read.

• Write well and edit better. It’s no secret that good writing is key to getting readers. But you must also be able to edit your entries to make sure they are mistake-free and that make sense to the reader, not just to you.

• Back up your brand. Writing a blog does you no good if no one knows what company (or person) is blogging. Back up all your marketing and publicity efforts with a blog design that reflects your company’s brand – visual identity, core values, tone, etc.

• Content is King. Write content that your target audience will want to read. They must learn something to want to keep reading.

• Don’t Get Stale. If content is king, fresh content is queen. You have to produce fresh information to encourage readers to come back, and come back often. If you don’t care enough to update your blog, why should a reader care to read it?

• Keep Is Simple. Make it easy for readers to subscribe to your blog by including a RSS (Really Simple Syndication) subscription button. With one click they can get your content to come to them as soon as you update it.

• Be Direct. Don’t simply ask readers to subscribe, offer the RSS feed as e-mail so your posts go directly to their inbox. Use your email database to drive traffic to your blog, then use your RSS feed to capture additional emails to drive your e-marketing campaign.

• Harness the power of e-marketing. If you already have an e-newsletter, link those articles to your blog. If you don’t have an e-newsletter, start one! Then promote it on your blog and link the articles back to your blog.

• Tag You’re It. Use tags and categories to help boost your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The more relevant your tags are, the better chance your blog has of coming up on a Google search.

• Be vocal. It’s not enough to simply write your blog. You must interact with other bloggers in your industry and community. Become a reader and commenter on others’ blogs to build a reputation for being knowledgeable and social.

• Don’t be an island. Make your blog part of the online community. Link to blogs similar to yours in both your posts and through a blog roll on your site. If you promote other worthy sites hopefully they will link back to you, encouraging their readers to become your readers too.

Tags: blogging, Graphic Design, Marketing, Social media
Posted in Graphic Design, Marketing | Comments

June	Use Blogs to Grow Your Business

May	Avoid A Crisis by Planning for One

April	Get Online or Get Left Behind

Sept 24	Local SEO

Oct 22	Crisis Management

November 19	Facebook 101

Dec 17	Twitter 101

Posts Tagged ‘blogging’

Talk’s Blogging 101 Webinar - Slides

Register for our Blogging 101 webinar

An introduction to iGoogle and Google Reader

My second first day

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