Blogging

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I’m ready to start social media marketing! Uh, what should I write about?

I have to be somewhat careful about what I say here, because I’ve been a professional writer for the past 40 years and may not evince the sympathy you would expect. But believe me: I’ve stared at a lot more blank screens than you’d care to imagine!

What I would encourage you to do, however, is to rephrase the question in the headline a bit. Since this is all about social media, ask instead, What should I talk about?

Is that an easier question?

Also, don’t just see yourself sitting behind a computer, but put yourself into a social situation, talking with a few friends or customers. (With luck, they’re both.) Envision a recent conversation in which you chatted about your business. What did you say then?

If it’s like most conversation, there was a mixture of short statement, questions, replies and longer stories or explanations. And that’s what your social media marketing is about as well. [Read more...]

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So, there is a way to write blogs that is faster than using the interface within WordPress; intuitive and fast

Ahhh.

Something that has disgruntled me about WordPress (and other blogging services, as well) is how tedious it is to write blog entries. Now there is an option.

Yes, in the past, you have been able to insert from text or from Word, but then you had to massage and enhance through the on-site panel.

Live WriterMaybe, just maybe, those days are over. A tweet by @ivanwalsh recommended using Windows Live Writer for the input functions, suggesting that it is much faster. So I downloaded it and am trying it out right now.

A Microsoft product, it calls itself Live Writer, so I’m writing this blog entry as I’m testing it. I have absolutely no experience with the program, other than the above 5 paragraphs and the headline. So either the headline will stand or it will get a capital “NOT” after it.

[Read more...]

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These are a few of my favorite WordPress plugins

WordPress pluginsThe headline is never going to be made into a song, but for bloggers, plugins play a kind of indispensable music and we spend a bit of time looking for new and exciting ones, perhaps as much as gamers spend looking for new games that will give the old Nindendo new life.

Some plugins are utilitarian, providing backup and stopping spam. Some are decorative, offering a better way of displaying illustrations. And some are  business oriented, giving an easy to take the “old” blog to mobile devices.

Here are some that I install on every blog: [Read more...]

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When writing a business blog, take these 7 steps to make your message clear to your reader

There are a variety of reasons that customers and prospects will want to spend time on your site when you’re writing a business blog for them, with entertainment and education being the major ones.

WidgetMillions of people spent a good piece of their time today searching out entertainment on the internet, and there’s no reason your website and blog can’t provide some of that, even if your business is selling or polishing widgets.

But it’s more likely that they’ll come for the education. If that is the case, there are several aspects of writing a business blog to keep in mind, whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring it done: [Read more...]