Optimize Your Blog for Maximum Exposure and Effectiveness

In this blog post we’ll discuss the ins and outs of … blog posts! Many of our clients have blogs on their website and post regularly. They include topics such as recent and upcoming events, news from their particular industry, special promotions and updates from the office, or just the general musings of the poster. We’ve found fresh content from regular posters adds a significant benefit to their optimization efforts. But how can they get even more out of them? Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your blog page.

• Post Regularly! – More is better! Post as often as you can, because the more content you add to your blog the more the search engines see your blog (and thus your website) as relevant, updated and important. If you’re diligent, you’ll see an improvement in your search engine results almost immediately. Also keep in mind you can have as many contributors to your blog as you want. Therefore, if you sign up several skilled wordsmiths in the office, they can share the task of posting regularly.

• Include Keywords in the Title – The specific URL of your blog post is the first five to eight words in the title (depending on length) so make sure those words count! Refer directly to whatever you’re discussing in the body of your post. If you’re not sure if the words you’ve chosen are frequently searched, use this tool. Try not to cram so many keywords into the title that it’s unintelligible, just use a few of the most important ones.

• Link Back to Other Pages on Your Site – You want users to visit more than just your blog, right? So send them to the rest of your website! Don’t just link back to your home page though. Provide text links to the specific pages that address what you’re discussing. If you’re not sure how to do this or need help, ask your AM.

• Use Social Networking to Your Advantage – Search for other blogs out there like yours – trust me there are tons! Reading other blogs in your industry will give you ideas on what to post on your own blog. But there’s more. You can comment on other people’s blog posts and include a link to yours. One caveat – never spam someone else’s blog! Add a comment that is relevant such as more information related to the topic, not just a link. By doing this, you may even establish relationships with other bloggers to share ideas and strategies.

• Advertise Your Blog! – Include a link to your blog in your email signature. If you have a list of clients or patients, make sure to let them know. Tell friends and family about it and ask them to pass it along. Make sure that you have something interesting for them to read though (see “Post Regularly” above). There are so many simple ways to let the world know about your blog. The only limit is your imagination.

• Make it Fun – This is perhaps the most important advice I can give. If posting to your blog becomes a chore, it will show and viewers will lose interest. It may sound contrary to all the tips I’ve just given…but posting to your blog does not have to be complicated or time consuming. Just enjoy it. If you do, you’ll be inclined to post more often.

So get out there and turn your blog into the powerful web marketing tool that it is! And stay tuned to 24-7 AMs for more valuable tactics.

More About Blog Inspiration

What I think my associate, Noel, is trying to say is:

Here are some things to consider to get you into a "blogging" mentality.

Write about what you know about:
You deal with patients or clients on a daily basis. Whenever any issue or circumstance presents itself, make a note of it. After a week, try to have around 5 or 6 notes on potential topics. At the end of the week, write a paragraph or two on that topic. You will often find yourself writing more than just two paragraphs.

By just starting to write, your creative juices will start flowing and you'll be able to kick out an article in no time.

Waiting for Inspiration

I often lecture my clients when they do not update their blogs. "Write about whatever," I tell them. "This is meant to be fun, not a burden." For the first time in a long time, I feel sympathy for them. I was committed to updating the Account Management blog today. I logged into my account and just stared at the screen.

Uhhhhhh...

That feeling of just writing inane dribble for inane dribbles sake is overwhelming. I mustn't write crap! That would just be pointless.

There are all these cheesy lists of ways to get over writers block on the internet, and being the sucker I am, I checked them out.

1. Let it sit for a day or two- then come back to it at a later time. (Well- that isn't going to happen.)

2. Get a friend to help you. (I really don't think any of my three friends would be interested, so scratch that one.)

3. Admit you have writers block. Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery. (This sounds vaguely familiar...)

4. Writer's block is created from a sense of fear that your writing will be viewed as poor, therefore, you do not even try. Put that fear aside and write your feelings. (I feel like I am in therapy.)

5. Relax your mind. (Do what?)

Needless to say, I did not find anything specific that inspired me to write a cunningly clever blog entry. What worked for me, was I put on some music I enjoyed. However, what works for me may not work for others.

The first step, in my mind, is to figure out what is inspiring. Sometimes you just have to wait for inspiration. Other times, you must force it out, just like you would the last dab of toothpaste from the already over-squeezed, marred shell of what was once your creative reservoir.

Now thats a blog post! Take that Mr. Lack of Motivation!