Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Combat Writer's Block


Blogs are a great way to attract viewers to your company’s website. They are continually being updated, which keeps readers coming back for more, and they help you enter into a conversation with those who visit your website. Website design needs to be eye catching, but don’t forget to keep your content alluring as well. Blogs help keep your website’s content fresh and exciting. But blog writing can also be hard. Here are a few tips on how to combat writer’s block, creativity lapses, and anything else that might stunt your blogging.

The dreaded writer’s block. It happens to all of us. Sometimes we sit down to write and nothing comes to us! We have no ideas, no thought provoking conversations we can enter into, and no motivation. Well, there is no cure for writer's block. However, there are some things you can do to help overcome it. First of all, if you are having one of those writer’s block days, just take some time to walk away from the computer or notepad. Give your mind a break from thinking, and just relax. Think about what you’ve written in the past, what subjects have attracted readers before, and what sort of things would be relevant to write about today. More than likely, you will be able to think of something.

If that fails, try free writing. Write down ideas or sentences or paragraphs of different things. One of your threads is bound to take you somewhere, and you may be able to flesh out an entire blog post. Free writing is a great exercise to do before you even sit down at your computer. It gets the creative juices flowing!
When you’re out and about, keep your ears open and have a pad of paper and pen with you at all times. Inspiration can strike at any point, and if you catch wind of any good ideas for blogs topics, you should write them down. It will help you in those moments of writer’s block.

A good blog always needs a good title. Some writers create a title after their blog is complete. For others, the title is the first thing they write down. Whichever camp you fall into, make sure your title is catchy and informative. It should draw the reader in without being misleading. You can use catch phrases, old sayings, or alliterations; the more creative your title is, the better. Another good tactic is combining a catchy title with a subtitle that describes more what the article is about. For example: From Riches to Rags: The Story of the Kardashian’s Fall from the Top. The Kardashian’s, of course, have not yet fallen from the top, but if they had, people would be interested in reading about it. This title would definitely peak some reader interest.
When you are writing, make sure spelling and grammar is in check. Have someone proofread your work, or enable spell and grammar check on your computer. Everyone makes mistakes, but you won’t earn credibility among your readership if you have poor grammar.

Blogs have the potential to attract lots of readers to your company’s website; just make sure that you have interesting things to write about. Anything that you have to say that is relevant to your company and your audience is worth sharing with your readership. So start blogging, and keep these tips in mind.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Blogging 101

It is very fortunate for the businesses that are beginning to understand the importance of blogging. The overall idea of blogging makes a lot of sense when you look at it from a marketing and advertising point-of-view. Submitting articles or blogs helps link a company’s web site, encourage potential clients to seek more information regarding them, and gives a business the chance to reach people around the world.

By definition, a blog is a type of web site that includes recurring entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics and video. Most blogs display entries in reverse-chronological order (with the most recent being the first). Often used as a verb, the word “blog” also means to maintain or add content to an actual blog.

A lot of companies prefer to use blogs because it allows them to meet their customers more directly. Unlike flyers or electronic messages, a blog is more interactive and can be visited more frequently.

Search engine optimization professionals recommend that a company post a new blog each day or weekly. Customers and clients like to see updates; it makes them believe that you are serious about your business.

Below is a list of CODANK Charlotte Web Design recommended blog sites:

• Articlesland.com
• Articlesbase.com
• Hubpages.com
• Blogspot.com
• Digg.com
• Technorati.com
• Onlinemarketingconnect.com
• Getyourcontent.com
• Articleblast.com
• Merchantcircle.com
• Populate.net
• Articlepress.com
• Goarticles.com
• Articledashboard.com

About CODANK Web Design

CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services.

For more information, visit us at www.codank.com

Friday, September 17, 2010

What is Viral Marketing?

The importance of Social Media Optimization has increased over the past few years. If you take a look at sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter you will see that all of these sites seemed uncertain of at first, but now they have surpassed many expectations.

Large to small businesses have began to make use of social networking sites in order to create a buzz in the market. Using social media as a marketing tool requires a more dedication than some of the traditional methods. Viral Marketing is defined as the process of marketing materials and information via social networking.

This type of marketing uses pre-existing social networks to increase brand awareness by encouraging people to pass along a promotional message. It is an effective way of using word-of-mouth to achieve success.

The first step in viral marketing begins with good content (also known as viral content). All content that is spread through social networking sites should consist of ‘real information’ that catches the attention of users. Users are more likely to become more excited about things that benefit them in some type of way. If a message does not provide what they need, it is recommended that a company rethink their entire viral campaign.

Common on the viral marketing world is a concept known as blogging. For example, a company may post an article on a site such as articlesbase.com. Once the blog has been posted, the article is then tagged in a social network, and then begins to distribute elsewhere. Each time it is tagged more people see it, and then someone else tags it and it reaches more viewers. It is similar to applying the snowball effect to marketing.

Viral Marketing Tips
• Do not feel the need to only create expensive advertisements
• Make it easy for users to share your content
• Make use of different types of social media sites
• Sell your idea in a creative way

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Importance of Blogging

Blogs are a great way to enhance search engine optimization strategies in today’s Internet world. Posting content to outside bloggers, as well as hosting and maintaining your very own blog, are tactful ways that all search engine optimization professionals should consider.

A web blog is described as a collection of text, images, and video that is usually updated in chronological order on a daily or weekly basis. The activity of updating the content is known as blogging.

It is said that blog platforms are built for search. By adding content, names, tags, keywords, and links to a blog are all ways to increase the chances of you being found. Visitors are able to find you through search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, or through other blog sites.

A majority of web blogs are free and easy-to-use. On the other hand, some web sites require you to pay a fee per post or just a flat fee.

Free Available Web Blogs

Technorati.com
ArticleWarehouse.com
ArticlesBase.com
Wordpress.com
Soulcast.com
Blog.com
Populate.com
OnlineMarketingConnect.com
GoArticles.com
ArticleLoft.com
ArticleZones.com

The following are a few ways in which blogs should be part of a company’s search engine optimization plan:

RSS – Rich Site Summary feeds syndicated content to search engines, as well as other web properties
Inbound links – Most bloggers tend to link to one another, as well as to news, social media, and websites. External blogs are a great source for inbound links. It is a possibility that a link can go to either your web site or to your very own blog.
Frequent updates – Keeping updated content is what attracts more search engine crawlers to your web site.
Internal links – Creating deep links within your content can help with visibility and awareness.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Monday, February 22, 2010

Social Media 101

Interaction within your network is a great way to generate interest in your business. Everyday people will not be drawn to you if they have nothing to spark their interest. Being able to reach these people where they are most comfortable, and this is usually social web sites. Search Engine Optimization professionals have coined this term Social Media.

Social media is defined as a form of marketing that concentrates on increasing traffic and awareness by participating in various social media web sites.

This new phase has been creating such a buzz in today’s business world that large corporations such as CNN are beginning to take advantage of it.

SEO professional have agreed that social networks make it easier to build contacts and potential clients that in return can assist in spreading the word about a certain business’ products or services and web site.

Creating an account on these social media sites (listed below) will provide you with a platform for your network to comment, view, and vote on the content and photos in which you provide. The Internet also contains social websites that focus on news and video sharing.

Below are a few examples of the different social media categories and the top sites:

Social Bookmarking – share, organize, search, and manage bookmarks of websites
Delicious - www.delicious.com
StumbleUpon - www.stumbleupon.com

Social Networking – build a profile, add friends, update your status, share photos and videos
Twitter – http://twitter.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com
MySpace – www.myspace.com

Social News – submit and vote on news stories or other links
Digg - www.digg.com
Technorati - www.technorati.com

Blogging – post regular entries of articles, content, or other written material
Blogger – www.blogger.com
HubPages – www.hubpages.com

Video Sharing – upload video clips for public viewing
YouTube – www.youtube.com
Vimeo – www.vimeo.com

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Blog Platforms 101

Blogs are very important when dealing with Search Engine Optimization. They are highly effective tools in which can enhance SEO strategies in a variety of ways over a long period of time. A company should consider working with bloggers as well as maintaining a few blogs their selves.

Search Engine Optimization is defined as the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via natural or un-paid search results.

According to Search Engine Optimization professionals, blog platforms are built for search. Even though names, written content, tags, and links are all vital, these blog platforms have lots of optimization advantages baked into them from the start.

Many commercial websites are beginning to take advantage of available blog platforms rather than building their own web properties – which are content management platforms.

In essence, all blogging software packages are simple content management systems (CMS).

Below are a few comparisons between blogs and a content management system:

URL structures are more simple and search-friendly
Most blogs are frequently updated
Blog posts are usually text-rich and link-rich
Blogs contain minimum HTML code to trip up search engine spiders and crawlers
Blogs naturally encourage linking
Blog platform make it easy to add new pages

Following are some ways in which blogs should be part of a company’s Search Engine Optimization strategy (provided by The Truth about Search Engine Optimization by Rebecca Lieb):

Inbound links
Internal links
RSS (Rich Site Summary)
Frequent Updates
Keywords
Structured Content
Community

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Friday, November 13, 2009

A Helpful Hand: Content Management System

A lot of companies specialize in applying Content Management Systems – file-driven web systems that permits their clients to simply update and create their own website content, pages, and images whenever necessary without any HTML knowledge.

Some are affordable while others may be more on the expensive side. Thorough research should be conducted before purchasing a Content Management System.

With most CMS’s, clients have the capability to manually update:
· Pages
· Images
· Text Content
· Upcoming Events
· Links
· Calendars and more…

Within the CMS, updates can be made into the pre-determined content area of each desired page. Each editing feature is available via a browser with no HTML experience or FTP software needed.

Essential editing tools included with majority CMS’s:
· Blogging capability
· Add/manage a directory of members
· Create new pages and delete older pages
· Add text/multiple images
· Add/edit various calendars
· Add News and Specials/Features/Events headlines and corresponding stories

An additional feature to most CMS’s, including CODANK’s, is a client’s ability to appoint access to various associates. This facilitates a site administrator to allow numerous people access to view or edit pages on the website, hence allowing those associates to manage available content.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design


CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Monday, October 26, 2009

To Blog or Not to Blog?

Many new businesses are beginning to learn the importance of blogging. The idea of blogging makes a lot of sense if you look at it from a marketing perspective. Posting a blog can influence the shift from outbound to inbound marketing and give a business the chance to interact with their clients in an innovative way.

A blog is a type of website that includes regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. The word "blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

One simple blog lets a small to large size business meet their customers more directly rather than sending out flyers or an electronic message. It changes your website from a plain information sheet that people tend to look at only once to something that they can interact with and visit more frequently.

Posting a new blog each day or weekly is a wonderful way to reach a specific target audience with your thoughts, opinions, and offerings on significant topics.

Below is a list of CODANK Charlotte Web Design recommended blog sites:

Digg.com
Technorati.com
Onlinemarketingconnect.com
Merchantcircle.com
Populate.net
Articlesland.com
Articlesbase.com
Hubpages.com
Blogspot.com
Getyourcontent.com
Articleblast.com
Articlepress.com
Goarticles.com
Articledashboard.com

Be sure to visit these blog websites to see if they fit best with your business. Many of the above sites are looked at by search engines such as Google and Yahoo. High page rank and backward links can be acquired simply by posting quality blogs.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top rated Charlotte Web Design, Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services. We specialize in web design and development, branding and identity, internet marketing, and content management systems.

For more information, visit us at www.codank.com