Small Business Blog

How you can Dominate your Niche with Blogging?

Dominate, such a strong word. If it’s too dramatic for you, fine… replace with “do better”. You can see from the graph above at mimosaPLANET.com we have been able to dramatically increase traffic to the site from people searching in google, largely because of our blogging efforts. The point is; marketing has always been about communication and if your company is not present where people are, then you don’t exist.

People may be spending more and more time on social networks but as of today people still use google to search for ‘stuff’... a whole heap. You need to be on the first page of google search results for as many relevant search phrases as possible to be found online. Simple!

Business Blogging: Top Insights for Domination in Your Niche

Ok, so the below list started life as my short notes taken live in the presentatiom. Some I have expanded and explained, for others… they remain short. So, if you’re not sure of any terms or the deeper meaning behind any point then please just ask and I’d be happy to clarify. Questions: If you have any questions? From simple to complex… please ask away in the comments or contact us. Were happy to do what we can to help. Right, let’s do this…

Keyword Analysis:

First step, do a keyword analysis. What can you research? People search in different ways, so come up with a list of different phrases under each of the following …

1. Products & Services
2. Problems & Solutions
3. Real or Perceived Benefits
4. Features
5. Competition (other solution options)

Keyword Analysis & SEO Tools:

Tools can help you do quick research and tracking of your results. You need

• Free https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
  
  
• Paid http://raventools.com/ or http://keyworddiscovery.com/

Some more options…

http://www.seomoz.org/

http://www.hubspot.com  (we use hubspot at mimosaPLANET.com)

Google Keyword Tool Hint:

• Type in multiple phrases (3-10) before searching
• Also use Google Insights – to find emerging terms!!! Get in early, it will help!

On-Page Optimization:

• Do the standard on page optimization steps
• Have a related blog posts plug in. 

Better Blog Titles:

• Lead with your best keywords (after the first 3 weeks relevance goes way down)
• Use the colon! “Chopstick instructions: how to use chopsticks”
• Must read well too, must also be persuasive

 Better blog Content Tips:

• First sentence for keywords
• Bold and italic your keywords
• Link appropriately (keywords)
• Keyword questions: use tools and platforms to find what to write about by discovering what people are asking “questions” about?
  • Search with a narrow phrase (one word)

Plug In’s for WordPress:

• “All in One SEO Plugin”
• “Scribe SEO” plugin (good for newbees)

Links:

• Consider less links on a page equals more value/juice

Create ‘Link Bait’:

Basically this means make the article attractive for people to link to by…

• Numbered lists
• How-to articles
• Embedded videos (how-to videos… either get transcribed or write text to complement the video)
• Best industry blogs award. Other awards. (write to bloggers and tell them of the award “you made the top 25 list”)

Comment Links:

• These are No follow (they don’t count to help improve your or another person’s page in the ranking for search results).
• But – they do help build Relationships between you and other people if you are commenting on other peoples blogs, and other people may click through to your site if your comment is good…. Which is more traffic to your site)

Guest Blogging:

• Guest blogging is still a great way for a person to get noticed online
• Try Myblogguest.com to find where you can become a guest blogger

Social Media:

• No follow (but they (google) are paying attention)….
• Who knows what this means for search results today but… I suspect a page that has 500 facebook likes and 1000 retweets must already have greater relevance (and thus be higher in search results) than the same content without any community vote of confidence

Shareable:

• Use Facebook “like”,
• Also - ReTweet button, LinkedIn plus more…

Article Wheels & Similar:

• Hubpages, squido – quality way down, focus more on guest blogging than trying to ‘game the system’.
• Google has an army of uber smart people… help them, don’t try to bet them, ultimately... you’ll lose!

Fresh content vs used content:

• When people guest blog, its ok for them to repost on their blog after 2 weeks!

My Question to YOU? 

• For the novice: What has stopped you becoming a regular blogger to date?
• For the more experienced blogger: What is your Top Tip for the novice blogger?

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In Short 

Today, even with social media storming ahead changing peoples behaviour, blogging is a very effective way for small businesses to build dominance in their niche. Get found online using your blog. But be prepared to continually adjust tactics, what was true one day might change the next.
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Action Points

• If you are already blogging: make any little (or major) tweaks as necessary to improve.
• If you are not yet blogging: start. Either setup one yourself using WordPress & a Hosting Company (it’s way easier than you might think) or contact your existing website provider to redesign/add a blogging component to your site.

NOTE: If you get a less than knowledgeable and enthusiastic response from your existing provider, vote with your mouse and find another provider who will give you the service you deserve!