What the BLOG?

Blogs Are the NEW Secret Weapon for Reaching Your Tarket. Just like you, I hate being marketed to. Every day we're bombarded with over 3,500 marketing messages. And frankly I'm sick of it! But blogs are different. Blogs are a two-way conversation between blogger and bloggee (plus all the readers in between). Through commenting and cross-linking, you can share feedback. You can build your network. You can become, dare I say it, an Internet celebrity!

See blogs add humanity and instantaneous expression to the web. Like ezines, blogs are a way for your customer to get to know you.

However, unlike ezines, blogs help you with search engine rankings. Did you hear me? I said, unlike ezines, blogs help you with search engine rankings. That's a big one.

Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Week, even the FCC (Federal Trade Commission) all believe blogs are here to stay. Recently Michael Powell, chairman of the FCC, started one. His initial post drew over 30,000 readers. A Microsoft spokesperson says Bill Gates is considering starting a blog. And filmmaker Michael Moore built a blog to promote his controversial new movie, Fahrenheit 9/11.

But who has time to read a blog anyway? Exactly! The job of a blog is to cut through the information overload and deliver searchable, relevant and current content. BlogAds.com recently conducted a survey of over 17,000 blog readers. Here's what they report:

  • Blog readers are older and more affluent. 61% of blog readers are over 30, and 75% make more than $45,000 a year.

  • Blog readers are more cyber-active. 54% of their news consumption is online. 21% are themselves bloggers and 46% describe themselves as opinion makers.

  • Blog readers are media-mavens. 21% subscribe to the New Yorker magazine, 15% to the Economist, 15% to Newsweek and 14% to the Atlantic Monthly.

  • Whether on the left or right, blog readers have traits in common that often are absent in today's public spaces: passion and initiative.

  • Blog readers have apathy towards traditional news sources. 82% say that television is worthless. 55% percent say the same about print newspapers. 54% say the same about print magazines.

  • Meanwhile, 86% say that blogs are either useful or extremely useful as sources of news or opinion. 80% say they read blogs for news they can't find elsewhere. 78% read because the perspective is better. 66% value the faster news. 61% say that blogs are more honest.

  • Blog readers appear united in their dissatisfaction with conventional media and their rabid love of blogs.

Don't you want to be a blogger too? How about looking at some samples of the good, the bad and the bizarre?

Model citizen blogs: http://www.marketingsecrets.com/blog/ - John Reese's blog. Hey, the guy just made $1,080,496.37 online in a single day. Here's a good rule of thumb. If Reese is doing it, you should be too.

http://www.talkbiz.net/ramblings/weblog.php - Copywriter Paul Myers keeps us up-to-date on SPAM and other Internet marketing nightmares.

http://www.thinkbigrevolution.com/ - Michael Port's weekly calls to inspire those who aspire now have an online connecting point. Designed by Andy Wibbels.

My Blog: http://www.red-hot-copy.com/blog.htm - my blog today (see end of article).

Bizarro Blog: Jeff Bridges' site is considered a "blog." It's hand-written! (Yes, really). http://www.jeffbridges.com

I've been dipping my toe into the blogging pool since earlier this year. Now I've decided it's time to really learn how to do this stuff with an expert who will take me by the hand through the scary forest of the blog-world. I'm going back to school! Through another client, I met blogging guru, Andy Wibbels. Sure, he has a funny name, but he is adorable! And his writing style has me rolling on the floor. Well Andy is a self-professed geek. And Andy knows blogs. He says it's easy and I trust him. Read more about it here. www.easybakeweblogs.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

International copywriting trainer, author and speaker, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero has been a freelance writer and journalist for over 25 years. Her words have made her clients hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now she focuses her vast experience on teaching others the skill of copywriting. Lorrie is the author of a highly acclaimed copywriting course, creator of the Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp and founder of Copy Campus, a unique membership resource site designed to support copywriters and entrepreneurs on all levels. Visit her site to learn more at http://www.red-hot-copy.com.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Blogging/RSS Information:

Related Articles

5 Easy Ways To Use RSS On Your Site
You hear so much talk about RSS these days on the Internet and in the media. Everyone is acknowledging it's importance in boostingyour site's presence on the web.
Blog Marketing: Guerrillas Stalk the Internet
Blogs, are often defined as frequent and ongoing publications of personal thoughts and opinions of the Internet or websites. And, of course - all of certainly know what Marketing is.
Top Ten Reason to Publish an Ezine AND a Blog
Blogs are the hottest thing going these days when it comes to marketing on the Internet. A blog is a way of delivering your messages and article to clients.
How Direct Sales Reps Can Use Blogging
One of the tools that a smart direct sales representative use to attract new business is a blog. A blog keeps customers and potential customers informed about products, events and services that relate to your business, new releases, contests, specials and it always keeps your name front and center.
RSS Feeds Have Revolutionized the Internet
RSS feeds have revolutionized the Internet for one very good reason: they have provided and end to Spam. With RSS feeds, you can say good-bye to mass emails and distributions that do not meet your news needs and clog up your mailbox and hard drive.
Why Blogs Have Become the Search Engine Optimization Equalizer
ALEXA WEIGHS IN..
Blogging Is Not Important - Its Crucial
It has been established that having a 'blog' helps your web site gain visitors and higher rankings in search engines. But a small study which I have just completed shows that blogging is much more important than this.
Blogging for Dollars
Blogging for dollars might sound like the latest game show or some new drinking game, but it's the latest craze to hit the Internet. Bloggers began blogging for a number of reasons, but as the blog movement has increased in popularity, they have found ways to monetize their blogs and are seeing their commitment pay off.
How Bloggers Are Making Thousands of Dollars From the Google Adsense Affiliate Program
There is no doubt that the Google Adsense program for publishers and site owners is one of the most successful affiliate programs anywhere. There is increasing evidence that many bloggers have managed to find the right formula to make thousands of dollars every month from little more than a handful of blogs with carefully created and compiled content.
Marketing with Blogs and RSS Feeds
Perhaps you still don't realize or fully understand the power of RSS Feeds as a marketing tool.After all, email works fine, doesn't it?Unfortunately, the truth is:1.
What Is A Blog? - A Beginners Guide to Understanding Blogs
A blog is short for weblog, which simply means a website that is updated frequently with new information and is organized by date and submission. Blogs are typically a way of journalizing information whether it be personal, business, or what have you.
The Right Blog Software Can Make A Blog Stand Out from the Crowd
Blogs are an easy way to get your voice out onto the Net. For the Web-It-Yourselfer, custom blogs are a great way to learn about web technologies and create something from the ground up.
Top 10 Places to Find the Most Popular Blogs
The easiest way to get acquainted with the conventions of the blog format is to start reading them. The more blogs you read, the more you'll get a feel for the depth and breadth of style and subject matter they have to offer.
Marketing With Blogs and RSS - The Hot New Tools of 2005
In case you haven't heard, the net is buzzing with talk ofblogging and RSS. Once the province strictly of people whogot a kick out of publishing online diaries, and later ofpolitical and social commentarists, blogs and RSS are beingadopted by the internet marketing community.
Are Blog Meant for Raves and Rants?
Blogging is the latest internet craze and it may turn out to be just that and killed off if the avalanche of misinformation continues. One is amazed at how an excellent online medium is promoted for all the wrong reasons.
Podcasting vs. Blogging
The US Navy blogs. Larry Kudlow of CNBC blogs.
How to Use RSS for Free Targeted Website Traffic
RSS (real simple syndication) is the new rage in communication. Why? Because people are beginning to see the traffic and communication potential of using RSS to boost their business.
Brief History of Blogs
So where did all these blogs come from? How did they get from an underground geek toy to a mainstream tool that has revolutionized politics, journalism, marketing and the media?I always find that when I learn about a new technology or way of doing something online, the geeks have already been there (and I say the word 'geek' with complete affection - I'm one too!). Before business became inseparable from the computer, email or the internet, the academics and tinkerers were there first, kicking the tires and playing with the technology.
7 Tips for Choosing the Right Blog Software for Your New Blog
Choosing the right blog software for your new blog requires that you ask yourself some questions and make a list of all of the features and tools you need as well as your budget. Once you have this information written down you will be prepared to start shopping for blog software.
Creating A Basic RSS Feed For Your Site
The future of RSS Feeds and internet marketing is looking bright and promising. It would be a wisedecision to get yourself up to speed on this developingcontent sharing technology by putting together yourown news feed for your site.