Uncategorized

12 Oct

Posted at 12:15h in Uncategorized by
Beth Hodgson is from Canada so she has to peg all her blog posts from US news. Otherwise they'd be too boring.  How important is it to write about current stories? Should all of your blog posts be relevance to news in your industry? These are great questions and  worth exploring. If you want fast answers, I can give you a few: [caption id="attachment_3718" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The only news in Canada is about hockey."][/caption]

05 Oct

Posted at 08:45h in Uncategorized by
By Beth Hodgson-Graddon who writes with a chip on her shoulder,  still bitter about that Wayne Gretzky trade back in '88.  If you haven’t been blogging for a while, it is hard to know how to get started again. You've fallen off the "writing wagon" but more importantly, do  you still have the same audience just waiting in the wings?  Or do you need to start from scratch to build up your readership again?  To answer those questions, try the following:

28 Sep

Posted at 13:44h in Uncategorized by
Beth Hodgson-Graddon blogs like a true Canadian with full healthcare benefits.  Determining the things your target market really cares about is essential when  setting up a blog for your business. You need to approach it from a marketing perspective, although the follow-through may not be -at least not in the traditional sense.  Many people  consider “marketing” to be the antithesis of a real blog– they choose blogging  to connect with their clients rather than “annoy” them with direct marketing. The important thing to remember is that there are many parallels between direct marketing and setting up a business blog. In both instances you are attempting to reach the client to enhance your brand.  The true message here is that you can’t be afraid of marketing tactics. We’ve discussed using your blog to test the water on choosing subjects. This time we’re going to really think like marketers - well, kind of.  Here's what I mean:

21 Sep

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized by
By Beth Graddon-Hodgson, who is from Canada.  Which may make her opinions rather suspect, if not subversive.  With constantly evolving demands in social media, it is interesting how there is such a high frequency of social media conferences when techniques almost can’t be taught.  Why do so many people feel the need to share their expertise on something when there are no real rules? The question is on my mind because there are a number of social media conferences popping up around the Toronto Area. The 140 Characters Conference is on a North American tour and just happened here.  Blissdom Canada is another conference coming up this fall. Here are a few thoughts of mine about why these conferences are important and also some words of caution for those trying to learn from them. 

08 Sep

Posted at 16:13h in Uncategorized by
It is always a bit of dilemma when a client asks that we promote all new blog articles via social media on a daily basis. It’s not that I’m against promoting in this manner, but I am always concerned about balance. I don’t want to get too far into social media strategy, but I would like to discuss how the use of social media affects your blog when you choose these different strategies.

31 Aug

Posted at 09:02h in Uncategorized by
Looking at many of the job postings for writers, I see a lot of people saying that they don’t want ‘spun’ articles. Obviously, the term is being used in a negative context, which I find interesting, because I’ve always looked at it in a more positive way.  Once again, with the evolution of web content we’re seeing one term being used in a variety of ways, which can lead to serious confusion.

19 Jul

Posted at 05:50h in Uncategorized by
Whether you’re a writer or not, finding the time to sit down and write is hard, especially if you're running your own business.  Finding  inspiration for writing can be even harder. If you aren’t a writer by trade, you do have the opportunity to decide exactly when and where you want to write for your blog – but there are some things that can help you prime the pump.

28 Jun

Posted at 09:45h in Uncategorized by
[caption id="attachment_3297" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Sire, methinks you need more links. "][/caption] Google Panda has made it even more essential that you use high-quality links in your blog posts - and all of your web content for that matter. But you have to know what constitutes a ‘high quality link’. Some may have more rigid ideas about what this means, but I think there is some room for interpretation. Too many low quality links can hurt you in the long run. Here are three good suggestions for finding links that add value to your blog or site: 1) Leading sources – government sources, top industry blogs etc are the ones that Google considers the most reputable. These sites do offer a way to put some quantitative research into an article that you’re writing, so they’re good for more than simply ranking benefits.