The Wax Blog
05 Apr Drawing the line between blog and SEO content
By Beth Graddon-Hodgson Recently I’ve noticed that the line is becoming blurred between blog and SEO content. Theoretically, anything you post online must by SEO-friendly, but there are still noticeable differences – or so it used to be. If you’ve been following, you know by now I don’t like to fit blog writing into a limited definition as many do. But I also don’t think that absolutely anything goes because you don’t want your blog to become overly technical. Before I get into where that line should be drawn, let’s consider what role an SEO article (you know the type that’s often produced by the major SEO firms) plays versus what a blog should accomplish:04 Apr Online Reputation Management
This weekend Nick Bilton wrote a piece about companies that are providing Online Reputation Management services called "Erasing the Digital Past" He continues on in a blog post today discussing how one's online reputation may be the "modern day credit report." As a publicist, dealing with a client's online history has become a bigger and bigger part of my job and next week I'll be announcing a service to help people improve their online reputations and search results. I remember a client of mine several years ago who was launching her first book based on her experiences as a Silicon Valley executive and lifecoach. These careers were after a rather successful one as a lingerie model, that included appearances in Howard Stern videos and some Playboy publications. Although her married name showed no results, once we found her maiden name online it turned out some of her photos were even being used as cellphone wallpaper! That may be a drastic example, but as most people know Google alerts are simply not enough. We know that company's like Toyota are quite skilled at burying bad news and poor press, as I wrote about in a February 2010 post. We may not all have advertising budgets like Toyota, but there are many things you can do to clean up your reputation online fast. On Thursday I'll give you some tips based on what we do for clients, to create an image online that's just as wonderful as your image in person.The first task, however, is to understand how to determine the current state of your online reputation. Here's how:31 Mar How to manage a press conference
In Monday's post I blogged about whether or not press conferences were still a valid means of communication. The main point was that whenever you have breaking news that everyone is interested in, a compelling visual or stunt, or a crisis to manage a news event can be very effective. But how best to manage it? Here are a few tips that can help everything run more smoothly.30 Mar Wax has hired two new salesmen!
They've just finished making sales calls in Lafayette, Colorado and they'll be in your neighborhood soon....
29 Mar Why taking risks pays off big time in blogging
Many businesses are nervous about sticking their neck out when they blog – they’re worried about people latching on to an idea or opinion voiced that they don’t like, and they’re concerned what that will do to the business.
But here’s the thing, without taking risks, you’ve got nothing to offer, so it is a must. Otherwise, all you’re doing is relaying the same news and fact that everyone else is already providing. Let’s face it, if you’re a small business looking to blog to increase brand awareness, you’re a small fish in a big sea. You’ve got to stand out or there will always be bigger businesses and sources that people turn to for industry news. I lose interest while rewriting and simply reiterating something someone has already said, and that won’t say much for the interest of your readers.
You don’t always need to take extreme risks to attract an audience. There are different types of risks every blog can choose to take. It comes down to your personal comfort level, but here are some ways to go about it:
28 Mar Are press conferences dead?
I remember the first press conference I ever ran. It was for the Sierra Club, to announce the results of a study in which they found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in most of the turkeys purchased in local grocery stores. 10 years ago this was shocking news and we had film crews, print journalists and even a few people from the agricultural companies there.
Today this wouldn't be big enough news to hold a press conference, much less to draw people to an actual event. It's too easy to do interviews, write a story, even get video without needing to leave your desk. That doesn't mean the news conference is necessarily dead. It just means before you do one make sure you have a really good reason. Or something that will draw attention to your news. Here are a the few good reasons left to hold a news conference:
24 Mar Business basics for freelancers
If you're a freelance entrepreneur, you may be running multiple streams of business, and your business operations may be quite complex. The greatest asset a freelance entrepreneur can have is a good reliable business setup. ...
23 Mar Worst client ever
Sorry, I can't name names. ...