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Branding Checklist: 7 Elements That Make a Strong Brand

September 12th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen

Think about huge global brands for a minute – like Disney or Nike. They have branding down pat. When I think about Disney, the first things that come to mind are: Mickey Mouse, princesses, castles, fantasy, stories and fun. I could go on – and I am sure you could, too! Wouldn’t it be awesome if your target market could do the same thing for your company?

Don’t think for a minute that being a small business means that you can’t have a strong brand. Below is a checklist of the 7 elements that make a good brand:

1. Logo

A lot of people think of a brand as a logo – but Disney is much more than Mickey Mouse’s ears, and Nike is much more than a swoosh. Keep your logo simple, bold, and tied to what you do – and use it everywhere so people will associate your logo with your company.

2. Value proposition

Make sure that what you do and how you do it is clear and simple and speaks to the value you bring to your clients. How do you benefit your clients? Why do they like you? This is the core of your messaging – use it everywhere. Nike does this in an interesting way; on their Facebook page, they simply say, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.”

3. Target market

All of your messaging and graphics should resonate with your target market. Disney’s target market is kids and families – and it is so obvious on their website, from the colors they use to what they say.

4. Consistency

Branding and marketing are so tied together – one informs the other – and one thing they absolutely have in common is the need for consistency. Actively use your logo and value proposition everywhere, from your website to your stationery to your social media network, just like Disney and Nike.

5. Blog name

Instead of naming your blog for your company, brand it based on what you are writing about and what expertise you share. This tactic doesn’t just strengthen your brand, but also ensures that when someone is conducting a search on the topic you write about, they’ll find your blog. One of Disney’s blogs is called What’s Hap-PIN-ing, which is the official Disney Pin Trading blog.

6. Personality

Unless you and your employees are robots, you have a personality – and your personality should come through in all of your messaging and graphics. By letting your personality and sense of humor come through, you’ll create a stronger connection with your audience, and a strong connection means a stronger brand. Disney’s personality is fun and upbeat, while Nike’s is serious and focused.

7. Emotion

If you do all of the elements above, your brand should evoke a positive emotion – or several. Again, that further strengthens your brand and connection to your target market. If you go back to my Disney example, one thing I said about them is they’re fun.

Are there any elements of your brand that you are particularly proud of – and that have resonated with your target market? Share your insights below!

Image courtesy of dawngregg.com

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Tags: blog, Branding, logo, Marketing, messaging, target market, value proposition
Posted in Branding, Marketing | 2 Comments »

5 Ways to Build Thought Leadership With Your Blog

July 16th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen

Would you rather learn how to play soccer from David Beckham, or your 5-year-old’s soccer coach (who is actually an attorney)?

Would you rather learn how to cook from Jacques Pepin, or your 19-year-old cousin who just got a job at the local burger joint?

I could go on, but you get my point.

When you think of an expert, you think of someone who is ridiculously knowledgeable on a certain subject, someone whose depth of expertise is nearly unparalleled. Building expertise on a subject via your blog takes time, but it is worth the effort. Here’s how to get started:

1. Pull in experts

Instead of asking well-known bloggers or experts in your field to write a guest post (which probably won’t work unless you already have a relationship with them), look them up on Twitter and ask them for top tips or advice around a specific subject via a tweet. Compile their answers into a blog post, complete with links back to their blogs or websites. Chances are, they’ll share your blog post, which will boost your blog readership and your audience on social media. Win-win!

2. Share insider information

The most valuable pieces of information you can share are the little tricks of the trade you have picked up during your career. It could be an industry-wide best practice, little-known secret, or something you’ve developed yourself. The more generous you are with your knowledge, the more knowledgeable you will appear.

3. Give detailed instructions

While it may be easier and faster to just give a high-level overview of how to do something, resist the temptation and dig deep. Give super-detailed, step-by-step instructions – include screen shots, photos, or links to other sites – that will walk your readers through the process.

4. Publish case studies

Showing is always better than telling. Turn your insider information into a case study by explaining how you have successfully used those tricks of the trade for your company and clients. Be sure to include concrete results (for example, “sales increased by 25 percent”).

5. Be active in your industry

This actually goes beyond your blog, but by actively participating in your industry, you will gain visibility. There are several ways to do this:

Comment on other bloggers’ posts in your industry
Follow other bloggers and companies on social media – and interact with them
Guest blog for other bloggers
Curate social media content in blog posts
Conduct surveys and research and publish the results

***

What have you done to build thought leadership on your blog? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Image courtesy of amnh.org

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Tags: blog, blogging, case studies, content curation, guest blogging, Marketing, social media, though leadership
Posted in Marketing, Thought Leadership | No Comments »

5 Ways to Build Social Links

July 2nd, 2012 :: Monika Jansen

Inbound links are the fuel for your company’s lead generating engine. With a little link building, you can increase your traffic and achieve better rankings for your website, and social media marketing is a low-cost way for small businesses to attract inbound links. This articles will show you five ways to build social links, courtesy of the folks at Hubspot.

1. Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is an effective way to attract links because it gives you SEO benefits, along with access to a whole new audience. You can find guest blogging opportunities by asking permission to write an article for a website or blog that has a target audience relevant to your brand. Not only will you reach this new audience, but you can also build key relationships with others in your industry.

Research blogs you are interested in, and select only the most relevant ones. Give them your best work – resist saving your best posts for your own blog. Be sure to create a landing page to convert traffic you receive from your guest blogging efforts.

2. Contests

Everyone likes a good contest, so the contests you create are likely to be shared, increasing brand exposure, links and leads. Giveaways attract traffic and generate buzz, especially when you give valuable prizes.

Choose which social network(s) to run your contest on, and provide clear, simple rules for participating. It’s a good idea to check with a lawyer regarding any sweepstakes regulations in your city or country. A simple winner selection system, like Random.org, will help you choose winners easily and fairly.

3. Controversy

Nothing creates buzz faster than a good, old-fashioned controversy. When you cover a controversial topic on your blog, you are sure to attract more inbound links and social sharing. Be careful not to alienate readers or be offensive – your job is simply to start a debate on a topic people are interested in.

Select a topic that is very relevant to your audience that can be defended on both sides. Good topic candidates are current issues related to your industry that your audience will care about. You can monitor discussions on Digg or Reddit for ideas.

4. Lists

Content based on “top lists” or “top resources” make for some of the most popular types of blog posts and attract tons of inbound links. These types of lists are easy to understand and quick to digest. They can be both entertaining and educational, and the format provides actionable steps for immediate results.

Ideas for effective lists include success stories, winning companies, inspiring quotes, and even subjects that are just for fun.

5. How-To Content

Similar to lists, how-to content provides information people can use right away. People search for instructional information because it saves them time when trying something new. Well-written step-by-step instructions help your customers by giving them a short-cut to a proven strategy in a format that’s easy to digest.

To create successful how-to content, be sure to do your research, take the perspective of teaching someone from scratch, and make the content accessible by distilling the huge amount of information on the web that your customers would rather not sift through.

***

These are just some of the ways to build social links that generate brand awareness and leads for your business. Have you successfully tried any of these tactics? How did it work out for you? Share your ideas and comments in the box below.

Image courtesy of philosophiesofmen.blogspot.com

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Tags: blog, inbound links, lead generation, link building, Marketing, social media, Website
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »

Complete Guide to Google+ for Business

March 5th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen

Search engine giant Google just may have created a contender for social media giant Facebook. Since its launch last year, Google+ has seen tremendous growth as a communications hub, and now the social network is quickly becoming a smart hangout for businesses, too. In this article, I’ll show you how to make Google+ work for you.

Why Google+ Matters

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know Google+ is getting tons of buzz. But why does it matter, from a business point of view?

With over 90 million users so far and a growing effect on search, Google+ is gaining ground quickly. Through page creation, businesses can establish a presence on the network and develop relationships with clients and prospects on several different levels. There are the typical social network interactions such as commenting, sharing photos, and endorsing the brand (+1), but it is the Hangouts feature that sets Google+ apart from its competitors.

With Hangouts, companies can engage with fans and prospects through video conference calls. So, you can make the same face-to-face connections online that you do in real life through this video chat feature.

As I mentioned, Google+ is changing the search landscape as well. Google is learning whose opinions you value most and what content you really care about by studying your interactions on Google+. This information will create a more targeted search experience, yielding more useful search results.

Also, Google’s version of the tweet or share button, the +1 button, will determine how you show up in search results and get traffic. The buttons appear in search results and can be embedded into your website or blog. I’ll explain more about how to use the +1 button next.

Using the +1 Button on Your Blog

According to HubSpot, websites using the +1 button get 3.5 times the Google+ visits. Social sharing buttons make it easy for visitors to share your content on social media sites, so don’t forget to incorporate them into your blog’s marketing strategy.

The +1 button has its own promotion factor built in, which can encourage visitors to click through to your content. Each +1 is like a vote for that content, so users can see how many people have found it useful before they ever click through. All the +1’s next to your content tell visitors that what you have to offer is valuable and that they should check it out.

On the other hand, people love to be the first one to discover something new and share it with their friends. According to Dan Zarella, there is a powerful “first post” effect that causes people to seek out content they can be the first to share. Add +1 buttons to your blog to present many opportunities for people to share your content with others.

Segmenting With Circles

Besides the Hangouts feature, Google+ sets itself apart by allowing users to segment their network into circles. We all understand that, while our networks are full of friends, family, acquaintances, and work colleagues, we many only want a select group of people to see certain posts and photos. That’s where circles come in.

Circles come in handy for businesses when you want to communicate specific information to a select group of people. For instance, you may want to share different content with people based on your association with them and their needs. So, you can create circles for current customers, prospects, employees, industry colleagues, competitors, and more. Effective communications are highly targeted to the audience, and Google+ circles help you organize and target your audience appropriately.

Google+ Best Practices

Finally, I’m going to share some best practices for using Google+ for business, offered by Hubspot’s Maggie Georgieva. Try these out to take advantage of Google+’s enormous communications potential.

1. Encourage sharing - For your content to become viral on Google+, it must be shared. Encourage people to share your content by asking them to. Just like asking for re-tweets on Twitter, you can increase the number of shares on Google+ by requesting them every time you post a message, photo or link.

2. Use recommended links - Google+ users have the option to add recommended links under the About tab of their page. Use this space to promote new blog articles and lead generation offers to drive traffic and increase leads.

3. Share plenty of photos - Individual photos, rather than entire albums of images (as is often the case on Facebook) are shared in large volume on Google+. Add visual interest and a viral component by sharing engaging images on a regular basis. Think outside the box; graphs and charts are images as well, so you don’t have to stick with pictures only.

4. Analyze your Google+ efforts - Use referral traffic data from plus.Google.com to determine which methods are working for you on Google+. It is always important to study analytics to show whether your efforts are increasing traffic and generating leads, and Google+ marketing is no exception.

Image courtesy of Technorati

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Tags: +1 button, blog, Google, links, Marketing, photos, sharing, social media
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »

Social Media Small Business Success Stories: Part 2

February 16th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Social Media Success Stories

In the first part of Social Media Small Business Success Stories, I highlighted four companies that have shaken things up online to create results-driven social media marketing campaigns. This article introduces you to four more success stories, to give you ideas on how to make their strategies your own.

Success Story 5: You can probably imagine that a company called Social Media Explorer nails it on the social media marketing front. This company is a B2B agency that teaches – you guessed it – social media marketing techniques and provides information products. Here are the secrets to their success:

Social Media Explorer uses Intent, a Twitter plugin, directly on their homepage to show users whether they are already following the company on Twitter. Are you making it easy enough for website visitors to follow you on Twitter or Like you on Facebook?
The company features numerous guest authors on its blog, and it promotes them by prominently highlighting authors’ social profiles to encourage reader interaction. Do you give social love to guest authors to help them expand their influence and feel appreciated?

Success Story 6: Take a moment to visit JarvieDigital to enjoy gorgeous photos and learn a couple of social media tips. Scott Jarvie is a professional photographer and namesake of the photographic method, The Jarvie Window. Here are his social media strategies:

Of course, Jarvie has exceptional photos on his site, but it’s his use of these photos that makes him a social media success. He uses different strategies to promote his services on Facebook and Google+ through photo sharing. Have you thought about the unique challenges different social networks present for your social media strategy, or are you trying to apply the same strategy to completely different communities?
Jarvie shares resources on his website and social sites to demonstrate his expertise and to grow his fan base. Are you freely sharing resources to establish yourself as a thought leader and to encourage more follows and Likes?

Success Story 7: Point your browser to SEOMoz, a search engine optimization and social monitoring service provider. This company uses its technical expertise to help it stand out socially. Here is what they do:

SEOMoz uses gaming mechanics to generate participation from their site members and writers. When these users post, comment, or Like content, they earn points to distinguish their expertise. How can you make engagement more fun and addictive on your own site?
The company knows to use social proof to build trust and credibility. Their home page features the logos of companies that use SEOMoz so everyone can see they’re in good company. Do your clients showcase your success? Consider using well-known clients to establish trust with visitors by using social proof.

Success Story 8: EasyLunchboxes is another example of a solopreneur using social media to compete on a higher level. This blog by Kelly Lester helps parents find healthy solutions for packing lunches for kids to take to school. Take a cue from Lester by trying these tips:

When users visit the Facebook page of EasyLunchboxes, they are greeted with a custom welcome tab explaining what the page is all about and why users should become fans. Don’t forget this valuable piece of Facebook real estate by seizing the opportunity to encourage visitors to take the next step and Like your page.
Even though she is a busy mom and an actress, Lester has taken the time to deliver unique content through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and her blog. Her marketing plan includes strategies for each of these platforms, as well as integration across all her social media channels. Have you thought about your social media marketing plan in pieces and as a whole? Even though different strategies should be used for each platform, they should all integrate into a cohesive communications plan.

The companies highlighted in the previous two articles range in size from small to large and span across various industries. Use their stories to inspire you to create your own story of social media marketing success.

Do you have your own success story to share with our readers? Please leave a comment below.

Image courtesy of creative design agency Arrae

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Tags: blog, custom Facebook tabs, EasyLunchboxes, Facebook, games, Google, guest authors, Intent, JarvieDigital, Kelly Lester, Marketing, photos, Scott Jarvie, SEOMox, social media, Social Media Explorer, social proof, Thought Leadership, Twitter, YouTube
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | 3 Comments »

4 Strategic Ways to Improve Your Blog – and Sell It

February 7th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen

Blogs are big business these days, as the Huffington Post proved when it was acquired by AOL for $315 million.

But, your blog is not HuffPo, you say? There’s still potential for plenty of blogs to attract corporate buyers. Want to see how yours stacks up? Here are four tips on how to improve your blog for a potential sale.

1. Refine your blog strategy

When companies buy blogs, they aren’t being lazy or suffering from a lack of know-how. They’re making an investment in their business by acquiring content that has proven to be valuable to readers. What companies might be interested in your content? Think about how you can improve your articles by focusing on niche topics, and tighten your writing up to reflect this strategy.

If your blog has the right audience and a winning distribution model, it becomes even more attractive to buyers. These assets take time to build, and companies are looking for blogs that have already achieved the results they want. Remember that both factors (audience and distribution model) are part of your blog’s value, so take the time to nurture them by expanding the reach of your content and growing your email list.

2. Start building trust

Let me preface this tip by stating that building trust with your readers is imperative, regardless of whether you ever plan to sell. Trust is something that should be built with a desire to connect with your readers and to offer them the very best content you can.

That said, trust also plays a role in the acquisition process. If your blog is ever purchased, the level of trust you’ve established can dictate how large of a role you’ll play after the acquisition.

Bloggers build trust and keep audiences coming back for more by developing a unique and authentic voice. If your blog is purchased by a company, it will be much more valuable to them if it can retain your voice. What this means for you is that you could continue to get an ongoing salary, beyond the initial purchase price of your blog, if you remain actively engaged. That’s good for your readers and good for you, too!

Be sure to focus on building a trusting relationship with your readers as your blog grows, and protect your readers when and if a company purchases your blog.

3. Position your blog

Before deciding whether or not to purchase your blog, companies will compare it to competitors. It’s a good idea to survey the competitive landscape yourself, long before a potential acquisition.

First, compare your blog to others like it, and determine what your competitors are doing really well. Next, think about what you do well, or what you could do well. What is your competitive advantage? You will need to determine a way to differentiate your blog from all the others competing in your industry. This differentiator will help you stand out so companies can clearly see how your content will reach their audience.

To sell your blog, it will need to fulfill not only the needs of your readers, but also the needs of a buyer. What makes your blog unique, and how can you position it to be attractive to corporate buyers?

4. Prepare to monetize

When it comes to monetizing blogs, basically there are two ways to do it. One way is to sell advertising space, and the other is to advertise the potential buyer’s products or services on your blog. Either way, being able to show a consistent advertising revenue stream will help convince buyers that your blog is worth the money.

Test different forms of advertising to find out what works best for your blog. The goal is to convert readers into buyers, so you’ll want to be sure any product or service ads will actually appeal to your readers. To transition to third-party advertisers, you may want to develop an information product to sell on your site, such as an e-book or webinar, to lay the foundation for future advertising sales.

If you’re thinking about selling your blog, give these tips a try. Even if your blog doesn’t get acquired, focusing on these tips will help take it to the next level.

Image courtesy of creative design agency Arrae

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Tags: advertising, AOL, blog, blog content, corporate buyers, Huffington Post, Marketing, sales, selling a blog
Posted in Marketing | 1 Comment »

4 Ways to Keep your Blog’s Visitors

December 14th, 2011 :: Monika Jansen

Picture this:

You’ve got a deadline, and you need information on social media statistics - fast. You plug your keywords into the search bar and get hundreds of pages of search results that are a mix of website pages, articles on digital media publications and blog posts.

Like anyone else sorting through search results, you hurriedly scan the list, clicking one site, scanning it, hitting the back arrow, and moving on to the next one. Each page you visit gets a cursory scan. You make a decision quickly on whether or not that link contains the information you need.

Too often, good blogs lose out on new blog readers because of a few key factors. In those few seconds between the website loading and your reader scanning the page, you can easily lose a potential reader. Keep your blog readers (both new and old) by putting the following tips to work:

1. Check your bounce rate

Your bounce rate is a great clue as to whether or not you are holding on to your blog readers. A bounce rate is just about what it sounds like – how many users came to your site and bounced right back off without clicking anywhere else. This likely means they thought your information would be interesting or helpful, but in the end decided it wasn’t.

2. Check the rest of your stats

Analytical metrics exist for a reason. Invest in free software to keep track of the locations, ages and interests of your potential audience, as well as which sites you receive click-throughs from. Do your users usually come from social media sites? Do they stumble upon you? Visit you via a guest blogger’s site? Use this information to your advantage. Keep pushing out your blog content in those places that send you readers, and stop – or focus less on — pushing it to places that aren’t.

3. Rewrite what doesn’t work

Review how long users stay on your site. Check out which articles are being read and which are being left in the dust. Some articles pull their weight, some don’t. Ditch or rework the articles that aren’t receiving comparable hit stats; make your titles and keywords as accurate as possible in order to lead readers to the information they want.

4. Highlight your strong points

A popular sidebar feature on many blogs is a list of “Most Popular” posts. This will provide eye-catching content for new readers and quickly engage them with your blog.

Image courtesy of creative design agency Arrae

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Tags: blog, blog readers, blog stats, bounce rate, Marketing, Search Marketing, social media
Posted in Marketing, Search Marketing, Social Media | 1 Comment »

7 Keys to Growing Your Blog Readership

November 22nd, 2011 :: Monika Jansen

If you have been blogging for a while and wondering why no one is reading your articles, it can be super frustrating. I wish I could say there are only one or two things you need to do to grow your blog readership overnight, but unfortunately, as with many things in life, you must consistently do a number of things to see results.

Think about what it takes to lose weight, which will be a huge topic for most of us in about a month and a half – right after the holidays. Losing weight doesn’t happen overnight. Advice does not just focus on eating healthy and exercising; it also includes eating less, tips on portion control, mixing up your exercise routine, getting enough sleep, drinking more water and so on.

Blogging is the same. Do the following 7 things, be persistent, and you will certainly see the results.

1. Write good content

Good content always means useful content. Don’t be vague or give advice in an overview-type way. Include details and examples of what you are describing to prove your point. Use your own experiences to teach others.

2. Write in plain English

The simpler the words and phrases you use when writing, the better. Write like you talk, not as if you are writing a 243-page dissertation for your Ph.D. Think People Magazine, not The Economist.

3. Talk directly to the reader

Freely use “you” and “me” in your blog posts. Your blog posts should be conversational in tone to help you better connect with your readers. You are talking to them, after all, just with words on paper rather than spoken words.

4. Include calls to action

As a small business owner, one of the reasons you are blogging is to generate leads. Ask your readers to do something at the end of your blog post – subscribe to your newsletter, download an eBook, sign up for a free trial or consultation, or anything else you can give them of value that will also give you their contact information, thus enabling you to start the sales process.

5. Promote it

Promote and distribute your blog posts on all the social media channels you and your audience use, from Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn to Reddit to StumbleUpon. Use a social media dashboard (like Hootsuite) to make this a bit easier.

6. Build relationships

Reach out to other bloggers, as well as editors of digital publications, and start building relationships with them. Introduce yourself and your blog. Ask to guest blog for them and in the case of other bloggers, vice versa. Offer to repurpose blog posts for their sites. Comment on their blogs. If you can get a backlink to your site from a high-profile blogger or publication, your readership will spike.

7. Submit guest posts to major blogs

If you write valuable content, any editor –of even major blogs – will be happy to use your guest blog posts. As Editor at Tech Cocktail, I speak from experience here. I regularly get guest posts from a handful of fabulous writers that I know our thousands of readers will enjoy. Don’t be shy – just ask. Editors are people too!

Image Courtesy: Karen Axelton

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Tags: blog, blog growth, blog readers, blogging, calls to action, content, digital publications, editors, guest blogging, Marketing, social media
Posted in Marketing | 3 Comments »

3 Easy Ways to Measure Online Marketing ROI

September 21st, 2011 :: Monika Jansen

If you’re not measuring your online marketing results, you really have no idea what kind of impact you are having – are you making an impression, finding new customers, getting some sort of ROI?

The best approach is to connect old and new measurement tools to ensure you are competitively promoting your business. Try out the following three simple strategies:

1. Measure conversion sources and click-throughs.

Sales leads have been the standard measurement of marketing efforts for a long time, but the development of new technologies and the growth of the Web are making it easier to get a more holistic view of what kind of impact you are really having.

Use Google Analytics and Omniture to keep track of conversion sources and click-throughs – two very important metrics to track. They’ll help you understand where your Web visitors are coming from and what links and landing pages they are using the most.

2. Focus on exposure.

Google yourself and your business. Where is your content appearing in search engine results when someone enters keywords? How can you promote your website to get higher and higher listings?

As a small business owner, it is in your best interest to develop new ways to expose your ideas before you even get to the actual sales cycle – you want to get potential customers hooked before you get into their pocket. Your ultimate goal is to make your ideas and content more visible to the public.

3. Measure reach from month to month.

It’s easy to get lost in a jungle of information metrics; don’t ignore important data and let it become a confusing burden instead of a gold mine of information that will help you improve your marketing strategy.

Avoid making this mistake by focusing on a few key basics. Track the number of people reading your blog posts and your performance in search engines. Keep an eye on your Twitter following and Facebook page, measuring your improvement month-to-month. All of these tools are easy ways to determine your reach and how it is growing (or shrinking).

Use these strategies to measure what matters, and you’ll soon find yourself with more business than you can handle.

Image by Flickr user Havar og Solveig (Creative Commons)

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Tags: blog, click-throughs, conversion, Facebook, Google Analytics, Marketing, Omniture, online marketing, ROI, search engine results, social media, Twitter
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »

How to Launch a Challenge on Your Blog

August 3rd, 2011 :: Monika Jansen

Creating a steady stream of new and engaging content for your blog can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve been blogging for a while. As bloggers, sometimes we feel like content-producing machines, as we face the blank screen of our laptops day after day.

If you’re ready to shake things up a bit, consider launching a challenge on your blog. Challenging your readers to learn something new or make a change in their lives is an effective way to build community among your readers, as you get to engage more directly with them.

A challenge can be as simple as taking your area of expertise and creating a set of actions readers can take that will improve their skills in that area. Celestine Chua successfully challenged the readers of her personal development blog to take 30 Days To Live a Better Life. She offered some tips on how to make your challenge as successful as hers on Problogger.

Here are some highlights I found useful as I brainstormed ideas for a blog challenge for a client:

Build a Community Around Your Challenge

Challenges present a great opportunity to engage your readers and get them talking to you and each other. Communication tools, such as Twitter hashtags and dedicated forums, can enable discussion around your challenge.

Don’t underestimate the power of blog comments. Be sure to read and reply to as many comments as possible – and always answer questions readers may have. These channels of communication will also provide insights on how your challenge is being received. Use this feedback to make tweaks along the way as your community works through the challenge together.

Use Bite-Sized Tasks

Be sure to create tasks that are manageable and effective. It’s best to present tasks that can be completed on a daily basis so participants can make progress and remain engaged. Use layman’s terms and keep it simple. Your role should be to teach and encourage, not to dazzle and intimidate. If people feel they are gaining ground through your challenge, they are likely to continue.

Keep Time on Your Side

Provide enough lead time so people can learn about your challenge, prepare to join, and spread the word to their friends and colleagues. A week should be enough time to get the word out and allow people to make some time in their lives to complete the challenge.

The duration of the challenge is also important for keeping momentum going. Two or three months may be too much of a commitment for busy people; 21 or 30 days is more reasonable. Even the busiest people will likely devote this amount of time to achieving an important goal or learning a new skill.

Have you ever challenged your blog readers? Leave a comment below and let us know how it went.

Image by Flickr user Eva (Creative Commons)

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Tags: blog, blog challenge, blogging, Celestine Chua, community building, Marketing, Twitter
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »