Why Blog? What's The Point?
Last week, one of PPG's online writing experts showed us how to start a blog. As promised, this week's entry will discuss one of the primary reasons why blogging is so important: SEO. SEO stands for "search engine optimization" which means to improve your standing in the organic search results on search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
Think, for a minute, about when you do a search for something on Google. Where is the first place you look when the search results come up? The top/centre of the page? And how many links are you willing to click through in order to find what you're looking for? Maybe ten at the most? Maybe your eye will scan down that first page for something interesting; or, if you have the time, maybe you'll dig a little deeper and look through the second or third page to see what comes up there. Statistically, most people will stay on the first page. This is why it's crucial to make sure you appear on that first page for whatever product/service/topic you are trying to promote. Writing regular blog entries and online articles can help you achieve this.
For example, Polished Publishing Group (PPG) is a Canadian book publisher that publishes all kinds of books for Canadians from fiction to poetry to non-fiction history books. We know our clientele often "Googles" phrases like "how to publish a book in Canada" and "business history books" in order to find our types of services, so we make sure to write blog entries and online articles with these key words in them and link them all to our website. Here are the results of doing so:
Of course, writing the blog entry or article is not enough. As we discussed last week, it is equally important to promote links to those blog entries and articles on social media sites such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn, to name a few. This can increase one's online traffic by up to 10X in one month which will help to improve one's SEO.
Whether you're an author promoting a book or a business promoting a product or service, blogging is an effective online marketing tool that can help your desired clientele find you—fast. And the more traffic you attract, the more sales you will make.
PPG is a Canadian book publisher dedicated to serving Canadian authors. Visit our book publishing website to learn how you can publish your book today.
Think, for a minute, about when you do a search for something on Google. Where is the first place you look when the search results come up? The top/centre of the page? And how many links are you willing to click through in order to find what you're looking for? Maybe ten at the most? Maybe your eye will scan down that first page for something interesting; or, if you have the time, maybe you'll dig a little deeper and look through the second or third page to see what comes up there. Statistically, most people will stay on the first page. This is why it's crucial to make sure you appear on that first page for whatever product/service/topic you are trying to promote. Writing regular blog entries and online articles can help you achieve this.
For example, Polished Publishing Group (PPG) is a Canadian book publisher that publishes all kinds of books for Canadians from fiction to poetry to non-fiction history books. We know our clientele often "Googles" phrases like "how to publish a book in Canada" and "business history books" in order to find our types of services, so we make sure to write blog entries and online articles with these key words in them and link them all to our website. Here are the results of doing so:
Of course, writing the blog entry or article is not enough. As we discussed last week, it is equally important to promote links to those blog entries and articles on social media sites such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn, to name a few. This can increase one's online traffic by up to 10X in one month which will help to improve one's SEO.
Whether you're an author promoting a book or a business promoting a product or service, blogging is an effective online marketing tool that can help your desired clientele find you—fast. And the more traffic you attract, the more sales you will make.
PPG is a Canadian book publisher dedicated to serving Canadian authors. Visit our book publishing website to learn how you can publish your book today.
I think Blogging is well worth the time and effort. Though it can be alot of work it definitely pays off and create long lasting income. I personally feel that blogging though not the fastest form of marketing should be one of the 1st things newbies utilize when creating an online business. Nice Blog Post!
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Great post! Blogs can be a great marketing tool as long as you promote them on various social networks and provide useful content. Some people believe blogs don't add value. I think they're beneficial as long as you provide unique content that can help people.
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I have an online bookstore and writing blogs is something I want to do, but what I usually end up doing is promoting the new release and forthcoming title through the networking site. I add them in wordpress and blogger also. Do you think i should just add them in the blogs and then promote the blogs on the network site.
Your suggestion will be helpful.
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Ideally, I say promote everything. Continue doing what you're doing plus also write and promote your blog. Anyone else with any suggestions?
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While I'm sure my average search with Google often ends with the first page. BUT... When I'm looking for something very specific, I often did down - I can remember noting I was on page 17 in the line up yesterday during one search.
I don't know how often this happens to people in general, but if there are many like me, then having any presence even after the first page or so might have some benefit over the long haul, especially if hundreds of people are searching for the key term on your page.
Yes, it is better to be on that precious first page. But being a page or two into the search doesn't mean things are hopeless, especially if the upper pages ahead of you are basically "fluff" that no one doing a serious search will be interested in reading.
--Duncan
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Freelance illustrator for HarperCollins, PS Publishing, Pocket Books, Solomon Press, Fort Ross, Asimov's Science Fiction, and many other publishers and self-publishing authors. See my cover illustrations at: http://DuncanLong.com/art.html
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