Sunday, May 29, 2005
Should Authors Have Blogs?
Judy Cullins©2005 All Rights Reserved.
Do you wonder if you should have a blog (web log) such as we saw during the presidential conventions and on individual sites? These bloggers went to press before the major media, which again proves the power of the Internet.
As authors, you can get wide exposure by creating your own blog. You have already bypassed traditional publishing, you have opened your mind to marketing your book on the Internet, so now is the time to see if your book fits the blog craze.
For me, who wants to share ongoing questions and answers in a more interactive way other than my Q and A links, it is a perfect way to stay in touch with those who need help in their book journey.
What is Blogging?
Think of blogging as publishing. It’s a mini site in a way, where your visitors can come and interact with you, and get answers for their questions. Even if you don’t know anything about HTML or building a web site, you can set up your own blog under one hour.
What good is your book or business if no one knows about it? Like me, you want more people to know you, your writing talent, and find out more about your topic. Some of you are experts in your topic, and blogs are another way to stay in touch with your targeted market. It’s free advertising to huge numbers online.
Search engines’ spiders exploring for updated content will see yours. The World Wide Web will see you too. Blogs help to promote yourself, your service or your book, let your visitor see your personal side, and get your unique message out in an interactive forum.
Fact: Buying email lists and putting ads out don’t do the job well. People won ’t open your email if they suspect an ad. And spam filters make this game difficult.
More Benefits
-When you do what you do best, which is to write, you can promote the best way
- Unlike your ezine you send out, blogs bypass spam filters for email.
-The RSS (real simple syndication) feeds are like a giant octopus with long tentacles that reach out to your targeted audience. Blogs have unlimited reach and you can create as many as you wish.
-Blogs attract not people looking for freebies so much, but your ready buyers-who want solutions for their problem.
-Search engines love blogs and RSS feeds
-Blogs connect like-minded, passionate people and form a loose community
-Blogs give the author feedback that helps the promotion direction
What will your blog do for your visitors? Like your web site, people will only read a blog they find interesting, entertaining, and useful. What benefit will your blog bring your visitor? They want content just like your ezine readers do. Decide what your topic is. It probably relates to the book you want people to read and buy.
Where to share your blog URL
Include your blog URL address in every signature file you send out with each email. Include it on your business cards, and include it in your web bio you use at the bottom of each article you write to send to opt-in ezines and top web sites.
How to Get Started
While this concept is new, and like me, you are a non-techie, do a little research on other web sites and how other people write their blogs and the comments visitors leave. One I recently visited looked good for me: http://www.marketingforsuccess.com/blog/
Helpful Sites: FactoSystem Weblog (ASP based)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/facto/
InstaBlog
http://instablog.hit.bg/
OpenJournal
http://www.grohol.com/downloads/oj/
GeekLog - The Ultimate Weblog System
http://sourceforge.net/projects/geeklog
Blogger
http://www.blogger.com
Authors, small business people, and professionals who want little work and a lot of web traffic and sales will want to try out blogs.
