Comments on: Business blogging “brings the most marketing and sales returns” http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/ Tom Raftery, social media consultant, speaker, blogger and podcaster Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:09:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: internet consulting http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-116761 internet consulting Sun, 18 May 2008 02:54:33 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-116761 <strong>internet consulting...</strong> Select your Windows menu“ Start ,” and click“ Run.” An“ Open” field will appear. Type“ regedit” and click“ OK” to open up your Registry Editor. Registry Editor will open as a window with two panes. The left side Registry Editor’ s... internet consulting…

Select your Windows menu“ Start ,” and click“ Run.” An“ Open” field will appear. Type“ regedit” and click“ OK” to open up your Registry Editor. Registry Editor will open as a window with two panes. The left side Registry Editor’ s…

]]> By: Corkweb http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-102018 Corkweb Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:25:53 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-102018 Hi Guys, I put up my first blog page today! Blogging seems to be another way of communicating with people and handing helpful information to them especially from a web developer point of view. Is there a big blog community in Cork? Kind Regards Corkweb.net Hi Guys,

I put up my first blog page today! Blogging seems to be another way of communicating with people and handing helpful information to them especially from a web developer point of view.

Is there a big blog community in Cork?

Kind Regards
Corkweb.net

]]> By: Tobin Hunt http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-21000 Tobin Hunt Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:05:40 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-21000 I'm just starting a business blog myself, but for an online counselling service, which is slightly different I suppose. The problem I find is that a) - competitors don't want to link to you, b) - casual bloggers aren't that interested in the content. But the most positive thing is, my blog posts now appear top ten in the SERPs. That's after only six weeks of twice/week posting, so I'm pleased with the results. I’m just starting a business blog myself, but for an online counselling service, which is slightly different I suppose. The problem I find is that a) - competitors don’t want to link to you, b) - casual bloggers aren’t that interested in the content. But the most positive thing is, my blog posts now appear top ten in the SERPs. That’s after only six weeks of twice/week posting, so I’m pleased with the results.

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1223 Tom Raftery Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:30:16 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1223 <blockquote>if companies focus their blog content strategy on their customer’s ideas, they gain even more opportunities and benefits from business blogging</blockquote> That's a fascinating outcome John - it makes sense, really, if you think about it but isn't necessarily intuitive. <blockquote>What’s really interesting to me is why blogging is effective... It’s that new ability for customers to self publish and create their own online customer a community</blockquote> That's a lot of it John, definitely, but blogging is effective for so many other reasons - the seo benefits, for instance. People can now publish and be found - that appeals enormously to people's ego! RSS also plays a huge part in blogs being found - <a href="http://www.tomrafteryit.net/browse-search-subscribe-the-new-internet-paradigm/">As I mentioned before</a>, there's a whole new internet paradigm occurring John, and it is powered by RSS - and it is Browse, Search, Subscribe. This is the new Internet.

if companies focus their blog content strategy on their customer’s ideas, they gain even more opportunities and benefits from business blogging

That’s a fascinating outcome John - it makes sense, really, if you think about it but isn’t necessarily intuitive.

What’s really interesting to me is why blogging is effective…
It’s that new ability for customers to self publish and create their own online customer a community

That’s a lot of it John, definitely, but blogging is effective for so many other reasons - the seo benefits, for instance. People can now publish and be found - that appeals enormously to people’s ego!

RSS also plays a huge part in blogs being found - As I mentioned before, there’s a whole new internet paradigm occurring John, and it is powered by RSS - and it is Browse, Search, Subscribe. This is the new Internet.

]]> By: john cass http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1221 john cass Tue, 26 Jul 2005 20:00:37 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1221 Tom, It really is all about the content strategy for the blog. As we discovered in the case studies if companies focus their blog content strategy on their customer's ideas, they gain even more opportunities and benefits from business blogging. What's really interesting to me is why blogging is effective. David Weinberger of the Berkman Center for Society and the Internet makes the point very well, he explains how over the last ten years with the web customers now have the ability to connect with their fellow customers and compare positive and negative comments about companies and products. It's that new ability for customers to self publish and create their own online customer a community that is changing our economy to the new blogging economy. John Tom,

It really is all about the content strategy for the blog. As we discovered in the case studies if companies focus their blog content strategy on their customer’s ideas, they gain even more opportunities and benefits from business blogging.

What’s really interesting to me is why blogging is effective. David Weinberger of the Berkman Center for Society and the Internet makes the point very well, he explains how over the last ten years with the web customers now have the ability to connect with their fellow customers and compare positive and negative comments about companies and products. It’s that new ability for customers to self publish and create their own online customer a community that is changing our economy to the new blogging economy.

John

]]> By: Echo Generation » iUpload blog coverage http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1160 Echo Generation » iUpload blog coverage Wed, 20 Jul 2005 14:42:26 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1160 [...] Tom Raftery’s I.T. views [...] [...] Tom Raftery’s I.T. views [...]

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1092 Tom Raftery Tue, 12 Jul 2005 07:34:00 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1092 Great, happy to have helped in some small way Lee - God knows you have helped loads of people over on the <a href="http://www.webnet.ie/open/index.html">Open</a> list Great,

happy to have helped in some small way Lee - God knows you have helped loads of people over on the Open list

]]> By: hostyle http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1078 hostyle Fri, 08 Jul 2005 13:30:39 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1078 Thanks Tom. I kinda decided that myself last night when I couldn't sleep :) I need somewhere to keep track of the things that I always loose - ideas, links, thoughts, opinions, script snippets, etc. I've been working on a site design / architecture in my free moments today and will carry on over the weekend - and will then choose a blogging engine; WordPress looks good enough for now at least. Thanks Tom. I kinda decided that myself last night when I couldn’t sleep :) I need somewhere to keep track of the things that I always loose - ideas, links, thoughts, opinions, script snippets, etc. I’ve been working on a site design / architecture in my free moments today and will carry on over the weekend - and will then choose a blogging engine; WordPress looks good enough for now at least.

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1074 Tom Raftery Thu, 07 Jul 2005 17:48:50 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1074 You have to ask yourself first Lee - why do I want to blog? Only when you answer this to your own satisfaction will you be able to focus your blogging. For instance, you say: <blockquote>I’m merely a minion where I work, so any blog I did to that effect would not really reflect at all on the company</blockquote> and <blockquote>there is too much that interests me out there, and I obviously can’t blog / link to it all</blockquote> So there seems to be two differing reasons for blogging currently going on with you - one company related and the other personal. Finally, you say: <blockquote>I don’t have the time on a daily basis to even follow up on all the interesting snippets and articles I come across - so they get skipped (or bookmarked and usually never seen again)</blockquote> What you could always do is blog <em>these</em> items instead of bookmarking them as a knowledgebase for yourself and return to them when you have a spare minute! You have to ask yourself first Lee - why do I want to blog? Only when you answer this to your own satisfaction will you be able to focus your blogging.

For instance, you say:

I’m merely a minion where I work, so any blog I did to that effect would not really reflect at all on the company

and

there is too much that interests me out there, and I obviously can’t blog / link to it all

So there seems to be two differing reasons for blogging currently going on with you - one company related and the other personal.

Finally, you say:

I don’t have the time on a daily basis to even follow up on all the interesting snippets and articles I come across - so they get skipped (or bookmarked and usually never seen again)

What you could always do is blog these items instead of bookmarking them as a knowledgebase for yourself and return to them when you have a spare minute!

]]> By: hostyle http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1073 hostyle Thu, 07 Jul 2005 16:01:58 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1073 <em>"Not always. I often blog about topics which interests me at an intellectual level. Passion, I am afraid, has nothing to do with it."</em> This is/was my exact problem, there is too much that interests me out there, and I obviously can't blog / link to it all. I'm merely a minion where I work, so any blog I did to that effect would not really reflect at all on the company. I don't have the time on a daily basis to even follow up on all the interesting snippets and articles I come across - so they get skipped (or bookmarked and usually never seen again). And I'm unable to narrow it down one single topic that I'd like to concentrate on ... oh well. “Not always. I often blog about topics which interests me at an intellectual level. Passion, I am afraid, has nothing to do with it.”

This is/was my exact problem, there is too much that interests me out there, and I obviously can’t blog / link to it all. I’m merely a minion where I work, so any blog I did to that effect would not really reflect at all on the company. I don’t have the time on a daily basis to even follow up on all the interesting snippets and articles I come across - so they get skipped (or bookmarked and usually never seen again). And I’m unable to narrow it down one single topic that I’d like to concentrate on … oh well.

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1070 Tom Raftery Wed, 06 Jul 2005 13:17:06 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1070 Kae, thanks for stopping by - maybe you'll become a regular reader and then I'll have 3! If you are not seeing any increase in business caused by your blogging, can I posit that this might be due to the fact that your blog is on your own domain, not your company's domain and you don't mention your company very often in your posts. I suspect that if your blog was on the company domain, then this would add to your company's credibility and at least some of that would convert to sales. Kae,

thanks for stopping by - maybe you’ll become a regular reader and then I’ll have 3!

If you are not seeing any increase in business caused by your blogging, can I posit that this might be due to the fact that your blog is on your own domain, not your company’s domain and you don’t mention your company very often in your posts.

I suspect that if your blog was on the company domain, then this would add to your company’s credibility and at least some of that would convert to sales.

]]> By: Kae Verens http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1068 Kae Verens Wed, 06 Jul 2005 12:44:21 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1068 No, hostyle, I never read this blog ;) To keep on the apparent topic of this post, I am not aware of any increase of business that my company has gotten, caused by my blogging, but I do believe that it is beneficial to my own standing as an "expert" (or at least, "experienced worker") in my own fields to share what I have learned, and try to push things further. My reason for blogging? I haven't a clue... I guess I think of it as mainly note-keeping - I like to write things down that I am annoyed about or that I find useful, in the hope that other people will respond to those thoughts. A plus to blogging your thoughts, is that others may take those thoughts and run with them. It was pointed out that I sometimes release full applications or widgets - I think it's important to note that in most cases, those code snippets are then polished and enhanced by other people - Open Source in action! Anyway - I don't really consider myself to be a blogger - I stick to relatively few fields of interest in my writing, and I don't think my writing is really clear enough for others to read. No, hostyle, I never read this blog ;)
To keep on the apparent topic of this post, I am not aware of any increase of business that my company has gotten, caused by my blogging, but I do believe that it is beneficial to my own standing as an “expert” (or at least, “experienced worker”) in my own fields to share what I have learned, and try to push things further.
My reason for blogging? I haven’t a clue… I guess I think of it as mainly note-keeping - I like to write things down that I am annoyed about or that I find useful, in the hope that other people will respond to those thoughts.
A plus to blogging your thoughts, is that others may take those thoughts and run with them. It was pointed out that I sometimes release full applications or widgets - I think it’s important to note that in most cases, those code snippets are then polished and enhanced by other people - Open Source in action!
Anyway - I don’t really consider myself to be a blogger - I stick to relatively few fields of interest in my writing, and I don’t think my writing is really clear enough for others to read.

]]> By: frankp http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1067 frankp Wed, 06 Jul 2005 02:11:15 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1067 I'm not a (true) blogger so I should probably keep my mouth shut, but I never do... I have a blog but I keep it more as a personal knowledge base, and as tom says, if it helps others from time to time, great. I pity anyone who visits regularly! Thing is though - you have to want to have a blog. I reckon it's as simple as that. The same way that we all know people who kept a diary when we were younger (don't we?)... I could never keep a diary. I bought one from time to time and the first page would be written in. After that - blank. I keep the blog-run BifSniff site updated regularly - every week I draw the cartoon for Bif and upload it through blogger. But it's because I enjoy drawing the cartoon. If I enjoyed writing about more things more often I'd make a great blogger...! So, I guess it's a matter of wanting to do it. After that, there's any range of ways you could decide how to filter what you write about... you could pick just one subject and write about that. Or you could decide to blog a minimum of once a day/week on any subject. The first thing of interest that pops into your head, blog about it. Then leave all the other things, even if they seem more interesting. Or you could blog about whatever subject Keith or Tom has picked on any given day OR how about this - kill two birds with one stone- create a random-blog-post-subject-generator app, release it to the public and then use it to dictate what you blog about! ;) Anyway, that's my facile contribution. I’m not a (true) blogger so I should probably keep my mouth shut, but I never do… I have a blog but I keep it more as a personal knowledge base, and as tom says, if it helps others from time to time, great. I pity anyone who visits regularly!

Thing is though - you have to want to have a blog. I reckon it’s as simple as that. The same way that we all know people who kept a diary when we were younger (don’t we?)… I could never keep a diary. I bought one from time to time and the first page would be written in. After that - blank.

I keep the blog-run BifSniff site updated regularly - every week I draw the cartoon for Bif and upload it through blogger. But it’s because I enjoy drawing the cartoon. If I enjoyed writing about more things more often I’d make a great blogger…!

So, I guess it’s a matter of wanting to do it. After that, there’s any range of ways you could decide how to filter what you write about… you could pick just one subject and write about that. Or you could decide to blog a minimum of once a day/week on any subject. The first thing of interest that pops into your head, blog about it. Then leave all the other things, even if they seem more interesting. Or you could blog about whatever subject Keith or Tom has picked on any given day OR how about this - kill two birds with one stone- create a random-blog-post-subject-generator app, release it to the public and then use it to dictate what you blog about! ;)

Anyway, that’s my facile contribution.

]]> By: MacManX.com http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1049 MacManX.com Mon, 04 Jul 2005 16:57:46 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1049 <strong>Blogroll Dive: 7/4/05</strong> Here are the highlights from today’s Blogroll dive: Owen offers some advice on keeping WordPress v1.5.x up to date via SVN. Michael Heilemann prefers to store his ideas via an archaic analog system. Khaled releases Rin v1.1. Michael Hampton for... Blogroll Dive: 7/4/05

Here are the highlights from today’s Blogroll dive:
Owen offers some advice on keeping WordPress v1.5.x up to date via SVN.
Michael Heilemann prefers to store his ideas via an archaic analog system.
Khaled releases Rin v1.1.
Michael Hampton for…

]]> By: Angsuman Chakraborty http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1047 Angsuman Chakraborty Mon, 04 Jul 2005 08:24:20 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1047 > You have to blog something you are <em>absolutely passionately interested</em> in. Not always. I often blog about topics which interests me at an intellectual level. Passion, I am afraid, has nothing to do with it. > You have to blog something you are absolutely passionately interested in.

Not always. I often blog about topics which interests me at an intellectual level. Passion, I am afraid, has nothing to do with it.

]]> By: IO ERROR http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1045 IO ERROR Mon, 04 Jul 2005 08:11:37 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1045 You have to blog something you are absolutely passionately interested in. For most people, this tends to be what they had for breakfast or what kind of igneous rock they are. But we aren't talking about them. I blog primarily about <a href="http://www.ioerror.us/category/homeland-stupidity/">homeland stupidity</a> because it pisses me off and there's just so <em>much</em> of it. But you'll also find Linux howtos and news from time to time as well, and they account for a good third of my traffic. You have to blog something you are absolutely passionately interested in. For most people, this tends to be what they had for breakfast or what kind of igneous rock they are. But we aren’t talking about them.

I blog primarily about homeland stupidity because it pisses me off and there’s just so much of it. But you’ll also find Linux howtos and news from time to time as well, and they account for a good third of my traffic.

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1042 Tom Raftery Sun, 03 Jul 2005 20:01:02 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1042 That is an excellent question Lee and one to which there is no easy answer! Personally, I blog stories I have come across which I have found interesting (if they are IT related!). Also, I am blogging more about the advantages to businesses of blogging because they are two areas of interest to me and it is interesting to see how they intersect (and I hope to pick up a little business from consulting in this area!). Finally, I also blog solutions to problems I have had so my blog can function as a knowledgebase for me (the fact that this helps others with similar problems is a nice side benefit). Hope this helps, Tom That is an excellent question Lee and one to which there is no easy answer!

Personally, I blog stories I have come across which I have found interesting (if they are IT related!). Also, I am blogging more about the advantages to businesses of blogging because they are two areas of interest to me and it is interesting to see how they intersect (and I hope to pick up a little business from consulting in this area!). Finally, I also blog solutions to problems I have had so my blog can function as a knowledgebase for me (the fact that this helps others with similar problems is a nice side benefit).

Hope this helps,

Tom

]]> By: hostyle http://www.tomrafteryit.net/business-blogging-brings-the-most-marketing-and-sales-returns/#comment-1036 hostyle Sun, 03 Jul 2005 00:44:44 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/?p=284#comment-1036 Comepletely off topic Tom, but how do you decide what to blog and what not to? I've started a blog-type-thing a few times over the last 2/3 years and kept it private, and always lost interest / focus on what I was doing, never being able to decide on what should be included and what not. My main reason behind beginning such things was reading Caolan McNamaras (the guy who first introduced me to Linux - way back in the first days of the WANG lab in UL) homepage, and much more recently browsing sites such as Keith Gaughans (go on K, congratulate yourself) and Kae Verens blog - guys who have similar interests (most likely) and skills (well certainly similar) such as myself. Yet both also seem to have not just written stuff to help others (I'm far too guilty of programming/helping but never releasing), but developed full scale apps or APIs or whatever you want to call it in this day and age. In some ways I am jealous of them in this regard. I attribute this failure (both blog-like sharing of relatively unknown information / thoughts AND programming for the benefit of the public) most likely to the burn-out I experienced 2 or so years ago (and have yet to fully recover from - though meeting Jon Hanna in person and going for pints / discussion helped a lot). I know Keith reads here now and then - Kae perhaps not; have you guys experienced any form of burn-out? I've meandered quite a bit now, and my train of thought seems to have got a bit lost, but um, any further comments on this from anyone would be appreciated :) Comepletely off topic Tom, but how do you decide what to blog and what not to? I’ve started a blog-type-thing a few times over the last 2/3 years and kept it private, and always lost interest / focus on what I was doing, never being able to decide on what should be included and what not. My main reason behind beginning such things was reading Caolan McNamaras (the guy who first introduced me to Linux - way back in the first days of the WANG lab in UL) homepage, and much more recently browsing sites such as Keith Gaughans (go on K, congratulate yourself) and Kae Verens blog - guys who have similar interests (most likely) and skills (well certainly similar) such as myself. Yet both also seem to have not just written stuff to help others (I’m far too guilty of programming/helping but never releasing), but developed full scale apps or APIs or whatever you want to call it in this day and age. In some ways I am jealous of them in this regard. I attribute this failure (both blog-like sharing of relatively unknown information / thoughts AND programming for the benefit of the public) most likely to the burn-out I experienced 2 or so years ago (and have yet to fully recover from - though meeting Jon Hanna in person and going for pints / discussion helped a lot). I know Keith reads here now and then - Kae perhaps not; have you guys experienced any form of burn-out? I’ve meandered quite a bit now, and my train of thought seems to have got a bit lost, but um, any further comments on this from anyone would be appreciated :)

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