Are you blogging?
If you answered “No,” read on.
If you answered “Yes,” read on.
Why? Because if you have your own business, you should have a blog. No excuses. (I’ve personally run out of them. Starting a blog is one of my 2011 business goals.) And, if you already have one—a blog, that is, not an excuse—you want it work as smartly as you do by drawing more readers, positioning you as a thought leader, improving search engine results, and generating new business.
Having a blog and doing it the right way is critical.
Consider the numbers:
- 51 percent of daily Internet users read a blog at least once per month and over 60 percent will do so by 2014 (Technorati)
- 62 percent of self-employed people say they have much greater visibility in their industry because of their business blog (Technorati)
- Companies with a business blog attract 55 percent more website visitors and have 434 percent more indexed pages, which leads to better search engine results (HubSpot).
- More than 43 percent of US companies will market via a blog by 2012, up from 34 percent in 2010 (eMarketer)
On March 1, the WIC workshop, “Business Blogging: From the Essentials to the Exceptional,” will have something for everyone, no matter whether you’re “blogless,” a newbie or a seasoned pro. This is a dual-track workshop, meaning you’ll choose either the novice track or the advanced track. In less than four hours, you’ll learn how to get your blog on the right path. That’s a wise investment of time and resources.
Presenter Jerry Bates of FittingSites.com will show new bloggers how to set up a visually compelling, SEO-friendly and “sticky” WordPress blog with all the right features. You’ll learn how to think like your visitors and get tips for creating clean page layouts. Jerry will show you how to tap into the hidden potential of WordPress, use your blog in novel ways and integrate external services such as YouTube and Google Apps.
Speaker Ann Evanston of Warrior-Preneur will work with experienced bloggers who want to take their blogs to the next level. She’ll cover the pros and cons of a blog versus a video blog versus a website. You’ll receive insights and tips for keeping content fresh, pumping up your profile as a thought leader, video blogging, and how your blog plays into social media. Ann will also focus on the all-important issue of how to drive more traffic to your blog, which was identified as the number one challenge in a recent ProBlogger survey.
Don’t let this great opportunity pass.
Register now for the workshop and take advantage of the early-bird discount, which ends on February 15.
Sounds like an awesome workshop! I’m having a hard time deciding which one to go to, the novice or the advanced track. I’m not a novice by any means, however, I believe that there’s always something new that I can learn.
Cheryl,
If your primary concerns are around how to make your WordPress blog look great and improve the functionality of it, including using video, then Jerry’s track is most appropriate. If you’re focused on ways to drive traffic and be seen as more of a thought leader (not necessarily as much of a concern for someone who’s just started blogging and doesn’t yet have a large following), then Ann’s track is probably the way to go.
Hope this helps.