Actually don’t call it a comeback. Blogs have been here for years. But they kind of got lost in the social media shuffle. Companies and individuals have been burning the midnight oil trying to drive the best possible results through their social channels nearly forgetting what a valuable resource a blog is.
A few weeks back, I wrote about the social and affiliate benefits of blogging. Today, I want you to think of your blog as your number one growth asset. It is one part branding tool and one part thought leadership vessel enabling you to showcase what you do and your unique authoritative point of view on relevant topics. By posting a regular blog chock full of compelling, engaging information, you will be building your brand and attracting links to your site from within without relying on external advertising. If you doubt the effect of blogging, chew on this little nugget:
85% of web pages have less than 7 incoming links
That means a blog that generates a few inbound links puts your website, blog, social presence and business 85% ahead of the competition in terms of awareness and potential revenue. Not too shabby. So after you are finished reading this blog, do some blogging of your own. It may not be a comeback but the right blog will keep readers and prospective customers coming back time and time again.
I was playing Angry Birds the other night (the original not the Rio version) getting a sick thrill out of trying to get three stars on every level 5 stage when something strange happened. I thought I captured an egg only to discover that I had been captured by Facebook. In order to continue playing, I had to “Like” Angry Birds. Now I love Angry Birds but I also like democracy. There was something very off-putting about being given the “Like” mandate. Thankfully, I was playing on someone else’s iPhone (why buy the iPhone when you can beg and borrow) who didn’t have a problem with liking Angry Birds on her Facebook page. Still, the process left me feeling uneasy but in fairness to Angry Birds the ploy is not unique to them.
Last week, The New Yorker pulled a similar gotcha on readers by posting exclusive content on its Facebook page. In order to read a featured Jonathan Franzen piece, you had to “Like” it. I understand the rationale of both Angry Birds and The New Yorker. It’s all about that million dollar word – engagement. But what has made Facebook such an undeniably powerful and popular platform is the freedom of personal expression factor. Angry Birds has over 2 million Likes. I’m pretty certain that the majority of those were not forced from users. As a long-term subscriber of The New Yorker, isn’t my loyalty Like-worthy enough?
Companies considering implementing a “Like” mandate simply to boost user activity on Facebook need to weigh the pros and cons. Yes, it’s easy to fall under the Like spell but by forcing potential consumers to give you the Facebook thumbs up you run the very real risk of broken engagement.
Last week, Social Media Examiner released its comprehensive 41 page 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. In it, blogging was listed among the top four social media tools used by marketers. At least 73% of marketers polled planned to increase their blogging efforts. I knew I was doing this for a reason. This is not only good news for bloggers, it is also good news for affiliate marketers. Blogging for dollars is back!
The report also stated that 69% of marketers want to learn about blogging and how it can impact social initiatives while 72% of these marketers cited increasing traffic as a major social media benefit. For affiliates interested in expanding their reach, leveraging every social media channel – not solely Facebook or Twitter – can drive traffic to user blogs translating into increased affiliate sales. StumbleUpon, Digg and Reddit are growing networks that can help your blog improve its social standing. More eyes on your blog, the better your chances of driving sales opportunities.
The integration of social media and search seems to be at a fever pitch. Likes and Tweets are having an enormous impact on search engine rankings. Though Facebook and Twitter are each important to the search landscape, the former appears to be more immediately in tune with the evolving nature of social search. Facebook pages are complex and well-optimized making them rank higher on the social network and in the search space. But at the end of the day, social search must abide by similar best practices to maintain long-term success. Here are a few best practices to consider:
- It’s OK to be Vain – The vanity or customized URL is more appealing and readable to the search engines. It is important to choose one wisely since it can not be edited at a later date.
- Pay Close Attention to Your Profile – Facebook users should input as much categorized data as possible to increase their chances of being identified in searches. Also, continually revising and updating your profile will do wonders for your search results.
- in-Likes – It really is good to be Liked. The more users that Like your page, the better your chances of having incoming links point to it.
By putting your own Face on search, you will ensure that you get positively noticed in the SERPs.
