Why You Should Start A Blog or How to Increase Website Visitors Without Really Trying
Returning visits to our visitors, and visiting those who I follow in many of the social media communities, is an activity that I not only enjoy, but make sure I do on a daily basis.
Depending on my schedule, I may visit many in a short span of time (always allowing plenty of time for their pages to sit open in my browser to avoid penalizing them for my visit – no short visits please!). I try to schedule this portion of my day (or bits and pieces throughout the day) so I can relax and enjoy my visits, read, and comment, comment, comment.
(It’s easy to comment! Almost everyone has an opinion, reaction, idea or thought they can share without worrying “do I sound okay?” on a blog.)
This morning, visiting our friend Larry Brauner, I’m enjoying my read of his perception on blogging. This visit also conveniently sparked my idea for this post – how great is that 
Here’s an excerpt that really caught my eye and explains why everyone should start a blog:
Search engines love to deliver fresh content to their clientele, and that’s what blogs are all about. Each blog post creates new content for search engines such as Google to sink their teeth into.
Search engines send visitors. Some of those visitors become readers and bond with the blogger and his or her company or cause.
I’ll go a step further and say nothing brings REAL HUMANS to your website the way blogging does.
Blogging IS the best of both worlds!
We run several services online (keeping in mind please that “Diane Scott” is a pen name) that deal in the traditional approach to online internet marketing overall, and specifically within the niche of ezine advertising.
Individuals who start their money making journey online by joining affiliate programs are usually given a single landing page or very small website to promote. The trouble arises when the content on those pages rarely or never changes. You must, as Larry points out, give meat to the search engines if you wish to drive traffic to your opportunities. Unchanging websites hold very little appeal to search engines, give them no reason to return for repeat visits, and never rank well in comparison to ever-changing websites.
So how do you appeal to both “people visitors” and search engines? Blogging!
What is blogging? and the question, “How can I start a blog are easily answered if you take the time right now to click through using either of these links (new windows open so you won’t lose your place).
We love to blog, and we hope it shows!
We also understand that the mere thought of starting a blog may seem overwhelming to many.
However, we’ve taken the fear out and put the FUN in – including (“virtually” literally) holding your hand through the entire process (and always being there). Dropping the ball is something we would NEVER consider doing.
YOUR THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Consider spending your advertising and marketing dollars on YOURSELF. Yes, you can join programs, but act and create a spot for yourself on the web that is both human visitor and (highly) search engine friendly. Put your money into promoting yourself, and your space, giving your affiliate program, etc., space on your blog – but again spending your money on YOU not them.
You’ll find blogging a very easy way to promote many things from one spot. Then if and when you do go out and use “traditional” marketing methods, you point your advertisements to your blog! You’ve already given the affiliate program your upfront money, why continue to spend your marketing budget on their url?? Down the line you may even change your mind about that program and leave. All that money you’ve spent is now wasted. But if you’d started out right, and made your blogging world on the net, changing to something new is never a problem. You’ve been advertising YOUR url… that makes sense doesn’t it?!
Do this easily with blogging.
Blogging is something everyone at ANY level can and should do, and we encourage you to leave the “I can’t do this” attitude behind and start blogging today! (We can and will help!)
Hi guys,
Blogging is more fun than ‘marketing’. You get to reveal your personality and get to know your readers. And when you visit the blogs of others that you do business with, you feel like you know them a little better. At least I do.
I find the social interaction much more enjoyable than the old shove it down your throat sales tactics.
What’s the old saying?
In order to have a friend, you have to be a friend? Something like that
Have a great day!
Carole
CommonSenseLivings last blog post..A typical morning
@Carole agree with you 100% – everything about blogging is so much fun you barely know you are “working!”
Hi Everyone — Just wanted to stop by and let you know how much I enjoyed this post. I publish the New Body News eZine, but have noticed that lots of people find me through its sister blog.
Too, I signed up for the Google “Alerts” and notice that every time I post it gets picked up – not so with much of the NBN content.
I’ll admit, I’m still finding my “groove” in terms of setting up my funnel. So any insight would be fabulous. Now that I’ve read your post, I’m considering just popping up a subscription box for the eZine on the blog. Perhaps this would be a good idea?
I know for sure I’m way in the dark ages compared to you all — I’m just the resident health geek (haha!) Therefore, I’ll definately be keeping my ear to the ground looking to ramp up on some of your hogs and blogs techinques for the already trying but less than savvy blogger!
Thanks for the great material. You’re the best…
Laura
http://www.new-body-news.com
Lauras last blog post..[*Body Talk Update - Live In The Present By Forgiving Your Past*]
Always a pleasure to see you stop by Laura! Yes, I’d definitely put the subscription box there, too. Many will opt to go with the RSS feed, but you might consider adding some goodies to help entice them to go the “old fashioned” route (we do! hint hint other readers, it’s up there on the left by the RSS big button!)
Thank you Diane – Superb information as always. I’ll do it and will let you know! Have a great weekend — Laura
Lauras last blog post..[*Body Talk Update - Live In The Present By Forgiving Your Past*]
Hi Dianne
I’m just checking out your blog
Hey, which Dianne am I speaking to? LOL. I like your concept. Great idea. Who knows, you could be the next Shakespeare (female version) who “apparently” was 2 people, according to a Russian journalist.
Oh yeah, BTW, I hanged around long enough to be a proper stat for the search engines.
Keep up the good work.
Sean Rasmussens last blog post..Success Loves Wealth
@Sean LOL! will we ever tell… lol! interesting insight/comparison to Shakespeare… won’t let it go to our collective heads!
While some of us are comfortable blogging, I think there is still a LOT of fear out there. People don’t feel they have anything novel to say, they worry they are doing something wrong in the eyes of their employer, etc etc.
In trying to “encourage” people to become more comfortable with social media, I encourage them first to start reading and commenting. it can be easier to add a paragraph response to something you read than to come up with something entirely novel (granted, I know some people that are even worried they have nothing to comment on, either!)
Backtype.com is a great service to allow people to start easing into the blogging world: they can sign up and start seeing what other conversations are taking place. It can make it easier to see that not every comment is a million dollar one. And the slowly, people can ease into starting such conversations on a blog of their own.
Andrea Hills last blog post..Social Media Mullets