Writing on the Web

MAY 23, 2016

How do you choose a blog platform ? . In my last post, How to Start a Blog: 7 Steps BEFORE You Blog , I shared important information you want to consider before your first post, including signing up for a trial blog. With so many great blog platforms available, including WordPress , Blogger, Tumblr, Ghost, Squarespace, Wix, Typepad, Weebly, etc., how do you know which is best for you?

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Writing on the Web

APRIL 27, 2016

How do you use your blog analytics ? There are many easy-to-use blogging analytics tools out there, but the really successful bloggers know their results and tailor their blogs accordingly. This is the fifth element in the CAST system for effective blog content : C ontent (compelling). A ssets (free). S ocial Media. T rack. Here are the top five practices in business blog tracking, using analytic tools, and what to do to improve the performance of your blog so that you and your business blog get

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Writing on the Web

APRIL 6, 2016

If you want to grow your reader base, that is, if you want to get found and get known online, small businesses and entrepreneurs will offer prospects and clients online information for free, such as a white paper , a report or a compelling article. This is part of the CAST acronym for ways to grow readership. CAST Your Net: A is for Assets. I’ve been blogging about ways to grow your reader base using this memory device: C ontent.

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Writing on the Web

MARCH 30, 2016

Is your blog content compelling? Are you attracting new readers, engaging with them, and growing your reader base? In my last post , I shared an acronym that you should be using when writing blog content: C ontent (compelling). A ssets (free). S ocial Media. T rack. Hemingway did not have the technological advantages that we have, nor a blog, but he knew how to engage his readers.

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Writing on the Web

FEBRUARY 17, 2016

How easy is it for you to get found online? Are you attracting the kinds of readers who could be your ideal clients? Here’s a quick 5 question quiz to reveal how well you’re doing: 5 Question Quiz. How easy is it for someone to find you doing a search for answers to their problems? What comes up for your name? What comes up for the keywords that describe what your business does?

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Writing on the Web

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

A Note from Patsi: This week’s guest post is about SEO and content marketing and it’s really important. Why? Because if you write your own blog, you may think that quality content is all you need to get found online and attract clients. It’s not. I don’t care how good your writing is or how important you are as a thought leader in your field.

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Writing on the Web

JANUARY 19, 2016

Content marketing is challenging, but it’s also the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. What more satisfying way to market professional services than by writing from the heart? When you address the problems your readers experience with your own knowledge, experience and wisdom, you help others AND build credibility authentically. If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you probably know that I do not believe in new year resolutions.

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Writing on the Web

DECEMBER 16, 2015

Do you know how to blog for your business using personality yet remaining professional? No, seriously – there’s an ongoing trend to be personal with blogs. I see it everywhere – blogs, email, newsletters. If you’re writing for business, you want to connect with your readers by using personal stories. But how much is too much? Rohit Bhargava’s written a whole book about this, filled with examples of how companies are successfully using personalities to market their business prod

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Writing on the Web

DECEMBER 2, 2015

How do you create an emotional connection with your blog readers? More importantly, how do you get them so inspired they want to take action, like join your list, opt-in, comment, or buy something? Here are some psychological secrets to keep in mind. When writing on the web – either in a blog post , a newsletter or other forms of content marketing , readers are more likely to respond to your offers of service or products if there is a resonance between you.

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Writing on the Web

NOVEMBER 25, 2015

Are you writing stories with feeling on your business blog? If your blog post doesn’t resonate emotionally, you can’t do a good job of building relationships, inspiring trust, and moving people into taking action. As I mentioned in my last post , great blog content appeals to people who are both thinkers and feelers. To do this, blog writers need to get real with readers – they need to step away from their anonymous masks and get emotional.

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Writing on the Web

OCTOBER 23, 2015

Do you know how to write blog posts so that they actually get read? Some people think blogging is easy : Write it and it will be read. If you’ve ever written a blog post , you know that’s not true, and it’s hard to craft a post people will read. This infographic was created for Salesforce Canada and it says it all; it will help you put together a share-worthy post.

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Writing on the Web

OCTOBER 21, 2015

Do you know how to make money blogging? Let me ask you this: Are you earning money because of your blog? If so, your blog is a means of indirect sales. As I talked about in my last post , there are two different methods you can earn money blogging: Directly. Indirectly. How to Make Money Indirectly from a Business Blog. A quick review: When I speak of earning money directly from a blog , I am referring to methods such as advertising on your blog, sponsorship on your blog, sale of products or se

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Writing on the Web

OCTOBER 8, 2015

How do you make money from business blogging? This is a question I was recently asked by a friend. It seems like a straightforward question, but the answer is complex. Most blogs aren’t profitable, but people devote a great deal of time and energy to them. There must be a good reason, no? You need to understand how to use business blogging to suit your business goals.

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Writing on the Web

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

Business blogging can be frustrating for professionals. Does this happen to you? You sit down to (finally!) write on your business blog, you’ve done a bunch of research, you’ve created lists, outlines and even saved a few great blog post drafts, but you haven’t actually published any of your content… There always seems to be one more thing to check before you pull the ‘publish’ trigger.

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Writing on the Web

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

It’s the rainy season here in Mexico – a great time to do a lot of reading, writing and recovery – at least, that’s what I told myself when I scheduled my shoulder surgery. But I’m having trouble with my blog writing. And now I’m stuck. I’ve got Blogger’s Block. (Yes, even experienced bloggers can get stuck from time to time.). So I pull out my bag of great blog post tricks, and determine where I’m stuck in the process.

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Writing on the Web

JULY 16, 2015

There’s no doubt that social proof is one of the key ways people decide to buy or try your products or services. But if you don’t have a lot of clients, or you’re starting a new business or product, how do you get quality client testimonials ? I get asked about this by some of my consulting clients. Nothing can backfire and destroy trust and credibility more quickly than phony testimonials.

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Writing on the Web

JULY 8, 2015

When writing on the web about your services or products, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of testimonials and client reviews. Social proof is such a strong persuasion trigger you shouldn’t limit these comments to just a page, but have them scattered throughout your web and blog pages. Know what works best for your content marketing strategies, especially when creating a website or blog, introducing yourself, a new product, or special promotion.

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Writing on the Web

JUNE 16, 2015

How are you doing with your 2015 blog goals ? Are you publishing blog topics that include compelling, relevant content that solves the problems of your readers? A study on B2B content marketing has shown that 70% of businesses online have more content now than they had last year, and of these, 80% are doing so through corporate blogs. These smart professionals understand the effectiveness of blogs, but blogging is not without challenges: figuring out what blog topics to focus on, conducting appr

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Writing on the Web

JUNE 4, 2015

Are you an expert? Then you need to write and publish an expert ebook. Now. Before your field gets flooded with too many on the same topic (if it isn’t already). Trust me on this one. Just as business blogs caught fire in 2004-2005, expert ebooks are what smart professionals use as a key marketing tool to get found, get known and get clients. If you’re an expert and want to get found online, there’s no better way than to give visitors to your website or blog a free report that shows your e

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Writing on the Web

MAY 27, 2015

I get calls from executive coaches and consultants who want to publish an expert ebook. They ask me for help, to ghost write either for or with them. The answer is yes : in certain fields, I am a ghost writer. I read a ton of books on leadership, and study how the big sellers on Amazon are written in this category. I can help you write an expert ebook on leadership.

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Writing on the Web

MAY 15, 2015

Once upon a time, SEO met up with Content Marketing , fell in love, and vowed to never separate, to always work together in harmony. Anyone who’s been around the ‘Net a while understands a little about optimizing content so that the search engines can index it according to topic and relevance to readers. About ten years ago, someone decided to give a name to the type of marketing that occurs that involves the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to acquire an

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Writing on the Web

MAY 10, 2015

All the data shows that people prefer doing business with authentic brands and authentic professionals. But how authentic is your blog writing? Do you sound authentic? And, how do you write authentically, anyway? In my last blog post, I shared 5-steps for a good bio/marketing message for an e-newsletter : Tell them who you are and what you can do to help solve their challenges.

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Writing on the Web

FEBRUARY 26, 2015

'A few years ago I polled readers and asked what their biggest blogging challenge is. Turns out, it’s not lack of time, it’s lack of inspiration. Does your blog writing lack inspiration? Is it hard to get really fired up when starting to write a post? I get that. When I was just starting out as a blogger (was that really over 15 years ago?!) I could just feel that screen staring right back at me.

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Writing on the Web

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

'Do you know about LinkedIn blogs? And are you blogging yet on LinkedIn ? I’m not yet, but I will be right after I write this blog post! Since early 2014, LinkedIn opened its publishing platform to its 300+ million users. Here is your chance to show your expertise in your professional life and without character restrictions! The importance of using a LinkedIn blog is that it will add dimension and help in building a well-documented profile.

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Writing on the Web

FEBRUARY 11, 2015

'Many of my readers are busy professionals who don’t have a lot of time for blogging or social media. But marketing is vital, especially if you’re growing a business, want to get found, get known, and get clients. For those of you who have the bare minimum of time, and still want to get results, here are a few social media tips and tricks I’ve used.

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Writing on the Web

JANUARY 21, 2015

'In order to impress visitors and showcase your business expertise, your blog must pass the “blink” test. As I mentioned in my previous post , your blog design must incorporate three critical elements: Branding/Personality (Banners, logo, photos). Navigation/Simplicity (Layout, use of white space and read more). Quality Content (Problems you solve for your readers).

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Writing on the Web

JANUARY 16, 2015

'Does your blog pass the blink test? Content is king, but if your design stinks, visitors won’t get past the banner. They won’t stay, they won’t get to know you and they won’t subscribe to your blog. I mentioned this in my previous post : in order to impress visitors and showcase your business expertise, your site must pass the “blink” test.

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Writing on the Web

NOVEMBER 27, 2014

'My Business Blog Gratitude List" width="150" height="150" title="10 Great Things for 2014: My Business Blog Gratitude List" /> You may have heard me say it before – my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It’ a fairly big holiday in the U.S., and a great way to celebrate gratitude. This year, I updated my gratitude list, and perhaps you can relate and it will inspire you to make up your own list.

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Writing on the Web

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

'Shortcuts to Newsletters. Are you sending holiday newsletters for your business? Even though you may be tempted to put all your time and energy into maintaining your business blog , a newsletter is still a vital, viable way to stay connected to clients and prospects. Holiday newsletters are a great opportunity. Don’t take my word for it. Ask other professionals if they’re getting results from sending out an emailed newsletter , for the holidays, or any time of year, and then judge for yourself

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Writing on the Web

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

'How to Find It and Keep It" width="315" height="205" title="Your Business Blog Sweet Spot: How to Find It and Keep It" /> Have you found your business blog sweet spot? In previous posts I shared how storytelling and personalization are key to creating a blog with personality, and that the biggest mistake business bloggers make is ego-centric blog posts.

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Writing on the Web

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

'The biggest mistake business bloggers make is that they are frequently ego-centric. This isn’t necessarily all bad, it simply doesn’t bring the blogging results that smart professionals expect. Bloggers are so passionate about their message and their expertise , they preach. They shout. They proclaim. They implore. They explain. They document and support their logic.

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Writing on the Web

OCTOBER 30, 2014

'What’s the scariest blog post you have ever read? For me it’s a blog or website without any personality. Storytelling and personalization is the key piece in content marketing as I see it. People are good at writing about what they know. They aren’t as good about expressing who they are and why they do what they do. If you’re not writing real stories, your content – on your blog, in your newsletter, on your web pages – runs the risk of being boring.

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Writing on the Web

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

'Quality blog posts are key to your business getting found on the Web. While that may sound obvious – (“Of course, why would I write something ho-hum boring?”) it’s harder than you might think. Not everyone agrees on what quality content is. Quality content scores high with readers, your target clients, and with search engines. If you want to get found, get known and get clients online, you need to write and publish quality blog posts that resonate with your readers.

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Writing on the Web

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

'I feel like we hear a lot of the same blogging tips over and over again. While it is definitely useful to know your blogging basics and how to boost readership, how about we change it up a little and offer some ideas on how to boost your blog in ways that you’ve maybe not thought about before? Here are a few ways that you can get new (and old) eyes on your blog and keep them engaged.

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Writing on the Web

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

'Create Shareable Content – Don’t Be a Bore" width="345" height="225" title="The ABC’s of Business Blogging: Create Shareable Content – Don’t Be a Bore" /> In the world of business blogging and content marketing, there’s nothing worse than a bore. I know we’ve all seen bad content marketing – blogs that are irrelevant, outdated, full of incorrect information, typos, rambling rants and silly drivel.

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Writing on the Web

AUGUST 26, 2014

'Be Original and Offer Insight" width="325" height="228" title="The ABC’s of Great Blogging: Be Original and Offer Insight" /> When it comes to content marketing and great blogging, insight and originality rules. According to the authors of Content Rules : “Produce great stuff, and your customers will come to you. Produce really great stuff, and your customers will share and disseminate your message for you.

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Writing on the Web

AUGUST 21, 2014

'How to be Heard above the Noise" width="232" height="232" title="The ABCs of Business Blogging: How to be Heard above the Noise" /> Let me ask you a couple of questions about your business blogging. When you’re competing online with other experts in your field, what makes you stand out? How are your prospects (and clients) finding you among all the other blogs and sites online?

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