I have a great intern Chad. Today he asked me – how do I find things to blog about? It’s a great question. As I’m teaching him I catch myself saying, “I need to blog about this.” It’s much easier for me to blog when people ask questions. Then I realize what people need to know or want to know.

Just like in all marketing, no matter how good you are, if you don’t keep it up, people will forget about you. You won’t reach new audiences and people will follow other bloggers instead of you.

Here are 12 ways to find things to blog about:

1. Real life experiences. You can use examples from clients but make the information general so that it can apply to almost anyone. For example: a client does something unique after sending out a press release. I could blog about it as a tip for others.
2. Email lists. Do you belong to an email list for professionals in your field? Most of the lists have people sharing information or asking questions. The answers or resources people give are potential blog posts. Just expand them and add your tips or opinion. You may want to get permission first if you’re using a lot of their content. Sometimes it’s just the idea or question that gets you thinking.
3. Read. The more you take in, the more you can give out. Read other blogs, industry publications, magazines your target market reads, etc. If it holds your attention then it’s likely worthy of a blog post.
4. Pay attention to your customers questions.  Blog the answers (make it general).
5. Real life events. Blog about events you go to like conferences, meetups, trainings, etc. Blog who you met, what you learned, etc. This can help solidify connections. You should come away with ideas for multiple posts that can be written about at one time then scheduled to go live at intervals. So if you write 3 posts, schedule them to go live one at a time. You could even make it a series. Example: I’m going to present at a conference in October. I could do a series like this – Marketing to Muslims Online Part 1 of 3 then the next day have part 2 of 3, etc.
6. Look in your stats – go to the keyword reporting section. Type in the word, “How” or “Why” or “When” and see what people are asking. Title the post the question and answer it.
7. Use Google alerts to keep track of what’s being said online and then write about the good posts or sites you find.
8. Use tweetbeep or search Twitter to see what people are asking about a topic. Type in a subject and a question mark. For example “press release ?” to get questions about press releases. Then you’ll find out what people need to know right now. Answer them by linking to a post or give a short answer then write a longer one. Send them a tweet about the post.
9. Use Google Insights for Search – it shows news about a topic and at the bottom you can see most popular keywords or searches.
10. Write about what you see on TV or traditional media. For example, I watched 60 Mins. episode on Twitter and I could let my readers know about it and link to it in a blog post.
11. Write about products or services you like or would recommend. Or blog about services you wish you had and ask if anyone can recommend a solution to your problem.
12. Write a post based on comments you get or read on another person’s blog. People tend to read the first comment or two only. Sometimes there are real gems buried in the comments that deserve to be highlighted in a post. For example: you read or write a post on how to host a successful conference. People write their tips in the comments. You can write a follow-up post highlighting your reader’s tips.

Problogger wrote 9 Things to Do to Make Sure your Next blog Post is Read by More than your Mom

and Problogger guest writer Lynn Terry wrote ways to aggregate blog posts and re-use old content on your blog.

How do you find things to blog about?

I recently wrote an article for Small Business Trends about blogging as an SEO Tool. It was featured in the Better Business Bureau’s Newsletter. Here it is in case you missed it.

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I’m a huge proponent of blogging based first on my own experience as a blogger. My blog essentially launched my career in online marketing and SEO. I learned from it and I have helped businesses large and small benefit from blogging.

But until now I didn’t have current research about a blog’s impact on SEO

Hubspot just came out with research based on their actual customers on how a blog impacts their business. It’s a decent sample size of 1,531 of their customers which are primarily small and mid-sized businesses. Roughly half (795) blog and half don’t (736).

Here’s the data. Those who blog see:

• 55% more visitors to their website.
• 97% more links to their website which is a primary factor in where your website shows up in search results. (Want a higher ranking, get quality links to your site).
• 434% more indexed pages – this is the number of pages that show up in search engines. Just because you have a site doesn’t guarantee it is being indexed (findable). Just because some of your pages are in search engines doesn’t mean all of your pages are.

This is incredible data – who wouldn’t want those kind of results?

However, blogging isn’t for everyone. Think this over:

• Do you have content to write about? If you don’t have much to say blogging isn’t a good medium for saying it. Sending out a press release every few months would probably be better.
• Can you commit to writing regularly? Google rewards consistency and consistency builds trust with people. If you can’t maintain a blog then it’s probably better not to.
• Do you have the technical background to install and maintain a blog (plugins, features, etc)?
• Would you need help posting on a blog?

Here are some ways to get help posting on a blog. Consider hiring an intern from a local college to create blog posts – take pictures for the posts and get valuable online PR experience. Most of the time this is a free way to go about it, but you must manage them or find someone who can write and learn quickly with little or no supervision.

Another option is to hire a blogger who understands SEO or hire someone to coach your team. While having someone else blog for you who is not as familiar as you are with your business may initially be a drawback, it does at least ensure your blog is being updated.It can fill in some of the gaps. The better information you can supply to the blogger, the better quality your posts will be. As time goes by they will gain knowledge and understanding of your business that will make it easier and easier for them to blog.

If you want to get started, here are some blogging tips. A solution that can work for a small businesses is Yola – it’s free to set up a simple blog or website. You can add Google Maps and you can optimize it for search engines. For a nominal cost you can get your own domain name (it will redirect to your Yola blog). If you have things to write about and want to save on time or choose something less technical it’s a good choice. You can help your SEO and ultimately your business.

Problogger wrote about a blogging alliance (that I’m going to call a co-op). It’s a way for a small group (6, in this case) of bloggers to cross-promote their blogs.

It’s wise to have a marketing group that  meets regularly to discuss and improve your marketing. My orthodontist does this and it’s quite effective. They meet in person but you can meet by conference call.

Business partnerships are the best way to grow a business that I know. This post is a practical guide to setting one up. I do these sorts of things informally but not regularly. Most bloggers share a common struggle to stay motivated, keep writing, keep up the quality, make more money, grow our readership, get more subscribers, etc.

Guidelines for your Blog Co-Op (take this one step at a time)

• Find bloggers in the same or similar niche so your audiences will overlap.
• Subscribe to each other’s blogs and comment on each other’s blog posts. Add each other’s blogs to your blogrolls.
• Link to each other’s blog posts.
• Tweet each other’s links.
• Social bookmark each other’s posts.
• Write guest posts for each other.
• Cross-promote each other’s contests/giveaways/promotions. That way you can greatly enhance what you can offer to advertisers.
• Help each other find advertisers (and suggest advertisers might want to advertise on other blogs in the group) and affiliate programs that fit their niche. Share results.
• Promote each other’s blogs in blog posts on occassion, inviting their readers to sign up for the RSS feed or newsletter of another blogger.
• When you have space, put up an ad on your blog for another blogger’s product or even their blog or newsletter.
• Promote each other’s products as mutual affiliates (and give each other higher commissions).
• Introduce each other to other bloggers and resources that are effective.
• Give one another feedback and ideas to improve your blog.

Problogger mentioned that 5 of the 7 bloggers are now full time bloggers and the other 2 are doing pretty well with blogging as their 2nd job. The also keep each other motivated.

Have you tried this? Would you be willing to?

I have two people in mind to do this with. There are others that don’t have as good of a fit because our niches are too different. I think that’s probably key to staying motivated because this is obviously quite a commitment. I’m sure you could cut it down to once a month.

If you have any recommendations for me, or want to consider forming a blogging co-op, please let me know in the comments.

This post on social marketing appeared in the American Express Small Business Forum where I write for Small Business Trends each month.

“Working for trade is genius, especially in this economy” Nate Bagely, OrangeSoda

I was recently part of a social media retreat that included sponsors like Sorel and Frito-Lay. We had guides take us fly fishing and horseback riding. Brands donated products for us to try. All in the hopes that we would blog about them.

When I go to these events, I can instantly tell if a company understands the impact of this group. If they do, we’re treated like royalty. Otherwise, they think of us as a group of moms who have nothing better to do than try to get something for free. The fly fishing outfitters didn’t get it and so there won’t be reviews at all, or at least not glowing reviews.

Bigger brands often see the value of engaging bloggers. But for many small businesses working with bloggers is new and unknown. Yet it can be an effective marketing tool. At OrangeSoda we’ve helped businesses navigate this by helping them identify local bloggers. If you find and treat them well, the relationship can be beneficial. You get exposure to their readers (in the form of links, search engine results, product photos and video, etc). They get free product for themselves and their readers.

For the women who blog and who have a decent following, interacting with brands has become part of blogging. Recently, it has gotten the attention of the FTC. BlogHer, one of the foremost blogging conferences for women just wrapped up last month. One of the most popular sessions at BlogHer was about endorsements and testimonials from bloggers. There was a lot of debate over the ethics of reviewing products or recommending them after being wined and dined by advertisers who hoped for good reviews.

The FTC is reviewing their guidelines for endorsements and testimonials and may pass a new version later this summer that includes policing bloggers. It’s quite ominous.

“If the plans are approved, the FTC will actively go after bloggers who fail to disclose if they’re being compensated for their words. The FTC could then order violators to stop and pay restitution to consumers, or even sic the Justice Department on them for civil penalties. While penalties for failure to disclose financial interest have existed in the past, the FTC is broadening the scope of the media it is actively reviewing to cover blogs and bloggers. It may have been watching before, but now it’s prepared to pounce.”

BlogHer released a survey of almost 3,000 women (here’s the link to the PDF) and found that women are more than twice as likely to go to blogs versus social network sites to seek information, advice and recommendations. And the BlogHer sponsored posts section is one of the most popular.

Why are bloggers so coveted by brands? Bloggers in the study were online the most, were the most active in social media, identify themselves as being leading edge, and are the most tech savvy. They are the smallest segment with the largest reach.

Some cry that blogging is dead, but it’s far from it. While women use social media, it’s more for building relationships and keeping in touch. They go to blogs to get opinions on products. From the survey: Women are 50 percent more likely to turn to social networking sites as a means of keeping in touch with friends and family (75%), and go to blogs to seek product reviews. In other words, generally speaking people trust the opinions of these bloggers.

“Of the 42 million women engaged in social media weekly, 55 percent of women participate in some form of blogging activity; 75 percent participate in social networks such as Facebook or MySpace and 20 percent use Twitter.”

Blogs and social networks are displacing other forms of media and entertainment where businesses traditionally advertise:  “As a result of this increased activity, the 2009 study found that women online are now more than ever before spending less time engaging in traditional media activities like watching TV (30%), listening to the radio (31%), and reading magazines (36%) or the newspaper (39%).”

For any business, you want to be where you have the biggest influence. Blogging is an ideal fit for many. In essence it’s a trade. And “working for trade is genius, especially in this economy” Nate Bagely, SEO analyst at OrangeSoda.

You don’t need to have a blog to reach customers through blogging. You just need to engage with bloggers by finding ones who are a fit for your products or services and then approaching them about ways you could work together. More bloggers are being proactive and asking advertisers for products. Either way, it’s an inexpensive form of marketing – but if you do it, be sure to ask bloggers to disclose that the resulting posts were sponsored.

The article I wrote for Small Business Trends about blogging for SEO was recently featured in the Better Business Bureau’s newsletter. It’s under “Best Business Practices” and begins….”If your ever unsure about starting a company blog…”

I just got a story on the American Express Open Forum through Small Business Trends (in association with OrangeSoda). It’s called, “Businesses Turn to Mom Blogs to Market Their Wares.”

It’s fascinating to me how many different ways we interact with brands online and the people who represent those brands. I recently posted about a social media retreat and how I loved the Sorel boots that the company sent. I’ve always been a fan of the brand (but haven’t remembered them until recently) and can appreciate a sturdy but fashionable pair of Winter boots. Next, I connected with them on Twitter. They’re sending me a pair and have done a lot of reaching out to bloggers (so has Crocs).

Why mom bloggers? I’d rephrase that to why women bloggers. The answer is that women love to talk and share information with other women. If we like something we’re likely to become evangelists to our friends. If those friends are online then the reach expands. Even if they’re not, search engines bring people to our posts indefinately.

Recently I Googled the name of a restaurant I heard about. The first result was their Twitter page, their blog, and Google Maps (not showing up today). Then a blog post from 2007 (2 years ago). That blog post convinced me to try it. I thought it was interesting that their web page wasn’t even in the top 10. Also, that the blog isn’t even about restaurants or reviews.

If you liked the article, please tweet or bookmark it. I wish you didn’t have to register to comment but if you’re inclined I welcome your perspective.

Related Posts about Reaching Bloggers

How to See the Movie Julie & Julia

Social Media Retreat in the Utah Outdoors

Social Media Case Study: Engaging Mom Bloggers

Hubspot: The Effectiveness of Blogging for Small Businesses

Startup Princess: How to Host a Successful Mom Blogger Event

I Never Grew Up: How to Succeed in Giving Away Product at Promotional Events to Bloggers or Celebrities

Here’s a question that I get asked a lot – how much time should I spend on _______ (insert Twitter, Facebook, social bookmarking, blogging, etc). You can easily get overwhelmed by the mirad of tasks and changes required to keep up with social networking and marketing online.

I’ve always struggled with that question. Why? Because the answer depends on you, your stats and your working style. I’m a person who works in spurts. I have inspiration and I try to drop everything and go. If not I forget what I was going to do or I lose the passion of my ideas that drives me.

You on the other hand may be a very organized person who organizes your day and likes routine.

Either way my answer is to do what you like doing the most first and establish a pattern. If you love writing, blog. If you like it quick and easy, tweet. If you have a loyal following of fans, start a Facebook Page. If you have video start a YouTube channel or group. If you have pictures, start with Flickr. If you have a lot of content that needs more traffic,  start with social bookmarking.

Spend time every day learning, building and testing marketing on the site. Give it a month and look at your stats. Yes, you need to have Google analytics installed. Do this now. Hire it done. It’s free it’s so valuable that you shouldn’t be online without having it. If you have a WordPress blog the easiest is using the plugin Ultimate Google Analytics. You sign up, get a certain number, enter it in the settings (GA Settings) and save it. It does the rest. You can now see how people find your blog – from search engines, other web sites and keywords.

Ask yourself, what is working? How do you know what is working? I look at the top web sites and keywords that bring people to my blog. Then I see how much time each source averages per visit. The ones that are working will not only find your content but stay on your site (a sign they like what they see and want to learn more).

Then try another social networking or marketing activity. If it’s press releases, give it 6-8 months of regularly sending out news before you give up. Most marketing is going to take that long to start seeing results. If you want something faster, paid ads (PPC) is best but what a learning curve!

Next I’ll go over ways to guage your time and align it with what is working best for your business. Then you’ll be able to answer (not guess or listen to an “expert” tell you) how long to spend on social media marketing.

Have you ever written a guest post on someone’s blog and gotten no feedback? It’s not encouraging.

I’m writing for Small Business Trends and the American Express Open Forum in my position with OrangeSoda. Both of these are under the direction of Anita Campbell. I noticed that Anita is always the first to comment on my new posts. She gets the conversation started. She tweets and links to it too. I really appreciate that she does this!

Sometimes it’s intimidating to be the first one to make a comment on a blog post so when you do this for someone else you are going first. It encourages more people to comment.

When someone guest posts on your blog or writes on your forum, the owner or administrator should be one of the first people to comment on the post. You should tweet about it, put it on your Facebook Page, or otherwise promote it. It’s like being a good host and trying to help your guests feel welcome and comfortable. In real life a host greets everyone and introduces them to people – online the same principle applies.

Steal this idea!

I broke down and bought the new Thesis WordPress theme. It’s a quality wordpress theme but it’s not free. It’s the first time I’ve purchased a theme. I usually pay someone to customize a free theme. I’m still learning it but here’s my preliminary review.

Is Thesis worth it?
I think it is. I like that I can change the width of my columns and number of columns very easily. I like that it’s very easy to change the font face and size (wish that included color). Things that would take a long time are much quicker and site wide rather than having to go into many files. With Thesis I only edit one file instead of widgets or code. They have a design panel and a regular panel that has a large menu of options for making global changes.

I also like how you can choose a template for each page. Just choose from a dropdown and you can choose to show a template that doesn’t have a sidebar. So it makes it much easier to operate the site like pages of a web site rather than a blog.

Technical Skills
I’m still learning but what I don’t like is that you still need some technical skills to make changes to the header image, background image and tweaks like that. I use hooks (a separate download) which help me place ads in the right places but they’re a little complicated because you need to know CSS. There are tutorials but again I wish this was easier to use. It’s even confusing to me than editing code from the files themselves.

Aesthetics
The style is so boxy and plain. Most of the customizations I’ve seen still have that feel. I’m not sure how to round corners or make the site look more aesthetically pleasing. Even adding a new header is a pain. Many bloggers stick with Blogger because they have more designs out of the box. Of course you can pay someone to design your site. There aren’t a lot of designs that appeal to women. I talked to Joseph Scott and his wife about it last week. He works on WordPress (programmer). I’m not sure he’s convinced that it’s as big of an issue as I think it is.

What do you think about Thesis WP theme?

I found out I was mentioned in this story about bloggers who make money on their blog. Dooce is the queen of blogging in Utah but there are several who make money on their blog and because of their blog. Most bloggers (including me) make more money because of the reputation we’ve built blogging.

Ways my blog makes money:

• More visibility = consulting opportunities. For example, someone Google’s “press release writer” and finds me and hires me.
• More visibility = other types of business opportunities, job offers and partnerships. Note: I got a job from CraigsList and an interview with an amazing organization off LinkedIn but otherwise it’s almost all because of my blog and relationships. I like having a job to go to, unlike a lot of people who love working from home on their own or just consulting.
• I sell more press releases writing and related services. I’m still ironing out the kinks but I’ve gotten more new clients this way now. Until recently it was mostly word of mouth.
• Affiliate ads (some months this is by far the biggest income but its inconsistant).
• By far the biggest is others paying me to blog on their site. I make most of my income blogging for others (including at my day job), which means I blog here less. I also tweet more than I blog now. Twitter has spoiled me.

Interestingly enough, no one has ever paid for an advertisement on my blog. I’ve had a few bites but they were either unethical or they didn’t follow through. I should pursue it more. Affiliate marketing has spoiled me.

I mostly blog because I love to write and share what is happening online and what I’m learning. I remember my boss at Tahitian Noni absolutely hating that I was blogging so much at work. Then I remember thinking, if I can’t stop doing this then someday I’ll get paid well to do it. And that is what happened.

Search engines still reward blogging because tends to be quality, frequently updated and longer. A blog is still my home base for everything I do. It’s also a public record and reference for me.

The community and recognition I get from blogging is great but at the end of the day I still absolutely love internet marketing. From the minute I learned what it was I have pursued it. Thankfully my first job out of college was answering the phones at a high end web site development company. I surfed the Internet a lot and learned it inside and out. I never knew it would make me money or that it would become my career. I learned HTML. I’ve always loved marketing. Eventually I found my niche. It’s been a fun ride and it’s still just beginning.