Wednesday, October 16, 2013

When writing a blog, what matters most? Passion, content or outline?


Have you ever wondered about how you should write a blog? Have you ever gotten stuck when writing an outline for a particular topic? If yes, here is an interesting perspective on how PASSION can turn your next post into an instant hit!

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It doesn’t matter whether you refer to yourself as an introvert or extrovert, most people have the desire to express themselves. We become professional dancers, recording artists, brilliant painters, magnificent sculptures, and writers who produce bestselling novels for millions to enjoy. It’s part of our DNA to contribute to the universe in some way. It doesn’t matter how you contribute but that you do contribute.

An effective way to have your voice heard is by blogging. Sure, you could stand on the street corner, with signs and loud music, but as we all know not many people will take you seriously.

Blogging is the most successful way to bring your ideas, information, and stories to hungry readers. - Joe Brucker, Author of The Joe Show

Once you make the decision to start blogging the first wrinkle you will need to iron out will be the content of your blog. 
  • What are you going to write about? 
  • What do you think your readers want to read? 
  • How will you keep them entertained, informed, and coming back for more? 

My suggestion is to write those three questions down and place them somewhere near your computer, work space, or in your journal whenever you write.

Whatever topic you choose to write about you will have to be 100% passionate about it. This is imperative when becoming a blogger. Say you dislike onions. Alright, let me rephrase that, you actually loathe onions. You don’t want to create a blog about slicing, dicing, and canning onions. You surely don’t want to spend time writing posts with the title, “50 ways to cook with Onions.” Your readers will quickly lose interest in your blog because, like it or not, they can read through the lines and will see that you are not passionate about the subject you are writing about.

What you can do, and what I would do -- because I despise onions -- would be to start a blog about how to live your life onion free. The onion haters of the world, including myself, will run from their kitchens to their computers each and every day to dive into your tips, stories, and experiences regarding how to delete that menace of a root from their lives - forever.


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To summarize, always remember the next three blogging principles:

1. Pick a topic you are Passionate about

Position yourself as a subject matter expert. Your readers will feel it through your words and will look at you as credible resource. Besides, you won't have to force yourself to sit in front of a computer and write a post on consistent basis. Passion = Fuel

2. Have your outline before you start writing

Prepare a good introduction to draw readers's attention to your article, emphasize key elements and make sure you take the readers to the core of your message right away.

3. Start writing, make the first step

Don't delay the process. Write your first fantastic blog! The longer you delay it, the more competitive advantage you provide to your competition. Are you writing you?


Click HERE for Best Blogging Tips from the Social Media Success Summit 2013.




Hey, don't forget to send us a copy of your fabulous new blog! We would love to share it with our readers! www.facebook.com/rbbrmarketing www.twitter.com/rbbrmarketing.com www.rbbrmarketing.com info@rbbrmarketing.com

Happy Blogging!






Monday, October 14, 2013

Social Media - Lessons Learned, Volume 5

Blogging is one of the most effective ways to have your voice heard. It doesn't matter whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, blogging is a perfect platform to all of us who wish to reach out, share our wisdom, help and educate people and most importantly provide answers. So, how do you go about writing the BEST BLOG that will capture the attention of your audience?



Here are the takeaways from the Social Media Success Summit, Day 5. 
If you'd like to read our previous editions, please click here => Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4.

Social Media - Lessons Learned
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HOW TO MAKE YOUR BLOG STAND OUT IN A NOISY WORLD

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“Honest, transparent and helpful content is the greatest sales and trust building tool in the world. Period. “ - Marcus Sheridan

Q: Why do people go on line? 
A: To find answers to their questions and problems. 
Q: Why are you online? 
A: To be the BEST ANSWER, to become the TRUSTED  SOURCE and the GO TO person. How do you do it? By providing HONEST solutions and answers, by always telling the truth. BE TRANSPARENT.

Q: What moves the needle? 
A: Addressing those “HOT” buttons in the most honest way .

Q: If I tell the truth, my competition may use it against me. 
A: True, but if you are telling the truth and they are not, people will find out sooner or later.

Q: If I tell the truth, I may  miss out on potential new clients. 
A: True, but those people would probably be BAD FITS and never really CONVERT into CLIENTS. If you blog the right way, you will become attractive to those people who are a GOOD FIT for your business.

Q: How do you determine what questions people want to know? 
A: Talk to people. Listen to them. Analyze data. Talk to your sales team and find out what questions people ask of them.



HOW TO CREATE BLOG POSTS PEOPLE LOVE TO SHARE

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  • Think as a PUBLISHER. You are a publisher of content. You must position yourself as an EXPERT, create TRUST, and CREDIBILITY. 
  • PROMOTE your blog even though you may not feel your idea is original. What makes it unique is your own perspective on a particular topic. BE YOURSELF, people will love it.
  • UNDERSTAND your audience and their problem BEFORE you start writing.
  • Write with PASSION - it will come through and readers will appreciate it.
  • Project VALUE thru an informative, entertaining, inspiring and educating content.
  • Keep your story simple. People love SIMPLICITY, big words are not popular.
  • Focus on writing a super catchy, eyebrow raising HEADLINE.
  • Have a solid OUTLINE, draw your readers to the problem solving part as soon as possible.
  • Use multimedia - MIX IT UP to reach out to all readers, to keep their attention.
  • Don’t forget to use SHARE buttons.
  • Promote your GIVE AWAYS, people love FREE stuff. 
  • Write CONSISTENTLY to keep your readers engaged.





HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR BLOG FOR SEARCH

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  • You must consider SEO every time you write. Create blog content around the key words/phrases you discover.
  • Make sure your blog is MOBIL (Responsive Web Design). Google will penalize you if it’s not. 
  • KEY WORDS/PHRASES must be included in the 
    • a) TITLE - your page title becomes a link. If it doesn’t read well... no one will click on it.
    • b) FIRST SENTENCE - emphasize them throughout your text
  • Add VALUABLE links related to your content  (recommended are at least 5 good ones)
  • Create at least one PINABLE image - Pinterests has become the 2nd most visited social media platform. Make it easy for people to SHARE your content. Add other social media SHARE BUTTONS. 


“You cannot beat the Internet on volume, but on quality, clarity and perspective. “ - Rich Brooks

Now that you know all the key ins and outs about how to write an engaging, meaningful, transparent and SEO optimized blog, schedule some time and start writing. Don't forget to have the follow up questions already researched and figured out.

1. Who is your audience
2. What are their problems and questions
3. How will you become their BEST ANSWER and SOLUTION

If you are still seeking more guidance, if you are still stuck in a vicious cycle of analysis paralysis, reach out to us! The first CONSULTATION session is completely FREE! Click HERE to claim your FREE consultation session. 







Friday, October 11, 2013

Social Media - Lessons Learned, Volume 4

The Social Media Success Summit 2013
Social Media Success Summit 2013
Social Media - Lessons Learned, Volume 4


has been an incredible experience! I have been fully engrossed  in Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Pinterest, Google+ and many other social media platforms for a few  years now. Yet I still feel like a freshman lost in the world of this weird social media jungle. Partially it is because of all the almost daily changes in algorithms, privacy policies, new sharing/video features, etc. and partially because I am a perfectionists. I often wonder, is there such a thing as conquering the world of social media? Am I setting myself up for a failure by trying to master my social media skills so that I can be the best teacher out there?

My passion is educating and helping people understand why building a strong brand is the core foundation of a successful business strategy. And having a credible digital footprint is one of the key components of the strategy. Therefore,  my mission to learn everything I can about how to best utilize social media to help start up companies and entrepreneurs become the next big thing goes on.

Here are my key takeaways ("aha!" moments) from the Social Media Success Summit 2013,  Day 4.
For your convenience, I am attaching links to the previous Social Media - Lessons Learned editions: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3


Social Media - Lessons Learned, Volume 4


HOW TO RAPIDLY GROW YOUR EMAIL LIST WITH FACEBOOK

Social Media - Lessons Learned, Volume 4
WWW.RBBRMARKETING.COM


Did you know there are over a BILLION users on Facebook who log in several times a day? How do you become a trusted source, the GO TO page and  turn your fans into QUALITY LEADS (captive audience)?
  • Use Facebook as your launching pad and built a robust email list
  • Use the email list for Email Marketing

Two strategies to build a robust email list with quality leads:

1. ORGANIC strategy 
a) SHARE quality content, CONSISTENTLY 
b) Deliver content COMPLIMENTING your free giveaways and product 
c) Turn your Facebook cover photo into a LEAD GENERATOR (851x315 pixels, include contact info, pricing, web address, call to action, etc.)

2. PAID strategy - drive traffic to a LEAD opportunity via PAGE POST ADS.

How do you establish the concept of GIVE AWAYS? How will you know what your audience wants and needs the most? ASK THEM!  
“How can I best assist you?”



HOW TO UNLOCK FACEBOOK’S MOST POWERFUL YET UNDERUSED 
ADVERTISING TOOLS

Social Media - Lessons Learned, Volume 4
WWW.RBBRMARKETING.COM


Remember! Before you decide on the TOOL, you must have your CONTENT STRATEGY.

Why effective FACEBOOK PAGES matter?

If you don’t have a product that is relevant to your audience, if your fans (LIKES) don’t care about what you have to say, their LIKES don’t matter. They will stop reading, they will ignore your page. And your time and money spent on advertising campaigns will be wasted.


How do you get highly RELEVANT LIKES ? 

By TARGETING the right audience:
  • Analysis of your Facebook Reports (you can narrow down your target audience to the smallest detail)
  • Graph Search
    • identify your TARGET audience and their behavior
    • find out who your competition is and what their fans's behaviors are


Facebook ADVERTISING TOOLS:
  • Facebook’s own advertising tools
  • Facebook Exchange (FBX)


HOW TO SUCCEED WITH GOOGLE+ 

SOCIAL MEDIA - LESSONS LEARNED, VOLUME 4
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“If you are just ONE person running social, you could be MORE successful on Google+ than Facebook. I’d put Google as my priority.”    by Jesse Stay
                                                                            
What is unique about Google+ ? 

PEOPLE. Google+ is about building your profile, not your brand. Find KEY players in your organization and “bring them out”. Make them the AMBASSADORS OF YOUR BRAND.


What are the benefits of Google + ?
  • Targets a BROADER AUDIENCE by building a community around your brand. Allows you to establish relevant communities/circles supporting your core product/brand - bigger exposure/reach
  • Google+ Hangouts - unique opportunity to learn first hand from your audience, get to know them, understand them. LIVE conversations or videos and completely FREE.
  • Integration of Google+ and Youtube allows for immediate audience on Google+
  • Great platform for sharing hi-quality pictures with HASHTAGS

Please visit our website for more information about our company www.rbbrmarketing.com