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Make Money Online: Roadmap of a Dot Com Mogul

The blogging phenomenon has started to make companies view the potential benefits of corporate blogging. They all agree that blogs achieve a mass media effect through the high level of networking in the blogosphere wherein news disseminates very rapidly. The blogosphere (online community of blogs and their writings) has heralded a new communication tool that can influence public opinion of a company. However, companies are slow to react to the growing credibility of corporate blogs as communication channels.

A recent list of Fortune 500 company blogs shows that only 5% of the United States’ corporations have joined the blogging arena. Companies are treading this still unfamiliar territory with caution and skepticism. Company executives, public relations people and legal experts are just starting to figure out how they can utilize the potential of business blogs without subjecting themselves especially their companies to possible complications. Indeed, some companies are hesitant to plunge into the “scary” world of blogging for fear of encountering legal and business risks inherent in blogging such as libel, slander, lawsuits and disclosure of confidential and proprietary information.

Despite the fear, some industry leaders like Microsoft, IBM, Sun Microsystems and General Motors, to name a few, have dived headlong into corporate blogging. These companies recognize that a blog is an immensely effective yet low cost way to boost corporate communications and marketing objectives and at the same time connect with customers and prospects.

Basically, a blog (short for weblog) is published with easy to use software that enables a blogger (blog author) to create and update blog pages from which he can express his thoughts on a particular subject. Written article on a blog is called a “post” and can be linked to other blogs, websites, news features, photo images and audio files. Links added to the text of blog posts allow blog content to be indexed and accessed by popular search engines such as Technorati and then disseminated in the web.

A corporate blog makes it easy for readers, be they customers or prospects, to find the latest and most accurate information about its new products and services. It can help achieve customer familiarity with the company products or services. Through the corporate blog, a company can converse directly with customers and prospects. Two-way communication creates trust and builds customer relationships. A corporate blog is the perfect choice for interacting with existing and potential clients. Corporate blogging serves as a channel for a company and its customers to meet on common ground and to know each other more. A corporate blog allows a company to closely track where and under what condition its products or services are being discussed online. Through the corporate blog, a company can keep an ear to the ground to hear what is being said about the company and speaking up when the situation calls for it. A more personal or understated benefit of a corporate blog is that it gives a human face to a perceived faceless and detached business entity. A corporate blog conjures images of people who are passionate about their products or services and are eager to engage customers and prospects.

It is a risky world out there and the blogosphere is no exception. For companies who are contemplating on setting out into the world of corporate blogging, it is in your best interests to have knowledge of some basic dos and don’ts of corporate blogging.

First on the agenda is do determine whether your company needs a corporate blog. A blog might be inappropriate for your company. Not all corporate cultures can tolerate the open, direct communication inherent to make a corporate blog successful. There are instances where blogs could not be reconciled with business practices and regulations. Clearly, there are risks to consider. Risks lie mainly in the content and the character or tone of comments which admittedly can only be censored to a limited degree.

If a corporate blog can fit your company culture, selecting the individual or employee who will write your blog is doubtless to say the most important decision. An ideal corporate blogger is one who is an expert in his field. He should also write with passion and sincerity. The object of your blog is to engage your customers and prospects in conversation and the most effective way to start a conversation is to be sincere and honest in your blog while writing about topics that are important to your company. He should have good writing skills. More importantly, he should be one who is respected by his peers and reacts calmly to outbursts. Blogging is an intense medium. The individuals who will blog for your company should be the ones who can keep their cool despite critical comments. Most likely, the ideal individual is not your CEO. Corporate speak won’t thrive in the blogosphere.

In corporate blogging, goals/missions are of prime importance. For a blog to yield value, it has to be created with specific goals in mind. Some of these goals may be to increase company credibility, enhance customer service and interaction, and give customers a peek of the behind-the-scenes “feel” of the corporate culture, showcase new products or services and more. The important thing is to be clear about your goals. You have to be sure about what you are trying to get done and stick to them. As with any corporate undertaking, you also need to periodically evaluate how well you are meeting these goals. If blogging is proving to be futile, then make changes. If it still does not work, then discontinue blogging.

Do take time to know your customers or prospects. Find out what your audience care about, what they are interested in. You have to identify what their needs are and what service you can perform for them. To get their attention, work out a way to participate in a conversation credibly. To be credible, come up with worthwhile content – ideas, insights, news and information. Content need not be long but should be interesting. Corporate blogs should not veer away from its chosen categories or topics. This is not to say you cannot be personal in your blog posts because you should, but the audience you are trying to connect with do not want to read through your blog if it is injected with a litany of personal rumblings.

Do engage your audience in lively and substantial conversations. Take into account what they say and reply to their comments. Respond in a professional and businesslike manner whether the comment is positive or negative. Allowing comments from your audience will definitely mean some complaints and criticisms. Don’t take them personally. Respond honestly and your company credibility will rise. Allowing audience to make comments is a distinct characteristic of blogs. Openness is important for successful blogging. That said, use a feedback filter or comment moderation to monitor and control comments and delete comment spam (useless comments).

For a blog to accomplish its mission, do update regularly. Post frequently and consistently, daily or weekly, at least. Do be generous with your links. Linking is one reason why blogging has become a popular online communication medium. The best corporate blogs, more often than not, have lots of links in each blog post.

Do draw up a set of corporate blogging policies. Set limits on what information can be made public. Make clear what is allowed and what is not. Legal issues crop up in blogging. It is better to have some safety nets. In drafting blogging policies, it is advisable to do some research on it and publish proposed policies to get some feedback.

As for what not to do, do not close down existing employee blogs. More often than not, an employee is already writing a blog. It might be full of grievances about the recent spate of oil increases or it could be snapshots of a relaxing vacation in the Maldives. Maybe this employee is singing praises of the company’s new product. Why not engage this employee blogger in a dialogue about what your corporate blog aims to achieve. Don’t wait for a crisis to break out before creating a corporate blog. It takes time to see potential results of blogging. Don’t keep your corporate bloggers anonymous or hidden behind some make-believe characters. The audience will know and it will have detrimental effects.

Lastly, a blog is not a miracle cure. It will not single-handedly turn your distressed company around. Corporate blogging should be incorporated with other marketing and communication tools to achieve desired results.

A corporate blog makes it easy for readers, be they customers or prospects, to find the latest and most accurate information about its new products and services. It can help achieve customer familiarity with the company products or services. Through the corporate blog, a company can converse directly with customers and prospects. Two-way communication creates trust and builds customer relationships. A corporate blog is the perfect choice for interacting with existing and potential clients. Corporate blogging serves as a channel for a company and its customers to meet on common ground and to know each other more. If a corporate blog can fit your company culture, selecting the individual or employee who will write your blog is doubtless to say the most important decision. An ideal corporate blogger is one who is an expert in his field. He should also write with passion and sincerity. The object of your blog is to engage your customers and prospects in conversation and the most effective way to start a conversation is to be sincere and honest in your blog while writing about topics that are important to your company. He should have good writing skills. More importantly, he should be one who is respected by his peers and reacts calmly to outbursts. Blogging is an intense medium. The individuals who will blog for your company should be the ones who can keep their cool despite critical comments. Most likely, the ideal individual is not your CEO. Corporate speak wonâ€TMt thrive in the blogosphere. In corporate blogging, goals/missions are of prime importance. For a blog to yield value, it has to be created with specific goals in mind. Some of these goals may be to increase company credibility, enhance customer service and interaction, and give customers a peek of the behind-the-scenes of the corporate culture, showcase new products or services and more. The important thing is to be clear about your goals. You have to be sure about what you are trying to get done and stick to them. As with any corporate undertaking, you also need to periodically evaluate how well you are meeting these goals. If blogging is proving to be futile, then make changes. If it still does not work, then discontinue blogging. Do take time to know your customers or prospects. Find out what your audience care about, what they are interested in. You have to identify what their needs are and what service you can perform for them. To get their attention, work out a way to participate in a conversation credibly. To be credible, come up with worthwhile content ideas, insights, news and information. Do engage your audience in lively and substantial conversations. Take into account what they say and reply to their comments. Respond in a professional and businesslike manner whether the comment is positive or negative. Allowing comments from your audience will definitely mean some complaints and criticisms. Don’t take them personally. Respond honestly and your company credibility will rise. Allowing audience to make comments is a distinct characteristic of blogs. Openness is important for successful blogging. For a blog to accomplish its mission, do update regularly. Post often and consistently, daily or weekly, at least. Do be generous with your links. Linking is one reason why blogging has become a popular online communication medium. The best corporate blogs, more often than not, have lots of links in each blog post. As for what not to do, do not close down existing employee blogs. More often than not, an employee is already writing a blog. It might be full of grievances about the recent spate of oil increases or it could be snapshots of a relaxing vacation in the Maldives. Maybe this employee is singing praises of the company’s new product. Why not engage this employee blogger in a dialogue about what your corporate blog aims to achieve. Don’t wait for a crisis to break out before creating a corporate blog. It takes time to see potential results of blogging. Don’t keep your corporate bloggers unidentified or hidden behind some make-believe characters. The audience will know and it will have detrimental effects. Lastly, a blog is not a miracle cure. It will not single-handedly turn your distressed company around. Corporate blogging should be incorporated with other marketing and communication tools to achieve desired results.

A corporate blog makes it easy for readers, be they customers or prospects, to find the latest and most accurate information about its new products and services. It can help achieve customer familiarity with the company products or services. Through the corporate blog, a company can converse directly with customers and prospects. Two-way communication creates trust and builds customer relationships. A corporate blog is the perfect choice for interacting with existing and potential clients. Corporate blogging serves as a channel for a company and its customers to meet on common ground and to know each other more. If a corporate blog can fit your company culture, selecting the individual or employee who will write your blog is doubtless to say the most important decision. An ideal corporate blogger is one who is an expert in his field. He should also write with passion and sincerity. The object of your blog is to engage your customers and prospects in conversation and the most effective way to start a conversation is to be sincere and honest in your blog while writing about topics that are important to your company. He should have good writing skills. More importantly, he should be one who is respected by his peers and reacts calmly to outbursts. Blogging is an intense medium. The individuals who will blog for your company should be the ones who can keep their cool despite critical comments. Most likely, the ideal individual is not your CEO. Corporate speak wonâ€TMt thrive in the blogosphere. In corporate blogging, goals/missions are of prime importance. For a blog to yield value, it has to be created with specific goals in mind. Some of these goals may be to increase company credibility, enhance customer service and interaction, and give customers a peek of the behind-the-scenes of the corporate culture, showcase new products or services and more. The important thing is to be clear about your goals. You have to be sure about what you are trying to get done and stick to them. As with any corporate undertaking, you also need to periodically evaluate how well you are meeting these goals. If blogging is proving to be futile, then make changes. If it still does not work, then discontinue blogging. Do take time to know your customers or prospects. Find out what your audience care about, what they are interested in. You have to identify what their needs are and what service you can perform for them. To get their attention, work out a way to participate in a conversation credibly. To be credible, come up with worthwhile content ideas, insights, news and information. Do engage your audience in lively and substantial conversations. Take into account what they say and reply to their comments. Respond in a professional and businesslike manner whether the comment is positive or negative. Allowing comments from your audience will definitely mean some complaints and criticisms. Don’t take them personally. Respond honestly and your company credibility will rise. Allowing audience to make comments is a distinct characteristic of blogs. Openness is important for successful blogging. For a blog to accomplish its mission, do update regularly. Post often and consistently, daily or weekly, at least. Do be generous with your links. Linking is one reason why blogging has become a popular online communication medium. The best corporate blogs, more often than not, have lots of links in each blog post. As for what not to do, do not close down existing employee blogs. More often than not, an employee is already writing a blog. It might be full of grievances about the recent spate of oil increases or it could be snapshots of a relaxing vacation in the Maldives. Maybe this employee is singing praises of the company’s new product. Why not engage this employee blogger in a dialogue about what your corporate blog aims to achieve. Don’t wait for a crisis to break out before creating a corporate blog. It takes time to see potential results of blogging. Don’t keep your corporate bloggers unidentified or hidden behind some make-believe characters. The audience will know and it will have detrimental effects. Lastly, a blog is not a miracle cure. It will not single-handedly turn your distressed company around. Corporate blogging should be incorporated with other marketing and communication tools to achieve desired results.

You created a blog now what?

If you want to make money with your blog you’re going to need traffic.

Traffic is the life of your blog. Visitors will visit your blog day after day, sometimes even multiple times throughout the day.

With millions of blogs online, the greatest challenge is generating traffic – getting those blog visitors to find your valuable and insightful content in the first place.

Even if you have the greatest blog on the planet with the latest information available for your readers to discover, they are not going to find your blog on the blogosphere unless you take specific steps in letting those visitors know that your blog exist.

There are a number of ways to quickly and easily generate a lot of traffic to your blog, but all traffic is not created equal – some traffic is free and some costs money.

A thorough traffic-generating campaign will ensure that the first visitors will see your blog and spend sometime there. But remember your content will keep them coming back again and again.

So, now let’s take a look at some of the easy and fast ways to jump start your blog and start making money with blog.

1.Submit your blog to search engines.
– MSN

Submitting your blog’s URL to MSN’s is very simple.

All you have to do is go to MSN submission page type in the form the characters that you see in the picture – this helps to ensure that a person is submitting the URL and not the automated program. Then type in your URL of your blog in the form below and click submit. MSNBot follows links from your blog to find other pages on your site. It’s that easy.
– Yahoo

When you get to Yahoo submit your site page you’ll see various submission options. For the purpose of jump starting your blog to start making money with it you only need to submit your blog’s URL to Yahoo Search for free (first link on the page).

In order to submit your blog to Yahoo all you have to do is go to Yahoo’s site submission page and click the ‘submit your site for free’ link. When you click the link it will take you to the yahoo account page where you have to enter your Yahoo ID and password. If you don’t have an account with Yahoo just create one, its free.

After your enter your Yahoo ID and password you come to the page where you can submit your blog’s URL and your blog’s RSS Feed. After you submit the URL and the RSS Feed you’ll see a confirmation messages letting you know that the URL has been added to Yahoo list of URL to crawl. You’re done here.
– Google

Submitting URL to Google couldn’t't be easier.
All you have to do is visit Google’s submission page and let Google bot know that you blog is ready to be crawled.

Enter your full blog’s URL including http:// prefix. You may also add comments or keywords that describe the content of your blog. These are used only for Google information and don’t affect how your blog is indexed or used by Google.

For more in depth submission process check out the resource box below.

2. Another great method that I have found that gets spiders quickly come to my new blog is to create 5 posts and pre-date them for the period of 1 month going back.

Let me show you how easy this is.

If you have a new blog you can predate your posts.

To predate your posts remove all pinging services located in the ‘options’ writing category in your WordPress admin area.

In each post use your blog’s main keyword in the title and the body of the post. Also add the main keyword separately on the line on the bottom of each post.

If your blog is new write first post and edit the timestamp back but not longer than one month. If your blog is on the domain that you have had for awhile you can predate posts for longer than a month.

The last post you make have it dated for today and before you make a post put all the pinging services to be contacted. Then publish your new post.

That’s all it is to it. This method allows you to notify pinging services that your blog has been updated and already has content created on it.

3. Submit your blog to blog directories

Blog directories organize and categorize the thousands of blogs listed in its database so readers can find your blog more easily.

Blog directories are generally free to add your blog to. Some blog directories require you to insert a small banner on your blog.

To get listed in a blog directories, visit them and submit your blog, accurately describing your blog. Make sure that you have an appealing benefit-oriented description about your blog that will entice visitors to come and read your blog and you make money with your blog as the result.

Check blog directories requirements for banners and be sure to add the link they generate for you – this will ensure you get credit if another blogger joins from your page.

Here’re a few of the more popular blog directories:
– Blogarama – Blogwise – Blog Catalog – GetBlogs – Globe of Blogs – LS Blogs

4. Next step you need to take in order to jump start your blog and start making money with your blog is to submit your blog to free web directories.

Web directory is a directory on the Internet. It contains links of multiple category websites, which makes searching more efficient and effective to its visitors looking for specific websites.

Also submitting your blog to web directories is a great way to get links to your blog for free. Top web directories have PR ranks of 5 and higher and your blog benefits greatly from having a link to your site from such a high PR ranked site.

To submit to web directories all you have to do is visit the web directory website, choose the category best described your blog and click the add a site link. Follow the instructions of the page. Web directories have various instructions for submitting the site so make sure you read them before hand.

Here’s the list of the top 7 web directories with high PRs.
– DMOZ – Librarian’s Internet Index (LII) – ExactSeek – SoMuch – AbiLogic – Pedster’s Planet – The SEO King – MPS – Most Popular Sites – LinkCentre – Jayde

5. And the last but not least way to jump start your blog and start making money with your blog is to advertise your blog on Pay-Per-Click search engines.

Using PPC advertising method is a really fast way to get traffic to your. You pay PPC search engines to list your blog in the paid listings section on their page and pages of their network partners.

Here’re some of the benefits of using paid listing for your blog:
– Paid listings allow your ads for your blog to appear instantly on the search engine result page. (When using Google AdWords program your ad will show up sometimes 20 minutes later after you submitted your listing to them for approval. Overture, MSN, Miva and others take anywhere between 2 to 10 days to get approved and showed on their search engine pages.
– Paid listings place your ad in prominent areas on the search engine page giving your ad a great exposure to potential prospects.
– Paid listings allow you to choose the keywords under which you want your ad to to show.
– Paid listings let you control how much you pay per click to your blog. (Word of caution here. Keep a close eye on the numbers when you just set up a campaign and make sure that your blog starts making money with traffic that you receive from paid listings otherwise you’ll be losing money pretty quick).

Here’s the list of the most popular and mostly used PPC programs. – Google – Yahoo (formerly Overture) – MSN Ad Center – GoClick – Miva – 7Search – Kanoodle – Mamma

Ok, that’s all for this article. I hope you learned something new and useful for you to start making some money with your blog.

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