Group blogs: More writers the better

Group blogs are always of interest to me. They should be of interest to you as well.

You know the blogs I'm talking about. They are the blogs that have several or even dozens of different writers and contributors. The most obvious advantages of group blogs are the sheer numbers of contributors. By having many writers adding posts to the blog, the pressure is somewhat removed from the principle blogger to post.

As many bloggers know all too well, that pressure to post can be immense. No one wants to let their loyal readers down by leaving the blog unposted for any lengthy time period. Often, however, a busy person doesn't have time to post as often as desirable. Business and career often push a one person blog to the back burner.

On the internet in general, and in the blogosphere in particular, two weeks is like an eternity in the three dimensional world. It's at least very close to an eternity anyway in terms of internet time. Blog time is just about the length of time required for a post to scroll off the blog home page. There is little as past as a blog post in the blog archives; rarely to be read again.

No fresh updates means a potential loss of readership and visitor numbers. That's a nightmare faced by many bloggers as well. A loss of readership traffic might not be the most important factor in a blog's demise, but is often a contributor. The lower vistor totals is often discouraging to the writer, occasionally leading to blog abandonnment

The group blog removes that constant pressure to post, but replaces it with other problems.

Sometimes the quality of posters is not comparable. Some people are simply better writers or more interesting and informative than others. Many bloggers can't be depended upon to contribute their minimal number of posts, or to blog on their assigned days or topics. Holes can develop in the team fabric very quickly as a result.

The onus is on the team formulating the group blog to select quality bloggers, from the very beginning. Choose quality over quantity every time.

In fact, choosing well known quality bloggers and forming a team, can bring an instant ready made readership. Each blogger in the group provides a percentage of their own readers to the new group blog, simply by many of the regulars following their favourite bloggers.

Don't expect a complete transfer of readership, however. Many readers prefer to stick with their regular blogs, and won't visit the new group blog very often. That problem is offset by the other members of the team sending some of their main visitor traffic to the new group blog.

Links to and from the member blogs help develop visitor traffic and higher search engine rankings from the date of the blog's initial launch. Cross linking results in a sharing of readership and visitor traffic to the benefit of all concerned.

A group blog is a great way for a band of like minded bloggers to work together for the benefit of all.

Consider starting a group blog today.

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Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Arielle Ford







Everything You Should Know About Publishing, Publicity, Promotion & Building a Platform

Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.

Wednesday, September 7, 2005, 8:30 p.m. EDT

Guest Expert: Arielle Ford of Everything You Should Know

Arielle Ford, whose envied PR strategies catapulted the career of mind-body medicine leader Deepak Chopra and introduced the multi-million dollar Chicken Soup for the Soul series to the world, has helped launch the careers of hundreds of authors, including 11 who made it to No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. Her all-star client list include: Deepak Chopra, Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Don Miguel Ruiz, Dean Ornish, Louise Hay, and Gary Zukav.

In this conversation, Arielle reveals what publishers are truly looking for these days when they sign a first-time author, and how newcomers can deliver it.

Arielle Ford has long been devoted to bringing the work of top transformational authors to the public. She has worked with icons such as Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson and Jack Canfield. She is author of seven books including Everything You Should Know About Publishing, Publicity, Promotion & Building a Platform: A Step-by-Step Guide for Authors. She is a founding partner of The Spiritual Cinema Circle and the Transformational Book Circle.

Registration for this special conversation with Arielle Ford:

http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

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Blog business connections: Growing small enterprises

Business blogs can lead to some very interesting business arrangements between business bloggers.

Truly wonderful friendships often result from the interaction between bloggers on blog commenting systems, via e-mail, over the telephone, and in person. Blogging is all about communications, and a successful blog is an ongoing conversation between the writer and the readership. The regular and occasional blog readers can be casual searchers, passing blog readers, current or potential customers and clients, or even other bloggers.

Bloggers are natural networkers and connection makers. In fact, it seems like the first thing many bloggers do, as they become familiar with another blogger, is to make contact. Following that initial intorduction, bloggers are known to become friends, business partners, or able to help get other bloggers and non-bloggers connected. The interactions between people are unlimited.

As a business building networking tool, blogs have yet to achieve even a tiny fraction of their full potential. Blogs are still a relatively new phenomenon. As current blog writers, we tend to forget that much of the mainstream internet community doesn't read or own blogs. As for the offline community, any exposure to blogs is peripheral at best, or non-existent at worst.

That said, bloggers and non-bloggers are getting together at a rapid pace. Connections and blogging friendships are forming before our very eyes. You probably have met many close friends yourself, via the blogging community.

Along with these friendships, many mutually beneficial business partnerships are created. With the unlimited range of skills offered by bloggers, and the myriad of blogger personalities, business relationships are inevitable. The opportunities presented by the people involved are too great for things to be otherwise.

With bloggers writing about marketing, public relations, accounting, law, finance, search engines and search engine optimization, direct mail, e-mail newsletters, copywriting, book and iinternet publishing, web design, computer programming, and human resources, the talent pool among bloggers is very deep.

Like an ocean of management personnel, waiting to be sailed by some enterprising bloggers.

Because of this bottomless sea of business skills, it was only a matter of time before various bloggers met up themselves, or through the good offices of one of them many blog "connectors".

Some of the more noted blog connection makers are Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group, Peter Caputa of pc4media, and Jeremy Wright of Ensight.

There are, of course, many more connection building bloggers, who are introducing future business associates and partners to one another, on a daily basis.

In fact, the blog connection concept might eventually turn into a business all by itself. Bloggers definitely become well acquainted with one another at the growing number of important blogging conferences. As a connection vehicle, the blogging conventions and conferences are powerful networking events.

Bloggers looking to form business arrangements, of either a short term or permanent type, could register for a fee. The connector business would screen the possible blog partner options, and set up a number of meetings.

Meetings could be arranged by e-mail, telephone, or conference calls. Perhaps even a web cam could be used to help the bloggers become more familiar with their possible future business associates and partners. Many blogging business partners meet in person as a result of these online discussions.

It would be up to the participants as to whether they wanted to pursue forming a formal business arrangement, of course. Some new businesses could result, rannging from a one time short term project, to emergence as a a budding corporation. The same connection idea could be used to introduce business owners and managers, to some highly skilled sub-contractors, for projects of varying time duration.

Blog connections are one powerful means to create profitable small and medium sized businesses of the future. The talent pool in the blogosphere is second to none. The residents of the blogging community are experienced hands on practical people, who get the job done.

Just like you.

Get connected with other bloggers today. They have the talent and experience that all startup businesses require for success.

You might have the startup of a successful business on your hands, as a direct result of becoming a business blogger.

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Small business blogs: Where are they?

Small business blogs. Where are they?

This is the question posed by my good friend Anita Campbell writing on regarding business blogs for small companies. Anita, of course, is best known for her highly insightful and informative blog known as Small Business Trends.

She strongly advises all business people to monitor and read as many small business blogs as possible. The information contained in small business blogs is practical and powerful. It's news you and your own small business can use.

Anita reminds her readers that small business blogs can be easily found in the various blog directories. All of them list business, marketing, public relations, human resources, and other business related themes and topics. You can find a list of blog directories on my Blog Resources links section.

There is little doubt of the power of a business blog for a small business owner, manager, or entrepreneur. Whether the business venture is in the startup phase, or the compnay has been in operation for generations, there is value to adding a business blog component to the company's marketing and public relations efforts.

The relationship built through conversation between blogger and reader is beyond value. The putting of a human face and voice to a business can only be measured in the results. Let's call them Before Blog and After Blog. With few exceptions, a business will be more effective After Blog than any time before the addition of this powerful marketing tool. The interpersonal relationship marketing is simply that strong an attractor for new customers.

Instead of expensive advertising or marketing campaigns that are often priced well beyond the means of the budding entrepreneur or seasoned business professional, try launching a business blog instead. The investment in the blog is time and talent, and your own personality. When cash is scarce, your own sweat equity might be all that you can offer. A blog is the ideal vehicle for just such a business.

Take a tip from Anita Campbell, monitor and read small business blogs for ideas and inspriation. You can take that advice one step beyond, and start a small business blog today.

Make this date the first day After Blog.

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Hurricane Katrina assistance: Blog for Relief today

Hurricane Katrina has devestated New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast region with her fury. Bloggers can help and do our part. In fact, it's at times like these when bloggers can make a difference in people's lives.

Today is Blog for Relief day for those hit hard by the fury of Hurricane Katrina. Flood aid is needed desperately by the many people driven from their homes by rising flood water.

The following request for Hurricane Katrina assistance was sent to me by my good friend Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group.

I present the request in its entirety:

I want to make a special request of you. Living in the state hardest hit by Katrina, Mississippi, I am terribly grieved by the catastrophic consequences of the storm and its devastating effects on the southeast. I'm sure you share that grief as well.

Because my own family has been affected by the ravages of the hurricane, it has become a matter of great personal importance to me.

I want to implore you, if you're not already doing so, to devote some of your posts to crisis and disaster relief information. If there was ever a time the blogosphere can be used to blog for good, this is it. Truly, this is our nation's tsunami.

You are probably aware of tomorrow's Blog for Relief Day. I'd like to urge you to participate. You can find information at Truth Laid Bear.

Thank you.

Paul Chaney


Help others today by showing that bloggers care.

Join Blog For Relief today.

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