But my challenge to you this year is to not only make resolutions for yourself, but make them for your business. After all, our business is our livelihood. We need to make sure that it is just as “healthy” and “happy” as it can be.

So, here are some ideas to start 2010 with gusto!

A. Get that website redesign that you’ve been thinking about! It’s time and it really does make a difference.

B. Try Social Media Marketing. That’s right … Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr. It cannot be denied that Social Media is a powerful tool in marketing your brand. Start slowly by creating one account. Get used to how it works and how you can use it for marketing purposes. Put it on your daily schedule for updating and work on building your fan base and followers. Once you are comfortable with the one account, you are ready to add another.

Make sure that you are maximizing your opportunities with social marketing. The conversation starts online, but the conversion happens in the real world.

C. Embrace one new “function” on your website. Try adding something new and creative to your website. After all, your website is your vehicle to promote your business. Explore videos. Add a Newsletter Sign up and try Email Marketing. Try blogging. Add related articles or expand your content by adding a new section altogether. Keep your website moving forward!

D. Set marketing goals. With all these new marketing strategies, make sure you track your efforts. You’ll easily be able to see the difference your new strategies are making by analyzing your statistics. Continue doing whichever avenues have made a positive impact.

E. Get involved. Read related blogs and leave comments. Become fans of Facebook pages. Send Direct Messages on Twitter. In a word … participate. Your effort will be rewarded.

F. Cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Make sure your online profiles are fully complete. If you can add 10 pictures, add 10 pictures. Fill out all descriptions and added info sections. Don’t forget about the reviews! Make sure you have enough reviews by soliciting happy clients for them. It’s a good idea to go and check all accounts. You may have thought you would go back to finish one or more of them but forgot about it.

G. Manage your reputation. With the introduction to real time search, it is more important than ever to be aware of what is being said. Use Twitter Search to track any mention of your name, your keywords, your location and your competitors’ name. Use Google Alerts to have an email update sent directly to your inbox. Based on your choice of query or topic, Google will send an email of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.). This is very handy indeed.

Above all, have a happy and healthy New Year!

Social media fatigue can be the result of many different factors.  Successful blogging and social media development requires consistent – nearly constant – submissions to your blog site.  Twittering can become a full-time commitment in itself, not to mention Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn…the list is endless!

How can you tell when you’re suffering from social media fatigue? One symptom is simply being tired of being ‘on’ all the time.  You may feel like people are driving you crazy, filling up your screen with play-by-play rundowns of everything happening in their day, from their conversation with the person at the drive-through window where they get their morning coffee, to complaints about how long they are sitting at a red light or their latest tiff with their spouse. You might be tired of having people you hardly know send you virtual cocktails, hugs, hints, or chocolates!

You really don’t need to lose your internet marketing momentum…there are some ways to minimize the negative and accentuate the positive:

• Whether you are using your social media environments for personal use or to build your professional or business online presence, you may be tempted to simply ‘disinvite’ those people who you so anxiously lobbied as friends or followers. Is there a way to disengage or step away without being insulting? It may help just to review each location individually…each has its own privacy settings that can help to minimize the onslaught.
• If your passwords are all unique and you feel like you can’t remember another string of characters, consider investing in a secure, reliable password password manager.
• Setting limits may be your best option…keeping yourself to a particular time frame and sticking to it can go a long way toward relieving the stress – yes, we said stress – that can accompany the feeling of always needing to be submitting to these locations.

Because successful internet marketing is so incredibly important, you may also be trying to keep up with your website development, content, search engine optimization, etc. Letting the experts handle some of those tasks for you can also go a long way toward helping you manage your time.

Below are 7 tips I have learned that can help you create and maintain a successful blog. I have many more ideas on the topic, so I will write a follow-up post in the upcoming days so stay tuned. Please share your blog secrets and tips with me too. I would love to hear them!

1. Have a Clear Topic
Before you even begin to jump into the ‘blog circuit’, put together a road-map of what you feel your blog will be all about. Have a clear direction in your mind before you begin – A) What is your Topic, B) What are your Categories and C) What would be some of your posts in your Categories). (see map below courtesy of ProBlogger) The best blogs have a specific focus that really connects with a specific target audience. If you fill out the map, you will already have pre-planned a large chunk of your initial blog posts! Also, keep a list of 10-20 post ideas you want to write about so you never get stumped. View the map after the jump

Blog Brainstorming Road Map courtesy of ProBlogger

2. Word Of Mouth
Okay, so you have a new blog. You have added some new content and have a clear direction. Now it is time to get the word out! Tell all your friends you have a new blog – send them the link and ask them to comment on your posts. This will usually trigger other people to comment on the blog. Do you have any Social media accounts like Facebook,  Twitter or LinkedIn? Feed your blog posts out to these social media networks for instant exposure! Another effective method of blog awareness is connecting with your audience. Search for other blogs that are similar topics to yours. Comment on their blog posts. Share your blog with them. Visitors to their blogs can also see your comments and would then know about your blog. Start up a conversation with people. This is really the nuts of bolts to blogging – sharing your knowledge with others who are interested in the same topics as you! Tip: Add a link to your blog in your Email Signature.

3. Check Your Blog
Another crucial (and probably most important) element to a successful blog is freshness. How many times have you clicked on a blog and haven’t seen a new post in weeks? When I see a stale blog, I am out of there! Keep your blog up to date and see what commenter’s are saying. If you know you are going to be away for a bit, write a handful of blog posts and spread out the date for when they will publish. This will at least give the illusion that you are posting consistently, even if you wrote them all in one batch. When appropriate, strike up a conversation with your commenter’s. Keep track of what posts are generating the most buzz, and hone in on that topic. Blogs to bloggers are like Lays Potato Chips to Salt Lovers – once you pick a topic of interest, they just can’t get enough! Use this momentum to your advantage!

4. Know Your Audience
One of the great things about blogs are they are digestible. Easy to read snippets loaded with advice, fun things, pictures, videos, tips, articles, you name it. Definitely know the audience you are talking to – but the culture of blogs is much more casual than writing a white-paper article. Keep it light, but engaging. And most important: keep it unique! Offer your readers something they cant read on another blog!

5. Keep Interest Levels Up – “The Big Tease”
ProBlogger had a great post about how to find new subscribers to the blog and the answer made complete sense: create a sense of anticipation! In a blog post on Monday, mention that later in the week you are going to blog about XYZ.  In that later post, mention that you are going to do a follow-up to this post next week.

6. Blogetization? Show Me the Money!
Once you have your blog rocking and rolling, with lots of content, lots of commenters and lots of traffic, you can start looking for potential ways to generate some revenue off of your blog. Consider national ad affiliates like AdsDaq, Google AdSense ads, display advertising. The key to successful blogetization (this is my newly coined term for monetizing your blog) is you have to be patient! You aren’t going to see money pouring in when you first start out! It takes time and a lot of energy to get a blog rolling and generate the kind of traffic that advertisers are looking for. Keep this in mind before you go out there and try to sell ad spots.

7. Think Outside the Blog…
Interested in getting more commenters? Why not offer a reward to get them to comment? This is exactly what one blogger did. The result? Success! Read the mini case-study below:

Downtown Susie Brown is a blogger that talks about shopping in Saratoga Springs. For hundreds of blogs, she talked about her great fashion finds at local downtown Saratoga shops. After generating interest and a lot of free plugs to these businesses, Susie approached these businesses asking if she could get an item donated for a giveaway she was going to be running on her blog. In return, they get added press via a byline. How would readers win the giveaway? All readers that commented on the story would get entered to win! The results of the giveaway would then be announced in a blog post a couple days later. Did it work? YES! Comments jumped from 1-2 per day to close to 40 – and her blog was only live for a couple of months! Not only did she get new subscribers, she also gained a rapoire with a potential advertiser down the line and like #5 on the list suggests, she also teased them to have to come back to the blog later on to see if they had won!

In this image, you can see where the Ten Pack is located on the Google Search Results Page. If your site is not listed, it is worth the effort to make some adjustments to your Google Local account to try to get it there.

First things first. You need a Google Local account. Click here to set one up. If you already have an account, here are some TOP items to check and adjust:

A. Your Title. By adding keywords in your Title, you are placing yourself at an advantage. You are instructed to use the legal name of your business, so definitely use it, But it is perfectly fine to add some keywords in this field as well.

B. Your Description. By adding keywords within your description, you are building your credibility.

C. Your actual location. Your actual location in relation to what Google considers the centroid of the city will play a part in where you are placed within the Ten Pack. Although this is not something you can modify (unless you want to move your business), you should be aware that this is taken into consideration.

D. Reviews. I highly suggest getting some reviews posted.

E. Google Map. Although you may not find this tip very often in other blogs, I recommend adding a Google Map to your directions page. If you don’t have a directions page, add one! … and then add a Google Map to it.

F. Utilize all Features. There is room for 10 images – add them! There is room for a video – add one! Answer all the questions and make your account as complete as possible.

Try these tips to either get your site included in the Ten Pack or to increase your existing placement within the Ten Pack. Should you need additional assistance, please give Mannix Marketing, Inc. a call! One of our highly trained SEO Specialists will be glad to assist you further.

We’ve recently seen an increase in customers coming to us and asking us to help set up a blog for them on their websites. As Internet marketers we love to see our clients become more involved on the Internet, learning to use the resources at their disposal and providing additional services to their own customers. Having the ability to control the message their customers see is such a powerful tool that they should inherently understand its importance. But do they?

As it happens, some of our customers come to us for a blog because they have heard it’s the latest thing, or that a competitor is doing it, or, in one instance, that their kids are doing it. No matter where their inspiration comes from, we have to be sure that they understand the power of these online tools.

Read the above blogs to learn about how to nurture your own blog successfully and discover how it can be part of a comprehensive SEO program and to get your company found on the web. A blog can put a ‘face’ on a company that enables employees at all levels, including  owners, CEOs and VPs, to get involved with their audience. Setting up a blog is such a small part of the blog experience. Sure, you should be concerned about the platform, where it’s hosted and a number of other items. But if the commitment is not there to take on the responsibility of a blog, those items won’t matter.

So what type and level of commitment are we talking here? Well, as with a lot of things, that depends. But you need to make sure that you:

- Have a vision for what you want the blog to be, and will you have enough content related to this vision to fill a regular blog.
- Have a plan for updating the blog with regular posts. We update a little more than once a week, but there are some that update multiple times daily.
- Have a plan on what to do with the customer feedback that you will inevitably receive, whether good or bad. It is appropriate to respond to comments that have questions asking for further questions, as well as to respond to negative comments that may require clarification that you can provide.

Overall, there are a number of things to keep in mind:

Vision:
- stay current on your topic of choice
- make it clear you have enough to share on the topic
- have something new or different to say on the topic so people will want to keep coming back for more; people are not going to read the blog just because you have something to say – they will read the blog if you have something to say that the customer cares about (and it can be anything from problem solving to coupons)

Updating:
- post regularly, and properly
- it starts with a good title and goes all the way through tagging the blog
- should stay away from appearing like a salesman and keep it light
- link out to appropriate content
- include relevant keywords

Feedback:
- use this as a way to enhance customer satisfaction by responding to comments
- REMEMBER: comments can come at any time – the blog should be up for the foreseeable future – so you need to regularly check for them (even months after a post goes live)
- this is a good way to monitor your brand – be sure to keep up with it

Measure:
- as with anything in business, measuring the return on investment is an important part of a company blog

Scared? Don’t be. We think blogs are great, and are a valuable resource. Because they are so current and timely, it may be a better to utilize your time and energy in other areas if you don’t have the commitment within your company to stay with one.

Have questions on starting a blog? In a rut and need some inspiration? Don’t agree with us? Let us hear it by writing us a comment below – we welcome feedback.

Just like journaling or passing notes in class, blogs are personal sentiments that have many benefits. Share your thoughts, post some questions, and get your audience involved in what’s going on in your world. That’s what blogging is all about. Social communities, networking and blogs are what’s in. Perfectionism in blogs is what’s out. Scary thought for all you A-typers out there!

Cut the drafts…just write. Blogging allows you to create a conversational feel between you and the other interested eyes. If a comfortable setting is created, more people will ‘befriend’ you, ‘link’ to you or just plain read (and quite possibly agree with) what you are putting out there for the world to see.

Afraid of meeting in person? No problem! Blogging makes it easy to state an opinion or debate a hot topic without that, my stomach is in knots because I don’t know what is going to be asked next feeling. Be All That You Can Be…behind your computer screen.

For those who are market savvy: Blogs are perfect for search engine optimization. Check out this post on SEOmoz.org – straightforward tactics and tips for blog writing. Like minded bloggers know the importance of links and want to link to you if you are credible in your industry. By posting frequent blog entries, you create a sense of authority and relevance. For the latest products, news or events – people will remember you and also refer to you for the most up to date information. Adding keywords and anchor text in your blog will enhance keyword relevancy, thus enhancing your site credibility. Blogs provide a plethora of fresh content – search engines relish this.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but blogging also has it’s challenges. To make it work to your advantage, you must be committed. That daunting ‘c’ word. If creating a blog for SEO purposes, refrain from the Used Car Salesman approach. Instead, create a sense of fun and lightness on your blog. Keep it factual, updated and personal. No sweat, right?

We need to know if we can get top positions in a blog?? How (long) would you need to get good results in Google/Yahoo/MSN… Our blog has not been made yet, first I need to know if it is possible to get good positions…blog will be for hotels and online bookings. I will be awaiting your comments. Thank you & best regards from Spain!!

Hello – It is possible to get “top” positions for a blog, but it will not happen over night. There’s no time line on when you would be able to get results in a specific search engine, especially if it is a new site/blog. In Google it could take up to a year or longer to start being found. If you are dedicated and like blogging about the subject then you should do just fine. Blogging means a commitment. You should not just be focusing in on what position you are in, but are your readers enjoying your blog. Word of mouth can spread your site faster than a number one position in Google. Try joining other blog conversations related to your industry, create a feed, be proactive within your community.

Optimizing a blog is not that different than optimizing any web page. The Title tag is usually controlled by the actual title of your entry. Optimizing and capitalizing on a good title can go a long way. The body of the blog entry can be fortified with keyword rich content and interspersed with anchor text links. Use common sense, don’t spam, don’t write about jibberish, do your keyword research, link with other respectable blogs / websites, keep up with your entries and with time you will gain positions and readers.

So you’ve been doing a lot of reading on Internet Marketing – forums, articles, Mannix Marketing’s newsletter! Everything you read is buzzing about the value of blogs. You decide you must have a blog. This will be the magic key to boosting your online relevancy, your traffic, your return on investment (ROI). Before you jump in – Ask yourself a few questions:

Can you write? Can you write quickly and easily? Do you enjoy it? Is there someone else you can assign it to in your company that will enjoy it??

Because, there is no magic in this – blogs must be fed. A blog that has not been updated for weeks or months is a blog that no one wants to read and that the search engines are not going to consider very relevant or interesting. Worse yet, it can become poor PR for your company. A blog that hasn’t been updated in three months may make your company look unorganized or uncaring – blighting an otherwise carefully orchestrated marketing message.

Pay Per Click (PPC) Campaigns are another good example of knowing your time constraints before you leap. Sure you can manage your own campaign, and we’ve had several clients become Google AdWords experts! But the learning curve and the time commitment can often be surprising. A quality PPC campaign will need constant monitoring and tweaking. You will want double digit CTR (Click Thru Rates). You will want to track conversions and ROI. You’ll want to improve ads that are underperforming. You’ll want to analyze your data and develop targeted landing pages. You’ll want to modify your ad message based on changes within your business or industry. Making the time for these types of changes will ensure your PPC Campaigns outperform your expectations. Decide if someone in your company can monitor the campaigns, or hire a consultant to provide monthly management.

If you run a small business, evaluate how website maintenance will be performed before your site is designed. Be honest with yourself about skill level and time constraints. It may be true that you can learn, or even already know, a little html or FrontPage – and editing your own website can sure sound tempting and less expensive. But is it? Will you have the time for timely edits? Where will your salary draw best be spent – editing a website, or managing your business? If you know you’re already wearing too many hats, don’t add another. Find out editing costs upfront from the company you are working with. Look in to Content Management Solutions that offer faster ways for you to manage your site and can incorporate existing product databases.

Evaluating yourself and your business’s time constraints and skill levels will help you develop a plan with an Internet Marketing Company that will play to everyone’s strengths, and ultimately put more money right back where you want it – in your bank account and in your pocket!