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Blog posts tagged business blogging
Blog on a domain vs blog on a website
February 07, 2011
It’s a question I am often asked — whether it’s better to have a blog that sits within your main marketing website or to have a blog that sits on a separate domain.
As ever, you need to have a plan, look closely at your objectives, your brand and how your customers want to receive useful information from you and interact with you.
If you have a good website, one that enjoys many visits and conversions to leads, then it is feasible to integrate a blog within your main sales website. Keep it between your own goal posts! This is what marketers call reinforcement and endorsement. Potential customers can see other customers commenting on your products and services and your marketing messages are all in one place.
If, on the other hand, you have a website that needs optimising in the search engines, one that remains static or that you wish to leave as your main sales funnel, you could consider a separate blog domain. A separately hosted blog allows you to extend your marketing messaging further and it can enable you to create freer marketing information — such as blogs that are aimed at educating your audience. This option effectively gives you two websites – and you can register a keyword rich URL which can set you apart from your competition!
Alison Davey is an expert contributor to Marketing Donut and runs Real Eyes Marketing, a London-based consultancy that specialises in advising small businesses.
How long should my blog posts be?
October 22, 2010
When you’re starting out with your blogging, getting into “the groove” can be hard. Just how long should your posts be? And where on earth do you find the time to blog?
I’m a firm believer that you should be blogging two or three times a week, and if you can manage to squeeze one in every day, so much the better. Your writing will be better for it and your readers will thank you. In fact, as long as you can keep focused, the more you write, the better you’ll be. And the better you are, the stronger your following of readers. And that means more business for you. So it really is a win-win.
But to answer my original question, just how long should your blog posts be? Well I recommend that they’re around the 250-300 word mark. This length is easily digestible for your readers, and is pretty quick for you to write. You should be able to produce something of that length in around 30 minutes. And if you can write quickly, you’ll be blogging often.
You don’t need to get too perfectionist about it. I recently read an article that was lambasting people that didn’t spend at least a day refining and sculpting each blog post. I’m sure that it does make for great writing, but the fact is that unless you’re a professional, full-time blogger, none of us have eight hours to spend perfecting, refining and crafting one post, so why even try.
Write from the heart. Start with a plan and stay focused. And if you stick to my recommended word length, you’ll find that you don’t have time to ramble on. Just make one point, and make it well.
Fiona Humberstone is an expert contributor to Marketing Donut and managing director of Flourish.
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