Helping Hands For Coaches

This is a must-read for all you future and current bloggers! In the blog I’d Rather Be Writing, Tom Johnson gives the top 20 usability tips for your blog.

Here’s the short list:
1. Pick a topic for your blog. Makes (more…)

We went over the basic steps to working with a blog, such as:

1. Understanding what a blog is: an informative, opinionated, ‘human’ look at a company/business or person. As a coach, this will be the way that your potential clients will get to know the ‘real’ you – not just the one you show for your sales copy. Why do we want to show this human side of a life or business coach? Well, what is the first rule of sales: we buy from people that we know, like and trust – and a blog allows us to build that!

2. Blog styles: we discussed Blogger, Typepad, WordPress.com and WordPress.org

3. Get involved: before you start your blog, however, you should read and participate in some that are interesting to you, or are in your industry. Make sure to choose ones that are active and popular. In order to find a few blogs that you like, search Technorati. Oh – and the answer between Authority and Ranking is that they’re basically the same: to build authority or ranking within Technorati you need to build links from other blogs to yours. Be aware that links will ‘clear out’ from Technorati if they’re older than 6 months.

4. Have a plan and get started! Your blog should be part of your over-all marketing plan – so before you get started with designing or adding content to your blog, it’s a good idea to have a clear idea of where it’s going.

This week, we’ll be reviewing how to update your blog – design wise and adding multi-media. If you would like to learn how-to customize your WordPress.com website / blog, click here to be sure to sign-up for our May 1st class!

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So, you have the blog up and running – but, now the big question (that I often get) – now what? You might be thinking, “There’s this big, beautiful, empty blog staring at me – and it’s a little intimidating!” The best advice I can give you, is first:

1. Research what other bloggers in your market are blogging about. Don’t shy away from your competition, but don’t write exactly the same stuff they’re writing about. Knowing what your competition is writing about will give you some ideas and a sense of comfort.

2. Be yourself – and don’t over-think it. One thing I’ve noticed from blogs that I follow is that they don’t over-think their post. Sometimes it’s spontaneous, sometimes it’s a great planned post, but it’s usually short, sweet, and to the point.

3. Don’t be a spam blog (an ugly name for a spam blog is ‘splog‘ – sounds like a flattened frog – yuck!). That means the only reason you have a blog is to promote you, you, you. Be interesting, or no one will be interested (and who really wants to be as interesting as a splattered frog?)

How do you know if the blog you’re reading is good? Check-out the Technorati stats:

1. Look at the Authority Rating: it should be higher than other blogs. This is relative, so I can’t say ‘it should be over 20′, because it  would depend on how popular other blogs are in the same category.

2. If you’re looking at the Technorati ‘Rank’: it should be a lower number (for instance, it would be totally awesome to be ranked in the top 100 blogs).

The best way to know what your audience would like to hear about is by talking to them. So, when you’re out at networking groups, or you’re talking with a client, ask them: What are your interests? What do you struggle with? What blogs do you currently read? What are you looking for? Then take note- they’re telling you how to bring your blank blog canvas to life!