A popular, proven strategy that builds brand identity, increases recognition as an expert amongst peers, and helps label you as an influential source in your target market is article writing. However, if you are unsure of the topics that would resonate with your potential customers, or are unaware of resources to help develop an article marketing campaign, I have identified 5 proven strategies that can aid in creating an article writing funnel that can consistently generate topics of interest specifically for your target audience.
1. Surveys: Hidden Source of Story Ideas
3 or 5 question surveys can garner a wealth of information useful in developing new products and services, marketing opportunities, good will and feedback from current and prospective customers. Responses can be used to develop story ideas, providing relevant subject-matter information that can be used in article, service and product creation.
2. Blog Hopping
Develop ideas from other sites’ content. Frequently visit your favorite or the most popular blogs and see what people are talking about. Is it controversial? Can you offer a different perspective? Can you create an article around the topic? Once you develop your article, link back to the originating site. Don’t forget to leave a comment on the site’s blog and let the owner know you stopped by and have expanded the conversation on the topic. You will drive more traffic to your site and increase readership.
3. Analyze Your Blog
Review your own blog and determine which postings receive the most views and reader comments/feedback. Develop a short series on the topic(s) to entice return visits. Use your social media outlets/networks to promote the series and increase blog signups. By giving readers want they want, you will develop loyal readership and capture those all important email addresses.
4. Article Directory Goldmine
Running out of ideas? Visit article directories and read articles written specifically for your target audience. Develop a new “take” on the article’s theme or select an important point, and write about it from your perspective. Article directories are excellent sources for staying abreast of popular topics and you can use them as a starting point to express your opinion and share insights with your ideal audience.
5. Web 2.0: Social Media Opens Doors
Social media venues such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, etc., offer unfettered access to topics, opinions and experts on literally any conceivable topic. Search these sites for resources and various comments that stimulate your creative writing processes. Create a swipe file of ideas, so you will an ongoing repository of new potential subject matter.
It may take a few months of article writing to really benefit from these tactics, and you may be too busy to implement all of them at once. However, the more options you choose, the greater opportunity to increased visibility and nurture brand creation. As more readers visit your site or interact via social media connections, the greater your opportunity to increase traffic, leads and profits.
Technorati Tags: article writing tips, build brand, increase traffic and profits tips
The 24 Hour Secretary leads a team of 100 Virtual Assistants to help voter registration and Election Day run smoothly.
Baltimore, MD, November 20, 2008 – September 17, 2008, marked the beginning of one of the largest projects undertaken by a team of Virtual Assistants. InfoVoter Technologies, a voter access, voter protection and election administration technologies and services company contracted The 24 Hour Secretary (http://www.the24hoursecretary.com) for a 45-day marathon transcribing voter registration requests and complaints from more than 45,000 respondents during the nationwide election. Read more
Technorati Tags: 24 hour secretary, administrative services, Sharon Williams, transcription, virtual assistants
Pretty soon, the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) will kick-off. This year, 40 presenters are set to speak about technology, marketing, public relations, working with coaches, real estate, speakers, article promotions, and so much more useful information to support a Virtual Assistant’s practice.
We will also conduct another blog hopping and podcast tour and hold a brand new series of activities(Introducing the Virtual Assistant Industry) to reach more industries and individuals, and educate them about the VA industry.
It’s going to be fun, and I can’t wait.
I’ll keep you posted and I hope to see you May 15-17, 2008 at OIVAC. ???? ?????? ???????? ?????
You know, ever so often I visit a very useful web site, Copyscape, to check if anyone has copied language from my web site. Most times, I’m lucky and find no perpetrators. Recently, however, I’ve identified three sites that have blatantly copied verbiage from my homepage and two other sections of the site.
Now of course, there are but so many ways to describe virtual assisting, but an individual should at least place her personal “brand” on the web site; and thereby, of course, not encountering the rage of the originating author who is determined to protect her work product.
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another author, or excerpts, ideas, or passages therefrom, and passing the material off as one’s own creation. (University of Colorado Library)
Copyscape recommends the individual act quickly to have the language removed. (See suggestions below):
1. Look for contact details on the offending site and send a polite message asking for the material to be removed. If there are no contact details available, try emailing webmaster@ the domain.
2. Use a Whois service to find out the website owner’s name and telephone number and contact them directly. Enter the domain name in the search box and the contact information should appear towards the bottom of the page.
3. Contact the web hosting company used by the site and inform them of their customer’s abuse. This information is also available through a Whois search.
4. Send a formal ‘Cease and Desist’ letter notifying the offending party that they must remove the stolen content from their site. Some sample letters are available on the web.
5. File a notice of Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) infringement with search engines such as Google and others to have the offending site removed from their search results.
6. If you need proof of infringement, you can use the Internet Archive to show that the content appeared on your site at an earlier date than it appeared on the offending site.
I have completed Step 1 and given the perpetrators five (5) days to act. I will revisit the offending sites to ascertain their response. I’ve also asked each to respond to my email. If action isn’t taken within the allocated time, I shall proceed through the process to have the content removed.
Often, I interact with business owners who cringe at the idea of marketing their businesses. They offer various reasons why they haven’t created a marketing plan or are implementing a strategy suitable to their businesses. Instead, they try every new marketing ploy introduced, many tactics that aren’t designed for their business model.
Why? Because they heard it was the newest, best thing since sliced bread. Since everyone else proclaims they are making money by implementing the “new fangled” idea, the weary business owner jumps in and gives it a whirl. They forget about conducting research to determine if the idea is viable or worth their time, effort, and financial investment.
The results? Aggravation, frustration, budget drain, and wasted time.
Well, let’s face these issues and ultimate marketing fears, so you can develop a successful marketing strategy that puts you on track to achieve your goals.
Please take a few moments to participate in a brief, eye-opening survey to identify and understand marketing fears that restrict virtual business owners from achieving their goals.
Three of the thought-provoking questions included:
* Identify your marketing fears (select from a list of 10 fears).
* How have these fears affected your marketing efforts?
* What have you done or are presently doing to overcome these fears?
The survey will remain “live” through Friday, July 20th, after which time the results will be compile and included in either a marketing book (e-book), add as Q&As here on the blog, or include in downloadable podcast vignettes.
To participate in the marketing fears survey, visit Survey Monkey before Friday, 12 midnight, EDT.
If you have a fear, or marketing question you’d like addressed (now or after the survey closes), post it here or drop me a line at va @ the 24 hour secretary.com (spaces open intentionally). ??? ????????? ???????
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