Blogging is the social media party circuit. With no expense but time and energy, bloggers easily involve hundreds or thousands of relevant opinions and perspectives in good company with their own. So what does this have to do with you or your business?

As defined by Wikipedia (a resource showcasing social media at its best): “A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. ‘Blog’ can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs…As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112 million blogs.”

The difference between good blogs and must-read blogs is like any party. The host and the partygoers are required, however it’s what those partiers bring to the table that create an eager anticipation by others to be a part of what’s happening in their circle. And the success of any blog springs from one thing: its content. As our good friend Perry Belcher says: Just like a party, it’s gotta deliver the goods to be memorable and charge the circuit.

ATI Attraction Marketing, the Traverse City-based social media integration company co-founded by Michelle Corteggiano and Jodi Mallow Mass, is building momentum with its work in educating and training those willing to learn how to best utilize new media. Corteggiano states, “Social media is a creative, unintrusive and highly effective way to get permission to market to someone, build an audience, and drive business towards you without directly pitching your deal.”

Blogging is an exceptional tool of social media. Corteggiano and Maas believe social media marketing gets results and attracts smart business owners taking action in new media. Blog opportunities are inexpensive (or free), available and offer unlimited potential for success. Corteggiano and Maas satisfy your appetite for blogging basics here:

1. Top Three Reasons to Blog

• Low cost way to drive traffic to your offer
• Blogs gain top search engine optimization (SEO) rankings because they are continually updated with new information.
• Blogging is highly effective way to build new relationships, establish your brand and make you into the hunted instead of the hunter. It’s a form of advertising that encourages a two-way communication instead of a one-way message.

2. Blog Essentials

• Keyword rich, useful content
• A call-to-action on every page
• Easy-to-find contact info
• A search feature
• RSS feed subscription

3. Web Host Must-haves

• Make sure that wherever you end up hosting your blog, confirm that you own the content and no one else! ATI recommends Squarespace, so there is no search for a Web host.

4. Google Blog Indexing

• Google may begin indexing as soon as you publish your content. Incoming links and internal linking to other blog pages will help determine the speed at which Google recognizes your blog.
• Using social bookmarking sites will speed up the indexing process.

5. Elements That Affect SEO

• Incoming links
• Title Tags/Tags/Descriptions
• Researched keywords – keyword density
• Article titles w/keywords
• Anchor text
• Content
• Images – titles of images (keywords)

6. The Power of Community

• Get noticed by driving traffic in your blog towards local attractions, events and businesses. ATI feels that promoting community and having groups tied together in Social Media can and will drive massive amounts of traffic to a specific area.

7. Win-Win of Guest Blogging

• Grows traffic for both blog host and guest blogger
• Strengthens blogger relationships
• Introduces host and guest bloggers to new audience networks
• Increases incoming links to both host and guest blogs

8. Premium Content: Your Blog or as a Guest Blogger?

• If you publish premium content in your own blog, you will retain all the traffic and incoming links but run the risk that the post won’t gain enough exposure. If your blog is relatively small compared to more popular blogs, your content may not be viewed to its full potential.
• If you publish content as a guest post on a larger blog, on the other hand, you will certainly get exposed to a new audience, gain a powerful incoming link, and possibly some new readers and subscribers along the way. The disadvantage is that the blog host of your post will retain most of the traffic and incoming links associated with it.
• In early blog activity, a 50/50 split is recommended to gain more traffic to your blog by capitalizing on the larger audiences of more influential bloggers.
• As your brand grows, ATI suggests that you retain premium content on your own blog.

Author: Wendy Nienhouse | Owner, RedHot Marketing | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Professional Source: Michelle Corteggiano & Jodi Mallow Mass: Co- Founders ATI Attraction Marketing