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For me, the answer is absolutely! If you have a small business and your advertising budget is small, then marketing yourself is key! There are many ways to get your product seen if your budget is unlimited but for now, lets stick to small businesses, with smaller budgets. The majority of my traffic comes from other blogs, web links on other sites, Rss feeds, my own comments etc. I find that leaving my company url beneath every comment I make, helps my traffic as well as introduces others to me without being too pushy. Some people may disagree with me and think that my self-promoting attitude is way too much for them.
I don't think there is any harm in leaving your url and if allowed by the blog you're posting on, then go ahead and leave it. If someone gets curious and clicks on it, then you've just introduced one more person to you and your product. However, I'd stick to commenting and leaving your url on blogs that are related in some way to your industry. Anyhow, blogs are great self promoting tools for small businesses. Here are some ideas for self-promotion using your own blog:
- Since blogs are cost effective in comparison to advertising in the media, use them extensively. When you post about your business, make sure you place a direct link to your own site/shop.
- After you've created your blog, keep blogging every day. It generates traffic along with high search engine ranking. Meaning, people will find you!
- Make your blog stand out somehow, use it to speak to potential customers as well as your daily readers.; introduce them to your new products and ask them questions.
- Take time out to respond to the comments left on your blog and answer questions readers may have via email as well.
- Create interesting giveaways with your product or someone else's. (I'm still working on this one myself).
I believe blogs have helped many companies establish credibility and I would encourage every small business to place one on their company site. Of course, you have to tend to it as I said above, so don't forget that part. The search engines like content and it's your job (small businesses) to provide it to them via your blog. Always remember your blog is a valuable way to communicate with potential clients and let them know who you are. How do you SELF promote your site or business? What works for you?
Hi, You are so right about the self-promoting, blogging and leaving comments is a very good way to be seen, I also have a flickr account and started a group there, this brought also more people to my blog/shop. I would not be selling internationally without blogging and etsy. By the way, I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Blogging is a great way to get your word out but you do have to put in effort. Using any of the social networking systems (blogs, Facebook, twitters, wikis, Flickr, etc) and even selling an occasional item on eBay or Amazon will get you out there more. One thing - be consistent with how you list yourself - use a consistent name/username and a specific set of words that makes you identifiable (not so much a byline but more a set of tags or keywords)and if you have the ability to add an avatar, create or find something unique and identifiable (and use gravatars, a microformat that is quickly entering the socializing fray).
ReplyDeleteYour blogging skills have come a long way very quickly - not 3 months ago it was difficult to find you in a search, now you're coming up consistently on a wide range of keywords - great job!
Thanks for coming by my blog, and I am loving this post. Such good advice. As someone just starting out in the blog world and in design, it's tough for me to self-promote...I don't always feel ready to point people my way. But, I am going to get over myself and start talking my work up more.
ReplyDeleteAlso--I linked to your blog in my "eye candy" section. Love it!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I noticed the url on your post, and was concerned that you might be a spammer, but your comment was specific enough to make me realize that was not the case. And, when I came over to your blog, I saw the reasoning behind it!
ReplyDeleteI think blogs are a wonderful way to promote a business, but you are right, you have to take a personal touch to make it work!
I agree with what u said. With small budgets, how else r we supposed to promote our businesses?
ReplyDeleteI'm working on mine right now, and will definitely take ur advice on this one, as u seem to be doing quite well ;)
Glad to know this may help others that are perhaps hesitating or dont know how to effectively use their blogs....there are MANY more things you can do and I can say...but this is the jist of it. Thanks to everyone for the comments so far, good points and i will be reading everyone's comments all weekend.... : )
ReplyDeleteI agree completely that blogs are a wonderful marketing tool - that's pretty much how my business was created and how it took off! However, I think if you have a profile linked to your name, leaving your URL at the bottom of each comment can be seen as if you are only commenting to promote yourself and not because you are actually interested in what the writer has to say. I find that many readers click on comments with profile links, just to find out who they are and so find your URL anyway. Does that make sense? I could be babbling!! For example, I'm not going to leave my URL under this comment, but I'm pretty sure that I'll end up with traffic from here as other readers will click on my linkable name. Anyway, just thought I'd give my 2 cents!!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you as I started blogging not only to share my love for design but also to hopefully maybe have an audience to show my own designs someday. Leaving comments is a very effective way to promote your blog as we all happily check out everyone who comments on our blogs. That is how I discovered your blog (and loved and immediately linked).
ReplyDeleteThere's something else I want to say, I've been tagged to list 7 facts about me on my blog and tag other bloggers, may I tag you? It's ok if you don't want to play but I hope you do :)
Great post! Although increased traffic to my blog is not a goal I do enjoy the diversity of people that do visit. For Pink Heels, the blog serves as an informational board for those who participate in various components of the company. It also helps to provide more personal information about me and the business for those who are considering contacting us.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if I had a product, such as cards, to sell I would definitely consider increased traffic to be essential for overall sales and would definitely seek out opportunities to ensure that this occurred.
Overall, blogs can serve many purposes for a variety of businesses.
Jennifer
Relentless Self-Promotion. That is the secret. Always has been, always will be. No matter who you are, or what you sell, promotion is the key. Blogs + Traffic = Success
ReplyDeletegood points again.....still reading , but i will be busy until Tuesday night probably! So please leave posts....i will try to comment back on as many as i can.... this is interesting so far, thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou can't please all of the people all of the time you have to do whatever you think is best for you. Having owned an ad agency I know how expensive advertising can be and even we started to recognise blogs as a great form of advertising a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't leave my url on comments but have nothing against people who do - unless it leads to an offensive site then I just delete the comment.
Great ideas... I love your blog by the way.
ReplyDeleteGreat Tips Jen!!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I actually got to your site from a comment you left on mine and I've been checking it out for the past few minutes. Now, I'll do my own self-promotion.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
BabyBlogAddict.com
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Don´t be jealous, your look is soooo great and sweet and sytlisch on your pics too and your work is just great!!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am just hitting my stride with the whole blogging thing and I am loving it!! It has certainly helped get my name out there and allowed me to network with some great people in the industry. I am totally looking forward to my first giveaway!!
ReplyDelete