Your presence should maximize [content] visibility all over the web, not just for target key words & phrases in the search engines but, everywhere possible! Your web presence should generate feed connections to other sites & social networks, back links, bookmarks, direct RSS and email subscription. Your web presence should leverage the network in your favor!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKB-LDiGgI]

And business people should be maximizing their presence in a virtual world with as little disruption to their physical world dealings as is possible!

We also review some robust new industry specific products, including

• Real Estate Blogsite
• Real Estate Listings Blogsite
• Executive Recruiter Blogsite

“Hey Chris, I got a buyer calling about a listing yesterday. By setting up my blog’s RSS feed into Facebook they where able to see it there. The blog is turning my Facebook account into ad’ tool. Pretty cool!”

Kristan Cole Wasilla AK Real Estate

Yes, and your business blog can easily be the center of your entire web presence. Your business blog is your brand! Never to suggest you shouldn’t participate more in the social networks, but there’s no reason your branded timely content can’t do some of the heavy lifting.

If your concerned about your time AND having your brand reach across many relevant channels, content generated from your blog may just make that a lot more simple.

Related Posts:

• Understanding The New Advertising Environment [i.e. Social Networks, Blogs, SEO]
• Online, Only Blogs Establish Brand!

Manhattan banker, turned local Rye NY real estate agent, Judy Croughan is a new blogging services client interested in more local visibility. She represents a perfect example for how RSS recently worked for us, Kinetic Knowledge.

Judy’s dabbled with blogging on a Rye NY community oriented blog site for a couple years. Approximately 12 months ago she began to think about establishing her own local brand. Some searching on Business Blogging Solutions led to a conversation and a direct subscription to our advertorial business blogs.

Let’s look at how RSS subscription served as a sales tool, allowing us to stay on Judy’s radar for when she was ‘ready to buy’:

Frerecks: “Judy, Have you been receiving our blog posts via subscription since we first spoke last year?”

Croughan: “I would say that I have been reading and receiving your posts for about a year. I remember that I initially signed up to receive your free ‘Business Blogger’s Bible’ for pointers and then started following your posts. I was always interested in incorporating video and when I saw the post, ‘Should You Tube be in your marketing mix?’ From there, I was hooked!”
 
Frerecks: “Beyond YouTube, has there been useful information? At least enough to keep you interested in how to maximize the advertising potential of blogs for your business?”
 
Croughan: “Yes, for instance, I appreciated your recent post that Nielsen reports that people are spending 67% more time on blogs than they did last year!”

Frerecks: “Can you tell us a little about why and how you’ve been dabbling with other blogs?”
 
Croughan: “I started writing on a local blog about 2 years ago and have since posted on some other real estate sites. Certainly more cost effective advertising than print, and I also find that with approximately 90% of people starting their real estate search online, it is a faster path to reach savvy, more educated, home buyers or sellers. In fact, I recently sold a house to a couple relocating from Chicago who found me online, and we had a wonderful experience. They were exactly the kind of clients you want to connect with online- familiar with the price points in the local market as they had been previewing properties online beforehand, they had read my blog posts and seen my You Tube video, so they had a sense of my personality and work ethic and that we would be in sync, and that contributed to a very positive work experience.”

Frerecks: “Has that blogging effort built a local brand online for you personally?”

Croughan: “I think it has begun to develop my public presence in the sense that I am recognized as a hardworking real estate professional who is connected to the community, but developing my own blog gives me more content control to connect with those educated buyers and sellers that I am looking for.”

Frerecks: “In the scope of a web presence, where does blogging/ publishing sit in terms of an advertising priority?”

Croughan: “I am incredibly passionate about the possibilities of expanding my business online and in many ways, it is a no brainer to develop a high quality blog site for the price of a one time print ad. Although I believe that advertising in community publications does have value in effectively reaching the local audience, a potential client may miss my print ad for a variety of reasons- they may throw the publication away, be out of town that weekend & miss the issue, etc. – but my online articles can come up again and again if they are positioned correctly. Also, I can provide more timely information online without having to wait for the “lead time” that it takes  for print articles to be published. I also like the idea that I can vary my content at will to suit my buyers and sellers. If I hear about an important real estate development that I think people will be interested in, I can write about it immediately, and include the related keywords and links that will position me in the search engines. I also think readers get a truer sense of my personality through a blog vs. a static website.“

Frerecks: “Would you say getting those posts via RSS [converted to email] is why we’re doing business today?” 
 
Croughan: “Yes, definitely!”

Related Posts:

• Invite subscription to your Business Blog!
• 10 Reasons Business Blogging is the Top Marketing and Advertising Value Proposition!
• Business Bloggers, You need to consider yourselves a source of [modern day] Trade Media!

Related Sites:

• Judy’s Rye NY Real Estate Blog
• Judy’s Community Rye NY Blog
• Judy’s Website

Permission Marketing

Competitive search engine indexing is something we all strive for. For business bloggers, it’s pretty much the common goal; however, as we move our blogging effort along its trajectory ‘the direct voluntary subscription’ becomes powerful! As an expert, your knowledge-based [publishing to the web or] blogging is a form of trade media. If committed, you will attract permissions and a voluntary subscriber base of sales leads!

Top 10 Ways to Drive More Permission Marketing with your Business Blog.

1. Make subscription easy for visitors – Are your RSS and your ‘Subscribe via Email’ icons highly visible to all visitors? Are they above the fold?
2. Offer email subscription - Regardless of how routine you may think RSS is, many people do not. Maybe they’d rather not use RSS. Offer them ‘Subscribe via Email’!
3. Use every page you have - Are your RSS and your ‘Subscribe via Email’ icons visible on every page and every post?
4. Use your Blog post signature – Add an invitation ‘to subscribe’ to every Blog post. Put in your signature!
5. Use [layperson friendly] education - Not everyone is aware of their subscription options so add a page that educates the layperson about them, including on the RSS Newsreader. We even use a little video embed from the great Common Craft.
6. Use on page guidance - Near your RSS icon, for those who aren’t familiar, add encouraging words like ‘subscribe for the latest news’ or ‘subscribe to our RSS feed’!
7. Submit to feed directories – This can be tedious work, but if you think a directory has an audience get your feed there for them to see. For a small fee, we help submit clients to 85 feed directories.
8. Check your feed to be sure it’s working – RSS feeds often break, so be sure yours hasn’t. One strategy might be to subscribe… to you.
9. Leverage Social Media - This post automatically propagated itself into other social media environments like Facebook & Twitter. Who knows, maybe someone or even several will have an interest in what you know?
10. Blog timely & well – Blog with all the enthusiasm you truly have for your craft. What you see, hear, know and have to offer. Cover the most current subjects, giving them your consumer even greater motivation to volunteer their subscription. Share your knowledge generously and they will subscribe!

At the end of the day, you want to build an online brand that demonstrates your value, builds trust and that translates to qualified leads. Your consumer has the power to search and they can easily subscribe. By genuinely transferring your knowledge-base to the web you’re going to satisfy their challenge… and you will get more and more permission-based marketing!

We’ve said before that RSS is an important sales channel. Search Engine findability is well documented, but have you truly considered the development of voluntary direct connections [via RSS] to your clients & prospects?

All consumers are online researching their future product purchases & service providers. If you’re not familiar we define RSS here, but as a provider of relevant content on the subject of your business [in your area] there’s every reason to believe people will appreciate & subscribe to you. If they like your content they may link to you from their blogs or websites and this can generate even more direct subscription, more leads & more sales [from amongst their readers & subscribers].

Recently, our client Alfredo Cristo demonstrated recognition for the value of direct subscription. He understands it so well he sent a letter inviting his clients & prospects to subscribe, as follows:

 Dear Client,

 I would like to share my new blog site, where my team and I will be posting to the Internet for you a wide variety of information and listings about  Baja, particularly the Cities of La Paz, Loreto, Mulege and East Cape, including La Ribera and Los Barriles.

 In this new blog, you can read our posts and interact with us leaving your comments and questions about the subjects.

 On our first blog we are focusing specifically in Colina Del Sol Los Barriles, a new eco-friendly development located in Los Barriles East Cape that  offers a marvelous opportunity to purchase affordable Residential lots and Homes.

 I hope you, your friends and family join me by subscribing to our weekly journey and please do not hesitate to make comments on the blog  or email me directly with any question or inquiry you may have. Please click on http://blog.bajasurlegal.com

Alfredo, we couldn’t have set a better example ourselves. Well done!

Direct subscription can happen without people ever having to search for you; however, no matter the cause RSS is a very important sales channel!! By all means, invite direct subscription to your Business Blog!

No surprise here, but we discuss subjects including the value of Blogging for a Business, Search Engine Discoverability, Trust, Online Brand, Direct Marketing, RSS, ‘The Long Tail of Search’, Disintermediation, Web 2.0, potential advertising cost advantages and [even] the possibility of relying on search [to connect provider with consumer] less and less in the future

I’m afraid I’m not the most cogent speaker, but hopefully the conversation is user- friendly / less techie and, if any of the above subjects sound interesting, maybe you’ll find something useful 

While there were seven topics of discussion, the Internet Tools piece details Bryan’s recent web commitments including to Blogging. As an aside, they also discussed the type of Home Buyer or Seller that will typically hire Bryan. He suggested his model client is a person looking for a “Realtor for life.” They’re the type of home buyer or seller that will do their homework, researching the right Realtor for the long haul. Obviously, nowadays people do their research on the web, which is why Bryan’s success is so relevant.

In the piece, Bryan mentions he’s achieving good Internet visibility with his Blog; however, it’s the nature of how he is managing to win new clients that is telling here. The one he details is a Fortune Brand Executive. She was doing her research online, she discovered Bryan’s Blog and she decided to subscribe to it via RSS. Patiently, she began to follow him via his reporting on the area. You might say that Bomba was being interviewed. Several days later and without requiring an in- person meeting she called to award her listing. Never the type to presume, he extended an offer to come and do a listings presentation for her. She said “No, I’ve been following you’re Blog and I’m convinced about you Mr. Bomba. I am awarding you my business.”

In summary, sharing his local knowledgebase on Hinsdale IL Real Estate community news & information is very much a part of Bryan Bomba’s normal routine. It has resulted in home buyer & seller 1) search discovery, 2) direct RSS subscriptions, 3) local brand, 4) trust and 5) prestigious new business. Home buyers & sellers are searching, they are researching, they are subscribing and they’re doing it long before they get in touch with the Realtor. The modern day business challenge is to to be available online. By Blogging, Bryan is meeting the challenge.

•  
  • Que: What happens when a business can publish unlimited, useful information to the web?
    Ans: A business that Blogs can market almost anything affordably, particularly the merits of its’ business, to anyone and everyone that needs that expertise, those products & those services [= online brand development]! 
  • Que: What happens when consumers can search and find any information they want whenever they want it …for free?
  • Ans: A business that Blogs can be discovered directly, often, for many things, without any constraint and by the most qualified prospects [= search marketing/advertising]!
  • Que: What happens when business prospects can easily subscribe to any publishing source of information they want or need?
    Ans: A business that Blogs can open an unlimited number of trusted, ongoing RSS & Email connections[= direct marketing]!

The web gives the consumer the power to find useful information [i.e. Real Estate Investment] on their own terms… and to make informed decisions. Most consumers are searching and they want they expect the immediate gratification of answers! Unlike traditional marketing / advertising messages, which are challenged to grab the consumers’ attention in limited space & time, a business that Blogs’ has the ability to generate visibility, trust, brand and then direct [RSS & RSS to email] connections affordably and without limit!

 I. Visibility & Discoverability: by consistently Blogging new information on a particular subject (i.e. Granite Bay, CA Real Estate or Orlando FL area Real Estate Investment) a business is able to push knowledge- base to the web where anyone can consume it. Regardless of  which channel a consumer chooses, including via social network, RSS or search, information is free to go wherever it is needed. With search, virtually one quarter of the queries made are completely unique so it’s important to be indexed for as many variations (i.e. Granite Bay, CA  Lake Front Homes or Florida Real Estate Trends) on a targeted subject as possible. While a business  may generate less search discovery per individual search variation of ‘Granite Bay CA Real Estate’, the collective impact can be much greater for those variations. The proven theory being, if a business Blogs well to cover all the things going on in a target marketplace they can be indexed for many keyword & key phrase searches; therefore, they can be prepared for many, many searcher queries and discoveries. Blogs make this simple & cost- effective!

 II. Local Brand Recognition: let’s face it; we all search because we can. As consumers we all have an instant ability to research and to gather information. If all consumers have this power, businesses must commit themselves to meet this modern day challenge. By consistently & transparently sharing what they know, do, see and have to offer a business can be prepared. By presenting themselves as enthusiastic, valuable, knowledgeable & trustworthy providers of products and services they will develop a local online brand. Blogs make this simple & cost-  effective!

 III. Direct Marketing Connections: these days content can be formatted for syndication. In the past, a business depended on mass mailing and/or media to distribute an advertising message. Now, with Search, Social Networks & RSS that same businesses’ information is free to be discovered, to be directly subscribed to and to go where it is needed. When a consumer finds a valued source of information, they can subscribe via RSS or’ RSS convert to email’ making the direct & continuous connection to an unlimited number of people possible. Blogs make this simple & cost- effective! 

One tool, three levels of value proposition and yes, in 2008 we believe that Advertorial Business Blogging will help a business control it’s  own destiny!

Each of these ‘value propositions’ require consistent on- topic content, but if you’re sharing good insight why wouldn’t you encourage clients & prospects to subscribe to it? In an age of readily available information, those who share knowledge- base will gain mind share. And who amongst them would not benefit from your accumulated & timely knowledge? In the best case scenario, which is at your disposal via RSS, you’ll distribute it to them direct!

[An incredible feature of all Blogs is RSS. The acronym RSS stands for ‘Really Simple Syndication’ and it means the content is prepared for movement around the web. RSS can serve you as a consumer of content and as a marketer! As a consumer of content, rather than having to visit all your favorites all the time in order to know ‘what’s new’, RSS makes it possible for ‘what’s new’ to visit you direct. Rather than email, which is often out of your control, you can easily customize & control the gather of information direct and to one convenient place. By setting up an RSS Feed or News Reader account, which are typically free web- based services, you’re ready to begin making direct connections. Look for the little orange icon or 'Add to MyYahoo', click and you should create a continuous feed subscription to your RSS Reader. As a marketer, RSS makes your content available direct to your existing & prospective clients. It's a valuable feature because there is no better form of advertising than direct marketing communication. If they subscribe to your RSS feed, you know your content is reaching the most qualified individuals because they're doing it voluntarily!]

Until recently, the web was mostly HTML Web sites. The primary means for distribution of content was a search engine or a directory, but now there are Blogs & RSS. As more and more people get involved [more content sources, blogs, news service feeds, etc., etc. formatted in RSS] it becomes ever- more important to do what it takes to gather & maintain exposure. You see, RSS has become an important distribution channel and the ability to maintain visibility will shift some from the big search engines [and from a need to search engine optimize content] to RSS feed directories, RSS search engines & Persistent Search Alert systems.

Not to worry folks, if you don’t believe your audience has adopted a ‘RSS Newsreader’ solution like MyYahoo, MyMSN, GoogleReader or Bloglines for direct feed(s) subscription it’s still important you get on board because adoption is occurring out there…. and right in front of you! What’s more, we can add a ‘RSS convert to email’ subscription box so that when you post to your blog your content can reach people based on their immediate choice Email or RSS… helping to kill all birds with one stone. Again, who amongst your clients & prospects wouldn’t benefit from your accumulated & timely knowledge… direct?

Folks, we can’t emphasize this enough: do what it takes to touch your clients & prospects often! Do it with your unique advertorial knowledge- base and [in the best case scenario], you’ll do it with voluntarily participation and you’ll do it direct!

Get in touch any time,

Chris