ONLINE MARKETING | Let’s Explore … Blogging

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We’ve talked about online marketing options and some elements needed for your Web site. This month we will focus on the various types of social media.

Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories, and understandings.

Popular platforms: blogger.com, wordpress.com or wordpress.org (self-hosted), typepad.com (pay)

Many authors will use blogs to help other writers by posting about their personal publishing journey. Visit www.stacyhawkinsadams.com to view how her blog was seamlessly included in the site’s design.

If you have a certain niche or topic that you write about in your books, you can use this a jump off point for creating a blog. A good example is Linda Leigh Hargrove and her blog where she talks about racial reconciliation. This is a topic also found in her Christian Fiction books, The Making of Isaac Hunt and Loving Cee Cee Johnson can be found at http://www.llhargrove.com/ (self-hosted wordpress).

Okay, so suppose you are not published yet.

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TOO MARKET!

I would still encourage you to set-up a blog as starters. Two authors that I know developed a “following” online BEFORE they were published.

Camy Tang (blogger.com)

Read Camy’s publication testimony at She also gives back to other writers, with an excellent blog for writers called Story Sensei.

Claudia Mair Burney (blogger.com)

Claudia’s, Ragamuffin Diva blog has a rare, but beautiful story of being discovered through her blog.

SO, IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TOO MARKET or at least get your name out there as you network and learn more about the industry.

How to Keep Readers Coming Back

Post content regularly. At least 2-4 times a week. People like consistency and quality content.

Provide the RSS Feed. People do get busy, so even if they have your blog bookmarked, they might not always remember to visit. That’s where RSS Feeds and feed aggregators, like Google Reader and Bloglines can help. Read more about RSS feeds.

Remember email is still the major form of online communication for most adults. Keep in mind if you don’t want to put together a newsletter, you can use services like Feedblitz.com or Feedburner.com to send your blog posts out to people via email.

I encourage you to watch this video by The CommonCraft Show.
http://www.tywebbin.com/next/2007/11/what-is-a-blog/