A blog can be a crucial part of building a brand for a small business operation. This is especially true for professional or sales businesses, in which the public persona of the business owner is a vital element in the success of the business. It helps build your company's personality -- its brand. This puts you up front and personal and lets your customers, clients or patients feel like they know you, and, as any business consultant will tell you, people are always more at ease buying services or goods from someone they know.

Many beginning business owners make the mistake of choosing one of the free blog hosting services to host theirs in the belief that the free ones are easier to set up and just as good as a blog hosted on their own domain name. Others believe that hosting on a large blog site gives them a bigger audience for their posts. All three of those beliefs are wrong. In fact, the only advantages that free blog hosting offers over hosting your blog on your own domain is the price -- and even that is a mixed advantage. When you choose the free service, you're giving up the most important advantages blogs offer for building your brand: design freedom, name recognition and SEO advantages for the sake of a few dollars a month.

A blog hosted on your own domain is more professional. Any branding expert you ask will explain that a website or blog with its own domain informs customers that you are serious about your business and value its image enough to pay for hosting. Hosting your blog on your own domain also makes it much simpler for your customers or clients to remember the address and find your blog. Your blog address becomes one more brick to cement your brand in the eyes of your buyers.

You have more choices for designs and branding it when you choose blog hosting on your own domain. You are not confined to a few templates provided on a free hosting service. In addition, Google along with other search engines consider the domain name of your blog when they pull up results to search inquiries. Blog hosting on your own domain name gives you a boost in the search engine rankings.

As far as ease of setup, most web hosting services feature one-click blog installation for nearly all of the major blog platforms, which makes blog hosting on your own domain every bit as easy as putting up a less professional free blog. With all of those advantages, why would any business owner choose free blog hosting over your own self-hosted blog?

If you're searching for Dedicated servers or interested in Hosting a domain name log onto phphosts.org.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_R_Staller


http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Advantages-Of-Blog-Hosting-On-Your-Own-Domain&id=6755403

Related Posts

3 Tips on How to Blog

By Leah Evans

How to Blog to Drive YouTube Traffic?

Tip #1: You can blog about your passion of cooking gourmet meals. Start with what you have. How much information do you know about cooking gourmet meals? If you love cooking, you can start a blog about it. You can have someone video tape you with a smart phone or iPad. Or do it yourself and use a web came or flip camera and upload a snippet of your video onto your YouTube channel. Write a description with a link to drive traffic back to your blog. Don't post the entire video on YouTube, just give them the sizzle not the whole steak. Your objective should be driving the viewers back to your blog where they can potentially subscribe to your list.

How to Blog to Build a List?

Tip #2: You can create a subscribers list for your community members who want to learn how to cook the gourmet recipe that you began sharing on YouTube video. You can share a weekly recipe with your subscribers. List your ingredients, what to do, how to do it, what temperature to set the oven on, and how long to keep it in there. Your list of blog members will be enlightened to learn a new recipe each week.

How to Blog to Make Money Blogging?

Tip #3: If you want to monetize your blog record you preparing gourmet meals that will make peoples mouth water. Start with shopping in grocery store or farmers market and meat or fish markets. Gather the ingredients, prep the food for cooking and cook the gourmet meals so your buyers can see exactly what to do and how to do it. Make sure you show the before and after shots once the food is done. Do it once, record and download it onto a private page on your blog or burn it onto a DVD and sell it over and over. In your weekly recipe sharing newsletter create a sales funnel to sell your video or DVD of the gourmet meals you want to sell on your blog. Create a products tab on your navigation bar and list your menu and price your meals to sell to your viewers who want to learn how to cook gourmet meals. There are many people who don't know how to cook gourmet meals and want to learn. Your blog can be the go to blog to show people how to cook gourmet meals. These are just 3 tips on how to blog. There are several components you can add to this example to monetize your blog and make more money blogging. I hope this stirred up your creative juices.

I look forward to hearing about how well your business is doing online.

Stay tuned, I may post a Part II to the 3 Tips on How to Blog.

Best Regards

Leah R. Evans

The Entrepreneur | How to Blog tips, tactics and strategies http://InetEntrepreneurs.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leah_Evans


http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Tips-on-How-to-Blog&id=6753230

Related Posts

Blog post writing has become a very lucrative skill...but not everyone has the ability to tap into this profitable marketing tool...some are just launching their first blogs. If you are one of these people...there are few things you need to learn in order to make your blog popular. And unless you have the experience to provide people with useful information...you'll only get so far.

Here's some advice on writing blog posts that get traffic:

1. Show your readers who you are when writing your blog posts. What you can do for them...and what type of information can they expects from your posts? Don't try to be someone you're not. Letting people in is a great way to gain their trust. You'll be surprised at how many people will visit your blog if you open up a little.

2. If your posts are boring...how long would you expect someone to stay on your blog? My research has shown that people will only spend about 3 seconds reading your blog post before they decide if it's good or not. So make sure to capture these people's attention right away. Appeal to emotion if you have to. Offer some free videos on your topic...do whatever you have to do to get them to read your posts until the end.

3. Find a topic that has lots of search volume. OK...this is something that many people neglect to do, and it's ruining their chances for success. If you ever hope to get your blog posts on the first page of Google...you'll have to only write about what people are dying to know about. You can literally take them by the hand and guide them to your posts if you write about the current hot topics in your niche.

4. Something that I've noticed works really well for building credibility and trust with your readers is to interview someone well known in your niche. So you'll want to make sure you have some good questions to ask this expert...then give it to your readers as a free gift. This is great for establishing your blog as the go to place for information.

5. Blog posts are much more effective at getting search engine traffic when they are full of media and images. Not only will this get your blog better rankings...it will also make it more fun for people who read your posts. So try to include relevant images and videos for your readers and consistently look for new information to share with them.

6. Keywords are very important for your blog posts. If you focus on targeting specific keyword phrases, the chances of your blog coming up on the first page of Google are higher. So optimize your posts with relevant keywords that target the specific needs and wants of your audience. Make sure that you include a relevant key word in every paragraph of your content.

By the way, do you want to learn more about using articles like this to drive traffic to your website and increase online conversions?

If so, I suggest you check this out: article marketing skills

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=AJ_Simon


http://EzineArticles.com/?6-Ways-To-Write-Blog-Posts-That-Get-Traffic&id=6749029

Related Posts

If you were in the market for a new vehicle, would you choose a car that gave you excellent fuel economy, a roomy interior and attractive design that fit your budget, or would you go into debt to buy a luxury yacht? Cheap websites are the Internet equivalent of economical cars; they get you everywhere you need to go in comfort and style for reasonable prices. Paying too much for website design is like buying that luxury yacht - it's lovely, but impractical for your daily commute. Buying extra features that take your website in directions you don't need it to go isn't cost-effective.

The first step toward effective website design is understanding what you need your website to do. A yacht is ideal for sea travel, but it's a terrible choice for an afternoon drive. For most small businesses, a website acts as an online brochure, informing visitors about the company and encouraging them to contact you. As the online presence of your business, it sets a tone for potential customers, subtly casting your tax preparation service as reliable or your shoe shop as stylish. A cheap website that uses the fundamentals of good design will cost little more than a print run of brochures, but reach a huge client base.

Some websites also serve as online catalogs, allowing your customers to buy directly from the site. Designing an online catalog doesn't have to be costly; cheap website packages can include an e-commerce function that lets you plug in your merchandise descriptions and create an instant online shop. An inexpensive website building service can also create the site architecture to support an online shop. By structuring the site to showcase the merchandise and facilitate payment, a talented website designer makes it easier for shoppers to become buyers.

Whether your site is promotional, educational or informational, its content must create the right impression. No amount of spending on fancy mouse-over menus or animated design elements can compensate for clumsy content. Website design services can create content for you or polish your existing content. Any money you pay a professional writer or editor to perfect your content is well-spent. Clients may not notice mistake-free content, but they will notice a grammatical flaw and wonder if you're similarly heedless of other small details.

A cheap website doesn't have to look cheap. On the contrary, clean, straightforward design often has a contemporary appeal that sites overloaded with costly widgets lack. Overpaying for a website results in features you don't use and elements visitors don't want. Save your money and invest in a cheap website that gets you where you need to go in comfort. Economy can be a beautiful thing when it comes to website design.

Small businesses benefit from attractive and functional cheap websites, they don't need to spend a ton to be online. See our Squidoo lens on cheap website design for more info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Art_Mills


http://EzineArticles.com/?Cheap-Websites-and-Small-Business&id=6742517

Related Posts

For many people who could not afford the cost of laptop and other operating systems they can make do with netbook computers. They are usually cheaper than the other operating systems and that could be as a result of the limited functionalities which these netbook computers are fitted with. Normally the netbook computers were associated with just ordinary typing and having access to the internet. However it appears that lots of people are showing interest in netbook computers as can be seen from the increase in the number of users. Many of the users are even calling for an improvement in the capability of netbook computers by increasing the functionalities. However it appears that the different producers of netbook computers are coming to terms with the demand of the lovers of the device by manufacturing computers that can perform the type of functions that are performed by the other types of laptops.

Recent products of netbook computers are fitted with such features as WI fi, Bluetooth, card reader, web cam as well as cellular modems. This means that the users of netbook computers can do any of those things which the other computers can do. The implication is that many people are going to take to netbook computers because of the advantages which it has in terms of portability. One can do any of those things that one do with regular laptops and computers with netbook computers. One of such things that would do with netbook includes watching of videos which can be transformed from one format to another format. Netbook computers can now be used to edit photos as well as uploading of images.

Netbook computers are fitted with more technologies than all other types of computers. It is only most recent operating systems that can be compared with the type of features that are added in netbook computers. Before one buys netbook computers there are certain factors that he must consider. The most important factor that determines the effectiveness of netbook computers is the efficiency of the processors. One should always try to buy fast and reliable processor. That is one way of making sure that one enjoys the best of the product. Depending on the need the best type of processor should be Intel atom; it is one of the best processor that one can buy to fit his netbook computers. It could be seen that the popularity of this type of laptop is on the increase and that has to do with its portable nature.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/networks-articles/netbook-computers-guide-to-use-them-5343761.html

Related Posts

Creating a student blog is a great way to stand out from your competition. The theme and format of your blog should be closely intertwined with your global social media strategy and how you wish to position this new blog. Now that you have a theme for a student blog, how do you make it a reality?

Here are the first 3 steps to take to create an effective student blog:

1. Choose the right writer

The answer to "Who should write for our school's student blog?" should be found when defining the type of student you want to reach. A student interested in your most popular program? A student going back to school after years spent working? You will need to identify your school's personas to answer these questions precisely.

Once you have defined the target you wish to reach, ask professors about students who fit the description and who would be interested in a mutually beneficial relationship with the school. These students should be personable, have strong written skills, enjoy telling stories but most importantly, they should be willing to tell things the way they are.

2. Create Editorial Guidelines

Once you have chosen your writer, have him/her sit down with the head of the Communication Department to present your school's general social media strategy and the part played by the student blog in it. Together, they should go over privacy and legal limits (signing an agreement about what is acceptable and unacceptable on the blog is recommended), post formats, responses and monitoring of comments. They should also draft a list of subjects to cover in the blog.

Such subjects may include:

• What the student loves about your school, what disappoints him/her, what has been a great surprise
• General life as a student
• Problems with juggling personal life, sometimes a professional life and school
• Views on the industry
• More trivial reports about life on campus or even the weather (as it gives also an idea of life on campus)
• Community events and community news
• Open houses and seminars
• Announcements, graduations, student awards, etc.

Keep in mind that these editorial guidelines are just that. The student should be responsible for all the content and there should be no pre-screening of his/her posts. He or she should also be responsible for any and all comments on your blog.

After the launch, these meetings should occur on a regular basis to give the student an opportunity to voice concerns or difficulties.

3. Commit

The last key to making this student blog a success is to commit to delivering good quality posts on a regular basis, at least once a week. This is a team effort. Your school will have to make sure your Ambassador has everything he/she needs to do his/her work well. This will include helping him/her build an audience by publicizing the blog: add a button on the homepage of your website, link the blog to your profiles on all the social media platforms.

What have you tried to make your student blog a success?

Philippe Taza is the founder and CEO of Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm. Taza has worked in the Canadian Education market for nearly a decade, specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

For a free audit of your website and marketing initiatives, please contact Higher Education Marketing today

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philippe_Taza


http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Steps-to-Create-an-Effective-Student-Blog&id=6731844

Related Posts

What is the attraction most popular blogs have that compels visitors to return time and again? What we're discussing here is not necessarily what it takes to generate traffic but rather how to get visitors to return! Of course the main component of any successful blog would have to be the content quality of the posts but there's more to developing reader loyalty than just that!

Let's quickly review the 3 main components typically found on any successful blog which of course is one that has a sizable and loyal following!

Quality

The most obvious and necessary component of any successful blog would have to be the content quality offered readers! Updates need to be informative, inspiring, thought provoking or otherwise useful and/or entertaining just to get the visitors attention. This is the starting point and as mentioned above, although critical, not always enough to develop reader loyalty! What else could you possibly offer visitors both new and returning you may ask? Remember we're talking about loyalty and this can only be developed over time, so read further to see what else needs to be added to get people to return repeatedly!

Consistency

When you first generate traffic to your site people are attracted to the topic around which you based most of your updates! Remember, blogs are really highly focused social sites that cater to those interested in a particular topic. When posting it is always important that the subject you write about maintains some type of relevance to the topic you've centered your platform around! When you start to veer away from this topic the people previously attracted begin to lose interest and you as a result begin to lose readers! You MUST maintain some type of consistency relative to the theme of your platform or you will never be able to develop the loyalty you both need and want!

Continuity

Now that you've addressed the content quality and topic consistency you offered visitors what else is needed to compel people to continually return? This is actually quite simple when you consider as already mentioned, that loyalty takes time! If you want and expect visitors to return and eventually become loyal readers, you must continue to create and post fresh and unique updates to your platform! Quite simply if people are to return you must give them something to return for and this will require a continual effort on your part to keep your site updated!

Most popular blogs have developed a loyal following based upon 3 common components they all share! As our discussion above has explained, it is not enough to generate traffic and expect these visitors to become instantly loyal to your platform! Loyalty is earned and this takes time but by paying attention to the content quality, topic consistency and putting forth a continual effort there's no reason you can't develop a successful blog! The challenge you face is maintaining the patience to stick with it till you've built up a sizable following!

TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
To learn more about how most popular blogs develop large followings and to also receive a free instructional manual that teaches valuable niche research techniques for your online marketing needs simply visit: http://blogbrawn.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TJ_Philpott


http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Key-Components-of-Most-Popular-Blogs&id=6756107

Related Posts