For just a moment, let’s put aside the issue of whether or not blog marketing works.  It does.  There is no argument there really…just denial on the part of those unwilling to step into the new age of blogging and reach for the market of the internet generation.  We have short attention spans (so I am told!) and highly creative ways of reaching each other through identifying ourselves with our media.  Literally, I blog therefore I am!

But, all that rant aside, there is another issue that I am continually face with in my marketing efforts.  Before I throw this into the dark void of the blogosphere, let me say that I UNDERSTAND that what I am going to say goes against EVERY marketing genius and theorist on the subject of blog marketing.  Gotcha!  In return for my confession, I want everyone who reads this to understand two things about great online blog marketing:

  • It does not follow the pack of what everyone is doing.
  • When a better way is discovered, you do it.

Now, rinse and repeat until these things are deeply rooted into your mind because there will be a comprehension test at the end!

The argument revolves around the ideas of push vs. pull marketing.  If you are not quite hip to what I am saying it means quite simply that with some marketing methods require you to push the materials out to the marketplace to reach your audience.  Pull marketing is just the opposite in that your marketing efforts pull your audience to you through viral methods like email campaigns, social book marking, and networking.

Ok…here is our visual for the post.  If someone said to you that:

  • You could get office space on a country road not visible on any map without you placing huge signs to lead visitors, or…
  • For the same price, you can have this great office space located in the middle of a high traffic area of Main Street.

Which would you want?  If your answer is the office space on the dirt country road, you are in the wrong place…the Marketing Goddess is not for you!  You might need one of those marketing companies with low output and high prices that should come with a free mental examination.

The problem is that I am really strong with the customer service.  I do hand-holding better than anyone in the game (clean hands are even FREE! *smile*).  I understand that marketing is a scary thing for businesses…it’s an investment.  But, the other “experts” that constantly tell me about the books they have read that say that a blog should be kept in a private space, like as part of a website, to increase website traffic.  <deep breath>

We need to rage against this type of mythology!  While a blog can be an excellent marketing tool to drive traffic to a website, the website MUST be functioning and highly SEO-ed to stand alone.  Last thing you want to do is hide an incredible marketing tool behind a website that can not rank on its own.

Further, when you remove a blog from a public space, like Blogger or WordPress (my personal favorite), you effective take it out of the blogosphere circle where people can stumble across you.  Plus, using your SEO tactics on your blog and tagging system (not offered by most private blogs) you are enabling your blog to live on Main Street.  When your blog is on your private space, you have to do lots of blog marketing to get your message out.

Here’s some case study info for you:

  • Blog#1—90 posts, 30 relevant comments, 4068 visits over 5 months, PR5, ranked under 630K in technorati
  • Blog #2—25 posts, 7 relevant comments, 178 visits over 3 weeks (too early for PR)
  • Blog #3—35 posts, 13 relevant comments, 768 visits over 1 month (too early for PR)
  • Blog #4—7 posts, 8 relevant comments, 1094 visits over 1 month (too early for PR)
  • Blog #5—9 posts (very erratic!  Yes….here!), 19 relevant comments

Ready for the big one?

  • Blog #6—104 posts, 709 relevant comments, 37382 visits in 5 months, PR6, ranked under 150K in technorati

All of these sites have three things in common:  all public blogs, all highly successful and SEO-ed, all brining traffic back to the primary website.

The main counter argument seems to be there is a “.wordpress” (or .blogger) in the URL.  With today’s world of hidden linkage, why would anyone let what works stand in their way? 

The one truth that I have heard over and over again is that content is KING.  True that, but where the content is located is a matter of marketing companies that have control issues.  I guide companies’ everyday on how to reach an audience using a blog.  I don’t intend to argue with the big guys or their armies of followers about the whys of blogging in a public forum as opposed to a private venue.

With a great marriage of SEO for your website and a steady blog approach, there is NO reason to sweat sales on that country road when you can have what you built a website and blog to achieve.  A marketing tool that stays home to gather traffic (website) and your marketing tool (blog) that goes out into the world to invite people home!

Consider this:  I don’t market the Marketing Goddess blog.  You (and hundreds more people) found me somehow!
 

This will be my last post for 2007.  I am on my way to Tampa and New Orleans for the holidays.  Happy Christmas and Merry New Year!  Here is to a profitable and successful new year!

If you have questions, comments, or emotional outburst….well, that is why I am here! ~~Diana, Marketing Goddess