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I've lost count of how often it is asked (anywhere: forums, twitter, off line) which blog platform a small business can best use. Plenty of choices out there: from paid for online software, self-hosted 'free' software, free and hosted by software creator, to small and rather unknown WYSIWYG software.
Typepad, Blogger, WordPress.com (free and hosted by WP) and WordPress.org (self hosted 'free' software) are the four most well know and most used platforms. I always discard Blogger and WordPress.com because of the limits they have - when used as web presence for small businesses - which leaves Typepad and WordPress.org.
As with everything online: you have raving fans for the one and equally raving fans for the other option. This review will focus on my own personal experiences with both platforms and why I recommend Typepad for business owners who want/need an easy to use, SEO ready and quick to edit/add platform.
So far I've come up with 7 key reasons, see here for the long version
1) You're in control - always (not your web designer or IT department)
2) Better Listings On Google (BLOG)
3) It works in real simple syndication with online directories (RSS)
4) Notify your prospects/clients of new content instantly (email marketing)
5) Interact with your website visitors (throught the comment box)
6) Combine static website and "blog" on one platform (fixed page as 'front page')
7) Become known as "The Expert" (build trust by publishing good content in abundance)
No matter what type of business you are in, service or products, using a blog (or as I prefer to call it: a dynamic and interactive webpresence) is one of the fastest ways to grow your presence online in a sustainable and none-time consuming way. It depends on the amount of time you want to spend and your knowledge of IT, CSS and HTML which of the two most used blog platforms will suit you and your business best: "paid for" Typepad or self-hosted "free" WordPress.org.
Let's face it: Typepad (from Six Apart) is a "paid for" blog platform starting from $ 49.50 annually (+ £ 32.00) I normally recommend to opt for at least the Plus account for more functionality, although IMHO the Pro account gives you even more, such as creating you own template (without having to know much about CSS or html)
The software of WordPress.org is free to download, but you have to have your own domain, hosting and FTP access to set it up, the reason why I always place "quote marks" around the word free where it concerns this platform.
With a Typepad account the hosting is included where your account name is part of the domain name, e.g. http://woodyoulike.typepad.com/furniture/ From the Plus account on you can domain map any of your blogs on your own registered domain name (without the need of having FTP access) e.g. http://www.woodyoulikefurniture.co.uk/
Or "mapping" your blog to a subdomain of your main domain will change the http://woodyoulike.typepad.com/tips/ to http://faq.woodyoulike.co.uk/
Another pro for opting for Typepad is the included Technical Support that comes with any account type. Besides an extensive knowledge base you can submit tickets to the support team and it is my experience these are quickly and adequately addressed and answered.
WordPress.org is a free open source which has "how to" documentation on many items and forums on various subjects where you can ask for help from other users. However I found 2057 pages (x 31 questions) that received no answer at all. Fortunately there are many WordPress.org users who write blog posts and even training manuals for you, like my friend Martin Malden. (expert on all things WordPress.org)
"Free" is good, but in cases where you're stuck it pays to pay for support.
Typepad: 10 minutes tops from starting your 14 day free trial (by creating your account), editing your design and style of your (first) "blog" using one of the 1000 plus templates Typepad offers you to publishing your first page or post. I'm pretty experienced in setting this up, but all my blog-studio students never take any longer to do the same.
I've asked my friend Martin what his best ever time was to do the same with a WordPress blog (from downloading the software, uploading it to the server your domain name is hosted on to editing the css for one of the two standard templates and publishing a first page or post): 20 minutes (and he's very experienced in this). He does state that including searching, finding, uploading (1-click install on most hosting providers), editing a different theme and getting ready to publish a first post/page a "first timer" should allow for up to one hour.
Then there is the matter of creating a second (or third, fourth) blog (our business has two divisions: natural wooden flooring and natural wooden furniture - both with their own dedicated "blog" - and then there are various other subjects I write about - each with their own blog, our family blog plus the community blog we manage for our village).
With Typepad Plus account you can instantly create 3 individual blogs, with the Pro account it is absolutely "limited less" - limited only by bandwidth (10GB) and storage (1000MB). All individual blogs on your account can have their own specific design and settings AND share custom made side-bar items (the typelists).
Again, I asked my friend Martin Malden if you can manage more than 1 blog on WordPress.org account as easy as with Typepad. 'Fraid not: either you have to create a WordPress account per intended blog or download and install WordPress MultiUser. The readme text of this product starts with:
"WordPress MU is a multi user version of WordPress.
If you're not comfortable editing PHP code, taking care of a complex webserver and database system and being pro-active about following developments of this project then run, don't walk, to http://wordpress.com/ and sign yourself and your friends up to free blogs. It's easier in the long run and you'll save yourself a lot of pain and angst."
Both Typepad and WordPress.org have standard widgets and allow you to add third party widgets to your blog (of which most will end up in your side-bar). Most third parties have "quick" install options to add their widget to the three most common blog platforms: Blogger, Typepad and WordPress. Clicking the Blogger or Typepad Quick Install options sends you to your existing account and the widget is automagically added to your side-bar items. Quick install = log-in - drag new widget to where you want it to show in the side bar (Design - Organise Content).
WordPress.org account holders are directed to an instruction manual because the widget (plug-in) has to be uploaded to the plug-in folder of their self-hosted domain and from there it can be activated through the WordPress account. Quick install = download - upload - activate - drag new widget (plug-in) to where you want it to show in the side-bar (Presentation - Widgets)
Another advantage IMHO that a paid for blog platform like Typepad gives you is not having to download, upload and activate newer versions than you first started with. WordPress.org is on stable release 2.8.4 at the moment and have improved the Automatic Upgrade but you still have to deactivate all your plug-ins.
I know that plenty of WordPress.org users are still on the version they originally installed because to the 'hassle' and time involved having to go 'through it' all over again. (Friend of mine is still on version 2.2.2 and told me he truly cannot find the time to upgrade).
Typepad is constantly evolving its features, options and possibilities. Once everything is de-bugged through the Beta-team everyone having a Typepad account automagically benefits from the newer version without having to lift a finger.
Both Typepad and WordPress.org platforms are SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) ready. To be honest the speed of how quick one of my new blogs gets indexed by Google and other search engines keeps amazing me. My latest project had one of the posts listed on page 1 within 2 days! (On a Google.com search that brought up 5,310,000 results).
Improving search results on both platforms are easy, add relevant keywords and/or tags to your posts and pages - besides of course your overall general keywords and key phrases that are relevant to the subject of your blog. Alt Text (text behind an image or a link on your blog) can be added easily too on both platforms.
Plus all blogs come with an integrated RSS feed (Real Simple Syndication): an standardised format to easily share headlines and content online. Regard it as a "What's new on your site" automated feature. It also means your blog content is picked up by many more online services and channels than just search engines.
Side-note: 'burning' your blog feed through Feedburner gives you plenty of more options to be picked up and shared than just relying on the rss feed on its own.
Many businesses already have a website - designed and managed by a web designer - over which they hardly have any control (at least that's the complaint I hear often). Adding new content to the site takes communication between owner and designer, time from the designer and money from the business owner.
You can add a blog to any existing website and start managing your frequently to be updated content yourself. All your designer has to do is add a link on your website to the blog.
There is however a more simpler way: set up your blog as if it is your standard website (with fixed pages) and use the 'blog-index' feature as integrated blog. Three big advantages here:
1) total control for the business owner on content, frequency of updating and layout
2) design and layout for both the 'standard' website and the 'blog' are exactly the same
3) both 'standard' website and blog profit from the benefits a blog platform gives you.
A few (IMHO) fine examples:
Plumbing & Heating Service in Glasgow (note how Tony informs his potential clients about every aspect that is involved in the works without any 'hard sell') - "Need to know" is the blog-index
Better Water Solutions (again note how Peter too informs everyone about issues and even news items regarding fresh water supply to your home) - "Tips, Advice & FAQ's" is the blog-index
Community website: Lovely Charing where "What's On and News" is the blog-index informing the village and the Charing Businesses there's always something going on. Using an AWeber blog-broadcast brings every new article straight to the inbox of everyone who subscribed to the so-called blog or news-alerts.
As said in the beginning of this article: both blog platforms have raving fans.
My own opinion is that if you are looking for:
a simple,
easy to implement and manage blog platform
that has standard 1000+ design templates to choose from (which all can be combined with 10 different standard lay-outs)
that comes with many added extras without having to upgrade to a newer version
and which gives you instant results
Definitely Go for Typepad
(For business owners I recommend to opt for the Pro account, or at least the Plus account.)
This is one tactic we don't use ourselves, we use Typepad as blog platform which accepts all AWeber webforms, no matter if you have Basic, Plus or Pro account. Self-hosted WordPress blogs and Blogger also accept the javascript of your webform, only WordPress blogs hosted on WordPress.com refuse every AWeber coding, even when you use the raw html code of the inline form.
But there's a solution.
Sounds confusing? It's not, as will become clear in the following steps. When I was writing the lesson on publishing a broadcast/newsletter online the solution for WordPress.com blog-owners suddenly seemed obvious.
When you have a WordPress.com blog it is hosted on WordPress.com server. These blogs are mostly used by those not able to host any web presence themselves (otherwise they would IMHO use the free self-hosted WordPress.org blog software which gives you plenty more options, but require more css and html knowledge).
The beauty of this solution is that you can have a webform of AWeber hosted by AWeber. All it takes is:
1) a template that resembles your blog design or your AWeber broadcasts
2) an AWeber broadcast - doesn't even have to be send out
3) an AWeber inline web form
4) a link on your WordPress.com blog
Note: this tactic also works when you use only the plain text message, but I think an html message in a template works better. I leave the decision with you.
In TACTIC S1-4 "The overall appearance of your messages" I discussed using a template for your messages (html message) and if you use this tactic you have a general template in one of your lists ready to use.
Copy the source from your template broadcast and paste this into the source of your new broadcast. The title of your broadcast can be anything you like, from "Sign up for my blog-alerts" to "Request your free guide".
Write a short message in the body of your message: explaining what's on offer etc.
Don't use any personalised fields though, they will not be filled with details but show like {!firstname}.
Have an inline webform ready (see TACTIC S2-3: the web forms) and copy the raw html code so you can change various items later, like the tracking code.
In your new broadcast, go to the source and paste the code in the position you want it to show. Save the broadcast, no need to write the plain text message this time (or you want to opt for plain text message only).
DON'T queue the broadcast, it is not the purpose to send it out.
Every broadcast created in AWeber has a Direct Link. So open the new broadcast again, tick the box Syndicate and click the hyper link behind Direct Link. This will show you (in a new window/tab) how your broadcast including the webform will look online.
If needed, edit text or lay-out and once you're happy copy the url of the Direct Link to place this in the sidebar of your WordPress.com blog (or in any post you like).
Follow the link to the example I've made: Direct Link
It is of course not the most ideal (or even elegant) solution, but it is the most simple solution for WordPress.com blog-owners without any other additional hosting available. Try it out and do test it for yourself to see how it truly works - it will follow the same opt-in process as any other AWeber webform.
This is just one of the many tried and tested Strategies and Tactics you will find in the (almost) complete E-training: The Best AWeber Strategies and Tactics for Small Businesses - created by 1 Plus 1 Makes 3.
The first tool in The WebMarketing ToolBox for Small Businesses is available!
The Best AWeber Strategies and Tactics for Small Businesses - maximise Permission Marketing.
The E-training/E-book is based on our own experiences and successful implementation of AWeber's auto repsonder for our ethical email marketing. As independent specialised (rural) retailer we now reach prospects and clients in the whole of the UK and even beyond. Our success rate?
90% confirm their subscription, only a hand full ever unsubscribe and we convert many subscribers into clients.
The Strategies we use (trial and error discoveries) and which are now available to you too:
The Strategies and Tactics (tried and tested) are available now here - the following page will also tell you why this first Tool is a must for both new and existing AWeber account holders. No matter if your list/lists have 100 or 10.000 subscribers, The Best AWeber Strategies and Tactics for Small Businesses will improve and further automate your ethical email marketing immediately!
Maximise the Permission Marketing principle and add real money to your business now.
No matter what program you use for email marketing - for newsletters and/or auto-responders - the one item that drives your list is the 'submit' form in to which someone can enter name and email address.
We all know them and many use them on their website and/or blogs (nowadays even on Facebook)
From simple forms to hoover-over forms, we've seen and use them all. Offering free reports, free tests and even more. The submitted details, mostly just name and email address, end up on the all import email list where the conversation with the prospect starts in the form of follow-up marketing messages and broadcasted newsletters.
But the trigger - the driver - is the submit form. Without it, it becomes rather difficult to fill your list. A single form driving a single list, is in many cases the most effective way.
If you have 4 or 5 different products/reports to offer, all with there individual follow-up messages i.e. email lists, do you need 4 to 5 single forms?
Can you imagine a webpage or blogpage with 4 to 5 webforms underneath each other? Your reader - website visitor - will have to read all the headlines and then select the one he/she is most interested in. We - Wood You Like Ltd - have 5 quality 'wood floor ranges' and 4 have their own leaflet. But we don't have 4 forms underneath each other our interested prospect has to select from.
Our multiple list driver looks almost the same as any other normal submit form. The only apparent difference is a drop-down menu with the titles of the wood floor ranges.
But there's more in that form that meets the eye. This single submit form (web form) is able to drive all 4 individual AWeber lists we have set up for our ranges.
In the background, behind the scene, the selected option sends the name and email address of our new subscriber to the correct AWeber list. Our reader interested in the Basic range will receive the leaflet about that range and our reader interested in the Design Parquet range will receive, using the same submit form, the leaflet filled with all our Design Parquet patterns.
One form drives all 4 individual lists without us having to fill our web page with more submit forms.
In The Best AWeber Strategies and Tactics for Small Businesses (created by 1 Plus 1 Makes 3) the behind the scene work is explained step by step, so you too can - if needed - combine more lists in one single submit form. Saving you space on your website and offering a more user-friendly form to your prospect.
Using your website or blog to attract prospects? Using a tool like AWeber autoresponder can work wonders for this. It allows you to capture name and email addresses of your site visitors (in exchange for reports, articles, leaflets, newsletters etc) in the most practical and ethical way to start a conversation with your prospects: automated ! !
More on AWeber features, help and practical tips see the new 1 plus 1 makes 3 blog (where combined expertise gives you triple value) - another blog-studio result.
Karin H.
Four very successful “introduction workshops” since August last year have resulted in the great total of 16 new blogs.
One of the main items we discussed during the workshops was: “making your blog work for your business” and the various ways to go about this. “Working on your blog” was an important one. We are sure you are as aware as we are that it is more a time-commitment than anything else in this matter. But it does work and does bring in the ROI. This can happen rather quickly too as some of our blog-studio students have noticed.
Don’t say: “but time is money” - of course it is - but sometimes you need to invest that time to make that money.
One of the most effective ways to invest time is to ‘not having to re-invent the wheel’. Learning from the experts (with of course a proven track-record) can do this. It is for that reason and from own experience of having successfully implemented various tips from this source we recommend the following excellent book:
The Ultimate Web Marketing Strategy by Ed Rivis
208 pages filled with easy to implement ideas and tips on how to make your blog (and/or website) work even harder for you, bringing in all those extra prospects, those extra converted clients and that money we all are hoping for. At Wood You Like we see the result of this daily: instead of only 1 website/blog visitor per week asking for information (a definite lead we can start a conversation with to convert into a client) we now covert 2 visitors per day into definite leads.
Ed’s book costs only £ 19.97 + p&p and comes with a 90 days 100% zero-risk money back guarantee. If that doesn’t convince you, perhaps a review of the book will? Or an article of how implementing only one simple idea from the book brought a 600% increase in prospects?
Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)
I've got to say that the whole concept of blogging is alien to me.Why would anyone feel compelled to write about themselves on line? And even more of a mystery why would anyone want to read it?
I thought that a Blog was purely an on line diary, this is probably because I had never read one (an absurd but not untypical boast) I am always the last to to embrace new technology,computers in general have remained a mystery to me. I have a very old computer at home that I only use to go on the Internet. The finer points of Word Excel PowerPoint have eluded me thus far.
Recently my Luddite views have seemed more and more ridiculous,especially from a business point of view when so much business is done on line.We have recently become almost fully computerised at work, although we are still learning how to get the best out of it,I can already see the tremendous benefits that it will be able to offer.
So why have I enrolled on a Blogging workshop?
I have joked that every time I go to Ashford BNI as a substitute Lesley Perk seems to be doing the 10 minute spot,for someone so heavily involved with computers she has an easy going not over technical manner. On my last visit the slot was about blogging. As Lesley explained further I realised that not only was this a potentially interesting thing to become involved with, it also offered a tremendous business opportunity. By now my appetite had been whetted and I signed up for the course.
So here I am writing my first post!!!
Trevor Fitzgerald - Fitzgerald Jewellers
The Power Service is an Electrical Testing Company we work in both Domestic and Industrial markets
We are CORGI Registered and N.I.C.E.I.C. approved and we cover all of Kent.
The Power Service (Kent) Ltd is a member of BNI Ashford.
We are agent for all of the district councils in Kent to conduct there Part P certification this allow all
un-registered electricians and the D.I.Y home owners can comply with the law in getting any electrical work that has been carried out oin there homes registered.
The Power Service also conducts all types of NICEIC testing including "Periodic Inspections"
"Installation Certificates" and "Portable Appliance Testing"
We also do minor remedial work in domestic property
For any electrical not carried out by a registered electrician the job must be registered with the local authority before any work is carried out.
After the work is accepted by the Local Authority you will be contacted by The Power Service and arrangements made to visit the customer to carry out 2 inspections.
The first inspection is undertaken during the 1st fix stage of construction, this will satisfy the inspector that the wotk is being installed to comply with the 16th edition of the Electrical Regulations.
The final Inspection is undertaken on the completion of the work. It is important that the job is complete including all decoration,when this is complete the local authority will issue a completion Certificate,and record the work at the Land Registry.
Nick Osborne - Safety is our Business
Hello!
I'll start with a tiny bit of background:
First off, what many people should realise is that Bordeaux wines were marketed by the English tradesmen who invented modern day marketing by announcing the arrival of the new wines for the season, ahead of time to the buying public at home. The trip was treacherous over the channel up to the early 18th century and wine was preserved with great difficulty in small tuns made of French oak. But realize that even if you hate the French, you have in fact contributed to the fortunes of Bordeaux directly or indirectly through your English ancestors, who simply put, had a passion for "Claret". For more historical facts please refer to the wine god Hugh Johnson's fabulous book The Story of Wine.
So the wine we have today is the culmination of many different and painstaking trials to get wine to your table in a stable form. Bordeaux wines are all bottled in tall straight bottles which are distinctly different from the Burgundy bottles which often resemble the New World bottles, tapering to a slightly larger bottom.
My opinion is that Bordeaux's distinctive characteristic can be expressed in three words: blend,blend and blend. It is blending the grape varieties the way they do in each and every vineyard which is the secret of their centuries old wine-making method. Most winemakers will tell you that their product is unique and they would probably be telling you the truth.
With 10,000 different vineyards in the entire Bordeaux area the choice is vast and should you wish to taste them all, there is little doubt that the average non-professional wine amateur would probably take an entire lifetime to do so..After all there are so many hours in a day.
However, not all Bordeaux are created equal. And not all the more famous ones are necessarily much, much better that the wines made by a very dedicated wine-maker in an unknown vineyard, struggling to be known and doing everything, save the harvest, on his/her own. Not all budgets or starting capitals has ever been created equal either. This, the wine market, although not yet mature is extremely competitive..
But I digress. I am partial to wines from Bordeaux, not obviously because I do trade in them but for the following reasons, which I know you will appreciate:
But the main reason for me is the subtlety of taste and aromas which makes each wine a complete "package".
So, what can you do with this information?
I hope this helps seduce you to the wonderful world I live in, with, through and by: Bordeaux.
Happy tasting!
Catherine
"If you have a nose for wine, make sure yours is hand-picked!!"
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