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Don't Be Scared of Keywords

Monday, November 2, 2009 by Tyler Bender
I've been writing for years. I have a background in Journalism and was beat over the head with APA format writing in college. I have written websites, press releases, brochures, video scripts. I thought I'd seen the in's and out's of this "web 2.0" movement. The basic principles for writing for the web: keep it simple, put yourself in the shoes of your audience, tell them what you want them to do. Don't screw up gramatically, and don't have typos.

Got it.

Now, I've only been a part of Compendium's team for about three weeks as an internal content writer, and one of the things I have seen multiple times in some of our client keyword lists look something like this: (I'll use Compendium as my example)

Compendium Blogware
Compendium
Blogging Software
Corporate Blogs
Compendiums
Comppendium
Compendiam
Compendium Blog Ware

Notice something odd? The name of the company is misspelled. more than once.

And I'm expected to throw those keywords into my content like that? Whhhhattt? This concept takes some catching on. And for someone who has spent the greater part of his life trying to edit and perfect his writing so that it never has a typo, learning how to include typos into content on purpose is like telling Peyton Manning that it's ok to throw passes to the other team. At first, it was like nails on a chalkboard, only the nails were buckets of acid and the chalkboard was my eyes.

But it makes sense. 

DictionaryPeople don't check Webster's Dictionary or the phonebook before they visit search engines to search for your company's keywords. Sometimes they're going to misspell their searches and you want to win those searches - even if they're "wrong." Right? 

When you're bloging for search, you should always account for the searches that aren't perfect. It's okay. Wouldn't you rather have someone find your blog even though they mistakenly typed in "Acmes Solution" instead of "Acme Solutions," than someone completely miss your content because you weren't comfortable including the misspelling in your content?

Part of the beauty of blogging is that it's not perfect. Actually, I think some imperfections in corporate blogs make the writers more "relatable" to their audience. If I saw a typo in a brochure, I'd think that the company was lazy, didn't care enough to edit their material and all-around not very professional. If I see a typo in a blog, it's easier to remind myself that an actual human being is on the other end of the blog, constantly updating their content, and it was probably a simple oversight.

So don't be scared of your keywords just because they're mispelled. They'll still work, and strategically, it makes sense to use them. The goal is to reach your audience - even if they're not sure how to spell your company name.



Too soon to think about Christmas? Think again.

Thursday, October 29, 2009 by Michael Burton
With 57 days until Christmas, it may be too early for hanging the lights, putting up the tree or playing that same Christmas CD on repeat between now and Dec. 25th, but it is not too late to think about how your company plans to reach its customers in the upcoming shopping season.
Countdown to your blogging solution present
You could always resort to trying to get a flier in the newspaper on Thanksgiving with 200 other businesses fighting for attention...  Or you could compete for insanely expensive TV ad space... Or stand outside your business with a sign that says "PLEASE COME IN!"

OR...

You could go a more cost effective, time efficient, convenient form of marketing and simply look into a powerful blogging software solution like Compendium Blogware.  

Compendium knows that this could be your biggest money making time of the year IF you are equipped with the right tools to reach your customers.  If you are timid about trying something new just before the holiday season gets underway, why not talk with one of our Compendium employees who would be happy to walk you through a demo of the software and let you know how blogging fits perfectly into your business!

What scares you the most this Halloween?

Thursday, October 29, 2009 by Michael Burton
Only days away from Halloween and it's a time when people start thinking about all the things that scare them the most.  You know, like zombies, vampires, and ghosts, right?... Wrong.
Tame your fear with our blogging solution
Yes, when we were 8 years old those may be the things that kept us up at night...checking under the bed, hoping they would not enter our dreams, but what about our fears today?

My guess is that most business owners and employees are way more scared about the status of their business than any giant werewolf.  Ghosts aren't keeping us up at night; the latest news reports on the economy and the upcoming holiday season are keeping us awake.

Well, just as a stake takes care of a vampire and a silver bullet will silent any werewolf, Compendium Blogware's business blog software can take care of your business anxieties and fears.  Rest assured that when your company signs on with Compendium, you are in good hands and have no reason to fear.

With the holiday season just around the corner, this is the time to start making changes to the ways you are reaching your customers.  Blog software takes the stress out of marketing and allows you to focus what you want to market.

Indianapolis Gyms Need Blog Software... Part 2

Thursday, October 29, 2009 by Amber Mohling
In my previous post, I discussed my experiences of researching online to find possible gyms I could join in the Indianapolis area.  My frustration came when I wasn't finding relevant search results, and I was able to determine that these gyms probably aren't using effective SEO tools to help market themselves online.  My suggestion was that these gyms should use blog software.


Today, I continued my online research because I'm determined to find a gym with all the qualities I'm seeking out.  After digging and digging online, I finally found a gym that really interests me.  They even have a blog that discusses many of the qualities I'm looking for when google searching:  Indianapolis personal trainer, sport fitness training in Indianapolis, etc.  However, this gym was not present in the search engine results for any of these keyword phrases.


Compendium's blogging solution is different from all others out there and is helping our clients get found on numerous keywords related to their business... whether that be a gym, an ecommerce site, a brownie company, or anything inbetween. 

Check out the Compendium website to learn more and request a demostration of our software today!

Indianapolis Gyms Need Blog Software

Monday, October 26, 2009 by Amber Mohling
The last few days, I've been in desperate search to find a gym that I'd like to join.  Because I'm fairly new to the area, I started my research in the place I usually start all my research: the Internet. 
Search Engine

I typed various keyword combinations into Google: best Indianapolis gym, personal training Indianapolis, fitness facility Indianapolis, etc.  However, few of the search results really seemed to match what I was looking for.  This does not mean a gym doesn't possess these qualities; it simply means that they are not marketing those qualities organically online so I can find them. 


Simple blogging software can accomplish this... to enable a company to get found organically in search engines on numerous keyword phrases related to their business. 

Check out the Compendium website to learn more.

Blog Training Available!

Monday, October 26, 2009 by Sarah Sedberry
We are excited to announce that Compendium Blogware now offers blogger and administrator training for our clients!  So if you're a new blogger or just need to brush up on some blog best practices, sign up to attend one of our weekly training sessions.

Blogging Best PracticsThere are separate times depending on which access you have to the company's blog network, so be sure to contact your Client Success Manager to let them know which one you'll be attending, and they'll be able to send you the log in information (note - all times are Eastern).

  • Tuesdays:
    • User Training - 2:00 pm
    • Admin Training - 2:30 pm

  • Thursdays:
    • User Training - 10:00 am
    • Admin Training - 10:30 am



Happy blogging!

Technorati's State of the Blogosphere

Friday, October 23, 2009 by Megan Glover
Last week I was lucky enough to represent Compendium at BlogWorld. Not only did we come home with a lot of wonderful prospective clients but we were able to attend some fabulous keynote sessions including the State of the Blogosphere by Technorati President Richard Jalichandra.

You can access the slides here.

Some of the most interesting findings for business bloggers:
  • Professional Bloggers (business is included in this category) are the fast growing segment of bloggers, keeping the "Blogosphere" healthy and stronger than ever.
  • Professional bloggers are focused on making money and attracting new customers.
  • Unique visitors and page views are used to measure success.
  • Content is usually topical driven (opposed to personal)
And, finally (and perhaps what I really found valuable), professional bloggers are using additional tools to help drive traffic and get found in search. 
Compendium Blogware is just that. Compendium is a third generation blogging software that helps businesses get found in organic search for keywords you know your prospects are searching for. While I don't want this to turn into a complete sales pitch... I think the Technorati study has really opened the door for me to do so.

As professionals and businesses continue to enter the world of blogging for the purpose of making money and generating new business, it's even more important they align themselves with tools to help them get there. For more information about Compendium contact us at info@compendium.com. or find us on Twitter @cblogware.

New Client's Success in Blogging for Search

Friday, October 23, 2009 by Amber Mohling
In the past week, I've had the opportunity to change roles at Compendium.  I moved from the marketing department into client success, and it's great to now have the opportunity to talk more in-depth with current clients. 

In the past two days, I've had a couple conversations with Metrocrete, and I've loved hearing about the success the company is already seeing through Compendium's blogging solution.  Their blogs are already being indexed by the search engines and the company is currently seeing the results of moving up in organic search rankings.  Metrocrete started using Compendium's blog software less than 2 weeks ago!



If you'd like to learn more, check out the Compendium website!

Top 10 Google Analytics Resources for Corporate Bloggers

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by Compendium Client Marketing
You can leverage your corporate blog analytics to gain insight into your blog including:
  • Where your business blog traffic is coming from
  • What visitors are most engaged with
  • The search keywords your traffic is finding you for
  • Guiding your visitors to take the next step
It is important that you listen to your analytics closely when your blogging for search. Don't worry everyone has questions about Google Analytics.

Here are the top ten resources I use to find answers to my Google Analytics questions.
  1. Official Google Analytics Blog

  2. Google Analytics Official YouTube Channel

  3. Google Analytics Support Page

  4. Occam’s Razor by Avinash Kaushik

  5. A Guide to Google Analytics and Useful Tools

  6. 50 Resources for Getting the Most Out of Google Analytics

  7. AnalyticsSearch: Search dozens of Google Analytics support websites with 1 click

  8. EpikOne: Analytics Talk

  9. Follow & Tweet with @Google Analytics on Twitter

  10. Software as a Service Compendium Blogware's Product Support Team

I hope that these resources help you with your analytics questions. Do you use a resource not listed here? Please just add it to my list via comments.

Blog for your inbound marketing strategy

Monday, October 12, 2009 by Stephanie West
When it comes to marketing, isn't it easiest when prospective leads come to you?  Traditionally, marketers have positioned themselves to find and generate leads... but why not let them find you??  Your job would be more enjoyable because you would be talking to people who wanted more information about your product - and they came to you because they were interested. 

http://www.hbwnational.com/more_information.htmlThis approach is similar to an inbound marketing strategy because you are driving leads.  One way to accomplish an inbound marketing strategy is through corporate blogging.  Blogging positions you to generate content that is pertinent to your company (and its product) in order to be found in search.

When you blog for business, you are setting up a means of generating leads.  People are searching for something that you are offering through you blog - they are reaching out for more information. 

Blogging can be very instrumental in this inbound marketing process because it's generating the content that people are searching for.  Inbound marketing is the marketing strategy of the future.  It is changing marketers' approach. 

Compendium Blogware is hosting a free Webinar: The Future of Business Blogging on this topic.  Marketers are leveraging their blogs as inbound lead generators - sign up for this Webinar for more information!

Online Retailers Gear Up for Busy Shopping Season.

Thursday, October 8, 2009 by Megan Glover
According to a recent WebPro's article 85.3% of consumers plan to shop online this year for the perfect holiday gifts (and price tags to match).

So... eCommerce marketers, the majority of consumers say they will be visiting the Internet to find the products you sell, what are you doing to ensure you are the store they find when they search?

At Compendium Blogware, we have a lot of eCommerce stores blogging. We have brownie stores, shoe stores, tire stores, and appliance stores. We have scrub stores, cheer stores, vitamin stores... and you get the gist.

For as much variety as we have in the eCommerce clients using our software, one thing remains consistent. Each of these companies chose business blogging with Compendium, to help their organization get found in search so that they are the site consumers choose when turning online to shop.

To give you a better example... we have a client, they sell cheerleading uniforms and gymnastic leotards. They target specific keywords like "all star cheer uniforms" and "design cheerleading uniforms"through our blogging software. Within the first two months of blogging they were able to generate $10,000 worth of business just but showing up for the keywords interested consumers were searching.

As we gear up for the anticipated rush of holiday shoppers, make sure you don't over look the importance of search and keyword selection.

Partner in Blogging

Thursday, October 8, 2009 by Sarah Sedberry
When contemplating a simple blogging platform for your business, there are several points to consider.  One of the major differences that Compendium Blogware provides (besides being built for SEO, driving traffic, and providing proven ROI) is our Client Success Team. 

From the moment a business becomes a client with Compendium, we work with your team step by step to implement your blog network, provide training, and on going support through out the life of your contract.

This afternoon I had a meeting with a client to touch base and see how things were going with their blog strategy and provide recommendations. 

At the end of our discussion she complimented Compendium for being a true partner and taking responsibility for providing support for our service. It is so useful for them to have someone there encouraging them to use the service versus just falling off once they sign the check. It helps them so much and she thanked us for our continued interest in their program.

This is may be one of the more valuable aspects of working with Compendium, that you truly have a partner in your blogging strategy versus having to navigate the waters of search engine optimization by yourself

For more information to see if our business blogging platform is right for you, schedule a demo today.

SNL's Target Lady Needs a Lesson in Inbound Marketing Strategies

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by Amber Mohling
If you've never seen the Target Lady SNL skit, check it out below (enjoy a good belly laugh) and then allow me to explain how this situation relates to search marketing.




The Target lady has a drastic business downfall... she yells the benefits of her products at the customers and scares them away.  For your marketing initiatives, instead of always yelling into your prospective clients' ears, why don't you allow for them to search for you online and pursue your business offerings?

Compendium's affordable blogging software allows for you to get found online organically in search by your potential clients.

For more blogging best practices, check out the Compendium website.

Compendium Blogware . . . Clean, Fast, and Relevant

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by Brian Millis
I just read this great article from Businessweek Online.  It has an interview with Google's Matt Cutts.  In one question about comparing the benefits of Google to Yahoo and Microsoft (related to the development of Bing), Matt makes a great point that touches on the value of the Compendium business blog software. 

Cutts says:

"Those are three key things: freshness; comprehensiveness (you want to crawl as much of the Web as possible); and relevance (core ranking and Web spam). And you want the user experience to be really clean. If you go to senior citizens and ask, “What do you like about Google?” they’ll say “Clean, fast, and relevant.”

Let's work backwards on Matt's list because this is exactly why businesses should consider our blogging solution.  We create the most relevant blog pages for our clients most important targeted search phrases. Relevant . . . . .Check!

Google and other search engines can crawl this content faster than other blogs because it's not buried in some huge blog with tons of category pages and tags or on some giant web site.  We also make the entire user experience fast by automating the SEO of our clients' blog content.  Fast . . . . . . Check!

A clean user experience is our top priority for us.  When a user searches a topic or problem, we want our clients' blogs to be entirely focused around that query.  Give them that relevant of a blog page and they will be happy and convert on a call to action.  Making the search engine happy makes the searcher happy.  Compendium Blogware makes both happy!  Clean . . . . . . Check, Check!
 

Blog World!!!! Vegas Here We Come!!!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by Jim Hyslop
That's right, Blog World is happening again and Compendium Blogware is going to be there. Come on by and visit us. We will be talking about blogging best practices and are more than willing to walk you through how a simple blogging software like Compendium can get you in front of those who drive your bottom line.

We are excited to be out there for the second year in a row and are looking forward to visiting with all of our Friends of Compendium from last year....that means you Southwest.

Chris will be speaking on Thursday as well at 11 am so if you are going to be there, make sure you get to listen to him. It is always a productive use of time.

Viva Las Vegas Baby!!!!

College Blogging from an Admission Counselor perspective

Monday, October 5, 2009 by Brian Millis
I couldn't be happier about this article from the New York Times about M.I.T. embracing student blogging as a major marketing tool.  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/education/02blogs.html?emc=eta1

Before joining the Compendium Blogware team, I spent a year as an Admission Officer at DePauw University (my alma mater!).  While I traveled states like Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Florida, and Indiana marketing the value of liberal arts and DePauw University, I realized something very valuable that this NYT article now validates.students are online

Prospective college students don't want another glossy brochure with cliche tag lines about diversity, the low student to faculty ratio, and incredible facilities.  In fact, most 16 and 17 year olds rarely even look at the snail mail that reaches their home.  This is the Facebook generation, the MySpace kids, the Tweeting youth of America.  They're certainly not at home waiting on the mail to bring the next post card. They are all online.  They connect to millions of other prospective students just like themselves in a matter of seconds. They do hundreds of searches a week as they research their college decision.  And that is why student blogging is such a vital tool that all colleges should be embracing.  Those teenagers I met while recruiting for DePauw wanted to know about the campus atmosphere, and they wanted to hear it from the the most qualified source; the students.

So this does not surprise me at all that top universities like M.I.T. are taking student blogs to the next level.  But does this mean that the fears and risks are not on the minds of the admission office, every dean across the country, and every board of trustees?  Nope.  They are all still worried that student blogging will put them at risk and tarnish the school image. 

That is why our enterprise level blogging software is so important to consider.  We have easy to use administrative features that allow a school to unleash their student blogging army while still maintaining control of the message.  We can customize the blogs to match the university branding without losing that blog feel that makes it more human than a web site. But most importantly, Compendium's platform is the only solution that can maximize the SEO value of all this amazing student blog content.  With us, colleges can guide their students with important topics, good ideas for better blog posts, and the highest level of security.  For an example, just search this:  Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges  and look for DePauw's blog at the top of the search ranking.

Hey Admission Office, would you like to use safe student blog content to win on your most important search phrases that support your mission statement and encourage the best and brightest to apply to your institution?  If so, email me at bmillis@compendiumblogware.com or call my direct line (317) 777-6254 and I'd love to share more about my experience as an Admission Officer and how it relates to the world of blogging.



Stop playing hide and seek with customers...

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 by Michael Burton
In my opinion, one of the best games when I was younger was hide and seek.  It had everything a 11 year old boy wanted in a game: fast running, creative hiding places, and plenty of guarding the "base" when no one was looking...Hide and Seek

However, as much fun as it is when I was younger, I see it as the problem that most people in the business world are still having today- it's like they are caught in a never ending game of hide and seek.  Potential customers hop onto Google with one goal: Find the product or service they're looking for.

It's not a difficult concept- if there are thousands of consumers searching for exactly what you provide, stop hiding!  A customer can't buy from you if they never find you!

Search marketing is the perfect way to address this problem.  When companies blog for business, it makes the process of customers finding your website so much easier.  Check out this recent post about why you should be blogging.

Compendium Blogware is ready and willing to help you address this issue.  We have developed a powerful software solution that makes it easy to maximize your power through search engines.

As much fun as it was to never be found when you were younger, it is not nearly as enjoyable now that customers are looking for you each day and finding competitors instead.  If you're still searching for the best blogging system, you'll find just what you need in Compendium!

What are you looking for in a business blog?

Monday, September 21, 2009 by Michael Burton
What are some of the qualifications of effective business blogging software?  If you want to see your search marketing campaign grow, there are three very important qualifications of a strong software solution:

1. Simple

Let's face it, I have a better chance at reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics than I do of understanding HTML.  What I need when I'm writing a blog post is simplicity.  The simple blogging software Compendium offers will make your journey through the blogosphere a stress-free one with easy to use features for users with any range of computer knowledge.

2. Affordable

Affordability is important at any time, but especially when businesses are struggling through an economy such as this one.  This is the time to move away from old-school, ineffective marketing strateBloggies and invest in a much more cost-effective direction such as business blogging. Compendium's affordable blogging software will be just what your company needs to start seeing money come in instead of out.

3. Powerful


There is no point in investing your time and energy into a weak program.  The powerful blogging software Compendium has been developing for years is just the boost that your company needs. 

There you have it... When looking for blogging software for your company, look no further than the software that will be the most simple, affordable, and powerful- Compendium Blogware.

Communicating with Your Blog

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 by Stephanie West
Corporate blogging is a great way to update your clients (or perspective clients) on what is going on within your company. 

Corporate blogging is a great search marketing tool.  It also helps businesses get found in search.  Blogging is also a great way to generate leads.  And it humanizes your business.

But another great aspect of blogging is communication

Simply communicating what is going on within your company is equally as important as getting found in search or generating leads. 

So as the marketing intern, I'm here to tell you what's going on within the marketing department at Compendium

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutephotoblog/905714413/This month, the Marketing department is hosting a blogging competition amongst the 5 departments at Compendium.  Our Marketing Manager, Meghan, assigned each department weekly blogging goals to reach.  The Client Success department won two weeks in a row.  No one has caught them yet!
  • The Marketing department hosted a successful Webinar last week!  Look for the replay on Compendium's website soon.
  • We're preparing for another Webinar and follow-up this Thursday, Sept. 17 from 2-3PM, Third Generation Business Blogging.   Click on the link to sign up for this FREE webinar!

These are just a few of the fun things going on at Compendium - particularly within the Marketing department.  From now on, look for more regular updates from me on what's going on at Compendium in the Marketing department!

Free Webinar

Finding Business Blogging Success: Real-Life Stories.

Hosted by Chris Baggott
November 18th, 2009
2-3 pm EST
Sign up here »


Using Blogs to Generate and Nurture Demand into Closed Business.

Hosted by Richard Cunningham, VP Marketing of Right On Interactive and Chris Baggott Co-founder, CEO of Compendium Blogware. Thursday, December 3rd 2009.
Sign up here »

Meet Our Team

Abby Brosmer-Rivera Ali Sales Brian Millis Chris Baggott Chantelle Flannery The Client Corner Dereck Martin James Litton Jennifer Buscher Jenni Edwards Jim Hyslop Jess Wehner Krystal Featherston Kaila Woodside Megan Glover Meghan Peters mikey mioduski P.J. Hinton Randy Cox Sarah Sedberry Chandra Chavez Julie Murphy

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