compendiumblogware.com

Conversation Turned Blog Post

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Sarah Sedberry

Today I was working through my emails from various clients who are using the Compendium Blogware platform for their online marketing efforts, when I came across an email that I often see. It typically goes something like this....

"I understand that content is what drives the success of my blog program, but I am having trouble figuring out what to write about. I have used up the content ideas I had planned out and need help knowing what to write about next."

For the answer let's start with the breakdown of the searcher to conversion path:

Searchers are using the search engine to find an answer to their problem
Your company writes content on how you can solve that searchers problem
Searcher engages with your company
You convert that searcher into a sale

So what should you be writing about? The same thing you talk about every day with your clients in email, phone calls, conferences, trade shows, etc. Talk about how your company can solve their problem. Tell them how you solved a problem just like theirs the other day with a current client. Most of us have a very active email inbox - every one of those is a blog post waiting to happen! Just like emails never end, neither do blog ideas :)

The other thing to keep in mind is that most of the individuals landing on your blog are from search and have never heard, seen, or read anything about you and your company before. With that in mind you can re-purpose old content - its OK to talk about the same things, because they don't know that you've already talked about it. You can also re-purpose old newsletters, email campaigns, marketing materials, etc.

Content is all around you!

Take the Easy Route: Blog for Business

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Allison Bowen

It's amazing how much the marketplace has changed in just a few short years. Take for example, a September 19, 2005, Wall Street Journal article describing the crazy adventures of two men attempting to get their new product to market.

"The pair had finally scored a coveted 8 a.m. appointment with a Wal-Mart buyer -- giving them a chance to get their ergonomic pen, the PenAgain, in from of the world's largest retailer. But with only 10 minutes so spare, that chance was slipping away as the entreprenuers sat, panicked, still a mile and a half away."

I wonder what that pair would do now if I told them it's not nearly that hard to get a new product to market. They can simply blog for business! That's right, a blog can help you in many ways.

Say for instance, PenAgain knew that much of their target market spends many hours a day online. If someone were to search for an inventive writing product, he or she may Google "creative writing pen". What if the first organic search result that appeared was for a PenAgain blog? Clearly many sales would develop from those that click through to the blog and saw all that the company had to offer.

This is where Compendium Blogware comes in. Compendium provides the best blogging software that will get companies search engine optimization results. It's not just about blogging in order to relate to your customers anymore. While that is certainly still a great reason to blog, there is more that can be accomplished. Using basic blog software from Compendium, any company can increase their SEO and thus drive more potential clients to their website.

Had PenAgain been launching their product today, I would have suggested they done so online first rather than take it directly to Wal-Mart with no evidenece that the product would sell. Why go through all the trouble when there is an easy route to success? As a start-up company, PenAgain would not be able to afford pricey PPC. Instead, it could choose an affordable blogging software and be well on its way.

Blogging for business is simple. It doesn't involve a lot of money or a scramble to Wal-Mart's headquarters. Instead, it involves a committment to writing blogs and a call to Compendium today. Why not save yourself some trouble and give it a try?

Blogging with the search engine

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by Brian Millis

In many of my conversations with marketers from all different kinds of companies, I often hear the misnomer that there are two separate ways to blog for your business; blogging for good content and blogging for search engines.

Why do these have to seem like two different categories? In my opinion they are one in the same. When a business employs strong blog marketing, the content is good because it addresses what the target audience is searching. Those people are searching it because it matters to them. Therefore, good content revolves around the important search terms for that business. Using authentic, helpful content is only great when people find it. So I say good content includes blogging WITH the search engine (and searcher) in mind.

This applies to all business, B2C, B2B, B2D2C, etc. Search engines do not discriminate. They simply want to provide the most relevant, frequently and recently updated web pages to the searcher. One of our clients, Brian LeCount, said it best in a recent blog post of his own. Here are the brilliant 10 points that he wrote:

   1. I blog about the things I think and do.
   2. I try to blog a lot.
   3. I use the search marketing keywords that I know people search on.
   4. I use a platform that automatically positions my content for maximum search
       engine love.
   5. I get ranked in Google for terms like Cincinnati Marketing (#3 in local results)
       Cincinnati Marketing Firm (#1), Cincinnati Advertising Agency (#10), Social Media
       Marketing Cincinnati (#10), and about 45 others.
   6. People search using these search marketing keywords b/c that's what the
       research tells me.
   7. They find my blog.
   8. They read and click on a call to action.
   9. They get some value, and we have a great marketing strategy conversation.
10. Some of those people choose to engage us and help them build their business.

Hi #4 point is what we provide here at Compendium Blogware. I enjoy talking with any interested business who wants to have a strategy behind the company blog and yield the best SEO results possible from the good content. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to see how our corporate blogging software could make it easy for your online marketing as well.

Blogging is Thriving...Not Diving

Monday, June 29, 2009 by meghan peters

So we've heard it all before - blogging is out-dated and on the decline. That the rise of social networking and media have given to the demise of the more labor-intensive blogging. The critics claim that quick and short content found on Facebook and Twitter are more appealing to marketers. However, smart companies know that blogging can be an effective bridge from social networking to customer.

This recent, daring, article by CopyBlogger titled Blogging is Dead (Again) articulates this attack on blogging and stands up for all blogging-kind. Corporate blogging, specifically, still provides emense momentum for a company's web presence.

The ultimate test of blogging's staying power is not the trendiness of blogging, but the return on investment (Blogging ROI) that it produces. Corporate blogging initiatives, especially built with Compendium Blogware, can easily measure their ROI; and here at Compendium we let that speak for itself.

Client Highlight - YourCover

Monday, June 29, 2009 by Sarah Sedberry

I realized I have been lack in my posting lately, but am happy to be back blogging, and wanted to take a moment to highlight a relatively new client to Compendium Blogware - YourCover.

YourCover creates personalized magazine covers for any celebration, from birthdays, to holidays, to important life events. They are able to custom design these unique gifts for a very affordable price.

They started their blogging program only a few months ago and are seeing tremendous success, due to their commitment to write keyword rich content frequently. They have only 1 writer who has been able to write almost 30 posts already. In the last 30 days they have seen almost 900 visitors from search alone! Their search traffic and referring keywords are both trending exactly as they should for a client at their stage of the game.

Kudos to Michelle and her team at YourCover!

Compending with Compendium...

Sunday, June 28, 2009 by Mitch Burk

Compendium Blogware... Where to begin...?

When trying to understand what exactly it was that Compendium did before I started working here a few weeks ago, I ended up on their Linkedin page... and the description there was very well written. It says,

"Compendium Blogware is a "Web-based blogging platform built for businesses and organizations. With its administrative layers and proprietary compending feature that maximizes search engine optimization; the company offers businesses an innovative solution for lead generation, customer acquisition, and humanizing their marketing."

I felt like that summed up this blog software very well! This innovative process has proved itself to be the most successful form of online marketing they could have ever imagined...

Modern Wonder #2- Empire State Building

Saturday, June 27, 2009 by Mitch Burk

The Empire State Building was the first building in the world to reach more than 100 stories. It was the tallest building in the world for more than 40 years. It is now the business home to hundreds of tenants and an icon to New York City and America. The building set new heights in the architecture world. Reaching the very symbolic "100 story mark" was a feat that many were unsure was possible.

How was the Empire State Building significant?
PIONEER

Compendium Blogware is a pioneer in the future of blog marketing. The operations of the company and the service it provides is unlike any search marketing strategy ever used before.

The statistics are clear... our clients are getting found in search engines, and they are reaping the benefits. If you don't believe me, I suggest downloading one of our case studies currently available on our website. In these you will read of how some of our clients are utilizing our software and how we are making our presence known as a pioneer in the online marketing world.

Great marketing video...just for fun

Thursday, June 25, 2009 by Chris Baggott

Thanks to the folks at MLT Creative for sharing this on their B2B Buzz Corporate Blog. MLT is a great partner of Compendium Blogware and really gets Online Marketing and the abilty to leverage data to build real relationship....even when focused on Search Marketing.

I guess what I love about this is how well it articulates the risks that organizations face when they continue to marketing like it's still 1999. No question the world has changed. People want to be delt with on a human level, not shouted at by brands. Have fun with this one, and pass it on....

Learn How Compendium Blogware uses our own tool!

Thursday, June 25, 2009 by Chris Baggott

So it just dawned on us that our own Compendium Blogware marketing team are probably the best qualified group in the world leveraging Corporate Blogging as part of an overall Search Marketing strategy. So we are putting on a webinar today at 2pm est where they will teach you exactly the steps and processes they use every day to increase leads by 90%. Blogging is an effective tool for both B2B as well as B2C demand generation not only because it's so effective, but also because it's really easy to execute.

Register now for the Compendium Blogware Marketing Team's Webinar and learn the steps to manage your own business blogging program.

What is the best online marketing tool available?

Monday, June 22, 2009 by Brett Fritz

If you ask a marketing company what they think is the best online marketing tool available is you will probably get varied results. Most might just keep their answers generic and talk about the differences between paid search and organic search or SEO. Some companies might even go out and push a certain software they use or a company they have a relationship with.

When asking Compendium Blogware what they best online marketing tool is you will get a simple answer....look at our clients and you tell us what you think is the best way to market via online search.

Our clients are being found in thousands of related keyword search terms. Our clients are growing their business. Our clients are seeing more and more relevant leads come in their door month over month because of the content that they are writing on the Compendium corporate blogging software.

So, you could ask us what we think but of coarse you will get a biased answer. Better yet, why don't you ask our clients. The overwhelming answer you will get is the best online marketing tool is utilizing a blog for business.

Give us a call today!

Business Blogging and Twitter

Thursday, June 18, 2009 by Megan Glover

A year ago Twitter was mainly used by early adopters, politicians and Ashton Kutcher. Now, everyone and their grandmother seems to be Tweeting to the tune of 14 Million US visitors in March 2009 (Nielsen Online).

There's been a lot discussion about this micro-blogging tool and the impact it's going to have on online marketing and more specifically, blogging. Check out a recent Marketing Profs post by Joseph Jaffe: Blogging is Dying; Twitter to Blame.

The truth is, Twitter and business blogs can be friends and coincide to benefit one another to drive revenue to your organization. Here are a few ways we are using Twitter and our blogs to drive leads and traffic to Compendium:

1. Blog Content is the hub for all social networking. Using RSS feeds we are able to push consistent and relevant content to our Twitter and other social networking accounts. Thus keeping the accounts always updated and saving valuable time by re purposing content.

2. Twitter is a great referral source. Linking posts provides a steady stream of referral visitors to our blogs. In fact, it's one of our top 3 referral sources.

3. Twitter builds community - blogs convert it. Twitter is a speck compared to 1 billion to 6 billion visitors search engines receive each month.

People use search engines to find answers to their problems and they expect that search engine to deliver. There are little to zero delivery expectations of Twitter (other than to see what my followers were up to over the lunch hour). And, any info they provide beyond that is gravy.

These are just a few ways we are using Twitter to support our blogging efforts with the purpose of generating new business. Without this underlying goal in mind... it's hard to define what other purpose it might serve. Click here to follow Compendium Blogware on Twitter.

Steps to writing better Blog Content - STEP 1 - Make Time for Blogging!

Monday, June 15, 2009 by Brett Fritz

Over the next few days, I am going to be posting some great steps to help you post better content on your blog for business. These steps are meant to be encouraging, inspiring, and motivating for you and your organization!

I will be posting one step each day and I encourage you to take each step to heart and implement it into your current blogging for SEO strategy.

So here we go...

STEP 1: Make Time for Blogging!

I have written about this before but it is a very important step so I wanted to write about it again. Be sure that you put time in your schedule to write blog content as often as possible. I encourage people to put a slot on their calendar and call it "blog content creation time". Having this time set aside everyday will help you formulate your ideas and ultimately get you to write more content online.

Having a lot of content online will help your search marketing strategies. This is even more true when you use a corporate blogging software (like Compendium Blogware) as your business blogging software provider!

Sure, at first, it might take you a few extra minutes to get used to writing content on your blog so your "blogging time" might be a bit longer than you want but, before you know it, you will be a pro blog writer!

So, recap of STEP 1 - be sure to schedule time to write blog content. Maybe this is once a week or once everyday...whatever it is, be sure to stick to your schedule and write that content for your blog for business!

The Product Roadmap Misnomer

Thursday, June 11, 2009 by Blake Matheny

Soon after I started at Compendium Blogware I evaluated the business needs and determined that scrum and other agile software development methodologies would best meet our needs. Being a B2B company, we often have larger clients and potential clients that want to know when we will have some feature or what features are on the product roadmap.

This is the problem with scrum and in particular how it relates to even having a product roadmap. We have a product backlog, which is a prioritized list of product features. It has every feature ever requested that has any business value at all. But, none of the items on the roadmap have due dates. We only have due dates for the items being worked on in the current sprint.

Now, if we were just going to share the product backlog with customers that would at least give people an idea of what features had already been requested. The danger in doing that lies in setting false expectations. Just because something is at the top of the list today, doesn't mean it will be at the top of the list in 3 weeks when the sprint is over.

I propose referring to the product roadmap as the product vision. A roadmap implies you have strict requirements and order while a vision implies that you have some ideas.

Blog Food

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 by Sarah Sedberry

I just got off a call with John Bancroft at SmokerZChoice, a client here at Compendium Blogware. Now John and I were talking about his blog program, how to track and measure conversions, how to measure ROI, etc, when he casually mentioned something that struck me - Blog Food

We talk about it all the time internally or joke with our clients about how every conversation or topic can be turned into a blog post; however, it is often difficult to remember what that conversation was or that topic that you were so excited about, by the time you actually sit down to blog.

Now I personally keep a folder in my inbox specifically designated for blog ideas - any email (internal or external), online news publication, website link, etc that sparks an idea for a blog post goes into it.

What John brought up in our conversation is that he has a document called "Blog Food" where he writes down his ideas every time it strikes him. Then when he's got the time he goes back in and writes the post in the document and transfers it to his corporate blog when finished. Therefore he doesn't have to worry about losing that idea and once he's written about it, its on to the next topic he has in line.

This was a great idea John and I hope other bloggers out there are doing similar actions, as it eliminates the concept of "what do I blog about today?"

Compendium Blogware Webinar Questions : "Thought Leadership or Contests"

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 by Chris Baggott

Contiuning from the overwhelming volume of questions in last weeks webinar:

Are blogs just a platform for thought leadership or can we integrate a newsletter sign up and contests through our blog?

Who does 'Thought Leadership' serve? The customer? Your business? You Personally? I'll argue that it doesn't serve the customer or the business very well. Customers find your blogs because they are looking to solve specific problems. Odds are you found this blog because you have questions about Corporate Blogging. The goal of our team is to help you understand how Compendium Blogware can help you. The goal of the business is to build enough crediblity that we earn the right to continue the conversation.

That is a key miss for a lot of business blogs....converting visitors into relationships. There are lots of ways to encourage vistiors to take the next step in the process and email or contest signups are two very good ones depending on your business. The key to success is to be relevant to what the reader is looking for. The world is littered with thought leaders who never had any followers. It's also littered with really successful companies who tell their story very well and move prospects through a process that results in a long term mutually beneficial relationship.

A New Way to Generate Leads

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 by Angela Castelli

How do you prospect for your company? Where do your leads come from? Do you network and cold call and buy mass mailing lists in hopes that there are a few qualified leads amongst all of your efforts? This is what I hear from hundreds of companies that I speak to on a daily basis, and they are looking for a new way to generate leads.

What if I told you I could help you to be standing in front of an audience who wants to speak to you? That is exactly what the power of Compendium can do for you and your business. Compendium is a search marketing tool that is going to help you to be found organically in search when someone is searching for you, based on keywords that are relevant to your business. When creating a corporate blog, or starting a business blog, one of your goals should be to generate leads and acquire more customers. If lead generation is a top priority for you and your business, and you'd like to learn how to generate leads online, Compendium Blogware is the only business blogging software available that's easy to use and produces results.

So let's start blogging for leads together. You are a potential lead for Compendium, and you found my blog, didn't you?

Client Highlight - Pathmaker Marketing

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 by Sarah Sedberry

A few months ago Compendium Blogware held an Agency Partner Training here in Indianapolis, where we invited all of our agency partners to come learn all about Compendium. Everything from sales to client management and support.

I thought I would highlight the agency that has stepped away from that training, taking all the best practices we recommended and is applying them to not only their internal blog program but their clients as well.

Congratulations to Pathmaker Marketing! Since the training, they have brought on 3 new blogging clients, and are in the midst of talks with several others. They have been able to take the information provided, partner with the staff here at Compendium (our sales team and our client success team) in order to make success happen. Way to go Randall Mains, and the rest of the team at Pathmaker. We look forward to continued successful partnership!

Yes, start a blog - but for the right reasons

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 by Megan Glover

Here's a nice article I happened upon from Small Business Computing called: How to Set Up a Blog for Your Business. The article is primarily focused on ecommerce blogging but there are some basic tips that will benefit everyone.

I really liked that the article began with the basic questions that are so, so important. My only beef is that the article completely missed the blogging for search benefit that all businesses (ecommerce included) need to be focused on.

The article begins:

If you haven't added a blog to your online store, given the state of the economy, now is a good time to consider doing so, as they can be an affordable way to market your e-commerce site.

And, I agree. We have many e-commerce clients that have had great success with their blogging strategy. But more than just a blog... you need to realize the inherent search marketing benefit of blogging. Businesses need to be focused on using their blogs for customer acquisition. And, that's only tweak I might add to the article.

In lean times, marketers should be investing in search tools that are going to make you money and win more customers. Bottom line.

So, as you read this article consider two things:

1. Blogging is a search marketing tool and you can use it to impact your bottom line.

2. Compendium Blogware - is a Software-as a- Service blogging platform built for business and focused on SEM

A little plug, but hey... it's good to be aware of all of the robust options available not just the freebies!

Blogging as a list building strategy

Monday, June 8, 2009 by Chris Baggott

Fact.   The vast majority of traffic coming to any Corporate Blog is coming from first time visitors.   Our data here at Compendium Blogware show that between 70-95% of all blog traffic are from 'New' visitors.   This is great, but it really should cause the average business to rethink their blogging goals.

I've always said, the goal of marketing is to build relationships.   How do most people want to have a relationship with an organization?   Email.    Simple fact, Email is still the most popular online activity and in spite of all the noise associated with social media and engagement metrics. Your audience (customers and prospects) would still rather 'engage' with you through smart email marketing.

Your response to this simple fact should be a giant HOORAY! It's a really simple and obvious strategy. Get introduced to new people through your blog and then convert those people to a relationship with email.

I talk to so many business bloggers who lament the lack of comments when there is no evidence that comments do anything to drive the business or relationship forward. Trust me marketers, you would rather have new email permissions than comments. Embrace that simple reality...your blog draws new people, your blog earns the credibility to take the next step in the relationship and email is the best way to move that relationship forward.

Morgan Stewart of ExactTarget along with Ball State University has done the definitive work as it relates to List Growth Strategies.   As you can see from the chart below, Site Registration dominates when it comes to the best way to build quality.   Your blogs are sites! They are actually superior sites because they are visited by people who are trying to solve problems that you are very specifically talking about. This is what social media is all about: Humanize your marketing with real people talking about the problems you solve. Build credibility and convert that credibility into mutually beneficial relationships.

ExactTarget List Building Strategies Blogging as a email name capture tactic

Questions from this week's Compendium Blogware webinar #3

Friday, June 5, 2009 by Chris Baggott

Q: What is the best way to educate my employees about blogging - if they all don’t completely understand the benefits?

Wow what a great question.   What makes it great is that you are totally thinking about your blogging goals right up front. Blogging Best Practices start with widespread employee participation.   Employees are 5 times more credible than CEO's as corporate bloggers according to Richard Edelman, and that only makes sense.   Who better to tell the stories about your products and services in the context of your customer success?    If your goal is to convert your blog traffic into meaningful relationships then the best content is focused on the customers problems and how your business can solve them.

So how do you get the employees interested?   First of all, you have to open up blogging to everyone. If you let people talk on the phone then you should empower them to blog. You never know where your best bloggers are going to come from. And this is not something that can be necessarily appointed.   Bloggers are born not made.

Secondly you have to share your metrics with them. Since you are doing this with clear ROI objectives, you should be very public internally about how it's going and who's helping. Making hero's of the people who are doing a good job is the best way to get others to join the bandwagon.

For the most part people want to feel empowered and important. Marketing's job is to continually reinforce the importance and appreciation of those that participate.

Here at Compendium Blogware, we often have little contests. Small weekly prizes and a public recognition monthly for those that generate the most readers, are the most prolific bloggers. We also have funny Dunce caps for the three least productive bloggers. It's all fun and good natured but at the same time reinforces that this is an important part of being on the team.

The benefits are not only search engine optimization, but also conversion.   Call this out. We chart our monthly metrics in real obvious places so no one can miss that this activity is important to the success of the entire company. Blogging is our number one demand generation activity.