Build A Better Blog Day 10: Setup Alerts To Monitor What's Happening In Your Niche

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This is all about the Google Alerts! Here's why you want alerts:

1) Ideas for posts.
2) Be aware of things if you're looked upon as an industry leader.
3) There might be info you to link to for your readers. 

Remember Day 4? Where you analyze a competitors blog. Or Day 9 where you join a forum? 

You want alerts so you can do this.

It's great for networking. Put an alert when someone talks about your blog, product or brand. Thank them -- give them a link to your free story (if your a writer) -- 

I consider it a way to come up to people at a party and introducing yourself.

ACTION ITEM:

Let's set up an alert at Google Alerts or Hootsuite, or any analytic site you have like SumAll.

What type of alert? We can start with Industry words that are relevant to you and vanity alerts like the name of your company, blog, product. 

Darren offers a warning: Don't become obsessed. Just monitor and look for ways to connect with your audience. 

For those with a book 
*keywords from your elevator pitch
*book name

Sometimes it takes a while to find the right keywords. tweak and keep searching!

Buy the book HERE!

Build A Better Blog Day 9: Join A Forum and Start Participating

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I grumbled about this, but then I found some awesome blogs of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I joined a community not because I had to find someone to follow and comment on, but someone who inspired me. One of them was Wendy McCance and her blog Searching for the Happiness. Wendy is inspirational in many ways and she just wants to help others, so she's now part of my daily life.

My other thoughts on this is how forums and social media are different. I could see where this really does get you to people who are focused on your subject. If you apply yourself, give good information, supply yourself as an authority on the subject those people will come see your blog. 

Another place to collect fans! So here's what I think--Goodreads, LinkedIn, even facebook has fan pages dedicated to certain themes. Twitter has hash tags. Anyone care to guide me on what Google+ has? "Circles" maybe? Anyway...

Goodreads has forums for your genre. Facebook has pages. Twitter hashtags. LinkedIn fits this platform really well with groups. I would suggest finding smaller forums to gain the most visabiltiy. 

Darren also confesses one of the tactics I use...getting blog fodder from these forums. Or you can have a groupie boyfriend that sends content your way. If you answer a question that is asked over and over, you'll be seen as an authority. You become a resource for people and they go to your blog thus gaining a follower. Orginization tip: Bookmark the fourms you participate in and put them under one folder in your browser. That way you can just click the "open all". Spend 15-20 minutes riffling through them and do it daily. LinkedIn's daily email is great for that.

Darren gives great examples in his book and further reading for all these tips...

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Build A Better Blog Day 8: Choose A Social Media Space To Focus On

Darren says it best: "The days task is taking a logical, thoughtful approach to your blog's social media presence."

Here are my thoughts:

I use Facebook for friends, family and my author platform for reaching readers and connecting in a visceral way.

I use LinkedIn for my company and sometimes my author platform for connecting to contractors and peers. 

Twitter is my main promotion engine.

Google+ I'm still flailing about with. Perhaps 3 social media sites are enough. Perhaps I'll be able to do more in the future. 

I use 3 platforms but in different ways. 

You have to ask, where are your readers? Darren gives the usual BS about polls and asking your readers, but again--cricket blog gets no respect. If you're in the same boat as me here's your ACTION ITEM:

Check out 5 of your competitors blogs. See where they are reaching the most readers. See how much interaction they get on Facebook, twitter or whatever. See what they are posting, when and what kind of reaction they get. Then, choose based on your findings.

Darren says it WAY better in his book

GO TO TASK 7

Build A Better Blog Day 7: Write A Link Post

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Wait, wait, wait. Darren, didn't we already cover this? Ohhhh...it isn't about interlinking posts from your own blog. This is about linking to other blogs! Got it! 

What we're doing is out bound linking today. I do this all the time, where I see great information and I link to another article because it's cool! I like to give credit and when I find a blog or post worth while, I in turn link to it. Some might think you're driving traffic away from your site, but some bloggers become known for bringing awesome information to their site. 

Most of today's outbound linking is Facebook, twitter, Google + and others. There is sooo much more in Darren's book that helps you out so check it out!

Today's ACTION ITEM is:

Remember Task 4? Did you do it? If you did, this will be easier for you. Go to your competitor site and link to one of their posts that you are interested in. Now, give your own take on the subject explaining why you linked to the site or why someone should check it out. 

Now I had an idea about this and it's for Book Planning 101 my business blog. I've put up links for writer resources and you could do the same for your blog. But I have a feeling Darren will have a day to this in the near future. 

GO TO TASK 6

Build A Better Blog Day 6: Make Your Blog Mobile Friendly

Don't assume your provider has it handled. I do know Blogger has it handled because I look at my website through my phone all the time. But this is a great excuse to check your plug-ins, access your site through your phone and check out other sites as well. See what they have! Which is the ACTION ITEM for today.

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GO TO DAY 5

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