[Sussex] Blogging

[Mark Harrison]

My main blog - http://markharrison.wordpress.com 

I've learnt a lot about getting in visitors:

1: Blogs vs. newsletters

I have both blogs and an opt-in newsletter on the subject of property
investment. The two have definitely re-inforced each other, despite the fact
that they sit at opposite ends of the "communication style" spectrum.

The blog is updated 3-4 times a week, with generally shortish (2-300 word)
messages outlining a single thought.

The newsletter goes out about twice a month, with a longish (800-1000 word)
feature article. Each newsletter also lists headlines of blog articles.

About 10% of newsletter subscribers go and visit the blog within 24 hours of
the newsletter going out! (I have about 1,300 subscribers to the newsletter,
so the numbers are big enough to be statistically valid.)

Likewise, about 50% of visitors to the site (who then sign up to the
newsletter) come from the blog.

2: Syndication works!

My blog is now syndicated on at least one other site (singingpig.co.uk), and
about 50% of blog visitors come from there.

Singingpig is a content-area-specific site with large numbers of visitors,
they syndicate/host about a dozen blogs for people in my area.

3: Video works

A surprising number of people come to the blog because they want to see
videos. I host most of them on YouTube and embed them in the blog (easy to
do.)  Sticking the phrase "<keyword> video" in the blog categories has
definitely helped for my main keywords.

4: Audio has worked for the newsletter more than for the blog

The newsletter goes out with a "click here to listen / download MP3" header
(and an RSS feed showing enclosures for Podcasters.) Nonetheless, the
overhead required to record the stuff makes me still lean away from doing it
for the blog. Maybe I'm too up-tight about the audio quality (my first
company was a record company.)


5: Posting regularly/often/lots works

You can see the traffic drop off if I haven't blogged for a couple of days.
Once I add an article or two, the hits start streaming in again. (The fact
that I'm syndicated has re-inforced this effect.)

6: Having "heavy content" works.

The fact that I have (spoken-word) CDs and a book published has made me come
over as a lot more credible. People do come to the blog because they've seen
the traditional-press advertising by my publishers, despite the fact that
I'm not able to sell that product directly :-)

M.

-----Original Message-----
From: sussex-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk
[mailto:sussex-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Gareth Ablett
Sent: 10 December 2006 19:43
To: nik at reducedhackers.com; 'LUG email list for the Sussex Counties'
Subject: bloggin WAS: RE: [Sussex] Update from the BCF Event.

Hi all,

Well I said I would do it and now I have Blog is live so if your feeling
board and want a read something that I've wrote then take a look.

http://blog.stylecandy.com/

Gareth

-----Original Message-----
From: sussex-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk
[mailto:sussex-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Nik Butler
Sent: 04 December 2006 23:10
To: LUG email list for the Sussex Counties
Subject: [Sussex] Update from the BCF Event.

Well Blogging will be the theme for the new years meeting so to that end 
I would like to introduce the following.

http://dungeekin.blogspot.com/
http://www.loudmouthman.com/

Nik


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