Your Blog is a Form of Advertising -- How Effective is it?

Like it or not, your posts are a form of advertising. I am not passing judgment and I am not directing this to any one person. Sit down for a moment and think about it. What each of us puts up here reflects on the writer. I want you to be successful.

Why is it that I can see posts that are just thrown up in an effort to just do it? Is it because they felt they have to do it because this is the latest and greatest way to market oneself? And a lot of it shows that way. Keep writing that way, don't change.

If you are here to improve and learn then take a few moments and think about it. Yes what we post is advertising. Even if it is something for our fellow professionals. And with all Marketing it is not how much you put out there as:

• Who is your audience?
• What is your intention?
• What are you trying to convey?
  

With all great marketing pieces (yes your BLOG is a marketing piece) you have a few basic rules to be successful:

• KISS -- Keep it simple stupid
• White space -- don't be afraid of it
• Keep to the maximum of two fonts (multiple sizes of them ok, but no more than two!)
• Society is visual -- graphics will enhance text and don't use so much that it distracts from the message.
• Spelling and Grammar count

So I leave you with two examples on the same post -- which author would you rather work with? Which one better conveys the message?

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Example 1

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Title: Networking Opportunity

Post Body: Anyone attending the XYZ conference in April in Arlington Texas? If so let me know perhaps we can get together for a drink.

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Example 2
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Title: Networking Opportunity - April 12-15, 2007 - Arlington, Texas

Post Body: XYZ Conference (link to conference web page) is coming up April 12-15 in Arlington, Texas at the Luxury Hotel This conference is going to bring together the top minds in Real Estate Appraisers.

Featured speakers are:

Fred Flintstone head of Quarry Industries

Wonder Woman of Golden Lasso Technologies (with links to speaker's company websites)

Breakout sessions will include topics: Websites, Measuring Technologies, Insurance issues, Mold and many others. To find out more about this exciting conference, visit the conference website at website address link.

If any other fellow members are planning on attending, please let me know. I would love an opportunity to network with you. I will be arriving April 11th and am leaving on the 16th. I am staying at the Luxury Hotel. My Contact information is ...

Do you see the difference?