I am teaching a web seminar today on blogging for the members of our Insight into On-Site & On-Line Academy. Many of the member's of the Academy are Online Sales Counselors for homebuilders who specialize in managing the builder's Web marketing and converting the eLeads from the Web site into eSales. With the explosion of social media in the last few months, it is critical that Online Sales Counselors get up to speed on the business of blogging.

You may not realize how big blogging is these days.

>> Blogging has gone main stream. Blogging isn't just for extreme political junkies or social causes anymore. It is an excellent way to get your marketing message out and has many potential uses from personal, to professional, to corporate, to hobby, to awareness, just to name a few. To get a feel for the great variety of blogs in the blogsphere, go to blogsearch.google.com and conduct a search. There are millions!

>> Blogging has many benefits. The written message your blog communicates is just one of the many benefits of blogging. Blogs are often ranked higher in the search engines than corporate Web sites so they will increase your online visibility and drive traffic to your corporate Web site.  Blogs by nature develop a unique relationship with the followers and that can be a particularly useful tool for Online Sales Counselors. There aren't many homebuilders who are regularly blogging yet so blogging offers differentiation and a competitive advantage (much the way Web sites did 10 years ago). Of course with more online visibility and traffic on your site, blogging can increase your eLead requests. Finally, writing consistent blog posts generates online content that can be re-used in other online marketing activies like eNewsletters and Web site content.

Tips on writing for blogs:

1) Write conversationally. Write like you talk. No corporate speak.

2) Even though you are conversational, be professional if the blog is for professional use. No embarrassing photos or videos, please! Remember, once a post is in the blogosphere the whole world can see it.

3) Spell check and preview each post. Read thoroughly as a draft before you publish.

4) Select your categories and tags carefully.

5) Bold search engine keyword phrases and link back to your Web site.

6) Don't blatantly sell yourself, your company, products or services. Add value and interest for the reader.

7) Ask for participation and comments. Pose questions and encourage people to write you back.

I am looking forward to teaching the Web seminar on blogging and I hope everyone gets a lot out of it!