What kind of topics should we address, besides what is there now?
Your blog is one of the core activities to use to promote your company. This is part of your content strategy and fits with how you position the company. Please take some time to think about what this means for your company.
Your posts have to be contributing to your long term goals. sure, people can offer ideas but this is really part of your marketing strategy.
It is much better for you in the long term that you do this thinking.
Lots of great information on the Curvine blog – it could probably have been spread a little thinner to allow readers to implement your excellent recommendations one at a time!
Future topics: How about standards in web site development – catering for different browsers and screen sizes and formats and then of course usability. Why do so many sites not use CSS? A page that is fine on a standard desktop can be difficult to read on a high resolution wide screen laptop!
Web sites is a very general topic. I would cathegorize the blog into different aspects such as, online sales, content source, multimedia, mobile, networking, broadcasting, journalism, reputation, marketing or extranet (the first ones I got in mind)
Always try to focus on known and good patters/antipatterns on each
A few quick thoughts. First off, who is the target audience for the blog? I’m guessing business owners based on what you said above, so my first thought is to avoid the technical and focus on the business rationale and/or opportunities the web offers. Also, and I see you’re doing this, more content educating business people about what makes for good, effective website communication. (As David said above, usability, design, etc.) What are the questions you’re asked in new business pitches? When I was running an eMarketing agency, I was often asked about how long it takes to build a site, how often you should update it, should they be selling or not. Perhaps your blog can pre-answer some of those questions or provide back-up post-meeting for your point of view.
Also, (and I say this knowing you’re getting up and running so …) you need to brand yourself more on your blog. It’s pretty generic which doesn’t seem like a good thing for a company selling web(site) expertise.
Could include info on how to develop for the mobile web (by that I mean web/wap sites that display well on various kinds of cellphones/devices)…
Forget one-way advertising and one-way relationships. E-Marketing is all about engaging customers and prospects with timely content that is interesting, informative and helps drive sales and new business. So my advice is: “Give ‘em what they came for….”
ALL of the business owners I’ve coached don’t know the difference between webdesign verses web development! Those who fall trap to design are sadly disappointed when they learn about the magical “content management” capabilities they should’ve incorporated from the beginning. Just to name one thing.
Then they need to seek out the right talent – aka a web developer – to implement CM into their already-built-site. But what program was their site written in? You mean there are programs for these things? Yes. Find out which one yours was written in so you can take control of YOUR website that YOU own. Or if you prefer, hire a tutor and learn to write your OWN code with key word excellence! No time for that? Didn’t think so. So hire a creative developer from the get go and don’t forget to blog to attract, convert and connect with your target niche. Once you do that, go back to all the copy that was written on your boring internet brochure by that “writer” you hired and rewrite it so it educates, emotionally hooks, and PERSUADES readers to contact or buy from you NOW. Furthermore, develop your blog into your traditional website so you don’t have prospects chasing you around the web. POST every 3-5 days or forget the blog…
Hope this helps…I’m digging a lot of clients out of a lot of messes I’ve found them in with there “web designers”, and the above reflects the conversations I’m having over and over again.
You have an awesome opportunity to educate business owners, save them thousands of dollars, and earn thought leadership:)
Static websites are not going to die completely but at best augment an interactive location. Xeequa for instance is building online communities for business. So that the business has a blog, a forum (if they want), an events overview, a member or network list… all branded to match their site.
You may want to help business owners understand that people want to get in touch with other people – nit with a page of marketing information.
Consider your restaurant example:
- Have a blog where NOT ONLY the restaurant owner but also the guests can blog
- Have the restaurant relevant events list – PLUS have people RSVP
- Let people discuss things not only about the menu but similar recipes – inspire the chef and the chef may inspire the guests.
You create the sense of hospitality that augments the one of the restaurant
And like you said this can be any other business of that sort.
http://www.xeequa.com
I don’t want to sell you a community but have a look – those communities truly look like the respective websites – totally custom and are fun for the visitors. While we focus on the larger global corporations, we have communities built for restaurants, real estate agents, yacht dealers, marinas, conference organizers…
- Have a blog where NOT ONLY the restaurant owner but also the guests can blog
- Have the restaurant relevant events list – PLUS have people RSVP
- Let people discuss things not only about the menu but similar recipes – inspire the chef and the chef may inspire the guests.
You create the sense of hospitality that augments the one of the restaurant
And like you said this can be any other business of that sort.
