Criteria for Successful Blogs

“Working from Monkey Valley” has become the working title to discuss the four main criteria for successful Blogs … meaning when – or rather before – deciding to either create one’s own business website or blog – or to outsource this important task and expansion in case an offline Business Enterprise already exists, to a professional web designer.

We went into the significance of the hidden part – which gives us Visibility on Google to harvest the Traffic we all are in dire need of in order to become profitable or increase profit margins – and the Look, the Image, the Web Graphics and corresponding features and ingredients that people see when they find our website or blog, that hooks them, puts us on their ‘likeability list’ and triggers their reaction to buy from us rather than from the competition.

That’s the game, isn’t it?

We are all in the Fishing business. . . pretty much the same as it is in the normal world. . .

Working from Monkey Valley on Google Top 10

Before we go into the next criterium and just to complete our little exercise and record the amazing results, here’s the latest as to where “Working from Monkey Valley” went on Google Top 10… in fact, it went to Number One!

Results speak for themselves – that’s for Semiomantics Scripts!

Functionality of a Website

The Functionality of a Website or Blog is the third criterium we have to look at.

Content

First and most importantly, the content in form of articles, posts, images, audios, galleries, videos and the like has to be:

> original content (meaning write yourself or hire a ghost writer, i.e. outsource);

> regular (ideally daily, at least in the beginning until you are well positioned, then maintain);

> keyword-related in function of the website (AutoRentSA is about “Car Rental in Cape Town” and not scooters);

> well edited, eg. with the correct headers, tags and categories;

> well published, ideally with the Support of a Publishing Network (eg. YORGOO Publishing).

Additional Software

Secondly and depending on your product or service, you may want to add special additional software, for instance a Shop. Of course, there is a price tag to this as it includes not only the software itself but also license agreements and integration… and then someone spiffy and knowledgeable has to set it up and maintain it on a continuous daily basis.

If for instance kicks and sneakers are being sold like in the case of our friends, Global Sports US, then the latest items, Special Offers and Promotions have to be in the shop under the right and easy-to-find category…. with all the possible choices as to size, colors and blings. . . and ready to be bought with the click of a mouse and a PayPal button by anyone who wants them exactly NOW.

Speed is everything!

It doesn’t end there . . . a shop has to be maintained and sold products need to be replaced – ideally a person of the company familiarizes himself with the software and funtionalities, or a professional is hired – per hour or per unit placed on the shelf.

Time is Money!

As the owner of such a website I have to make my calculation to see what I can or should invest and how fast or at what point I break even. All this needs is a clear keyword-oriented focus on the product to be sold or the Service to be delivered.

In case of a car rental company I may need car leasing or reservation software to automatically check for availability and allow for quick execution of the orders. If on a shoestring budget, I may save these costs by feeding requests via a Contact Form to my Inbox or mobile phone or by integrating a ‘Call Me on Skype’ button and then take care of them personally myself – until the time where my business expands and the investment into relevant software makes sound financial sense.

Interestingly in this connection: in Japan people already pay via mobile devices instead of using the Credit card. It will become a trend everywhere and we have to prepare ourselves for it.

The fact is that since the Internet we have progressively grown into a ‘connected society’ – thus also the emphasis we put on connecting to Social Networks genre Facebook, Twitter and soon Google Wave in our Ycademy Seminars, the finale for 2009 taking place on 12 and 13 December 2009!

The Budget

Finally, it’s all a matter of Budget. That’s our last criterium.

The fact is that people are sick and tired of seeing the same stuff all over; they want to distinguish themselves from the masses; they want their own websites and blogs.

While finding the right web designer to entrust may present a problem, they are prepared to pay the price if the person has a good presence on Google (remember: control your own name…) and has a good track record within this particular field of expertise, and if the product is efficient and proven. Today’s communities and netpreneurs like the personal touch – however, they not only want the looks as was the case in the past, they also want conversion to cash – and this depends largely on the hidden part of the blog, the magic engine that leads to Google Top 10. At a price – there is no way inbetween.

To establish your starting point on your personal “Path to Profitability” it is important that you or your client know exactly:

> what you want,
>where you want to go,
>what your product/s and keyword/s are,
> what your competition does,
> where your target market is and finally….
> what your budget is.

A good website or blog have their price – there is no way around it – however, the good news is that once set up properly and promoted in the way we teach on a consistent basis, you get the money back through sales – and from there it’s just a matter of time: your online business will grow.

Ask Global Sports US – invisible = non-existent before as to the Internet barometer in terms of Google – everywhere they want to be NOW. Of course, with Semiomantics – what else?!

“In a few years’ time you either have an online business or you have no business.” Bill Gates

You decide where YOU want to position yourself and be ready for the future.