EvanCarmichael.com suggestion

[The Computer Guy]

Maybe I missed it but I would like to suggest that a Blog be created to support the Forum.

The idea is that in the blog you put in snippets of some of the biggest conversations with a 'read more' link to the forum itself.

Setting up the Blog and clipping some conversations onto it wouldn't take very long.

[Evan]

Interesting idea Don. In my weekly newsletter I show the most recent forum posts and on the side of every page on the website (not the forums) I also show the most recent entries.

How often would you see the blog being updated?

Any other ideas out there on a blog or ways to show the most popular topics?

[The Computer Guy]

Interesting idea Don. In my weekly newsletter I show the most recent forum posts and on the side of every page on the website (not the forums) I also show the most recent entries.

The Newsletter update is great for people _already_ signed up to the forums. The Blog would be a teaser for those who are unaware of it entirely.

How often would you see the blog being updated?

I would say no more frequently than once a week. It would be more an an ad than an interactive forum. Although, that can change.

Any other ideas out there on a blog or ways to show the most popular topics?

If you really want a big Internet Presence, this is what I have learned works very well:

1/ Website
2/ Blog
3/ MySpace
4/ Press Release
5/ Ads posted on free & paid classified websites
6/ Networking
7/ website submission to search engines

You will notice that only 1 out of the 7 requires human contact. The other 6 will begin to create a presence and if the right keywords are used, then people doing searches for those keywords will find many references to this site. Networking helps build your 'real world presence'.

I haven't done any aggressive marketing of my site yet the hits just keep on increasing on a monthly basis. I'm on track to be making 20,000 hits (probably more) this year. Not bad for not spending a dime on advertising and being fairly casual about what I do with the site.

That's what I have learned thus far online. The more I learn, the more hits grow.

[mphcoach]

Hi there.

First post, so hello to everyone.

For me, and perhaps it's because I enjoy it as well, I find that articles raise my presence very quickly.

I use Ezinearticles and Article Marketer to get me out there, post one or two a day (30 minutes, that's why I like it!).

The website I've been doing this on for the last couple of years gets around 200 visits a day and around 2000 unique visitors a month (14000 page views.

So, I'd definitely add article writing into the mix as well.

[OmnivoreInk]

Suggested new folder topics

Never-Too-Old Entrepreneurs?
Minority Entrepreneurs?

[OmnivoreInk]

Legalities and lawyers

You can get into trouble with or without 'em... But they and what they can do for you should be talked about..

[litekepr]

I was looking to see if there's a forum to post an introduction. Did I miss it? Its nice to have a place for each of us to give some information about us and the background we bring to the forum.

ALso, love the blog idea

Shri

[Evan]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! Keep them coming! we might look at creating a new intros section if there's enough demand for it.

We currently have 2 blogs:
- Mastermind Groups
- Selling to Small Business

I'm considering doing another one for raising venture capital but haven't made up my mind on it yet!

[mphcoach]

Hey Evan.

I hope you're pinging them! It makes a big difference...

[litekepr]

Very true Martin

One of my promotional blogs is on a system which automatically pings 16 different services and I always get a Google alert the next morning that my posts are already on the search engines. That's wonderful and I've also noticed my posts being picked up by a large number of news services. Its all about getting the word out

Shri

[mphcoach]

Thanks, it's vital and I've just switched on pinging through a Wordpress blog in a similar way.

How do Google alert you?

[litekepr]

Google Alerts are a wonderful tracking aid.

If you have a Google account, go to www.google.com and log into your account. If you don't have one, its easy to set up. Once you're inside "Manage Your Account" - click on Google Alerts. It will ask you for the search terms, how comprehensive, how often you want an alert and an email to send the alert.

This is an alert I got this morning -

Google Blogs Alert for: "lilah and the locket"

Bringing Lilah and the Locket to the Outer Banks of NC
By Nikki Leigh

In less than 2 weeks (yes, I'm counting the days , I'm traveling to the Outer Banks with Lilah and the Locket. Lots of copies are loaded into the SUV and I'm making a list

Book Promotion - http://www.inspiredauthor.com/blog_v2/b ... book_promo

I have alerts for my name, my pen name and each of my book titles - each included in " ". Almost every morning I have alerts and sometimes they arrive at the end of the day. I posted that post yesterday and the alert was in my email by 2 am. Nice turnaround to be listed on Google.

Any other questions, feel free to let me know. You can add all kinds of alerts to track whatever you want to watch

Shri

[Evan]

Thanks Martin - yes, I do ping and it has been very effective. I'm currently on the first page of Google for Mastermind Group and on the second page for Selling to Small Business.