When I first saw the title of the article in question, I couldn’t believe what I was reading:

Forrester: B2B Blogging Takes Nose Dive

Blogging taking a nose dive? How can that be? Blogging is an excellent way of connecting with your visitors, opening a dialog, using the social media tools available today to create buzz, create branding and loyalty. A new opportunity to have an open and honest conversation with your customers in a way never available before!

Then as I read the article — no surprises.

The primary reason that Blogging took a nose dive in 2007 compared to 2006 was that businesses weren’t “Blogging.” They weren’t showing any personality — they were being all corporate stuffy, and… they were talking AT their Blog visitors not TO them.

“…good blogging style should resemble a coffee shop conversation, not a whitepaper.”

In other words, they were primarily marketing what they felt was important rather than concentrating on the needs of their visitors.

“…most B2B blogs are dull, drab, and don’t stimulate discussion.”

They were not working on or promoting discussions!

Blogging is all about the discussions. When reading posts, site visitors want to know that there is an actual human being behind the screen open to having a conversation with them about what they are interested in; what they feel is important. Interesting and engaging posts that make them want to come back for more of the same — not some corporate robot typing about sales pitchy stuff.

“74% of B2B blogs receive a minimum of commentary or trackbacks because readers fail to find conversations worthy of their involvement.”

So no wonder compared to 1996 Blogs tanked. The work and time that goes into useful and entertaining posts was simply not being planned for, developed or addressed — or even considered.

“Successful blogging, Forrester insists, is not a one-way street, but most corporate bloggers yak away about their companies and products, seemingly oblivious to whether their audience is listening or not.”

Another example of the old school business methodology not embracing current technology to use it for what it is and instead trying to make it something it isn’t.

At your service,
Judith

The short answer: Yes, they sure can!

The long answer….

Now, most who want to put up a new site do not have the luxury sites in the 90s once had.  In the beginning, a basic site was easy to do and that site was relatively easy to get found.  And, being the “market” was not as tech savvy, the site owner didn’t have a high bar to reach to gain their attention.

Now, instead of a hundred thousand sites online, you have billions with hundreds of thousands of pages going live every day.  No, those pages are not your direct competitors, but they are noise none the less.  And it is this massivity of noise that makes search engines have to tweak how they rank sites on a regular basis to try and offer the most relevant results (and keep up with those who abuse their algorithm).

Now, instead of a lame attempt at DIY Web design, you have to have a polished credibility building presentation.  If you are doing eCommerce — even more so.  Onliners are going to base your legitimacy and their trust on your ability to look and sound credible.  The bar has been raised; very high.

Now, instead of most ideas being good ones, most ideas have been-there-done-that.  While niche has always been important, niche now is one of the best ways to get found, get attention, attract an audience and build a community using social networking media to the benefit of what you want to commercially gain from.

Now, the “build it and they will come” mentally is the kiss of death.  Once your site is live, you have to go and find your market so that they even know you exist!

Now, online business is just as serious, just as complicated, just as costly as having an off-line store front would entail.  No business experience? You’ll have allot more to learn. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that standard and customary business principles do not apply online. They do and are even more important due to the über competitive market online.

Now, the no brick-and-mortar theory of saving money is moot. What you may save by not having a physical location, you’ll have to spend on Pay Per Click and advertising campaigns.  So it’s basically a wash.

Now, for true Nentrepreneurs, who realize that business success requires planning, analyzing, education and ongoing commitment to see your project through — the sky is still the limit! And that’s not hype folks. That’s the reality of why having a viable business model before you even think of putting a site up is so important to producing income — on or off-line.

For those who approach their new Web site project as a serious business to be reckoned with, yes, you can still produce an income because that is how you’ve started and what you’ve plotted and planned from the start.

To your success!

At your service,
Judith

THE PERSON WHO COMPLAINS THAT HE OR SHE NEVER HAD A CHANCE PROBABLY HASN’T THE COURAGE TO TAKE A CHANCE.

Thomas Edison once observed that the reason most folks don’t recognize opportunity when it comes along is that it is often dressed in coveralls and look like work. Often opportunity involves a great deal of work and a willingness to take a chance on something, the outcome of which may be uncertain. Eventually you reach a point when you must either accept an opportunity with all of its unknowns or else turn your back on it. No one can tell you when you have reached that point; you alone know when it’s time to make your move, to have the courage to take a chance. ~ Napoleon Hill

On this eve of our 4th of July celebration, I thought I would use my freedom to rant about how so many gripe about what it takes to do business online.   They have the freedom to make choices, what to pay attention to, what to learn, what to embrace, what to invest in — or not.  It’s all about freedom and choices.

Who would have thought a mere decade ago that so much information, personal growth tools and opportunities would be accessible to you simply by sitting in front of your computer?  And that isn’t enough for most. Too much work, too much to learn, too much money…. on it goes.  What would our Founding Fathers have thought about what we have available to us today, that so many feel is too difficult, too frustrating and too much work?

I hear it every day and literally have to make an effort to not let all the negative energy affect me.  Some days it is easier than others…

See, I am a happy person.  I prefer to be that way and I work at it. Call me and you always get a cheery voice.  E-mail me and you always get a positive response.   Anyone who talks to me sees the sparkle in my eye when I talk about what I do here at The IStudio — even after all these years.  They hear the excitement in my voice when I talk about the potential, the opportunity, the benefits — all there for the taking.

But…

Do you know that the good number of those I talk to and work with are not excited about their opportunities?  Nope — instead they complain about what they don’t understand, what they don’t want to do, how much time a necessary task may take.  It’s all complaints.  No enthusiasm, no excitement, no thrill about the challenge ahead of them — it’s all a PIA!

That’s where you separate the wheat from the chaff!  I’ve yet to work with a whiner who has succeeded.  Success requires a positive attitude!

After consulting onliners about how to succeed online for over 13 years, I have found that part of my responsibility is that I am expected to listen to whining, griping and commentary that at times can be downright insulting.  Why?  Because I “get it”, does that mean I am supposed to cater to those who don’t want to?  Hey, I’m the first to understand there will be frustrations. But geeze, where along the line did frustration not be part of learning new things?

Succeeding online won’t happen by osmosis because you put up a site and sit on your hands.  It won’t happen if you refuse to make the effort to understand and learn about the technology you are using and the variables you need to embrace and consider.  It won’t happen unless you are prepared to spend (both in time and cost) the necessary resources to be competitive.

When you decide to partner with an experienced professional, rather than become a whiner, how about being excited, enthused and energetic when it comes to the opportunity that lies ahead of you?  Feed off your consultant’s desire to help you succeed instead of thinking they are there only to hear you complain about what you don’t like or are unwilling to do.  Don’t make excuses about why you are not embracing the reality of what online business entails and certainly try to refrain from making comments that because you don’t understand something, that is in someway their fault.

Instead, suck it up and get into boot camp mode so that you have the best chance of experiencing ROI! That’s what it will take to succeed online, no less.  If you cannot adopt that die-hard positive attitude — then don’t start in the first place. Use your energy and your freedom to learn, grow and thrive!

Technology is what it is whether you like it or not and it will move on without you.  If you find all you are doing is whining and complaining, maybe you should rethink and go off-line so you are not a constant downer to those of us who appreciate and realize the opportunity that lies ahead for all of those who are up to the challenge.

Plus, some of use just prefer to work with happy, positive, motivated people….

At your service,
Judith