Content Marketing in 2013

In keeping with our mini blog theme of looking ahead to next year, here's what we're predicting we'll see for content marketing in 2013.

1. In 2013, when it comes to content marketing, we're expecting companies to decrease spending for outsourcing content. In speaking with our current clients, we're expecting a lot of companies to deliver on their content marketing strategies, by using resources available in-house. Many of our clients are looking to their own experts within their companies to write blog posts and share their ideas on social media channels. It's much less expensive and leaders are recognizing that the people who work at their companies are the experts in their particular lines of work. It makes sense for leaders across all industries to look internally for content creation.

2. Content marketing, much like it's been in 2012, will be all about engagement in 2013. Content marketers will create content, including blog posts, white papers, videos, articles, social media updates and much more, designed to engage readers. People who are creating content will give readers expert advice and ideas in hopes that the return will be new business. In 2013, leaders and content creators alike will strive to give recommendations and advise on best practices to position themselves as the experts in their industries, which will drive engagement, and ultimately, sales.

3. In 2013, social media will be a big part of content marketing strategies as it has been in the past. The difference in 2013, will be that content marketing via social media will mature a bit. We think that content marketers will use social media to reach a very targeted audience through the use of customized tweets and statuses, inclusion of hashtags and relevent keywords. Additionally, content marketers will use social media to push out other content to a broader, more likely to engage audience. We believe content marketers will push out blog posts, white papers, links to videos and more on social media sites in 2013, but do so in a targeted way that is designed to give advice and ideas to an audience most likely to engage with the content.

In 2013, it will be all about engagement to make sales and drive customer acquisition. Enjoy the holidays and check in with us at the start of 2013! We'd love to hear about your early 2013 content marketing strategies.

*Offer valid through 12/31/12

A Look Back at the Launch of Insights and What's in Store for 2013

 

As 2012 comes to a close, I thought it'd be fun to take a look back at the launch of Insights and what's in store for 2013.

On the first of October, we launched Insights for businesses that blog. Of course, as it goes with most start-ups, we had a few bumps in the road, but we're live and improving every day now. We appreciate our launch partners sticking with us and being the first to take a chance with Insights. We are constantly learning from our clients and all the data we're collecting for Insights, and will continue to advance the product next year.

As part of our October launch, we introduced promotional units across Boston.com, pages for our clients on Boston.com and a print ad for The Boston Globe. We've since added many more clients to those promotional elements and we're so excited to add more new clients in 2013! Here are a couple of images of the promotional unit and the print ad.

Additionally, we launched this blog for our clients, and anyone interested in marketing and blogging tips. We recently wrote a few posts with tips about blogging during the holiday season and in the past we wrote about how our clients and readers alike can improve their blog post titles to attract more readers to their blogs. In 2013, we will be adding more tips and tricks for marketing and blogging to our blog, and hope to include more guest bloggers as well as encourage more comments. One of our major goals for 2013 is to e

In late December, we recognized a need for a new design of our business information pages. We wanted to include the three most recent blog posts as opposed to just the most recent blog post on the business information page. We're very excited about this new design and we know that in 2013 we'll be improving our designs and product as needed. Any feedback is always welcome!

As we enter into 2013, we're excited to see what the year brings for our Insights product. We're proud of its launch and look forward to our next improvements as well as meeting new future clients!

*Offer ends 12/31/12

Tips for Blogging Around the Holidays

We know it's difficult to stay on track with your blogging and marketing efforts during the holiday season especially the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Here are some tips for blogging around the holidays, including possible blog topics and other ways to stick to your blogging plan for the remainder of 2012.

1. Write about what you or your company is doing during the holiday season - Is your team volunteering to help those in need? Are you taking a trip to a new place? Are you having a great staff party to celebrate the success of 2012? Blog about what you're doing! People love to hear about what companies are doing around the holidays especially when they're volunteering their time to help others. Post pictures and include highlights from any and all events you participate in during the holiday season. It's an easy and great way to show the human side of your brand.

2. Create a mini blog calendar for the next few weeks - You work hard throughout the entire year to maintain your marketing and blogging efforts, so don't fall behind these next few weeks! Create a mini blog calendar and a marketing calendar (include social media, if that's part of your strategy) for the next couple of weeks, so you can stay on track and continue to create content. 2012 'ain't over yet,' so make the next couple weeks count!

3. Create a blog post that recaps 2012 - Did you have a successful 2012? Was there a special event that took place during the year? Did you help a client succeed? Write about all of the great successes, learning experiences, events, media coverage, etc that you're especially proud of from the 2012 year. Readers of your blog and clients love to hear about and see what happened to your company over the course of the year, so include details and pictures. It's an easy blog topic too because all of the content you need to write already happened!

4. Look forward to 2013 and write about your goals - What do you want to accomplish in 2013? Who do you want to meet with? What awards are you going after? Write about all of your goals and share them with your readers. It's another great way to humanize your brand and it will help you stay on track with your goals for the upcoming year.


Have any other tips to add for bloggers reading this post? We'd love to hear them! Add them in the comments below.

*Offer valid through 12/31/12

Networking As a Part of your Marketing Strategy

This past Wednesday evening, I attended and hosted a booth at the Mass Innovation Night here at The Boston Globe.  I met so many interesting people and had a great time introducing our Insights product to networkers at the event. Here are some of the pictures I took while hanging out with the interesting entrepreneurs and people from some of the most innovative companies in the area.

The purpose of this blog post is not only to show you the pictures I took at the event, but also to talk about the importance of networking. Although my background is in PR and social marketing, and I still believe wholly in both along with other online marketing tactics, I believe that networking is one of the best ways to market one's product. People respond well and understand well a product when they're introduced to it by a passionate person face-to-face. Promoting your product to a networking audience that is already interested in learning more about other people's work and products should be a part of your marketing strategy. Whether you're a part of a start-up or an established company, networking is a useful tactic for all marketers looking to reach a targeted and interested audience, and to promote a product or business offering.

If you're just starting to network, make sure you're attending events that attract your target audience, so you aren't wasting any of your valuable time. Also, look for events that will allow you to host a booth, so you have a physical space to show your product or business offerings. Lastly, do some research on networking events that are looking for speakers. It would be very beneficial to accomplishing marketing goals, if you could speak or present at a relevant networking event, so you can reach your target audience and gain hot prospective leads.

Any great networking events coming up in Boston that we should be at? Let us know!

Using Social Media for Offline Events

Tomorrow night, The Boston Globe's office is host to the Mass Innovation Nights. Insights will have a booth at the event, so in addition to looking at what the @massinno Twitter account is doing to promote the event online, we've been thinking about how we can be using social media for offline events such as this one. Here are a few ways I think we can all use social media to promote events and increase attendance.

1. Create a Twitter hashtag - To encourage attendance and promote your event, create a Twitter hashtag and include it on all promotions created for the event, so it's known to attendees and prospective attendees prior to the event. A twitter hashtag easily allows for sharing info and networking prior to, during and after an event. It also allows people to see who's attending an event prior to committing themselves.Twitter hashtag use is a great way to improve attendance numbers and keep people in touch about an event. It provides a social feel online and offline during the event.

2. Promote your presence at an event prior to and during an event - Prior to and during an event a social media strategy is crucial. We've been tweeting about the Mass Inno Night event and our booth using the Twitter hashtag that Mass Inno developed (#MIN45). We've also been promoting our special offer for the night to entice people to visit our booth tomorrow night. If you have a giveaway or sweepstakes that people can enter, it'd be great to use social media to get the word out that people should stop by your booth to enter to win, and more importantly learn about your business offerings.

3. Upload pictures during and after an event to your social media accounts - As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Posting pictures at an event makes the offline event even more social online. Pictures help to encourage people to stop by your booth and allows you to share all that you have to offer at your booth or event. (Don't forget to use the event's Twitter hashtag!) Posting pictures after an event helps encourage future attendance and humanizes your brand. In the pictures you upload include any special offer or giveaway as well as your business offerings you had at your booth or event to show prospective attendees what they can expect at a future event.



Do you have more tips for using social media to promote an event? Add them in the comments!

P.S. If you're attending #MIN45, be sure to stop by our booth!

*Offer valid through 12/31/12

Incorporate Mobile into 2013 Marketing Strategies

With 2013 right around the corner, it's time to plan your marketing strategy. Included in Insights packages are mobile advertisement impressions and they've proved quite effective for clients, so we've been thinking a lot about why companies should incorporate mobile into 2013 marketing strategies. Here are a couple of reasons why you should be doing this:

1. Smartphones are a constant companion to owners - Think about how much time you spend on your phone these days, all the money you spend on fancy cases, the articles you read, the tweets, the pictures on Instagram you see. Smartphones are very personal and a constant companion to owners. People are spending more and more time consuming content on their phones' browsers and apps each month. Companies should be hitting consumers where they're actually consuming information, so mobile is where you need to be in 2013.

 2. Smartphone sales continue to rise - Smartphones are outselling PCs and now tablets account for the growth in computer sales. This is all the more reason to be spending in the area of mobile marketing. Companies want to reach a growing, naturally engaged audience and mobile advertising is the way to do it.


Have any more reasons why companies should be advertising on mobile? Let us know!

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

Quick Tips: How to Boost Holiday Sales Using your Blog

We've been talking to and hearing about a lot of companies who want to boost product sales during the holiday season. We've seen several companies with great tactics both online and offline to do just that. Many companies are offering sales in-store or free shipping online. The Insights team wants to share some quick tips on how to boost holiday sales using your blog...and year round too!

1. Offer promotional codes or special offers exclusively through your blog: You can certainly boost holiday sales, by offering promo codes or exclusive offers through your blog posts. This is a tactic done over and over again, but there are more benefits as well! You can truly measure the effectiveness of your blog through these types of offers. You'll be able to directly track how many people are engaging with your blog content, by looking at how many people used your special blog offer or promo code. Also by doing this, you'll gain more readers and traffic to your blog in the future because people will be looking for these special discounts.

2. Offer exclusive product details, insight and reviews through your blog: For those products you're selling that are hot this holiday season, but that people might not know too much about, you can offer product details and reviews. People trust other people's reviews, so include not only your own personal reviews, but also those of people who have bought the product. Include details in these posts that aren't readily available on your competitor's sites. A blog, as you probably already know, is an amazing way to connect with readers on a different level. Offering advice and reviews through your blog is a way to gain trusted followers and customers during this busy holiday season.

*

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

The Relationship between Blogging and Sales

Written by: Nicole Horvath, Boston.com's Market Development co-op

It’s hard to believe my time as a co-op for Boston.com’s Market Development department is coming to a close. Where has the time gone since July? I’ve learned a lot over the past six months from my involvement with the development of the Insights product. Most of what I’ve learned deals with what makes a good and readable blog, and the various ins and outs of selling (or trying to sell) a product. This has been my first real experience with using a blog to determine the validity and strength of a product or company, as well as the frustrations and small victories that come with sales. Because these experiences are similar to what our readers deal with every day, I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned concerning the relationship between blogs and sales.

My first job on the Insights team was to search various companies based in New England in hopes that some of them kept a blog. Finding companies with blogs was hard enough, but it was then my job to evaluate the blogs. After a few weeks of this, and hundreds of different blogs, I believe I have a pretty good understanding of what makes a good blog. Blogs that caught my attention first and foremost, are blogs that posted frequently. Frequent updating of a company’s blog showed me that the owner (or blogger) was invested in the company. Furthermore, they actually cared what they were writing about. You can only post so many different case studies and stories of gum disease and filling cavities each week, but you know what? I’d go to that dentist. He loves what he does, considering the amount of times he posted each week, and the obvious enjoyment I could pick up in his writing. The more you blog, the more your name is out there, and the more likely someone (like me), will stumble upon it.

Hand in hand with frequent postings, I would also notice the layout of the blog. I like blogs that are neat. Not necessarily boring to look at (I love finding blogs with pictures and videos), but one which I could navigate easily. You can post three times a day, but if I can’t figure out how to jump from one blog post to another, or how to enter your home page, I’m more likely to give up and exit the blog. One time I got stuck on a picture of some mechanic’s ugly dog for awhile. There were no exit links or explanations on how to get back to the original blog post. Make sure the exit links work, especially the links to your Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and homepage. Make sure the blog (and website) is organized and easily navigational. You want to appear professional and the customer should not have problems with your blog or website. No one wants to look at an ugly dog for five minutes when they’re trying to find tips on when it’s time to rotate their tires.

My second job after finding these blogs was to contact the company to see if they’d be interested in the product. Let me tell you something. Selling is hard. This is a life lesson I have learned at the tender age of 20. You can be as excited and enthusiastic about your product as you want to be, but sometimes people just don’t care. I’d send out 200 emails, to have only ten responses. You know what I learned from this? Celebrate the small victories. You’re going to hear “no” (if you hear anything back at all), but you’ve got to believe in your product if you want to succeed, and you need to keep putting your product, and yourself, out there.

So keep blogging! Keep using social media, which is so critical to reach out to all different platforms and audiences in this day and age. Be aware of how your brand is perceived, and make sure it stands up to the level of professionalism you know you can provide.

Tips for Including Facebook and Twitter in your Content Marketing Strategies

We've been hearing a lot about businesses that are developing their content marketing strategies for 2013 and of course most include Twitter and Facebook. But we believe that simply tweeting and posting about your content is not enough. Here are a few more tips for including Facebook and Twitter in your content marketing strategy:

1. Follow relevant users on Twitter - Spend the time finding people on Twitter who are interested in the same things your company offers or often discusses. Those are the people who will most likely engage with you, turn into customers and spread your word to others like them. Finding the right audience on Twitter and other social media sites is key to a successful content marketing strategy.

2.Know your audience- Customize your posts to speak to the audiences you have on Twitter and Facebook. For example, if you know that your audience on Twitter is slightly younger than your audience on Facebook, customize your tweet and post in such a way that you think those age groups would best respond to. 

3. Use hashtags and keywords in your tweets and posts - When you use hashtags and keywords, you're going to reach an audience that is already interested in your content! That means they'll be more likely to interact with you and turn into potential customers. If not a customer right away, you'll definitely be gaining new followers and broadening your audiences.

Have any more tips to add? We'd love to hear them!

*

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

How to: Use Online Video in your Blog Posts

 

This week, comScore released the findings of an online video study and we found the results very interesting, and wanted to share. The study found that 183 million users watched web-based videos in October. comScore reported that those viewers saw over 37 billion online content videos in the month.

So what does this mean for you bloggers? It means you should be using video! Here is some basic advice on how to use online video in your blog posts.

1. Start using video content and don't worry if it's not perfect: We know that creating videos can seem a bit daunting, but once you have an idea and take out that camera or phone to capture video, it really isn't difficult. Plus, you don't have to worry whether or not it looks perfect; people aren't expecting you to develop a video that's potentially award-winning (unless video is your expertise!). Here's an idea for getting started: choose a question you think your readers want to know the answer to. Then, ask the expert in your office to answer it on camera. Now, you have a quality blog post your readers will want to watch, AND you're giving a readers a glimpse into your place of work and your staff.

2. Include some text along with your video in the blog post: It's best practice to give readers context for a video before you expect them to watch an entire video. Make your introductory sentences before the embedded video count, by telling them what they'll gain by watching the video, so they'll be more apt to do so. We'd also recommend that you give a wrap up paragraph after the embedded video, so people know the main take away of the video and can easily remember the big points after leaving your blog.

3. Don't forget a strong call to action: Include a call to action in your video much like what you would do in a regular written blog post. Make the audience take an action at the end of your video. For example, you could say something like, "For more tips from our experts here at (business name), sign up for our newsletter, by clicking on the button at the end of the blog post." or "Email us today and we'll waive our setup fee! Click on the button below to reach our sales team now."

We'll be adding to this list in the future, but if you have any great tips for us and our readers, please share them below!

*

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

Understanding the Native Advertising Trend

In the past week, Insights has received a lot of attention from publications like Advertising Age to well-known digital marketing bloggers because of its recent launch and new approach to a concept called native advertising. Here's a look at the native advertising trend Insights is breaking into.

Native advertising is somewhat of a buzz word right now because it's a new trend that news sites and publishers are exploring. So what is it? Native advertising is a form of advertising that's built into the visual design of a site, so that the ads appear to be a part of the content. In an age where people are inundated with ads on a daily basis, native advertising provides a way for advertisers to cut through the clutter."The idea is that the same readers who regularly and easily ignore banner ads may actually appreciate sponsored content that resembles a website's editorial approach," writes Nat Ives, the author of the AdAge article, "Boston.com Joins Native Advertising Push with Sponsored Posts."


Insights allows for advertisers to contribute their content to Boston.com and show up in promotional units across Boston.com that appear to be a part of the editorial content as well as on their very own business information pages. However, we still want to be transparent to the loyal Boston.com readers, so we added a banner with the words, "special advertiser feature" above the promotional unit content as well as on the business information pages.

If you're interested in joining the native advertising program we've developed, contact us today at [email protected]!

*

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

Keys to Creating Compelling Blog Post Titles

Over here at the Insights headquarters, we've been talking a lot about what makes compelling blog post titles since that's how we drive traffic to clients website from our promotional units across Boston.com. Here's a list of what we found (based on the data we have) makes a compelling blog post title:

1. Word choice - Use action words, relevant words, timely words and eloquent words in your blog post titles because people will be more apt to read/watch the content you've developed when the word choice is compelling. Moreover, make sure your content is relevant and timely, which would make the titles naturally the same because more people will be apt to read that kind of content.
2. Keep your title short and to the point - Use short titles that invite the reader to want to know more about what you're offering in your blog post. Don't confuse readers with long titles or over share the concept of the post because you could deter readers.
3. Use keywords, but not too many - Keep a good balance between using and overusing keywords. We know you want to rank high in search results for keywords, but overusing makes the post look like spam, so include keywords in your title, but don't overdo it.
4. Don't seem self-promotional - Readers want content they can use to better themselves or their businesses. They don't usually care about the award you won, but they do care about why you won it. So don't mention the award, mention the award-winning work and mention how it could be helpful to readers to know why you won it. Then, readers will be more likely to read and engage with your post. For example: This blog post title,"What Makes an Award-Winning Marketing Campaign" is a way to entice readers and demonstrate your expertise without mentioning your company being the actual award-winner. Mention that part in the post itself.
5. Provide value - Include in your blog post title what value you'll offer readers in your post. For example, if you're providing readers with a "how-to guide," include those words in your title. Make sure the value of your post is always included in the title to entice more readers.
6. Be original -Make your posts original and you'll have no problem creating original blog post titles. Originality and creativity in blog posts and blog post titles results in more loyal readers. You don't want to be just another blogger talking about the same thing as everyone else. Be creative and the loyal followers will come!


Have any tips to add? Please share with us in the comments below!

*

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

Capitalizing on Current Events to Engage Readers

Our colleagues at Boston.com do a great job capitalizing on current events to engage readers. For example, during the presidential election yesterday, the team setup video coverage, photo galleries, a Twitter hashtag and so much more. Here are some more details about their strategy that we believe are great ways to engage readers through current events!

1. Setting up a Twitter hashtag - Boston.com's social media producers encouraged readers, employees, and Twitter users to use and follow #mavote on Twitter. They were excited and happy to see tweets rolling in, and retweeted many different users who were showing pictures of their polls and giving information about lines as well as other information about Election Day in general. 23% of yesterday's traffic to the site came from social media sites! The data shows that they used social media correctly to drive traffic and engage users.

2. Having some fun with an Election Day photo gallery - Boston.com setup a "Quirky photos from Election Day 2012" gallery on Boston.com to engage readers with the "fun side of Election Day." Our colleagues did a great job not only delivering unrivaled coverage of the election throughout the day, but also on delivering to the readers the content they know they respond well to - photo albums and fun content. The data shows that readers consistently enjoy the photo albums that Boston.com sets up and this album was no different. It certainly showed the fun side of Election Day in Boston and it engaged readers.

3. Video collection - The Boston.com team did a great job aggregating videos from many different outlets in its Election 2012 video highlights section. Boston.com delivered to its readers a comprehensive curation of scenes and videos from across the country in this section. Although it wasn't all Boston.com original content, the team made a decision to deliver the best of the available videos to its readers since the team knows that's what the readers are looking for. Additionally, the team wanted to deliver content in the form of video because they know that's one of the best ways to engage with Boston.com readers.*

There's a lot we can learn from the editorial staff here at Boston.com. They know what their readers respond to and engage with, and they were able to capitalize on this particular current event, by creating content and spreading the word about this content in the ways that generate the most engagement from their loyal readers. So what's the take away? Learn what makes your audience tick, deliver to them the content they want and deliver it in a way that they would like to receive it. Make sure when you're attempting to capitalize on current events that you are doing it a way that encourages engagement!


*We know that Boston.com has a ton of resources and it might be a bit more difficult for you to execute a video collection or a photo gallery to they extent that the team here does on your blog, so here are some easy ways to integrate new media into the blogging mix:
1. Add some video to your content - Instead of writing out your content one day, try making a quick video to share information with readers. Video is a great way to engage your audience and keep readers interested.
2. Remember that pictures are worth 1000 words - Did you have a fun employee party recently, or participate in a race together? Add some pictures to a blog post and let your audience in on the fun. This is a great way to humanize your brand and engage your loyal followers.
3. Follow a relevant hashtag on Twitter and post the best tweets to your blog to start a discussion. This a great way to stay relevant and on top of current events as well as add your opinion and encourage readers to do the same.


Please share your thoughts with us below!

*

*Offer valid through 12/15/12

Why you Should Have a RSS Feed for your Blog

Why should you have a RSS feed for your blog? Having a RSS feed for your blog is one of the easiest ways to go about creating and engaging in digital conversations. A RSS feed allows for easy sharing of your content to anyone who is interested in the content you regularly provide. Curated content marketers rely on RSS feeds more than other ways of collecting content, like via email or Twitter. It's also free to set up a RSS feed and who doesn't love something that's free?

Once you've set up your RSS feed, it's important to add a RSS feed icon to your blog and website because people know to click on that to start receiving your content regularly. You want people to be able to take advantage of your RSS offering quickly, so you don't lose out on readers and potential customers.

Take advantage of the simplicity of this syndication method! Set up a RSS feed for your blog today. Do you have a Blogger account? Here are a couple of useful links to help you set up a RSS feed for your blog today!

How to Set up RSS feeds on your Blogger.com Account

Adding an RSS feed icon to your blog, using Feedburner

*Offer valid through 11/30/12

How to Promote Your Business Blog Through Social Media

Looking for a couple ways to promote your business blog through social media? We're here to help whether you just started your blog or have one established.

1. Promote your blog posts to your existing audience through your social media accounts. Your clients or prospective clients are looking to you for your expertise on topics they're interested in, so capitalize on their attention, by sending out your blog posts. Encourage your existing audience members to share their thoughts on your posts and to send your posts along to friends who might be interested in the topics you're blogging about. Your existing audience is your best friend when it comes to promoting your blog. Give them good content and they'll be willing to spread your words. As we've said before, if they're on social networks, they're interested in being social, so take advantage!

2. To reach a new audience on social media, use hashtags and the search feature to see what people are talking about and how you can help them with the content you've produced. Reach out to people who might be looking for info on the topics you're blogging about - consider them warm leads! Promoting your blog content to people through the use of hashtags is a great way to reach a more broad, already interested audience.


Have any tips to add? Please add them in the comments below!

*Offer valid through 12/31/12

Tips for Maintaining your Blog

We know blogging can be hard and sometimes even a daunting task on your long to-do list. Here are some helpful tips for maintaining your blog that we use and can help you do the same!

1. Develop some high-level ideas for posts in advance - we do this, so we're not scrambling for content when we have the time to write. There are always going to be topics you know you want to blog about because they're relevant to your industry. It's effective to develop and add to a list some high-level ideas that you know will always be relevant to your blog whenever you think of them. Once you have these ideas written down you can do your keyword research and develop your titles, and then all you have to do is write out the thoughts you already have about the blog post's theme.

2.  Create a blog calendar - this is a great way to keep yourself on track to deliver on your blogging goals. Set up weekly, monthly, even yearly goals and content topics you know you want to blog about. Of course, you'll sometimes substitute if something comes up that's both timely and relevant to your industry, but setting up a schedule will help you stay on track to deliver content your audience wants to read. If you have a team of bloggers working for you, first off, lucky you, but also a blogging schedule is a good way to keep track of who from your team is blogging and when, so you can adjust the schedule and assignments accordingly.

3.If numbers two and three aren't working out as planned and you're stuck one day on developing some content, don't stress out! Just get up and walk away from your computer for a bit. When you return, try doing some research on news in your industry. That will help jump start your brain into thinking about relevant and timely content.

Have any tips to add? Please comment below. We'd love to hear from you.

*Offer valid through 12/31/12

How to Use Your Blog to Generate Leads

So you're a business owner who spends so much time on his blog, but you're hitting the same audience over and over, so you're wondering how you generate new leads. The Insights team is here to help. We have some great ways to generate exposure and leads.

First, use keywords that are specific to your industry and geo-location to make sure you're ranking in search results for keywords that people who are interested in your business are searching on. Google's keyword tool is a great source for keyword research and execution. Keyword use should be a main part of your blogging strategy.

Second, make sure you're creating relevant, timely and unique content that demonstrates your expertise. You want readers to think of you as the go-to source for information on your specific industry. You also want readers to find your posts through social media and search; when you're writing about timely and relevant information, you can use hashtags on Twitter and keywords that people are looking for more information about!

Lastly, spread the word about your blog posts. Link your Facebook and Twitter accounts to your blog posts, so you're reaching audiences on social platforms; hint: if they're on social platforms, they're interested in being social and spreading your word. Include Facebook and Twitter share buttons on your blog for easy sharing. Be social, be social, be social!

So to recap: make sure you have a sound keyword strategy, you're producing quality content, you're reaching a new and interested audience of potential customers, and you're allowing for social sharing!

Email us at [email protected] with any questions or comments as well as more great tips on how to use your blog to generate leads.

Introducing Insights from Boston.com!

On October 1st, Boston.com launched Insights. Insights is designed for businesses that blog. We recognize that businesses spend so much time demonstrating their expertise and building their brands through blogging, so we created Insights, which allows businesses to reach the Boston.com audience through targeted marketing.

With the combined power of the Boston.com audience and the quality content businesses are creating, businesses can generate leads, increase sales, generate exposure and retain customers. Insights allows for targeted marketing across Boston.com, the Boston.com mobile site and The Boston Globe.

Please be sure to watch our informational video posted above for more information on how the product works as well as packaging and pricing.

If you're a business owner who spends quality time blogging, please reach out to us! We'd love to chat and tell you how we can help you turn our readers into your customers. Our email address is [email protected].