• Blog ‘s Recipe: Links

As The Blog Squadtm, we hear this complaint from entrepreneurs who start blogging: "Why isn't my blog working for my business?" As part of our "blog crisis prevention" program, we have reviewed hundreds of business blogs and can spot common errors immediately.
Blogs that work well for attracting new clients have these key elements:
1. A great blog name
2. A tag line or blog purpose statement
3. An easy way to get automatic blog updates
4. A list of categories
5. A list of recent posts and recent comments
6. Links to useful websites, products and services
7. Frequent posts with links relevant to the blog's purpose
8. An easy way for readers to have a conversation with the author
Ingredient 6: Link to useful websites, products and services
Linking is the currency of the blogosphere. Besides being common courtesy to link to your sources of information, you can also link to your own posts, websites, and your products and services.
Weave them into your posts so they contribute to the context of your writing. Too much blatant marketing of your own products and services doesn't make for good reading, and can turn readers off.
Dave Taylor likens blog posting to conversation at a cocktail party: you wouldn't monopolize the conversation just talking about yourself and expect people will stand around for a long time listening.
Every time you post, review your article for names, books, and places. All of these can be linked to a site on the Web. Even ideas and concepts can be linked to a page in Wikipedia. Failing to link to outside sources is poor etiquette in the blogosphere.
Professionals new to blogging often ask if linking to outside resources will send readers away from the blog. This is a major concern on websites, but links are expected on blogs. If you want to establish yourself as a resourceful expert in your field you need to show people you know what's going on at other blogs and websites.
The more you can participate in the Blogosphere, by writing about and linking to other blogs, the better known you will become. When you link to others, they will know about it through trackbacks, and will be curious about you. They will visit your blog and may link to it, sending their readers to you.
Don't forget to add links to your products and services in the sidebar of your blog. Make sure people know how they can get more information about you and what you offer. You're writing a business blog, so make it easy for people to do business with you.
For more leading edge Internet Marketing tips subscribe to The Blog Squad's ezine Savvy eBiz Tips at www.savvyebiztips.com . To learn about using social media tools like blogs, go to www.buildabetterblog.com . Denise Wakeman & Patsi Krakoff are The Blog Squad and can be found online at www.blogsquad.biz