New tools. New features. New promises of faster content, better marketing, and more efficient workflows.

And yet, for many businesses, it still feels scattered.

They’re experimenting with different tools. Trying new prompts. Generating content here and there.

But nothing is really improving in a meaningful way.

That’s not because AI doesn’t work.

It’s because most businesses are using it the wrong way.

The Problem Isn’t the Tools

Most businesses approach AI like this:

“Let’s use it to write blog posts.”

“Let’s generate social media content.”

“Let’s speed up email campaigns.”

So they open a tool, type a prompt, get an output – and move on.

The result?

• More content.
• More activity.
• But not necessarily better outcomes.

Because AI is being used at the execution level, not the strategy level.

AI Without Structure Creates More Noise

When AI is used without a clear system behind it, it actually makes things worse.

You get inconsistent messaging, disconnected content, generic outputs that don’t convert, and more to manage – not less.

It feels productive in the moment. But over time, it creates more fragmentation.

The same problem many businesses already have – just faster.

A Better Way: Use AI to Build Systems, Not Just Content

The real value of AI isn’t speed.

It’s structure.

Used correctly, AI helps you clarify what you’re trying to achieve, break complex ideas into step-by-step actions, create repeatable workflows, and maintain consistency across channels.

Instead of asking: “Can AI create this for me?”

A better question is: “How can AI help me structure this so it works every time?”

What This Looks Like in Practice

Instead of jumping straight to output, the process looks more like this:

1. Define the objective
2. Clarify the audience
3. Build the structure
4. Use AI to execute within that structure

What This Looks Like in Practice (Prompts That Actually Work)

One of the clearest ways to see the difference between scattered AI use and structured AI use is in the prompts themselves.

Most ineffective prompts jump straight to output.

More effective prompts start with context and structure.

Example 1: Blog Content

Ineffective Prompt: Write a blog post about SEO for small businesses that highlights our services and value.

What Happens: Generic content that blends in and doesn’t differentiate your business.

More Effective Prompt: Act as a strategist for a North Texas service business. Create an outline for a blog post targeting ‘local SEO for small businesses.’ The goal is to generate qualified leads, not just traffic. Write this to small business owners. Include common misconceptions and a clear call to action.

Example 2: Nonprofit Email

Ineffective Prompt: Write an email to donors highlighting our services and value to donors.

What Happens: Flat messaging that lacks emotional connection and urgency.

More Effective Prompt: Create a 3-email donor re-engagement sequence for a nonprofit. Audience: donors who haven’t given in 12 months. Email 1 reconnects with a story, Email 2 shows impact, Email 3 invites a simple next step donation. Tone should be personal and trust-building.

Example 3: Marketing Strategy

Ineffective Prompt: Give me marketing ideas that will increase engagement online.

What Happens: Random ideas that don’t align with your business goals.

More Effective Prompt: Act as a marketing strategist. For a B2B company with 20-50 employees, identify the top 2 channels to increase qualified engagement. Current channels include LinkedIn and SEO. Ask clarifying questions before making recommendations.

Example 4: Social Media

Ineffective Prompt: Write LinkedIn posts that promote our business.

What Happens: Generic posts that don’t resonate or drive action.

More Effective Prompt: Write 3 LinkedIn posts for a service-based business owner targeting mid-sized companies frustrated with inconsistent lead flow. Each post should highlight a common mistake, reframe the issue, and end with a practical takeaway.

The Pattern

The difference isn’t complexity. It’s clarity.

Better prompts define the audience, clarify the outcome, add constraints, and break the task into steps.

Why This Approach Works

When AI is guided by structure, messaging becomes more consistent, content connects across channels, execution improves, and results start to compound.

You’re no longer creating one-off pieces of content. You’re building a system.

Tools Still Matter – Once You Have Structure

Once you have a clear structure in place, the tools actually start to matter. A few we consistently use include ChatGPT for strategy and messaging, Nano Banana for clean visuals, Fal.ai for creative testing, and Updating.ai for improving visibility in AI-driven search.

If you want a little more push-back and help with creative writing, Claude is a great resource.

If you want a deeper look at how these tools work together in a real-world system, read our post: Our Favorite AI Tools to Run Your Marketing Department.

Measuring What Matters

Use Google Analytics to understand where your traffic and leads are coming from.

You can also explore SEO performance tools like SEMrush.

For additional context, see: The Real Reason Your Marketing Feels Scattered.

A Quick Gut Check

• Am I using AI to think, or just to produce?
• Do I have a clear structure before I generate anything?
• Are my outputs connected – or just individual pieces?

Final Thought

AI is not a shortcut to better marketing.

It’s a multiplier.

If your strategy is unclear, it will amplify the noise.

If your structure is clear, it will accelerate results.

The difference isn’t the tool. It’s how you use it.

The post Most Businesses Are Using AI Wrong – Here’s a Better Way appeared first on Platform Creator.

1. Speed

A fast website improves user experience and search engine rankings. Here’s how to enhance your website’s speed:

• • Use Caching with WordPress Plugins:
    Caching reduces server load by storing static versions of your pages. Consider these plugins:
    • WP Rocket: User-friendly and comprehensive, with features like page caching and file compression. However, it lacks a free version.
    • WP Super Cache: Free and supports CDN integration. Great for advanced users, but may be technical for beginners.
    • W3 Total Cache: Free with multiple caching options. Offers CDN support but has an overwhelming setup for beginners.
  • Set Up a Content Delivery Network (CDN):
    A CDN delivers your content faster by storing it on servers worldwide. Options include:
    • Cloudflare: Free plan available, with DDoS protection and SSL support.
    • Bunny.net: Affordable pay-as-you-go pricing and excellent global coverage.
  • Optimize Images:
    Large image files slow websites. Use tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to compress images. Convert images to next-gen formats like WebP for additional optimization. Here is a short tutorial for reducing your file images by over 99% using PhotoShop.
    

• Test with Google PageSpeed Insights:
  Use Google PageSpeed Insights to identify performance issues and get actionable recommendations.

2. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO boosts your website’s visibility and attracts quality traffic. Winning websites for small businesses focus on these strategies:

On-Page SEO

• Keyword Optimization: Naturally include keywords in your content, titles, headers, and meta descriptions.
• Quality Content: Create original, engaging content that meets your audience’s needs.
• Internal Linking: Link to other pages on your site to enhance navigation and SEO.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly for a seamless experience.

Off-Page SEO (Link-Building)

• Guest Blogging: Write for reputable sites to earn backlinks.
• Social Media Engagement: Share content on social media to increase visibility.
• Local Citations: List your business in local directories to improve local SEO.
• Build Relationships: Network with industry influencers for content shares and backlinks.

3. Security

Website security is vital to protect your site and your users. Here’s how to keep your site secure:

• Install Security Plugins:
  • Wordfence: Provides firewall protection, malware scanning, and login security. The free version is robust and suitable for small businesses. Learn more at Wordfence.
• Update Regularly:
  Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated to fix vulnerabilities.
• Limit Plugins:
  Only use necessary plugins from reputable developers. Avoid excessive or outdated plugins.
• Generate Daily Backups:
  Use plugins like UpdraftPlus or ManageWP for automatic backups.
• Use Strong Passwords and Secure Sharing:
  Create complex passwords and avoid sharing sensitive information through insecure platforms. Use encrypted methods for communication.

By focusing on Speed, SEO, and Security, you’ll create a winning website that delivers a great user experience, ranks higher in search results, and protects your business online.

Which of these strategies will you implement today? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Three ‘S’s’ of Winning Websites for Small Businesses appeared first on Platform Creator.

The naysayers contend that AI will put people out of work. And this is understandable. Look at AI-generated content like this, and you’ll see that AI-generated content is surprisingly good. In fact, a college student used AI to create an article that rose to the top spot on Hacker News.

But AI has an (im)personal problem. Truth is…

The robot’s writing still has a metallic ring

Apart from the fact that AI tends to make up stuff, especially quotes and names, it also struggles with creating context. This makes sense when you consider that its MO is to pore over mountains of information and data. It then regurgitates predictions for whatever block of text you’re writing.

Still, most users and readers can sense that AI-generated content is just a bit off when it comes to tone.

What AI does best for us humans

It frees us to focus on the hardest part of writing and the thing we do best: Thinking about great content ideas.

David Nunez, the Director of Technology and Digital Strategy at MIT Museum, has a great way of describing our working relationship with AI:

AI works with us, not for us.

That distinction of with instead of for is important. An AI writing tool, for example, knows nothing and does nothing until a human being causes it by teeing up ideas for the algorithm to run with. But it won’t just write our content for us.

The output of AI-generated text is only as good as the human-generated input of great ideas.

Interestingly, the algorithm often offers unpredictable twists on old ideas. And it speeds up the writing and idea development process by filling in the gaps with… well… with filler. Which means you are freed to concentrate on the creative element.

Embrace the AI marketing tools now

Become an early adopter (there’s still time), and you can begin building a moat around your marketing and business ideas.

When you’re new to writing, volume is more important than precision. The more you produce, the more quickly you learn. Using AI, you increase the velocity and the volume of your writing.

Here are three ideas for getting started:

1. Check out the tools.

They are popping up quickly, but a few have taken the lead. Though it’s not specifically a marketing tool, Grammarly is a must-have for content writers. Splurge for the Business level at $30 a month, and your writing will improve dramatically.
Jarvis.ai (formerly Conversion.ai) does marketing content creation and will likely be a force to reckon with. They also have plenty of videos and other resources.

2. Start tinkering.

You’ll learn a little with the entry-level packages for AI marketing tools. But you’ll learn better and faster once you’re ready to splurge for premium options.

3. Don’t wait.

New tools are disruptive to your MO. It’s better to start now while you can grow with the tech rather than trying to catch up to it later.

The wave is coming. Surfing it will be much more exciting and more productive than paddling around, hoping not to get bowled over.

The post How AI marketing tools increase your creativity appeared first on Platform Creator.

If you doubt this, think about the last major purchase you made. You probably recall it as a reasonable and logical process: You asked friends for recommendations, watched youtube videos, or talked to a salesperson about that laptop or new car you were considering.

But think on it a bit, and you’ll start to notice some emotional undercurrents. And for every seeming logical consideration, there were many feelings and emotional factors.

This topic can get very deep very quickly. For example, here’s a breakdown of something called the Emotion Wheel. It’s an eyeful.

Photo via Instagram / @trainingsbyromy

But let’s just take that new car example and explore what appears to be a perfectly logical concern.

How much will it cost?

The biggie. The one you can’t wait to ask—the one the car salesman will forego answering as long as possible.

But the answer is much more than just a number, and behind it is several emotional concerns. Things like:

Fear: Will I regret paying too much?

Pride: Is it nice enough to pull up in on my next date?

Trust: Is this salesperson honest?

“How much?” seems like such a simple question. But a good marketer or salesperson sees it as a conversation starter for uncovering a much bigger picture: the hidden fears behind the question.

Unmask the hidden emotions of effective marketing and sales

The surprising fact is that our emotions aren’t just hidden from others; they’re often hidden from ourselves. So good marketers and sales professionals familiarize themselves with their customer’s positive and negative emotional drivers and address these emotions with their content.

It’s not so much about becoming psychoanalysts as it is becoming curious. So first, make sure you have answers to the most basic questions such as:

What does the customer want?

What will it do for them?

How best to provide it?

Once you know the basics, the next step is to ask about their concerns in these areas. This may be more difficult on the front end of the sales process, but asking for testimonials will allow you to explore. For example, ask what hesitancy they had before choosing your product or service.

Surveys provide another opportunity to ferret out emotions such as hope, fear, and frustration. Finally, ask for negative and positive feedback regarding your current buying process.

Appealing to emotion is not manipulative

There’s nothing manipulative about helping customers get what they want, clarifying what it will do for them, and providing it accordingly. But, to do so, you have to address the emotional element.

We account for the emotions of friends and family; why not do it for our customers?

It simply a fact: humans are driven by feelings. So incorporating this fact into your marketing strategy just makes good sense.

Do it well, and you’ll appeal to the most essential marketing and sales emotion of them all: trust.

The post The secret behind all effective marketing and sales appeared first on Platform Creator.

Once you commit to developing your business writing fluency, you’ll find it challenging to come up with content ideas. But what’s most challenging is the process of developing your skills. And part of that process is developing a refined sense of taste when it comes to quality content.

Here’s the thing: if you don’t breathe in good writing, you can’t exhale it. The trouble is there are mountains of books, articles, and posts to read. How to make sure you get to the good stuff?

We know it’s essential, yet we browse through torrents of words online every day without a plan. And it gets even worse.

There are wonderful apps like getliner.com used to highlight web content for future reference, which seems to be an elegant solution. Even a godsend, perhaps. But like me, many soon find they only go back and look at the “read later” stuff… well, never. It becomes just another pile of words to manage.

The Japanese have a term for stacks of unread printed books: Tsundoku. But it’s much different when you’re dealing with digital piles of content. While you add to your read-later stack, the internet serves up 7.5 million more blog posts every day. Add to that the social media posts and youtube videos, and it becomes laughable to consider the idea of keeping up.

Your secret writing weapon

There’s a strategy that will ensure the quality of your reading: read good fiction. If you think about it, it’s very difficult to skim through a captivating story. It’s like trying to fast forward through a movie, stop at random points, and try to fill in the plot. It doesn’t work.

Read the classics, read contemporary fiction. There’s a whole world of fantastic literature awaiting you. Ask a well-read friend to give you some recommendations.

John David Mann has several NYT bestseller books and tells how he read only nonfiction books before his wife suggested he read Steinbeck’s East of Eden. Here’s how he described the effect it had on him:

Turning the last page and putting down my copy of East of Eden was when I first had the conscious thought: I want to do that.

You may not decide to write an epic, but that’s the kind of reading you want to do – you need to do – to put out good content. You must read content that moves you if you’re going to impact others with your writing.

Improve your reading to improve your writing

Do this consistently, and you will develop a more refined taste for premium content. Excellent literature will also inspire you to make your writing matter rather than merely post content.

You may be thinking that fiction has nothing to do with the writing you do. And, yes, you do need to do your research and cull your reference material. But consider that a separate bucket – something more like the table wine. Great fiction writers know how to keep attention, tell a captivating story, and stir emotion. Those qualities have everything to do with the writing you do.

If you want to improve your writing, make it a point to regularly uncork the good stuff and cultivate a taste for fine words.

The post To Improve Your Writing, Become a Content Sommelier (Wine Taster) appeared first on Platform Creator.

In an article titled “The  Big Lessons From History,” Morgan Housel states there are two kinds of history to learn from, and as we embark on our efforts to win trust in 2021, they are helpful to keep in mind.

The first kind is the specific events and headlines – the happenings – and the second is the broad behavior patterns that keep repeating themselves.

The craziness we call COVID certainly created headlines we won’t forget. But what drives history is how people react – their behavior patterns – to such changes as government intervention, scientist’s recommendations, medicine, media – the list goes on.

The question is

As a small business owner, how do you extract the “two kinds of history” lessons from 2020 to win trust in 2021? 

And what do you do with that learning as it applies to your customer?

Housel describes his own strategy – in his case, it has to do with investing – like this:

“More than I want big returns, I want to be financially unbreakable. And if I’m unbreakable I actually think I’ll get the biggest returns, because I’ll be able to stick around long enough for compounding to work wonders.”

Your customers have a strategy for dealing with the massive changes. They, too, want to be “unbreakable.” One primary way they do that is by doing business with people they can trust.

Your customers have a problem

COVID did not initiate this need for trust, but it has certainly reinforced it. To put it bluntly, your customers have ‘trust issues.’ Following are a few of their concerns:

• They feel increased pressure to make sound decisions quickly, and they need accurate information from transparent and sincere sources.  

• More than ever, they have a strong bias for reliable partners who do what they say they will do and more.

• They are wary of uniform, cookie-cutter approaches to doing business. Conformity and business-as-usual don’t trend well in such unusual circumstances.

• Finally, the question that is top of mind for those who consider doing business with you is, “Do you know me?” Let’s face it, if they don’t know you know them and their concerns, how can they trust you to understand their problems?

Trust is the foundation of your platform

Addressing the four concerns listed above will help you create a TRUE platform that establishes trust by developing content and connection around:

Transparent – communicating clearly and sincerely who you’re for and what you’re for

Reliable – helping others succeed in expected and unexpected ways

Unique – showing up with a distinctive method and a custom solution

Empathetic – demonstrating the expertise of understanding

Over the next several weeks, we will be digging into what it means to have a TRUE platform and how the job is never finished and never perfect. Creating a true platform is hard work, and it means getting very real (true) about your business.

As Stephen R. Covey put it, “Trust is the new currency of our world today.” The hard work is worth it because as trust declines in society, your customer’s trust in you will be increasing.,

Although we are marketing experts, we believe the TRUE framework applies to much more than just marketing and selling services. 

It provides a blueprint for long-term success and a bulwark against obscurity. It’s a noisy world out there!

Our goal is to help you create a business that is TRUE to your customers – to help you win trust in 2021 and beyond.

Sign up now for the TRUE platform series!

The post How to create a TRUE Platform and Win Trust in 2021 appeared first on Platform Creator.

When I left a global logistics company (UPS) in August of 2018 and pivoted to a content marketing and copywriting career, I thought I was done with logistics. Turns out I needed to get back to my roots in order to get my creative game on.

For most of my adult life (I started as a delivery driver in 1986) I lived in the get-the-goods-delivered world of logistics. Forecasting volume, packages per hour, time studies, daily reports, and on-time delivery, were all a part of daily life.

Logistics is about the management of the flow of things between the point of origin and the point of consumption (Wikipedia).

“The art of war is about legs, not arms.”

– General Maurice de Saxe

And logistics doesn’t just make the world go round by keeping everyone fed and stocked. It wins wars. As Robert Hilliard Barrow put it, “Amateurs talk about strategy and tactics. Professionals talk about logistics…”

Creatives are in a war.

A war against a mishmash of enemies with evil intent to snuff their spark. On the propaganda front, one of the most nefarious campaigns has to do with overstressing the importance of the creative spirit, and how it must be fanned to flame by inspiration and whisperings from the Muse.

Truth is, the war of art is won by logistics too. In this case, managing and maintaining the flow of creativity – from origin to consumption.

• From pen to paper to post
• From brush to canvas to showing
• From idea to outline to speech

The plotter and the plodder

One morning over breakfast, I asked my friend, Ed, how he had accomplished so much and remains so active at the age of 84. His response? “I’m a plodder. I just keep going.”

His answer intrigued me. At the time, I was more a plotter than a plodder when it came to my creative pursuits. I entertained this romantic notion that the breakthrough idea would come to me if I read enough of the right books or found the magic method.

I’ve learned that the breakthrough rarely comes to me. I have to go find it.

While I’ll admit, that I don’t know the mysterious origin of my best ideas, I do know that they wear off quickly or don’t see the white of page without some plodding. It’s during, after, or between long bouts and slow methodical campaigns of persistence that a work of art finally starts to take shape.

Picasso was a plodder. Leonardo was a plodder. Both of them created tens of thousands of sketches – thousands of failed attempts – before the art emerged from their plod.

When it comes to painting or writing, or selling or marketing, there is a complexity to be mastered, and our brains don’t learn it in a snap. It has to simmer slowly in a soup of patterns and repetition and rote.

Of course, logistics has an element of plotting, but in business, it’s all in service of the plod from point A to point B. Between hubs, through borders, and customs clearance, and finally the last leg to the consignee’s front door.

It’s no wonder we creatives resist the plod:

• It exposes our inefficiency
• It imposes the stress of when and where we’ll show up with our art.
• And besides, it just sounds so stinkin’ uncreative

But by avoiding it, our focus shifts to the dissatisfaction of unfinished work, rather than the positive tension of finishing.

Logistics is all about delivering the goods

The whole point of logistics is delivery. Everything else is secondary. It doesn’t matter how efficient or polite, or cost-effective you are if the package doesn’t make it to the customer’s front porch.

As a creative, output is the point of your activity. Without it, you won’t progress and learn as quickly.

When I began as a UPS Driver, the iPhone and GPS were still years away. Delivery records were handwritten, and we navigated from printout sections of city maps.

The training was rigorous and repetitive. I can still hear the “cadences”:

“Keyring on the left ring finger”
“Attach seatbelt with the right hand – release emergency brake with the left”
“Look left-right-left at intersections”
“Plan 5 steps ahead”

My trainer had drilled these habits into my brain, knowing that over time they’d become automatic and ensure efficiency. But those first days alone were bumpy. Without the reminders and coaxing and coaching, I found out quickly what I lacked and what I needed to learn. And it was in the daily doing (logistics) that I learned it.

Here are a few guidelines I’ve found helpful when it comes to getting logistical about creativity:

⏱ The stopwatch (pace)

World-class logistics companies time everything. Without knowing how long it takes to complete a task, it’s nearly impossible to plan and dispatch work.

As a new delivery driver, I was constantly calculating the number of stops per hour to determine whether I was on pace to complete the day’s assigned deliveries.

Now, as a writer, I occasionally count my words per hour. Especially if I’m working on a large writing assignment. It helps me to track it against the deadline. Also, I’m a slower writer than I’d like to be, so it’s helpful to monitor pace.

As Moshe Feldenkrais wisely observed, “You cannot do what you want until you know what you do.”

🕰 The clock (progress)

A logistics operation is driven by deadlines. The clock is always ticking on milestones and commitments. For most, it’s a 24 hour a day endeavor of systematic progress

As a driver, I established a few critical progress checkpoints throughout the day. After a while, my customers could tell what time it was by seeing me pull up to the door. It also helped me to know if I was on track, or needed to make adjustments.

When I’m writing it’s easy to get lost in the work and forget the time. I’ve found it very helpful to decide in advance where the day’s milestones and checkpoints will be. It also helps me leverage energy and measure progress.

📅 The calendar (planning)

Forecasting and planning are at the core of successful logistics. Each hand-off is a critical link in the supply chain. It’s simply not possible to execute consistently without the ability to think ahead.

During training as a driver, I was taught to plan 5 stops ahead. This became easier, the better I got at marking my progress and monitoring my pace. Having a clear plan freed me to focus on other aspects of the job, like service and positive customer interactions.

Blocking out writing time on the calendar has been key to my development as a writer. The better the plan, the more bandwidth freed up for the creative work. Otherwise, I find myself undone by the unknown or unexpected.

As an added bonus, each day I do my best will set me up for a better tomorrow.

Whether you’re a poet or a plumber, at some point you have to start showing up publicly with your work. You have to become logistical.

The good news is you can get from mediocrity to creative competence if you submit to the plod. It’s not easy and it takes time, but it helps to know you’re on the right road, even if the scenery is not stunning at the moment.

You will get better. And better is the path to good. And sometimes even great.

The post How to Get Logistical About Your Creativity appeared first on Platform Creator.

Who cares about how to start a blog. Why start a blog? For one, search engines keep a record of everything that is posted online. The more content you have, the more bridges you are building, helping customers find your website. Blogs have now become an integral part of the marketing strategies of companies big and small. Regardless of their industry or niche, blogs have plenty of impact with visitors, followers, and customers. Content marketing is key if you want to become a platform creator.

If you’ve yet to embrace this marketing strategy because you’re not sure how to start a blog, there are several ways to do so. You can create a blog on a blog-hosting platform like WordPress or Joomla.Or, you could embed a pre-existing blog into your website, or devise your own “blogging” application. We’d be happy to walk you through the process. While most blogs are theme-centric and focus on providing information that is relevant to specific subject matter, you can actually blog about whatever you like. For marketing purposes, however, you’d want it to revolve around your company, brand, products, or services. You would want to bring more attention to what you’re offering to the public and to your customers.

Blogs are the perfect way to establish more intimate relationships with your audience and to strengthen existing ones. Why? Because they give you a platform for connecting that isn’t limited by a product description, sales pitch, or pre-formatted “about us” page. In addition to relationship building, blogs are an excellent way to become more involved in the social and community-based aspect of online marketing and to establish yourself as an industry thought leader. In addition, they can show you as an authoritative voice, which only serves to elevate your standing and visibility even further.

Aside from creating your blog, there are a few key things to remember if you are working toward having a successful blog. Posting regularly is essential because people enjoy fresh information and a “stale” blog appears neglected or inactive. It’s not enough to just write posts and wait for readers, either; your content needs to be original and informative, with engagement and appeal that makes people want to read more. You’ll also need to market your blog to bring attention to it and drive more traffic your way. One great way to market your blog is to use cross-platform marketing tactics and include links to your blog posts on your social media networks and in other locations where you’ve established an online presence.

Once you start writing blog entries on a consistent and regular basis, you’ll be able to determine which types of content are most appealing for your readers based on comments, shares, backlinks, and other signals. When you know what blog content is most popular, you can include more of that in your blog to keep the interest level high. Acknowledging feedback or customer comments through well-written blogs that address customer needs, answer questions, or solve problems is another great way to use your blog to appeal to and retain your readers and customers. You can also use your blog to promote your social networks, introduce customers to new products or services, or demonstrate through video tutorials how certain things should be done or could be done more efficiently.The sky truly is the limit with regard to what you can include in your blog and what your blog can do for both you and your customers.

Whether you’re new to blogging or you’ve been doing it for years, it is an invaluable tool for your company’s marketing efforts and an ideal information delivery system for connecting with your customers and target audience. You will quickly find your blogging voice and tone, as well as the ideal content to publish to your blog, and be on your way to successful blogging in no time.

Blogging Tools

How to Grow Your Online Platform without SEO

The post Blog to Delight New Customers appeared first on Platform Creator.

Hey website admins, ever seen this message: ‘Hello web admin, I noticed that your on-page SEO is missing some details. On-page SEO means more now than ever since the new Google update. Your keyword must appear in the title and URL. And you must have a keyword density of 3-5% and spread all H1, H2, H3 tags, etc.’?

While SEO is important and many of these suggestions will help optimize your blog website, I will show you how to become a platform creator without worrying about the technical aspects of SEO like meta tags or keyword density.

Consistency (this is one of the hard but key ways to grow your blog)

This past Saturday I met with a friend who has a successful marriage counseling business that has grown almost all from engaging potential clients online. Kevin’s business received around 3,000 Facebook likes the first year. While Kevin had several practical examples that led to him and his wife’s success, two primary early keys were consistency in social media posting and following the principals in Jeff Walker’s book, Launch.  Marriage Works  to date has over 410,000 likes on Facebook and has several online products and seminars. Kevin does not pay attention to the technical aspects of SEO, but he posts at least 5 – 7 times a week. While Kevin now employs many online tools and is continually honing his skills, their initial success was due to keeping consistent with posting engaging content. Boy, I really need to take his advice.

Build Your Network (another hard way to grow your blog)

Along with keeping fresh content on your blog, twitter feed, and / or social media pages, here are a few ways to build your network. Building your network can take some time. So, along with persistence, a bit of perseverance can help you build your online platform.

• Join a LinkedIn Group and engage with them. Don’t just push info out, but support and comment on others’ posts and be sure to include your link and / or blog URL in your signature line.
• Include links from your site to other experts. This is a great way to create relationships with people like you who could use additional traffic to their site. The hope is that eventually, others will link their posts to yours. (See post on how to be a thought leader.)
• Comment on other blogs with compelling questions. This is an excellent way to get noticed. I remember listening to Ray Edward’s podcasts and how generous he was to allow commenters to mention their blog websites. What a great way to connect with an interesting platform creator like Ray Edwards, but also get traffic from his followers.

Guest Post (Last hard way to grow your blog)

While not everyone may invite you to guest post initially, if you are diligent about connecting with likeminded people online, you can also ask them to guest post on your blog. Hopefully, they too will ask you to guest post on their blog or you can offer them that opportunity. This may take time, especially before you are asked to guest post on a blogger’s site in whom can help you gain real traction, but it’s a great way to get your name out there. The better your content, the more often you will be asked to guest post. Keep at it.

Cross Promote Your Blog (This is a fairly easy way to grow your blog)

Get a short link of your post from WordPress or Bitly or Bufferapp and post on Twitter and a LinkedIn Group. Also, consider putting internal links from keywords in your posts to other posts. You can use other social media sites and encourage your current network to share with others.

Re-purpose Older Posts (Easy way to grow your blog)

You can re-purpose older posts, updating the content slightly and just perfecting a few of the sentences to reflect current topics. By updating the content with relevant information, you can gain renewed exposure to older posts.

Do you have any practical ways to grow your Blog without attention to the technical aspects of SEO?

The post Five Ways to Grow Your Blog without SEO appeared first on Platform Creator.