So many blog sites, so little time. Everyone wants original content, but there is only so much time in the day for writing.
When you spend the time researching and crafting a great blog post it is tempting to post it on more than one site. But that little voice in your head should remind you that duplicate content is bad; search engines don’t like duplicate content and it will not improve your SEO.
If you plan to use the same content on multiple blog sites, it should be rewritten it so that the content is fresh. This does not just mean changing the title and a few sentences.
Read morePeople who intentionally plagiarize blog content, and pass it off as their own, are slimy. There is an easy way to find out if someone else is plagiarizing your content (or if you have copied theirs!)
Read moreDuplicate content is bad. You should not post exactly the same blog article on more than one site. But many of you that write for the ERP/CRM Software Blogs also write for your own company blog sites. How can you avoid duplicate content across company and group blogs? Here are my 3 tips:
Read moreYou know that posting duplicate content online is dangerous, but I bet you do it anyway.
You will get the most SEO value for your hard work if you rewrite the post for each blog you intend to use it on. But, I know that when you have worked hard on an article, posting it more than once is just so awfully tempting that it is hard to resist.
So here are steps you can follow to use canonical link tags to identify duplicate content and hopefully avoid any Google penalties.
Read moreOnce you have made the effort to write a blog post, isn’t is worth just a little more effort to make sure it is optimized so people (and search engines) can find it?
An easy way to optimize your post for SEO is to the “Wordpress SEO by Yoast” tool. This is already installed on the blog sites that I manage. There are 4 basic fields on the “General” that take just a few minutes to fill out but can improve your SEO results.
Read moreI will tell you a secret: I am a marketer who hates working with graphics. But recently I found a tool that makes working with other types of images much easier. www.canva.com lets me to “pretend” to be a graphic designer, without really knowing anything about graphics or design. I can create my own images, with graphics and text and then download them for free to use in blog posts, on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and more.
Read moreThey say that location is the key to value, and the same is true with blog posts. Many people ask me where they should post their content - on their own blog or a group blog such as the ERP Software Blog. Find out how I decide.
Read moreISV partners often need to form new relationships with VAR partners in the Microsoft Dynamics community and many of them still rely on cold calls. As a VAR partner I can tell you that I get far too many of these “cold calls” and I tune them out. But I can also tell you that there is a better way. Here are some simple ways that ISV partners can connect with, and get their names known by, VAR partners using social media.
Read moreThe image added to this article doesn't really match the content, and it is actually kind of confusing….Are you doing the same thing to your readers with your Google+ posts?
Using the right graphic is an important way to engage readers. It may seem simple to some people, but many don’t realize that you can change the default image that appears when you add a link in a Google+ post.
Read moreDon’t feel bad, you are not alone. Ever blogger I have met struggles to find enough content. But we can help each other by sharing our creative ideas.
At the annual Microsoft Dynamics Convergence event I met with several of the writers for the ERP Software Blog. Here are some of my favorite ideas that were shared by the group:
Read moreHow can software marketers make screenshot images look more interesting? I have found a new tool that I just love that guarantees I never need to use a boring screenshot again.
Check out www.placeit.net
Basically you can upload any screenshot/image you have and it will appear as if it is on the screen in the image. You can filter my photos of laptops, tablets, phones etc… It is hard to explain so let me show you an example of how it works.
Read moreConvergence 2015 is starting soon. On your mark, get set – BLOG!
I always think that I am going to have more time at Convergence than I actually do. So here are a few tips to help my fellow bloggers, and tweeters, to get the most out of the event.
Read moreI think that most of us like to help other people; especially when it is not too difficult to do so. If you want people to help you share your blog content, make it easy for them.
A great way to do this is to add a tweetable link. This link is preformatted with the text, a link to the post and your Twitter name. If readers like your idea and want to share it all they have to do is to click your (tweet this) link and hit send.
Read moreWhen I talk to people about content marketing, specifically blogging, I usually hear three main objections:
1) I have nothing to write about.
2) I don’t have time to write.
3) I’m not good at writing.
In this article, let’s tackle the objection that you have nothing to write about.
Read moreDo your product experts run the other way when you ask to interview them for a blog post? You have to remind them what is in it for them. If they answer your question now, they can avoid answering it for prospects and clients over and over again in the future. Because your published blog post can serve as a knowledge base resource. Instead of answering the question in an email, they can just send a link to the blog post. This saves them time but also shows the prospect or client that they didn't just make up the answer on the spot. Your company is experienced and prepared and one step ahead of them because the answer has already been published.
Read moreI have a three step formula I use so that I never run out of blog content.
Step 1) Record
Step 2) Transcribe
Step 3) Polish
Let me explain how this works
Many of us who are charged with writing blog posts are marketers, not the Dynamics ERP/CRM software or industry experts. Unless you are very lucky, those experts would never consider writing a blog post; they are too busy being billable. This is not a problem; you just need to follow this formula.
Read more