Tribal Networking for Newbies Part 2

This post was most recently updated on June 7th, 2010

Tribal Networking For Newbies – Part 2

3 REASONS WHY YOUR BLOG IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL

1.Why is your BLOG important?

Your blog is critical to our online networking business because your blog is the central hub for people to buy into your product or partner with you in your business opportunity.  Be sure it is graphically designed to keep people on it for as long as possible.  Only then will they network and join the tribal and viral appeal of your blog and its great content and offers.

Your blog must contain good content.  If it is all about your product, people will click off.  That’s correct…according to latest stats.  So write interesting articles about YOU and whatever you are into in the format of personal interest or entertaining bits, or informational and learning modules.

This is called Personal “Branding”.  When you get people to your blog, they will find out all about YOU.  It is, essentially… relationship building.  And here is where the “trust” begins.  No one wants to work with a stranger telling you that his or her snake oil is the best in the world!  They want to get information that is pertinent to them, not buy your stuff.

2.  Essential elements of a great blog?

Unless you are a graphic designer, you must either learn to make your blog professional from a design standpoint, or you really need to hire a professional graphic designer to do it for you.

A hosted blog is a must because of all the plugins that make it work the way you need it to.  Opt-in boxes MUST be installed so people can sign in to your offer, and, of course…so you can create your list of prospects!

Your blog has to be effective for Tribal Networking. In order to take advantage of the power of free Social Media which is the engine that powers Tribal Networking, your blog has to be interactive.  This is accomplished largely through the addition of plugins to your blog design.

Plugins have to be downloaded and installed manually.  This is a rather time consuming and delicate process, especially if you’re not technologically astute.  But it’s critical you get it right!  This is where you breathe LIFE  into you blog.  If you’re not comfortable learning all the technical aspects of building your blog… If you just want to jump in and start being creative and interactive with it…  Don’t be shy about hiring the services of a good blog designer.  I know it can be expensive, but consider it a business overhead!

So let’s assume you are a do-it-yourself techie, and you’re ready to add Plugins yourself.

You need essentials like Facebook Share – where your readers just press a button to share information from your blog to their Facebook.  The TweetMeMe button permits them to simply click to retweet your content without ever leaving your blog.

You’ll need to program in CommentLuv so that your comment boxes are enhanced, allowing your visitors’ latest blog link to appear after their comments.  This greatly encourages social activity on your blog, and gets comments rolling! From this platform, you can answer back, create new friends and attract potential customers.

You MUST have an enticing and visually ATTRACTIVE Opt-in box.  It must offer “free” info where readers can get information of something that is a perceived value to them.  Once they opt-in to your material or offer, they enter your Sales Funnel.  They instantly become a life-long prospect of YOURS!

And don’t forget this essential:  Make an alluring header!  Create interesting and appealing visual backgrounds for your header.  Be sure to have a GREAT personal picture of yourself, and be sure it is well-integrated into the design structure.

So how’s it working so far?   We are getting up close and personal with strangers and building relationships based on trust.  It all happens through the interactivity of your blog.

3.Why is the design of my blog important?

Just search other people’s blogs.  Keep in mind that it takes mere seconds when you are browsing to be attracted to that blog… or to click off it!  The very first thing that makes a blog attractive is the design… the way it appears to the viewer visiting for the first time.  Good content, and highly valuable information will sustain your blog’s growth, but EXCELLENT design is the only way you will keep new viewers on your blog long enough to even taste the content and information you have to share.

Remember, your blog is critical to Tribal Networking, but it MUST be graphically designed to hold people’s intrigue for as long as possible.  Take the time to learn the technical aspects of GREAT blog design (don’t settle for mediocre, here!).  Or, spend the money to get it done for you, even if it’s an expense you’d rather forego at the outset. Viewers, visitors, readers, will only network and join the tribal and viral appeal of your blog and its great content and offers… if it is visually appealing and well designed.

Good luck out there.  Let me know if you need any help with this.  I’m ready to share any information, know-how and resources at my disposal to help you get off to a great GRAPHIC start to your Tribal Networking.

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Donna Merrill

Donna is a well known blogger and creator of "Blogging Magic" - an intensive guide to blogging. "Blogging Magic" is for beginners who are trying to figure out how to bring their blogs to life with tons of visits, comments and social media interaction. It's even for advanced bloggers looking to reach new levels of authority and engagement with their audience.