Chapter 24

Building Ties with the Online Community

Community is a word that quite clearly describes the Internet. Although people are from all over the world and from completely different walks of life, they find similar interests online and come together to share their thoughts and listen and learn, support and oppose others. To be successful with an Amazon site, you need to establish yourself as a part of this community and as an expert in a particular area that is in line with the product you sell. There are a variety of ways of doing this.

Establishing Credibility with a Blog

Besides taking advantage of the support that Amazon gives you through its widgets and banners, community building, and sales items, one of the best ways to build online popularity and increase your ratings with the search engines is through blogs. Short for Web logs, blogs are a combination of online newsletter, forum, and journal that revolve around a specific theme related to your Amazon Associates Web site, WebStore, or any other Web site or business you have established to sell your Amazon products. You may, for example, build a Web site in conjunction with the book or CD you have listed with Amazon Advantage. Your blog can include links to your Amazon Web site and/or sell the actual product.

The main purpose of the blog is to provide relevant and up-to-date information on your established theme. If you sell racing bicycles, for example, your blog can have postings on newly introduced bicycles, safety recommendations, product alerts, bicycle comparisons, or just your own thoughts on certain cycling issues. Remember, in the minds of your potential buyer, information is one of your most essential products. Offering relevant and up-to-date information:

Starting a blog is easier than ever because of the friendly blog platforms available to produce them. It is the upkeep that is much more time-consuming. Once starting a blog, it is necessary to keep on feeding it with articles. The most effective way to start small is to create a free blog with one of the many platforms easily available. Some of the most widely used platforms to build a blog are WordPress, Blogger®, and LiveJournal®.

Regardless of which blog platform you decide to choose when creating your blog, you will be led step-by-step with some type of tutorial. When you read the instructions on the respective blog platform, you will find all necessary information. Creating a blog can take as little as 15 minutes. There will be different templates from which to choose. The blog setup is usually straightforward and does not require any coding knowledge. This is only necessary once you want to start to personalize your blog and get into more complex design. For your purposes, this will most likely not be necessary. You also have your Web site, which has more of the bells and whistles.

WordPress is an especially robust blogging software for start-up. You can create a WordPress blog for free in minutes, and just as quickly write a post. Before you start your blog, you should also spend a few hours traveling online and looking at some of the competitors’ blogs for ideas for layout and design, articles, and promotional tools. Also start looking for some blogs that will be appropriate for sharing links. This will begin to expand your audience readership.

From the start, you should always remember consistency and patience. Studies report that there are millions of blogs online, but a large number of these were started and never continued. Another large group never attracted the search engines and are sitting in some online limbo land. Unless you can 1) generate a blog post at least two times a week and 2) continue to do so until you begin to get higher listings on search engines and visitors to the blog, nothing will happen. This can take several months. Too many people do not build up their blog vehicle because they do not write enough posts or have the patience to wait for responses.

You need a topic that is going to be of interest to your intended visitors and that is related to your product line or theme for your book or Web site. This will also take some research. You have to think carefully about the people you want to target and their interests. Then you need a subject that you know well, is wide enough to write about on a regular basis, and that is constantly changing and offering something of interest for your readers. Because your blog is about your business, you can write about product industry news you read about in the newspapers, business publications, or online.

Remember that you need to have a link back to your Web site in the article, so your blog post has to relate somehow to the products you are selling. No one is looking for a scholarly, in-depth report on a subject; just a few personal comments can be enough. If you hit a block on ideas for your postings, respond to someone else’s blog on a similar topic. Include a link to this other blog in your blog post and then send the author of that blog an e-mail about the link. This not only provides a topic on which to write, but goodwill with another blogger who already has ratings established. It is very possible that this blogger will respond by sending a link back to you.

Encourage responses from your own readers. This, too, builds community and lends credibility to both your blog and Web site. Also, it may give you additional blog and Web sites with which to link. When someone does respond, include a “thank you” on the blog page or send the person an e-mail. Once your blog begins to get a following, list it with the blog directories. That will encourage more people to visit and respond, and also enable additional search engine listings. There are thousands of blog directories available for submitting your blogs, and many more directories created daily.

Again, patience is the key. You will not be able to register with most of the directories immediately. You have to build up your blog first, as the directories will want a certain number of posts written in your blog before you can be listed. Also, some of the directories are free, and others will charge for their services. Some directories generate very little traffic, with a lot of categories and few listings under them, and low ranking in the search engines. In other words, especially if you are paying to be listed in a directory, you need to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth. After you sign up with a directory, keep track of the traffic that is or is not being generated, and determine if the directory is of value.

Here is the list of some of the major blog directories:

1. Best of the Web Blog Directory is one of the earliest directories. It is very selective and accepts blogs that are in existence for six months or more of postings.

2. Eaton Web Blog Directory claims to be the oldest such publication. Once listed in this directory, look for an automatic increase in visitors. Each accepted blog is ranked on strength, momentum, and overall content.

3. Blog Directory//Blog Catalog is another older listing that has a wide range of categories and allows various searching modes.

4. Blog Flux is a directory with a wide variety of categories in alphabetical order. It also offers many useful tools for bloggers.

5. Blogarama has more than 80,000 blogs listed with both free and paid listings.

6. Blogoogle also has free and paid blog submission. Blogs listed for free must have a specific page rank. They are very strict on who they do and do not accept, so carefully read the Web site.

7. Bloggeries has strong categories and subcategories with a clear and concise layout where readers are able to find their blogs very quickly and efficiently.

8. Bloggapedia’s homepage attracts readers who are interested in top blogs and new posts. There are also different categories from the norm.

The Benefits of Blogs

Building a Customer List

A blog serves another purpose: Growing your customer community. On your blog and Web site, you need to give your visitors an opportunity to sign up for additional information. In order to refrain from any problems with spam, you must 1) let people know exactly what they will receive by “opting in,” or agreeing to have their name added to a list. Are they signing up for e-mail notification for sales, monthly e-zines with information about a specific topic related to your product line, weekly e-mail updates, a video, a free e-book? Give them only what they have agreed to receive; 2) promise, and keep the promise, that you will not give or sell their names to any other vendor or service. In a brick-and-mortar business, organizations use advertising, promotions, free giveaways, and contests to develop a list that is used for future marketing purposes. Online, it is difficult to build this list because there are millions of enterprises and millions of people out in the virtual world. Customer list-building is one of the first things to figure out if you are going to build your online business, as the targeted list will be the lifeblood of your revenue streams.

Many of the reports you receive from Amazon will also have specific information about customers. This is vital data to build your business. It will also help you break down your lists into specific categories, be they by geography, product, or customer demographic.

On your Web site and blog, you want to give visitors the means to opt in for more information, or for some type of giveaway or contest. Another way of building a list is to write and place articles on the Web with internal links, signature, or biographical information to your blog or Web site. You are building your name recognition and credibility at the same time that you are acquiring names and e-mail addresses. Contributing a weekly article to a number of different specialized article directories offers you an effective way to drive traffic to your product or service. In most article directories, you are allowed to give yourself as the author and add a signature. Usually, you can put a one-line descriptor with your signature and/or your Web site address. For example, “Bikeshop.com, where all your biking needs are cycled quickly.”

Another marketing approach is opt-in e-mail, or sending specialized business electronic mail to recipients who have already approved the receipt of commercial messages. This can be accomplished through services, or “safe lists,” where you agree to receive e-mails from other business owners/service providers in exchange for having your own e-mail sent to targeted recipients. The usual opt-in e-mail service permits one post per week.

Similarly, co-registration is when someone refers leads, subscriptions, or memberships with a partner. That is, you and someone with a similar product exchange links and sign-ups on each other’s sites. Online, you can find a list of co-registration services offering leads on a fee basis. Just as with the blog directories, you need to review the sites and determine which may be best for you and, after signing up, keep track of results. You can combine your goal of providing information along with building a list. You can offer a weekly e-zine or newsletter, a series of informative e-mails, or an e-book. These offer valuable information, subtly promote your products, and build up a customer list.

Your e-book can also be used for many other promotional vehicles. Once you have generated this list, you can use it to keep your name in the forefront of the customer’s mind. On a quarterly basis, you can send out specific product news and/or coupons. Repetition — but not spamming — works to sell products or services in the long run, assuming that the individual has given you permission.

On your blog, you can also have a discussion area. Your readers and potential customers can become their own community by being able to write in different topics of interest. There are always provocative or controversial subjects in addition to informational ones.

Joining Forums

You can also spread your expertise to other online locations, such as other blogs, message boards, and forums. The important thing to keep in mind is subtlety. You do not want to join theme-related forums just to promote your products. In fact, this is the easiest way for you to get thrown out. You can do a search for forums or message boards through Google or any other search engine. For example, if you are selling bicycles, put the words “bicycle forum” into the search engine. Here are some of the different forums that come up: road cycling, single-speed and fixed gar, commuting, bicycle mechanics, 50+, folding bikes, touring, and mountain biking.

Once you have seen a few forums that appear promising, look at each one and see how many people have been sending messages, the quality of these messages (some forums are just another means for advertising and marketing), and how often people write in. You want a large, active community that is looking for information. Find three of these forums and then just read them for a week or so. Get a feel for the forum first in regard to its style and needs. For example, some are very social, but others want more technical information.

When you feel that you understand the culture, respond to the some of the comments by offering advice. Do not push your products or services. The more you offer information, the more known you will become, and the more people will come to your site. Your comments may also be picked up by the search engines, depending on the format. When you register, you will be able to include the same, or similar, signature to the one you have at the end of your e-zine articles. You can tailor your signature for the subject of the forum and the people you are targeting. You can also respond to comments made on other blogs. These are seen by all the readers of that blog, an entirely different group of people, and may also be picked up by the search engines.

Product Reviews

As noted, people are always looking for additional information and expertise. As an Amazon representative, you offer this knowledge. You can provide your experience by reviewing products. For instance, what if you have had an experience with barbeque smokers? Because you have that knowledge, you can write reviews on other products in the same area. Next to every product on Amazon is a link for a product review. Your comments do not have to be in-depth, just clear and to the point. Each review gives you two links — one for your name and one for the product you have reviewed.

You can also write a review on a book about summer backyard cooking or building a backyard kitchen. If readers enjoy your review or find it valuable, they will see what else you have written on your blog and also inquire more about the products you sell online. Once again, be subtle. You should not say, “This is a great product and you can find more like it on my Web site.” Your comments must be truthful and sincere. It is better, for example, for you to talk about your own vendors: “Over the years, I’ve carried a number of different brands of smokers, and I get the best feedback about (x brand). This new product has a lot of bells and whistles, but customers keep on coming back for the tried-and-true models.”

Video Reviews

Amazon, Amazon.com and the Amazon.com logo are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Amazon now allows customers to upload product video reviews. Use a Webcam or video camera to record and upload reviews. Amazon values its reviews so much, in fact, that customers can choose who they consider “Top Reviewers.” In this case, it is not quantity for reviews, but quality. After a customer reads a review, he or she can push a “yes” or “no” button on whether or not the information was helpful, based on accuracy and expertise. If you become a “Top Reviewer,” you will be given a special badge of accommodation.

Earlier “Listmania” was mentioned in regard to the Advantage program. Another way to get free publicity on Amazon is by using this “Listmania” function. As an expert, you can make a list of items that have especially influenced you. You can include books on your list, in addition to music, DVDs and videos, electronics, toys and games, software, computers and video games, kitchen tools and hardware, and lawn and patio furniture. As with the reviews, customers can rate this list and also e-mail it to others, if they found it helpful. Add this list to your Amazon profile by just clicking on the “Add a Listmania” link on the left side of the “Friends and Favorites” homepage.

The “So you would like to…” listing on Amazon is yet another way for you to promote your knowledge. This takes more writing skill than making a list, but it also adds weight to your credibility and visibility. Make sure that you let the readers know what gives you the right to be the expert in this field; let them know how long you have been using or selling similar products. “This product is great,” says nothing. “This product is great because…,” or “I find when barbecuing on this smoker, it is best to leave the roast in at least 10 hours,” lends credibility. You can write about any product with an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) or ISBN number and create your entry by clicking on “So you would like to…” guide on the left side of the “Friends and Favorites” homepage.

Amazon also gives buyers an opportunity to leave feedback on their merchants and rate them on their performance. A summary of this feedback from your buyers — including an average of your 1-to-5-star rating — accompanies your name whenever you list an item at Amazon. Sellers are rewarded and receive positive feedback for communicating well and shipping quickly. If you receive a negative rating, accept it as constructive criticism. It is best for you to take the suggestions in a good light and thank the customers for their input.

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