Tag: bloggers

I am not one to divulge too much personal information. The most that anyone outside of friends and family really know about me is that I studied film and wanted to be a film critic, or even direct a movie one day; I get lost in music (more than just both kinds); I am a St.Kilda supporter and worked for the club for approximately 12 years as a trainer; and I don’t drink coffee.  Some believe that non-coffee drinkers are untrustworthy, but I say that is a load of bitter tasting mud.

Not being much of a conversationalist that is the best I can give most people. But as someone who has just become a regular blogger, I feel I must dig deeper. And I have been told to do so anyway.

So, as my smiling face now accompanies these blog posts, here goes.

As part of my new time management ritual, I am cutting back on my time surfing the net, checking for updates on social media and reading blogs.

When you run a business such as mine, it's hard to find time to do everything that you want to do, at the level you would like to do it at. So, I spent some time this morning reading over 50 different marketing blogs and was amazed at the varying levels of content quality.

There have been five writers that have truly stood out in the past few years, and although it would be fair to say that they have the following of the most loyal marketing and entrepreneurial crowd, they also come with thought leadership and strong opinions - which makes for great reading.

Retailers that have not adopted a strategic social media strategy that has as much weighing in their marketing budget as their traditional media spend, are at risk of not only losing marketshare but also staying alive as a business.

Retailers were slower to discover the benefits of using bloggers and affiliate sites to reach their target audience, but those who have taken seriously the trend that has absorbed the world in the past five years of social media engagement are seeing a lower cost marketing platform that is complemented by a more loyal and trusted customer base.

Blogging isn't for everyone. In fact, few people can pull it off and actually get a reasonable return on investment. While it can be fun to share your ideas, there is a whole world out there whose ideas differ from that of your own. And beware... sometimes they are even happy to tell you about it.

But it isn't all doom and gloom.

Blogging can be quite lucrative from a brand profile prospect and for some, financially. Successful bloggers don't just make their livings out of blogging, they quite often make their fortune. Think Mia Freedman (www.mamamia.com.au) and Seth Godin.