Here’s some interesting weekend reading:

Webconfs.com has compiled an incredible list of SEO techniques, organized into categories and ranked with scores ranging from +3 (things you should definitely do) to -3 (things to actively avoid).

Suffering from blogger’s block?  NorthxEast has a list of Twelve Ways to Turn a Boring Post into Pure Gold.  First, however, they point out that in the end, it’s good content and good headlines that drive traffic.

The Copyblogger asks “Do You Make These Mistakes When You Write?” a continuation of his previous list of errors that can diminish a writer’s, or a blogger’s credibility.

If you’re a woman and a blogger, consider attending the Blogher.org Conference, but act quick, because it’s happening very soon – July 27-29 in Chicago.  Attendees can register through July 20th.

Used to writing for print? Here’s a beautifully concise post from O.M. Strategy on the differences between online and offline writing.

Have an excellent weekend!

No one really likes to be on the receiving end of the hard sell – it’s awkward and annoying for everyone involved, really.  Fortunately, it is easy to avoid engaging in such off-putting activities, thanks to the many promotional tools and techniques out there on the net.

Blogging, is a particularly good way to set up a passive but constant soft sell.  Now, you might be thinking: “Of course you’re going to say that!  You write a blog about blogging!” Guilty as charged, but it doesn’t change the fact that blogging can indeed be a valuable marketing tool.  It lets potential customers find you on their own time and get to know you and your products or services at their leisure.

See, blogging is a two way street.  Instead of just broadcasting your message at a captive audience in the manner of most traditional advertising, you’re communicating with your readers instead of talking at your potential customers.  The blogosphere is a community, and for your blog to be as successful as possible, you have to participate, even if you’re blogging about your business.  Actually, especially if you are blogging about your business.

The key to using your blog as a marketing tool is not to think of it as such, at least in the traditional sense.  Besides telling your readers about your business and products, share other details about your life and link to other blogs, articles, and websites that you like.  By blogging about varied but related topics you can prevent your blog from being a one-note-wonder.  After all, would you want to read a blog that only consists of tons of remarkably similar posts harping on the same product? It’s the blogging version of the smarmy, pushy salesman who gets in your face and refuses to let you leave without making a purchase – but on the web, readers can escape the hard sell with just one click.*

Think of your blog as a mini-portal to your niche.  Let your readers start with your blog, check out your latest posts, and then continue on by clicking on your links (naturally, you should link to things that support your message and your brand).  Remember that blogging is a dialogue, it is dynamic, and it is interactive, so update often and answer comments and questions.  Also, remember that your readers are probably pretty savvy and they can tell when a blog is straight-up propaganda.  The best way to draw readers to your blog is to create interesting, useful, and compelling content, and do it regularly.   Of course, that is also the hardest way – but that’s what your blogging coach is here for.

*You may have already seen this, but the Cluetrain Manifesto is worth checking out – and getting on.

Here’s a few good links to check out over the weekend – have a great one!

7 Key Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs (Part 1 of 2) from Dream Jobs Dialog – an interesting read even if you’re not an entrepreneur, be sure to check back next week for part 2.

Dealing with Writer’s/Blogger’s Block – Try Reading, Walking, Just Break the Routine from Bloggers for Hire – because blogger’s block happens to the best of us. Personally, I like to read other blogs and magazines for ideas.

Linked In has a hired a blogger – a.k.a. Community Evangelist Mario Sundar.  Check out his blog, Marketing Nirvana, for info about blogging, social networking, social marketing, and more.

Pick the Brain gives us 10 Ways to Improve Your Mind by Reading the Classics.  Reading will also help you become a better writer and blogger, two incredibly important skills in today’s business world.  Sometimes you just have to put down the laptop and PDA and pick up a book.

In a similar vein, Hook Your Readers With A Good Quote from Daily Blog Tips.  Let a masterful writer do some of the work for you – just don’t forget to give credit (and a link if applicable) where credit’s due.

Many bloggers are experts on a particular topic, and they rightfully promote themselves as such.  However, in order for readers to believe in your expert status and to have that translate into gigs, sales, and subscribers, you need to prove it.  Essentially, you have to convince the internet you’re an expert.

So how do you prove your worth?  You give as much as you get.  Let me explain – by sharing some of your knowledge and skills, you let your readers know that you really are an expert.  Blogs are an excellent way to do this; a few possible options include writing a series of how-to posts, creating an online portfolio (this works best for creative types like graphic designers, photographers, and writers), or even penning a downable e-book.

If you have a product or service to promote, you can include insight into how the product works, testimonials from satisfied customers and any other details that a potential customer might want to know.  Testimonials can be especially powerful if they answer specific questions and silence possible objections; for example, you can feature testimonials from customers who describe how your product solved their problems and/or improved their lives.  Use testimonials to provide concrete evidence as to why they should buy your product or enlist your services.

However, for those of us who are blogging to promote ourselves and our brands, it’s a little trickier.  How-tos work well because they not only prove that you know your stuff, they’re useful. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – one of the key ways to get repeat readers (and to get those readers to send your link to others as well as getting other bloggers to link to your blog) is write content that is in some way beneficial to them.

Want to get the most out of your blog?  Share your skills, be a giver, and good things will happen.

So you’ve started your blog, put up a basic bio on your About page, and you’ve got a few good posts up.  The content is good and the search engines are sending some traffic your way, but you’d like to have even more readers.  Now you need to get people reading it (your friends and family don’t necessarily count unless you can get them to pass your link along to everyone they know and then some).

It’s the blogging equivalent of the tree falling in a forest – if there’s no one there to hear it crash, does it make a sound?  By the same token, is your blog a valuable tool if no one is reading it?  Here’s a few ways to get plenty of incoming links:

1.  Comment on other blogs.  I’ve touched on this before, but it bears repeating.  Comment on the blogs that you admire, and try to add something substantive to the discussion.  People are more likely to click on your link if they think that you can provide them something useful, entertain them, or teach them something new.

2.  Create blogroll of blogs that you enjoy, admire, and read regularly.  Not only will this give your readers new blogs to read (sort of a “if you like X, you’ll love Y” thing), the other bloggers can tell you’ve linked to them through their stats or Technorati.  You can also conversationally link to other bloggers with relevant content in your posts.

3.  Claim your blog on Technorati and use your tags wisely.  Technorati is more than just an internet popularity contest, it’s a valuable blog promotion tool (you can see who’s blogging about the same topics, who has linked to you, who has favorited you, and all sorts of other useful stuff.  If you haven’t yet claimed your blog, go do that now – do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not even finish reading this post.

4.  Join Blog Carnivals that fit your subject matter.  A Blog Carnival is a type of multi-author blog event that consists of a list of permalinks to blog posts on a pre-defined topic.  This is an excellent way to garner publicity for a new blog and draw attention to some of your best posts.  You can also start blog carnivals once you become more established in the blogosphere.

5.  Offer to guest-blog on popular blog in your niche.  This strategy is best deployed after you’ve been blogging for a while and already have some incoming links.  Becoming a guest blogger involves approaching the owners of other blogs you enjoy and offering to write a post for them – be sure to emphasize the unique skills and content that you can provide for their readers (and for them - chances are they’ll be happy that they get a day off from blogging).  Used properly, this technique can drive tons of traffic your way.

There are plenty of other ways to get incoming links, and I’ll be mentioning them in the upcoming weeks, so check back and keep creating compelling content.

Yesterday I went to the Printer’s Row Book Fair (one of the many interesting events in Chicago) to check out all the cool books for sale and meet up with a few local writers.  Not surprisingly, many authors have blogs that they use to promote their work and share their stories.  However, just as many seem to either dismiss both the internet and blogosphere as a community of dilettantes and plagiarists.

Although everyone is entitled their own opinion, I think that neglecting to realize the full scope of the web is dangerous.  There is some great content online, and for many, the web is their main source of news, information and entertainment.  Younger generations even tend to view search engines as an extension of their brains.

Blogging has democratized publishing – anyone with a computer and an internet connection can become a writer.  Granted, there is a whole lot of chaff out there, but once you separate the wheat you see how blogs can be a very powerful promotional tool and means of expression.  You don’t necessarily have to be the next Hemingway, either.  Just write simply and clearly about what you know.  It’s a way to build your personal brand and share your expertise with current and potential employers, clients, and customers.   Even the New York Times (check out this article entitled “Can Blogs Become a Big Source of Jobs?”) has recognized the value of blogging!

If you’re really worried about plagiarism, encourage people to link back if they quote you (this is just good “netiquette” anyways) and add a Creative Commons license to your site.

In closing, here’s a cool book to pick up if you’re interested in how digital media is changing publishing, I picked up a book called Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times.  It’s a collection of essays by young writers about writing, technology, and the web.  Edited by Kevin Smokler (who has a blog, naturally), it’s a good read even if you’re not part of the media world.

Blogging to promote your business isn’t all that different from blogging in general.  Here are two posts with some great advice:

27 Lessons I’ve Learned About Blogging from Pick the Brain

18 Lessons I’ve learned about Blogging from Problogger

I’ll be going more in depth about many of these topics in the next few weeks.