“Quora: the Quality Solution to Blogger’s Block” plus 1 more

Quora: the Quality Solution to Blogger’s Block

Posted: 10 Jul 2012 01:01 PM PDT

This guest post is by Jeremy Brown of Varoonix.

Have you been using Quora as a tool to power your blogging efforts? No? You're missing a boatload of content ideas.

In this post, we'll discuss why you need to be using Quora as a blogger, and look at an example that shows the usefulness of Quora.

Are you ready to tap into a never-ending stream of content ideas? Awesome, here we go!

Why you need to use Quora

In case you're not familiar with Quora, it's a platform on which users can ask questions about any topic that's on their mind.

For example, a blogger might ask a question like, What's the best WordPress tool that optimizes SEO for a blog post?

Users who see your question can then answer it. This is where the social element comes into play. It's not uncommon to see some great debates going on at Quora.

It's important to mention that Quora is free and you can sign up using either your Twitter or Facebook account, or through the standard signup form.

So now that you have a basic understanding of what it's all about, but why do you need to be using it? Well, most blogs have at least one of these three aims (some blogs hit all three effortlessly):

to educate
to inspire
to entertain.

The majority of blogs aim to hit the first point: they seek to educate readers. Why? So they can build authority and trust.

An important part of educating people is listening to their pain points and crafting content that alleviates that pain. For example, if I run a fishing blog and notice people talking about how much of a pain it is when their lures get snagged on weeds, I can create a post that talks about the top ten weedless lures.

Quora allows you to see exactly what people are looking for in question form. Then it's up to you to give it to them. It doesn't get much easier than that.

Side note: other tools are out there for bloggers to listen in, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn groups, Yahoo answers. The list goes on. It's time for you to start using them proactively.

But now, let’s see how you can use Quora to get content ideas for your blog.

Quora in action

Let's say my niche blog covers freshwater fishing. I cover a range of topics using how-to and list formats, but I've hit blogger’s block. For the life of me I can't seem to come up with anything fresh (no pun intended).

I don't want to create content just for the sake of creating something. I want to craft something that will alleviate someone's pain point.

Whatever shall I do?!

Quora to the rescue! First, I type "fishing lures for bass" into Quora's search bar to see what questions people are asking, since I cover the topic:

And the results pop up:

Right off the bat, I have a spark for some new blog posts. For example, I can take these questions:

What is the best month for bass fishing in Florida?
What temperature range is best for largemouth bass fishing?
What is the best size hooks to use when worm fishing for largemouth bass?

And I can turn those ideas into these blog post headlines:

Want to catch more bass? Fish during this month
Why I fish in freezing water and catch more Bass
Worm Fishing for Bass 101: The Best Hooks, Weights, and Sizes

Get the idea?

The general rule of thumb is, if someone has a question, most likely someone else has the exact same problem. You've heard that before right? So it's worth answering questions!

Here's the best part: you can fuse Quora and your SEO strategy together to form a pretty efficient way of figuring out people's pain points.

The result? Some killer blog posts that actually help people.

Now you have an understanding of Quora and how it can be weaved into your blogging strategy. All that's left is for you to go and use it!

Now it's your turn

Just like most digital platforms, Quora is a tool. What other tools have you used to find out people's pain points to create new blog posts? Share your favorites with us in the comments.

Jeremy Brown is a self-proclaimed social media dissector and is the creator of the video game review site, Varoonix. Throughout his digital life, he's been a blog starting, social media junkie. He may or may not need to go to a BA meeting (Blogaholic Anonymous). Connect with him on Twitter: @socialjeremy

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Quora: the Quality Solution to Blogger’s Block

Stop Being a Lazy Guest Blogger in 3 Steps

Posted: 10 Jul 2012 07:09 AM PDT

This guest post is by Kelsey Meyer of Digital Talent Agents.

You've finally made it big! The Washington Post or SocialTimes has picked up your well-crafted, thought-provoking article, and you see your name in shining lights (or at least in the author byline).

Is your job done? No way.

Now is the time for you to stop gloating and get to work. Getting a great article published in a reputable publication is only half the battle; if you stop there, you are not only being disrespectful to your readers, you are doing yourself and your brand a disservice.

Here are three ways to follow through on an article that has been published.

1. Promote conversation

If you've written an interesting piece and had it published on a site with a decent readership, your article will likely attract a few comments. Some of these comments will be positive, and you should spend time and real effort reading these and thanking the people who wrote them. Don’t just thank them, but comment on what they liked within the article and expand on it—if they liked what you gave them to start, give them more!

You'll also run into people who don't care for your article. They may even hate it. Address these people as well, no matter how much you may want to ignore them. Don't tell them they're stupid for disagreeing with your article or that you hate them. Instead, a more mature tactic is to welcome their viewpoints and try to address anything they may have misunderstood about your article.

Addressing comments, both good and bad, promotes conversation and engages your readers on a deeper level. Guest bloggers who can take it just as well as they can dish it out are golden. A great example of this is an article one of my company's clients, which was published on Under 30 CEO. My client had readers who agreed and others who disagreed, but he responded to every comment and it sparked great conversation.

2. Thank your sharers

It's a great ego boost when you see that your article has drawn over 100 tweets. You get all warm and fuzzy inside, and you may even mention it to your co-workers.

Now it's time to make those who shared your article feel just as special. There’s a great tool at your disposal, called Who ReTweeted Me, which you can use to see exactly who tweeted your article and easily thank them.

This way, you’ll make new friends on Twitter and encourage people to continue sharing your content. Everyone likes to feel acknowledged—you're living proof!

3. Make sure the link ranks for your name

If you're the author of a great article, you should be credited. Most publications will insert a link back to your website or your social media accounts in the author byline so readers can find out more about you.

Go one better: sign up for BrandYourself.com and include the link to the article in your optimized links. That one small move will help the article rank higher in Google search results for your name. BrandYourself.com is a free service, so there's no excuse not to sign up and start making the most of your posts.

Get more exposure for each post

Take these three steps after each of your articles is published, and you will gain more exposure with each one. You'll also engage your community and up your attractiveness to publications looking for guest contributors. And what's more appealing to a guest blogger than another opportunity to blog?

Kelsey Meyer is the VP of Digital Talent Agents, an online PR firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, authors, consultants, corporate leaders and experts establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Stop Being a Lazy Guest Blogger in 3 Steps