Sung to the tune of Duke Ellington's "A-Train":
You must bribe the "A"-List
To get your URL put in their blogroll
If you bore the "A"-List
You'll find you have no readers for your writing
Hurry - bring them gifts and praises
Lavish them with loving gazes (Oh Lord!)
Suck up to the "A"-List
Soon you will have a listing in their blogroll
Wondering what the heck that is all about? I'm responding to a post in Guy Kawasaki's blog about sucking up to the “A-List” of well known, well read, and well linked bloggers in order to get a mention in their blog that can boost your links and public awareness. This subject has been bandied about quite a bit in recent months, with some suggesting that there is no room for new, struggling blogs to develop a readership because everybody is bookmarked to just their few favorite names.
Now I would like to be known as the A-List blogger about webinars, webcasts, and web conferencing. As far as I know, nobody else on the web has a blog concentrating solely on this field. I write about the vendors, I write about news developments, I write about tips for using the technology more effectively. But I find it as hard as anybody to develop that critical public awareness. Thus you see occasional links where I put in references to blog utilities and other blogs.
We have to do much the same thing when publicizing a public web event. I have a client right now trying to do an initial public awareness webinar for the general consumer community. He has a mortgage product that could be great for anybody buying or refinancing a home. Heck, even if you weren't thinking of refinancing, you might after you see this concept! But how do you let people know about a subject they might not be actively looking for? He can't afford to send emails or direct mails to everybody on the West Coast of America (his area of coverage).
This is where web blogs, search marketing, and sponsored links come in to play. I'm helping him come up with a strategy to get the word out, and I'll be referring back to this blog entry when we go to full registration. In the meantime, I have effectively peppered some search engines with the fact that I'm talking about mortgages and refinancing just by mentioning them here. A few readers might even be intrigued enough by this teaser to write and ask for more information.
Don't overlook the power of viral marketing to help with single-event publicity. It should be a regular weapon in your overall arsenal.
In the meantime, do me a favor and help spread the news about this blog. Send somebody a link. Or tell Guy Kawasaki to mention me in his blog!
