Caro Consulting

Welcome Fabric.com to the Blogosphere

Sometimes you just need to get out there and try something new.

In 1999, Fabric.com (Phoenix Textiles at that time) was one of the first companies to go online to sell fabric. Stephen Friedman was in the fabric wholesale business and needed to get rid of some inventory. He created a Yahoo! Store, posted fabric online for $1 a yard, and sold out in a week – he was hooked.

Today, Fabric.com has thousands of fabric SKUs for apparel, quilting, and home decorating. Admittedly, selling fabric online (something people typically like to see and touch) is a challenge. Yet, hundreds of orders come in each day. And, they are not alone. The big fabric retailers are now online, along with regional brick and mortar stores, and small boutique firms trying to expand their reach.

In June, Fabric.com graduated from the Yahoo Store, launched a new site, and hired an internal resource to optimize their PPC efforts and the site. Optimizing for fabric is no easy feat with hundreds of different fabrics online changing each week – and 10 different ways to identify the same fabric. As I mentioned, competition is fierce too. Everyday Mike Bradbury optimizes pages one at a time, adding more content. He works on getting the word out about Fabric.com, so he can generate high quality links back to certain pages. He reviews the rankings and like many of us, curses Google and its inconsistency.

The culture of just getting out there and trying something new, started by Stephen in 1999, has continued through the years. As a new employee Mike has caught on to this philosophy and tried something new himself - a quilting blog. The beauty of blogging is you don’t have to create a requirements document, site plan, and implementation schedule. You can just get out there. Yes, yes, we all know he will need to eventually go back and put a strategy in place and determine how it will reinforce the Fabric.com brand, etc. But, for now, I applaud his effort.

Blog Etiquette

As I mentioned in my previous post, when you are traveling in a foreign country, you want to do your best to learn the language in order to get around. It's also important to understand a little bit about the culture and the etiquette. Make an etiquette faux pas and the next thing you know a Japanese grandmother is ranting at you incomprehensibly. But, we'll save that story for another time...

The blogosphere has a certain blog etiquette you need to follow as well. To get it right, I decided to go to the experts - Toby Bloomberg from Diva Marketing (Blog) and Paul Chaney the Blog Coach.

When you are writing a post, when is it appropriate to give someone credit? How is that credit given?

Bloggers are the "nicest people" and most generous with "courtesy" links. Link when you find content that you've found on another post. It's almost an informal copy write acknowledgement. It's also a nice way to develop relationships with other bloggers who will find your blog via their stats and often acknowledge you in their posts - more Google juice for you.

Link with acknowledgement can either be part of a post or a notation at the end of the post. At the end of the post you can say something like [Via nameofblog] using the brackets and hyperlinking to the post in question.

What is a trackback? When does someone use it?

Trackbacks: A function used by bloggers to notifies other bloggers they have been cited in their post. Used when you continue or add value to the original conversation.

What is a permalink? When is it used?

Unique url of the post. This is the link you use for your first question.

When is it appropriate to comment on someone else's post? What is appropriate content and what is not?

Anytime you can add value to the thread. Appropriate is determined by the blogger. Some bloggers enjoy a good debate others even like flames. Some bloggers think anything goes. Use your good judgment in what you would discuss at any business meeting/conversation. Many blogs are now posting comment guidelines.

Sometimes bloggers will post a quick "thanks" if the blog author has tracked back or linked to their blog. Like you did on the first blog you were mentioned.

What is an appropriate action to take when someone posts a comment on your blog? Do you email them? Do you post a comment on their blog? Do you post a comment on your own blog under their comment?

As with any interchange, sometimes a response is expected. Sometimes not. Usually when a question is asked, when you want to extend the conversation/be chattier/thank the commenter. Again, it's a subjective call.

Email if you want to continue the conversation off list. A good way to further develop relationships. I often email new commenters a thank you since one never knows if the commenter will be back to read the comments on this particular post.

Some comment areas include the function to email you if someone posts a comment to the comment that you commented on...get that one?

Thanks Toby and Paul for taking the time to answer some basic questions for my readers!

Looking for more information? Here are a few more experts you can check out...

Questions About Blogging – Andy Wibbels

Blogging – Josh Hallett

Blog Basics

Have you ever lived in a foreign country for a few months? Eventually, you learn enough of the language to get around. Yet, every once in a while, people chuckle when you mispronounce a word or look at you funny if you do something out of the norm.

This is what it feels like as people first enter the blogosphere. It is a relatively unexplored world equipped with its own language. This is a world where you can find linky love when people like each other and get flamed when they don't. It's also a new and exciting world where you can find great information, reinforce your brand, or even make some money on the side.

Now, in most countries, you can get around comfortably knowing 15-20 basic words. In the blogosphere, it is much the same. For this post, let's start with five words.

Blog or Weblog

A form of online writing, frequently updated by one or more authors. There are many uses for blogs - in the case of the Caro Blog, it is a form of Internet marketing education.

The great thing about blogs is you don’t have to be a developer to start one. This blog uses Typepad. According to Microcontent News, community blogs use Scoop or Slash. If you're a techy and prefer open source software, you can use Movable Type or Blosxum. If you want free and easy, Google offers a free blogging tool called Blogger.

Post

A blog is populated by posting content. It's not an article, it's a post.

Blogged and Flamed

If someone writes about you, you've been blogged. If someone writes negatively about you, you've been flamed... adding a whole new dimension to crisis management for the PR department.

RSS Reader

And finally, if you would like an easy way to keep track of your top 50 blogs, you can use a RSS Reader. I'll let others explain the technology behind it – All you need to know is you can sign up for Bloglines, or some other reader, and start entering your favorite RSS capable blogs and websites. It will notify you every time there is a new post. Very simple and quite addicting.

There’s a lot still left to learn, but this should give you enough of a head start.

Welcome to Caro Consulting's blog about blogs and other Internet marketing techniques

Many people have asked me about blogs and how they apply to their businesses—why not take the leap and join the blogosphere myself. Isn't doing something yourself the best way to learn?

So, here I am! Welcome to Caro Consulting's blog about blogs and other Internet marketing techniques. Through my postings I plan to share practical information about marketing strategy, SEO, SEM, email marketing, affiliate marketing, web analytics, Internet retailing, lead generation, and yes, blogs.

Of course, I do not know it all—everyone has their own specialty and unique perspective on Internet marketing. Join me in my effort to spread the word about the value and effectiveness of Internet marketing. I look forward to sharing your comments, thoughts, and opinions with my readers.