Over the years I've come up with a few brilliant ideas for new products. Just a few years ago during this time of year I noticed how tacky Christmas lights looked strung over bushes and hedgerows. It dawned on me that a light "net" might be a good idea. You could simply lay the net over the bush and have a more uniform appearance that would be easier to handle than a string of lights. Unfortunately, someone had already thought of it.

Similarly, complaining about the carpal tunnel I was getting from working the mouse on a flat mousepad with no support, I determined that having not only a mousepad with a wrist rest would be good, but having one with a movable wrist rest designed in such a way the heel of the mouse "docked" in it would be better. That degree of support would virtually eliminate any wrist or hand movement. But, again, too late. Someone already did it!

So, now, I've got another idea. . .custom covers for iPods, similar to what you have with cell phones. I came across a site just today, Secondhand Monkeys (has nothing to do with the furry mammals), that offers low-priced MP3 players with "designer" type covers.

Face it, iPods should be as individual as the person who owns it. Custom covers seem like a natural fit (pun intended). However, my luck, someone has already patented the idea. I just wish inspiration would strike me a bit sooner! Hey, maybe I can get a good deal on them and sell 'em on eBay! 

I found this in an article about A-list bloggers.

"If you're into blogs to make money, you're into it for the wrong reasons...Do you ask your back porch what its business plan is?" - Doc Searls

I don't share Doc's disdain for making money via blogs, but do I have a love-hate relationship with the idea. While I think the future looks bright in that regard, I contend the real benefit of blogs for small businesspeople, particularly solo entrepreneurs, consultants, and those of that ilk, is to use blogs as a credentialing resource, an online resume as it were. Let it become an agency through which you can get more lucrative consulting deals, job offers, or speaking engagements.

Priya Shah has written an excellent article titled How To Build Traffic To Your Blog. The article talks about the need to write posts people will read, why you should optimize posts for search engines, and other practical "guerilla" marketing techniques you can use. (Via Micropersuasion)

Oh, and here's another good article on the subject.

It's a proven fact that blogs are magnets for search engines, particularly Google. That being said, you can increase your ranking even more by focusing on keyword optimization within your blog posts. I'm not talking about keyword stuffing, but being sensitive to tactful use of relevant keywords that target the desired traffic and audience you want to reach.

There is an excellent article written by Amanda G. Watlington, entitled Even Blogs Need Keyword Research that goes into great detail about the advantages of keyword optimization for blogs.

Here's a quote to whet your appetite. . .

"[T]he technology underlying blogs and blogging is search friendly, and blog content is both fresh and rich in topical relevance. Aren't these attributes just what search engines have told search marketers they want - fresh, relevant content? Blogs are like candy to spiders - not necessarily good for them but snatched up as eagerly as Halloween trick-or-treats by kids."

While I respect the work of credible SEO experts, I believe a routinely written, keyword optimized, topically targeted blog can give you higher and more frequent returns at a lower cost than any other form of search engine marketing. For that reason alone, blogs are worth the time and investment.

Here's an idea to spread the use of blogs - give one as a Christmas gift.

Right now, TypePad.com is offering a special buy one, get one free deal. Get one for yourself, and one to give to a friend. In addition, they are offering special discounts.

Though I am transitioning my blog to SquareSpace.com hopefully by the end of the month, I am still a huge TypePad fan and believe it to be a serious tool for business bloggers.

The latest experiment in social software is a new photo management application called Flickr.

For bloggers Flickr can be especially useful in that it allows for uploading of photos to almost any blog platform. In addition, mobloggers can upload photos directly from the cameraphone.

What makes Flickr social software? When people look at your photos, not only can they leave comments on them, but they can add notes and tags. Flickr comes with full RSS and Atom support as well. Basic accounts are free.

This is one of the coolest apps I've seen in a while. So cool in fact I called my cell company to see about upgrading to a cameraphone. (I'm under contract right now though, so I'd have to pay full price. Grrr!!!! So, it ain't gonna happen until April when I'm out from under it. Moblogging will have to wait.)

I'm keeing this meme going on professional blogging for awhile. . .

Do yourself a favor and read Jeremy Wright's post called Why Would Companies Buy Bloggers? It is a treatise on exactly how blogs can benefit business and why a company should consider hiring a professional blogger.

Online advertising continues to rise. That includes emerging marketing in the blogosphere. Several attempts have been made to monetize blogs including Blogs Ads, RSS Ads, Adsense, and others.

A new, somewhat controversial program has been unveiled by marketing communications company Marqui. Called the Blogosphere Program, it is a promotion being offered to select bloggers who, for a fee, agree to promote Marqui's products.

At last count there are 18 bloggers in the program including some pretty high profile names like Molly Holzschlag, DL Byron, Robin Good and others.

For the $800 per month the bloggers are paid the only have to put a badge on the site, make one mention per week of the product, and provide a link. Marqui even welcomes these bloggers to criticize the product if need be.

Though some blog purists see this as blatant bastardizing of the very reason blogs even exist, I see it as another step in the evolution of blogs as business and marketing tools.

Here's what Marqui has to say about it. . .

The idea of paying bloggers is a controversial one, as it challenges some of the sacred cows of the journalistic publishing business. When we first started talking about this idea, an energetic exchange between people with traditional publishing backgrounds and bloggers erupted on the Web.

Marqui is insisting on complete transparency with this program. With some high-profile bloggers buying into the program that should help. (I've thrown my hat in the ring, too. I'll let you know if they bite.) 

Not unlike Dr. Frankenstein creating several iterations of his infamous monster before coming up with his final grotesque lifeform, the blogosphere is going to be subject to some pretty outlandish e-commerce monstrosities itself. I see no real need to worry about it. The market and/or the blogosphere will eventually determine which have value and which don't.

Microsoft is releasing a beta version of a blog platform call MSN Spaces. It's being released with the latest version of MSN Messenger and MSN Hotmail.

Though it's targeted for personal use, not business, the advantage is that it will bring blogging more and more to the forefront in terms of mindshare. Because it's packaged with Messenger and Hotmail, millions more could begin using blogs. Microsoft certainly has the clout to be able to educate consumers as to the use of blogs.

There is a tacet danger inherent in this. Due to its emphasis on personal use, blogs may continue to be pigeon-holed as nothing more than "personal online journals or diaries," and not as serious tools for business use. 

I want to state for the record that I am transitioning Radiant Marketing Group into a business blogging consultancy. There is a market for this industry and I intend to gain my share of it. (Because I have a background in email marketing, I will continue to include that service as well.)

Here are my service offerings:

1. I'll consult with you at a strategic level on how business blogs can help you.
2. I'll assist you in implementing the blog for your business, work with your IT staff to choose the best platform for your needs, help you select the blogger, and even train that person (or persons) in how to write blog-style.
3. If you need to outsource the actual blog-writing, I'll do that or find a writer for you.

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or more particularly, JOB OFFERS! My email addy is paul at radiantmarketinggroup dot com.