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Business Blog Reviews: Kapalua Resort Blog

Thought I'd give you some of my thoughts on the new Kapalua Resort corporate blog to go with my review of the official blog of its parent company, Maui Pineapple. (Here's the press release for the Kapalua blog.)

3 things I like:

Blog Content - It's clear from the outset that the purpose of the Kapalua business blog is to share Kapalua news and travel information. (I didn't know that golf's Mercedes-Benz Championship takes place in Kapalua! Sweet.) That's a huge key to business blogging success - that you make the purpose of your company blog clear right away.

Blog Design - Great URL - simple and clear. Friendly masthead that captures a few scenes from Kapalua. I love minimalist looks in blog designs - less is usually more for the reader.

Blog Community - Young but starting to grow. Comments are enabled and I'm sure they'll add more social media functions (Digg, StumbleUpon, del.icio.us, etc.) in the future. The important thing is that the conversation is open and free to flow.

1 suggestion for improvement:

A photo/video gallery with lots of juicy Kapalua images would be an awesome addition. Would help people get pulled in to the beauty of the area even more.

Conclusion:

Good job to the Kapalua blog team. Along with Maui Pineapple's blog, it shows that business blogging is here to stay and continues to mature.

Business Blog News: Maui Pineapple Blog Launches

Here's my take on the new Maui Pineapple corporate blog (press release here).

3 things I like:

Blog Content - Who can resist the sweet tang of fresh pineapples? Okay, seriously - I like the content of this corporate blog. It's friendly. The images are mouth-watering. And I find the content to be genuine-sounding.

Blog Design - The colors and three-colum layout remind me of a newspaper or newsletter, which is good because the site's name is Pineapple News and it deals mainly with pineapple-related news and buying advice. The layout is fairly simple, which helps the reader focus on the content without getting distracted by lots of flashy "buy our pineapples" links. The hard sell is losing strength on the Web anyway.

Blog Community - By allowing comments, the Maui Pineapple folks have taken a step forward in their corporate history. It's great to see them doing this. It's also good to see links in the right sidebar to recent comments and to relevant social networking links. Corporate blogging needs to be part of the global conversation going on about companies.

1 suggestion for improvement:

As soon as possible, it would be great to add author name(s) and bio(s) to the About page and a link to them in post bylines.

Conclusion:

I like the Maui Pineapple blog. It's off to a tasty start.

Fortune 500 Blog Research: Will You Help Us?

We've just added a Social Media column to the chart on the front page at the Fortune 500 Business Blogging Wiki at Socialtext.

Will you please help us add to the chart?

I have a dream that dozens of us business bloggers will come together to make light work of researching all Fortune 500 companies and compiling an accurate, up-to-date picture of what they are doing with blogs and other "social media" (wikis, file/video/link sharing sites, etc.). By the end of this year.

John, we've got our work cut out for us, haven't we?

I would almost send you chocolate if you helped. That's how much I would appreciate you.

Empire Promos for Promotional Products for Business

Here's a quick sponsored message on behalf of the folks at Empire Promos, which makes hot promotional items that you could use to promote your business through your blog or to promote your business blog itself.

I've attended many kinds of trade shows and conferences in my life, and I've always been impressed by the positive impact that a good promotional product can have on an attendee.

I've also seen many online stores tied to company blogs. The best ones, if they offer promotional products, make sure that the products are worth buying (good quality) and strengthen the corporate brand. A blog is a great way to announce new promotional items or updates to the online store.

So whether you're interested in setting up a store to go with your corporate blog or just want to send somebody corporate gifts or other businessy items, check out Empire Promos. You might like what you find.

Next up, an update on my Fortune 500 blog research.

Sponsored Review 

How to Unlame Your Business Blog: 10 New Tricks for Old Dogs

Let me ask you three questions.

1. How interesting is your business blog?

2. What's the noise level of your blog?

3. How do you unlame a business blog?

Metaphorically speaking, how do you get a two-legged lame old dog to get up and bound out the door, barking up a storm through the whole neighborhood?

Hang on, let me fetch my soapbox and megaphone.

Ahem.

Here are 10 new tricks for old dogs - er, blogs - to finally grow a pair of legs and become totally unlame.

1. Sit. Pay attention to what your customers are saying. Get some ego feeds. Listen.

2. Bow. Treat everyone as a customer and every customer as a dignitary.

3. Beg. Ask for things. Don't be afraid. Ask your customers questions. Ask them to subscribe. Ask them to buy stuff.

4. Dig. Research things and publish the results. Find the bone in the backyard and bring it home, head held high. Make people want to learn from you.

5. Growl. Get guttural. Put some chomp in your bite. Defend your stance on volatile issues. Don't back down.

6. Roll over. So you screwed up before. So own it and learn from it. Start over. Roll over.

7. Shake hands. Be friendly. A dog is a person's best ... exactly. Welcome visitors (but no sniffing, please). Linger. Let people enter your blog as guests and leave as friends.

8. Wag your tail. Talk about stuff that excites you. Let your audience share your joys.

9. Fetch slippers. Pamper your blog visitor. Offer a free product or service. Thank and praise and encourage commenters and backlinkers and Diggers and Stumblers and Deliciousers.

10. Dance. Do something unique, fun, memorable. Make people laugh. Get stuck in their head so tight their kids hear all about you at the dinner table.

... and one more:

11.  Learn names. A great dog knows its masters by name and treats them as - gasp - inidividuals, even though they all form one pack. Find your pack. Find out who else is blogging in your niche and get to know them personally. Spend time in each other's doghouse.

All right - what have you learned? (These are so simple - but you know what they say about old dogs ...)

Please, please unlame your business dog blog. The world needs your bark. It needs your bite. It needs your loyalty, fleas and all.

As you sit, bow, beg, dig, growl, roll over, shake hands, wag your tail, fetch slippers, dance and learn names, you will unlame your blog and someday become a top dog.

So, how do you plan to unlame your business or professional blog?

Photo: BBC

Why Are Most Business Blogs Lamer Than A Two-Legged Dog?

Because at least a two-legged dog makes noise as it drags its butt across the carpet.

You think I'm joking?

I'm dead serious.

Noise is the difference.

Most business blogs simply don't generate much noise, either by themselves or with the aid of their readers.

How many corporate blogs - official company blogs - do you read regularly?

If your answer is greater than 5, congratulations. You're a rare (ahem) breed.

Long gone are the days when you could make heads turn just by saying, "We've got a business blog." That's so far past jumping the shark it's not funny. It's like pouring a gallon of meh all over yourself.

Why are most company blogs stuck in the land of the lame?

1. They don't know how to get up and make noise. OR ...

2. They don't want to. OR ...

3. They just don't care.

How to cure corporate blog lameness:

1. Start caring about making your blog a noisemaker instead of a sleeping pill.

2. Learn how to make noise in the right places.

Next week I'll tell you how to get any business blog off its lame butt, grow two more legs and lumber out the door, barking up a storm throughout the whole neighborhood.

Woof.

What Would You Say in Your Final Blog Post?

If you could plan your final blog post ... your last one ever ...

What would you say in it?

What photos or videos would you include?

What would the post be about?

Who would you write it to?

Would it be serious or funny?

What would make the perfect "parting post?"

And no, this ain't mine. :)

Professional Blogging Call Today at 3:30 PM ET

Des Walsh has the skinny. I'll be there. Will you?

Blogtipping February 2008: 3 Indispensable Feeds

We're feedtipping this time around.

More to Come in the Blog Review Questions Series

Stay tuned for a post later this week all about the text that appears on your blog - fonts, sizes, colors, links, readability, etc.

Blog Review Questions 36-39 of 200: Blog Color Scheme Tips

We will now discuss Questions #36-39 of 200 blog review questions to help you improve your blog. The Ultimate Blog Review Guide covers all 200 questions in detail.

Previous - Blog Review Question #35: How many links are missing mouseover text?

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Questions #36-39 deal with your blog's color scheme.

Blog Review Question #36: How appropriate is the color scheme for the blog's target audience?

Blog Review Question #37: How relevant is the color scheme to the blog's topic?

Blog Review Question #38: How eye-pleasing is the color scheme?

Let's dive in, shall we?

First, what is a color scheme and how does it impact your blog?

A blog color scheme is the choice of colors that you use in your blog design. Dark or black text on a light or white background ("dark-on-light" or "blazing white") is the most commonly used color scheme, but quite a few blogs use a light-on-dark scheme.

Your color scheme will affect the way visitors interact with and respond to what they see on your blog. It may even change the way they feel about your blog, your business and you personally.

A basic color scheme uses 2 or 3 main colors that look aesthetically pleasing together. An advanced color scheme may use several variations or shades of one color (monochromatic) or multiple colors.

There is no single "perfect" color scheme, and your blog does not have to stick to a certain color scheme in order to succeed. However, a carefully considered color scheme is likely to enhance your blogging success.

That's why it's important to learn about color schemes and what different colors may mean when used on blogs.

What happens if your color scheme stinks?

Well, your blog visitors are more likely to leave and never return. They're also less likely to stay at yor blog for more than a few seconds. The worst you can do is actually hurt their eyes and give them a headache - good luck getting on their good side at that point!

Why does color matter so much anyway?

We could fill a book on this topic alone, but the most important thing to remember is that color evokes emotion. The colors you use on your blog are afecting the way your blog visitors feel, right now.

How do you pick a good color scheme for your blog?

First, focus on your vision, your core topic and your core audience. What do you want to accomplishwith your blog? What does your blog mainly talk about? Who is your core audience and what colors will seem appropriate to them?

Here's a quick mental exercise.

Read the following words and think of the colors that come instantly to your mind.

1. Money
2. Love
3. Fun
4. Peace
5. Technology
6. Music
7. News
   
8. Controversy
9. Politics
10. Weather

What colors did you think of and why?

Here's what pops into my head first:

1. Money - green
2. Love - red, pink
   
3. Fun - yellow
   
4. Peace - white
   
5. Technology - silver
6. Music - blue
   
7. News - black, white
   
8. Controversy - red
   
9. Politics - red, white and blue
   
10. Weather - gray, dark blue

Your answers will depend mostly on your cultural background and personal experiences.

Imagine that you associate the idea of love with the color red. Then suppose that you visit a blog whose title is "The Lover's Daily Buzz - Hot News and Advice for Hopeless Romantic." And imagine that its color scheme comprises several shades of dark blue and dark gray, with no red at all. Wouldn't that strike you as odd? Of course it would. How inclined would you be to trust that blog's content?

So how do you find out what your target audience would judge to be an appropriate color scheme or your blog?

1. Ask them. Email, call and personally talk to the people you know who fit your description of your target audience. Visit forums, blogs and other websites that relate closely to your blog's main topic. Pay attention to the color schemes they use and ask webmasters and other users what they think a good color scheme for your blog would include.

2. Do your homework. Check out color-related resources like the ones listed at the end of this article and study all you can about the way people associate colors with ideas.

3. Experiment. Try switching color schemes for a short time (say, 1-2 weeks) or showing some of your blog visitors a different color scheme. See if your key metrics show any signs of change.

Okay, I've got a basic color in mind. Now what?

Once you've chosen the color that you think your target audience would associate most closely with your blog topic, choose a lighter shade of it and a darker shade (or, if black or white is your base color, pick two similar colors or shades). This is just a suggestion to make the process simple and easy for you. (Hat tip to HomeDecorResource.com.)

Now you have a foundation for your blog color scheme.

Here's a simple technique for using these foundational colors in your blog:

- Lightest = Less Emphasis.

- Medium = Main Content.

- Darkest = Draw Attention.

L, M, D.

Another general rule: Related colors relax; contrasting colors excite. Just think of pink-on-red versus green-on-orange. The effect you want to achieve will influence the colors you ought to put on your blog.

Some blogs with excellent color schemes:

A List Apart - Can you identify the light/medium/dark tones?

Autoblog - Chrome, metallic gray, sporty red ...

Copyblogger - Black-on-white, off-white, vanilla ...

For more "colorful" information, please read:

- The Dimensions of Colour by David Briggs (website explaining principles of color theory)

- Kate Smith's Sensational Color (website) - By Kate Smith and Julie Hoylen. Offers lots of free resources on color, including basic color facts, in-depth color breakdowns, a Color in Business section, and blogs such as Live In Full Color

- ColorSchemer Forums - good forum about color use

- Web Colors - Wikipedia article explaining color use on websites

- Color Balance - Wikipedia article on balancing colors

- ColourLovers.com - A wonderful resource that includes several community aspects, a website color trendspotting area and an informative blog

- EyeForum.info - A forum about vision and eyesight

- ColorJack color generator

- PagePainter - free web page color scheme editor

- WebsiteTips.com HTML Color Charts and color tutorials

- LightOnDark.com - all about light-on-dark backgrounds and websites that use them

- Worqx Color Theory Tutorial

- more links coming soon (as I work on revising this for my book)

What Do You Think?

What's the best use of color you've seen in a blog? The worst? Why?

How useful and accurate did you find this article to be?

What other tips or suggestions would you like to add?

SOBCon 08: Biz School for Bloggers

I loved SOBCon 07. It was incredible. What a blogging conference.

You need to be there in Chicago May 2-4.

Please blog about SOBCon 08 by next Wednesday, January 16.

Let's get the world excited!

Are you an SOB?

Blog Review Question 35 of 200: Link Mouseover Text

We will now discuss Question #35 of 200 blog review questions to help you improve your blog and review blogs. The Ultimate Blog Review Guide e-book covers all 200 questions in detail.

Blog Review Question #35: How many links are missing mouseover text?

Again, as with several o the questions leading up to this one, the important thing is to make sure details like this are taken care of in their time, but not to over-stress about them.

For SEO and accessibility reasons, it's nice - or important - to make sure that links have that "flyover" text that appears when you mouse over them, and that that text describes accurately and usefully what the links do. More to come. 

Previous - Blog Review Question #34: How many images and videos are missing alt text?

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Blog Review Question 34 of 200: Image, Video Alt Tags

We will now discuss Question #34 of 200 blog review questions to help you improve your blog and review blogs. The Ultimate Blog Review Guide e-book covers all 200 questions in detail.

Blog Review Question #34: How many images and videos are missing alt text?

By the way, if anyone out there thinks I can't get this series and the resulting e-book done by the end of next month, just watch. We're kicking things into a higher gear.

33 questions down, 167 to go. 166 after this one. (Girds up loins.)

Image and video alt text may not be all that important if the blog normally doesn't publish many of them, or if the subject matter and target audience mean that the expectation for alt text isn't as high. Nevertheless, for SEO and accessibility reasons, I believe it's important to check that proper alt tags are in place. 

Yeah, I know - what's a good definition of alt tags? I'll stick that in later. 

Previous - Blog Review Question #33: How many code errors are there? (check at W3C)

Have something to say? Please leave a comment below or email me at: