“You’re 5 years ahead of your time.” That’s what someone told me when I suggested adding a “blog” to our site. Heck, I wanted to use it exclusively as the Content Management System. Maybe if I get someone else to sing this tune, it will be more effective.

SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday-Blogging for Higher Rankings from Scott Willoughby on Vimeo.

Don’t let Rand’s 5 points fool you into thinking this is easy (one for every year I’m too far ahead).

1. “Install” your “blog” in a sub-folder. I totally agree. My testing has shown that sub-domains are useless. Use those if you want to have a throw-away temporary microsite with no SEO value. Avoid the use of “/blog”. I hate the term “blog” because of the baggage it carries. Even though Rand uses that as an example, try to be a little more creative and get out of the “blog” box. If you are a marketer, then I’m sure you can come up with something more useful as a folder name. Think of it as a virtual place, rather than a diary. Installing a blog doesn’t mean starting a Blogger account with a link to your site on the profile.
2. Top-level Navigation. By all means, integrate your new feature into the rest of your site. Wait, I think that should go the other way. Better yet, use your new CMS and templating function to redesign your site’s information architecture. This is the best way for you to become intimately familiar with all the nooks and crannies of your website.
3. Keep it subtle. Stop doing the hard sell. Heck, stop doing even the soft sell. I think most people are smart enough to identify a B2C website. The trick is to make them want to read it like it is a C2C site, and/or because of its great content. Use your content, your interaction, and your link-love to help your customers understand and embrace your brand. Marketers who don’t understand the definition of SPLOG or FLOG should stop now. We don’t need any more spammy sites.
4. Spread out good content. It’s all about links – to and from your own content, but also with the world at-large. This is how Link Juice is made. A good website is easy to navigate because it’s information architecture makes it so. A good blog helps readers find what they want by having a human point to what is relevant.
5. Linkbait. Do it, do it right. Here’s my favorite new term that I created – “Destination-specific Linkbait“. Look, it’s not rocket-science. Think practical, think entertaining, something you would pass along to a friend. Bait is designed to be attractive, and it targets a specific fish. Will you have a feeding-frenzy?