Love Google, Hate Google… Who Cares, Copy Them!

If you were to ask the opinion of top bloggers in the industry their opinion of the online super search giant Google, you would quickly find yourself in the middle of either a pledge of alligence or a slander attack that would make Obama and McCain’s TV ads look tame. Regardless of their opinion or your opinion, one thing is for sure, they are very successful and you should copy some of their marketing techniques.

Recently I came across a cool new feature that Google has offered called Goog411. For those of you that haven’t tried this toll free directory assistance tool, I would suggest giving it a shot at 800-GOOG411. Currently, you can access thousands of business phone listings and address for free. It’s really convenient if you’re stuck in traffic and decide to order a pizza or take out for dinner! There are no ads running during the call, simply an automated voice that offers quick help. You might be asking how this has anything to do with making my blog more money. The answer is quite simple. Build relationships; don’t ask for anything, and create a dedicated set of repeat customers.

In a video post a few weeks ago John Chow interviewed Tim Ferriss (http://www.johnchow.com/blog-world-expo-advice-from-tim-ferriss/) the author 4-Hour Work Week and asked him to give a piece of advice to help blog authors take it to the next level. In Tim’s response, and which is very common, he suggested that forming relationships is very crucial and not to ask for something the first time you meet. Clearly Google has taken this approach several times including launching Goog411. There are no sales pitches, and no ads. Right now, they are dedicated to building relationships (dedicated users) without asking for a thing in return (listening to ads). Build the content, demand, and users, then begin “selling”. The same approach should be taken for your blog.

There are countless examples of ways that Google and other very successful websites have used the non-profit approach to building a highly profitable business. While you might not like the search engine giant, there are valauable lessons you can learn to help your blog become highly successful!