If you do a Plug, Make Taking Action Easy

If you're going to plug something, put in a link. I know that statement sounds rather obvious, but if you are going to plug a good resource in a blog post or forum that you want to the reader to visit, give them something to go on.

Here's a real world example: I was in a forum yesterday and someone posted a thread about their radio show and who the guest speaker would be. It sounded rather interesting but the forum post did not give a link. Instead it just had the name of the radio show.

So I Google'd the radio show name and came up with the actual site itself. The site appeared to be a blog style website and right on top was the same announcement I had seen on the forum. Only this blog post had lots more information on the speaker. Great!

But still no link. I looked and looked but could not find a way to listen to this radio show on that page. Was it internet radio? Was it a podcast? Was it a old style radio show?

Then I looked up at the navigation bar on the top of the page. And there, lo and behold, was an option called "Radio Show" in little teensy weensy letters. And it was there I found the radio show.

Let me tell you folks. Most people will not go to all the trouble I went through to find that resource. Most folks would not have even got to first base on that (the radio show was a home run by the way). So if you are plugging a good resource, for goodness sake put in a link so people can find the resource! Or if the place you are plugging from does not allow links, at least put in instructions for your readers. Don't make it difficult for people.

OK I'm done now.