Liz Strauss.com

Just off Chicago’s Canal Street in an open loft office, the easiest and most energetic folks spread the news of millions of blogs. They call themselves Feedburner and just a few months ago had the foresight to sell themselves to Google for $100 Million. What was it that Google saw?

Techcrunch has a great Feedburner profile.
I only want to mention what makes Feedburner an outstanding and successful Chicago business.

What blogger doesn’t know that ubiquitous orange button? It’s one one that means to subscribe to a Feeburner feed. It’s simple signage that serves a purpose. The quest for subscribers lead some publishers to make it bigger than the name of their blog. How better to turn customers into evangelists?

Really Simple Syndication. That’s what they call it. It has to be one of the most brilliant, really simple ideas. Give bloggers a really simple way to spread their content. Give readers a really simple way to take what they need. Then in a really simple formula. Do it for free. Make the sign up easy, seamless, and also really simple.

Offer a Pro Version for folks who need extra at reasonable costs.

Think about what Feedburner does right.

• It’s simple to use.
• It’s simple to find.
• The page that my readers see is simple and elegant.
• The stats for my feeds are simply stated and simple to use.

The Feedburner magic is to pack every feature with we love what we do and the people we do it for. Then they smile every time a customer calls.

It’s simple really.

–Liz Strauss

Hi!
I’m Liz Strauss and I’ve been blogging a couple of years across the street from Belmont Harbor. I’m on a quest this year to meet as many Chicago Bloggers as I can.

To that end, I have decided to feature Chicago bloggers, Chicago companies and their stories on my LizStrauss.com blog I’d sure like to make you a part of that. If you’re interested, please comment below.

A Little about Who I Am

My blog, Liz Strauss at Successful Blog
has been called both a destination and an event. According to EatonWeb, “Liz Strauss is perhaps the most influential relational blogger on the Internet.” (I’m not sure who wrote that, but I’m guessing that the writer must be a fan.)

I’m a strategic planner who shows businesses how to focus and organically grow in ways that keep and gain customers. I explain why what they are doing might not be working and how people perceive a blog, a product, and an experience. Basically, I denibstrate the head and heart exchange that builds a thriving brand-loyal community by turning first-time visitors into participating customer-friends.

I’ve worked over 20 years in print, software, and online publishing, and developed strategies with publishers in Europe, Australia, the UK, and Ireland. I had the fun of conceiving and directing the strategy that turned around a $9M and sold it 3 years later for $35M. I also led the vision behind last year’s SOBCon07 — THE Successful and Outstanding Bloggers’ Conference for building relationships that gained the attention of BusinessWeek, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Innovation Initiative of the Kellogg School of Business.

I sure would like to meet you, get to know you, and feature you on my
LizStrauss.com blog. Please email me at my gmail address if you think you’d enjoy being a part.

Let’s do something successful and outstanding together.

Thanks!
Liz