Welcome to Blogging For Business

whywhat howwhere

with Tara Coomans@taracoomans Chief Brainstormer, Akamai Marketing Social Media Club Hawaii (SMCHI) #Blog4BizHi

QuickTime™ and ah264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.What IS a Blog?

Blogging DictionaryHosted: Generally free. Doesn’t require you to have your own domain or pay for hostingSelf-Hosted: You own the domain, pay for hosting. Fees vary.

RSS: Really Simple Syndication-subscription via RSS readers.CMS: Content Management System. Can be used for more than just blogging. Full control of content without knowing complex HTML.

3 Steps to Blogging

• Install• Create content • Share content

• Most blogs require little or no programming knowledge

• Themes are readily available, many for free• Posting is generally possible through email,

text or web-based interface

Blogging is

technically

WHY?

Blogging MythsBlogging MythsIt’s easy to get It’s easy to get rich bloggingrich blogging There are too There are too

many blogs many blogs alreadyalready

We have We have nothing to saynothing to say

If we don’t have If we don’t have millions of millions of

readers, its a readers, its a waste of timewaste of time

WHY?

Authority Building

8% of bloggers are corporate 13% of bloggers

are entrepreneurs

Google Authorship

Tell Your Story

Small Companies Stand to Benefit the

MostMost4848

%% more web traffic

data: Hubspot Marketing Benchmarking Report 2012

2.5X2.5Xmore leads

5X5Xmore traffic

Companies who blog have more webpages

Message Control •Important Messaging •Messaging that needs repeating or reference•Company position or stance on issues/topics•Quick & Easy •Direct to Consumer

Sales, Anyone?•How-To-Articles •Long-Tail Keywords=Qualified Leads•Accessibility•Increased Trust•Direct to Consumer

•Create your sales funnel•Inquiries•Nurture your leads

“I used to see my company as a pool company. Today, I see my company as a content

marketing company. [We] provide more valuable, helpful, remarkable content to than

anyone else in my field.”

Companies that increase Companies that increase blogging from 3-5X per blogging from 3-5X per

month to month to 6-8X per month 6-8X per month

almost almost doubledouble their their leadsleads

data: Hubspot Marketing Benchmarking Report 2012

Increase Digital Footprint & SEO

Link to own postsUse

Keywords in Titles & Blog

Fresh Content Participate

in other Blogs Use Photos, Videos

& Name with Keywords

Social Media

Humanize the Brand

Give writers handle, voice, personality

Let the critics talk, be patient with negative feedback

Minimize the “corporate speak”

Set expectations

Business As People?

People Trust People.

People Trust Businesses “A Great Deal” 17% of

the Time*Source: 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer

Create/Support Community

Invite CommentsHighlight readers

Enable, Empower Participation

Invite Reader Content

Be THE Resource Polls, Quizzes, Etc.

Takeaway• Decide your “WHY” First • Consider Audience Wants & Needs• Provide Value• Speak to “people”

#Blog4BizHi

HOW?I know you said its easy....but........

5 Tips To Get

StartedFind Your “Time Zone”

When Do You Do Your Best Writing?

Divide and Conquer

Do What You Do Best First

Get Inspired.

Check Social MediaAsk Customers

For Ideas.

Don’t Stat Obsess. Yet.

Build Your Audience. Then.

Check Stats. Once a Week.

Or. Once a Month.

Two Words:

Editorial Calendar.

Developing Content

Date Holiday/Events Topic Day Keywords Call to

Action Content Type

3/26/2012 Empanada Day

Chicken & Raisin

EmpanadaMon

Recipe, Cooking, Easy

to Cook Download Cookbook

Blog Entry+Photo

3/27/2012 EasterChile Pork & Manchego Empanada

Tues

Easter, Recipe, Family

Dinner, How-to-Video

Email Signup Video

Remember: Titles Matter

• Keyword Placement • Create Benefit, Curiosity, Reward• Make It Personal

Takeaway• Find What Works for You &

Audience• Get Back on The Horse• Don’t Over Complicate • Have FUN

WHERE?I know you said its easy....but........

Popular Blog Platforms

• Blogger• Tumblr • WordPress• Posterous

Posterous

• Post by email (post@posterous.com)

• Customizable CSS, HTML

• Hosted (free) • Self Hosted • SM Autopost

Featureshttp://posterous.com/

Good-Bye PosterousApril 30, 2013

Tumblr • Hosted• Customizable

HTML • Text-to-Blog• Built in community • Google Analytics

for Self Hosted

https://www.tumblr.com/

www.rollingstone.tumblr.com

Blogger

• Hosted • Self Hosted • Google’s

blogging platform

• Google crawls (SEO)

http://www.blogger.com

WordPressWordpress.com Wordpress.org

Features• Self Hosted• Full Control • Plugins

Features• Hosted• Free

Developer CommunityCommonStable

Can be used as a Website Also

Wordpress.com• Hosted

• 100’s of templates

• Stable server• Great

community

Wordpress.org•Flexible•Developer Community•Help Community •1,000‘s Inexpensive or Free Templates•SEO ready •Plugins •Widgets •Google Analytics

Takeaway• Choose platform based on needs,

audience• Think carefully about depending on

free platforms• Consider costs and benefits to

hosted/self hosted blogs• Consider content type #Blog4BizHi

WHAT?the heck am I going to do with a blog?

Content Strategy

• Why • Who• What • How & When

Content Challenges

Content IdeasContent Ideas• “How To’s” • Trends, Issues,

Events• Company

News• Entertainment • Case Studies• Resources

• Solve a Problem •Make a Prediction•Give Opinion •Be a Cheerleader•Reviews•Stimulate a Debate

Story Telling LustAnticipation of pleasure

MystiqueUnanswered Questions

AlarmThreat of Immediate Consequence

PrestigeSymbols of Rank & Respect PowerCommand Over Others

Vice Rebellion Against Rules Trust Certainty & Reliability

7 Triggers of Fascination by Sally Hogshead

Keywords2-4% Keywords

Titles, Photos Keep focused

Google Keyword Tool

AWARENESSAWARENESSBlog Posts, Press Releases, Testimonials, Blog Posts, Press Releases, Testimonials,

AdsAdsINTERESTINTEREST

Case Studies, Infographics, Promotions, Case Studies, Infographics, Promotions, Visual PersuasionsVisual Persuasions

LEARNLEARNBlog Posts, E-Book, WebinarBlog Posts, E-Book, Webinar

SHOPSHOPTestimonials, Case Studies, Social Testimonials, Case Studies, Social

Feedback, Price ComparisonFeedback, Price ComparisonBUYBUY

Content that Matches the

Buying Cycle

Keyword Considerations

Google Analytics • Visits• Unique Visitors• Page Views/Pages per Visit• Bounce Rate• Sources • Average Time on Page

Why Content Matters

Case Study1,000% traffic growth (50,000 unique visits) 80% from organic search

almost no comments calls to action

Goal Setting for Content

• Generating 100 new mentions of our product online • Receiving more than 1000 views of our video on cross platforms• Getting 100 subscribers to our RSS feed• Getting 100 new emails per month

• Be strategic in content development

• Plan, plan, plan• Keyword inclusion (2-4%)• Source content appropriate to

audience• Tell a story. Be fascinating.

Takeaway

#Blog4BizHi

Build it. Share Build it. Share it. it.

• Social Media Social Media • Link Shorteners Link Shorteners • RSS FeedsRSS Feeds• Incorporate into Email Marketing Incorporate into Email Marketing • Social Book Marking Social Book Marking

Social Media

Resist the urge to over self promote

Provide value

Support othersDon’t over automate

Choose platforms that suit your topic

Engage. Not promote.

RSS Feeds“Really Simple Syndication”

•Feedblitz

Email or ReaderSubscriber Data

Helps Build Email List

Goodbye Feedburner

Visit & Comment on other blogsRespond to your comments

Conversation may not always happen on your blog

Blogging is Not A Spectator Sport

Find your voice

Want More?For Further Reading: •Content Rules by CC Chapman & Ann Handley •ProBlogger.com •Akamai-Marketing.com

BlogsWordPress.org•WordPress.com •Blogger.com/•Tumblr.com/•Posterous.com

#Blog4BizHI