what the blog speech by g.bhalla

MAKE YOUR FIRM UNIQUE

what the blog?what the blog?


three phases of social media usage:

1. trial 2. transition 3. strategy




lack of credible evidence of online buying behavior

lack of understanding about how to initiate an integrated strategic approach to today’s media choices


part Ia new brand world

part Ia new brand world



the staggering rise of internet use has created seismic shifts in behavior.

we’ve changed.

the staggering rise of internet use has created seismic shifts in behavior.

we’ve changed.



finding and choosingprofessional serviceson the internet



…but the unanswered question has been, “Are your buyers searching

for you online?”

…but the unanswered question has been, “Are your buyers searching

for you online?”


do you go online to search for outside professionals to provide legal, accounting or consulting work for your company?

do you go online to search for outside professionals to provide legal, accounting or consulting work for your company?

3/4 go online to search for professionals(up from 2/3 in 2000)


how often do you go online to search for a professional to provide services?how often do you go online to search for a professional to provide services?

75% of decisionmakers search for professionals monthly or less often

matching how often you pitch completely new business…


what has changed most about the way you find and choose professionals in the past five years?what has changed most about the way you find and choose professionals in the past five years?


how important are these Internet sources for learning about professionals?how important are these Internet sources for learning about professionals?

85% consider Web sites important; younger decisionmakersare especially likely to find all digital sources important


if this is true—and it is—how do I respond?

how do I adjust my marketing?

if this is true—and it is—how do I respond?

how do I adjust my marketing?


some things have changed.some things remain the same.

some things have changed.some things remain the same.


there are six billion searches on 150,000,000 websites and

200,000,000 blogs every day!

there are six billion searches on 150,000,000 websites and

200,000,000 blogs every day!


we know our buyers are looking but how do they find us?


part IIgetting found online

part IIgetting found online


there are three ways people find you:

1. search engine optimization (SEO)2. search engine marketing (SEM) 3. social media

there are three ways people find you:

1. search engine optimization (SEO)2. search engine marketing (SEM) 3. social media


1/2 of decision makers always search for specific expertise & industry (industry search—69% in 2000, now 96%)

they search for expertise via industry…they search for expertise via industry…


seo is a disciplined, labor intensive process

seo is a disciplined, labor intensive process

set goals and expectations to develop a keyword search strategy: what you can and should be known for

optimize your site structure (re-submit site map, improve title and metatags, increase keyword density, build internal links, etc.) called “on-page seo”

build inbound links called “off-page seo”

start regionally; scale nationally

report, refine, and test


search engine marketing (SEM) is the the practice of buying paid search listings. Google owns 92% of adwords marketshare and 70% of search share. But buyers must also pay attention to Yahoo and Bing.


sem is also a disciplined processsem is also a disciplined process

set goals and expectations to develop a keyword spend: how are you supporting your strategic goals?

coordinate with other online and offline activities (your website, blogs, social media)

enhance relevancy: dial campaigns up or down during key events to intercept qualified traffic

watch weekly, report monthly, examine quarterly in order to optimize your response

report, refine, and test


social mediasocial media


social media is often associated with gated communities like Facebook or LinkedIn but blogs are also “social” and websites that encourage reviews and comments are also social. In other words, the Internet itself has become “social.”


facebook passed Google in traffic 3x! facebook passed Google in traffic 3x!


linked-in is considered more “professional”linked-in is considered more “professional”


but the lines are blurring…but the lines are blurring…


twitter is amicroblog

allowing only 140 characters per comment.

People gather in groups using

hash tags (#)

twitter is amicroblog

allowing only 140 characters per comment.

People gather in groups using

hash tags (#)


part IIIthe basics of blogging

part IIIthe basics of blogging


why blog?why blog?

1. communicate your point of view

2. build your brand intelligently - seed the substance and amplify your voice; by nature, blogs are resonant

3. raise online visibility by creating more content to search (so use keywords!)

MAKE YOUR FIRM UNIQUEMAKE YOUR FIRM UNIQUE


marketers or PR folks posting press releases or excerpts from brochures; this is NOT blogging

WHAT NOT

TO BLOG

1. show the human, relatable side of a firm

2. connect with the audience

3. tell deeper stories than marketing materials permit

4. be personal; don't write on behalf of the company anonymously

The Do’sI will . . . I will . . . I will . . .I will . . .


technical considerationstechnical considerations


technically speaking: blog on your domain (why promote someone else’s URL?)

www.firmname.com/blogwww.firmname.com/blog

www.typepad.myblog.com www.wordpress.myblog.com


technically speaking: use keywords in posts and title tags

• just like with SEO, you have to know what terms your audience uses in search queries

• blog posts AND titles should be keyword rich


technically speaking: integrate your blog with your marketing activities

• highlight your blog on your homepage with callouts

• add links to recent posts in your email signatures

• your blog should serve as your social media hub - your Twitter profile page, Facebook Page, newsletters, etc.

• . . . connect the dots


technically speaking: track progress, pageviews, returning visitors

technically speaking: track progress, pageviews, returning visitors


best blogging practicesbest blogging practices


best blogging practices: focus your voice and content

• your brand personality comes to life in a blog - voice, tone, target

• different practices should maintain different blogs

• build a body of work overtime: it demonstrates thought-leadership and helps your SEO

• be personal; don't write on behalf of the company anonymously


best blogging practices: calendarize

• blogs require regular care and feeding: people subscribe via a news feed

• put together an editorial calendar and post it

• rotate authors; consider regular “columnists”

• flex for breaking news, industry events


part IV:now what?

part IV:now what?


you gotta get out thereyou gotta get out there

• broadcast your messages - let people know your have a blog

• you can’t just sit in your office writing compelling content; you have to share it with others interested in similar topics; this is why it’s called social media

• contribute and comment on other blogs (which ones? fish where the fish are - know what your clients read)

• as with all good marketing, include specific calls to action: "comment", "download", "subscribe”


intercept relevant searches with targeted paid search

target and intercept the audience

www.TrustWorthy.com


adjust for breaking news? a missed opportunity



augment seo bridge the gap while seo ramps up intercept competitive searches dial up or down the campaign

seasonally/during events/when relevant news breaks

search engine marketing allows you to…search engine marketing allows you to…



engage across a broad range of digital channelsengage across a broad range of digital channels

guest blog post

Twitter and Linked In



build a digital relationship with prospective and existing clients

build a digital relationship with prospective and existing clients

build a digital relationship


twitter: # tag for health caretwitter: # tag for health care



facebook: engage in discussions facebook: engage in discussions



linkedin: extend your professional network

linkedin: extend your professional network



1. join the right industry discussion groups2. participate in those group discussions; only individuals

can do this, so set up a rotation within the firm to expose more individuals as authors/experts

3. discuss and promote your services only when relevant; don’t turn this into a gorilla-gram—“me, me, me” chest thumping

4. post links to your thought-leadership (e.g. white papers, articles, webinars, blog posts) when relevant

5. create a specific landing page for people coming to your website via LinkedIn and collect data on who downloads those materials by requesting their email address

6. encourage your employees to promote themselves and your firm via LinkedIn

what to do on LinkedInwhat to do on LinkedIn



a business scenario: own an event

build enthusiasm, interest and awareness

before during and long after the event

a business scenario: own an event

build enthusiasm, interest and awareness

before during and long after the event

own an event


1. creating pre-event buzz2. engaging during the event3. continuing the dialogue afterwards

own an event by…own an event by…

own an event


traditional, offline promotion is episodic with a precipitous drop post-eventtraditional, offline promotion is episodic with a precipitous drop post-event

EVENT

save--the-date postcard/email

invitation bypostcard/email

event networking

follow-up calls

TIME

RE

AC

H

own an event


effort spent on promotion rarely matches investment in time and costs of event

effort spent on promotion rarely matches investment in time and costs of event

own an event


digital tactics amplify pre-event buzz…digital tactics amplify pre-event buzz…



EVENT

event networking

follow-up calls

TIME

RE

AC

H

link on website

posts on assn/member sites

own an event

event microsite

sem

post on social networks


EVENT

and enable broadcast messages during eventand enable broadcast messages during event



follow-up calls

TIME

RE

AC

H

link on website


event microsite

eventnetworkingtransformed

EVENT• updates via social networks and blog posts• document event with content polls, photos, podcasts and interviews


own an event

sem


EVENT

creating a long tail post-event, multiplying investmentcreating a long tail post-event, multiplying investment



follow-up calls

TIME

RE

AC

H

link on website


eventnetworkingtransformed

EVENT• updates via social networks and blog posts• document event with content polls, photos, podcasts and interviews

conversation continued on microsite viaemail followupand drive-to-site marketing

webinarsbased onevent content

updatesvia socialmedia andblog posts

own an event


event microsite

sem


part V:real life examples

part V:real life examples


www.greenfieldbelser.com

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what the blog speech by g.bhalla

Technology