4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11
DESCRIPTION
Blogging for Success03.02.11 Maximise your web marketingTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Blogging
Build Traffic, Links, Engagement
Roan Fair
Web Marketing Consultant
www.intergage.co.uk
![Page 2: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Today’s agenda…
• What is blogging?
• Why is it important?
• Why should I use it?
• How do I use it?
• Hints and tips
![Page 3: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
What is blogging, a blog?
• A website with an ongoing series of entries, opinions, comments…
• An online diary of what matters most to you, your company, your followers/customers…
• Your personality, your brand’s personality online…
• Your site’s ‘editorial’ column
• Your digital soul (a bit poetic perhaps)…
…but it’s all about passion!
![Page 4: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Why blogging matters
Build relationships, trust, brand recognition
![Page 5: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Why blogging matters
Connect with new customers, strengthen links with existing ones
![Page 6: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Why blogging matters
Build and cement your reputation for expertise, share best practice
Be a centre of authority!
Create unique content…
…and listen
![Page 7: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
But will it drive sales?
• Yes! Keep your products and services in front of your customers
• Yes! Boost customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Yes! Drive more traffic to your site, higher quality traffic
• Yes! Drive word of mouth marketing
• Yes! Learn from the feedback
![Page 8: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
How do I start?
Free software…
Blogger v WordPress
But which is better…?
![Page 9: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Blogger – pros and cons
• Owned by Google
• Free
• Quick to set up
• No technical knowledge needed
• Customisable html…but not much
• You can’t host your own Blogger blog
![Page 10: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
WordPress – pros
• Free
• Quick to set up
• Can be hosted in-house
• Great community support
• Huge library of plug-ins for extra functionality
• Extremely customisable!
![Page 11: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
WordPress – cons
• Advanced features can come at a cost
• Can become overly technical
• Free version has limited editable areas
• Security?
![Page 12: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
How do I start?
• Define your goals – why does your blog exist?
• Schedule your posts – post consistently, regularly
• Develop a rhythm
• Readers should look forward to it!
![Page 13: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
What should I post? Reviews
Review post – review a product, a service, another blog
Don’t be afraid to have an opinion when you review. You want feedback
![Page 14: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
What should I post? Opinions
The Opinions post:
• Positions you as a specialist
• Builds your blog/site as a centre of authority
• Don’t be afraid to take a different tack
![Page 15: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
What should I post? Lists
The List post:
• Magnificent seven software apps…
• Seven deadly sins of…
• Five fabulous free ways to…
• 10 great ways to…
![Page 16: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
What should I post? Updates
The Update post:
• Revisit past topics, celebrate/criticise new developments
• Link to previous posts as a running story
![Page 17: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
What should I post? Featured Reader
The Featured Reader post:
• Reward one of your readers with a featured post about them
• What do they bring to the party that is new and exciting?
• Reader comments can inspire blog posts
• Way to work in or link to case studies, testimonials
![Page 18: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
What should I post? Ask A Question
The Question post:
• Ask an important question about a topical issue
• It can provoke a response
• Deliberately controversial v sit-on-the-fence? Be yourself
![Page 19: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
It’s demanding…
• Your blog is the voice of your website
• Needs to have its own style, feel
• But it can feature guest posts (they can make it even more interesting!)
• Or use a ghostwriter
![Page 20: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Will a blog help with my SEO?
• Yes – WordPress and Blogger posts both have ‘follow’
• Comment on others’ blogs that have ‘follow’
• But not all blogs allow ‘follow’ on comments
![Page 21: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Microblogs
• Twitter – 140-character limit
• Tumblr (without an ‘e’)
• Traffic and links benefits
![Page 22: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
• ¾ of Fortune 500 companies had a Twitter account in July 2010
• 2 billion tweets in June 2010; 1.76 billion tweets in April 2010, 47% up on January 2010
• 105 million registered users
• 48% of people who see a brand on Twitter go on to search for it
![Page 23: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Why use Twitter?
• Great introduction to quick and easy blogging for very busy people
• Converse, network, reply
• News – Stop Press!
• Announcements, events
• Link building* (despite tweets = ‘no follow’) • Research, prospecting
![Page 24: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Why use Twitter?
• Private tweets – staff updates• Live coverage of events• Acquire votes (Digg, Buzz)• Get feedback, monitor it• Respond to negative feedback• Answer questions, FAQs• Helpdesk• Sourcing/recruiting staff• Research, read news
![Page 25: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Twitter profile
![Page 26: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Twitter profile
![Page 27: 4 blogging for success - maximise your web marketing 03.02.11](https://reader036.vdocuments.site/reader036/viewer/2022062703/5555f236d8b42a8a5f8b4cf3/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Using Twitter
• Very easy to create, edit, update, customise
• Access it via PC or mobile
• Superb ‘listening’ tool, even if you never tweet (but you should tweet)
• Hundreds of apps to get the best out of Twitter – bit.ly, Hootsuite, Topsy