Blogs and websites for small businesses

 Jonathan Pollinger@jonnop on Twitter

Today’s workshop

Introduction 9.00

Production of blogs and websites• Purpose• Domain names and hosting• Website and blog design and production• Logo, photos anf video• Links and navigation• Headings, articles and text• Widgets

Break 10.15

Obtaining visitors 10.25

Measurement 11.00

Freestyle workshop 11.30

Lunch and Q and A 12.00-12.30

State of the internet 2010

Purpose – why?

 ?BlogsFunBrand awarenessCreate communityDrive traffic to websiteDemonstrate expertiseBuild prospectsShare best practice

 ?WebsitesAdvertisingBrand awarenessBuild prospectsSales (direct and indirect)Customer serviceCreate community

??

?

??

Domain names and hosting

• Your own unique web identity• Match your business name if possible• Easy to use, related to business and recognisable• Try and get a .com domain• Get at least one• Use for email to promote business• Set up info@ etc for customer service• Better for SEO • Not only for website eg file storage and transfer• Blogger, Fasthosts, Namesco to register domains

    

(search engine optimisation)

Website and blog production

Websites1) Blogger (www.blogger.com) for personal updating

and control – now with pages2) CMS with Fasthosts (www.fasthosts.co.uk) or

Namesco (www.names.co.uk)3) Use own development tools and FTP client4) Hire website developer/designer/internet company5) Marketing company6) CMS – Content Management System

Blogs• Blogger – easy to use and virtually free

Logo, photos and video

Logo• Consider hiring designer• Include your logo on each web page• Reinforce your brand

Photos and video• Make your site visual and pleasing to the eye• Use relevant and high impact photos/video• Consider hiring designer/photographer• Download pics from Google images

Links and navigation

1. Keep navigation map simple2. Go for easy to view and use links3. Links on every page to:

• Services and prices• Contact details page• Your Facebook page• Your Twitter account• Email account

  

Headings, articles and text

• Eye catching headings• Short articles• Easy to read text• Update• Update• Update• Update

Gadgets/Widgets

• HTML• Images• Videos• Text• Polls• Adsense• Twitter feed• Facebook widget

Break

Obtaining traffic/visitors

• Blog directories - blogged.com and wikio.co.uk• Link exchange but one way best• Meta description and key words• Comment on other blogs• Engage in forums• Use social media• Adwords• SEO - Search Engine Optimisation

Measurement

• ROI - spend versus sales• % of sales• Google Analytics - http://www.google.com/analytics/• Focus on visitors not hits• Review traffic origin• What pages are important• Is site/blog meeting objectives?• What are you customers saying?• Continually review as above

Workshop

Freestyle workshop….some ideas:

• Domain name research and registration• Research competitors websites and social media• Map out your blog or website• Blogger set up and practice• Register with Google Analytics• Comment on other blogs and forums

Lunch and Q and A

www.intranetfuture.com@jonnop on Twitter

jonathan.pollinger@intranetfuture.com