Blogging for Beginners

Leesa Watego10th May 2013

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BLOG!

IT’S NOT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, IT’S ABOUT COMMUNICATION

ONLY SHARE WHAT YOU’RE COMFORTABLE SHARING

So what are you going to post about? What are you going to say?

marketing

What will be the focus of your blog?

marketingcreativity /

experimentation

What will be the focus of your blog?

TIME TO CHOOSE A PLATFORM

Cashed Up? Aim for a SELF-HOSTED WORDPRESS site

No bungoo? Start with Blogger

To get started with Blogger you must have a Google account1) Sign in to Google2) Go to blogger.com3) Follow the prompts to create a new blog

To get started with Blogger you must have a Google account1) Select a CREATE A NEW BLOG2) Choose a title for your blog3) Look for a URL for your site4) CreateBlog!

} they do not NEED to be the same

Note: 1) You can change the title anytime, but you can’t change the URL though2) You can “redirect your blog to your own domain and3) You can export your blog to a self-hosted site later

Site URL/Domain

Blog title

Menu bar

Posts (reverse chronological order)- Dated- Comments- Sharing Buttons

Sidebar (usually static)- Categories- Link Lists- Advertisements- Links to your book-

seller pages(can you a list format or a graphic)

Taking your blog to the next level - Create unique landing

pages for you readers (eg. Welcome your Twitter readers, Welcome your Amazon readers etc)

- Incorporate visual design elements that reflect your brand promises

Anatomy of a blogSocial buttons

Your blog is your

homebase

facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

FourSquare

Facebook Profile vs Facebook Page (Personal) (Professional)

Source: Homebases and Outposts from ProBlogger

Today, in an online environment, there are three types of media -

• Bought – paid advertising• Earned – jump out of a plane at the launch of

your book and get on the 6 o’clock news• Owned – your media channel, the one that

you create, manage and direct

You don’t need to be a slave to your blog or your Facebook and Twitter streams … but… what can you be responsible for?

The only way to learn and become proficient is practice

Learner ProficientFocus of your

postsTechnology + Connection

Build blogging into

your work schedule

Functionality of the

platform

How to start• Baby steps

1. Start a blog but don’t tell anyone until you’re ready

2. See what other people are doing - examples, Anita Heiss, Siv Parker

3. Look at your brand / digital presence from your audience’s point of view. Are you Google-able? What comes up when you’re Googled? Can you audience interact with you?

4. Ask for help

Connect –

Questions? Where to from here?

@leesawatego, @deadlybloggers, @iscariotmedia

Join other deadly bloggers Do some training …