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A workshop presentation that looks at the benefits of blogs and blogging, how blog posts are structured, and the tactical elements (headlines, comments, links, etc.) to be successful.
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Blogging Workshop
• Blogging since 2004
• 6K+ posts
• 10,000+ hours(Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” rule)
My blogging “resume”
Current blogs
Thought Leadership
Deliver Value-AddedContent
• Search engines love fresh content
• Google’s new Hummingbird algorithm makes original content more important
Blogs are Content Engines
That Fuel:
• Newsletters• Social Media
• Website Content• Infographics• Videos
Lots of people read blogs
Define your target audiences
What are the goals for the blog?How will you measure its success?
establish your
What are the goals for the blog?How will you measure its success?
Brand Awareness Thought Leadership
Traffic
Leads/Sales
Engagement
establish an editorial
Develop Blog Post Ideas
100 blog post ideas in less than 5 hours
– via Marcus Sheridan (aka The
Sales Lion)
put together an
blog ideas
create
Exercise
• Make a long-term commitment
• Keep an ongoing list of blog ideas
• Define roles and responsibilities
• Delegate
Tone
How will you talk to your readers?
Tone Tips…….
Write like you talkBe conversationalBe directBe captivating
Create an Editorial Calendar
Create a Mix of Posts
• Commentary• Lists• News• Q&A• Videos• Photos
The Blogging MixRaisin Bran – basic everyday posts
Spinach – Healthy, thoughtful posts
Roasts – Big Blog Projects
Tabasco – Posts That Start Fire
Chocolate Cake – The Sweet StuffSource: Sigma Web Marketing
So, Who Writes the
Blog?
One or Many Bloggers?
Structure
How Often?
How Often?
How Long?
Start with aSummary
Paragraphs should be short: 1 to 2 sentences
Sentences
"I never write metropolis for seven cents, because I can get the same price for city".
- Mark Twain, who was paid seven cents/word as a journalist
Take 10 minutes to do the following sentence structure exercise:
http://tinyurl.com/concisetest
Headlines Matter
Good or Bad Headline?• Governor Swears in Legislature • March Planned For Next August • Lingerie Shipment Hijacked; Thief Gives Police the Slip • L.A. Voters Approve Urban Renewal By Landslide • Patient At Death's Door--Doctors Pull Him Through• New burger targeted for McLean times • Superman to die, so steel yourself• Include Your Children When Baking Cookies• Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Experts Say • Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Tips to Create Great
HeadlinesBe ShortBe SnappyUse KeywordsAsk Questions
Normal: Ways to Make Drinking Tea More Delightful
Question: What are Ways to Make Drinking Tea More Delightful?
How to: How to Make Drinking Tea More Delightful
Numbers: 30 Ways To Make Drinking Tea More Delightful
Reader-Addressing: Ways You Need to Make Drinking Tea More Delightful
Headline Exercise
With summer on the horizon, Nelson Brewing Company is already one step ahead preparing for the patio season which means the need for a cold beer.
NBC will be debuting two exclusive keg only beers this summer:
A wheat beer - not yet named - which will be served at The Royal to celebrate MarketFest and the Shambhalager, which will be served at Mike’s Place as part of Shambhala Music Festival’s 15th anniversary.
Nelson Brewing Company celebrates summer with new beers
What’s Brewing This Summer on the Patio?
Or
New Keg-Only Beers: Get ‘Em While They’re Cold
Better Headlines?
Links
Blog posts can have links to external internal Websites
The Value of Links1. Gives people access to other information
sources2. Makes you part of the conversation3. Drives traffic to your older posts4. Encourages bloggers to link to your content5. Builds relations with other bloggers
Breakup…..
Images
Graphs
Charts
Cartoons
Comments Matter
• The blogging “dividend”
• Creates conversations
• Showcases your expertise
• Drives engagement and relationships
What to do?
• Monitor• Review• Respond• Engage
How to Get Them
• Ask for them• Have a opinion
(aka don’t sit on the fence)
• Make it easy to leave a comment
• Link to other peoples’ blogs
How to Give ‘Em
• Offer context, or make a point
• Provide a link to relevant content
• Include your name and Website
Spreading the Word
TrafficVisitors
Referrals
Time on Site
Analytics Tools
Other Blogging Tools
Writing a Blog Post
1. Select an idea2. Write the post3. Insert links4. Insert images5. Do a spelling and
grammar check6. Write a headline7. Save as a draft, schedule
or publish8. Promote9. Rinse and repeat
- No long-term plan
- Lack of commitment
- Fails to meet needs of target audiences
- Infrequent posts
- No engagement
- No promotion
Blog Killers