Blogging Break Down & How to avoid it Annie Mole london-underground.blogspot.com www.goingunderground.net

Is this what a blogger looks like?

It’s not just a niche

Blogging Figures from Technorati – State of Blogosphere Report The numbers vary but agree that blogs are here to stay * comScore MediaMetrix (August 2008) Blogs: 77.7 million unique visitors in the US Facebook: 41.0 million | MySpace 75.1 million Total internet audience 188.9 million * eMarketer (May 2008) 94.1 million US blog readers in 2007 (50% of Internet users) 22.6 million US bloggers in 2007 (12%) * Universal McCann (March 2008) 184 million worldwide have started a blog | 26.4 US 346 million worldwide read blogs | 60.3 US 77% of active Internet users read blogs Sept 2008 - http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere /

The numbers vary but agree that blogs are here to stay

* comScore MediaMetrix (August 2008)

Blogs: 77.7 million unique visitors in the US

Facebook: 41.0 million | MySpace 75.1 million

Total internet audience 188.9 million

* eMarketer (May 2008)

94.1 million US blog readers in 2007 (50% of Internet users)

22.6 million US bloggers in 2007 (12%)

* Universal McCann (March 2008)

184 million worldwide have started a blog | 26.4 US

346 million worldwide read blogs | 60.3 US

77% of active Internet users read blogs

Sept 2008 - http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere /

How many are there ….. really? Sept 2008 - http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere /

Does anyone read them?

So why do we blog? Show me the money?????

Show me the money?????

So why do we blog? Show me the money????? Technorati – State of Blogosphere 2008 http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/

Show me the money?????

Technorati – State of Blogosphere 2008

http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/

So why do we blog? Self Expression Technorati – State of Blogosphere 2008 http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/

Self Expression

Technorati – State of Blogosphere 2008

http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/

So why do we blog? Professional Reasons Technorati – State of Blogosphere 2008 http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/

Professional Reasons

Technorati – State of Blogosphere 2008

http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/

Under Pressure Blog for yourself (at least if no one’s paying you to blog) The world won’t end if you don’t blog for a few days Quality is usually better than quantity

Blog for yourself (at least if no one’s paying you to blog)

The world won’t end if you don’t blog for a few days

Quality is usually better than quantity

Under Pressure Share the load – guest blogging

Share the load – guest blogging

Under Pressure Get readers to do your job for you Lists Questionnaires Surveys Photos of the Day “ Regular” slots You have to know your readers really well for this to work

Get readers to do your job for you

Lists

Questionnaires

Surveys

Photos of the Day

“ Regular” slots

You have to know your readers really well for this to work

Good Practice for Corporate Blogger Outreach Big brands can get it right Warning clichéd acronym approaching: R elevant, I ntimate, T imely & E xecutionable Stella got to know the London blogging community & used a variety of communications to promote airship ride They understood key influencers and how they liked to be communicated with

Big brands can get it right

Warning clichéd acronym approaching:

R elevant,

I ntimate,

T imely &

E xecutionable

Stella got to know the London blogging community & used a variety of communications to promote airship ride

They understood key influencers and how they liked to be communicated with

Good Practice for Corporate Blogger Outreach Big brands can get it right Smirnoff London Blogger’s Meet Up Hugely personalised – each blogger had a cocktail designed for their blog & themselves Pre & post event outreach was relevant & personalised. Once again they understood key influencers and how they liked to be communicated with

Big brands can get it right

Smirnoff London Blogger’s Meet Up

Hugely personalised – each blogger had a cocktail designed for their blog & themselves

Pre & post event outreach was relevant & personalised.

Once again they understood key influencers and how they liked to be communicated with

Corporate Blogs Best Practices & Guidelines Writing – Collaboration between: Executive/staff Communications Support Guest posts Blog relations and Monitoring Team Screen profane, off-topic postings Update new postings Comment on third-party blog (s) Forward action items arising in blog to appropriate people Have a Blog Roll Consider using standard blogging software rather than bespoke Clear Voice Deliver a focused message Tone of Content Brief, conversational, personal syntax Blog Message Content No Corporate speak/spin Be humble, acknowledging misses earns credibility Encourage responses Set expectations on frequency of new blog posts Promotion and Linking Link from corporate websites and to influential blogs Search Engine Optimize Submit to Technorati, blog directories Update Postings Frequently Ideally twice a week Give viewers reason to return Helps Search Engine rankings Maintaining the Blog Dialogue Engage in the “conversation” by answering selected responses Break news on blog Be Transparent Confront criticism Expect it and post it Respond Appropriately Plan Ahead Create editorial calendar of issues/opportunities for Blog discussions Be flexible & Human Blog Content Dos and Don’ts Maintenance Set-up

Writing – Collaboration between:

Executive/staff

Communications Support

Guest posts

Blog relations and Monitoring Team

Screen profane, off-topic postings

Update new postings

Comment on third-party blog (s)

Forward action items arising in blog to appropriate people

Have a Blog Roll

Consider using standard blogging software rather than bespoke

Clear Voice

Deliver a focused message

Tone of Content

Brief, conversational, personal syntax

Blog Message Content

No Corporate speak/spin

Be humble, acknowledging misses earns credibility

Encourage responses

Set expectations on frequency of new blog posts

Promotion and Linking

Link from corporate websites and to influential blogs

Search Engine Optimize

Submit to Technorati, blog directories

Update Postings Frequently

Ideally twice a week

Give viewers reason to return

Helps Search Engine rankings

Maintaining the Blog Dialogue

Engage in the “conversation” by answering selected responses

Break news on blog

Be Transparent

Confront criticism

Expect it and post it

Respond Appropriately

Plan Ahead

Create editorial calendar of issues/opportunities for Blog discussions

Be flexible & Human

Blogging Break Down & How to avoid it Annie Mole london-underground.blogspot.com www.goingunderground.net [email_address]