The Science of Blogging
How to engineer contagious ideas.




        Dan Zarrella
        Social Media Scientist
#BlogSci
Unicorns and
Rainbows
Unicorns & Rainbows Myth:
Don’t call yourself a
guru.
Science:



           `
Why Blog?
`
`
Takeaway: If you’re not
blogging, you’re doing
something wrong.
Content
Zombies    Marketing




          Me
`
Takeaway: Sex and positivity
sell.
`
`
Insights & Opinions
Takeaway: Talk as yourself,
not about yourself.
`
`
`
Takeaway: Videos get links,
photos get comments.
Trigger Words
`
`
Takeaway: People want to
read your unique point-of-
view.
`
Takeaway: Users comment
when there is something in it
for them.
Most ReTweetable Words
   1. you         11. please retweet
   2. twitter     12. great
   3. please      13. social media
   4. retweet     14. 10
   5. post        15. follow
   6. blog        16. how to
   7. social      17. top
   8. free        18. blog post
   9. media       19. check out
   10. help       20. new blog post
`
`
`
`
Takeaway: Stay away from
overly technical jargon.
Least ReTweetable Words
   1. game         11. well
   2. going        12. sleep
   3. haha         13. gonna
   4. lol          14. hey
   5. but          15. tomorrow
   6. watching     16. tired
   7. work         17. some
   8. home         18. back
   9. night        19. bored
   10. bed         20. listening
`
Takeaway: Don’t be boring.
Grammar
Content Quality
`
Takeaway: Grammar matters.
`
`
`
`
Takeaway: Write simply and
plainly.
Novelty vs Social Proof
Takeaway: Use social proof
to establish trust.
`
Novelty
`
Takeaway: Don’t say the
same thing everyone else is
saying.
Timing
`
`
`
`
Takeaway: Publish your blog
posts early in the day.
`
`
Takeaway: Share your posts
on social media later in the
day.
`
`
`
Takeaway: Post early in the
week for views and links, on
weekends for comments.
`
`
Takeaway: Share your posts
in social media later in the
week and on weekends.
Frequency
Timeliness
`
`
Takeaway: The more often
you post, the better.
Gender Differences
`
`
`
Takeaway: Know your
audience.
ROI
Dan Zarrella
@DanZarrella

The Science of Blogging