Blogging 101 Jocelyn Harmon Triplex Interactive Email: jocelyn.harmon@emailforimpact.com Web: www.emailforimpact.com Blog: www.marketingfornonprofits.org

The Future is Now “ In ten years, most of us will communicate directly with customers, employees, and the broader business community through blogs. For executives, having a blog is not going to be a matter of choice, any more than using e-mail is today. If you’re not part of the conversation, others will speak on your behalf—and I’m not talking about your employees.” (Harvard Business Review, 2005) – Jonathan Schwartz, CEO Sun Microsystems

“ In ten years, most of us will communicate directly with customers, employees, and the broader business community through blogs. For executives, having a blog is not going to be a matter of choice, any more than using e-mail is today. If you’re not part of the conversation, others will speak on your behalf—and I’m not talking about your employees.” (Harvard Business Review, 2005)

– Jonathan Schwartz, CEO Sun Microsystems

Agenda What’s a blog? Who blogs? But why? How do you do it? Learn more?

What’s a blog?

Who blogs?

But why?

How do you do it?

Learn more?

What is a blog A “web log” is a type of website with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Post are made in reverse-chronological order. To blog means to maintain or add content to a blog . A blogger is a person who blogs!

A “web log” is a type of website with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.

Post are made in reverse-chronological order.

To blog means to maintain or add content to a blog .

A blogger is a person who blogs!

A blog is a form of self expression Blogging is both a tactic and a strategy for creating, publishing and organizing content. It enables anyone to have a voice on issues they care about. Blogs exist in a larger ecosystem called a blogosphere.

Blogging is both a tactic and a strategy for creating, publishing and organizing content.

It enables anyone to have a voice on issues they care about.

Blogs exist in a larger ecosystem called a blogosphere.

Blogs are different from websites Websites tend to be: 1-way Static Formal Online brochure Blogs are: 2-way, 5-way, 9-way Ever-changing Colloquial/personal Invite and engage!

Websites tend to be:

1-way

Static

Formal

Online brochure

Blogs are:

2-way, 5-way, 9-way

Ever-changing

Colloquial/personal

Invite and engage!

Blogs have been around for about 10 years

They’re not going away.

Who blogs?

But why? People blog to: Connect directly with their friends, family and neighbors Influence the conversation Showcase their expertise Build their personal brands Experience community

People blog to:

Connect directly with their friends, family and neighbors

Influence the conversation

Showcase their expertise

Build their personal brands

Experience community

Companies are not that different… Companies blog to: Connect directly with their employees, customers and partners Influence the conversation Showcase their expertise Enhance and humanize their brands Be a part of (and hopefully) influence a community

Companies blog to:

Connect directly with their employees, customers and partners

Influence the conversation

Showcase their expertise

Enhance and humanize their brands

Be a part of (and hopefully) influence a community

How do you do it? Strategy first. Tactics second.

Strategy first.

Tactics second.

Key Questions Who are we talking to? What are we talking about? Who else is in this conversation? Who will blog and how often? What is our blogging policy? * What’s the ROI? * How do you market a blog? * How do you measure success?

Who are we talking to?

What are we talking about?

Who else is in this conversation?

Who will blog and how often?

What is our blogging policy?

* What’s the ROI?

* How do you market a blog?

* How do you measure success?

What’s the ROI? “ Blogs aren’t about selling things…the ROI comes in the form of the individual realtionships…The value is in the knowledge you share, the lessons your learn, the viewpoint you help to influence.” – Debbie Weil, Author “The Corporate Blogging Book”

“ Blogs aren’t about selling things…the ROI comes in the form of the individual realtionships…The value is in the knowledge you share, the lessons your learn, the viewpoint you help to influence.”

– Debbie Weil, Author “The Corporate Blogging Book”

But what’s the ROI? Blogging CAN: Significantly improve search engine rankings Help us to change our brand-positioning Improve employee morale Generate more traffic to our websites Generate more PR Connect us to key thought leaders Give sales people something to talk about!

Blogging CAN:

Significantly improve search engine rankings

Help us to change our brand-positioning

Improve employee morale

Generate more traffic to our websites

Generate more PR

Connect us to key thought leaders

Give sales people something to talk about!

How do you market a blog? Register on Technorati, BlogPulse, et al. Comment on other blogs. Link, link and link some more. Tag posts so that come up in Search. Syndicate – RSS or ShareThis Create keyword-rich posts. Tweet your posts.

Register on Technorati, BlogPulse, et al.

Comment on other blogs.

Link, link and link some more.

Tag posts so that come up in Search.

Syndicate – RSS or ShareThis

Create keyword-rich posts.

Tweet your posts.

How do you measure success? Technorati ranking Do you come up in Search? Traffic, comments, trackbacks, subscribers Who is linking to you? Other key rankings – Alltop Does your content show up in other places, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, MSM etc. Speaking engagements

Technorati ranking

Do you come up in Search?

Traffic, comments, trackbacks, subscribers

Who is linking to you?

Other key rankings – Alltop

Does your content show up in other places, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, MSM etc.

Speaking engagements

Values to live by

Be interested. Comment on what other folks are saying. Join networks. Distribute and link to content. Participate!

Comment on what other folks are saying.

Join networks.

Distribute and link to content.

Participate!

Be interesting. What’s our point of view?

What’s our point of view?

Be real. People are tired of “corporate speak.” Speak in your own voice. Be passionate, be creative, but most of all be real!

People are tired of “corporate speak.” Speak in your own voice. Be passionate, be creative, but most of all be real!

Be careful. You can’t control the conversation but you do need some oversight. Set policies for content and comments.

You can’t control the conversation but you do need some oversight. Set policies for content and comments.

Be patient. Conversations are ongoing and take time to develop. Be willing to stay in for the long haul.

Conversations are ongoing and take time to develop. Be willing to stay in for the long haul.

Be brave. The Internet enables anyone to connect across space and time. The possibilities are endless.

The Internet enables anyone to connect across space and time. The possibilities are endless.

Keep feeding the beast!

Learn from the Best Debbie Weil - FREE e-book http://www.debbieweil.com/pdf/7blogtips.pdf) HubSpot – Inboung Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/Default.aspx Beth Kanter –http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/ Katya Andresen - http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/ Andy Sernovitz- http://www.damniwish.com/ Jocelyn Harmon – www. marketingfornonprofits 

Debbie Weil - FREE e-book http://www.debbieweil.com/pdf/7blogtips.pdf)

HubSpot – Inboung Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/Default.aspx

Beth Kanter –http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/

Katya Andresen - http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/

Andy Sernovitz- http://www.damniwish.com/

Jocelyn Harmon – www. marketingfornonprofits 