2 Blog or Not 2 Blog Jocelyn Harmon NPower Greater DC Region [email_address] www.npowergdcr.org & Qui Diaz 360°Digital Influence, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide [email_address] www.ogilvypr.com http://evangelisting.blogspot.com

Social Media Matters Social media “online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other. . . These sites typically use technologies such as blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs to allow users to interact.” Within the digital landscape, social media is very likely important and relevant to your mission.

Social media “online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other. . . These sites typically use technologies such as blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs to allow users to interact.”

Within the digital landscape, social media is very likely important and relevant to your mission.

Social Media Stats Social media is mainstream media. * 39% of internet users, or 57 million American adults, read blogs 170 million MySpace members Trust in traditional media and advertising is declining, while trust in online media and social networks is on the rise. ** 68% of U.S. consumers are most trustful of other people “like themselves” 20% of word of mouth happens online People are probably already turning to social media for information about your cause. *** How many blogs are talking about your issue on Technorati? Is your mission being discussed in social networks (Care2, Radoo, Idealist * Pew Internet & American Life, “Bloggers,” July 2006 ** Forrester Research, “Social Computing,” February 2007 *** Technorati

Social media is mainstream media. *

39% of internet users, or 57 million American adults, read blogs

170 million MySpace members

Trust in traditional media and advertising is declining, while trust in online media and social networks is on the rise. **

68% of U.S. consumers are most trustful of other people “like themselves”

20% of word of mouth happens online

People are probably already turning to social media for information about your cause. ***

How many blogs are talking about your issue on Technorati?

Is your mission being discussed in social networks (Care2, Radoo, Idealist

People Want to Engage (& Are!) Across the board: ~80 million blogs (120,000 new blogs every day!) Age: Boomers/Seniors: 71% of people over the age of 50 are online Race: 56% of Hispanics living in the U.S. and 60% of African Americans use the Internet, compared with 71% of whites. Causes Health: 80% of American internet users (113 million adults), have searched for information on at least one of 17 health topics. Gender: 68% of men and 66% of women are online

Across the board: ~80 million blogs (120,000 new blogs every day!)

Age: Boomers/Seniors: 71% of people over the age of 50 are online

Race: 56% of Hispanics living in the U.S. and 60% of African Americans use the Internet, compared with 71% of whites.

Causes Health: 80% of American internet users (113 million adults), have searched for information on at least one of 17 health topics.

Gender: 68% of men and 66% of women are online

What’s a blog? A two-way conversation An authentic voice Characteristics: Journal-esque entries Reverse chronological order Features: blog roll, about, recent posts, archives

A two-way conversation

An authentic voice

Characteristics:

Journal-esque entries

Reverse chronological order

Features: blog roll, about, recent posts, archives

Why blog? Turn up the volume on your brand/mission/product/service! Show the human side of your organization Build a pool of content Throw your hat in the ring: Start a conversation Continue an existing conversation Tell your story (or get others to tell it for you) Build relationships with your advocates, peers and people w/ similar interests Reach a new & captive audiences

Turn up the volume on your brand/mission/product/service!

Show the human side of your organization

Build a pool of content

Throw your hat in the ring:

Start a conversation

Continue an existing conversation

Tell your story (or get others to tell it for you)

Build relationships with your advocates, peers and people w/ similar interests

Reach a new & captive audiences

Who is blogging? Everyone! People: Teens, 20’s - 30’s, Moms, dads, elder/boomer bloggers, industry pros in all fields (CEOs too!) Big brands (all industries and sectors) Corporate: GM, Intel Government: HHS, CDC Nonprofits: ASAE, Kiva…

Everyone!

People:

Teens, 20’s - 30’s, Moms, dads, elder/boomer bloggers, industry pros in all fields (CEOs too!)

Big brands (all industries and sectors)

Corporate: GM, Intel

Government: HHS, CDC

Nonprofits: ASAE, Kiva…

Tips for getting started – you need a strategy Are you ready? (Social Media Score) What’s the purpose? Who will own it? What topics will you cover? What’s your comment policy? How much time will you allocate? How will you market your blog?

Are you ready? (Social Media Score)

What’s the purpose?

Who will own it?

What topics will you cover?

What’s your comment policy?

How much time will you allocate?

How will you market your blog?

Promotion How will you market your blog? Promote through influencers who reach your audience Comment on other blogs Respond to comments on your blog Register in issue-specific and geographic blog directories (Technorati, Placeblogger) Develop the rest of your online presence! (social networks, tagging, Flickr, Digg, keyword marketing, optimize your website)

How will you market your blog?

Promote through influencers who reach your audience

Comment on other blogs

Respond to comments on your blog

Register in issue-specific and geographic blog directories (Technorati, Placeblogger)

Develop the rest of your online presence! (social networks, tagging, Flickr, Digg, keyword marketing, optimize your website)

Case Studies American Society of Association Executives: Acronym: association blog Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: staff blog Kiva.org: journals from loan grantees

American Society of Association Executives: Acronym: association blog

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: staff blog

Kiva.org: journals from loan grantees

Short-term Blogs BLOG SUMMIT: short-term, multiple contributors Pandemic Flu Leadership Blog www.climateresponseblog.com EVENT: Corporate Climate Response: Liveblogging and vlogging for 3-day conference www.climateresponseblog.com EXPERIENCE: Intel Blogger Challenge 6 laptops to 6 bloggers for 5 weeks www.intelbloggerchallenge.com CONTEST: Up Your Budget (Budget Rent A Car) 1 month to tell you favorite roadtrip stories http://www.upyourbudget.com/ Blog Carnivals Traveling ‘event’ hosted by guest bloggers Blogging Boomers Carnival Breast Cancer Awareness Blog Carnival Health Blog Carnival

BLOG SUMMIT: short-term, multiple contributors

Pandemic Flu Leadership Blog www.climateresponseblog.com

EVENT: Corporate Climate Response:

Liveblogging and vlogging for 3-day conference www.climateresponseblog.com

EXPERIENCE: Intel Blogger Challenge

6 laptops to 6 bloggers for 5 weeks

www.intelbloggerchallenge.com

CONTEST: Up Your Budget (Budget Rent A Car)

1 month to tell you favorite roadtrip stories

http://www.upyourbudget.com/

Blog Carnivals

Traveling ‘event’ hosted by guest bloggers

Blogging Boomers Carnival

Breast Cancer Awareness Blog Carnival

Health Blog Carnival

Learn from the Best Beth Kanter: Beth’s Blog John Bell: Digital Influence Mapping Project Houtlust Marketing Profs Nonprofit Communications Seth Godin’s Blog Advertising Age: Top 150 media & marketing blogs

Beth Kanter: Beth’s Blog

John Bell: Digital Influence Mapping Project

Houtlust

Marketing Profs

Nonprofit Communications

Seth Godin’s Blog

Advertising Age: Top 150 media & marketing blogs