The buzz about blogs A blog is simply a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style Blogs.. Provide a tool for free expression Generate on-line communities of people with similar interests Can help you with public relations and lead generation Are used as a source of news and information

Blogs..

Provide a tool for free expression

Generate on-line communities of people with similar

interests

Can help you with public relations and lead generation

Are used as a source of news and information

Government use of RSS, blogs, wikis, and podcasts is exploding The rise of the online community means the relationship between the government and the people is shifting radically Social media democratizes the discussion by allowing the public to comment Members of congress, cabinet members and agency leaders are directly engaging with their constituents on a regular basis

Social media democratizes the discussion by allowing the public to comment

Members of congress, cabinet members and agency leaders are directly engaging with their constituents on a regular basis

Blogosphere & Culture Blogging is about real people sharing their personal experiences and insights, and engaging others in thoughtful conversations. Blog readers seek out transparency Successful bloggers consistently provide value through relevant content Advertising or self promotion are frowned upon Blogging is about real people sharing their personal experiences and insights, and engaging others in thoughtful conversations.

Blog readers seek out transparency

Successful bloggers consistently provide value through relevant content

Advertising or self promotion are frowned upon

Is blogging right for your organization? Do start a blog to improve communication Do integrate your blog with existing strategies Do an assessment to determine if you even need/want a blog Don’t start a blog just to say you have a blog Don’t start a blog on a whim Don’t start a blog just because someone says you need one Do’s Don’ts

Do start a blog to improve communication

Do integrate your blog with existing strategies

Do an assessment to determine if you even need/want a blog

Don’t start a blog just to say you have a blog

Don’t start a blog on a whim

Don’t start a blog just because someone says you need one

So You Want to Start a Blog Get to know the blogosphere Identify your goals/objectives Identify your community Develop content strategy Determine who will be blogging Work with your IT department Set up blogging guidelines Develop evaluation metrics WRITE WRITE WRITE Grow and sustain your audience

Get to know the blogosphere

Identify your goals/objectives

Identify your community

Develop content strategy

Determine who will be blogging

Work with your IT department

Set up blogging guidelines

Develop evaluation metrics

WRITE WRITE WRITE

Grow and sustain your audience

1. Get to know the blogosphere Read similar blogs Get to know the blogging culture Know your audience Understand blogging Suggested readings: Cluetrain Manisfesto Now is Gone Groundswell

Read similar blogs

Get to know the blogging culture

Know your audience

Understand blogging

Suggested readings:

Cluetrain Manisfesto

Now is Gone

Groundswell

2. Identify your goals and objectives Ask Yourself ... Why do you want a blog? What do you want to accomplish? What is your message ? Will your blog help you with your organization objectives ?

Ask Yourself ...

Why do you want a blog?

What do you want to accomplish?

What is your message ?

Will your blog help you with your organization objectives ?

3. Identify your Community Determine if your community is internal, external, or both Understand your target audience Know their value Identify other relevant blogs and members of the community you are trying to reach Participate in the community

Determine if your community is internal, external, or both

Understand your target audience

Know their value

Identify other relevant blogs and members of the community you are trying to reach

Participate in the community

4. Develop Content Strategy Develop content that draws an audience Build your brand and demonstrate expertise Remember that you are a human being Set and manage expectations

Develop content that draws an audience

Build your brand and demonstrate expertise

Remember that you are a human being

Set and manage expectations

5. Who’s the Blogger? Will it be written by you? Will it be written by a group with multiple authors? Tone – choose a tone that is appropriate to your audience Who can write in a style that initiate an honest conversation with your audience? “ It’s better to free a blogger than try to create one”

Will it be written by you?

Will it be written by a group with multiple authors?

Tone – choose a tone that is appropriate to your audience

Who can write in a style that initiate an honest conversation with your audience?

6. Work with your IT Department What features do you want/need? Who is you current web hosting provider and administrator? How will the blog integrate into existing website? What type of security do you need – inside or outside of the firewall? Who will be the blog administrator?

What features do you want/need?

Who is you current web hosting provider and administrator?

How will the blog integrate into existing website?

What type of security do you need – inside or outside of the firewall?

Who will be the blog administrator?

7. Set a blogging guidelines Are you ready for open and transparent feedback? How will you react to comments and customer blog posts? Will comments be moderated? Who will be the moderator? Will users have to register? Will anonymity be allowed?

Are you ready for open and transparent feedback?

How will you react to comments and customer blog posts?

Will comments be moderated?

Who will be the moderator?

Will users have to register?

Will anonymity be allowed?

8. Develop evaluation metrics What’s the ROI of blogging? What does success look like? How will you measure that? Do you need any technical evaluation tools?

What’s the ROI of blogging?

What does success look like?

How will you measure that?

Do you need any technical evaluation tools?

9. WRITE WRITE WRITE Write as often as you can Set aside regular blogging time Don’t get discouraged Enhance existing communication processes

Write as often as you can

Set aside regular blogging time

Don’t get discouraged

Enhance existing communication processes

10. Grow and sustain your audience Promote your blog in other communication Identify and leverage champions Respond to comments Embrace criticism and respond to it Comment on others’ blogs Take Action

Promote your blog in other communication

Identify and leverage champions

Respond to comments

Embrace criticism and respond to it

Comment on others’ blogs

Take Action

Blogs are here to stay 346 million WW read blogs 94.1 million US blog readers in 2007 Source: Universal McCann (March 2008) , eMarketer (May 2008) The number of those who read blogs at least once a month has grown 300% in the past four years

346 million WW read blogs

94.1 million US blog readers in 2007