Business Blogging Quick Start: Anatomy of a Blog Part of the Social Media and CRM 2.0 Professional Certification Seminar Series

Agenda Anatomy of a blog Connecting The business blogging ecosystem Blogging etiquette Connecting with customers and prospects Tips for successful blogging and a successful blog Earning customers’ hearts, minds and attention Competitive survey Planning for visibility Identifying like minds and experts Action plan framework

Anatomy of a blog

Connecting

The business blogging ecosystem

Blogging etiquette

Connecting with customers and prospects

Tips for successful blogging and a successful blog

Earning customers’ hearts, minds and attention

Competitive survey

Planning for visibility

Identifying like minds and experts

Action plan framework

Anatomy Of A Blog

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: The Main Page Header Center column Sidebars Footer

Header

Center column

Sidebars

Footer

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: The Main Page Header Center column Sidebars Footer

Header

Center column

Sidebars

Footer

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: The Main Page Header Center column Sidebars Footer

Header

Center column

Sidebars

Footer

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: The Main Page Header Center column Sidebars Footer

Header

Center column

Sidebars

Footer

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: The Main Page Header Center column Sidebars Footer

Header

Center column

Sidebars

Footer

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Postings The reason readers show up Regularly updated Many options on length, tone, etc.

The reason readers show up

Regularly updated

Many options on length, tone, etc.

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Outbound Links Connections to others Builds community Links to supporting facts and good ideas Shows respect

Connections to others

Builds community

Links to supporting facts and good ideas

Shows respect

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Full vs. Truncated Postings Full postings show the entire entry in the center column Good if posts are typically “short” Fewer, longer posts appear on the main page

Full postings show the entire entry in the center column

Good if posts are typically “short”

Fewer, longer posts appear on the main page

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Full vs. Truncated Postings Truncated postings show a portion of a post in the center column Requires an additional click for the user Lets readers see “snippets” of more posts Considerate (and consider it) if posts are very long

Truncated postings show a portion of a post in the center column

Requires an additional click for the user

Lets readers see “snippets” of more posts

Considerate (and consider it) if posts are very long

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Full vs. Truncated Postings Click brings reader from the snippet to the full post Can be decided on a post-by-post basis

Click brings reader from the snippet to the full post

Can be decided on a post-by-post basis

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: “Permalinks” Link to a particular post Prevents others’ links from inaccuracy over time Enable search engines to index individual posts

Link to a particular post

Prevents others’ links from inaccuracy over time

Enable search engines to index individual posts

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Author Biography And Contact Info Link to background of blog author Information on how to contact author directly Adds a human dimension to the blog

Link to background of blog author

Information on how to contact author directly

Adds a human dimension to the blog

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Author Biography No “typical” form for content Can range from resume-like to free-form Usually includes not only professional history, but personal interests as well

No “typical” form for content

Can range from resume-like to free-form

Usually includes not only professional history, but personal interests as well

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Contact Information Email Phone Many use Skype Email may be “spam-proofed”

Email

Phone

Many use Skype

Email may be “spam-proofed”

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Author Identification (if multiple) Some biz blogs have multiple authors Typically identified in the post Typically listed in a side bar Different, sometimes dissenting, voices

Some biz blogs have multiple authors

Typically identified in the post

Typically listed in a side bar

Different, sometimes dissenting, voices

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Comments The cornerstone of conversation and interaction Can be anonymous, or identified Can be moderated, or unmoderated Can link back to author Some posts get zero comments, some get dozens or hundreds

The cornerstone of conversation and interaction

Can be anonymous, or identified

Can be moderated, or unmoderated

Can link back to author

Some posts get zero comments, some get dozens or hundreds

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Authentication Systems May ensure identity of a commenter More often simply used to ensure that a commenter is a person (not a program) Aids in the prevention of “comment spam”

May ensure identity of a commenter

More often simply used to ensure that a commenter is a person (not a program)

Aids in the prevention of “comment spam”

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Archives Provides access to prior posts Allows new readers to peruses “the back catalog” to get a feel for the tone and history of the blog May be by date, or category or another organization scheme

Provides access to prior posts

Allows new readers to peruses “the back catalog” to get a feel for the tone and history of the blog

May be by date, or category or another organization scheme

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Recent Posts Quick links to a handful of most recent posts Allows readers to catch up on “recent events” Gives a feel for current hot topics

Quick links to a handful of most recent posts

Allows readers to catch up on “recent events”

Gives a feel for current hot topics

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Search Search within a blog Usually powered by the public Google, Yahoo! Search engines Provides readers way to find specific posts

Search within a blog

Usually powered by the public Google, Yahoo! Search engines

Provides readers way to find specific posts

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Categories Many bloggers assign each post to one or more “categories” Allows a reader to easily find all posts on a particular topic Useful for both search engine optimization and “tagging”

Many bloggers assign each post to one or more “categories”

Allows a reader to easily find all posts on a particular topic

Useful for both search engine optimization and “tagging”

Aside: RSS (or “Really Simple Syndication”) “ TiVo for blogs” Stands for “Really Simple Syndication” RSS is a format that shares the “content” of blogs and web pages Most blogs publish an RSS feed RSS feeds from multiple blogs can be aggregated into portals such as MyYahoo! Offering an RSS feed greatly extends a blog’s reach

“ TiVo for blogs”

Stands for “Really Simple Syndication”

RSS is a format that shares the “content” of blogs and web pages

Most blogs publish an RSS feed

RSS feeds from multiple blogs can be aggregated into portals such as MyYahoo!

Offering an RSS feed greatly extends a blog’s reach

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Subscriptions It is critical to allow readers to “subscribe” to your blog “ Subscribed” readers have access to your content without having to visit the web site Many different technical choices RSS, portals, “aggregators” At minimum offer an RSS feed, other mechanisms if space, layout, and effort allow

It is critical to allow readers to “subscribe” to your blog

“ Subscribed” readers have access to your content without having to visit the web site

Many different technical choices

RSS, portals, “aggregators”

At minimum offer an RSS feed, other mechanisms if space, layout, and effort allow

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Email Subscriptions RSS is the future, email is the now For the near-to-mid term, email familiarity will greatly outstrip familiarity with RSS Email subscriptions fill the gap until RSS integration is ubiquitous

RSS is the future, email is the now

For the near-to-mid term, email familiarity will greatly outstrip familiarity with RSS

Email subscriptions fill the gap until RSS integration is ubiquitous

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: “Artifacts” Aid in making the anonymous more personal Give a more “360 degree” view of the author Photos Personal favorites Books Music Games Affiliations Etc.

Aid in making the anonymous more personal

Give a more “360 degree” view of the author

Photos

Personal favorites

Books

Music

Games

Affiliations

Etc.

Anatomy Of A Typical Blog: Blogroll A public list of links to the homepages of other blogs a blog author finds noteworthy A public endorsement of sorts May contain few or dozens of links to other blogs

A public list of links to the homepages of other blogs a blog author finds noteworthy

A public endorsement of sorts

May contain few or dozens of links to other blogs

This presentation is a portion of the Social Media and CRM 2.0 Professional Certification Seminar Series Learn more about the series here: http://www. socialcustomer .com http://www.bptpartners.com/socialmedia_agenda.aspx http://www.the56group.typepad.com/