Blogging, Twitter & Other Stories (For beginners!) Ken McGuire for Event Media [email_address]

Introduction Ken McGuire Blogging since 2004 Podcasting since 2006 Twitter since Feb 2007

Ken McGuire

Blogging since 2004

Podcasting since 2006

Twitter since Feb 2007

Agenda Blogging Background – What, Why, How? Setting up Your First Blog Blog Writing Hints and Tips Promoting Your Blog Twitter

Blogging Background – What, Why, How?

Setting up Your First Blog

Blog Writing Hints and Tips

Promoting Your Blog

Twitter

Goals For Today Learn about blogs – what they are, how they work Discover how to set up a blog, for free Making your first post - easy Free ways to promote your blog Getting yourself started on Twitter

Learn about blogs – what they are, how they work

Discover how to set up a blog, for free

Making your first post - easy

Free ways to promote your blog

Getting yourself started on Twitter

All About Blogs

What Is A Blog? A blog is... Short for 'Web Log' Collection of blog 'posts' / news items, stories published in a dated order Pretty much like a journal Versatile – can be about anything

A blog is...

Short for 'Web Log'

Collection of blog 'posts' / news items, stories published in a dated order

Pretty much like a journal

Versatile – can be about anything

What Is A Blog? A blog is... Like a website, but for non-techies Easy to create and update Very interactive (comments, conversation) Embed all the cool stuff (photos, videos, podcasts)

A blog is...

Like a website, but for non-techies

Easy to create and update

Very interactive (comments, conversation)

Embed all the cool stuff (photos, videos, podcasts)

Blog, Blogger, Blogging Blog: A web log Blogger: Someone who maintains a blog Blogging: The process of creating and maintaining a blog

Blog: A web log

Blogger: Someone who maintains a blog

Blogging: The process of creating and maintaining a blog

Blogging Platforms Blogger Wordpress (favourite) Typepad (fee based) Blogosphere – The global blogging community (Blog O'Sphere)

Blogger

Wordpress (favourite)

Typepad (fee based)

Blogosphere – The global blogging community (Blog O'Sphere)

Blog Ingredients Blog Posts An 'About' Page A 'Contact' Page The cool stuff – audio, mp3s, video, photos

Blog Posts

An 'About' Page

A 'Contact' Page

The cool stuff – audio, mp3s, video, photos

What Can A Blog Do For You? Connect you with fellow librarians, authors, writers Showcase your own works, thoughts Build an audience for your work Establish you as an authority figure

Connect you with fellow librarians, authors, writers

Showcase your own works, thoughts

Build an audience for your work

Establish you as an authority figure

What Can A Blog Do For You? “ I now realise how beneficial this blog is. It is almost like a creative diary. It allows me to reflect back on my practice as an artist, it helps me understand my way of approaching new ideas and my way of working creatively” - Artist in Residence, May 2008

“ I now realise how beneficial this blog is. It is almost like a creative diary. It allows me to reflect back on my practice as an artist, it helps me understand my way of approaching new ideas and my way of working creatively”

- Artist in Residence, May 2008

Why Blogs Are Liked They're web based – everything runs online with no need to install. Access anywhere You don't need to learn a language to run a blog Blogging community is constantly growing

They're web based – everything runs online with no need to install.

Access anywhere

You don't need to learn a language to run a blog

Blogging community is constantly growing

Why Do You Need A Blog? Build your personal brand Showcase your works Become visible on the web Keep others informed

Build your personal brand

Showcase your works

Become visible on the web

Keep others informed

Deciding What To Blog Follow your craft Music (KilkennyMusic.com) Theatre (DeviousTheatre.com) Sport (LiverpoolAccess.com) The more 'niche' the better Book reviews, events, music therapy, sound design etc.

Follow your craft

Music (KilkennyMusic.com)

Theatre (DeviousTheatre.com)

Sport (LiverpoolAccess.com)

The more 'niche' the better

Book reviews, events, music therapy, sound design etc.

Why Have A Library Blog? Supplement and enhance existing library guides, newsletters More relevant, more up to date Everyone can contribute, with ease Publish events, book reviews, photos

Supplement and enhance existing library guides, newsletters

More relevant, more up to date

Everyone can contribute, with ease

Publish events, book reviews, photos

Setting Up A Blog

Starting A Wordpress Blog Wordpress.com, it's free, it's great Click ' Sign Up Now ' and enter username, password, email Choose name for blog Confirm email, get writing

Wordpress.com, it's free, it's great

Click ' Sign Up Now ' and enter username, password, email

Choose name for blog

Confirm email, get writing

...That Was Easy

Your First Blog Post Title Be descriptive, be precise Title will appear in search engine results Content Relevant links Tags Publish

Title

Be descriptive, be precise

Title will appear in search engine results

Content

Relevant links

Tags

Publish

Your First Blog Page Additional content to homepage Title, content, links as before Chance to sell yourself, do it well Pages have an order of their own Contact details, about you, links, profiles

Additional content to homepage

Title, content, links as before

Chance to sell yourself, do it well

Pages have an order of their own

Contact details, about you, links, profiles

Writing Tips

Writing Tips Be yourself Be professional It is ok to have an opinion “You can't be an authority on a topic if you don't have faith in your own opinion” Proper Titles Cheek your spellimg and grammar

Be yourself

Be professional

It is ok to have an opinion

“You can't be an authority on a topic if you don't have faith in your own opinion”

Proper Titles

Cheek your spellimg and grammar

Writing Tips Support your post with relevant links Link out to author, review, event location Links give the post added value to reader Write less, write often Bold type, lists, headings, sections

Support your post with relevant links

Link out to author, review, event location

Links give the post added value to reader

Write less, write often

Bold type, lists, headings, sections

Advertising Your Blog

Advertising Your Blog If you build it, they may or may not come Find similar blogs Technorati.com blogsearch.google.com Comment on other blogs Email, press releases, get the word out

If you build it, they may or may not come

Find similar blogs

Technorati.com

blogsearch.google.com

Comment on other blogs

Email, press releases, get the word out

Advertising Your Blog Blog directories BlogFlux.com, BlogCatalog.com Social Networks MySpace / Facebook / Bebo / Twitter RSS Feeds / Email Feeds

Blog directories

BlogFlux.com, BlogCatalog.com

Social Networks

MySpace / Facebook / Bebo / Twitter

RSS Feeds / Email Feeds

RSS Feed Really Simple Syndication Automatically via Wordpress / Blogger Subscribe via feed reader, mobile phone, email Read your blog without visiting blog

Really Simple Syndication

Automatically via Wordpress / Blogger

Subscribe via feed reader, mobile phone, email

Read your blog without visiting blog

Promoting Individual Posts StumbleUpon.com Great for information-based blogs, guides, “how-to” type posts Digg.com Suitable for news type blogs Delicious.com Sharing bookmarks, public listing

StumbleUpon.com

Great for information-based blogs, guides, “how-to” type posts

Digg.com

Suitable for news type blogs

Delicious.com

Sharing bookmarks, public listing

Then Came Twitter

What is it? A free , microblogging service You get 140 characters per message Messages referred to as 'tweets'

A free , microblogging service

You get 140 characters per message

Messages referred to as 'tweets'

What Can You Do? Send your message... from anywhere Lurk, or engage in conversation Follow and be followed Link to posts, photos etc.

Send your message... from anywhere

Lurk, or engage in conversation

Follow and be followed

Link to posts, photos etc.

Sending A Tweet What are you doing? @ D #

What are you doing?

@

D

#

Twitter In The Library Keep in contact with colleagues Keep up to date with publishers Find out what other library services are doing Tell people what you are doing

Keep in contact with colleagues

Keep up to date with publishers

Find out what other library services are doing

Tell people what you are doing

You can also... Link to events Run a competition Take queries via Twitter e.g. @kilkennylibrary do you have The Gate House by Nelson DeMille?

Link to events

Run a competition

Take queries via Twitter e.g. @kilkennylibrary do you have The Gate House by Nelson DeMille?

You can also... Follow conferences or events (hashtag) e.g. #le09 http://search.twitter.com Find users and library services at http://wefollow.com

Follow conferences or events (hashtag) e.g. #le09

http://search.twitter.com

Find users and library services at http://wefollow.com

Twitter... Allows you to network, both personally and professionally Get messages out straight away (think of it like a group text) Simple, fast, effective

Allows you to network, both personally and professionally

Get messages out straight away (think of it like a group text)

Simple, fast, effective

Turning It Over To You... What do YOU want to know?

What do YOU want to know?

Thanks For Your Time Thanks for your time Visit http://eventmedia.ie Follow me on Twitter @kenmcguire Rate myself and the talk http://speakerrate.com/kenmcguire

Thanks for your time

Visit http://eventmedia.ie

Follow me on Twitter @kenmcguire

Rate myself and the talk http://speakerrate.com/kenmcguire