Blogging 101

@LisaLFlowers ~ LFlowers@FlowersMediaMatters.com ~ October 24, 2015
Blogging 101
@LisaL.Flowers
Strategist | Instructor | Speaker

Agenda
 Introductions
 Examples
 Blogging Platforms
 Creating Your Blog
 Types of Blog Posts and Content
 Editorial Calendar
 Writing for a Blog
 Creating a Blog on Blogger
 The BIG Question and the BIG Answer
 Before You Blog Checklist
 What Am I Going to Say?
 Ways to Promote Your Blog
 Resources
 What I Wish I Had Known
 Recap

Introductions
 SoMe inventory
 3 things
 Blog focus

@LisaLFlowers
 Marketing, business development and public
speaking – 25+ years
 Teaching, tutoring and mentoring – 15+ years
 Social media and business coaching – 5+ years
 Lifelong learner, volunteer, and advocate
 Global – Malaysia and Nigeria
 Recent – Keynote speaker at Kent County Economic
Summit

Examples of Blogs
All are referenced
in HUGE list
at end of
presentation

Before You Blog Checklist
 What is the name and focus of your blog?
 Who is the audience?
 Buy domain name(s)
 Get SoMe real estate
 Choose a platform
 Host
 Ask others
 Join a group
 Editorial calendar

Best Blogging Platforms
Source: http://startbloggingonline.com/blog-platform-comparison-chart/

Top (Free or Cheap) Blogging Platforms

Service-hosted Self-hosted
 Free
 Easy to do
 Limited widgets and
customization
 You don’t own it
 Cost money, usually
not a lot when
beginning
 Learning curve
 A bajillion widgets and
unlimited
customization
 You OWN it
Choices

Your Domain or Not?
 yourblog.wordpress.com
 yourblog.blogspot.com
 yourblog.tumblr.com
OR
 lisasblog.com
 yourgreatblog.com

What Am I Going To Say?
 Writing prompts
 http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=writ
ing+prompts&term_meta%5B%5D=writing%7Cautocomplete
%7C0&term_meta%5B%5D=prompts%7Cautocomplete%7C0
 Brainstorming exercise on content or writing a blog
post

Types of Blog Posts
 Instructional, how-tos,
DIY
 Informative
 Instructional
 Reviews
 Lists
 Interviews
 Case studies
 Profiles
 Link posts
 Cheat lists, checklists,
to-dos
 Difference of opinion
 Rant
 Inspirational
 Research
 Prediction
 Critique
 Debate
 Hypothetical
 Survey
 Controversial posts
 Newsjacking & curating

Types of Content
 Animated gifs
 Article
 Ask fans a question
 Blog posts
 Book reviews
 Case study
 Cheatsheets
 Checklists
 Client story or testimonial
 Comics or cartoons
 Company news
 Customer service questions
 eBook
 FAQs
Guest post
Guides
History of company or
industry
How-to article
Images
Industry news update
Infographics
Interviews
Link or resource pages
Lists
National holiday
Opinion posts

More Types of Content
 Podcast
 Press release
 Product reviews
 Reply to comments
 Research
 Research report
 Resources or Link Lists
 Reviews
 Share a blog post
 Share a fan’s photo
 Survey (ask)
 Survey (responses)
 Surveys
 To-Dos
 Tutorials
 Upcoming events
 Vendor story or
testimonial
 Videos

Editorial Calendar
 Dollar Tree
 Don’t reinvent the wheel
 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines
 Keep it simple
 Examples
 http://www.pinterest.com/scrappinmichele/editorial-
calendar/
 http://bit.ly/1HxiPQJ
 http://bit.ly/1uOse1h

Writing for a Blog
 Headlines
 Succinct and compelling
 4 Ways, 7 Reasons, How To…
 Ask someone what they think
 Images
 Original if possible
 Always get permission and/or give credit
 Canva
 Free images
 https://blog.bufferapp.com/free-image-sources-
list?utm_campaign=weekly_digest

Writing for a Blog
 1 post = Many
 Write it well
 Include an image
 Bitly or Tiny URL
 Nuggets
 Include a CTA
 Examples:
 http://socialtriggers.com/perfect-blog-post/
 http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/07/17/headline-
writing#
 Use as an example

Creating Your Blog on Blogger
 Settings – Basic link
 Blog Description – 500 characters
 Allow Search Engines – Allow
 Formatting
 Default is 7 posts
 Date format and time
 Commenting
 Controls how people comment on your blog.
 Registered users = less spam but limits who can access your blog
 Set to Anyone and then moderate comments, set to always.
 Enable Word Verification. Helps prevent spam bots.
 Blogger.com can email you when comments are made.
 Archiving
 Monthly
 Enable Post pages, set to yes
 Site Feed
 Add copyright notice, then will be visible always.
 Permissions
 Public

WordPress.COM or WordPress.ORG?
 WordPress.COM
 Hosted blogging platform
 Free to use and relatively easy to get started
 www.yourpersonalblog.wordpress.com
 No ads but can use affiliate links
 WordPress.ORG
 Uses same framework
 Installed on your own Web hosting space
 You own it and can sell ads
Source: http://www.make-a-web-site.com/start-blog-2014/

The BIG Question

The BIG Answer
Slowly
Like a lot of things in life, blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.

But, if you build it, they will come. IF…
Source: Dang! I gotta go back and find this source

Ways to Promote Your Blog
 Join (or start)
 A blogging group
 A local group
 Create a Facebook page and Twitter account for your blog
 Include URL everywhere
 Email signature
 All SoMe profiles
 Friends & Family Rule
 Twitter chats
 #BlogChat
 #NostalgiaChat
 Attend blogging conferences
 Type A - http://typeaparent.com/
 BAM Conference - http://midlifeboulevard.com/bam-conference/
 BlogHer - http://www.blogher.com/
 Huge list of events - http://shopthebbar.com/blog/list-of-blog-conferences-2015/
 TALK ABOUT IT!!!

Resources
 Blogger Help and Support
https://support.google.com/blogger/?hl=en#topic=
3339243
 Choosing A Blogging Platform
http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2009/01/choosi
ng-a-blogging-platform/
 Blogging 101
http://www.slideshare.net/FLBlogCon/bess-auer-
blogging-101-flblogcon13-26428885
 The Most Overlooked Piece of Real Estate on Your
Blog http://bit.ly/1ymnBck

What I Wish I Had Known
 I wish I had had some sort of instruction instead of learning it all on my own... such a steep
learning curve! My first blog was http://www.midlifecrisisqueen.com/ but today I have five! I
also wish I had known that I could be sued for hundreds of dollars for using one photo from
Google! - @midlifequeen
 I wish I had chosen a different name! Something a little more catchy, and one that didn't sound
as though it was attached to the moving industry! http://www.relocationtheblog.blogspot.com I
would love to change it to "Life, Relocated," worry I'm too far into the game. – Mindy Trotta
 I wish I had started using fake names for my kids from the beginning! Http://Moxie-Dude.com
- Mona Andrei
 I wish that I had self-hosted. I've been trying to switch for over a year now, but I'm nervous ---
because I really am not technically savvy in any way. Still, if I had started that way I wouldn't be
worrying about it now. - Jacqueline Tierney DeMuro
 When I started blogging, I thought i had to post every day. That certainly works for many
bloggers who are trying to establish traffic to their sites. But I found too many of those posts
were thin--hardly worth a visitor's time. I was better off cutting back on the number of times a
week and making sure each post was content rich. My blog is now five years old and readership
is still growing: http://www.grownchildren.net/ - Penelope Lemov
 I wish I'd moved from a free blog to self-hosted Word Press sooner! Also, for my personal blog,
I wouldn't have branded with the word Mom. - Anne Parris

 I wish I'd thought about consistency in image design! And hired somebody to create all of those
necessary images for me. Definitely not my forte! Http://Fitknitchick.com - Tamara Grand
 I wish I had submitted to other sites earlier. I blogged for years on my website before I
submitted blogs to The Huffington Post, Midlife Boulevard, HumorOutcasts, BlogHer,
ProjectEve, and JenningsWire. Being on those sites creates incredible exposure, increases my
book sales, and prompts me to write regularly. "Midlife Cabernet" - www.elaineambrose.com/ -
@AmbroseElaine
 I wish I had stuck with a self-hosted Word Press blog (which I let lapse). I also wish I had taken
advice on being prepared -having up to six months’ worth of ideas and evergreen posts ready
ahead of launching. The name thing always seems to come up - there are always ideas that don't
seem to fit within the parameters we give ourselves with a name.
www.menopausemoi.blogspot.ca - Donna Hanton
 I'm glad you asked this question Lisa, I'm teaching a class in January and February for
beginning bloggers. I considered going with self-hosted wordpress, but I've decided to start out
with Blogger because it's free and so easy. Those of us who wish we had started on self-hosted
may not remember how overwhelming it was just to write a blog post and add a photo and
share it on social media the first few months! http://www.emptyhousefullmind.com and
http://midlifeboulevard.com - Sharon Hodor Greenthal

 Have people start on wordpress.com, which is also free, and then when they switch eventually to
wordpress self-hosted, they will at least be comfortable with the wordpress platform. I remember
starting on blogger and when I switched to wp it was a big shock. - Sarah Auerswald
 I wish someone had made me understand the reasons and need for choosing a "niche" versus
journaling. - Patricia Patton
 Pictures, pictures, pictures! Adding photos, graphs, charts - anything visual - to your blog will
quickly engage the reader. My earlier posts sans photos seem very boring by comparison.
http://kimdalferes.com/category/kim-dalferes-blog - Kimberly Joyce Dalferes
 Join social media groups on FB - the ones that restrict promotional link sharing and encouraging
info sharing & learning. I'm learning so much more since I've found these groups in the last 3
months than I did on my own in the past 3 years. Join (or create) a tribe/mastermind. Just
started one - 10 ppl or less - and the learning environment is rich and engaging. We use FB
groups to communicate throughout the week and Google Hangouts for 2ce monthly trainings.
www.debtfreedivas.org @debtfreedivas - Toni Perrien Husbands
 1) Write as if you're having a face-to-face conversation with your best friend. 2) Forget
perfection. Just strive for better with every post. 3) Write less, share more.
http://happybloggerplaza.com - Delia Rusu

 Don't go into blogging to make money. Do it because you feel the need to connect, to
express yourself and you enjoy writing... and then see what happens! - Laura Lee
Carter
 I wish I had started an editorial calendar with post ideas right away or even before I
started the blog. I also wish I had known about Coshedule for scheduling posts and
social media. I was overwhelmed trying to keep up with social media marketing.
www.TablerPartyOfTwo.com - @AndreaTabler
 I wish I hadn't begun blogging about disability. I lost a lot of my core readers who
were interested in stories about living in NY in the 1970's and 80's. I became too
associated with nonverbal learning disorder (NLD) which has never defined me.
Many people began thinking about me differently. It cost me opportunities while
really giving me very little back. There's much more...
http://courtingdestiny.com/2014/11/stirring-pot/ - Pia Savage
 One thing that helped me so much was finding a tribe early on. Find something
you're passionate about and frequent boards/forums on that topic. "Meet" people
there, go to their blogs and leave lots of comments. Go down rabbit trails once in
awhile (through other commenters' blogs) just to enjoy the journey and look for
gems, people you resonate with. Be very generous with comments, and be consistent
in leaving them. http://lavenderluz.com - Lori Lavender Luz

 Would have waited a few days after writing the post to see if I really needed 2000
words to make my point. Then would have cut cut cut. - Susan Cook Bonifant
 Learn some photography basics because sometimes the words are not the problem.
It's finding good quality images to enhance the words. Cheapest way is to take the
photos yourself. - Mithra Sharifi Ballesteros
 Used my name as the site name. Converting was hard. - Lisha Perry Fink
 My blog, about the insanity of the college admissions process, went viral after 5 days
with a post called 'Why All Hotel Bedspreads are Ugly.' In it, I dissed the hideous
decor of Cornell's on-campus hotel, run by their world-renowned hospitality school.
Although the blog was anonymous, I was worried that my son would be rejected by
Cornell, if he chose to apply. (Luckily, he was accepted early to another school.) I
learned that what you put on the internet stays on the internet. Later, when the blog
was published as a book, I left out the bedspread post (although it was very
popular). www.theneuroticparent.com - Judy Rothman Rofé

 Here are my thoughts for your audience. I luckily have many great things I wouldn't change
from the beginning because on day one I wanted to start a blog I got lucky and went to a local
blog conference to research and learned many great habits that have helped me. I am self taught
and not technical at all and the only thing I would do different is to go self hosted Wordpress
from the beginning. I started on free Blogger and even though at the same time I bought my
domain name on {dot}com I was too afraid to switch because I didn't know how. After years I
switched over and it was terrible and I actually stopped blogging for 6 months because of all the
glitches that came from moving over to wordpress from blogger. 2 years later my site still has
issues from the switch and I am still trying to get my viewing numbers back up to what I had on
my years on Blogger. So... START ON A SELF HOSTED SITE LIKE WORDPRESS FROM THE
START! http://wendyshat.com/ @WendysHat - Wendy Walker Cushing
 Another thing I wish I had known about back then (2008): Hyperlinks. My publisher, in 2012,
was in absolute shock that I never used them. I should have belonged to a group like this! - Judy
Rothman Rofé
 I began blogging in 2004. Very accidentally I found a "link exchange" group called Blog
Explosion. I put my blog in it, left and the next morning woke to 400+ requests for links.
Apparently people were passing my blog around. It boggled my mind. Problem was I had no
idea what they were in blogging--or anything else. I made myself a primer on blogging
terminology and began reading as much as I could on blogging. A lot of the suggestions were, I
thought, stupid and I would do the opposite--helped me a lot. I did make great friends and we
helped each other. But none of us were in it for money. I would have figured out ways to
monetize my blog thenwhen it was so hot. People who came later were "luckier" because they
could learn from bloggers and conferences. I was blind folded or so it felt. - Pia Savage

 I'm still a newbie, but I wish I had found widgets and plugins for blogger that made it easier for
non-bloggers (ie: other people) to follow my page. http://jinglejanglejungle.blogspot.com -
Mary Burris
 I started my blog OnceALittleGirl.com as something maybe my grandchildren would read. A
warm up for my "real writing." I wish I knew how much time I'd spend writing. I'm glad I didn't
know that people all over the world would read and relate to it. Oh my! I would have froze from
fear. www.oncealittlegirl.com - Adela Crandell Durkee
 Don't try to sell anything. Be kind, witty, helpful, consistent and engaging and people will want
to know more about you and what you do. - http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com - Doreen
Mcgettigan
 I don't think I would do anything differently, which I know sounds strange, but I have learned
so much from the process that no book or course could have ever told me. I will say that I
started with posting one essay a week and that has worked out really well for me. I started on
Blogger, and I think it's a great way for beginners. And I like it better than free wordpress
because you can run ads if you want and you can do sponsored content. Also, you aren't paying
and it's pretty easy to figure out. I switched over to my a slef hosted site a year ago and it's been
great, but I was starting to make money on my site and was ready to take it to another level. The
one thing I would tell anyone starting out, even on Blogger is to buy your domain name. - Kathy
Radigan

 I am nodding my head in agreement to a lot of these. I would say claim the social
media names for your blog, even if you do not intend to use right away. That way
you have them if you need them. Write profiles for each and direct to your blog.
http://www.organizedisland.com - Raquel Pineira
 This may have been said already but .... when I started out on Blogspot I had many
many anonymous comments and a lot of spam. Maybe there's a way to avoid that
w/Blogspot but once I had WordPress and Akismet it was much easier to tell who
everyone was and to keep the spam out. www.biggreenpen.com - Paula Kiger
 Find a Blogger you admire and ask them for tips as they will help and may have
questions for you. Make them your Mentor. As I did this with three bloggers and
learned so much through them. Plus find a locl bloggers group where you can meet
in person and share ideals. http://www.MommiesReviews.com - @MomsReviews
Glenda Cates
 Two things: Making sure that what I was writing about was something that I would
LOVE to do after three years...#SMARTLiving365 is actually my 2nd blog because I
got tired of the first one. #2 Using a self-hosted site (Wordpress) right from the
beginning so I could do everything myself. (my first site was on Joomla.) - Kathy
Gottberg

 I wish I had been brave enough to send out my blogs in a newsletter when I first
started. It took me 3 years to decide to do it (and then only bc my SigOther set it up
for me). It had made a huge difference in my traffic and my biz. -
http://www.drrobynodegaard.com/ @DocRobyn
 Add google adsense, facebook login, facebook commenting, subscribe by email for
updates. - Syd Swann
 The thing I hear most from my clients is adspace, and a newsletter, from the techies
out there I hear more widget areas. http://newbloghosting.com/ - David Allen
 Another thing to ensure is setup but that is more "techie" is open graph (og) tags.
Facebook and other social media sites attempt to "guess" at what image and text to
show for previews based on the content of the post and a lot (most) of the time they
guess wrong! If open graph tags are in the source it with use them and not guess.
There is an og for link, title, description, and image. A good blog template should
allow you to manually specify the og tags or at minimal make an og title based on
the post title, og desc based on the excerpt, and the og image based on a special class
on the image or a featured image option. Open graph is part of the semantic web
concept. More about open graphs at: http://ogp.me/ - Syd Swann

 Secure your social media handles and make them all the same. I'm really wishing I
had. www.headbandfortoday.com - Kendra Williams Pierson
 Not starting analytics from the start. Or monetizing. I didn't think my blog would go
anywhere at the time. So I missed out on a lot of data and I had to go back and
update a lot of old posts with aff links. www.clothdiaperrevival.com - Jenny
McClamroch
 I started blogging because I wanted to write. I used it as an opportunity to journal,
more or less. I was (and may still be) all over the place! Having a focus and a plan
from the get-go would have helped tremendously. Still not where I want to be, but at
least I have a better idea where I'm going!
http://purveyorofpixiedust.wordpress.com/ - Shannon McKinney Dill
 Mine was not planning. I used to just wing posts, social media, etc every day. Now
almost every single thing I do online is deliberate. I schedule many of my posts up to
a year in advance, I have my social media planned, I have promotions planned.
When I started, I would blog like crazy then go silent for awhile, then get inspired
and come back and post like crazy. If you want to be taken seriously, your
blog/social media can't have periods where you just go dark.
http://www.lessthanperfectparents.com – Tracy Gibb

 My tip was similar to Shannon's so I'm going to add another. One other thing I
regret was not attending conferences and making more blogging friends. I think
many people have a tendency to think blogging is all online but my blog really
started to take off when I started doing conferences and meeting people in person. I
didn't realize how important it was to have a face with your blog. And OBVIOUSLY I
would have joined this Type A Group a long time ago if I knew how awesome
everyone was http://www.lessthanperfectparents.com - @Tracy_Gibb or
@LTPParents
 I wish I had understood branding from the beginning. It would have been so
beneficial to present a cohesive brand from the beginning instead of all the trial and
error, all over the place. http://fitviews.blogspot.com/ @kerriolkjer
 For me it is all the above. Especially the monetizing, just today I am adding google
adsense and struggling with it. I have been active, then gone dark, and def not made
as many blogging connections as I should have, like many I started blogging as more
of a journaling experience, but now want to change that.
www.pandemommium.com - Allison Rouble
 Choose your blog name carefully. I started blogging as a personal outlet, had I
known where it would lead, I'd have given more thought to my name.
http://www.thetravelingpraters.com/ @travelermom

 Candy Olivares Learn the importance of: Watermarking, No Follow, Trademarking,
Giving credit to "borrowed" content, etc. http://candypo.com/
 I would have started on Wordpress so I wouldn't have to make the awkward
transition later. http://floursackmama.com/ - Anne Brock
 An editorial calendar! I feel like I still can't catch enough to get on one! It doesn't
have to be full when you start but getting a little ahead will bring sanity!
http://www.nerdfamily.com/ - @nerdmom Jacqueline Cromwell
 SO MUCH- Basic SEO for posts and pictures, how to label pictures for Pinterest, all
those things that are easier to do from the beginning than go back and redo later. -
Kuleen Lashley
 I wish I thought more about the name of my blog. It was perfect when I began, but
didn't allow for any growth. - Becca Ludlum
 Set up as an LLC from beginning, - Rachel Brenke

 Double ditto what everyone else said! My biggest regret is not monetizing
right off the bat and connecting all my social media links to my brand
name. Focused on the Magic http://focusedonthemagic.com - Deb Silhan
 Capture email addresses from the beginning! - Jennifer Bilbro
 (What Jennifer Bilbro said) Jennifer YES! That was by far my biggest
mistake! - Tracy Gibb
 For social media: I wish I'd started spreadsheets early on to keep track of
what posts I shared on what social media and when. Going back and
making them now, two years later, is beyond overwhelming! Growing Up
Gabel http://growingupgabel.com - Camille Gabel
 Too many to list! Biggest one: not networking enough. I thought blogging
was a solitary venture but now I know all my tough questions can be
answered quickly with the help of several awesome FB blogger groups
@WhatMommyDoes Lena Presley Gott

Don’t wait until you think it’s perfect to start.
Don’t wait until all your ducks are in a row.
Don’t wait until the planets align.
Just START!
http://flowersmediamatters.com/ and
http://www.whenlifegetsinmyway.com/
@LisaLFlowers

What I Wish I Had Known - Websites
 http://www.relocationtheblog.blogspot.com
 http://www.grownchildren.net
 http://www.moxie-dude.com/
 http://www.relocationtheblog.blogspot.com
 Http://Fitknitchick.com
 http://elaineambrose.com/
 http://www.menopausemoi.blogspot.ca/
 http://www.emptyhousefullmind.com
 http://midlifeboulevard.com/
 http://kimdalferes.com/category/kim-dalferes-blog
 http://www.debtfreedivas.org/
 http://happybloggerplaza.com
 http://www.tablerpartyoftwo.com/
 http://courtingdestiny.com/
 http://lavenderluz.com/
 http://theneuroticparent.com/
 http://wendyshat.com/
 http://jinglejanglejungle.blogspot.com
 http://oncealittlegirl.com/

What I Wish I Had Known - Websites
 http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com
 http://www.organizedisland.com/
 http://biggreenpen.com/
 http://mommiesreviews.com/
 http://www.drrobynodegaard.com/
 http://newbloghosting.com/
 http://headbandfortoday.com/
 http://www.clothdiaperrevival.com/
 http://purveyorofpixiedust.wordpress.com/
 http://www.lessthanperfectparents.com/
 http://fitviews.blogspot.com/
 http://pandemommium.com/
 http://www.thetravelingpraters.com/
 http://candypo.com/
 http://floursackmama.com/
 http://www.nerdfamily.com/
 http://focusedonthemagic.com/
 http://growingupgabel.com/
 http://flowersmediamatters.com/
 http://www.whenlifegetsinmyway.com/

Recap
 Choose a blog name
 Choose a platform
 Start writing!
 Join a group
 Promote it
 Don’t wait!

You fail only if you stop writing.
~ Ray Bradbury

Questions & 3 Things

Thank you!
@LisaLFlowers
Facebook / LinkedIn / Twitter / Pinterest /Skype
Instagram – LisaLFlowers1

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