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BLOGGING FOR
BUSINESS: MEASURING
SUCCESS WHEN YOUR
GOAL ISN’T SALES
With Verizon Wireless & Identity
http://www.lendingmemo.com/
WHAT’S THE ROI OF BLOGGING?
MEASUREMENT IS
CRUCIAL, BUT EVERY
ONLINE MARKETING
EFFORT WON’T RESULT
IN DIRECT SALES.
4
BUT IT’S OK!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13951072@N00/9072463612/
THE FACE YOUR BOSS MAY GIVE YOU
AFTER MAKING THAT STATEMENT…
THERE ARE SEVERAL
OTHER WAYS TO
PROVE SUCCESS
THROUGH BLOGGING,
BUT YOU MUST DO
THIS FIRST:
6
OUTLINE YOUR:
• Goals
• Objectives
• Strategy
• Tactics
• Plan to track and report on
results/success
CASE STUDY:
VERIZON WIRELESS
MIDWEST AREA BLOG
& CONTENT STRATEGY
http://vzwmidwestarea.com
2011: TUMBLR
INITIAL MWA BLOG GOALS:
• Support corporate messaging.
• Create a central MWA news hub.
• Amplify top MWA media and blog stories.
• Incorporate multimedia into PR strategy.
• Continue building strong relationships
with media and bloggers.
• Grow monthly social shares and reblogs
on Tumblr.
10
CHALLENGES:
• Verizon MWA team support.
• Tumblr limitations.
• Content limitations – could only
share partial blog post/news
article.
• Need to go beyond vanity
metrics (reblogs, social shares).
11
SUCCESSES:
• Media Tumblr pages
liking/sharing our content.
• Bloggers asking to have their
stories syndicated on our blog.
• PR team on board with strategy
and frequently providing content
to highlight.
THE FUTURE - 2012 AND BEYOND…
CURRENT MWA BLOG GOALS:
• Feature weekly technology/wireless stories (both related and
unrelated to Verizon), MWA community events, product
experiences and personal stories highlighting innovative uses of
mobile technology from Midwest media/bloggers/customers. No
more highlighting media/blog stories. All original content.
• Feature guest stories monthly to build new and strengthen
existing relationships.
• Drive traffic from MWA blog to Verizon owned sites (main site, 4G
LTE site, HopeLine site, etc.), as well as Google Play and iTunes.
• Garner majority of website traffic from visitors within the 15 states
that comprise the MWA.
• Position Twitter as main traffic referral source.
• Increase pageviews year-over-year.
16
ELEVATED INITIAL STRATEGY BY:
• Creating #vzwmidwest hashtag to brand and track
content.
• Adding SEO elements to content and CMS backend.
• Providing suggested tweets of blog content to PR
team.
• Partnering with other PR agencies to recommend
story ideas, guest contributors and coordinate
content.
• Redesigned blog – more emphasis on images.
17
ELEVATED INITIAL STRATEGY BY:
• Including more links to Verizon sites and previous
content.
• Creating a Verizon MWA Blog Contributor badge for
guest bloggers to post on their site (links back to MWA
blog).
• Creating robust editorial calendar. Send every Monday
morning with weekly posting schedule.
• Providing monthly blog report with key metrics and
month-over-month comparisons.
• Thinking more like storytellers than traditional PR
practitioners.
18
HOW WE
MEASURE
SUCCESS
19
LEVEL ONE SUCCESSES:
• Pageviews (63% increase from 2012 to 2013, up
68% from this time last year).
• Social shares:
• Twitter, Facebook & Facebook Mobile
consistently top 3 referring sites. Twitter was #1
referral source 9/12 months in 2013.
• #vzwmidwest hashtag shared 3,934 times in 2013.
• In 2013, more than 75% of monthly content was
original stories.
• In 2013, featured at least one guest contributor
each month.
• Existing relationships strengthened and new
relationships formed.
20
LEVEL TWO SUCCESSES:
• In 2013, 27% of clicks on outbound links took
visitors to relevant Verizon sites.
• More than 50% of visitors each month in 2013
came from 15 states within the MWA.
• All content is now original, with multiple
contributions per month from guest
bloggers.
• Verizon HQ digital team utilized MWA
content strategy as a roadmap to build its
own.
• Blog contributors converted to new
customers.
21
SO YA
WANNA
BE A
BLOGGING
ROCKSTAR?
28
BLOGGING TIPS:
• Define your goals and strategy. Refine as needed.
• Once strategy is outlined – STICK TO IT! It’s OK to say no
when content isn’t up to par with standards.
• Create style and guest post guidelines.
• Work collaboratively, but have one editorial director or
team.
• Create and update editorial calendar.
• Partner with those who already have established
communities to build your online presence.
• Pay attention to the data and rework content as
needed. Get comfy with Google Analytics.
• Over-communicate successes; highlight wins.
• Reward your readers.
• Include blog URL in press releases, marketing materials,
email, etc.
QUESTIONS &
DISCUSSION
THANK YOU!
Paul Ulreich – PR Manager, Verizon
Wireless in Michigan, Indiana &
Kentucky | @VZWpaulu
Nikki Little – Social Media Manager,
Identity | @nikki_little

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Blogging For Business: Measuring Success When Your Goal Isn't Sales

  • 1. BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS: MEASURING SUCCESS WHEN YOUR GOAL ISN’T SALES With Verizon Wireless & Identity
  • 3. MEASUREMENT IS CRUCIAL, BUT EVERY ONLINE MARKETING EFFORT WON’T RESULT IN DIRECT SALES.
  • 4. 4 BUT IT’S OK! http://www.flickr.com/photos/13951072@N00/9072463612/ THE FACE YOUR BOSS MAY GIVE YOU AFTER MAKING THAT STATEMENT…
  • 5. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER WAYS TO PROVE SUCCESS THROUGH BLOGGING, BUT YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST:
  • 6. 6 OUTLINE YOUR: • Goals • Objectives • Strategy • Tactics • Plan to track and report on results/success
  • 7. CASE STUDY: VERIZON WIRELESS MIDWEST AREA BLOG & CONTENT STRATEGY http://vzwmidwestarea.com
  • 9. INITIAL MWA BLOG GOALS: • Support corporate messaging. • Create a central MWA news hub. • Amplify top MWA media and blog stories. • Incorporate multimedia into PR strategy. • Continue building strong relationships with media and bloggers. • Grow monthly social shares and reblogs on Tumblr.
  • 10. 10 CHALLENGES: • Verizon MWA team support. • Tumblr limitations. • Content limitations – could only share partial blog post/news article. • Need to go beyond vanity metrics (reblogs, social shares).
  • 11. 11 SUCCESSES: • Media Tumblr pages liking/sharing our content. • Bloggers asking to have their stories syndicated on our blog. • PR team on board with strategy and frequently providing content to highlight.
  • 12. THE FUTURE - 2012 AND BEYOND…
  • 13.
  • 14.
  • 15. CURRENT MWA BLOG GOALS: • Feature weekly technology/wireless stories (both related and unrelated to Verizon), MWA community events, product experiences and personal stories highlighting innovative uses of mobile technology from Midwest media/bloggers/customers. No more highlighting media/blog stories. All original content. • Feature guest stories monthly to build new and strengthen existing relationships. • Drive traffic from MWA blog to Verizon owned sites (main site, 4G LTE site, HopeLine site, etc.), as well as Google Play and iTunes. • Garner majority of website traffic from visitors within the 15 states that comprise the MWA. • Position Twitter as main traffic referral source. • Increase pageviews year-over-year.
  • 16. 16 ELEVATED INITIAL STRATEGY BY: • Creating #vzwmidwest hashtag to brand and track content. • Adding SEO elements to content and CMS backend. • Providing suggested tweets of blog content to PR team. • Partnering with other PR agencies to recommend story ideas, guest contributors and coordinate content. • Redesigned blog – more emphasis on images.
  • 17. 17 ELEVATED INITIAL STRATEGY BY: • Including more links to Verizon sites and previous content. • Creating a Verizon MWA Blog Contributor badge for guest bloggers to post on their site (links back to MWA blog). • Creating robust editorial calendar. Send every Monday morning with weekly posting schedule. • Providing monthly blog report with key metrics and month-over-month comparisons. • Thinking more like storytellers than traditional PR practitioners.
  • 19. 19 LEVEL ONE SUCCESSES: • Pageviews (63% increase from 2012 to 2013, up 68% from this time last year). • Social shares: • Twitter, Facebook & Facebook Mobile consistently top 3 referring sites. Twitter was #1 referral source 9/12 months in 2013. • #vzwmidwest hashtag shared 3,934 times in 2013. • In 2013, more than 75% of monthly content was original stories. • In 2013, featured at least one guest contributor each month. • Existing relationships strengthened and new relationships formed.
  • 20. 20 LEVEL TWO SUCCESSES: • In 2013, 27% of clicks on outbound links took visitors to relevant Verizon sites. • More than 50% of visitors each month in 2013 came from 15 states within the MWA. • All content is now original, with multiple contributions per month from guest bloggers. • Verizon HQ digital team utilized MWA content strategy as a roadmap to build its own. • Blog contributors converted to new customers.
  • 21. 21
  • 22.
  • 23.
  • 24.
  • 25.
  • 26.
  • 28. 28 BLOGGING TIPS: • Define your goals and strategy. Refine as needed. • Once strategy is outlined – STICK TO IT! It’s OK to say no when content isn’t up to par with standards. • Create style and guest post guidelines. • Work collaboratively, but have one editorial director or team. • Create and update editorial calendar. • Partner with those who already have established communities to build your online presence. • Pay attention to the data and rework content as needed. Get comfy with Google Analytics. • Over-communicate successes; highlight wins. • Reward your readers. • Include blog URL in press releases, marketing materials, email, etc.
  • 30. THANK YOU! Paul Ulreich – PR Manager, Verizon Wireless in Michigan, Indiana & Kentucky | @VZWpaulu Nikki Little – Social Media Manager, Identity | @nikki_little