This document discusses configuring a WordPress business blog to connect with audiences. It describes adding widgets, categories, tags and pages to organize content. It emphasizes the importance of connecting the blog to search engines by registering it on sites like Google Webmaster Tools and adding verification codes. It also stresses connecting the blog to social media like Twitter to share posts and reach wider audiences. Configuring sharing buttons and settings allows readers to easily share blog content on sites like Facebook. Traffic analytics help monitor effectiveness of these outreach efforts.

1. Chapter 3: More Blogging: WordPress Options: Part B
Web 2.0 and Social
Media for Business
Roger McHaney, Kansas State University

2. Widgets
• Small add-ons used to interact
with other applications and
provide features that help build
an audience for a blog
• Can show recent
Tweets, provide Flickr
pictures, show Facebook wall
entries, link to articles, and many
other things
• Often provided by third-party
developers
• Navigate to Widgets under
Appearance on the Dashboard

3. Widgets

4. Widget Configuration
Widgets usually require
configuration. Clicking
the down arrow
beside the Widget‟s
name causes a
configuration dialog
box to appear. This
slide shows a Twitter
Widget on the sidebar

5. After Adding Widget

6. Blog Posts can be Added

7. Add Categories and Tags
Add categories and
tags to make posts
easier for readers to
find and to help
index material. Tag
cloud widget will
also now have
content.
PUBLISH

8. Making Posts more Interesting
Media such as images or video, polls, or forms can be added to the entry.

9. Adding
Image to Post

10. More Posts
Sample post called „Hello World‟ should be removed from blog.
Navigate to „Posts‟ and „All‟ and select the sample post. Choose
„Move to Trash‟ and delete.

11. Current Blog
View

12. Mobile Versions
Find Options under Appearance

13. Adding Pages (Like a Website)

14. Connecting with Search Engines
For a blog to be successful, it must
connect with its intended audience
In business this means potential customers, clients, and other stakeholders

15. WordPress Blogs
First, make sure blog is discoverable. Open the
Privacy page on the Dashboard under Settings. By
default it is set to permit indexing by search engines
and to be viewable by the general public.

16. WordPress Blogs
Having social media, news services,
and other re-broadcasters pick up
your blog feeds is desirable.

17. WordPress Blogs
Register with WordPress‟s Webmaster tools to ensure
posts are indexed by major search engines such as
Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Navigate to „Tools‟ on the
Dashboard and scroll midway down the page.
Notice three links
under the
„Webmaster Tools
Verification‟ header.

18. Example: Registering on Google
Blog owner must have account with a UserID and Password for the
service. After clicking on the „Google Webmaster Tools‟ and logging in
with GoogleID and password, Press „Add a Site‟ then copy Blog Address
into textbox prompt. This tells Google‟s search engine to index the site.

19. Proof of Ownership
Search engine will require user to add code to
Web site to prove ownership

20. Proof of Ownership (con‟t)
Copy and paste the tag as shown above

21. Proof of Ownership (con‟t)
Paste text into the appropriate
textbox. This will ensure Google
recognizes the blog and will give
owner the ability to review
statistics related to the Website.

22. Connecting with Customers
Publicity for a blog should extend beyond search engines. Social media has become
an important venue for businesses to meet, connect with, and retain customers.
WordPress provides a set of tools for exposing its blogs to social media.
From the
Dashboard,
navigate to
„Tools‟ and
„Settings‟.

23. Example: Connecting to Twitter
WordPress asks that you authorize connection and then log into Twitter. Once you have
supplied a Twitter UserID and Password, the blog will be connected. This means posts on
your blog are automatically sent to anyone in your network. In Twitter, Tweets inviting
Followers to read the newest blog entries are sent.

24. Sharing Buttons
Another WordPress Dashboard section is called „Sharing Buttons‟. For
instance, providing a „Facebook‟ button will automate the process of
sharing a specific blog post with Facebook friends.

25. Blog Entry with Share Buttons Enabled
The „Theme Options‟ selection can be found under appearance on
the dashboard menu or by using the buttons under „managing
themes‟.
Share Buttons More Share Buttons

26. Services Behind the „More‟ Button

27. Formatting Share Buttons
The „Sharing Settings‟ page provides more options. Button Style, Sharing
Label, whether links open in a New Window and where to show the Share
Buttons can be set. It is advantageous to have links open in a new window so
that readers can come back to the original page more easily.

28. Viewing Traffic Stats
Connecting with search engines and social media will
help build traffic. To monitor traffic, WordPress provides
a “My Stats” tab on the WordPress Login Page.

29. Summary
Configuring a WordPress business blog is
very important
An eye-catching Web site is only part of
the story
Perhaps the most important task is
configuring the site to connect with
search engines and customers through
social media.
Without the tools provided by a modern
tool such as WordPress, a business puts
itself at a disadvantage and fails to utilize
all the free resources at its disposal.

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Slides Prepared by Professor Roger McHaney
Kansas State University
Twitter: @mchaney
Blog: http://mchaney.com
Email : mchaney@ksu.edu