This slideshow was part of the workshop we presented at the New Zealand Creativity Challenge.

1. Creative Blogging
Creativity is intelligence having fun

2. Platforms
 Blogger [which is the Google product]
 Wordpress
 Microblogging: Twitter
 Images: Instagram, Flickr
 Curation: Pinterest
 Video: YouTube, Vimeo

3. Blogger.com
 Connect through your Gmail/Google+ account
 Features
 template designer lets you customise your design
 user friendly interface
 can use your own domain name
 easy to incorporate AdSense ads
 group blogging option
 can integrate into third party sites

4. Wordpress.com
 Features
 free templates some customisation
 user friendly interface
 can use your own domain name
 can also create your own website in same platform
 great social sharing options
 wide range of widgets
 stats
 mobile app lets you blog from smart device
 can integrate into third party sites
 multi author capability

5. Why blog?
 Creativity
 Personal expression
 Financial gain
 SEO
 Information sharing
 Finding like minded people
 Celebrating success
 Establishing your expertise
 It’s fun!

6. Success stories
 Gala Darling [galadarling.com]
 Started as a fashion blogger, now hosts blogging academies
 Heather Armstrong [dooce.com]
 Started as a hobby blogger, is now paid to blog
 Mashable [mashable.com]
 Started as a tech blog, now earns advertising revenue of $166,000
monthly

7. Finding your style
 Blogging is about expressing yourself. It is generally
informal and conversational.
 Think about your “personal brand”
 What are the words that describe you? Fun,
vivacious, mature, youthful, feminine, masculine,
easy going, quiet, fussy, professional, credible,
trustworthy, comical, serious, intelligent, trend
setting, caring, matey, brash, reliable, good, evil,
forgetful, ethical, hard working, environmentally
aware, health conscious, frugal. Let your readers get
to know you.

8. Do’s
 Follow your passions and strengths: a blog doesn’t
have to be 250 words on a topic
 Blog regularly
 Credit sources where necessary
 Use a genuine voice
 Link to relevant content
 Use tags and categories
 Read and react: comment on other people’s blogs,
answer questions and build relationships
 “Done is better than perfect” – Facebook motto

9. Privacy
 Protect your digital identity by registering your name
as a domain name [even if you don’t use it for your
blog]
 Take personal safety into consideration. If you’re
blogging about your holiday, blog about your
dedicated house sitter and neighbourhood watch
 Always meet internet friends in a public place and
tell someone where you are going
 Never give out credit card details without checking
website security
 Moderate comments to avoid spammers posting
directly onto your blog
 Change your passwords regularly

10. Don’ts
 Be overtly advertorial
 Copy someone else’s style
 Take criticisms to heart
 Feed the trolls
 Blog because you think you have to

11. Building your community
 Submit your blog to directories
 [technorati.com, dir.blogflux.com, blogdirs.com, blogarama.com]
 Share through your social networks
 Actively participate on other relevant blogs
 Invite guest bloggers
 Run competitions and giveaways
 Encourage existing community to share

12. Finding topics
 Blog challenges
 Regular same topic posts
 Ask your social network
 Utilise your expertise
 Hobbies
 Leisure activities
 Goals
 Personal interests
 Read other blogs
 Current news

13. 30 Day Blog Challenge
 Starts 1st May
 We will post topics each morning with a brief
description
www.sonyacole.com and www.bridgetroper.com
 “Like” us on Facebook and post a link to your blogs
www.facebook.com/cuesocialmedia