The document provides an overview of blogging for businesses, highlighting its benefits such as establishing authority, expanding brand awareness, and improving SEO. It outlines essential blogging strategies, including finding a niche, creating engaging content, and measuring success through traffic and interaction metrics. Additionally, it offers tips for overcoming writer's block and maintaining an editorial calendar.

1. Get Your Business Blogging

2. Who We Are Amanda O’Brien Inbound Marketing Manager [email_address] Hall Web Services www.hallme.com www.hallme.com/blog 10+ Years in Business Online Suite of Tools

3. Got Questions? Use GoToWebinar “Chat” or “Ask a Question” Twitter with @hall_web

4. What is a Blog? ‏ Reverse-chronological order Easy to update Personality A journal of activity A series of thoughts Comments Archived Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bunny/61386068/

5. How are Blogs Used? Personal Blogs Professional Bloggers Business Blogs

6. How Businesses Use Blogs: Launch New Products PR Demonstrate Expertise Disseminate Information Answer Common Questions Transparency Form relationships

7. Benefits of Blogging Don’t have to be tech savvy Easy to update Establish authority in an industry Network with others in your field Expand Brand Awareness Communicate with sales leads Create personality for your business

8. Other Benefits of Blogs: More content for your site SEO optimized Great source of links Indexed quickly by Google Google will revisit your site more frequently Social Media hub

9. Getting Started Which Software? Wordpress, Blogger Movable Type, Typepad Create (or choose a theme) ‏ Integrate Plugins SEO plugins Multimedia Sharing Social Media Sharing Technical Considerations

10. Finding our Niche What makes you different? Focus on a certain subject Narrow your interests The more focused, the less competition Long tail search terms Potential for monetization Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paullikespics/2466050750/

11. Start Blogging! Title – Short, catchy, clickable Content – Concise, clear, lots of formatting Media – Photos, Videos Categories/Tags – Aid in organization Publish – Just do it! Essential Aspects to a Post:

12. What to Write About? Appeal to a Need “ Ten Secrets to Saving Money with Accounting Software” Resource “ 100 Best Sites for Researching Accounting Software” Respond to News “ What Washington's New Family Leave Act Means to You” React to Another Blog Post

13. Writer's Block? Shed Mental Barriers Take a Walk Don't Take it Too Seriously Just Start Writing Write During an Assigned Time Browse the Web a Bit Sometimes it'll be tough, but you just need to write!

14. Comment on other blogs Less commitment than writing a blog Establish yourself as an expert Link love Start relationships Build subscribers Show support of good work Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/missmiah/4191979465/

15. The Magic of RSS A blog, unlike a website can announce itself RSS to email Feed Readers Google reader

16. Measuring Success Increased Traffic Comments left on Blog RSS Subscribers Inbound links More conversation about your brand/company through the blogosphere Know What You Want, So You Can Know When You Get It

17. Keep up to date Make an editorial calendar Keep on-subject Keep it short Provide value Show personality REMINDERS! Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/439462046/

18. TMI Lambast the Competition Get (too) Political Forget to Update DON'T Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenr/2275553683/

19. Learn More! SEO Vision Blog - http:// www.hallme.com/blog Webinars – Every Tuesday at 2PM EST http:// www.hallme.com/webinars Email Me: amanda @hallme.com Follow us! http://twitter.com/hall_web Probblogger 29 Tips, Tutorials and Resources for New Bloggers