This document provides strategies and tools for writers to use the web effectively. It recommends building expertise through blogging, using social media like Twitter and Facebook to promote work and build networks, and measuring success through web analytics. Key tools include blogs, RSS feeds, social bookmarking, and professional networking on LinkedIn. The goal is to drive traffic to one's portfolio and online presence while protecting copyrights and maintaining a transparent online identity.

1. Web Strategy For Writers
Emira Mears | Partner
Raised Eyebrow Web Studio, Inc.
emira@raisedeyebrow.com
www.About.me/emira

2. Keypoints
• Build & establish your expertise
• Professional PR & Reputation
management
• Copyright protection

3. How Can Writers Use the Web?
• Get new business/paid -- Portfolio
• Generate ideas, monitor trends, follow buzz
• Find peers/network
• Broaden network of sources/opinions
• Easy distribution of content (citizen
journalism)
• Find new tools for investigation/research

4. Strategy vs. Technology
Technology is not a strategy it is a tool
• What do you want to get out of the web?
• What tools are going to help you do
that?

5. Measuring Success
• Track before and after data
– What will success look like for you?
– Set metrics that match your goals
• Look to see what others are doing that is similar
• Be sure to save/document all the data you are
collecting to build your own benchmarks
– Stats, pageviews, comments, “retweets”,
followers, leads etc.

6. Tools:
• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Forums
• Blogs
• Social Bookmarking
• RSS Feeds

7. Your Online Presence
Text

8. Me Online
Raised Eyebrow
(company)
Emira Emira Mears
(personal) (professional)
The Boss of You
(book)
Facebook.com/emiramears
Facebook.com/bossofyoubook
Twitter.com/emiramears
Twitter.com/raisedeyebrow
laurenandemira.com
blog.raisedeyebrow.com
ourdomicile.ca

9. Blogs
• Create your homebase
•Link your other profiles here
• Workshop ideas stories - seek feedback
• Don’t be afraid to publish in progress
stories/news and update it
• Build online portfolio
• Build community - connect with who
you’re reading and share
9

10. Blog: You vs. Your Book
• Think long term
• You can point multiple domains to one
site
• Build a following for you as a writer,
not just one book/article
• You can potentially leverage these
numbers for future work
10

11. Blog Platforms
• Wordpress.com (free)
• Blogger.com (free)
• Typepad (paid)
11

12. Social Media Framework
Why
• Drive traffic back to your portfolio
• Connect
How
• Listen
• Participate
• Contribute

13. Twitter
• Get breaking news (Citizen Journalism)
• Advertise/promote yourself
• Build community (low barrier of access/connection)
• Follow like minded folks
• Check pulse
• Find interview subjects

14. Tools for Tracking/Extending Twitter
Trending
• Twopular
• Twitter homepage
Search
• search.twitter.com
• search.twitter.com/operators
• monitor your account (@yourhandle)

15. Tools for Tracking/Extending Twitter
Managing Your Account/Lists
• Hootsuite
• Tweetdeck

16. Facebook
• Find contacts
• Special interest
groups
• Promote your work
(set up a feed)
• Trend observation
16

17. Facebook
• Protectyour image - separate professional
and personal
• New Profile management - create lists and
separate work/personal
• Never assume privacy settings

18. Raised Eyebrow
(company)
Emira Emira Mears
(personal) (professional)
The Boss of You
(book)
Facebook.com/emiramears
Facebook.com/bossofyoubook
Twitter.com/emiramears
Twitter.com/raisedeyebrow
laurenandemira.com
blog.raisedeyebrow.com
ourdomicile.ca

19. Sample Lists
• Inner Circle
• School Days
• Friendly Work
• Work Only

20. LinkedIn
• Maintain
professional
contacts
• Respond as
expert
• Find experts
• Network

21. Balancing Integration
• Crosslink tools to save you time/
energy
• Beware of repeating yourself

22. Social Bookmarking
• Build your own
resource
database
• Share with others
• Value of being
“digg-ed”
• Find like-minded
curators
• Research
22

23. RSS Feeds
• Great research tool
• Sift through info
• RSS Readers
•Google Reader (or iGoogle)
•Netvibes
•NetNewsWire (Mac)
•FeedDemon (Windows)
•Sage (Firefox)
23

24. Measuring Success
• Track before and after data
– What will success look like for you?
– Set metrics that match your goals
• Look to see what others are doing that is similar
• Be sure to save/document all the data you are
collecting to build your own benchmarks
– Stats, pageviews, comments, “retweets”,
followers, leads, etc.

25. Cautions
Transparency
• Be willing to be fast, but always be transparent
• Admit mistakes
• Apologize when necessary
Retain Your Copyright
• Perform regular searches on your content
• Write for free to build reputation but make sure you
own your work
• Creative Commons
25

26. Resources
• http://delicious.com/domicile/UBCFeb2011