How blogs and blog ambassadors can help strengthen your school brand and drive relevant traffic to your website.

1. The Blog
Saturday, January 12, 2013

2. What to expect.
Context and why blogging is the new normal.
A student & faculty blog & lessons learned.
A case for building a brand ambassadorship program.
Search and content marketing next steps.
Saturday, January 12, 2013

3. Schools and the media landscape.
Clay Shirky
New York University
- Associate Arts Professor at the Interactive Telecommunications Program
- Distinguished Writer in Residence in the Journalism Department
Harvard University
- Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society
- Edward R. Murrow Visiting Lecturer at Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and
Public Policy in 2010
Photo: Kris Krug, flickr.com/photos/poptech2006
Saturday, January 12, 2013

4. http://www.ted.com/talks/
Saturday, January 12, 2013

5. Why is this important?
Saturday, January 12, 2013

6. Why is this important?
Itʼs PR.
Saturday, January 12, 2013

7. Why is this important?
Saturday, January 12, 2013

8. Why is this important?
Itʼs professional development.
Saturday, January 12, 2013

9. Why is this important?
Saturday, January 12, 2013

10. Why is this important?
Itʼs good modeling.
Saturday, January 12, 2013

11. Why is this important?
Saturday, January 12, 2013

12. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
“This yearʼs entering college class of 2016 was born into
cyberspace and they have therefore measured their output
in the fundamental particles of life: bits, bytes, and bauds.”
Saturday, January 12, 2013

13. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
Saturday, January 12, 2013

14. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
“They have always enjoyed school and
summer camp memories with a digital
yearbook.”
Saturday, January 12, 2013

15. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
Saturday, January 12, 2013

16. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
“Having grown up with MP3s and iPods,
they never listen to music on the car radio
and really have no use for radio at all.”
Saturday, January 12, 2013

17. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
Saturday, January 12, 2013

18. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
“They prefer to watch television
everywhere except on a television.”
Saturday, January 12, 2013

19. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
Saturday, January 12, 2013

20. From dated reference reminder to “internationally
monitored catalog of the changing worldview of
each new college generation” since 1998.
www.themindsetlist.com
“Robert De Niro is thought of as Greg
Focker's long-suffering father-in-law, not as
Vito Corleone or Jimmy Conway.”
Saturday, January 12, 2013

21. Our first student and faculty blog.
By the numbers
• Launched in 2007
• Posts seven days a week
• Over 100,000 views to date
• Avg. approx. 1,000 views a week.
Audience
• Current families
gouldacademy.org/glog
• Gould faculty & students
• Alumni
• Prospective families
• The world
Saturday, January 12, 2013

22. Content
Abby
“He told me that the pack belonged to a ski patroller who
died in an accident on the mountain.
I was allowed to use it for the rest of my two years in the
program....
I was immediately humbled.”
(http://gouldacademy.org/glog/2011/whats-in-a-pack/)
Saturday, January 12, 2013

23. Engagement
Abby
Comments
“Very glad Brad Cunningham has touched you through the
ski patrol program. Your thoughtful and moving insights • Nearly 2,000 views since 12/2/11
caught us by surprise.”
- former head of school • 13 views in the last month
“I, like many of the 2001 class, will be touched by this post
• 29 comments
as we have been touched by Brad and the memories of • Sharing:
him.” - alum
“Thank you for sharing your story, Abby....I think Brad
would be proud that you wore his backpack.”
- trustee and past parent
Saturday, January 12, 2013

24. What weʼve learned.
- The best bloggers are those who want to blog.
- Donʼt choose bloggers based on interests alone.
- Give your bloggers tools.
- Let your bloggers find their voices.
- Get out of the way and let them write their stories.
- People like blogs and blogs drive web traffic.
Saturday, January 12, 2013

25. Brand Ambassadors
Saturday, January 12, 2013

26. Brand Ambassadors
Saturday, January 12, 2013

27. People like blogs & blogs drive web traffic
Top ten web pages viewed
Top three entrance pages*
/Glog/ - 2,285
/News-blogs/ - 1,580
/nordicblog/ - 1,315
*after homepage
Data from Sept 1 - Dec 31, 2012
Saturday, January 12, 2013

28. Brand Ambassadors
- Blog 10th most viewed page (Sept 1 - Dec 31, 2012) Comments
“Nick, Thank you! You are doing a great job with the
- Blog 4th entrance page (Sept 1 - Dec 31, 2012)
team and I love the blog.” - parent
- Fasterskier.com refers quality traffic to blog
“Hi Nick, Looks like you are doing an awesome job
with Gould Nordic! Not Surprised!” - industry peer
- Content appeals to multiple constituencies
- Strengthened brand & thought leadership
Saturday, January 12, 2013

29. Getting in front of your audience.
Saturday, January 12, 2013

30. Getting in front of your audience
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- Technical web site audit
- Keyword research
- Content & blogging
- Analytics
Saturday, January 12, 2013

31. Thanks!
Tucker Kimball
Director of Communications - Gould Academy
Contributing Blogger - edSocialMedia
@tuckerkimball
Linkedin/tuckerkimball
Saturday, January 12, 2013

32. Thanks!
Saturday, January 12, 2013