6. Amplification of voice Community Inspiration Shared learning Expanding horizons Chronicling life Paying Bills
7. “ Critical opinion plays an essential role in the development of any culture... …This creation of more voices can only be a good thing, bringing a wider range of background, experience and interest to the rough and tumble of critical debate. ”
8. “ I'm not aware of bloggers championing the really important, new or unexpected in the theatre. Critics do that… ”
33 DigitalWe do social media and online PRBrands including:- Microsoft, O2, Debenhams, Premier Inn and EvernoteEverything from community management to blogger relations
Blogger by night – Theatre and personalFreelance PR for theatres – worked with independent and fringe companiesStint at the SOH
Bloggers have the same influence as traditional pressTheatre even more so (Mark Shenton, Whingers, Lyn Gardner)Assumption that you want to grow your audience and profile as a blogger
Darren Rowse aka Problogger is one of the web’s most influential bloggers. Number two most favourited blog in 2009, and currently earns a six figure income from blogging. In 2008 he did a post on why he blogs…
…The reasons why you should blogFor theatre we have another reason
As Lyn Gardner puts it…Bloggers don’t have the restraints placed on newspaper writers
Blogging and tweeting are not the same as writing criticism (this is not a review), nor should they be, nor do blogging and tweeting replace, subvert or necessarily compliment criticism, which is an act of literary and intellectual intervention that is in theory at least something worthwhile in itself.Particular Guardian bloggers…Why we need to up our game
Anybody who blogs on behalf of an organisation
Social Media-Use your networksLook for opportunities (upthewestend.com)When writing posts - Keywords
Review, Title, Company/Theatre
To help machines understand the context of dataRich snippets
Domain, design, networking - don’t just promote, partake
Scheduletemplate your work as a reviewer set yourself goals and stick to them (traffic, engagement, etc)
Not only spelling, grammar and punctuation 0 IMPORTANTHave someone read through your work or wait a little while
What about a company
Need to ask yourself?A lot of companies start a blog with no reason to it
Marcus Romer – Pilot Theatre
Royal Opera HouseSadler’s Wells/Lyrics HammersmithFacebook feeds
Your blog is an extension of your brand (design), timing and consistency (Editorial Calendar)
It’s there to support and provide content for your other channelsBrand awareness and educate people about your brand
Platforms?4 that I’d think about
Social media
Facebook – if your audience isn’t there don’t bother (or don’t invest time). You’ll only be dragging them acrossClosed network
Monitoring (brands, topics, events, new followers)Cross accounts
CotweetBusiness side of things. Great if you have a team that works across the channelMultiple accountsScheduling postsSaved searchesSearching for people