Learn why blogging is a great inbound marketing tool for businesses and how to set up your blog. Get tips on best blogging platforms, hosting, plug-ins, keyword research and other technical issues. These slides were created and presented by Stoney deGeyter, CEO, lead SEO and all-around nice guy at Pole Position Marketing.

1. ACCELERATE YOUR B.L.O.G. – BEGINNING YOUR BLOGGING JOURNEY
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#how2blog

2. BLOGGING: WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
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#how2blog

3. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Yes, people do read blogs
Source: Hubspot 120 Marketing Stats and Charts
http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/docs/ebooks/120-marketing-stats-charts-and-graphs.pdf

4. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Blogging gets noticed by Google
Source: Hubspot
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5014/Study-Shows-Business-Blogging-Leads-to-55-More-Website-Visitors.aspx

5. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Blogs deliver visitors
Source: Hubspot
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5014/Study-Shows-Business-Blogging-Leads-to-55-More-Website-Visitors.aspx

6. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Blogs drive customers
Info for Purchasing Decisions
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Internet Search 92%
Blogs 53%
User-generated 46%
Message boards 34%
Social networks 26%
Magazines 20%
TV
Newspapers
Media Used Frequently by US Internet Users to Find Information
to Help with Purchase Decisions, March 2010, eMarketer.com

7. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Blogging generates leads
Source: Hubspot 120 Marketing Stats and Charts
http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/docs/ebooks/120-marketing-stats-charts-and-graphs.pdf

8. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Blogs create links
Source: Hubspot
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5014/Study-Shows-Business-Blogging-Leads-to-55-More-Website-Visitors.aspx

9. WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Blogs build customer loyalty
Connections via Social Media AFTER
Purchase
Likely to Follow
Unlikely
Unsure
64%
Source: The Virtuous Circle: The Role of Search and Social Media in the Purchase Pathway, February 2011
http://www.wpp.com/NR/rdonlyres/CA49ED29-06A4-4E10-A1F0-C25BAA35CF2A/0/groupm_search_the_virtuous_circle_feb11.pdf

10. ESTABLISH YOUR MESSAGE
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#how2blog

11. ESTABLISH YOUR MESSAGE
Find your target audience
Bloggers Executives DIY-ers Hobbyists Professionals
Your audience determines your message.

12. ESTABLISH YOUR MESSAGE
What do you want them to learn?
Strategy
Knowledge
How-To
Tips and Tutorials
About You
Direction

13. ESTABLISH YOUR MESSAGE
Map out a path to success

14. SET UP YOUR BLOG
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#how2blog

15. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
Choose a blogging
platform
Ownership
Easy CMS
Cost
Platform Options
Search
Friendly
Robust

16. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
Free blogging platforms

17. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
Hosted blogging platforms

18. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
Free vs. hosted options
Free Hosted
Um, it’s free Not so free
Easy set up Requires technical set-up
Easy templates, but similar Easy templates, yet highly
to others customizable
Generic URL Custom URL
Fast indexing in engines Promotion required
You can be censored You own it

19. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
The decision is yours to make

20. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
Setting up a hosted blog
Domain • Purchase
your
Name www.
• Find
Hosting stellar
hosting
• Set-up
Install blogging
software

21. SETTING UP YOUR BLOG
Installing Wordpress
Some hosts offer
Or use the
One-Click
Install 5-Minute
Install
Installation tips:
• Install in the correct directory
• Find a theme to use
(or get a custom design)

22. WORDPRESS SETTINGS
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#how2blog

23. WORDPRESS SETTINGS
Set the www.

24. WORDPRESS SETTINGS
Summary or full text?

25. WORDPRESS SETTINGS
Allow comments

26. WORDPRESS SETTINGS
Be found by search engines

27. WORDPRESS SETTINGS
Set your URL structure

28. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
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29. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Comment spam protection
Akismet
Capcha
WP-SpamFree

30. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Database backup manager
XM Backup
WP-DBManager
Backup

31. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Allow visitors to subscribe to comment thread
Subscribe to
Comments
Subscribe to
Comments Reloaded
Subscribe to
Comments Now!

32. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Offer related posts to read
Yet Another Related
Post Plugin
Better Related Posts
ELI's Related Posts
Footer Links and Widget

33. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Give link love to commenters
Dofollow
SMu Manual
DoFollow
Smart DoFollow

34. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Display a special message to new readers
What Would Seth
Godin Do
WP Greet Box
Time-Based-
Greeting

35. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Redirect old URLs
Redirection
404 Redirected
Speedy Page
Redirect

36. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Add messages to end of blog posts
Append Content
Post Snippets
End Post Content

37. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Automatically link keywords in posts
Automatic SEO Links
Keyword Strategy
Internal Links
WP Keyword Link

38. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Automatically
find and fix
broken links
Broken Link Checker
WP-LinkCheck
Automatic Link
Checker

39. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Add Google Analytics
Google Analytics for
Wordpress
Google Analytics
Google Analyticator

40. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Cache site for faster download
Hyper Cache Extended
WP Widget Cache
Quick Cache (Speed
Without Compromises)

41. WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Allow visitors to share your blog posts
Sharaholic
Social
WP Socializer

42. HOW TO DO BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
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#how2blog

43. Everybody is looking for
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
something
Questions
Who What How When Where Why
Education
How to Ways to Ideas for
Knowledge
News Events Specs Opinion

44. Use keywords to find your readers
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
Searcher Interest Need
Business Education Strategy
Students Information Direction
Hobbyists Ideas Community
Every SEARCHER has an INTEREST in a specific NEED

45. What type of keywords are best?
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
Research Shop Buy Info
Purpose: Purpose: Purpose: Purpose:
Deciding on Comparing Looking at Seeking
Needs Aspects Specifics Knowledge

46. Keyword research tools
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
Misc.
Google
Word-
tracker

47. How to use Wordtracker
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
www.wordtracker.com

48. Wordtracker: Quick Research
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

49. Wordtracker: Research results
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

50. Wordtracker: Filtering keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

51. Wordtracker: Filtering keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
How Best
Free

52. Wordtracker: Exporting keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

53. How to use Google keyword tool
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
https://adwords.google.com/o/KeywordTool

54. Google Keyword Tool: Research results
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

55. Google Keyword Tool: Filtering keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

56. Google Keyword Tool: Filtering keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH
How / Best

57. Google Keyword Tool: Exporting keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

58. Google Keyword Tool: Exporting keywords
BLOGGER KEYWORD RESEARCH

59. Thank You!
Find Us www.PolePositionMarketing.com