1. Blogging 101: breaking into the blogosphere Presented by: Megan McMahon (@meganmcface) @LikeableMedia Harper Collins Training Session #3 Presented by #Likeable
2. what’s in store… • Why Blog? • Blogging Platforms • 5 Reasons You Should Be Blogging • Reading Other Blogs
3. what’s the point? • Connect with the consumer in a more casual level • Talk directly with consumers/readers via comments • Expand on and explore relevant topics
4. There are over 200 million US-based blogs. In addition to providing a platform for expanded, easily updatable content, blogs have another important purpose: B.L.O.G. = BETTER LISTINGS ON GOOGLE (and Bing too!)
5. the facts • Great way to disseminate info in the voice of your company • Produce content to be shared across social platforms • Every blog post is share-friendly for bookmarking sites
6. blogging basics • Provide valuable content for your target audience • Write consistently (at least twice a week) • Provide a truly interactive atmosphere
8. Wordpress • Variety of themes and plug-ins for use on your own or as a WordPress hosted blog • Free, upgrades automatically, + high performance • Over 1200 free themes available to use -Arras, LightWord, Pixel are a few popular ones
9. Tumblr • Ultimate micro blogging platform combing blogs and Twitter • Users can follow other users or keep their log private • Options to post text, photo, quote, link, chat, audio, video
10. Posterous • Send an email to [email_address] and a blog is created for you • Content can be auto-posted to any social network that is linked to your account • Ability to manage a group blog (without everyone having an account)
11. Blogger • Easy to use with instantaneous setup • Owned and operated by Google • Offers free domain name hosting
13. 1. Extend the Conversation • Dive into topics and trends even deeper than you would on Facebook + Twitter • Chance to be transparent and give and “insider look” • Share in-depth ideas, practices, and stories
14. 2. Attract Future Customers • Blogs will influence purchase decisions – give a behind the scenes look at new releases • Give buyers a place to research and interact with you
15. 3. Attract Future Employees • Give the opportunity for people to look into your corporate culture -life at the company -how ideas are formed -exciting things that are happening
16. 4. Position Yourself as a Leader • Blogging allows you to share an intelligent commentary for what’s happening in your space • Opportunity to stand out from competitors • Give everyone a voice!
17. 5. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) • Regularly updated blogs lead to great SEO • Content will work long after it’s been published • More eyes on your blog = more customer conversation surrounding it
22. what’s in store? • Basic Tips • Using YouTube • Best Practices • Going Viral
23. video tips! • Content is more important than production quality. A good flipcam will do. • Short and sweet is almost always better. A good rule of thumb is 30-90 seconds per video. • Have fun. Video is a great way to showcase your brand’s personality. • Answer people’s comments.
24. YouTube is... … the largest video-sharing site with 20 million users and 100 million videos posted a day.
25. best practices Y our style showcased in a short clip (personal brand) O ptimized for quick and easy sharing (tags) U ser friendly and easy to understand (how to) T o the point (don’t ramble aimlessly) U nder 1-2 minutes (always) B elievable and authentic (even comedy) E xciting to your audience (Give away a prize-VALUE!)
28. use a flipcam (or iPhone?) • Doesn’t need to be fancy, it needs to be RELEVANT
29. your content Make it relevant! Short, sweet, and filled with interesting content.
30. publish regularly • SHORT + SWEET! = more frequent posts • Helps search & builds your fan base
31. integration! • Utilize all of your social network channels to promote new videos -still tracks views -get more feedback
32. answer people’s comments • Let your customers know that they are being heard on all fronts – not just on Facebook and Twitter • Encourage feedback on your videos to get to know what your viewers want to see
33. how important is virality? • Instead of virality focus on relevancy! • Not about reaching the MOST people, its about reaching the RIGHT people. • Create videos on what your target audience wants to hear without trying to go viral
35. Likeable.com Engage with us @LikeableMedia on Twitter Ask us questions @ Facebook.com/LikeableMedia Or, email me anytime megan@likeable.com thank you!
