What does it take for a writer to succeed online? Blogging and Internet marketing to find our audience, pick the topics they're passionate about, and blog effectively. Presented for the Gold Country Writers group on April 16th 2014 by Coryon Redd. Topics covered include: Why Writers Should Blog Blogging Best Practices Finding and Engaging your Ideal Audience Why Wordpress is a Good Choice for Blogging Manage your Blogging with an Editorial Calendar

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Social Networking
and Blogging for Writers
Presented by:
Coryon Redd
coryon@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/coryonredd
View this presentation online at:
http://www.coryon.com/goldcountrywriters

2. What is Internet Marketing?

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Let’s Start with the Basics
• Start with a persuasive website
• Drive traffic from a variety of sources:
Search Engines (SEO)
Social Media
Email
Videos
Paid Search
Lots more options…

6. Why Should Writers Blog?

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Here’s Why!
Blog Marketing Starts with Content
Generate Traffic, Leads and Sales
Build Audience and Influence
Build Trust and Relationships
Publishers Won’t Market for You

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What are your Blogging Goals?
Marketing – Branding, Content, Generate Leads
Build Customer Engagement
Increase Brand Awareness
Good Content
• What Topics Are You Going To Write About?
• What is Expertise, Passion, & Mission?
Website Traffic, Generate Leads, Sales

9. Make your Blog the Hub
of your Online Marketing

10. Are you ready to stand out?

11. Blogging Basics
Blog Should Be On your Website
Set a Goal for Frequency of Posts
Plan Out your Content
Check Spelling and Grammar
Promote in Social Media

12. Spread the Word
Blogger Outreach
Where do Book Enthusiasts Hangout?
Start at Goodreads.com
RSS Directories
Press Releases
Social Media
• Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.
Tie into your Website and Email

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• Develop an editorial policy / mission statement
• What is your voice? – Clear content, style and tone
• Show your expertise – Build your prestige
• Check your spelling and grammar
• Don’t market directly through your blog
• Plan your content ahead of time
• Use multimedia content – Pictures, videos, etc.
• Use good titles – descriptive and eye catching
• Interact – reply to comments
• Distribute – Use Google+, Twitter, Facebook
• Read more - http://www.coryon.com/blogging-best-practices
Blogging Best Practices

14. Find your Audience, Plan your Content
Who’s your Audience?
Fish Where the Fish Are
Brainstorm Interesting Topics
Keyword Research
Survey Your Readers
Social Listening Tools
• Google Alerts, Topsy.com, SocialMention.com
Check out:
http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/11422-19-tools-to-improve-your-content-marketing-strategy

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Find Forums and Blogs
• Search for “keyword” – add forum or blog
• Search for topic - add ”leave a reply”
• Use Google Alerts.
Find Top Users
• Who posts/comments the most
Create a Profile
• Be honest and add link to your website
Find your Fish
Research your Market

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Tie your Blog into your Existing Marketing
• Events, Website, Social Media
Engage your readers
• Reply to comments, promote conversation
Seek out your audience
• Find influencers and interact
• Follow them, connect, comment, work at it!
Build Community, Recruit Evangelists
• Guest Blogging - Offer to contribute and ask for guest blogs too.
• Email everyone mentioned and ask for cross promotion
Build Community
Connect your Blog to your Website

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Blogging for Business:
Pick a platform (Psst… It’s Wordpress)
• Wordpress – Free, open source, easy to
install on most hosts.
• Others include: blogger.com,
tumblr.com, squidoo.com, hubpages.com
• Wordpress.org – Build a website and/or
blog. Download, themes, plugins, and get
support.
• Blogging – It’s got that too.

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Why use WordPress?
• Easy to use
• Lives on your website
• Free
• Many Themes available – Most are free
• SEO friendly
• Plugins allow customization
• Big user community
• Lots of support
A Few Words about WordPress
WordPress is a free and easy to use tool
to build websites. www.wordpress.org

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Wordpress Support and Tutorials
http://becomeablogger.com/
Learn how to blog and use word press
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
Over 1000 free themes
http://mogdesign.eu/blog/ultimate-wordpress-tutorial-collection/
Big list of wordpress tutorials
http://www.siteground.com/tutorials/wordpress/
List of specific WordPress articles including setup, SEO and backup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWYi4_COZMU
45 minute tutorial on how to use WordPress

20. Content Creation vs. Content Curation
Source: http://pinterest.com/coryonredd/infographics/

21. Editorial Calendar (Oh no, it’s a spreadsheet)

22. Guest Blog Led to Hundreds of New Signups
Source: tinybuddha.com/blog/make-a-tough-situation-good-one-question-that-changes-everything/

23. Create Focus
Target Your Market
Plan Content
Measurement
=
Simplified Marketing
The Big Picture

24. Don’t Get
Overwhelmed

25. Simplify
Your Marketing

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Content is King
Blogging, Video, Web Pages, & More

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Distribution is Queen
Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Press Releases, Blogs

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Blogging and SMM References
Create compelling content for your blog – Lots of ideas
http://www.copyblogger.com/
Blogging glossary (including dofollow/nofollow)
http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2010/03/blogging-glossary-defining-basic-
blogging-terms/
21 Tactics to increase blog traffic
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/21-tactics-to-increase-blog-traffic
7 tips to increase your blog comments
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/7-tips-to-increase-your-blog-comments/
Tips and lots of links for small business owners
http://www.successfulblogging.com/essential-blogging-tips-from-2010/

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More Blogging and SMM References
Why a blog should have an editorial policy
http://blog.case.edu/webdev/2008/05/04/editorialpolicy.html
Blog Commenting to increase PageRank
http://www.seohosting.com/blog/link-strategies/effective-blog-commenting-to-
increase-page-rank/
How to find dofollow blogs:
http://www.smuggecko.com/seo-tips-how-to-find-dofollow-blogs/
Ad Age list of top marketing blogs
http://adage.com/power150/
2011 review of best blogging software
http://blog-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

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