Download - Blogs to Business
![Page 1: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Blogs to Business
Presented by:Rabeea Mannan
Sarah Farnaz Baqai
![Page 2: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
What is a Blog?
Web + Log = Blog
It is often thought as an online diary orjournal…….
But basically it an instant publishing tool anyone can use to add new content onto the web
![Page 3: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
It is also a….
• Collaborative space
• Breaking-news outlet
• Place for private thoughts
• A promotional gold mine
![Page 4: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Formal Definition
A blog is a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order.
![Page 5: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Blog Versus..
• Website - Static pages of information or sales letters
• Newsletter - Information sent to inbox, drive action
• Forum - Conversation and interaction
Blogs combine elements of all of the above
![Page 6: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Features of a Blog
• Details Posts • Feed (RSS) • Comments • Listing • Trackbacks • Sidebar Widgets • Blogroll • Social media share buttons
![Page 7: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Why Blog?• 73.6% of North Americans are on the Internet
• 83% of Internet users watch videos online
• 49% of Internet users use a search engine each day
• 73% of Internet users read blogs
• Companies that blog:Monthly leads generated rise by 126%.Visitors rise by 55%.Have 97% more inbound links.Have 434% more indexed pages in search engine
![Page 8: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Business Blog?
Wikipedia’s Definition of a business blog
A corporate weblog is published and used by an organization to reach its organizational goals
![Page 9: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Corporate Vs Personal Blogs• Blogs have become increasingly
popular and widespread among businesses
Known as a “Corporate Blog” • Corporate blogs are published by
organizations to reach many of its goals – Posts/comments easy to follow
due to centralized hosting and structured conversation threads.
– Used to generate CGC through introduction of new products/services, react to public criticisms, and provide customer assistance
• Approximately 12.8% of Fortune 500 Companies currently use corp. blogs-– Eg. Google, Dell, Coca-Cola,
McDonalds
Personal Blogger(19% of total)
Personal Blogger(19% of total)
Professional bloggers
(46% of total)
Professional bloggers
(46% of total)
Corporate Bloggers(12% of total)
Corporate Bloggers(12% of total)
![Page 11: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Value of Corporate Blogging• Word of Mouth (WOM)
– It serves as a catalyst to drive consumers to engage, research and purchase
• Consumers becoming creators of CGC, presenting their personal experience and opinions about the brand
• 78% of respondents believe consumer recommendations are the most credible form of advertising - “ Nielsen Global Survey: Word-of-Mouth the Most Powerful Selling Tool Oct 2007”
• CGC Value is becoming a credible and authoritative basis for a purchase decision. – Online social network users were three times more likely to trust their
peers' opinions over advertising when making purchase decisions. ("Social Networking Sites: Defining Advertising Opportunities in a Competitive Landscape," JupiterResearch, March 2007)
• CGC is poised to have a greater impact on marketing goals in the near future.
![Page 12: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Why Business Blogging?
![Page 13: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
“The way we use the web is shifting in a
fundamental way. Instead of primarily being
passive consumers of information, more and
more Internet users are becoming active
participants. Weblogs allow everyone to have
a voice.”
Technorati.com
![Page 14: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Crowd-sourced content:
In Technorati’s list of the top 100 Blogs
(March 2009) 2 of the top Blogs worldwide were dedicated to
Apple, both are independent and not officially affiliated to
Apple:
24 The unofficial Apple Weblog (www.tuaw.com)
81 MacRumours (www.macrumours.com)
![Page 15: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
![Page 16: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
![Page 17: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Increases Exposure
• Help increase brand recognition and may boost traffic to your website
• Corporate differentiation, leadership and authority.
• Display brand personality
• Increases Reach
![Page 18: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Improves Search Engine Optimization
• Optimize for keywords• Search engines like Google
like sites that regularly update content
• With greater content, there may be increased benefits from the long tail of search
• Blogs act as “link bait” and thus increase traffic to your site
![Page 19: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Opportunity for Market Research
• Obtain “free” market research – May give insight in to consumer likes/dislikes,
trends, expectations, etc, which the business can use to cater specifically to current and prospective customers.
![Page 20: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Generates Dialogue
• Users may write and respond to blog posts, creating potential continuous dialogue
• Dialogue can be more informal, allowing businesses to “speak” more personably, which may increase trust in consumers
• Encourages feedback
![Page 21: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Some Other Reasons
• To share company announcements
• Generates and captures new leads.
• Enhances one’s credibility with potential clients.
• Establish one’s expertise
• And above all….
IT’S CHEAP!
![Page 22: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Measuring Blogs
![Page 23: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Metric # 1 - Subscriptions
![Page 24: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Metric # 2 – Page Views
![Page 25: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Metric # 3 - Comments
• A good indicator of engagement• A way to listen to the market
![Page 26: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Metric # 4 – Inbound Links
• Measure the SEO impact of the blog• Indicates Blog role’s in outside conversations
![Page 27: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
WAYS/KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL BLOGS
![Page 28: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
1. IDENTIFY TARGET PERSONAS
![Page 29: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Your content pulls in your persona
Create the kind of online content that your buyers naturally gravitate to.
![Page 30: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
What Keywords Will Attract Your Personas?
Fill posts with them
Build an archive of content full of them
![Page 31: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
How We Pick Keywords: Keyword Grader
![Page 32: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
A word of caution
• Writing for your personas DOES NOT mean writing about the products and services you sell them
• Write about the things they want to learn about
![Page 33: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
2. Create a mix of posts
![Page 34: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Plan a Mix of Posts
![Page 35: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Basic, Everyday Posts
• How to posts
• Rich in keywords
• Get good at whipping them out
• Make sure they’re useful
![Page 36: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Healthy, Thoughtful Posts
• Should establish your site as a thought leader in the industry
• Put time into them
• Don’t do too many
![Page 37: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Big Blog Projects
• Lots of work
• Lots of links, discussion and attention
• Pick them well
![Page 38: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Posts That Start Fires
• Make a bold statement
• Be prepared to defend yourself
• Lots of comments and links
• Too many of these posts could lose trust
![Page 39: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
The Sweet Stuff
• These posts make your blog fun
• A chance to poke fun at yourself
• Lots of traffic/links
• Often video, images
![Page 40: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
3. Write a great post
![Page 41: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
Tips for Post Structure
• Use Headings
• 500-800 words (or shorter!)
• Lists are OK (just not too many)
• 1 idea per post
• Always Add a Photo
![Page 42: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
Where Do You Get Ideas?
• Everywhere
• Keep a list
• When you learn something, flesh it out
• Check your email outbox!
• Ask your readers
![Page 43: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
Write Great Headlines
Write the headline before the article
• Imagine the reader won’t see the article
• Surprise people
• No spelling errors!
• Use your keywords
![Page 44: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
4. Sustain it
![Page 45: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
Pick a Publishing Schedule
• Once a week? Every Monday and Wednesday?
• Stick to it
• The goal is to build up a body of keyword-rich content (create an asset)
![Page 46: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
Different Ways of Doing Posts
• Email interviews
• Video interviews (conferences, office visitors, clients)
• Guest posts from people with similar blogs
• “Best of” lists
• “How we do it” posts
![Page 47: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
Should I Hire People?
• It depends.
• Pros:• You don’t have to do the work• You hire a “professional writer”
• Cons:• Nobody knows your business like you do• You don’t build your personal reputation• You don’t participate in the conversation
![Page 48: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
5. Spread it
![Page 49: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
Take Comments Seriously
• Make sure you comment back
• Find out who the people are
• Follow their links
• Subscribe to their blog, follow them on Twitter
![Page 50: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
Publish on Social Media• Post directly
• Post via twitterfeed.com automatically
• Post to your status
• Post automatically via a feed to your fan or profile page
• Also consider LinkedIn, other sites.
![Page 51: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
Where Do You Link to Your Blog?
• Your homepage
• Press releases
• Business cards
• Email signatures
![Page 52: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
Engage People; Stay on Their Radar
• Write posts that link to or follow up on bigger bloggers’ radar screens
• Most people do Google or Technorati searches for their name, so they’ll see your post
![Page 53: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
Concerns
![Page 54: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
Loosing control
• Business never had control of what people say about them.
• You cant control the message
• But you can join the conversation and make sure that your side of the story is heard
![Page 55: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
Somebody will say something about me/us/our product
• If what people say is true its an opportunity for you to learn and improve
• And if people say something about your product which is untrue, you have an opportunity to correct it by responding appropriately!
![Page 56: Blogs to Business](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813b19550346895da3ca47/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
Other concerns
• Leaking of internal corporate information might have very damaging results for business operations.
• Blogging is hard work
• Blogging is commitment
• Blogging is time consuming