We have talked about how much blogging can help businesses of all sizes by creating trust, defining ourselves as experts in our industries and to boost our website’s SEO. One of the hardest parts of having a blog is keeping up with it and regularly coming up with new content. In this webinar we will talk about tools and inspiration for coming up with new blog topics that will keep your blog up to date and attracting more readers, subscribers and customers! You can view a full recording of this webinar here http://www.hallme.com/webinars/coming-up-with-good-blog-topics-212.php

1. Coming Up With
Blog Topics
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42931449@N07/5263541791/sizes/l/in/photostream/

2. Who we are
Hall Internet Marketing
Portland, Maine
In business over 12 years
@hall_web
Amanda O’Brien
VP of Marketing
@amanda_pants

3. Got Questions?
• Use GoToWebinar “Ask a Question”
• Twitter with @hall_web
• Email amanda@hallme.com

4. Blogs are good!
• Great for search engines and SEO
• Establish yourself as an expert
• More viral and sharable in nature
• Easy to update
• Social Media Hub

5. Content people already want
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanbeard/3196536843/sizes/l/in/photostream/

6. Check your inbox, ask coworkers
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10ch/3204310433/sizes/l/in/photostream/

7. Popular, not so popular and searches
NEW
• What is most popular (visits, time on site)
• Keywords
LESS
MORE

8. What are people searching for?
Build content around things people are searching for
Google Insights: http://www.google.com/insights/search/
Wordtracker: http://labs.wordtracker.com/

10. https://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/keyword-questions/

11. What are people looking for already? LinkedIn Answers

12. What are people looking for already? Quora

13. Things that people
can't find

14. Survey your readers
• What do you want to hear more about?
• What are some of your favorite blogs?
• How often do you read blogs?
• Do you like video blogs?
• What is one question you want answered?
• Incentives Help
•Survey monkey

15. Organize and work with you have have
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9stitches11stars/2211020136/sizes/l/in/photostream/

16. Editorial Calendar
• Topic, type, how many and when
• Organized
• Posts begin to build
• Save things you see to refer back to
• Checks and balances
• Read more

17. Recycle Old Posts
• Never waste content
• Update an old post
• Respond to a comment
• Give an old post new insight
– Review last year's predictions
– How is a new product holding up?
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/5575089139/sizes/l/in/photostream/

18. Keep a Notebook for Ideas
• Ideas come all the time
• Write them down
• Old Fashioned
• New Fashioned
• Evernote

19. Events, Holidays and Just for Fun
• Industry, local or online events
• Upcoming holidays (early is on time, on time is late)
• Holidays for every day

20. Lists
• Top 10 Lists - 5s, 3s and 7s!
• Add value
• Collect posts from around the web
• Link back!
• Add your own commentary or synopsis

21. Content IN
Content OUT!
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/73119057@N00/3026580124/sizes/l/in/photostream/

22. Read
• Your heroes
• Your competitors
• Industry leaders
• Blogging experts
• Completely out of your industry
• RSS
• Books! Call me old fashioned.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iancapstick/3913398059/sizes/m/in/photostream/

23. Find news
• Google Alerts
• Social Mention
• Twitter search
• Alltop
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iancapstick/3913398059/sizes/m/in/photostream/

24. React
• Take someone's content and add your opinion
• Give credit, link back
• Add value, not just a summary
• Build relationships and credibility
• Vanilla doesn't get you very far – Have an opinion

25. Interview Someone
• Industry experts, customers, etc.
• Email interview
• Web interview, Skype, Camtasia, Flip, Google+
• Voice interview with transcript
• Add value – insight and takeways

26. Go Basic, Lighten Up, Provide Value
• Start with a point, prove it
• Add value to the space
• Have something to say, don't just say something
Overheard #Blogchat – 9PM EST Sundays
“Blog length? Like a mini-skirt.
Long enough to cover, short enough to keep attention.”
@hanelly

27. Finding good blog photos
• iStockphoto.com
• Flickr
• Google Advanced Image Search
• Point and click
• Friends photos
http://www.hallme.com/blog/finding-good-blog-photos/

28. Recap
• Blogging is important
• Make more content that people want
• Be Organized
• Work with what you have
• Find inspiration everywhere
• You have to give to get
• You have to read to write
• Lighten up
• Add value
• Keep posts short

29. Learn More
Twitter: @Hall_Web
@amanda_pants
• Blog – http://www.hallme.com/blog/blogging/
• Webinars – http://www.hallme.com/webinars
• 1/31 - Your 2012 We Strategy
• Archived webinars - http://www.hallme.com/archived-webinars
1-877-425-5932 (HALL-WEB)
amanda@hallme.com
Download our new eBook: http://bit.ly/hall-ebook