This is a slide presentation from the iMedia Conference held in Edmonton, Alberta March 24, 2013.

1. Content.
Blogging for Business (and a little SEO that works)
@redpaperclip
Sunday, 24 March, 13

2. What to expect today:
• Explore Fundamentals of Content Creation
• Explore Fundamentals of SEO
• We will fly through this
• Don’t kill yourselves taking notes, this is already on
my blog.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

3. Who are We?
Why we’re ok...
Sunday, 24 March, 13

4. Everyone
Communicates...
Few
Connect.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

5. “90% of everything
is CRAP”
• (Theodore) Sturgeon’s Law,1958
• Written in defense of Science Fiction against attacks by
people who selected the worst work to make an example of.
• Even more applicable in business blogging because what
makes great content has been ignored by so many.
• This is why there are still so many success stories among
blogs, and why they will remain a successful medium.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

6. What is Content?
What is content to you?
Sunday, 24 March, 13

7. Content is Story.
Brand Client Staff
Story Stories Stories
Product Product Community
Launch Creation Stories
Sunday, 24 March, 13

8. Content Types.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

9. Content Types.
• Articles • Comments
• Photos • Shares
• Videos • Podcasts
• Video Blogs/Podcasts • Slides/Presentations
Sunday, 24 March, 13

10. Content Credibility.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

11. Define Audience.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

12. Define Your Focus.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

13. Your Focus.
• What do you want to see in the world?
• Where do you want your blog to to be in
the marketplace?
Sunday, 24 March, 13

14. Your Blog Content
Focus.
We help ________ [your audience] to
_________________ [what you want them to do]
so that _______ [your blog focus].
Every decision you make needs to justify this mantra.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

15. The Story of
Layout
• Placement
• Navigation
• Audience Expectations
• Your Content Focus
Sunday, 24 March, 13

16. The Story of
Layout
Sunday, 24 March, 13

17. A Word About
SEO...
SEO is HUGE .
Sunday, 24 March, 13

18. A Word About
SEO...
Later today. Social
Not really. Link Building
TODAY! Keyword Research
Not today. Content Access. & Web Structure
Sunday, 24 March, 13

19. Keywords.
There were 587,000,000 results...
Sunday, 24 March, 13

20. Keywords.
High Competition =
Lower Conversions
Lower Competition =
Higher Conversions
Sunday, 24 March, 13

21. Keywords.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

22. Keywords.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

23. Keywords.
Long-tail Keywords are the
means to better local results.
noun description + city + province
[mountain climbing Edmonton, AB]
Sunday, 24 March, 13

24. Google’s Keyword
Tool.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

25. How to Build
Keyword Lists.
Executives Front Line Staff Customers
Sunday, 24 March, 13

26. Title Tags.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

27. Title Tags.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

28. Meta Tags.
People read this
No one cares...
Sunday, 24 March, 13

29. Description
Lengths.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

30. Anchor Text.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

31. Image Text
Attributes.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

32. On-Page Copy.
Keywords Matter Here!
• Headlines/Subheadings (H1, H2 Tags)
• “Top Copy” or LEDE
• Bullets
• Tag Clouds, Browse Lists, etc.
Works for people AND search engines!
Sunday, 24 March, 13

33. On-Page Copy.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

34. Audience
Language & Tone.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

35. Types of Posts.
• Breaking News/Briefs/Reportage
• Personal Stories/Essays
• How-tos/DIYs
• Opinion/Op-eds/Expert Interviews
• Research/Academic Work
• Investigative/Documentary
Sunday, 24 March, 13

36. Make Content
Actionable.
Ask Yourself:
• Are there takeaways or points of actions from
the content?
• Is there any specific calls to action?
• Are there steps explaining how to do
something or move further?
• Does every section add value to the message?
Sunday, 24 March, 13

37. Headlines.
Most important content EVER!
• Inform
• Entertain
• Contradict
• “EXPRESSES POWER” (so say men)
Sunday, 24 March, 13

38. Headlines Reveal
• Lust • Power
• Mystique • Vice
• Alarm • Trust
• Prestige
Sunday, 24 March, 13

39. Fascinators!
Demure Princess. Ugly Duckling?
Sunday, 24 March, 13

40. Adjectives Reveal
Story.
TOP POLITICOS LINKED TO
SOCCER MOM SEX RING!
Sunday, 24 March, 13

41. My Sexy Secret
Sauce.
Keywords
+
Fascinators (Adjectives)
=
KILLER HEADLINE
Sunday, 24 March, 13

42. Your Community.
Sunday, 24 March, 13

43. Your Community.
• What do you know of them?
• What do you know you can ask of them?
• Share
• Contribute
• Choose (polls)
Sunday, 24 March, 13

44. “People First.”
• Who are your people?
• What are you offering them? How will it work?
• Where are your people and what are they doing
when they get here?
• What are you asking them to do? (Share,
Contribute, Buy)
• What’s working? What’s missing?
Sunday, 24 March, 13

45. Writing Content:
The Truth.
“Nothing is original.” Jim Jarmusch
Sunday, 24 March, 13

46. Cooking with
Content: Marinade
Sunday, 24 March, 13

47. Marinade?
• Complexity and simplicity
• It “cures” whatever sits in it
• Marinades take time to taste great
Sunday, 24 March, 13

48. “Blend Your
Ingredients.”
Sunday, 24 March, 13

49. “Work It In.”
• Talk to other departments, a mentor, or
trusted source outside the company
• Post about the topic BEFORE the post
publishing date
• Use social media as a springboard
Sunday, 24 March, 13

50. “Seal in Flavour.
Sear in Flavour.”
Sunday, 24 March, 13

51. “Plate it.”
Sunday, 24 March, 13

52. “Tasting!”
Sunday, 24 March, 13

53. Leftovers!
Sunday, 24 March, 13

54. Rewrite, Reuse,
Repurpose.
• Refer back to your focus and determine
“evergreen” content (content that never
fades)
• Fundamentals are a great place to start
(how to’s, “101s,” etc.)
• No one will get tired, because no one
pours through everything
Sunday, 24 March, 13

55. Questions?
Sunday, 24 March, 13

56. Thanks!
@redpaperclip
Sunday, 24 March, 13