The Changing World of Business Blogging: How to Make Your Blog Pay Off in 2012 Company blogs aren't what they used to be. With the evolution of social media and greater emphasis on relationship building, the business blog has become a vital content channel and a conduit for two-way communication. Your blog boosts brand visibility, builds customer trust and drives sales leads. Join us on March 28 for new techniques that can help you make your business blog more effective. Learn about: • The current state of blogging – why 2012 is different from 2011 • How to establish your blog's purpose, voice and schedule • Integrating your blog with social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest • Marketing your blog to new readers and keeping them engaged • Design tips for an effective blog • And more

1. The Changing World of
Business Blogging:
How to Make Your Blog
Pay Off in 2012
Twitter: #BusBlog

2. Housekeeping
How to Participate
• You can join the audio for today‟s
conference by selecting
“Use Mic & Speakers”
• Or, to join by phone, select
“Use Telephone” in your Audio
Mode window
• Submit your text question using
the “Questions” pane
• Note: A recording will be made
available within 48 hours
• When tweeting please use the
hashtag #BusBlog

3. Today’s presenters
Jeff Ente
Founder and editor of
"Who's Blogging What“
@wbw_Jeff
Mark Evans
Principal, ME Consulting
@markevans
Sheldon Levine
Community
Manager, Marketwire +
Sysomos
@40deuce OR
@Sysomo

4. Where is blogging heading right now?

5. Actually, both sides are right
Some businesses don‟t lend themselves to
blogging and/or approach it incorrectly.
Others have found multiple benefits from a
low-cost, low-risk activity.

6. Your business should be blogging if:
Your product/service can be interesting
and engaging.
You value long-term customer relationships.
Getting found on the web is important to you.

7. IMPORTANT:
Before blogging another word, remind
yourself of your unique perspective, the
reason that someone would add you to
his or her list of reading habits…

8. IMPORTANT:
… and then think about what that
„someone‟ might be interested
in talking about today.

9. Common objectives of blogging
• Search engine robots like to see a continual
stream of new content. People do, too.
• It provides fodder for social networking shares.
• It is a reason for existing customers to revisit your
site and to become part of your community.
• Sales and Marcom materials are great, but
blogging can speak to customers and prospects in
a more intimate voice.
• You get to hear reactions without conducting a
focus group.

10. Few key things to do/remember
• Figure out who will blog. Somebody should control the
overall tone, but getting multiple voices involved is great.
New staff members can be motivated to demonstrate
their expertise and enthusiasm in the blog.
• Create a calendar for guideline purposes. What
frequency seems right for your audiences? Are you
properly preparing them for product enhancements?
How do their needs change over time?

11. More things to do/remember
• Make sure that the search engines know who you are.
You are not myblog.blogster.com or myblog.com. You
are either mycompany.com/blog or
blog.mycompany.com. Make sure that it is easy to
navigate between the blog and the homepage.
• A good post will result in a conversation. Make sure that
you always give the readers something that is worth
responding to and include a „call to respond‟ at the end
of the post. Then try to keep the conversation going.

12. Still more things to do/remember
• Don‟t forget the fun. If your company‟s blog can‟t have
any fun, then your website is probably a real downer.
Include videos, polls, contests, invite user submissions
and don‟t take yourself too seriously.
• Spark the sharing process. Include the sharing plug-ins
for networks that seem relevant to your audience.
Remember to post to your own followers. Make sure
that it is easy to include a permanent link to your post.

13. Looks matter
Some advice from Cameron Chapman
(@cameron_chapman) on effective blog design:
• Reflect your branding, but you don‟t need to match
your website perfectly.
• Go out of your way to make it readable and have a
hierarchy of elements. Plan ahead for video and
other rich media.
• Don‟t forget comment design.

14. The blog’s new role as the content/social “hub”
Great
Blog
S Content V
h i Prospects &
a s Customers
r i
e t
s s

15. Taking the right approach

16. A blog is not….
• A press release center
• Corporate propaganda
• About you

17. A place to tell great stories

18. Where do you get ideas?

19. Ideas come from different places
Blogs
Corporate
news RSS
Your
Websites
Blog Newsletters
Google
Twitter
Alerts

20. 100 blog post ideas are easy

21. Promotion and distribution

22. Spread the word

23. Writing blog posts

24. Writing blog posts
How
often?

25. Writing blog posts
How Who
often? writes
them?

26. Writing blog posts
How Who
often? writes
them?
Who edits/
approves
them?

27. Writing blog posts
How Who
often? writes
them?
Who edits/ Who
approves monitors
them? them?

28. Making it reader friendly
• Use graphics, charts or photos
• Short paragraphs
• Grammar and spelling count
• Provide links to other sources

29. Avoid the wall of text

30. Bites of content are easier to read

32. Blog post titles matter

33. Blog post titles matter
SEO
Captures
the
Spotlight
Shows
Personality

34. Comments matter

35. Comments, anyone?

36. Comments, anyone?
Engagement
Ideas Feedback
Relationship

37. Thank you
Jeff Ente
Founder and editor of
"Who's Blogging What“
@wbw_Jeff
Mark Evans
Principal, ME Consulting
@markevans
Sheldon Levine
Community
Manager, Marketwire +
Sysomos
@40deuce OR
@Sysomo
www.marketwire.com