-By Kevin Urie and Nick White Created for MSFT Alum and SMCSeattle Social Media 101 event at UW on Sept 16, 2010. What goes into planning and launching a successful corporate blog? How do you address the cold-start problem facing any new community? Discuss the critical elements that lie along the path leading toward an established, vibrant community property that also achieves your organizational objectives

1. Blogging for your business Kevin Urie and Nick White An MSA event. Content Partner: SMCSeattle

2. Outline Business objective (The Destination) 5 critical elements (The Route) Overarching strategy (Orientation) Planning (The First Step) Where to from here? (Keep Moving)

3. Know your objective Blogs are an excellent way to disseminate information Also a good way to gather intelligence An excellent opportunity to put a human face to an otherwise-monolithic organization If these are not your goals, you might rethink the medium

4. Guideposts In order to accomplish these goals, a blog must: Establish authority (i.e., accuracy) Maintain relevance (utility) Display authenticity (community) Provide access (dialogue) Offer openness(cooperation)

5. Strategy Ultimate goal is to establish and build upon readers’ trust This requires long-term investment Build trust in the individual (editor) by sharing Then, build trust in the product/service Finally, accrue trust back to the brand/organization

6. Planning Content calendar A blog is an implicit commitment to its readers Align topics with organizational agenda Retain flexibility for ad hoc posts Editorial style Cocktail party mood Your personality counts for more than your point Shape perceptions over time (soft-sell) Get started Link to others’ content (think “judo move”) Utilize other social media channels to raise awareness

7. Nuts & bolts Comment policy Readers’ questions and ideas requires: Acknowledgement Follow-up 50% is solicitation; the other half is closure About page You’re still a spokesperson Privacy policy & TOU Everything is public record Identifying and connecting with influencers Frequent commenters Repeat linkers Allied voices

8. Go-do’s Read favorite authors Listen Comment and discuss Plan your calendar

9. Resources Kevin’s site, changeitmarketing.com Social Media Judo by Chris Aarons, Geoff Nelson and Nick White (partners, Ivy Worldwide)

10. kevin@changeitmarketing.com nick@ivyworldwide.com