blogging for business

MonsterBlogging for Business

Monster TechnologiesLunch & Learn Program

By Ted Demopoulos, co-author of Blogging for Business, www.demop.com

Copyright 2006 Demopoulos Associates

I finally got his attention

“Your customers are talking about you and you’re NOT listening?”


What are your customers saying?


So, what’s a blog anyway?

A blog is a simple Web site:

– written in a personal style– frequently updated– most recently added information shown first– allows for feedback and interaction (comments)


What’s the Big Deal?

• Transform the Web from read-mainly to read/write

• Anyone can publish content - as easily as sending email


Benefits to Businesses

• Communicating with your customers, potential customers, partners, competitors, and more

–Getting feedback quickly and inexpensively

• Adding personality to fairly impersonal “Company” images


Benefits to Businesses

• Establishing yourself as an expert• Driving traffic to your Web site (search engines love blogs)• Attracting a regular following of readers as blogs are dynamic and interactive• Building familiarity


A tale of two blogging job seekers

#1 Bob Cargill• I’ve known him for about a year.• I KNOW he’s great and passionate about marketing because he blogs about it. He also has no problem finding both freelance and fulltime work.• We networked through blogging and have worked together professionally since.


A Jobseeker’s professional blog


A tale of two blogging job seekers

#2 Anonymous (another marketing guy)• I’ve known him for thirty years, but don’t know if he’s any good or not.

• He obviously enjoys blogging, especially the networking aspects, but they are all done in a non-professional environment.

(still unemployed . . .)


A Jobseeker’s personal blog


Characteristics of Successful Blogs

• A somewhat experienced blogger: Read a few blogs first, before you start!• Planning: "Driving to work naked is like starting a Biz Blog with zero planning. Both might start out ok . . ."• Consistency: e.g., don’t blog on nuclear power for two months and then switch to clean water for the next month• Conversational: Not formal business writing


Characteristics of Successful Blogs (2)

• Honesty: Builds trust – plus, it's easy to be honest

• Personal: Photo and an "about me" link are great ideas

• Patience: Unless you're already famous, don't expect massive and instant traffic!


Should every company have a blog?

Of course not!

Blogs are simply tools, and are appropriate in many circumstancesSome corporate cultures may not be “blog friendly,” e.g. top-down authoritative regimesSome corporate cultures may not want (or perhaps trust) their employees to talk directly to customers


The ROI of Blogging

Demonstrable ROI in some areas, e.g. SEO, customer feedback

Every business decision involves risk, including to blog or not blog

“If everyone sat around and waited for demonstrable ROI, Amazon wouldn't be selling books on the Internet, Google wouldn't have a search engine, and Henry Ford wouldn't have tried to compete with horses. Where was the provable ROI there?"

- Jim Curtin, President and CEO Win4Lin


The Future

Podcasts and Videoblogs – the next big thing?

Business blogging becomes far more accepted.Blogs become more Website-like, Websites become more blog-like.The term “blog” disappears?


Thank YouThank You

• Ted Demopoulos, www.demop.com• www.BloggingForBusinessBook.com

•Blog more profitably and effectively. Subscribe to the free BizBlog+ Newsletter for in-depth coverage of Business Blogging and more Web 2.0 topics. Click here or send an email to [email protected]

Thank you!

http://www.demop.com/

http://www.bloggingforbusinessbook.com/



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