business blogging
DESCRIPTION
Business Blogging. Reaching Your Customers. Educate customers about products Easy user-friendly interface New content displayed at the top Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Branding opportunities. Blog Parts and Pieces. http://www.hwyblogs.com/hiw-blog-parts.php - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Business Blogging
Reaching Your Customers
• Educate customers about products
• Easy user-friendly interface
• New content displayed at the top
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Branding opportunities
Blog
Parts
and
Pieces
http://www.hwyblogs.com/hiw-blog-parts.php
http://blogclassinfo.wordpress.com/2007/05/17/blog-parts-pieces/
Blog Header
• (1) This includes the title of your blog, which is the same or similar to the blog’s URL (web address). Along with a title in the header, very often there will be a subheading as well:
• For example –
Problogger: Helping Bloggers Earn Money
Blog Calendar
• (2) Some bloggers include a small calendar on the sidebar, but this is not at all required. It’s just one of the many extras often available for bloggers to include.
Blog Archive
• (3) Archive of past posts is one of the elements that make a “blog” a “blog.”
• Allow readers easy access to previous posts
• Normally organized per month
• Reverse chronological order
Blog Search
• (4) A search box allows readers to search for specific key words
• Concept similar to a search engine for your blog
• Use key words and phrases
Article Categories & Recent Articles
• (5) Categories - Similar to monthly archives • Organized per category• Categories created by the blogger• Readers can select per category of interest• (6) Recent Articles- Lists the most recent posts• Again in reverse chronological order
Favorite Links
• (7) Favorite sites are hot linked and added as a list.
• Aka Blog Roll
• Selected by the blogger
• Normally related to the blog topic
• Located in the side bar
RSS Feeds
• (8) RSS stands for Real Simple Syndication
• Sharing of content
• Notification of updates
• Use an aggregator aka feed reader
• Bloglines.com
Blog Article Title
• (9) Each post (article) needs a title
• Blogs made up of multiple posts
• Headline like a newspaper
• Use of key words
• SEO considerations
Blog Content& Permalink
• (10) Content is the text inside a post.
• Content = any writing on the web
• Your clever prose
• (11) Permalink is a hot link to an individual post
• Page for each single post
Comments
• (12) Comments include feedback from your blog readers.
• Readers “comment” to your post
• Leave open for anyone
• Or require approval for each comment
• Creates a conversation
• Often includes other links
Blog Lingo
• Blogosphere: blogging community
• Dashboard: blog control panel
• Blog Roll: list of blog URLs
• Page view: number of clicks
• Ranking: how high on search engines
• Stats: statistics
• Strikethroughs: deleted info
Locating Blogs
• Blogsearch.google.com• Technorati.com• Blogpulse.com• Other blogs
Let’s find some blogs!
Bloglines.com
• Free blog aggregator:
http://www.bloglines.com/
Add blogs to bloglines
via favorites.
Blog Etiquette
• Link Love• Link inside text• Add links to blog roll• Include links in
comments• Give links• Get links
Posting Comments
• Have something to say
• Part of the conversation
• Don’t spam• Generates traffic
Blog Topic Brainstorming
• Passion!• What kind of business
do you run?• What topics are
related to it?• What do you read
about regularly?• What activities are
related to your work?
Blogging Preliminaries
• Blog purpose• Type of blog
– Filter/journal/k-blog/mix?
• Blog host• Blog topic• Title and subtitle• Public or private• Blog revenue
Starting a Blog
• Free Blog Networks:– Blogger.com– Wordpress.com– LiveJournal.com
• Look @ other blogs on the networks
• How is the site navigation?
• Try setting up your blog
Blog Software Options/Basics
• WYSIWYG software• Freebies first• Blog software - Blogger - Moveable Type - Typepad - Word Press• Bells & whistle vs.
tech savvy
Linking to Other Blogs
• Link love• Be a good
blogosphere neighbor• Create a blog roll• Link internally in posts• Give links = get links• No blogger is an
island
What to Blog About?
• Tutorial, a “how-to”• Review a book • Pros and cons• Answer a question• Current event• Interviews• Post about a post
• Product/service news• Related web news• Interviews• Company personnel
Visual Elements
• Bulleted text• Easy to read• Min. 1 image• Short paragraphs• Mix text/images• Content related