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Search Made Simple - Blogging
The document discusses how blogs can be an effective marketing and sales tool for businesses. It notes that blogs allow businesses to generate leads, build email lists, position themselves as experts, and get high search engine rankings. The document provides tips for businesses on starting a blog, including writing regularly, using keywords and photos, linking to other sites, and using RSS feeds to expand reach. It recommends hosting a blog on a business's own URL for branding and flexibility.
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Search Made Simple - Blogging
- 1. Blogs: Today’s Marketing and Sales Tool for Business SEM Made Simple Anita Campbell – May 2007
- 2. Hello, My nameis Anita. I’m a blogger.
- 3. Your Presenter AnitaCampbell 20 years in Corporate world Blogging since 2003 Small Business Trends is flagship blog Blog started as a better way to publish newsletter articles Blogging transformed my business
- 4. Blogs in BusinessWe Will Cover: What is a blog? Why have a business blog? Blogging Do’s and Don’ts The power of RSS
- 5. About Blogs (web+ logs) Chronologically arranged websites Lots of content Easy to update / instant Web publishing Attract inbound links Informal two-way conversations RSS feeds = more ways to be found develops loyal readers who subscribe indexed in additional search engines
- 6. Business Blog Example“ Me to You”
- 7. Business Blog AnatomyChronological entries: most recent at top. Easy to scan.
- 8. Blog “Conversations ” Comments by readers
- 9. More “Conversations” Conversationscontinued on other blogs through trackbacks
- 10. Links for SearchEngines Blogroll links to other sites
- 11. Who’s Blogging? Mainstream– small businesses Technorati.com tracking 70+ million One third are active 5% (over 1 million) are business blogs 55 million read blogs (Pew Internet study) “ Everybody has a blog today ” – Website Services Magazine, May 2007
- 12. Benefits of BizBlogs Sales and Marketing Generate leads Build house email list via online sign-up box Cut through marketing-speak – communicate authentically Develop status as an “expert” Replace a newsletter / content does double duty Online Search Naturally high search engine rankings Draw traffic to your main website
- 13. Benefits of BizBlogs (cont’d) Public Relations Fast / inexpensive way to publish press releases online Back door to media interviews Repeater effect – expands impact of other PR General Inexpensive -- levels the playing field for small biz Recruit employees Network with industry professionals
- 14. Are Blogs forEveryone? Not everyone likes to write Possible solution: team blogs or hire writers “ Blogging is a contact sport” Interaction with visitors and other bloggers is important: are you comfortable with this? Not a substitute for a full Web strategy Just one element of your Web marketing plan
- 15. Biz Blog Tips: Do’s Get a professional design using your logo Integrate blog into your overall Web presence Host at your own URL Post at least once a week Write for customers – information they can use Participate in the conversation / comments Use photos (team & office) Do “day in the life” posts Use keywords customers are likely to search by
- 16. Biz Blog Tips: Don’ts Don’t try to be Google News – add value Don’t forget the “Mom” rule Don’t stray off theme Don’t oversell Be inclusive, not ex clusive – watch that lingo! Don’t be boring Don’t forget to link, link, link!
- 17. A Word AboutRSS Feeds Blogs generate RSS feeds – your content is also distributed as a news feed Expands reach of your message More search engines to be found in Embraced by the Big 3: Google, Yahoo and Microsoft (Vista and IE 7) Develops community following – readers subscribe through “feedreaders”
- 18. Feedreaders are convenient,letting a person read many websites from one place at one time
- 19. … all ittakes is one click to jump to see another site’s updated content
- 20. … it’sa little like reading email – except that you are reading Web site content – and no spam!
- 21. Look For Them…Orange chiclets Rectangular “Add” buttons
- 22. RSS is theFuture Blogs automatically generate RSS feeds of your content Another important reason to have a blog!
- 23. Getting Started Experimentwith a free, hosted blog: Blogger - www.blogger.com But not for long – upgrade to a professionally-designed blog at your own URL for flexibility & branding: WordPress -- www.wordpress.org
- 24. Blogs in BusinessThanks and Questions??? More resources: www. smallbiztrends.com/blogging