For Building Your Credibility, Your Brand and Your Business

Dave SaundersInternet Branding Specialist

davesaunders.net

Tuesday, February 2nd, 20109 – 10pm ET

Blogging Secrets

The Model

• Your online presence leads people to you

• As they are exposed to you, they begin to know, like and trust you

• Your trust-equity leads to effective recommendations and referrals

What Is A Blog?It’s a view of you: a collection of text or content (video, pictures,

links) put together to offer information, news and context.

Posts do not have to be a huge articles.

Seth Goden, the author of “Tribes” has a very popular blog which runs on a free blogging site. He writes one almost every day and they are usually no more than 200 words.

Why Should YOU Blog?• Share your passions and interests• Be a thought-leader: create context for your

readerso There’s already plenty of data and information

onlineo You help others make sense of it

• Create “virtual real estate” which positions you as a leader in your field

• Build your personal brand: Be distinctive, relevant and consistent

Benefits of Blogging

1. Create Authority2. Help Build an Audience3. Help Build Your Brand4. For Motivation5. For Attraction6. To Monetize

1. Create Authority• Authority – people recognize your

interests, aptitudes and skills– you do not have to be the ultimate “guru”

from the very beginning. Get your voice out there and let your audience watch you grow.

– Don’t get hung up on the term “expert”. The reality is that if you know more than the person who wants your help – you are the “expert”.

– Use that & recognize that as in all of nature, you should continue to grow & evolve.

*If you’re green, you’re growing & if you’re ripe, you’re rotting!

Julie & Julia

Julie Powell did not start her blog as a master chef.

She started where she was as a modest cook and built her audience around her journey.

2. Build an Audience

• Be the leader and guide others are seeking– not just a source of “news”

• People may not always agree with your opinion – but this can either drive them away or draw them closer.– (i.e. Howard Stern in Private Parts)– Rush Limbaugh– Jim Cramer

3. Build Your Brand

Your brand is build through the relationship you create with others.

Use YOU in your blog• Create context• What do you stand for/against?• What are your rituals?• What’s your kryptonite?

4. For MotivationLet others watch you go!• A milestone or goal for a

project• Making goals public puts

pressure on you to follow through and succeed.– (i.e. the tri-athlete who

blogged about learning how to be an athlete and all the necessary steps taken to compete in a triathlon)

5. For Attraction

• The more “real” you are, the more you will attract true fans.

• Trying to be “perfect” on your blog makes you unappealing – show your trials and tribulations for others to identify with.

• Creating a facade of the perfect you will be impossible to maintain as your audience grows & is attracted to someone that you are not.

*Posers attract Posers!

All of You Is Your Asset• Superman: Even though he was this

super, amazing, indestructible man – His vulnerability to Kryptonite makes him more identifiable.

• Gary Vaynerchuk: The creator WineLibrary.tv – can be annoying, and he knows it! He’s stayed authentic and has a tremendous amount of followers.

6. To Monetize• Use the blog to promote your

own products and services– By building authority through

your blog, you position yourself as an expert to people who are also interested in what you do.

– Have your blog contain links that say “here is how to hire me” – and that is what it will attract.

– Can also promote affiliate products.• (i.e. internet marketing &

products that you are endorsing)

To Monetize (continued)

• Can have sponsors:– Google Adsense– Commission Junction – banners– Partners – local businesses

** Don’t do this right away. Build an audience & momentum first so as not to turn people off with

a lot of advertisements.

Where To Blog

Free Options• Wordpress.com• Blogger.com• Tumblr.com• And many, many more…

Host your own• Hostgator.com

o Or find hosting that offers “C Panel”o Install WordPress.org software for free

Start Free and transition later

Types of Blog Posts

1. “How-to”2. News & Commentary3. Definitions4. The Elephant in the Room5. Lists6. Multimedia

1. “How to”• People are looking for “how

to” do something on the internet.

• They are not usually looking to learn a brand new skill – rather how to get a desired end result from something they already have an idea about.– (i.e. people may not need to

know how to cook, but may want to learn how to cook healthier)

• Add pictures from a camera or phone.

2. News & Commentary• In every industry there are

current events, news that is happening.– (i.e. nutrition, travel, legal,

healthcare)• Google News: http://News.google.com

is a great source of news and up to date information.

• Research the news and then report on it with your own commentary and perspective.– (i.e. talk radio)

3. Definitions

Create posts to help people understand• Terminology• Lingo• Tricks of the trade in your field

Train your future customers to be mini-experts

4. The Elephant in the Room

• A topic that no one wants to talk about.

• Your industry has them• Have the courage to talk

about these topics. Controversy will foster communication and debate.

• Learn the difference between OPINION and FACT

5. Lists

One of the most popular type of posts• People on Digg, Facebook, and

Twitter share lists frequently• Can be long or short• Easy to build a blog in this

framework and easy for audience to read

• Gets attention– i.e. Dave Letterman

6. MultimediaOver 200,000 videos are uploaded to YouTube every day. Share them through your blog

• Copy the Embed code from a video• Paste into the HTML View of your Blog Post• Always include comments to explain what the video is to you

Blog Headlines

Headlines are what sell our content.• Model what works: (i.e. Parenting,

Reader’s Digest, Prevention, Cosmopolitan magazines – all top sellers)

• The cover sells the content.

5 Headline Formulas1. “Who else wants to _______________?”– Implies social proof that other people are doing it (i.e. lose weight,

whiten teeth)

2. “5 Types of _________, which one are you?”– Creates curiosity (i.e. lovers)

3. “Little known ways to _______________.”– Feel they are getting inside information (i.e. save gas)

4. “What everyone should know about ______.”– They don’t want to miss out (i.e. traveling on a cruise)

5. How this solution can make your problem disappear.– Goes back to the “how to” type (i.e. Tempurpedic mattress can

make your back problems disappear.)

Blog Article Length

• Match your style• Match your audience• Provide a mix

o Short articles may be read more and forwarded more (i.e. Twitter – people only want little bites of information at a time)

o Long articles provide deep-thinking opportunities and may generate better long term traffic (can outsource a research topic to increase your credibility and authority on that topic)

• Minimum 300 words for best results with search engines

Actions and Risks

Be an idea creatoro Post at least once a dayo Be an idea creator: don’t simply

consume from other authors Getting Started

o Momentum falls off when you don’t see enough feedback

o Blogging is not a magic buttono Those that stick with it, reap the

rewards Handy Tip: Mindmap blog ideas

from subjects you enjoy

Do’s & Don’t of BloggingDo’s: the 4 Es1. Educate2. Engage3. Enlighten4. Entertain

Don’ts:5. Sell in your post6. Endless pitching

– There are appropriate places for links & talking about products.– Can talk about things you are working on to generate excitement that does

not involve sending out a salespitch.– (i.e. conversation at a chamber of commerce meeting)

Engage Others on the Turf Leave comments for other blogs

Under “website” put the address of your blog

DO NOT put your website in the comment

Leave a relevant commento Relate to the post

Use BlogCatalog.com to find other blogs

Engage Others On Your Blog

When people leave comments on your blog, answer the comments Comments are FREE CONTENT!

Activity sends a signal to search engines like Google

Personal example: How To Brine a Turkey – 5,800 hits in one dayo Moral: Seasonal tie-ins for blog posts rock!

Promote with Social Media

Share your activity through other social media sites

• Facebook• Twitter• Digg• Friendfeed

Getting Traffic

Add your blog to directories www.blogcatalog.com

Use keyword research to match your content with what people are searching foro Don’t get obsessed with “keyword optimization”

When you receive BAD commentsDon’t Feed the Trolls

•Do not get into a fight with the commenter.

•Do not engage them, it can consume you.

•Be a professional.

•May offer new content as an indirect response.

Challenges

• Give yourself the challenge to write something every day.

• Give yourself permission to have not so great content sometimes. You will not get it perfect every day.

• Give yourself time – your blog may take a while to gain momentum.– (i.e. Julie & Julia were both ready to give up at

times)

Are you ready? It Doesn’t Matter!

• Start a blog today• Make it yours• Have fun• Share your passions• Take a stand• Aim for daily posts for at least 1 year• Most blogs allow you to post date an entry so you

can preload before vacation• Create a relationship through your blog

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7 Sessions for online marketing masteryBuild a strong web

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Networking Times Special Price: $197(Special Offer Until 5 PM Thursday 2/3/10)

Power Presence Secrets to Developing a Following

Online

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