How Blogging Can Benefit Your Business

by Nile Floreshttp://blondish.net

Objective

❏ What is blogging?❏ Benefits of blogging.❏ Brief coverage on how to start blogging.❏ What to do with your blog post after you've published it?❏ Topics to help you never have a problem coming up

with something to write.

What is blogging?

Blogging is usually known as a slang term for web log or web logging. It use to be something compared to a diary or journal, but today it is used for a variety of topics.

It’s also not just writing. Blogging can involve using other media like audio, video, and images.

Why blog?

❏ Builds trust❏ Builds the brand and what it stands for❏ Gives a more human feel for the consumer❏ A way to market using content even in ways

you don’t have to feel like you spammed them.

Blog frequency impacts customer acquisition. 92% of companies who blogged multiple times a

day acquired a customer through their blog.

- HubSpot State of Inbound Marketing, 2012

Please note on the previous statistic that it is not necessarily required to blog twice, but to blog frequently - at least 1 to 3 times per week or once a day will do fine.

Nearly 40% of US companies use blogs for marketing purposes.

- eMarketer, August 2010

70% of the links search users click on are organic, not paid.

- Marketing Sherpa, February 2007

What can you blog about?

❏ Company news❏ Product

demonstrations❏ Interviews with

peers or leaders in your niche

❏ Roundup of niche news

❏ Specials and discounts

❏ Public Events❏ Customer spotlight❏ Tutorials❏ Special Interest

Topics

But I’ve been blogging and don’t know what to blog

about anymore?

Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid

of the box.- Deepak Chopra

If you’re suffering bloggers block...

It’s because of either lack of knowledge, lack of interest, discouraged by lack of traffic, or even stress.

All of these problems CAN be solved.

But I’ve never blogged before! I don’t know what to do or where to start?

When is it the perfect time to begin blogging?

Starting A Blog

The easiest, fastest, cheapest, and most effective tool to get you started in blogging is to use WordPress. ( http://wordpress.org )

WordPress is a content management system built to handle any type of website, including a blog.

Wait… I already have an existing website!

That’s ok!You can have a WordPress installed in a sub directory (folder) and run it there.

Or you can convert the entire site to WordPress.

Normally business owners like to start out with the first option as they can use this time to get use to using WordPress and to blogging.

Handy WordPress Plugins

❏ Digg Digg http://wordpress.org/plugins/digg-digg/

❏ Feedburner http://wordpress.org/plugins/feedburner-plugin/

❏ WordPress SEO by Yoast http://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/

❏ Yet Another Related Post Plugin http://wordpress.org/plugins/yet-another-related-posts-plugin/

Handy Syndication Tools

❏ RSS Grafitti (Facebook application)❏ Dlvr.it❏ Bufferapp.com❏ Hootsuite.com

Blogging for Newbies

Do like Nike’s old slogan and...

JUST DO IT!

Now is the perfect time to blog!

So, I’ve blogged. Now what?

Time to tell the world!

Don’t be shy.

You cannot expect traffic by search engine alone, especially

when search engines are becoming more social oriented.

- Me

Where to share?

❏ Google+❏ Twitter❏ Facebook❏ Biz Sugar❏ StumbleUpon❏ Your business

newsletter

❏ Pinterest❏ Youtube❏ Niche related

social bookmark sites

❏ Press Release sites

Rule of 7This old marketing rule refers to the fact that it takes about 7 times for a message to be seen or heard before it is acted upon (example: buying or subscribing.)

Keep this in mind and make sure you’re sharing your articles at various times of the day and on several social platforms.

Link Resource: Social Network And Social Bookmark SitesGoogle+ http://plus.google.comTwitter http://twitter.comFacebook http://facebook.comPinterest http://pinterest.comBiz Sugar http://bizsugar.comStumbleUpon http://stumbleupon.comYoutube http://youtube.com

Bonus Syndication Resources

Triberr.com

Connect with other bloggers. Usually works better for those needing exposure on Twitter.

JustRetweet.com

Gamified like system where you share others’ articles out on the social networks and earn points to promote your own. Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.

Any Questions?

Nile Flores

http://blondish.net

http://twitter.com/blondishnethttp://facebook.com/NileFlores

http://linkedin.com/in/blondishnethttp://slideshare.net/blondishnet