Blogging brings you business - but how? - August 2014

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Many businesses have their website in set and forget mode hoping this will be a useful digital shop front which will attract new business. Static websites may as well be invisible online, and they do not make the most of an expensive investment in terms of online customer service opportunities. Blogging or having a ‘latest news’ section on a website means that your business can not only help your website flourish, it can bring their business’s personality alive to attract new business, and maintain existing business relationships. This presentation demonstrates the power of blogging for your business to support your digital marketing strategies, as well as improve customer service strategies.

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Allison Miller, Vanguard Visions

Salisbury / Modbury

Blogging brings you business – but how?

You’ll find these slides at:

slideshare.net/vanguardvisions

Session Overview

• What is blogging?• What should you be blogging about?• The blogging process• Writing a blog post• Key considerations• What will you investigate further?• Workshop evaluation

What is blogging?

CC-BY Image by Gideon Burton – Blogging Street Cred - https://www.flickr.com/photos/wakingtiger/3156791845/

Blogging not flogging

• Sharing not selling

• Customer-centred not company-centred

• Value add

• Building relationships – improving customer service

• Driven by organisational goals

• Give to get

Image: Digital Divide - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_divide

Internet is changing everything

• 92% of Australian business have internet access

• Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013)

• 79% of Australian homes have the internet

• Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET (2013)

• 90% of Australians have an internet-enabled smartphone

• AIMIA Mobile Phone Survey (2013)

Example

acenights.com.au/blog

Example

ciws.com.au/safety-blog/

Example

workforceplanningtools.com.au/blog/

What should you be blogging about?

Which blogging themes / topics?

CC-BY Image: by Geralt - Exchange Of Ideas Silhouettes Man Woman Face - http://pixabay.com/en/exchange-of-ideas-silhouettes-man-81822/

Blogging themes / topics

CC-BY Image: by Geralt - Exchange Of Ideas Debate Discussion Entertainment http://pixabay.com/en/exchange-of-ideas-debate-discussion-222788/

Issues,Reminders,How to’s

Feedback,Good news stories

Competitions,Polls / Surveys

Tips for getting topic ideas

Join industry online groups

Subscribe to training

announcements

Join workforce

development online groups

Survey staff, learners, clients

Read other RTOs’ blogs

Social media trends

Blog topic generator

hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator

The blogging process

Understand your target market

CC-BY Image: Clipart – Target with arrow by anonymous - http://openclipart.org/detail/13234/target-with-arrow-by-anonymous

Your blogging goal

CC-BY Image: by Public Domain Pictures - Goal Soccer Sport Aim Ball Grass Objective Cup - http://pixabay.com/en/goal-soccer-sport-aim-ball-grass-20121/

What content?

CC-BY Image:Image: Content Spray Paint Logo - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Content_-_spraypaint_logo.jpg D23 Expo 2011 – Marvel Panel - http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6070/6081398164_0aec977321_o.jpg

Types of content? Where from? How?

CC-BY Image: US Army 53138 United States Army Africa - official website and social media center.jpg - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Army_53138_United_States_Army_Africa_-_official_website_and_social_media_center.jpg

Using the right keywords

CC-BY Image: by Cambodia4kids Beth - Tags: Keywords to describe digital objects - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/260004685/

“Great content first, keyword research second!” – Jason Chesters

4 Key Steps the Pros Use to Get Traffic from Search Engines by Jason Chesters http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/06/03/4-key-steps-the-pros-use-to-get-traffic-from-search-engines/#fkiHor3Pqr3PxFlt.99

Which keywords?

CC-BY Image: by Cambodia4kids Beth - Tags: Keywords to describe digital objects - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/260004685/

4 Key Steps the Pros Use to Get Traffic from Search Engines by Jason Chesters http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/06/03/4-key-steps-the-pros-use-to-get-traffic-from-search-engines/#fkiHor3Pqr3PxFlt.99

Driving people to your blog

Email lists

Social media

Online forums

Search Engine

Marketing (SEM)

Other online advertising

Traditional advertising

CC-BY Image: Understanding the relationship between cause and effect by Brian Solis - http://www.flickr.com/photos/briansolis/6786026984/

Measure and monitor

Use those stats - Data Analytics

• Google Analytics• Blog Analytics• Facebook Analytics• Bit.ly• Conversions /

referrals

Measuring your ROI

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DIRECT ROI INDIRECT ROI

Immediate sales/contracts Sales/contracts which come at a later time

Increased hits on your website Referrals for business from unknown sources

Reduced time spent on customer service or information provision

Increased enquiries about your business

Rinse and repeat

CC-BY Image: PDCA Cycle - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PDCA_Cycle.svg

Writing a blog post

Compelling blog headline

CC-BY Image: Casera Black Beans by Caribbean Shibe - http://caribbeanshibe.com/product/casera-black-beans/

7 Headline types:

1. Get what you want2. Crystal ball and history3. Problems or fears 4. Fact, fiction, truth or ties 5. How to, tricks of the trade 6. Best or Worst 7. Ways to fail

Top 6 types come from “Authority Blogger” via Jeff Bulla’s 8 Key steps to blogging mastery ebook:http://www.jeffbullas.com/

Keep with the first paragraph

CC-BY Image: by Nemo - Paragraph Return Carriage Arrow Next Line Text - http://pixabay.com/en/paragraph-return-carriage-arrow-27368/

Ways to keep them:

1. Pose a question2. Use a quote3. Use a powerful story4. Enticing (or scary) facts / stats5. Provide context /

background / mental image6. Analogies

Jeff Bulla’s 8 Key steps to blogging mastery ebook:http://www.jeffbullas.com/

Chunk and change

CC-BY Image: SJ3868 : Blacon Community Mosaic at Blacon Old Station site - segment 5 - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2119591

Support filtering:

1. Sub-headings2. Small paragraphs3. Short sentences4. Lists / Indent5. Images, Infographics, Video,

Podcasts, Slides etc6. Bold, underscore, italics7. Hyperlink – your website,

flyers, eBooks

Jeff Bulla’s 8 Key steps to blogging mastery ebook:http://www.jeffbullas.com/

Call to action

Speak to us, share with us,

click here,

CC-BY Image: Megaphone Shout Action Call Scream Loud Speak by Mickyroo - http://pixabay.com/en/megaphone-shout-action-call-scream-50092/

Key considerations

Who’s responsible?

Lurking’s OK

Blogging policy

Stay up to date

What will you investigate further?

Workshop evaluation

vanguardvisions.com.au

Allison Miller0400 732 270

allison@vanguardvisions.com.auvanguardvisionsconsulting.com.au

linkedin.com/in/theother66

Register for eUpdates: bit.ly/digitalcapability

Connect on: Twitter - twitter.com/vanguardvisions

Facebook - facebook.com/vanguardvisions

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