Blog social media strategy prsamd brody slide share

Deborah Brody Marketing CommunDeborah Brody Marketing Communications Copyright 2013ications Copyright 2013

Using your Blog as a Using your Blog as a Centerpiece in your Centerpiece in your

Social Media StrategySocial Media Strategy

PRSA Mid-Atlantic District PRSA Mid-Atlantic District Chesapeake Conference Chesapeake Conference

June 25, 2013June 25, 2013


Presented by:Presented by:

Deborah Brody Deborah Brody Deborah Brody Marketing Deborah Brody Marketing

CommunicationsCommunicationswww.deborahbrody.comwww.deborahbrody.com

[email protected]@deborahbrody.com



“Blogs still are one of the most influential mediums (sic), ranking high with consumers for trust, popularity and influence.”

Technorati Media’s 2013 Digital Influence Report


We’ve all heard these We’ve all heard these buzzwordsbuzzwords

Content marketingContent marketing StorytellingStorytelling EngagementEngagement


They all come together on your They all come together on your blogblog

Your blog is integral to content Your blog is integral to content marketingmarketing

Blogs are great for sharing stories Blogs are great for sharing stories (and pictures) (and pictures)

Comments and social sharing lead to Comments and social sharing lead to engagement engagement youyou control control


From From Blogging is Good PR by Jayme Soulati::

“… “… a blog provides businesses with a blog provides businesses with a chance to share value … while a chance to share value … while driving demand for their offering. driving demand for their offering. As they develop content for their As they develop content for their blog they are building a story and blog they are building a story and emotion to be associated with emotion to be associated with their brand.”their brand.”


“.. blog posts must drive value for both the brand and the readers. Brands want traffic and customers want content that provides answers or solutions to their needs and problems.

…blogs are the most valuable type of content marketing ...”(http://www.steamfeed.com/blogging-is-good-pr/ )


Why have a blog

Blogs are social media Blogs are social media youyou own own Blogs are flexible— text, graphics, Blogs are flexible— text, graphics,

audio and/or videoaudio and/or video Blogs can be updated frequentlyBlogs can be updated frequently To improve SEOTo improve SEO To showcase thought leadershipTo showcase thought leadership Easy to track and measureEasy to track and measure


Other benefits of bloggingOther benefits of blogging

Lead generationLead generation Content can be shared and re-Content can be shared and re-

purposedpurposed RSS-to-email functions make it easy RSS-to-email functions make it easy

to create newslettersto create newsletters Source for news media/journalistsSource for news media/journalists Can drive traffic to your websiteCan drive traffic to your website


“As more and more marketers start to realize the need for business blogging -- 62% of marketers will blog in 2013, according to the 2013 State of Inbound Marketing -- and the competition per industry gets even tougher, content quality will separate the wheat from the chaff.”

What the Future Holds for Business Blogging by Pamela Vaughan, Hubspot. 5/23/2013:http://blog.hubspot.com/future-of-business-blogging

Blogging in 2013Blogging in 2013


“As a result, marketing teams will realize the importance of internal content creators -- people with writing chops and industry knowledge. According to the 2013 State of Inbound Marketing, only 9% of companies employ a full-time blogger, but I bet we'll see this percentage grow in the coming years.”What the Future Holds for Business Blogging by Pamela Vaughan, Hubspot. 5/23/2013 http://blog.hubspot.com/future-of-business-blogging

Blogging in 2013Blogging in 2013


Developing a social media/digital Developing a social media/digital strategystrategy

Social media strategy should be part Social media strategy should be part of your overall communications of your overall communications strategy and plan. strategy and plan.

Remember that social media is just Remember that social media is just another channel to reach your target another channel to reach your target audience.audience.


DigitalDigital marketing is used to: marketing is used to:

Drive salesDrive sales Increase brand awarenessIncrease brand awareness Reach new customer segmentsReach new customer segments Drive customer engagementDrive customer engagement

(According to a Inc./Vocus study on digital (According to a Inc./Vocus study on digital marketing at small and medium sized marketing at small and medium sized businesses)businesses)


Where brands are on social Where brands are on social mediamedia

Facebook 91%Facebook 91% Twitter 85%Twitter 85% YouTube 73%YouTube 73% Pinterest 41%Pinterest 41% LinkedIn 33%LinkedIn 33% Blogs 32%Blogs 32% Instagram 29%Instagram 29% Google + 26%Google + 26%Source: Technorati’s 2013 Digital Influence ReportSource: Technorati’s 2013 Digital Influence Report


Most popular digital marketing Most popular digital marketing techniques:techniques:

Email for marketing/promotion (65.8 Email for marketing/promotion (65.8 %)%)

Search engine optimization (53.8%)Search engine optimization (53.8%) Email for customer service (61.3%)Email for customer service (61.3%) Videos and photos (54.6 %)Videos and photos (54.6 %) Blogs and white papers (52.7 %)Blogs and white papers (52.7 %) Email for prospecting (48.2 %)Email for prospecting (48.2 %)From From

http://www.vocus.com/blog/the-big-four-sales-branding-new-marketshttp://www.vocus.com/blog/the-big-four-sales-branding-new-markets-and-engagement/-and-engagement/


Key Steps to Building a Social Media Key Steps to Building a Social Media StrategyStrategy

Define your business/communications goalsDefine your business/communications goals Survey your existing social media propertiesSurvey your existing social media properties Who is your target audience and what social Who is your target audience and what social

media platforms do they use? media platforms do they use? Decide what topics/issues you want to Decide what topics/issues you want to

highlighthighlight Integrate your content development and Integrate your content development and

your social media strategyyour social media strategy Set benchmarks and measure outcomesSet benchmarks and measure outcomes


Making your blog the Making your blog the centerpiece of your social centerpiece of your social

media strategymedia strategy1.1. Prioritize having a dynamic, Prioritize having a dynamic,

updated organizational blog.updated organizational blog.

2.2. Integrate the blog into the website. Integrate the blog into the website.

3.3. Make sure your blog is responsive.Make sure your blog is responsive.

4.4. Make your blog shareable (i.e. add Make your blog shareable (i.e. add share buttons).share buttons).


Making your blog the Making your blog the centerpiece of your social centerpiece of your social

media strategymedia strategy4. Create an editorial calendar.4. Create an editorial calendar.

5. Push out blog content to your social 5. Push out blog content to your social media channels.media channels.

6. Encourage engagement. 6. Encourage engagement.

7. Use analytics to track activity on 7. Use analytics to track activity on your blog.your blog.


Develop a good corporate Develop a good corporate blogblog

Bolsters the organizational missionBolsters the organizational mission Fresh, current and informativeFresh, current and informative Doesn’t sell Doesn’t sell Findable and shareableFindable and shareable Accessible—not full of jargon and Accessible—not full of jargon and

corporate-speakcorporate-speak Uses good designUses good design


Develop a good corporate Develop a good corporate blogblog

Has multiple contributors, including Has multiple contributors, including your top executivesyour top executives

Has visual punch—videos, graphs, Has visual punch—videos, graphs, infographics, photography, etc.infographics, photography, etc.

Showcases your organizational Showcases your organizational knowledgeknowledge

Comments are enabled, monitored and Comments are enabled, monitored and responded toresponded to

It’s not run by the intern!It’s not run by the intern!


Create content to share Create content to share across your social media across your social media

propertiesproperties Share your blog content on Share your blog content on

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedInFacebook, Twitter, LinkedIn Use blog content for your Use blog content for your

enewsletter by using the RSS-to-enewsletter by using the RSS-to-email feature offered by many email feature offered by many providers like MailChimp.providers like MailChimp.


People share the most from:People share the most from:

Facebook 51 %Facebook 51 % YouTube 40%YouTube 40% Blogs 26%Blogs 26% News sites 26%News sites 26% Google +25%Google +25% Twitter 18%Twitter 18%

(Source: Technorati)(Source: Technorati)


Use your blog as a jumping-off Use your blog as a jumping-off

pointpoint Showcase your Showcase your

YouTube channel YouTube channel by previewing or by previewing or promoting videospromoting videos

Use a photo linked Use a photo linked to your Flickr to your Flickr gallerygallery

Presentations can Presentations can be linked to be linked to SlideShareSlideShare


Take-awaysTake-aways

Develop a great organizational blog that Develop a great organizational blog that can function as the centerpiece of your can function as the centerpiece of your social media efforts.social media efforts.

Make sure you are providing the content Make sure you are providing the content your target audience is looking for your target audience is looking for andand that’s in line with your comms strategythat’s in line with your comms strategy

Publish your content first on the blog Publish your content first on the blog and then push it out to your networks. and then push it out to your networks.


Great organizational blogsGreat organizational blogsNational Geographic blogs: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ng-blogs/


Great organizational blogsGreat organizational blogsNational Geographic: http://digitalnomad.nationalgeographic.com/


Great organizational blogsGreat organizational blogsDisney Parks blog: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/


Sources and ResourcesSources and Resources

http://blog.hubspot.com/future-of-business-blogginghttp://blog.hubspot.com/future-of-business-blogging http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/new-research-shows-http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/new-research-shows-

blogging-a-top-focus-for-marketers/blogging-a-top-focus-for-marketers/ http://www.steamfeed.com/five-reasons-content-marketing-http://www.steamfeed.com/five-reasons-content-marketing-

should-be-in-every-digital-strategy/should-be-in-every-digital-strategy/ http://technoratimedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/http://technoratimedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/

tm2013DIR.pdftm2013DIR.pdf http://socialmedia.biz/2013/06/12/content-marketing-the-http://socialmedia.biz/2013/06/12/content-marketing-the-

secret-to-getting-discovered-in-search/secret-to-getting-discovered-in-search/ http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-creative-ways-to-http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-creative-ways-to-

drive-more-traffic-to-your-blog-posts/drive-more-traffic-to-your-blog-posts/


Questions?Questions?