Blogging Best PracticesLee Aase (@LeeAase) & Meredith Gould (@meredithgould)MCCSM Social Media Health Network

Blogs provide content to inform, educate, and invite engagement.

Content may be: Curated – Culled from 3rd party sources Created – Developed especially for the blog

Includes a mix of: Web-readable text Images* Embedded videos and slide decks

*The new “must have” element.

Peak of the Social Media Pyramid

Best Practices

Start with strategy and tactics. Identify audience(s) Clarify goal(s) Craft message(s) Create an editorial calendar to ensure

consistency and variety

ProTip: Read lots of blogs to see what works and what doesn’t.

Thinking Tactically About Posting

What content? Images? When? How often? Categorized and tagged clearly and

consistently? Integrated with website and other

platforms? Policies in place for comments?

Best Practices

Understand that anything posted online becomes visual, even if it’s written text. Brief posts (250-400 words) Shorter sentences (7-10 words) More and shorter paragraphs Include an image/illustration Pay attention to fonts and spacing

Editorial oversight prevents blogging oversights!

Best Practices

Follow editorial standards for web readability.

Active voice Personal pronouns Contractions More informal Ditch industry jargon

http://www.hemingwayapp.com/

Best Practices

Adopt tried-and-true tactics to generate visibility and engagement. Allow comments and respond promptly Include sharing buttons for social networks Include links Use descriptive, recognizable tags Have a plan for cross-posting Seek opportunities for re-posting Consider launching a series

Blogging Basics Demo Adding a post Formatting

Lists Links Pictures

Assignment: Your 1st Blog Post

Go to private Social Media Residency blog Click on: Write 200 words about “One thing I’ve learned

today that I can apply for my work is…” Upload an image Add a link (e.g., to your website) Embed your YouTube video

Questions?