Blogging What is a Blog, Why Blog for Business, & HOW TO blog in 3 hours or less

HURDLE BUSTERS

HOW TO: Blog in Under 3 Hours,and Grow / Monetize

Chelsea Dygert#StartupPhoenix

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What do you do / working on

How did you hear about Eureka / My talk

Blog experience

“A tribe is a group of people connected to one another,

connected to a leader, and connected to an idea.

A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.”

― Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

Use blogs to establish your place & engage your TRIBE

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Online Media Rules

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● Every social site has a culture - understand, engage, innovate

● Everything has balance. Test, test, test.

● USE the Content Rules:○ 20% rule: Only 1 of 5 posts should be self-promotion○ LESS on blogs: (Use subliminal & passive promotion)

● Make sure profile / content, and contest matches business. if you wouldn’t do it offline, don’t do it online

● Strategize, plan, & be consistent

What is a blog● Your diary (or business journal)

● Basic website● With a portion of “journal” style content

Why blog?● Makes Google like you. ALOT

○ Helps people find you on Google● Produces leads● Expands network● Creates Platform & content for communication● Establishes you as a thought-leader

● Creates strategized content for ALL other online work○ Social Media, Inbound Marketing, etc

● You OWN it (content, traffic, ad. revenue,)

Why blog? - the stats for businesses● Blog 1-2x per month

○ Generated 70% more leads than those with NO blog● Blogged 6-8x

○ doubles their leads from when blogging 3-5x● 1-10 employee companies saw most direct lead-benefit ● Websites of 50-100 pages had 48% MORE traffic

○ One year of blogging (once a week)

● 15 blog posts a month○ 5x the traffic of those w/ no blogging

● 81% of consumers trust blog info & advice● 61% make a purchase due to a blog post

Blogging Statistics - By Hubspot, article by Scott McKelvey

Let’s get Started

What you need:

1) User-friendly2) Viewable / function (Mobile, different browsers, etc)3) Widely accepted

a) Google knows & likes itb) Tweaks worked outc) Getting help = easy Developers everywhere

Platforms:● Wordpress (.org .com)● Blogger● Tumblr -for creatives● Squarespace - professional looking. Very out-of-the box● Comparisons & more

From Scratch:● Set up your blog.● Commit to publishing schedule● Write 1 month’s worth of content before publishing

○ Especially when getting started. ○ Find what works. Test. Retest

● Each platform needs to match CULTURE of each platform

● Be social. ○ Use CTA (Calls to Action. AT THE END).○ Comment on other’s posts & Respond to your comments

● Been blogging a while? Repurpose Content (retitle & restructure)

35 blogging tips

3-Hours or less - DO IT2-3 Posts● Keep running list of topics

○ You, your passion, your story, your inspirations (4)○ Top 10 FAQs about YOUR business○ Top 5 FAQs about industry○ 5 FAQs about product / service

● Pick a topic and write everything on it that you can think / gather in 1.5 hours○ Break content up into 2-3 chunks, and format.

● Blog formating Checklist (SEO for Dummies)○ Focus: 1-2 Keywords / 1 Keyphrase (use it 4x)

■ {Pick these based on google keyword planner results}

○ Write READABLE content (use bullets, lists, sections)○ Use major “tags” (header tags, alt tags, etc)○ Include 2 outside sources

Great formatting blog example

THE RULES:● Define PURPOSE / Goal of your blog● If you need to be writing 2, split them● Study the masters (in blogging) and (in blogging IN your industry).

● Each platform needs to match CULTURE of each platform

● Vary your type of content ○ Especially when getting started. ○ Find what works. Test. Retest

● Be social. ○ Use CTA (Calls to Action. AT THE END).○ Comment on other’s posts & Respond to your comments

● Been blogging a while? Repurpose Content (retitle,restructure, conglomerate)35 blogging tips

Let’s start growingSEO (OC/DC), Working for Customers, not Clicks

SEO is NOW = Optimize Content for Discovery and ConversionGain Links

Gain AuthorityDon’t be AFRAID to alienate (especially per post)or be slightly controversial. Controversy starts conversation

1) Keywords (Google Keyword Planner - just need a google account, free)2) Guest Blogging3) Cross-promote (internally & externally)4) Get / create an email list of subscribers. And use it. 5) Give rewards (intrinsic and extrinsic)6) NO: buts, ifs, maybes, i think’s, I believe’s, Write with Strength7) Allow readers to “get to know you.” Don’t be scared to show struggles & weaknesses8) Inspire / evoke emotion (especially in open / close)9) STOP being scared of giving it away free.

Monetize: $ $ $ $1) Ad space, due to click-through, non-bounce traffic2) Membership site (Lynda.com)3) Written Training, Consultations, Webinars, etc

4) Offline Monetizationa) Eventsb) Speaking Engagementsc) Consulting / Coachingd) Merchandise

5) Change your thinking: How can you Let them pay for things...

Strategy

Content marketingContent is queen…CONTEXT is KING

Event / News EngagementUse current activities / events to find / reach a tribe

Brand BuildingThis is another way for new tribe members to get a “First Impression” of you…Handle, profile / header photo, voice / wording, humor (or lack), conversation, community engagement

Tools & TipsResearch, Research, Research

Promote - use it, cross promote it (online & OFFline) Engage - with others, events, news, trending Monitor - search it, measure it, cross-check it - test, test, testInnovate - Titles, Images, Contests, Topics

Use:COPYblogger.com

Crowdfunding Bloggers & Influencers

Automation: Google calendar/Google sheets (excel sheets)

TO DO A) Define a goal for your blog, define 1-3 keywords, & write a chunk of blog content in Word,B) Join: Meetup.com/Eureka-ScottsdaleC) November:

1) Holiday Marketing? 2) -LInkedIn & Blogging ** suggested

D) First of the year3) Mobile App promotion4) ???

What do you want to hear about? Write down or email me: Defining your business, Hashtags, Twitter, Pinterest, Raising Capital, Wordpress, Instagram, Graphics help, iPhone tips, creating a website,

email campaigns, OTHER CONTENT

Connect:Chelsea Dygert

Dygert #ConsultMent

[email protected]

@cimforgiven

at Local coffee shop #StartupPhoenix