How to Be a Better Blogger | Social Media Strategies Summit 2015

JUSTIN SEELEYStaff Author, Design, lynda.com / LinkedIn

• twitter.com/justinseeley • facebook.com/seeleyfb • youtube.com/thejustinseeley • linkedin.com/in/justinseeley • justinseeley.com

Do you blog?

Why should I blog?

Blogs = Content = Value = Trust = Conversion

If you’re a business, blogging is an opportunity to showcase yourself as a thought leader

If you’re a person, blogging is a way to showcase your personality and connect with

your audience in more meaningful ways

Blogs ≠ Articles

Viewership is up!

mobile is leading the way

77%of internet users read blogs

IgniteSpot

46%of people read blogs more than 1x daily

eMarketer | CopyBlogger | Orbit Media

61%of U.S. consumers have made a purchase based on a blog post

IgniteSpot

67%more leads are generated by companies w/ active blogs

IgniteSpot

31%more bloggers today than there were 3yrs ago

eMarketer | CopyBlogger | Orbit Media

80%of daily blog visits are from new readers

eMarketer | CopyBlogger | Orbit Media

70%learn about a company through content, not ads

eMarketer | CopyBlogger | Orbit Media

23%of internet time is spent on blogs and social networks

IgniteSpot

434%Sites w/ blogs have 434% more indexed pages

IgniteSpot

The key to blogging success…

Passion Presence People

Passion

People can smell bullsh*t

You should focus on content that you care about, and things that excite you.

Steve Jobs could make even the most mundane detail seem like the greatest thing he’d ever seen. He had passion.

Don’t oversell

Don’t be fake

Don’t compromise your integrity

You’re able to add value and expertise on things that matter to your readers/industry

Personal experiences help create a better connection between you and your customers

How do I find my passion?

PRESENCE

The Blogging Ecosystem is Growing

Where should you be blogging?

Everywhere

They’re Everywhere

Should I just reuse content?

Every platform is unique, and so is it’s audience

Final destinations

Thought provoking / opinions

B2B and industry-related material

Short-form content / visuals

Content Strategy

Ideation is your friend

Inspiration is everywhere, so take notes

Once you have a list… start writing

My process…

✓ What kind of people hangout on this website? ✓ What time are they most active? ✓ What’s the best way to grab their attention? ✓ How long will I be able to keep their attention? ✓ What’s the ultimate goal of this blog post?

Questions you should be asking

Research your competition

Create an editorial calendar

Make your schedule realistic, and stick to it

PEOPLE

Build a community around your content

CONTENT

You need to care about your audience

If you don’t care, you won’t convert

Conversation is the easiest way to reach someone

How do I start the conversation?