Presented By Lou Antosh
President
L.A. Communications
856-303-1781
lou@lacomm.net
Find this Power Point
on Company Home page at
www.lacomm.net
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Blog Definition
• Web Log = Blog
• Web-based
• Personal Writing or Team
Writing
• Frequently Updated
• Usually in First Person
• Informal Writing Style
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If Even Dogs Have Blogs Should You?
How many bloggers? No one knows, but estimates
are in the tens of millions
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Two Biz Blogs: One Bust, One Boffo
Richard White, CEO, FedMarket.com
Producing seminars and software for companies
selling to U.S. Government
Company sends 6 million emails weekly to federal
vendors. Minimal blog activity
• “My theory: blogs work when the topic is wine or sex or
politics, something people are truly interested in
• “If I could get people to the blog more, I would use them
more rather than have my servers running day and night
sending emails
• “But our emails are in their face whereas they have to make
the choice to look at the blog
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Joel Spolsky, the King of Niche
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Joel’s Blog Has 900,000 Followers
See Joel's Blog Here
He writes – and writes well -- for people just
like him.
• Mixes esoteric software stuff with travel
posts about geek conferences
• Just started a column for Inc.
• Master of the spinoff. Filmed 4 interns
working on a software project, sold DVDs
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Blogs Can Have a Global Reach
Best Near Misses: N. Korea or World Cup?
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That Led to This BBC Interview
Cinnaman: U.S. Gets Suckered by a Soccer Author
Remember www.odeo.com and http://audacity.sourceforge.net
for audio, and www.blogger.com for blogs, all free software.
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Business Has Not Flocked to Blogs
Fewer Than 10% of Fortune 500 Firms Blogged in 2007
Find more at this very
good
Business PR and Blog Wiki
• A new “Blog Council” has just been formed by 12 major U.S.
firms, including Microsoft and GM. The Council site is plain
vanilla thus far
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Some Are Evangelizing
“We’re not doing this to be cool.
This isn't just about seizing
communications opportunities.
It's about remaining relevant in a
changing organizational dynamic."
Former IBM Blogger-in-Chief Christopher Barger
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University Study of Biz Blogging
• Northeastern U. Interviewed only 20 biz bloggers, but
they included Microsoft and Abobe bloggers
• Posted November 2006
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Northeastern University Study
http://www.scoutblogging.com/success_study/
Five success factors
• Culture
• Transparency
• Time
• Dialogue
• Entertaining Writing Style and Personalization
All interviews with business bloggers online
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Caution Before You Jump On
• Blogging is not the next new thing, your
next new customer is
• If you think you can’t succeed without a
blog, you will probably fail with one,
because …..
• The mindset of your customers should
drive communications format decisions
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Caution Part II
• Traditional blogs carry dates, so they
need frequent updating
• Consider how to promote the blog
because there are no instant audiences
• If public comment is permitted, and it
usually is, you will need a screening
process
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Good Business Blog Models
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General Motors Fastlane
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/
• Understands its niche – for those
interested in car design
• Uses multiple bloggers for variety,
freshness
• Clean, simple design
• Attracts strong feedback
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Sun Microsystem’s CEO Blog
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Jonathan Schwartz of Sun
http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/
Again, appealing to a niche market
raises chances of success
• Schwartz has a celebrity that gives the
blog higher profile
• His August post on Java received 343
comments. This represents just a small
fraction of readers
• Simplistic design
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Direct2Dell Blog
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Dell’s Success With Blogs
http://direct2dell.com/
• Useful in diffusing bad battery recall 2
years ago
• Softened criticism of Buzzmachine’s Jeff
Jarvis, anti-Dell blogger
• Promotes and explains products, receives
thoughtful feedback
• Related links scattered throughout blogs
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Successful Small Business Blog
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She Has Multi-Faceted Approach
• Business web site lists projects, blogs,
podcasts
• http://www.newdemographic.com/ourprojects/
• She serves a hot niche market with blogs
such as Anti-Racist Parent, Race in the
Workplace and Addicted to Race
• Her site lists many media appearances
and hits
• Simple design
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Her Perfect Use of Video, Podcasts
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Well-Done Niche Blogs
http://blog.wellsfargo.com/StudentLoanDown/
About finding money for college tuition. Good
information, graphics, but snares few comments.
Is it still a success?
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Are 3 Comment Niche Blogs Worth It?
http://www.zillowblog.com/
If content is terrific, is there another way to get
it viewed, via email, the home page?
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Poorly-Done Niche Blog
http://csr.blogs.mcdonalds.com/default.asp
McDonalds VP for corporate social responsibility….. very
“I” oriented, so where is the benefit for reader?
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Successful Site That Uses All Tools
http://techrepublic.com.com/5258-12841-0.html
Email blast promises great tips for Microsoft users – how-to
information, software information. Leads you to web site,
downloads, blogs
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Is It a Blog, Column or Podcast?
http://blogs.nature.com/news/blog/columns/
Don’t get hung up on nomenclature, but don’t
confuse users. This blog URL takes you to podcasts,
but lists blogs as columns
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What Makes a Popular Blog?
http://technorati.com/pop/blogs/
• Technorati searches blogs, also tracks popular ones
• Tracks by Most Favorited and Most Linked to
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Ready to Jump? What’s Next?
• Does your market already read blogs? Ask
them. See if they want information,
amusement, etc.
• One person vs. team blog
• Can you handle the rigid blog format or try
an alternative – occasional “columns” on
your web page
• Placing the blog (or blog promo) on your
home page increases readership chances
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Other Important Issues
• Blogging Guidelines – See IBM & Others
• http://smokey.rhs.com/web/ibm/hhbg2ib.n
sf/web/guidelines.html
• Host it yourself versus blogging host?
See comparison below
• http://ezinearticles.com/?ComparingFree-Blogging-Software&id=41365
• Use technical expertise to tag it, expose it
via search engines, links, etc.
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A Few Words on Video
• YouTube has changed the equation,
business is now appearing -- Coke
• If an amateur 15-year old girl can produce
a video snaring 500,000 views, can you?
• Remember, video can be downloaded by
others, so it never disappears
• Good quality video will never hurt, poor
quality can be campy, cool or disastrous
• Do talking heads work? Not always
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Finding Examples of Biz Video
YouTube, of course, but also
www.podscope.com
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Finding Examples of Biz Video
www.everyzing.com
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How Dell Uses Videos in Blogs
http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/category/1015.aspx
70 videos to watch on blog site
• Not just talking heads
• Mostly product info, with some conference interviews on
site
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Don’t Get Fenced In by Tools
• If a blog is too demanding, use some if its
strengths another way
• For example: Warm, personal writing also can
be created on web sites, without blog
strictures. Offer columns, varied authors
• E-Mail newsletters can be effective in creating
traffic to your web site
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Without Traffic, Your Blog Will Bite Dust
Promote blog widely, use keyword, search engine
optimization advisors, tell your email list about it. And
always, always solicit feedback from everyone
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The Ten Worst Reasons to Start a
Business Blog
A Take-Away From LA Communications
See www.lacomm.net to View
“Should You Jump on the Blogwagon?”
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If You Plan to Start a Business Blog for Any of the Reasons
Below Please
Call Us (856-303-1781) for an Intervention
The Ten Worst Reasons to Start a Business Blog
10. The business web site sucks but your blog
about vacation in Indianapolis will rock
.9 Will prepare creative writing muscle to tackle
absurd 5-year revenue projections to banker
.8 Perfect place to report “A good time was had
by all” at company BYO Beef ‘N Beer
.7 Brownie posts about local cops will ease
gripes about crummy $10 donation to FOP/PBA
.6 E-mail deluge from blog readers may
outnumber inbox offers for body part enlargers
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5.
Report blog as new “global outreach” when foreign
investors demand their money back
4.
Your blog photo will bond you with employees
who keep asking your partner who you are
3.
Will impress business professor who told class
you had “delusions of competence”
2.
Use it to plug online side business selling “Skin
Spackle” for misplaced body piercing holes
And the very worst reason is ….
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Numero Uno
Your snappy new business blog
will be a great vehicle for coded
messages telling friends and
loved ones to
“Dump the stock NOW!!”
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Good Luck, Pardners
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