8 TIPS ON GROWING YOUR BUSINESS WITH BLOGGING“ A Simple and Easy Addition to Your Marketing Plan”

MARSHA HUDSON

• Social Media Instructor and Coach

• Professional Photographer

• Professor of English at Wharton Jr. College- Sugarland.

• Give private workshops to companies/individuals

• Completing social media certification throughHootsuite University & Silicon Valley Marketing.

• Blogger, writer, trainer and presenter.

• Love nature, reading, writing, walking, traveling and coffee shops.

• Writing blog: www.marshaandhudsonwrites.com

• Social Media blog: www.marshahudsonsocialmedia.com

WHAT IS A BUSINESS BLOG?

A business blog is a marketing channel (just like social media, direct mail, email marketing, etc.) that helps support business growth. It does that by driving traffic to your website and providing opportunities for that traffic to convert prospects into

Clients for your business.

DO I HAVE TO BE A WRITER TO BLOG?

NO

IS BLOGGING SOMETHING ELSE I HAVE TO ADD TO MYALREADY BUSY PLATE?It does not have to be something extra. It is a tool to be incorporated into your marketing plan.

THE BENEFITS OF BLOGGING FOR

YOUR BUSINESS 1. It helps to drive traffic to your website.

2. It helps convert that traffic into leads.

3. Connects people to your brand.

4. Increases your SEO rankings.

5. Attracts customers on a consistent basis.

6. Enhances marketing efforts.

7. Establishes you as an

8. Industry leader.

WHY SHOULD YOU BLOG?LET’S LOOK AT STATS FOR 2016

• B2B marketers that use blogs receive 67% more leads than those who do not.

• Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13x more likely to enjoy more positive ROI than those that do not.

• By 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationships without talking to a human.

• Companies who blog receive 97% more links to their website.

TODAY! YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME!

BLOGGING TERMINOLOGY

• Blog - short for weblog. Collection of thoughts, media, links, etc., shared with others online.

• Blogosphere - the entire network of blogs. It is like a universe that is ongoing.

• Category - it is the list of topics you create on your blog. It is like a table of contents for your blog.

• Hosting - refers to the place where your blog resides (for example like Host Gator or Blue Host).

MORE BLOGGING TERMINOLOGY

• Permalink - the specific link or URL for your blog. It is the main page of your blog (for example: http://marshahudsonwrites.com)

• Platform - refers to your blogging software like: WordPress, or Blogger).

• SEO - stands for Search Engine Optimization.It is how your blog ranks when someone searches for it.

• Theme - the blogs layout, face or appearance. Some themes are free and some are for purchase.

FOUR SIMPLE WAYS TO GET STARTED BLOGGING

• 1. Decide on your purpose for blogging.

• 2. Decide on the platform you will use.

• Many people use Wordpress.

• 3. Decide on a theme for your blogging.

• 4. Get a hosting company. I use Hostgator.

LET’S LOOK AT SAMPLES OFSOME BASIC BLOGS

www.marshahudsonwrites.com- writing blog.

www.marshaandersonphotographyblog.com- photo blog.

www.diymarketers.com- small business blog.

4 COMMON TYPES OF BLOGS

FEATURE BLOG

*In this type of blog you will be advertising creative types of businesses.

*These creative topics can include topics on crafting, computer programming, digital photography as well as many others.

*In this type of business blog, you have the opportunity to show various pictures, video clips, and projects that you have been working on among others.

SPECIALTY BLOG

*This type of business blog is usually written by two more contributors with a common interest.

*It is a great way for you to build an online community with people that share your interests and ideas.

* This type of blog can include such things like weight loss, how to stay healthy, or even golf topics among others.

INDUSTRY BLOG

*This blog focuses on a more narrow type of industry and usually is made by industries that sell their products to other businesses.

*It usually consists of a variety of different topics including trade shows, new lines of product, and materials among others.

* You will need to know a lot of information on the industry.

CONSULTING BLOG

Usually consulting blogs are run by one person offering their opinion, and advice on a certain topic. This is a great way to develop an online community in a topic that interests you.

EASY STEPS TO GETTING STARTED OR TO REVAMPING

Step 1- Decide on a blogging platform.

• WordPress is the most widely used platform.

Step 2- Decide on a theme/layout.

*If you are just starting out—stay simple.

Step 3- Decide on categories.

3-4 categories may work best.

Step 4- Start blogging.

WORDPRESS.COMPOPULAR AMONG BUSINESS BLOGGERS

SAMPLE LAYOUT WITH 4 MENU CATEGORIES

DETERMINE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS

• Build your customer list

• Create a content library that makes your company a thought leader

• Engage customers in open dialogue

• Get better organic rankings from the fresh content

WRITE YOUR FIRST POST

IDEAS FOR CONTENT FOR YOUR BLOG POST

• * Give useful information

• * Make a list ( books, tools, resources)

• *How To Post

• *Problem/Solution Post- define a problem and present the solution

• * Curated post (article, infographic, stats)

• * Review post ( review a product)

• * Inspiration post

• * Behind the Scenes Post

BE CREATIVE!

You can get many ideas for blog posts from everywhere.

oMagazines

oConversations with Others

oSocial Media Sites

oConferences, lectures and presentations

At your leisure time!

• WordPress is your open media source. The hosting company is where your blog lives.

• Two popular hosting companies are:

• HostGator

• BlueHost

• These two work well with WordPress. They are inexpensive ( $3-$5 dollars per month). They have good customer support.

CHOOSE A HOSTING COMPANY

BLUE HOST SITE

HOST GATOR SITE

CHOOSE A THEME

THE LOOK OF THE DASHBOARD

• *Website- put a link there.

• *Email- let people know about your blog.

• *Newsletter- announce it on your monthly newsletter. I use Constant Contact.

• Social Media Platforms.

• Speak and mention your blog.

• Put the URL on your business cards.

HOW TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR BLOG

CONNECTING TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

• You can add your social media sites to your blog page in WordPress.

• You can add your blog page to your social media sites.

• You can use sidebars in your blog to connect to social media site.

YOUR SOCIAL SITES ON YOUR BLOG

• How can you manage your blog with your busy life? How can you schedule blog posts and still have a life?

• 1. Pick a day for blogging

• 2. Develop a content calendar

• 3. Use an auto-scheduler like Buffer

• 4. Blog once a week or once a month.

MANAGING AND SCHEDULING

• Write an E-book.

• Use affiliate marketing-See Google.

• Become a guest blogger on other sites.

• Sell your own products.

MAKING MONEY WITH YOUR BLOG

• Be creative with posts– put a twist on subjects.

• Add content on a regular basis

• Make your blog an interactive online community by encouraging comments, feedback and shares.

• Promote your blog in a multi-faceted way.

• Keep the look and design professional

Be Consistent!

BE A SUCCESSFUL BLOGGER

THANK YOU FOR WATCHINGMARSHA HUDSON

• www.marshahudsonwrites.com

• www.marshalynnhudson.com

• www.marshaandersonphotographyblog.com

• Follow me on:

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