How to blog for your business?

Blogging is a great way to generate traffic and sales for your business. In this presentation, I explain you how to define your goals, your strategy and which tools to use.

You can find more tutorials and articles about WordPress and web-development here: http://julienklepatch.com/blog

Transcript

1. How to blog for your business? Julien KLEPATCH WordPress WEB-DEVELOPER @jklepatch / julienklepatch.com Taipei WordPress Meetup – Apr 2015
2.  Core Concepts  Defining goals  Creating content  Attracting & keeping readers  Using the right tools How to blog for your business? Summary
3.  Core Concepts  Defining goals  Creating content  Attracting & keeping readers  Using the right tools How to blog for your business? Summary
4. How to blog for your business? What is a blog? (1)  Old Definition: “a Web site that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer” (Meriam-webster dictionnary)
5. How to blog for your business? What is a blog? (2)  New Definition: “a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.” (Google)
6. How to blog for your business? What is a blog? (3)  What is different between a blog and a website?  Website: static content  Blog: Regularly updated
7. How to blog for your business? For visitors: What are the benefits of a blog?
8. How to blog for your business? For business: What are the benefits of a blog?  Marketing  Engaging with customers (interactive)
9. How to blog for your business? Key to successful blogging “Let other people know valuable information and insights”
11.  Core Concepts  Defining goals  Creating content  Attracting & keeping readers  Using the right tools How to blog for your business? Summary
12. How to blog for your business? Define goals (1)  First, what is your business goal ? (ex: sell my product xxx)  Then, set goals for your blog based on your business goal (ex: increase market awareness)
13. How to blog for your business? Define goals (2)  Example 1: GoodMilk .inc sells dairy products  Customers are concerned about food quality  Blog goal is to inform customers about dairy products quality
14. How to blog for your business? Define goals (3)  Example 2: NerdyTechs .inc sells high tech products  Customers don’t know about this product  Blog goal is to show customers how to use the product with tutorials
16.  Core Concepts  Defining goals  Creating content  Attracting & keeping readers  Using the right tools How to blog for your business? Summary
17. How to blog for your business? Define categories and keywords  First decide what will be the focus and keywords of the blog (google adwords keyword planner is your friend!)  Research competition and refine your initial results  Regroup your keywords into categories
18. How to blog for your business? Create an editorial calendar  Decide how many articles will be published each month for each category  Spread the articles evenly over the month  Stick to your calendar !
19. How to blog for your business? Getting and keeping ideas for articles  Write down every idea you have for future articles  Pay attention to reader feedback and emails  Invite people to submit their article ideas with a form
20. How to blog for your business? Hiring a copy writer (1)  Can find freelancer on these websites:  Elance.com  Freelancer.com  Etc…  Key metrics for hiring:  Native speaker in the language  Technical knowledge of your area  Past experience as copy writer  Traffic generated by past articles
21. How to blog for your business? Hiring a copy writer (2)  Give Editorial guideline:  Language level: casual ? Formal ?  Be + Adjective (ex: be inspiring, be informative)  Ethics: quote your source ?  Give Media guidelines:  Needs to include images / videos ?  Need to have a featured image?  Give Others guidelines  Needs to include links?
23.  Core Concepts  Defining goals  Creating content  Attracting & keeping readers  Using the right tools How to blog for your business? Summary
24. How to blog for your business? Share on social network (1)  First, choose which social networks are more relevant for your business
25. How to blog for your business? Share on social network (2)  Then, Put social network sharing buttons in strategic locations
26. How to blog for your business? Share on social network (3)  For optimal sharing, include social network specific tags  Use Yoast SEO Plugin for this (see this presentation: goo.gl/V5gRRR – slide ‘setup social networks’)
27. How to blog for your business? SEO  SEO (Search-Engine-Optimization) make your website appear higher in search results  Higher in search results = more traffic  See these presentations: goo.gl/me1BTG goo.gl/V5gRRR
28. How to blog for your business? Include Subscribe to blog widget  A Subscribe to blog widget allows people to automatically receive latest articles  You can include this widget on the sidebar and/or at the end of each article
29. How to blog for your business? Interacting with readers (1)  Include a contact form, and a link to it at the end of each article  Make sure your answers your reader emails
30. How to blog for your business? Interacting with readers (2)  Include a comment system  Wait a few days after an article publication, then answer reader comments  Remove disrespectful comments if any
32.  Core Concepts  Defining goals  Creating content  Attracting & keeping readers  Using the right tools How to blog for your business? Summary
33. How to blog for your business? The Blogging Platform  WordPress is the most powerful blogging platform available  Naturally good at SEO  Can easily combine a eShop and a blog on the same site
34. How to blog for your business? Useful WordPress themes (1)  Writer (https://wordpress.org/themes/writr/)  By Automattic, parent company of WordPress.com  Based on TwentyFifteen, the default WP theme
35. How to blog for your business? Useful WordPress themes (2)  Fullby (http://www.marchettidesign.net/fullby/demo/)  Original Layout (Masonry)  Free and paying version
36. How to blog for your business? Useful WordPress Plugins (1)  Jetpack:  comments system with user logging through social network accounts  Sharing buttons for social networks  Related posts widget  Subscribe to blog widget
37. How to blog for your business? Useful WordPress Plugins (2)  Askimet (installed by default but need setup): anti-spam protection for comments
38. How to blog for your business? Useful WordPress Plugins (3)  tinyMCE Advanced: Additional features for the text editor
39. How to blog for your business? Useful WordPress Plugins (4)  Yoast SEO: The best SEO Plugin
40. How to blog for your business? Alternative Blogging Platforms  Ghost, an up-and- coming blogging platform (https://ghost.org)  Jekyll, a static site blogging platform (http://jekyllrb.com/)
41. How to blog for your business? Note Taking Software  Simplenote: free & simple note taking app (desktop/mobile)
43. How to blog for your business? Conclusion  First Define goals  Then Decide:  Focus  Categories  Editorial calendar (and stick to it !)  Finally, make sure your use the right tools
44. How to blog for your business? Inspiration  Medium Blog: https://medium.com  Matt Mullenweg Blog : http://ma.tt/  Chris Lema Blog: http://chrislema.com/blog/
45. Questions?