The document discusses the benefits of blogging for small businesses, including generating customers, improving search engine optimization, centralizing information, and providing a clear call to action. It provides tips for maintaining a blog through regular posting of varied content like photos and videos. It also offers advice on microblogging, initial blog setup steps, resources for blogging, and contact information for the presenter.

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Better Blogging
for
Small Business
Presented to Stroller Strides Franchisees
July 14, 2012
The Why, How and When of Blogging and Social
Media for Small Business Success
Melanie Sheridan . Sheridan Marketing and Media . MelanieSheridanMedia@gmail.com

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*Why Blog?
What are the benefits to
small business
blogging?

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*Why Blog?
What are the benefits to small business blogging?
 Customers!
HubSpot 2012 State of Inbound Marketing

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*Why Blog?
What are the benefits to small business blogging?
 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – help
people easily find you
Infographic source: http://blog.riseinteractive.com/2012/05/29/an-easy-guide-to-seo-infographic/

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*Why Blog?
What are the benefits to small business blogging?
 Not everyone uses each social networking
platform, but everyone uses a search engine
-Word of mouth and internet searches are the two most popular
ways small businesses are found (82% and 66% respectively)
-Small Business Search Marketing Survey by American Express OPEN

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*Why Blog?
What are the benefits to small business blogging?
 Mostuseful way to have all your information in
one spot – creates a central hub

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*Why Blog?
What are the benefits to small business blogging?
 Obvious and clear call to action

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*Maintaining A Blog
Get readers to your
blog and keep them
coming back
HubSpot 2012 State of Inbound Marketing

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*Maintaining A Blog
Get readers to the blog and keep them coming back
 Frequency vs. regularity of posts
-No magic formula, but monitor stats to help measure ROI
HubSpot 2012 State of Inbound Marketing

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*Maintaining A Blog
Get readers to the blog and keep them coming back
 Content is king!
-Look to your industry for inspiration. Blog post ideas can come from
anywhere.

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*Maintaining A Blog
Get readers to the blog and keep them coming back
 Photos and videos
-Pictures really are worth a thousand words
-Whenever possible, show, don’t tell
Apps: iMovie, Videolicious, Reel Director, Animoto, Viddy (check for Android counterparts)

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*Micro Blogging
Other social media
sites to help distribute
your content
HubSpot 2012 State of Inbound Marketing

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*Micro Blogging
Other social media sites to help distribute your content
– the spokes of your blog wheel hub
-There are many, many micro blogging platforms. Figure out which ones your customers
use most and go there. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are very user friendly
and can easily be used on the go.

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*Getting Started
Things to do first
when starting a blog

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*Getting Started
Things to do first when starting a blog
 Determinewhere to host your site. TypePad, Wordpress and
Blogger are most popular; each have pros and cons, research
before choosing
 Create thorough ‘About Me’ and ‘Contact Me’ pages (About.me
is a good place to start for a static page)
 Decide which other social media sites you’re going to use and
place those icons prominently at the top of the page
 Learn the basics of SEO, keywords and anchor text
 Set up analytics for your site (Google, SiteMeter, Get Clicky)
 Set up alerts (Google Alert, Social Mention)

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*Getting Started
Things to do first when starting a blog
 Setup an RSS feed reader (great for content inspiration,
industry news)
 Find mobile apps to stay productive on the go
 Lookinto third parties for automating content (HootSuite, Sprout
Social)
 Set up your HTML email signature (Wise Stamp, Cool Geex)
 Tag your blog posts wisely and use relevant keywords
 Look at other blogs/websites you love, take note of the features,
fonts, colors etc. that you like for when it’s time to design your
site; it will help the design process go more smoothly

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*Resources
-Links, articles and websites mentioned
 My Pinterest boards for Social Media, Marketing, Blogging and Small
Business Success
 Small Business blogs
 Small Business Twitter chats
 Blog about blogging
 Small business Twitter chats
Follow this link to Google Docs for a printable list of resources
http://bit.ly/StrollerStridesResourceList

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*Sheridan Marketing & Media
 Where to find Melanie Sheridan:
 Linked In
 Twitter @MelanieMedia
 Pinterest
 Skpe meladramaticmommy
Thank you!
Melanie Sheridan . Sheridan Marketing and Media . MelanieSheridanMedia@gmail.com
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