Learn how McBru developed a blogging strategy and achieved results that no paid program could.

1. Case study
Polyserve Blog

2. Summary
Data-center software company PolyServe (now owned by HP),
engaged McBru for an innovative blogging project that has achieved
results that no other paid program could. Our role on the project
was to develop the overarching strategy, provide counsel on blog
platforms, and provide ongoing advice and tips designed to ensure
the blog’s ongoing success. Within about a month after launch,
PolyServe’s sole blog, written by Oracle expert Kevin Closson and
focused on Oracle clustering, reached several key objectives:
influence with with customers and pundits as well as being the
largest referrer of traffic to the company’s corporate website.
Research & Planning
In researching means to use influencer relations to raise awareness of Polyserve’s new
Oracle products, McBru quickly determined that there were no credible blogs discussing
the topic. the Oracle market was a mature one with many thousands of users looking
to learn more about what complementary products and technical approaches work well
with the industry-leading database. McBru recommended that Polyserve start a subject-
matter blog to establish thought leadership, using a well respected in-house expert in a
particular field. McBru then provided strategy, with ongoing assistance and guidance to
help the designated blogger meet their responsibilities.
Polyserve’s website

3. Execution
Based on the McBru strategy and advice on topics, Polyserve’s blogger built and launched
the blog using his own skills. He wrote all of his own blog posts, using his own language
and not worrying about optimizing for search engines – although his deep expertise in
the subject produced the keywords naturally. Polyserve gave him considerable latitude
over tone and content, even to challenge conventional thought, companies in the space
and other experts. He allowed detractors to challenge him back by permitting even
aggressive comments contrary to his positions. He also spent time, in typical Kevin
Closson fashion, researching what other bloggers and journalists were saying, linking to
it and commenting on it.
Kevin Closson’s Oracle Blog
Results
Popular data center blogs were approving of Polyserve’s blog and its owner. Robin
Harris of storageMojo blog went so far to call Kevin Closson a “Golden God.” trade
journals such as Computerworld linked back to the Polyserve blog. a writer for eWeek,
who’d discovered Closson’s expertise by following his blog, even contacted Kevin for an
interview. Within a month, the Polyserve blog on Oracle owned its target search terms:
“Oracle” and “clustering.” It was also one of the highest-ranking blogs in search engines
about anything Oracle-related. Within about two months, the blog was seeing upwards of

4. 1000 daily visitors who often left glowing comments to boot.
eWeek.com coverage
storageMojo Coverage

5. For further information or questions:
Jeff Hardison
503.546.1009
jeff@mcbru.com
COntaCt us
5331 s.W. Macadam ave, suite 220
Portland, OR 97239
503.546.1000
www.mcbru.com