Take a deep dive into blogging. This presentation, originally shown at Chicago's Startup Institute, includes content ideation and creation, managing your blog and getting people to read you content on your blog. Lots of tools, tips and tricks!

1. Blogging: The Deep Dive

2. A little bit about Pear

3. A little bit about me

4. And I really like to blog…

5. • Content, content, content
• Maintaining your blog
• Getting people to your blog
So…what are we going to cover?

6. What is your goal?!
• Get noticed
• Get people to become a
(customer, volunteer, donor, etc.)
• Set a new standard
First thing’s first…

7. So content…
Photo: Drew Coffman - flickr

8. Always start with a plan…
Content type!

9. Many, many plans…
Content type!

10. Get ideas and be inspired!

11. Vistaprint…tug those heartstrings!

12. No matter what people tell you…

13. Let me tell you a story about Spencer…
258 entries to rename our blog
Spike in website traffic
Increase of Facebook likes
More returning readers to our blog

14. From the blog to Valentine’s Day

15. From the blog to Valentine’s Day

16. And now our website!
Why did it work?
Because it’s cute!

17. And cute measures up

18. Want more?
inspirationinsideyou.com/
2015/03/the-key-elements-of-
viral-success
Emotion works with content.
Why do you think we love cat
photos so much?

19. Ready for some tools?

20. What to write

21. What images to use

22. • Content, content, content
• Maintaining your blog
• Getting people to your blog
Photo editing and screen grabs
Always use .jpg (.png is bad for page load time)

23. • Content, content, content
• Maintaining your blog
• Getting people to your blog
Now…step 2!

24. Begin with the basics:
- 300-400 words
- Use your categories & tags
- Pick your SEO keyword before
you write and sprinkle
throughout
- Read more feature use it!
- H2 tags – put them in
- Minimum 2 photos with SEO-
friendly file names and alt tags
- Bookmark Google’s URL
builder (and use it!)
- Be realistic with your schedule
No blog should be without…

25. Want some keyword help?
beckymhogan.com/2015/03/
guide-to-keyword-research
It is true, AdWords REALLY
wants your Credit Card info!

26. The set-up
Domain: Small Orange
Host: cPanel
Theme: ThemeZilla
CMS: Wordpress.org
Design a logo and know some
code (FYI – Wordpress is PHP) –
or get someone to help you.
Google Webmaster Tools
- Set up your site map
- Verify your site
Google Analytics
- Synch your Webmaster Tools
with Google Analytics
Social Media Networks
- Set up the accounts and verify
those requiring it (Pinterest, G+,
etc.)

27. Plug-ins & Tools
Plug-ins:
- SEO by Yoast
- Akismet
- Disqus Comment System
- Responsive Video Embeds
- SumoMe
- Viper’s Video Quick Tags
- Wordpress Related Posts
- Wordpress SEO

28. • Content, content, content
• Maintaining your blog
• Getting people to your blog
Now…step 3!

29. • Content, content, content
• Maintaining your blog
• Getting people to your blog
People won’t find your content on
their own

30. Remember these tools? I added a few.

31. • When you have both an AdWords ad and a high ranking organic
result for the same keyword, metrics increase for both channels
(studies have shown by 2.2x)
• YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine, bigger than Bing,
Yahoo, Ask & AOL combined (Social Media Today)
• There are 31% more bloggers today than there were 3 years ago
(eMarketer, 2010)
• Over 50% of respondents say they read most of their emails
(HubSpot)
Want more? www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics
Some stats to consider

32. Pick the social network to focus on

33. Pick the social network to focus on
If you want traffic, Facebook & Pinterest reign

34. Don’t ignore Instagram
Pear’s Spring Break t-shirt design contest

35. Don’t ignore Instagram
Celebrities showed winning designs & feature link
to our blog recap in their profiles for 24 hours

36. Don’t ignore Instagram
The Results
- 345% increase in blog traffic
- Over 8,000 likes on Instagram
- 300% lift in new Instagram
followers
- Brought in over 380 new users
throughout campaign
More:
blog.bufferapp.com/instagram-
stats-instagram-tips

37. Go back to that plan!
Content type!

38. Put yourself out there
Yes, inbound links ARE that important

39. Backlinks start with you

40. All your social channels have URL’s

41. LinkedIn: Your professional cred

42. • Summary
• Publications (hello papers & thesis!)
• Skills & Endorsements
• Experience
• Languages
• Volunteer
• Organizations
• Education
• Honors & Awards
• Additional Information
A quick thing about your email

43. • Summary
• Publications (hello papers & thesis!)
• Skills & Endorsements
• Experience
• Languages
• Volunteer
• Organizations
• Education
• Honors & Awards
• Additional Information
A quick thing about your email

44. If you are really serious…

45. And don’t get distracted!

46. • Content, content, content
• Maintaining your blog
• Getting people to your blog
Be patient!

47. And keep your expectations realistic

48. • Get noticed
• Get people to become a
(customer, volunteer, donor, etc.)
• Set a new standard
So…what is the goal again?

49. This is only the beginning…
But it’s a great start.

50. Rachel Yeomans
rachel@pearup.com
@rachelyeomans
Thank you!!!