Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

G’day from Vegas! We’ve had a great time, so far – more later. Today’s b5 Media sessions; I’ll share nuggets in point form. Please bear with me – typing on my laptop isn’t great.

Search Engine Optimization:

• keyword-rich titles w/o overdoing
• image descriptions
• subheadings w/ keywords
• categories
• tags – no more than 2 lines per post, more specific than categories

Tips on Interviews:

• Why?: free content, more credibility, become more of an expert, plug for subject, might get an exclusive
• How? PR agencies might approach you – more for celebs, good to be different/unique angle, be prepared w/ blog details, start locally/small
• Process? Do research, original/interesting questions/theme, tell a story, be professional, stay w/ your time limit, don’t show till final draft, act natural and have conversation
• Follow up? Keep contact, cultivate relationships, send links, keep any promises

Attracting Readers:

• Darren Rowse, ProBlogger – kicking myself for forgetting his book!
• what need is my blog fulfilling?
• content =unique + useful
• i00ndividual attention to readers you already have – feature readers
• create a sticky blogs – ‘sneeze’ them thru your blog
• identify your ”doorway" posts – optimize
• build anticipation – series, highlight past posts, competitions, newsletter about blog news/stats
• where are potential readers gathering? how can I participate?
• guest posts, feed into twitter, forums, pitch other bloggers – careful, leverage online presence, contests, awards, meet ups, submit to local media/newsletters, present at workshops, squidoo, free report, newsletter, preempt stories, interview, swap blogs, socnet, writing projects, promote posts v blogs, use names
• Muhammad – writing for social media
• know your audience
• create original and  evergreen content
• thank& linkers
• 10 second rule – diagonal readers
• prepopulate social media buttons – how?
• be the definitive resource

Lunch = cheese danish + mocha frappuccino from Starbucks. Just what this athetoid needs right now…sugar = even more shaky!

b5 Advisory Board Q&A:

• blogosphere is changing, more specific/niche-oriented; twitter more liberating
• links are a social gesture
• friendfeed =decentralized moderation

Demos by b5 partners:

• OutBrane – widget for readers to rate posts and to provide recommended posts – some external links, 2-way traffic op – your links on other blogs [question: if send readers away, how does that create stickiness?]
• Widgetbox – allows anyone to create widgets, very cool way to increase traffic [note to self: check pets channel]
• Lijit – search application, results appear in overlay window [how accessible are these things?]
• picapp – free access to visual content legally, eventually will include ads under  pics

Copyright & Image Use:

• images are copyrighted = can’t use, owned by photographer
• exceptions: public domain, creative commons license (i.e. flickr – read terms!) to enhance posts not for sole content
• ask for permission – keep a record
• fair use – no standard definition, only guidelines, not w/ images
• plagiarism rules still apply

Social Media Tools & Tips:

• 1/2hr per day, need to experiment
• not all content is submit worthy
• participate!
• each site has its own manners
• Redditt: submit to sub-redditt, low engagement
• StumbleUpon – great way to leverage to other media sites
• Digg – more effort/strategy
• socialmediaanswers.com launches next week
• [note to self: follow @pointlessbanter]

Staying Focused & Healthy as a Blogger:

• set goals to maintain clear vision
• why do you blog, what do you want from blogging, who are you blogging for, what do you bring to it, how do you measure success
• blog calendar to track multiple blogs
• take time off – yep, 4 days offline in Vegas, baby!
• celebrate milestones and achievement – create a work log, keep a kudos files [i.e. emails], start a rewards journal, make it public, celebrate others’ success

Seen: Suzie Cheel, Des Walsh, Jim Turner, Rick Calvert, Liz Strauss, Chris Brogan, Wendy Piersall

Party time! More tomorrow…