Here's a session I offered to the AARP states. They started using Wordpress in late 2012 and we're all looking for more ways to harness its power.

1. Harnessing the power of WordPress
Jen Lee Reeves
Social Communications Trainer

2. What We’re Talking About Today
• The power of Wordpress
• Content strategy
• Frequency and reach
• Headlines
• Tiny details
• Tips you may want
to know
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3. “Every element of the blog is yours to imagine.”
– Matt Thompson, NPR
My favorite blogging resource: NPR’s Argo Project 3

4. The Power of Wordpress
• Searchable posts
• Flexibility of content
• Easy addition of links, photos, video
• Schedule posts
• Headlines
• Images
• Content
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5. Flexibility
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6. Flexibility
See the post here. 6

7. Flexibility
Check out the link here. 7

8. Content strategy
• Items you can blog about
– Upcoming events
– Trends
– Localize national blog topics
– State advocacy issues
– Research
– Member stories
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9. Content strategy
• Brainstorm as an entire office
• Invite everyone to participate
• Set up a calendar to distribute posts
– Google calendar
– Outlook
– Word document
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10. Content strategy
• How are you managing content strategy in
your office
(Jen takes notes below:)
California: Editorial team plan – themes, topics
Google Reader: List of blogs in 40+ Californians
(lead to a round-up)
Events as articles
Florida: Editorial plan w/communication
Oklahoma: Key volunteers identified as
experts. Monthly messaging meeting. Vols
are blogging for the state.
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11. Content strategy
• How are you managing content strategy in
your office
(Jen takes notes below:)
Texas: Sharenet site to keep track of events to drive
content all month
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12. Frequency and Reach
• The more you post, the more search
engines notice your work
• Search the topic, leave comments
on other blogs & share link to
your post
• Consider a daily post linking
to other state blogs
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13. Headlines
• Keywords included
• Include your state if you can
• 5-7 words
• Do not change headlines once
you have published
– Make sure URL doesn’t change
• Check in preview
– Change if on two lines
More Matt Thompson thoughts on headlines. 13

14. It’s The Tiny Details
• Link to everything (Manti Te’o)
• Pay attention to SEO-friendly items:
– Headlines
– First paragraph
– Categories
– Tags
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15. It’s The Tiny Details
• Link to connected articles
– Hunger in the West End series
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16. It’s The Tiny Details
• Always link to a new window
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17. It’s The Tiny Details
• Images hold a lot of power
– Title
– Alternate text
– Upload a large size, choose
“medium” to place on page
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18. Little Tips You May Not Know About
• Quick edit box
• Add a headline before you hit save
the first time you start a post
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19. Little Tips You May Not Know About
• Add a category before you hit save
the first time you start a post
• Share success stories on
Yammer
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20. slideshare.net/jenleereeves
Office hours: Tuesdays, 5-6pm ET
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