Blogging basics for pet retailers Superzoo 2012

Blogging Basics for Pet Retailers

September 12, 2012

The Word Is Out – What You Need To Know
About Blogging
• Consumers Are Increasingly Researching Or Discovering
Information About Brands On The Internet Via Blogs

• Blogs Have Become A Primary Source For Information And
Recommendations As Well As A Way For You To Expose Your
Brand
• Blogging Is A Platform That Is Actively Used By Over 181
Million People (Nielsen Data For October 2011)
• 53% Of Total Internet Users Went To A Blog As A Source For
Information And Education About Products And Services
Offered.

Creative Business Consulting Group www.cbc-group.net

1

Seminar Overview
• Why Does Blogging Matter For Your Pet
Business?
• How To Start A Blog
• How To Create Effective Blogging Strategies
And Policies For Your Business
• Next Generation Blogging Techniques That
Your Business Can Utilize Today
• Case Studies Of Successful Retailers And
Brands Use Effective Blogging


Companies Use Blogs To Showcase Thought
Leadership And Expertise
Why Blogging Matters For Your
Company:
• Participation In Blog Writing Can
Help Improve Team Spirit And
Company Morale
• Writing A Blog Makes One Stay Up
To Date On Important Industry Ideas
And Initiatives
• Blog Writing Makes Businesses Pay
Attention From the Consumer Point
Of View – Not A Personal Point Of
View
• Blog Comments Means Readers Are
Engaged With Your Business

2

What Is A Blog?
Definition: Communication Software That Permits Anyone Who
Can Type To Post Content To A Web Site Or Blog Home Page

• A Type Of Web Site
• The Content Is Displayed Like A Journal
• Type Of Informal 2-way Conversations
• Content Can Be Anything The Author
Chooses To Write Or Post, As It Is Referred
To In Blogging Terms
• Easy To Update
• All Entries Are Stored In Chronological Order
• Blogs Use Lots Of Links To And From Other
Blogs, Websites And Web Links Making It A
Robust Form Of Search Engine Optimization


There Are Numerous Benefits To Blogging On
Behalf Of Your Retail Organization
• Blogging Is A Timely Marketing Activity
• Companies Can Post And Respond
Quickly
• Low Barrier To Entry & Cost
• Retailers That Blog Are Seen As A
Leader In The Industry And Have A
Strong Brand Affiliation
• Consumers That Engage Socially With
Brands Are 50% More Likely To Buy
• Companies That Blog Regularly Have
Improved Search Engine Rankings
• Blog Content Can Enhance Newsletter
Content

3

The Best Ways To Start Blogging; Start Slow
Monitor A Group Of Relevant Blogs
• Use A Blog Search Engine And RSS Reader To Locate And Subscribe
To A Dozen Or So Relevant Blogs
• Evaluate Blogs On Your Industry, Competitors, Experts, Etc. To Learn
How People Blog, What They Write About, And How They Engage
Their Readers
Comment On A Group Of Relevant Blogs
• Visit Some Of Your Chosen Blogs, Add Relevant Comments, And
Engage In The Conversation Going On Inside These Blogs - This Is An
Important Part Of Online Networking And May Help Get Your Blog
Noticed Down The Road
Create Your Own Blog And Start Posting Content
• Only After You’ve Engaged In Steps 1 And 2 For A Reasonable Time
Period Do I Advise Entering The Deep End Of The Blogging Pool


Choose Your Blog Software Based On The
Capability You Need
Many Blog Software Programs Are Free
• Blogger (Owned By Google) Is Free
Www.Blogger.Com/Start
• Wordpress Is Free, But You May Have To Pay For
Some Features. Www.Wordpress.Com
• Typepad Micro -Not Free, But Has Great Features.
Www.Typepad.Com/Micro


4

Six Steps To Achieve Blogging Success

• Have A Strategy And A Plan
• Provide Valuable Content
• Be Transparent
• Utilize Your Employees And
Fans
• Listen And Respond
• Measure Your Results


Step 1: Make A Plan; Create Goals And Utilize A
Strategy To Help You Achieve Those Goals

What Are Your Stores’ Goals
For Using A Blog?
• Enter The Conversation
• Use An Additional Platform To
Amplify Messages
• Transition To A Digital Company
• Create More Loyal Followers
• Engage Current Customers
More Effectively
• Showcase Knowledge Base Of
Company
• Drive Sales To Website Or Brick
And Mortar Location


5

Step 2: Provide Valuable Content; Always
• Share Tips & Tricks
• Answer Questions
• Tell A Story
• Peek Behind The Scenes
• Cover Events For Those Who
Can’t Attend
• Be Timely
• Create Regular Features
• Maintain An Internal &
External Event Calendar To
Help You Plan


Step 3: Be Transparent About Who You Are On
Your Blog
• Clearly Indicate Who You Are On Your
Accounts And When Commenting On
Other Sites
• Do Not Delete Negative Comments
• Be Yourself, Be Real
• Avoid Ghost Writing
• Don’t Force Anyone
• Have An Employee Social Media
Policy
• Be Sure Bloggers You Work With
Adhere To FTC Policy


6

Step 4: Use Your Best Assets To Help Write Your
Blog; Employees & Fans
• Tap Into Your Best Assets .Your
Employees
• Employees Know Your Business The
Best – Customers Want To Hear From
Them
• Let Your Fans Tell And Share In The Story
• Give Them The Scoop
• Share The Experience
• Invite Guest Bloggers
• Feature Customer Testimonials To:
• Highlight Experiences With Your Store
• Recognize Creative Uses Of Your
Products

Step 5: Listen And Respond To Blog Comments
And Questions Every Day
• Enter The Conversation
On Behalf Of Your
Company
• Answer Questions That
Customers May Have
• Listen To Customer
Feedback To Improve
Your Business
• Crowdsource – Share
Responsibility Of Posts
With Other Stakeholders


7

Step 6: Measure The Results Of Your Time And
Effort
What Should You Measure?
• Customer Interaction
• Inbound Traffic
• Outbound Traffic
• Web Links
• Social Media Links
• Direct Customer Calls
• Business Referrals


The Do’s And Don’ts Of Blogging
Do:
• Get A Professional To Help Design
Your Blog; First Impressions Matter
• Post 1 To 2 Times/Week
• Identify Yourself By Name In All
Blog Posts
• Use Photos To Create Connections
With Readers
• Remember That What You’re
Producing Needs To Have An
Impact And Have Real, Shareable
Power To It
• Use Industry Keywords

8

The Do’s And Don’ts Of Blogging

Don’t:
• Don’t Try To Be Google News
• Don’t Oversell On Your Blog
• Don’t Overlook Creating A
Company Policy For All
Bloggers To Follow
• Don’t Hesitate To Improve
Blog Exposure By Using
Facebook for WordPress
plugin
• Don’t Forget To Link!

What Can You Do Today To Draw Attention To
Your Blog Tomorrow?
• Packaging Will Provide Inspiration To Readers Blogs Will Focus on
Packaging Content In Different Formats Like Podcasts, Video And
Infographics To Reach A Wider Audience

• Generating Traffic To Your Blog From Alternative Sources
• RSS Feeds, Email Marketing Campaigns, Company Website And
Social Networks
• Key To Developing An Established Readership Of Subscribers To
Your Blog Rather Than Those Who Happen To Land On It By Way
Of A Search Engine

• Blogs Will Help Define And Build Brands
• Laser-focused on a very narrow niche
• Offer original content at the same time as curated content with
commentary

• Mundane is out; Marvelous is in. Be prepared to dazzle your readers.


9

Who/What Else Is Out There For You To Use?
Tumblr:
Tumblr Is A Micro-blogging Service If You
Are Looking To Provide Content In All
Types Of Media Formats
• Text, Audio, Video, Photo, Chat, Etc.
• Has Good Customizing Features
Instagram:
Instagram Is A Free Photo-Sharing
Program And Social Network
• Allows Users To Take A Photo, Apply A
Digital Filter And Share It With Other
Instagram Users They Are Connected
To On The Social Network
• Integrates (And Owned By Facebook)


Who/What Else Is Out There For You To Use?
Pinterest:
Another Photo Sharing Site. Create Pinterest Boards
To Generate Shares
• Pinterest Provides More Referral Traffic To Other
Sites Than Google+, Youtube And Linkedin
Combined
• Users Spend 16 Minutes On Site
Google +:
Amalgamation Of Existing Google
Services Including:
•Multiple Video Chats
•Contact Groups
•Find Content Based On Interests
•Group Text Messaging
•Photo Uploads


10

Case Study: Daily Mail Newspaper - London, UK
• The Daily Mail’s Website Covers All
Things News, Gossip And Viral Online
• Daily Mail Automatically Rearranges
The Content On Their Homepage
Based On How Many People Are
Clicking On Which Articles.
• Expanded Concept Of Article
Clustering’. It’s A Tactic That Allows
Them To Create Viral, Meaty Content
Faster Than Ever Before
• Clustering Is To Write A Huge
Piece On A Hot News Item, And
Constantly Use That Same
Information Whenever They Cover
The Story Again.

Case Study: Tory Burch

• Tory Burch's Blog Is One Of The
Most Fully Developed Retail Blogs
• Full Of Linkable Interesting Content
• Rotating Photos/Videos
• Up To Date Fashion News
• Behind-the-scenes (Insider
Information)
• Fashion Inspirations
• Interviews And Spotlights With Key
Fashion/Celebrities


11

Case Study: Pet Blogs United

• Compiles Popular Pet
Blogs
• Create Community Around
Pets
• Utilize Google Connect To
Engage Followers
• Utilizes Other Blog Content
Regularly
• Encourages Members To
Visit Other Members Blogs
And Leave Comments
• Monetizes Blog With Paid
Advertising

CBCG Can Help You Engage With Your Online
Customers
• Help You Identify the Long-Term
Business Opportunities Created
By Using Social Media
• Teach You How to Create Social
Media Marketing Programs That
Engage Customers
• Show You The Cost Saving
Benefits Of Using Social Media
• Share How to Create An
Engaging Social Media Strategy
for Your Retail Business
Call Today: (617) 437-9191

12

Blogging basics for pet retailers Superzoo 2012

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

La actualidad más candente (20)

Destacado

Destacado (8)

Similar a Blogging basics for pet retailers Superzoo 2012

Similar a Blogging basics for pet retailers Superzoo 2012 (20)

Más de Creative Business Consulting Group

Más de Creative Business Consulting Group (20)

Último

Último (20)

Blogging basics for pet retailers Superzoo 2012