Brave New,
Annoying New,
Social Media
(Or why aren’t you blogging yet?)
IABC/Phoenix IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
My background
Writer
Marketer
Communications strategist
Media watcher*
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Seven things I believe in
Everything is connected to everything.
Non-linear media rocks.
Analog & Digital are strange bedfellows.
Screens will open books. Books will open screens.
Pull is better than push.
Content is (still) king.
Take risks.
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
“Groups with guitars
are on their way out”
Decca Records, c 1962.
On turning down the Beatles!
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
What if…
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
It’s risky business!
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Eight Reasons
Companies Don‟t Blog
1. “It takes too much time.”
2. “We do a good job of with press releases.”
3. “Don‟t we have enough thought leadership?
Our White Papers are online…”
4. “Conversations and comments may get out of control.”
5. “Readers may criticize us.”
6. “We are in the X business, not in the publishing business.”
7. “A blogger may leave the company. Then what?”
8. “Who reads blogs, anyways?”
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Eight Reasons
Companies Don‟t Blog
1. “It takes too much time”. 1. So does golf. Long meetings. Email
2. “We do a good job of with 2. Different audiences. Different timing.
press releases.” Different market conditions
3. Don‟t we have enough thought 3. Blogs create buzz. White papers create zzzzzz
leadership? Our White Papers
are online…”
4. “Conversations and comments 4. It‟s called feedback
may get out of control.”
5. “Readers may criticize us” 5. Should we also prevent customers calling in?
6. “We are in the …….. business,
not in the publishing business.” 6. And yet we „publish‟ web sites, white papers?
7. “A blogger may leave the
company. Then what?” 7. So do attorneys, HR managers and PR people
8. “Who reads blogs, anyway?” 8. Short answer: Search Engines.
Long answer: Technorati (tracks 112.8 million Blogs)
(250 million „pieces‟ are tagged “social media”)
Better answer: Recent research shows that more
than ¾ of journalists get story ideas from blogs.
FYI: There are 1.3 billion people on the Net
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Three excuses
Time & Resources
Control and Fit
Feedback and Transparency
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Why are blogs so important?
Some 300 CEOs blog
14% of businesses are unclear
about the value of blogs
(but think they do need help!)
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Should CEO’s Blog?
1. Jonathan Schwartz (President & CEO, Sun)
2. Craig Newmark (CEO, Craig‟s List)
3. Mark Cuban (Owner, Dallas Mavericks)
4. Ross Mayfield (CEO, Socialtext)
5. Matt Blumberg (CEO, Return Path)
6. Alan Meckler (CEO, Jupiter Media)
7. Kevin Lynch (Adobe)
8. Robin Hopper (CEO, iUpload)
9. Jason Calacanis (CEO, Weblogs)
10. John Dragoon (CMO, Novell)
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Should CEO’s Blog?
“While a journalist is writing
about my blog, I am blogging
about his journalism.”
Jonathan Schwartz
President & CEO Sun Microsystems
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Should Journalists Blog?
• Kevin Sites – Hot Zone / CNN
• Dave Barry – Miami Herald
• Chris Anderson – Long Tail / Wired
• Reuters blogs – Reuters
• Andrew Sullivan – New Republic
• Brian Williams, Pete Williams - NBC
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Should Communicators Blog?
“These are difficult times because we
are witnessing a clash of cataclysmic
proportions between two great
technologies.”
Marshall McLuhan
On the clash between print and TV!
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
The Eco-system
Blogs*, Photo sharing, Video sharing,
social networks, wikis, forums, listservs,
podcasts, virtual worlds, citizen
journalism, livecasting, PRblogs,
book reviews, music reviews.
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
The “Modern Mediasphere”
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
*Different Blogs
Courtesy: Rohit Bhargava, OgilvyPR
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Reality Check For Writers (1)
Social Media provides better distribution:
More Channels
More Platforms
More Outlets
New ways to “Be Heard”
Facebook. LinkedIn News By You IABC
MyRagan Flickr Amazon
Slideshare Plastic SocialMediaToday
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Reality Check For Writers (2)
Social Media provides better targeting:
Greater Relevance
More Niches
Social networks for pet owners – dogster.com
Social network for decision makers – kluster.com
Video network for advertising commercials - firebrand
Cut through clutter
On-demand
To over-communicated audience
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Reality Check For Writers (3)
Social Media provides:
Better Feedback:
Blog stats – real-time tracking tool
Trackbacks – acknowledgement tool
Comments – personal feedback
Technorati – monitoring tool
Google analytics – marketing analytics
Google alerts – due diligence
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Writers Have…
Distribution
Targeting
Feedback
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Distribution. Targeting. Feedback.
We have choices
Flickr and Zooomr
Digg and Reddit
Twitter and Jaiku and Pownce
Delicious and StumbleUpon
YouTube and Brightcove
Facebook and MySpace
TalkShoe and BlogTV
BlogTV and EncycloMedia
MySpace and BBC-MYSpace
FaceBook and CIA-FaceBook
Campfire
JohnTV (surveillance) and EveryBlock (city watch)
Flickr and Flickr Commons
Book reviews and Book Blogs – Meatball Sunday
& Meatball Mondae)
Wikis and MediaWikis
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Should You Blog?
11 Things To Consider
1. Passion for topic
2. Commitment – time, frequency, longevity, professional interest
3. Goals:
We need to start a blog because…..(reason here)
The blog should help us ….. (goal here)
Examples of Goals:
• Communicate relevant & timely information
• Anticipate & respond to market situations, issues
• Target the media
• Do what can’t be done via press releases
• Become a place to showcase thought leaders
• Invite customer feedback
• Make us look more human
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Should You Blog?
11 Things Continued
4. Length of posts?
5. Point of View & Attitude & The Authoritative factor
“Authority factor overweights poor writing skills.” ProBlogger
6. Provocative or Controversial? (Dell, VPRB)
7. Creative or academic?
8. Personal or Professional?
9. Text and/or Visuals?
10. Honesty and transparency
11. Writing style and vocabulary
–see “Six common writing errors” - Copyblogger
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Blog Platforms
Free!
$ 49.50 / yr - $150 / yr - $899.50 / yr
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Your first blog - 3 easy steps
1. Find a theme, topic, layout
(2 groups, 5 minutes)
1. Write 5 posts before you launch blog
(create two posts)
2. Sign up (free blog: WordPress)
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Getting Started: WordPress
IABC Workshop Blog
http://IABCWorkshop.wordpress.com
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Your New Blog
Improve your blog in 5 more steps
1. Create categories
2. Add a Blog Roll
3. Use trackbacks
4. Acknowledge, link to, ask
5. Build traffic by commenting on
other blogs, podcasts etc
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Your New Blog
Brand your blog
Register a domain name
Add a header
Point domain to your blog
www.yourname.com
Create an About page
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando
Be focused. Be Social.
Dive in!
Thank You!
angelo@hoipolloireport.com
IABC | Writers' Workshop | Angelo Fernando