Date post: | 16-Apr-2017 |
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Starting a Career Services Blog
Alicia Smyth & Valerie KielmovitchEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University
FCPA Conference 2012
What is a Blog?
• The term comes from “web log”• A personal journal published on the web
which consists of entries or posts that are displayed in reverse chronological order
• Single individual or small group, often with a theme on a specific subject
Key Blogging Terms
• Blogosphere: collective community of blogs, used by media to gauge public opinion on a topic
• Blook: blog-based books• Blogroll: list of links that bloggers share or
recommend to readers
Notable Career Blogs
• CAREEREALISM• Lindsey Pollak - Career Blog• Dan Schawbel – Personal Branding Blog• Tim’s Strategy – Ideas for Job Search, Career
and Life• Gradversity
Why Blog?
• Disseminate information to constituents• Spotlight special populations and success stories• Build brand as an expert • Increase credibility on campus• Drive traffic to your university/career center
website• Provide added value to career center resources
Getting Started
• Determine the focus of the blog and brainstorm content ideas
• Decide on a platform • Identify staff who will manage/edit; get buy-in from
entire team• Create branding• Set up blog • Start blogging• Market blog to constituents
Deciding on a Platform
• WordPress• Blog.com• Google Blogger• TypePad Micro• Tumblr• Weebly• LiveJournal
Blog Content Ideas
• Spotlights Alumni Students on co-op/internship Employer Spotlights
• Announcements• Photos and stories from professional conferences,
presentations, or other events• Book and/or resource reviews• Success stories
Blog Content Ideas, continued
• Breaking News• Student and employer perspectives• Top Ten lists• Articles• Aspects of the job search• Networking• Economic Trends• Career fair/event preparation
Content Sources
• Career Services staff• Alumni• Students• Faculty• Employers• Experts in the college hiring realm• FCPA members/other university career center
staff
Marketing Your Blog
• Send out an initial launch email to all students, alumni, and faculty/staff• Send out a regular blog digest to students and alumni who are seeking a job • Promote all blog posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter • Personally email faculty when students/alums from their program are
featured• Make it easy for others to share content and/or follow your blog by using
widgets (Follow button, RSS feed, etc.)• Ask other departments on campus to cross-promote: alumni relations,
academics, communications, admissions, etc.• Add link/icon to your website and email signature • Make sure blog comes up in Google and Bing search results
Assessing Blog Success
• Analytics• Feedback from students and alumni• Number of comments• Number of social media shares• Recognition from external and/or internal
sources
Potential Challenges
• Limited resources – time and/or staff• Spotlights can be difficult to obtain• Staff may be technically-challenged• May have to deal with negative feedback• Institution may not be in favor of blogging• IT may not support external sites/systems• Takes time to build a following
Blogging Tips
• Choose a template that is clean and visually pleasing• Use catchy headlines• Make posts easy to read and use your own personal
writing style • Keep post paragraphs short and concise• Use bulleted lists, bold, or italics for emphasis• A picture says 1000 words• Use spellcheck; then re-read content
Blogging Tips, continued
• Plan blog posting schedule in advance; allow everyone in the office to contribute
• Post with some frequency• Use categories and tags to make finding content within
your blog easy• Hyperlink when possible and relevant• Reference works cited • Keep content interesting and timely• Don’t be afraid to modify as you go along
Special Considerations
Time Commitment• Initial Set-up: at least 1 day• Technical Maintenance: 1-2 hours, monthly• Writing Articles: 2-3 hours, weekly• Editing: 1-2 hours, weekly• Logistics: 1-2 hours, semesterly
Note: all are approximate and depend on number of posts planned/week, technical ability, and time management
Special Considerations, continued
University Policies• Does your campus have a social media or
blogging policy?
Information Technology• Does your IT department have a blogging
platform integrated into existing web product, or is there an external platform they prefer?
The Embry-Riddle Career Services Blog Experience
• Inspired by a tweet• How we got started
Collaborated with team to determine blog’s function and focus
Identified key players Selected a platform and learned how to use it Came up with theme and design
ERAU CSO Blog Management
Staffing:• Technical management, writing and editing• Logistics, writing and editing
Frequency:• Fall/Spring: 2x week• Summer: 1x week
Career Services Blog Examples
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Demo): http://eraucso.wordpress.com
• The University of Vermont: http://www.uvm.edu/~career/blog/
• Marylhurst University: http://marylhurstcareerservices.wordpress.com
Additional Resources
• 10 Steps to Creating a WordPress Blog: http://www.seerinteractive.com/blog/10-steps-to-creating-a-wordpress-blog
• Recommended Blogging Resources: http://www.problogger.net/recommended-blogging-resources
• Books About Blogging (Amazon.com): http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blog
Questions?
Thank you for your time! If you have additional questions about blogging, please contact us!
Alicia: [email protected]: [email protected]