Blogging Pains
Kayleigh Platz
Social Media Specialist
Agenda
• Introduction to blogging• The blogging community• Blog platforms• Inspiration• Tips and Tricks• Questions• Dive in – hands-on time!
Introduction to Blogging
• What is it?• Who does it?• Why do it?
What is it?
• Text, image, sound, video
• Recorded entries, musings, posts
• Platforms for shared conversations
• Open and authentic thoughts
It8bit.com
Who Does it?
• Businesses• Charities• Individuals• Children• Animals
Why Do It?
• To record your thoughts• To share your knowledge• As a creative outlet• To make a living [note: a lot of my
examples in this presentation fit under this definition now]
The Blogging Community
• Geographical• Interest-based• Business-based• Online Diary
Cutecats.com
Geographical Blogging
• Blogging focused around a specific area or region
• Community based blogs help spread awareness to a local community
• Can be both commercial and individual
rqmagazine.com
Interest-based Blogging
• A blog based around a specific theme, group, culture, pop-culture item, hobby or more
• Popular interest-based blogs themes are
– Knitting– Food– Fashion/ lifestyle– Nail art– Ryan Gosling– NFL– Cute animals– Weddings
Glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
www.bakerella.com
Cupcakesandcashmere.com
Thesartorialist.com
Business-based Blogging
• Many corporations and small businesses blog
• Why?– Powerful way to introduce the human life
behind a company– Share knowledge– Grow a community
Lovetinydevotions.com/blog
Online Diary
• The original web log• Updates on a person’s thoughts,
experiences and life
Blog Platforms
• WordPress• Blogger• Tumblr• Twitter• YouTube• All of these have free and some have paid
options
WordPress
Stats let you see when you are
being read
See your pages,
comments and tags
Blogger
Labels, or tags, help people find your blog and categorize your entries
In most blog platforms you can switch between a html view and a
design view
Blogger
This is the Blogger view if you have a gmail account. Same features but with a
cleaner look.
Tumblr
Tumblr lets people leave photo replies
When you start to compose a tweet, the text box expands and
you have other posting options including adding a photo
YouTube
Your videos don’t have to be edited fancy. You can record straight from your computer’s webcam and post!
Inspiration
• Your reading list– Grow your own list of
favourite blogs
• Share and care– Interact with other
bloggers
• Pinterest– A great website for
inspiration
Tips and Tricks
• Equipment needed• Make it your own• Scheduling• Time• Sharing the word
Equipment Needed
• A computer• You!• A blog account• Other sprinkles
– A photo/ video camera– Photo editing software– Web design/HTML experience
Make It Your Own
• Look and feel• Personal brand
– Write for yourself
• Professional brand– Write for your
consumer
• Strategy and guidelines
• Writing for the web– Short sentences
(and posts)– Have your own
personality– A picture is worth a
thousand words– When in doubt,
hyperlink
Scheduling
• Many blog platforms allow you to schedule a post to be published once it’s written– Helps you track when your blog is read most
often
• Schedule your own writing time in your calendar– Keeps you aware of your time
Time
• Blogging does take a time commitment• The writing process takes time • Adding pictures, hyperlinks, videos takes
time• Encourage your company (or you) to allow
time for the project
Sharing the Word
• If your blog is personal, you may only share the link with close friends and family (Blogger lets you lock blogs)
• If you want more readers – spread the word!– Twitter– Facebook– Your email signature– Business cards
Questions?
Kayleigh Platz
stratfordcampus.uwaterloo.ca
http://stratfordcampusblog.uwaterloo.ca/
@uwstratford
@write_girl
Your Turn!
• You’ll need:– A name– A domain– An idea
• Remember to– Add hyperlinks– Give credit where credit is due
