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Discover the essentials of starting your blog and podcast with our comprehensive guide. Learn why blogging is beneficial, including enhancing your SEO and promoting your podcast. We'll cover the basics of what a blog is, effective posting frequency, and how to engage with your audience. Explore popular platforms like Blogger and WordPress, and utilize RSS feeds to boost subscriptions. With expert advice on crafting catchy titles, organizing your content, and using keywords effectively, you'll be well-equipped to launch and grow your blog.
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Getting Started With Blogs DC Podcaster Alliance http://podcasting.meetup.com/90/ MaryFletcherJones@yahoo.com
Blog Factoids • 22.6 million people created blogs in 2007 • 21 million women post a comment to or read a blog weekly • 60% of journalists use blogs to get feedback on their news stories
What IS a blog, anyway? • Short for “web log” • RSS Feed • Allows people to subscribe to your blog, get email updates • Free • Platform for online content • Text • Images • Video • Audio • Interactive • Comments feature
Why Blog? • Enhance your SEO • Promote your podcast... Blogger (Google) or My Space use w/external host’s RSS feed (just type in the link) Wordpress (PodPress plug-in) Libsyn (provides you with a blog when you use it) • Make your show notes searchable • Feature expanded content, links, images or special offers (contests, giveaways, sell products) • Get audience feedback and interaction
Blog Basics: Begin with Passion • Write about what you know • what you care about • in your own voice • Examples • Fletcher Prince Blog on PR and Marketing • Living Well With Autism
Blog Basics: Pick a Focus • WHY: Define your blog’s mission or agenda • inform/share/educate • entertain • persuade • WHO: Envision your audience • Style, language and characteristics • Needs and wants • Expectations • WHAT: Focus on core topics • Keep relevant • Stay positive; don’t rant
Recipe for a Good Blog Post • Catchy Title • Related to topic: will show in search engine results • 5-8 words; avoid punctuation • Single Focus • One big idea • Concise • Useful and Timely • “So What” factor? What’s in it for me? • Why now? Current, new, trendy • Meets a need faster, better quality, less expensive, easier, more fun
People Scan TextMake it easy to read • Descriptive title • Headings and sub-headers • Bullets • 1 good image/video thumbnail • Bold face important words • Don’t use underline or all-CAPS • Verdana, Trebuchet fonts • Dark text on light background
Organize Your Blog • Use categories to sort your posts • Use tags (they are searchable): keywords that describe what your post is about • Use alt-tags for all images
Length of Post • 200 words (min) • 450 words (max) • More than that – split it up
Frequency • Better: short, regular, punchy, one-topic • Worse: lengthy, sporadic, rambling • 1 x month • 1 x week • 3 x week • Search engines like schedules • Post in advance (easy to do with Word Press) and schedule the posts
Keywords • Bold your keywords (don’t underline or CAP) • Format as headings (h1, h2, h3 tags) • Use in your URL, blog title, posts titles, tags, and categories • Keyword Density: 3% to 7% • repeat critical keywords 10 times per 200 words • More than that could get you marked as SPAM
Viral Content • Original and off-beat topics (or hot button issues, useful) • Top ten lists, how to articles • Video and images (alt-tags!) • Don’t repost content (link, re-word, excerpt)
Fun Things to Try • Post/comment on the DC Podcaster Alliance Blog! • http://dcpodcaster.blogspot.com/ • Create a blog “widget:” for a customized“Blidget” you can post anywhere • http://www.widgetbox.com • Use “Feedburner” to post your blog on your webpage, Facebook, etc. • Try microblogging: 1 sentence updates on Twitter, LinkedIn or FaceBook. • Comment on Yahoo Answers • Blog Platforms: MySpace, Yahoo 360 and Shine, Blogger, WordPress