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

Twitter

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

kplatz@uwaterloo.ca

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