Corporate Blogging 101

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Corporate Blogging 101

Debbie WeilWordBiz.com, Inc.BlogWriteForCEOs.com
March 18, 2005
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Blogs 4 million in Sept. 04. Over 8 million
today.
FEB MARCH 2005
http//www.pubsub.com/tracking.php
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• Whos reading blogs?

• 27 of U.S. Internet users
• 32 million Americans
• BUT
• 73 do NOT read blogs
• Only 5 say they use
• 
  http//www.pewinternet.org/

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• Agenda

• Intro to Blogging RSS
• Whos blogging in the Fortune 1000?
• 2 ways Intermec can use blogs
• 7 tips for writing an effective blog
• 4 essential steps to get started
• Behind the scenes how blog technology works and
  why it matters

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• Blogs are a strategy
• Signal transparency
• Two-way conversation
• Way to reach influencers
• End-run around traditional media

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• Why blog?
• start a conversation
• shape the debate

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• Blogs are a tool
• Instant publishing
• Content management
• RSS feed
• High search engine rankings
• Always-on e-newsletter

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Blogs are a kind of Web page
http//doc.weblogs.com/
http//www.edelman.com/speak_up/blog/
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Static Web page
Blog fresh, interactive, 1st person
http//www.boeing.com/randy/
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Disadvantages of blogging as business tool
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• Gives legal heartburn
• Harder to control message
• Monitoring / maintaining
• Requires real thinking to write a good blog
• Its new

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• Obstacles to Business Blogging
• Privacy
• Confidentiality
• Enabling competitors

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• Antidotes to obstacles
• Honesty vs. stonewalling
• How secret are your business practices??
• Value of dialogue vs. one-way conversation
• Coopetition vs. competition

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• What is RSS?
• Really Simple SyndicationRSS is a new way to
  subscribe to (and publish) content online without
  using email.

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Web-based RSS reader www.Bloglines.com
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Bob Lutz, Vice Chairman GMhttp//fastlane.gmblogs
.com
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(No Transcript)
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http//sethgodin.typepad.com/
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• RSS is also
• A new online publishing channel
• By-passes spam filters
• Will be 2005 Word of the Year
• Puts information seeker in control

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• Drawback of RSS for publishers
• You dont have email address
• Cant track unique clicks as in email
• Proxy count through Feedburner.com

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• Advantages of RSS for publishers
• Segment your content by audience
• Publish multiple feeds
• One-to-one, one-to-many
• Secure, password-protected

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• Whos blogging in the Fortune 1000?

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Sample list

• GM Sun Microsystems Boeing Microsoft Yahoo
  ! HP Google Intuit Cisco

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Bob Lutz, Vice Chairman GMhttp//fastlane.gmblogs
.com
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Jonathan Schwartz, COO Sun Microsystemshttp//blo
gs.sun.com/jonathan
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Suns Jonathan Schwartz takes potshots at IBM
http//blogs.sun.com/roller/page/jonathan/2005020
2putyourmoneywhereyourmouthis
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Randy Baseler, VP Marketing Boeinghttp//www.boe
ing.com/randy/
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HPs Rich Marcello Senior VP
GMhttp//devresource.hp.com/blogs/marcello
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Ciscos High-Tech Policy Bloghttp//www.cisco.com
/gov/blog/
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QuickBooks Online Webloghttp//quickbooks_online_
blog.typepad.com/
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1,800 Microsoft blogshttp//blogs.msdn.com/
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Robert Scoble Microsofts chief
bloggerhttp//scoble.weblogs.com/
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• 2 ways Intermec can use blogs

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• Blogs for corporate communications
• External Internal

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External blogs

• Thought Leadership
• Customer Relationship
• Product Development
• Crisis Management

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Internal blogs

• Knowledge management
• Project management
• Idea incubation
• Internal Communications
• Intermec Upward Road Show
• Build trust with employees

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http//www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2005/03/11/ap1
879206.html
About the Intermec Symbol LawsuitWow. Has
this hit the news. Last I looked there were
dozens of mentions in the mainstream press as
well as in blogs. So whats our response? Well, I
cant get into details without stirring up our
legal department. But I can tell you this
http//gen-eric.com/patents/index.php/2005/03/15/s
ymbol_files_lawsuit_against_intermec
Posted by Tom Miller on March 18, 2005 in Patents
Permalink Comments Trackback
Internal Intermec blog
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Intermecs RFID blog
The latest on Generation 2Controversy blaa
blaa. Despite what Article Title says, we think
that the case for adhering to EPC Globals
standards is blaa blaa
BlogrollRFID-weblog.comrfidlog.comrfidgazette.
org Rfid.weblogsinc.comEPCGlobalinc.com
Posted by Subject Matter Expert on March 18, 2005
in Generation 2 Permalink Comments
Trackback
External Intermec blog
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• 7 tips for writing an effective blog

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• Good blogging is good writing
• In an authentic, credible voice
• With a viewpoint
• Fast and fresh
• Useful and/or interesting

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• Top Dos Donts of Blogging
• Dont publish a fake blog
• Dont post press releases or pre-written articles
• DO assign a blog author or editor

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CIA Asks Bush to Discontinue Blog
WASHINGTON, DCIn the interest of national
security, President Bush has been asked to stop
posting entries on his three-month-old personal
web log, acting CIA director John E. McLaughlin
said Monday"I would hate for the president to
inadvertently put American soldiers at risk,"
McLaughlin said. "We work hard to maintain the
integrity of state secrets. When we see the
president posting details of troop movements,
international counter-terrorism negotiations, and
even the nuclear launch codes, as he did on
Monday, we have to step up and say something."
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• Top 7 tips to write an effective blog
• Link lots
• Short entries
• Narrative style
• Authentic voice (informal)
• Post consistently (at least 1X week)
• Organize your content (Categories)
• Include links to main site

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• DO create Corporate Blogging Guidelines
• Ethics act like a grown up
• Determine frequency
• Blog ownership
• Blog oversight
• Pause before you post

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• Tips for Thought Leadership blogs
• Take time to find your voice style
• Invite guest authors
• Be useful more often than brilliant
• Set up a resource list then troll it for
  inspiration

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• Applying Do or Dont Test
• Can you take negative feedback?
• Can you be transparent?

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• Refining Do or Dont Test
• Will executives every word be parsed?
• Is exec committed to thought leadership?

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• The next new thing podcasting

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• 4 esssential steps to get started

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How you can get started

• 1. Subscribe to blogs via RSS
• www.bloglines.com my.yahoo.com
• www.newsgator.com www.pluck.com
• 2. Read 50 blogswww.feedster.com
  www.daypop.com

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• 3. Monitor the blogosphere
• www.blogpulse.com
• www.technorati.com
• 4. Start a test blog with www.TypePad.com

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194 blogs mention Intermec
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www.blogpulse.com
62 results
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http//gen-eric.com/patents/
Posted 3/15/05 Patent infringement lawsuit filed
by Symbol Technologies no comments so far
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2 blogpulse search http//wirelessmobilite.typep
ad.com/
Eric DELANEAU INTERMEC couldnt attend
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TypePad hosted starts at 4.95 / month
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Advertise Intermec white papers
http//www.rfid-weblog.com/
Download free white paperPractical Uses of RFID
Technologywww.Intermec.com/whitepaper
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• Behind the scenes blogging technology

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• Basics of blogging software
• Comments
• Permalinks
• Trackbacks
• Pings

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Blogs are Conversations

• Blog reader Blogger
• Comments

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(No Transcript)
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Blogs are Conversations

• Blogger Blogger
• Trackbacks

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Blogosphere is pulsing with pings

• Blogger Blogosphere
• PingsAlerts blog search
  engineshttp//pingomatic.com/

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Each blog post is its own Web page

• Blog entry Permanent link or URL
• Permalinkhttp//blogwrite.blogs.com/blogwrite/20
  05/03/dirty_secret_of.html

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ROI of blogging

• Search engine results
• Reader interaction (comments)
• Blogger interaction (trackbacks)
• Blogosphere buzz
• Media inquiries

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• Blog Design Tips
• Obvious blog tab in main site navigation
• Categories, Comments
• Authors name date
• RSS, Bloglines, My Yahoo icons
• Interim how-to RSS page
• Archives
• Search blog function
• Blogroll or Resource Blogs

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Blog Design interim page that explains RSS
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• A few blogs to check outhttp//sethgodin.typ
  epad.com/seths_blog/
• www.micropersuasion.comWell-written,
  distinctive voice on PR blogshttp//scoble.web
  logs.com/
• Robert Scoble Microsofts chief blogger
• www.BlogWriteForCEOs.com
• See links to Thought Leadership blogs in
  right-hand column

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• More Useful ResourcesBasic blogging
  resources (small business)www.ducttapemarketing.c
  om/Blogging-Resources.htm
• Unleashing Marketing Publishing Power of
  RSScomprehensive e-book on RSS (500
  pages!)http//hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?wordbiz/m
  rktstudy Blog Business Summit (download
  slides)www.blogbusinesssummit.com/sessions.htm

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• Debbie Weil
• www.WordBiz.com
• www.DebbieWeil.com
• www.BlogWriteForCEOs.com
• Direct 202.364.5705
• wordbiz_at_gmail.com