Buzz Marketing with Blogs For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

353 Pages·2005·7.94 MB·English

by  Susannah Gardner

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Buzz Marketing
with Blogs
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by Susannah Gardner
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Buzz Marketing with Blogs For Dummies®
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Copyright ©2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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ISBN-13: 978-0-7645-8457-2
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About the Author
Susannah Gardner is the co-founder and creative director of Hop Studios
Internet Consultants [www.hopstudios.com], a Web design company spec-
ializing in custom Web solutions for content publishers. Her partner in life,
crime and work, is Travis Smith, former editor of Variety.com.
Susannah is also a freelance writer and author; she is the co-author of
“Dreamweaver MX 2004 for Dummies,” from Wiley Publishing, and “Teach
Yourself Visually: Dreamweaver MX 2004,” also from Wiley Publishing.
From 1997 to 2003, Susannah was an adjunct professor at the University of
Southern California School for Communication, where she taught in the
School of Journalism. Her classes in online publishing took students from
zero to Web site in a semester.
Prior to running Hop Studios, Susannah worked in the Online Journalism
andCommunication Program at the University of Southern California, writing
curriculum, teaching, and conducting research at the intersection of technol-
ogy and journalism. She was a senior editor of the Online Journalism Review
[www.ojr.org], the media industry’s only Internet-focused journalism publi-
cation. Susannah also spent four years at The Los Angeles Times, one of six
editors responsible for launching that newspaper’s Web site. During her time
at LATimes.com she established the site’s multimedia lab, which produced
ground-breaking Web audio, video and animation. She also launched and edited
MetaHollywood, an online-only publication that covered new Hollywood tech-
nology and was LATimes.com’s single largest revenue source in 1998.
Susannah earned bachelor’s degrees in Print Journalism and American
literature at USC. Today she is pursuing a master’s degree in Public Art
Studies, examining issues that cross the traditional of boundaries of Internet
publishing, journalism and art.
To learn more about her Web design company, visit www.hopstudios.com.
She keeps a personal blog at www.unfavorablepink.com, and a blog for this
book at www.buzzmarketingforblogs.com.
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Dedication
This book is for my partner and husband, Travis Smith, who supports me
even when I make it impossible for him to do so. Travis, I would not be who
I am today without you.
Author’s Acknowledgments
I have so many people to thank for making this book possible, and for having
patience with me while I wrote it!
First, hugs and thanks to my husband, Travis. His eagle editing eye and vora-
cious appetite for blogs was a huge help and has improved this book to no
end. It has fallen on Travis to keep our lives running smoothly when dead-
lines loomed, and he has done it all with quiet aplomb. Travis is also respon-
sible for signing me up for my very first email account, and quite possibly for
everything that followed.
Thanks are also due to Janine Warner, friend and colleague, who invited me
to co-author “Dreamweaver MX 2004 For Dummies” with her and started me
down this road. Whenever I had questions, no matter how neophyte, Janine
shared her expertise with patience and grace — and despite her own book
deadlines!
My long-suffering editor Beth Taylor has kept me on time, and fixed all those
late-night typos, run-on sentences and general stupidities. This book would
never have been possible without the persistence and determination of
Melody Layne, acquisitions editor at Wiley (and a blogger!). Thanks also
tomy technical editor, Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing, who kept me on
the straight-and-narrow. There are many at Wiley Publishing whose names
Idon’t know but who nonetheless played an important role in making this
book possible: Thank you to all of you.
I owe much to my friends, family and colleagues, all of whom were wonder-
fully patient as I shifted work and life around in order to write. Thank you
tomy parents, Jan and Phil Gardner, my brother Matt, my sister Debbie, my
mother-in-law Pat Smith, and my sister-in-law Virginia Smith. Thanks also to
Lance Watanabe, Jae and Karin Sung, Elaine Zinngrabe, Zipporah Lax, Jason
and Noriko Manikel, Deborah Nathanson, Tracy Dominick, Robin Rauzi, Amy
Leach, Dorothy Ingebretsen, Jordan and Michele Raphael, and Martin and
Tracy Spedding.
Most of all, I’m grateful to you, the person reading this. An author is not an
author without readers.
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Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form
located at www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Composition Services
Media Development
Project Coordinator:Maridee Ennis
Project Editor:Beth Taylor
Layout and Graphics:Carl Byers, Andrea Dahl,
Acquisitions Editor: Melody Layne Lauren Goddard, Stephanie D. Jumper,
Barry Offringa, Heather Ryan
Copy Editor:Rebecca Senninger
Proofreaders:Leeann Harney,
Technical Editor:Paul Chaney
Carl William Pierce, TECHBOOKS
Editorial Manager: Leah Cameron Production Services
Media Development Manager:Laura VanWinkle Indexer: TECHBOOKS Production Services
Media Development Supervisor:
RichardGraves
Editorial Assistant:Amanda Foxworth
Cartoons:Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies
Richard Swadley,Vice President and Executive Group Publisher
Andy Cummings,Vice President and Publisher
Mary Bednarek,Executive Acquisitions Director
Mary C. Corder,Editorial Director
Publishing for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele,Vice President and Publisher
Joyce Pepple,Acquisitions Director
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey,Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey,Director of Composition Services
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Contents at a Glance
Introduction.................................................................1
Part I: Getting Started with Business Blogs....................9
Chapter 1: Checking Out Business Blogs......................................................................11
Chapter 2: Discovering the Buzz about Buzz Marketing.............................................27
Chapter 3: Building a Business Blog..............................................................................39
Part II: Setting Up a Business Blog..............................55
Chapter 4: Picking a Blog Solution.................................................................................57
Chapter 5: Setting Up a Hosted Blog..............................................................................69
Chapter 6: Taking Control with Independent Blog Software.......................................85
Part III: Minding Blog Etiquette and Culture ..............107
Chapter 7: Understanding Your Audience...................................................................109
Chapter 8: Joining the Blogosphere.............................................................................125
Chapter 9: Avoiding Business Blog No-Nos.................................................................143
Part IV: Positioning Your Blog...................................157
Chapter 10: Finding a Voice...........................................................................................159
Chapter 11: Promoting Your Blog.................................................................................179
Chapter 12: Staying on the Right Side of the Law......................................................191
Part V: Making the Most of Your Blog........................205
Chapter 13: Adding Value to a Blog..............................................................................207
Chapter 14: Making Money with a Blog.......................................................................231
Chapter 15: Going Beyond Blogs..................................................................................247
Part VI: The Part of Tens...........................................261
Chapter 16: Ten Dry-Spell-Breaking Ideas...................................................................263
Chapter 17: Ten Traits of a Good Blogger...................................................................271
Chapter 18: Ten Blogs You Should Know....................................................................279
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Part VII: Appendixes.................................................291
Appendix A: Glossary....................................................................................................293
Appendix B: Using the Book Blog.................................................................................297
Appendix C: Hosted and Independent Blog Solutions...............................................299
Appendix D: How URLs Work........................................................................................301
Appendix E: Case Studies..............................................................................................303
Index.......................................................................321
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Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................1
About This Book...............................................................................................1
Conventions Used in This Book.....................................................................2
What You’re Not to Read.................................................................................3
Foolish Assumptions.......................................................................................3
How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................3
Part I: Getting Started with Business Blogs........................................3
Part II: Setting Up a Business Blog.......................................................4
Part III: Minding Blog Etiquette and Culture.......................................4
Part IV: Positioning Your Blog...............................................................5
Part V: Making the Most of Your Blog..................................................5
Part VI: The Part of Tens.......................................................................6
Part VII: Appendixes...............................................................................6
Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................6
Where to Go from Here....................................................................................7
Part I: Getting Started with Business Blogs.....................9
Chapter 1: Checking Out Business Blogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Generating Buzz for Your Blog.....................................................................11
Discovering How Businesses
Are Using Blogs...........................................................................................14
Communicating with customers........................................................14
Establishing expertise..........................................................................15
Generating interest...............................................................................16
Driving action and sales......................................................................16
Fixing what’s broke..............................................................................18
Using internal collaboration, project management,
and communication..........................................................................19
Finding Out What Makes a Good Business Blog........................................20
Writing...................................................................................................20
Posting new material often.................................................................20
Gathering feedback through dialogue...............................................21
Fitting Blogs into Your Business..................................................................21
Extending corporate culture...............................................................22
Finding a good blogger........................................................................22
Controlling the message......................................................................23
Dealing with technical concerns........................................................24
Handling legal issues............................................................................24
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Buzz Marketing with Blogs For Dummies
Chapter 2: Discovering the Buzz about Buzz Marketing . . . . . . . . . . .27
Defining Buzz Marketing................................................................................27
Examining Buzz Marketing Examples..........................................................29
Bacardi: Playing the “cool” card.........................................................29
Burger King: Playing the “humor” card.............................................30
Hotmail: Playing the “free” card.........................................................31
Using Blogs to Spread Buzz..........................................................................31
Building conversations based on trust..............................................34
Looking at blogs that have built buzz................................................34
Keeping it real.......................................................................................37
Chapter 3: Building a Business Blog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Doing the Prep Work......................................................................................40
Setting the Scene............................................................................................42
Finding a blogger..................................................................................42
Deciding to edit....................................................................................42
Setting policies for your business blog.............................................43
Becoming familiar with the blogosphere..........................................43
Choosing a memorable name.............................................................44
Designing a Business Blog.............................................................................45
Customizing your design.....................................................................46
Incorporating HTML.............................................................................47
Adding photographs............................................................................49
Hiring Outside Designers and Coders.........................................................52
Part II: Setting Up a Business Blog ..............................55
Chapter 4: Picking a Blog Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Deciding Which Blog Solution to Use..........................................................57
Discovering hosted blog solutions.....................................................58
Discovering independent blog solutions...........................................60
Getting Ready to Blog....................................................................................64
Finding out if your domain name is available...................................64
Registering a domain name.................................................................67
Finding a Web host...............................................................................67
Chapter 5: Setting Up a Hosted Blog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Focusing on Important Blog Features.........................................................69
Choosing Functionalities...............................................................................70
Getting Familiar with Hosted Solutions.......................................................73
Blogger...................................................................................................73
TypePad.................................................................................................74
Radio UserLand....................................................................................75
Using other hosted solutions..............................................................77
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Table of Contents
Setting Up a Hosted Blog...............................................................................77
Opening a Blogger account.................................................................77
Posting to your blog.............................................................................79
Adding links..........................................................................................79
Adding images......................................................................................81
Turning on comments..........................................................................81
Adding another author........................................................................82
Chapter 6: Taking Control with Independent Blog Software . . . . . . . .85
Independent Blog Software Solutions..........................................................86
Choosing functionalities......................................................................86
pMachine’s ExpressionEngine............................................................89
Six Apart’s Movable Type....................................................................90
Other independent blog software solutions.....................................92
Setting Up an Independent Blog...................................................................92
Purchasing ExpressionEngine.............................................................92
Installing ExpressionEngine................................................................93
Navigating ExpressionEngine..............................................................94
Working with your EE blog..................................................................98
Part III: Minding Blog Etiquette and Culture...............107
Chapter 7: Understanding Your Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Understanding Web Site Traffic Numbers.................................................109
Bringing on the hits............................................................................110
Turning pages.....................................................................................112
Knowing who is visiting.....................................................................112
Reading Your Log Files................................................................................113
Implementing Traffic Tools.........................................................................115
Built-in tools........................................................................................116
Locally installed tools........................................................................116
Web-based tools.................................................................................118
What they won’t tell you...................................................................122
Swimming in Data.........................................................................................122
Chapter 8: Joining the Blogosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Lurking and Learning...................................................................................125
Knowing When to Comment.......................................................................128
Joining Online Communities.......................................................................129
Slashdot...............................................................................................129
MetaFilter............................................................................................132
Social networking tools.....................................................................133
Blogging History and Events......................................................................135
2001: September 11............................................................................135
2001: Kaycee Nicole Hoax..................................................................136