Chapter 6 Acquiring customers through and Objectives

• After going through this chapter, you will be able to understand: – How to use Blogs and Twitter for marketing – Advantages of using micro blogging – Discuss the process of leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth Introduction

• A is a discussion or informational site published on the and consisting of discrete entries typically displayed in reverse chronological order • The rise of Twitter and other "" systems helps integrate MABs and single-author blogs into societal new streams. • Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Introduction

• A majority of blogs are interactive; allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via GUI widgets on the blogs, and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. • A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. Background and history

• The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December 1997. • The short form, "blog", was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. • Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms. Background and history

• Origins – Before blogging became popular, digital communities took many forms, including , commercial online services such as GEnie, BiX and the early CompuServe, e- mail lists and Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). – The modern blog evolved from the , where people would keep a running account of their personal lives. Background and history

• Origins – Early blogs were simply manually updated components of common Web sites. – However, the evolution of tools to facilitate the production and maintenance of Web articles posted in reverse chronological order made the publishing process feasible to a much larger, less technical, population. – Ultimately, this resulted in the distinct class of online publishing that produces blogs we recognize today. Background and history

• Types of Blogs – Personal blogs – Microblogging – Corporate and organizational blogs – By genre: • Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such as political blogs, health blogs, travel blogs, gardening blogs etc. – By media type: • A blog comprising videos is called a , one comprising links is called a linklog, a site containing a portfolio of sketches is called a sketchblog or one comprising photos is called a . Background and history

• Types of Blogs – By device • Blogs can also be defined by which type of device is used to compose it. A blog written by a mobile device like a mobile phone or PDA could be called a moblog. – Reverse blog • A Reverse Blog is composed by its users rather than a single blogger. This system has the characteristics of a blog, and the writing of several authors. Background and history

• Community and cataloging – The : • The collective community of all blogs is known as the blogosphere. – Blog search engines: • Several blog search engines are used to search blog contents, such as Bloglines, BlogScope, and Technorati. – Blogging communities and directories: • Several online communities exist that connect people to blogs and bloggers to other bloggers, including BlogCatalog and MyBlogLog. Background and history

• Community and cataloging – Blogging and advertising: • It is common for blogs to feature advertisements either to financially benefit the blogger or to promote the blogger's favorite causes. – Popularity: • Researchers have actively analyzed the dynamics of how blogs become popular. Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• Instead of the old outbound marketing methods of buying ads, buying email lists, and praying for leads, inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be. • There are four essential actions (Attract, Convert, Close, Delight) inbound companies must take in order to obtain visitors, leads, and customers. Provided at the bottom are the tools companies use to accomplish these actions. Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a – Comments Blog – Pages – Dashboard – Sidebar – Theme – Widget – Theme layout – RSS • Single column • Two Column • Three Column • Four Column – Header – Posts Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a Blog – Dashboard: • This is the back-end area of your blog where you make changes and edits. This area is only accessible to logged in blog administrators, editors, authors, contributors or subscribers. – Theme: • Usually one of the first things bloggers do is pick out a theme. This is the template or look of the blog that people see when they visit your blog. This is what gives it your personal touch. Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a Blog – Theme layout: Blog themes normally include a header, a content area, sidebar area and come in several standard layouts: • Single column with no sidebar • Two Column – normally a wide column for content and narrower sidebar • Three Column – with sidebars side-by-side on one side of the blog or either side of the wider content column • Four Column – one content column and three sidebars Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a Blog – Header: • The header is the area at the top of a blog where the blog title, graphics, and possibly navigational links appear. – Posts: • Posts are where you normally publish the latest update or new article on a blog. • They are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order with the most recent post at the top of the page. • Most of the content published on a blog is normally written as Posts. Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a Blog – Comments: • Posts commonly allow readers to publish comments on the posts they read. This is where the reader can share their thoughts, connect with the blogger and interact with other readers. – Pages: • You normally use pages for information that you want to share with your readers but don’t expect to update frequently. Not all blogging software includes the ability to add Pages. The most common type of page you’ll find on a blog is an About Page. Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a Blog – Sidebar: • The location and even existence of sidebars depend on your theme. Some themes even have three or more sidebars. You can add and rearrange widgets in your sidebars using your blog dashboard. The most common theme layout is two columns with one sidebar and on content area. – Widget: • These are the blocks that make up sidebars. Popular widgets include the ability to subscribe to a blog, user statistics, and suggested links. Inbound Marketing: Through Blogs

• The Basic Structure of a Blog – RSS: • RSS is an acronym which stands for Really Simple Syndication and it is a simple and effective way of keeping in touch when new information is added to a website without having to visit the website to check for new updates. • Whenever new information is added to the website it is automatically sent to your RSS feed reader where you can read it at your convenience. Corporate Blogging essentials

• Many organizations have faced in recent years as they consider whether their own blog content will be of value to their bottom line. • While it depends on your organization and what specifically you focus on and hope to achieve, blogging can be a great opportunity for some organizations to enter the social media world, present their company as people rather than marketing or P.R. and create a unique opportunity to get their name out there. Corporate Blogging essentials

• For those who have made bullets and numbered lists the decision to "blog full – Keywords matter speed ahead" here are just – Write about what you a few pointers to help your know organization create – Refer to other blog posts compelling and buzz and articles worthy content that's sure – What do you read to grab the reader's – Be controversial attention. – Ask questions – Grab the readers' – Sharing is caring attention immediately – Check back and often – Breakup your text with Steps to Blogging your way to business success • There is an exhaustive list – Personalize your content of issues that need to be – Promote your social addressed when it comes presence on your blog to improving corporate – Avoid PR and Marketing blogs, but here we've – Choose a Blogging Team narrowed down the key and Process elements that companies – Establish a Content should focus on. Theme and Editorial • Below provided are Guidelines important tips for corporate bloggers to generate business online: Introduction to Micro blogging through Twitter • What Is Micro-blogging? – Micro-blogging is defined in Wikipedia as “a form of blogging that allows users to write brief text updates and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user. – These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, , email, MP3 or the Web”. – Popular examples of micro-blogging services include Twitter and FriendFeed. In additional the status feature of social networking services such as Facebook provides another example of micro-blogging. Introduction to Micro blogging through Twitter • What Benefits Can Micro- • A room of friends who Blogging Provide? can listen to your concerns. – As described at micro- • A room of strangers who blogging tools such as can sometimes surprise Twitter can be regarded you. as: • A digital watercooler, • The bar where everybody particular useful for knows your name. home workers to share • An interactive business office gossip. card. • A room of experts who can respond to your queries. Introduction to Micro blogging through Twitter • What Benefits Can Micro-Blogging Provide? – Other potential benefits include: • Listening into announcements, discussions or informal conversations about your organization or the services provided by your organization. • Providing business intelligence related to your peers, your funders or, in some circumstances, perhaps, competing organizations. – Micro-blogging can be regarded as a tool which can support a community of practice by providing a forum for work-related discussions and informal chat. Introduction to Micro blogging through Twitter • What Is Video Micro- – Video micro-blogging is blogging? the multimedia equivalent, whereby short video posts can be published. – The best-known example of a video micro-blogging service is Seesmic. Introduction to Micro blogging through Twitter • Microblogging through Twitter – A superficial look at Twitter might lead to the conclusions that micro-blogging services such as Twitter provides nothing more than trivial content and has no relevance to the information professional. – However many Twitter users who have chosen to spend time in exploring its potential benefits. – Twitter, like blogs, can be used for a variety of purposes although it also has the potential to be used as a communications medium, with Twitter users asking questions and discussing issues. Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Twitter is a short message communication tool that allows you to send out messages (tweets) up to 140 characters long to people who subscribe to you (followers). • Your tweets can include a link to any web content or a photograph or video. • If a picture is worth a thousand words, adding an image to a tweet greatly expands what you can share to beyond the 140-character limit for tweets. Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Twitter shares some features with the most common social media tools. However, the differences really define Twitter. – Facebook: • A tweet is like a short Facebook status update. However, with Twitter, every tweet arrives at every follower’s feed, unlike the filter of Facebook’s EdgeRank. – Pinterest: • Twitter allows you to share photographs and provide commentary in your tweet. However, with Twitter, it’s much easier to have conversation around a shared image than with the comment feature on Pinterest. Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Twitter shares some features with the most common social media tools. However, the differences really define Twitter. – LinkedIn: • A tweet is like a short LinkedIn status update. While LinkedIn is based on trust relationships, Twitter allows you to follow anyone, including strangers. This is helpful when you target potential customers. – Google+: • A tweet is like a short Google+ status update. Twitter also allows you to organize people into lists that organize conversations similar to Google+ groups. Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Twitter shares some features with the most common social media tools. However, the differences really define Twitter. – YouTube: • A tweet can contain a link to a video. However, Twitter doesn’t allow you to create a channel or organize your videos for easy location and commentary. Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Now let’s look at how Twitter can be used for business. – Step 1: Present Your Brand • Choose Your Twitter Username, Profile photo and cover, Profile Images, header, Twitter background – Step 2: Build a Strong Foundation • Twitter profile options: Location, Website, Bio – Step 3: Start Following People • Twitter follow this user, Twitter find friends – Step 4: Start Talking • Twitter regulartweet: @Reply; Twitter reply tweet: Mention; Twitter mention tweet; Twitter DM Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Now let’s look at how Twitter can be used for business. – Step 5: Talk Smarter – Step 6: Drive Traffic to Your Website and Blog • Tweet with link; Twitter URL shortener – Step 7: Connect Your Online Presence • Twitter social media button; Tweet button on SME – Step 8: Get Mobile With Twitter • Twitter iPhone app Leveraging Twitter to enhance business growth • Now let’s look at how Twitter can be used for business. – Step 9: Share Photographs in Your Tweets • Tweet with photo online; Twitter photo gallery – Step 10: Add Video to Your Twitter Timeline • Twitter video in a tweet; Vines tweet – Step 11: Organize Your Followers Into Conversation Lists – Step 12: Expand Your Audience With • Twitter GetGlue ; Twitter GetGlue hashtag list – Step 13: Pinpoint Potential Local Customers • Twitter advanced search; Twitter local search