The document summarizes 7 trends impacting bloggers presented by Arik C. Hanson at a blogging conference. The trends are: 1) Avoiding oversaturated content, 2) RSS feeds are dead while email newsletters are thriving, 3) Using content syndication to reach new readers, 4) The rise of do-it-yourself visual editing tools, 5) Social media sharing is declining so adjust expectations, 6) Blogs are taking on simpler designs like newer websites, and 7) Blog comments may be obsolete. Hanson encourages bloggers to adapt strategies to these changing trends.

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7 Trends That Impact
Every Blogger in this
Room
Arik C. Hanson
Communications Conversations
Nov. 14, 2015
#mnblogcon

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ABOUT ARIK
• Blogger, independent
marketing consultant,
podcaster,
e-newsletter maker, board
member, event organizer
• Co-founder #mnblogcon,
@arikhanson
#mnblogcon

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Blogging has come a long way since 2008…
#mnblogcon

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Hell, blogging has come a long way since
*2014*!
#mnblogcon

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What’s really changed?
And what should we do about it?
#mnblogcon

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#1 - Content
Avoid the “Content Shock”
#mnblogcon

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Everyone is doing this.
#mnblogcon

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And I mean EVERYONE.
#mnblogcon

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Instead, do this.
#mnblogcon

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Or, this.
#mnblogcon

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#2 - Tech
RSS = Dead.
E-newsletters = Alive and well.
#mnblogcon

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Why enewsletters?
• Entrance into the holy grail of communication.
• One-to-one communication.
• Easier than ever (hello Mailchimp!)
• Opportunity to start—and nurture—a relationship.
• And add value!
#mnblogcon

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#3 - Strategy
Content syndication = New readers!
#mnblogcon

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#4 - Design
The rise of DIY visual tools

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DIY tools of the trade
• PicMonkey/Canva (photo editing)
• Easelly/Visually (infographics)
• Awesome Screenshot (Chrome Extension—do it)
• Google Drawings (freehand)

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DIY vs. Professional help?

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#5 - Social
Social sharing ain’t what it used to be…

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Don’t believe me, huh?

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• 6 billion video views per day on Snapchat (for context,
Facebook videos get 8 billion per day)
• Whats App: 800 million active users (for context,
Facebook has 1.19 billion active users)
• Facebook Messenger: 700 million active users

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• Re-adjust expectations
• Consider removing the share icons from your blog (DID I
JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD?!?!?!?)
• And forget about “Success Theater”
(HT: Greg Swan)
What does this mean for YOU?

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#6 - Brand
Blogs are finally starting to look less like,
well, blogs.

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And starting to look a lot more like the
“new, simplified web.”

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#7 - Tech
The blog comment may officially be dead.

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Why say “no” to blog comments?
• See bullet #5.
• More convos on Facebook, LinkedIn?
• What if I don’t have ANY comments?

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7 trends that impact every blogger
in this room
• Avoid the content shock.
• RSS=dead. E-newsletters=Alive and well.
• Content syndication is critical
• The rise of DIY visual tools
• Social sharing ain’t what it used to be
• Blogs are starting to look less like blogs.
• The blog comment may officially be dead.

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@arikhanson
arik@arikhanson.com
arikhanson.com (sign up for Talking Points)