1. Blogging to Benefit Your Members
(And Your Organization)
Weblink Summit
September 23, 2009
Will Burns, Communications Director
Maryland Chamber of Commerce
3. Who Is This Clown?
Will Burns
Director of Communications
Maryland Chamber of Commerce
www.mdchamber.org
(410) 269-0642, Ext. 103
wburns@mdchamber.org
http://twitter.com/will_burns
4. Background
• Maryland Chamber launched our first
blog in 2004
• I’ve made just about every mistake you
can possibly make
• We’re in the process of refreshing our
blog, so I’ve been thinking about this a lot
lately
6. My Biggest Mistakes
• Lack of Strategic Thinking Upfront
• Unrealistic Expectation
• Too Much Focus on:
• Blogging Tools
• Design Elements
• Third-Party Plugins and Hacks
• Traffic and Search Engine Optimization
• Advertising/Monetization Strategies
• Not Enough Focus on Content
7. It took me four years to understand:
It’s the Content Stupid!
9. Does Your Chamber Have a Blog?
If Not, Is Your Chamber Thinking
About Launching A Blog?
10. Agenda
• Why Should Chambers Blog?
• How Can Blogging Benefit Your Chamber
and its Members?
• Tips for Getting Started or Reviewing
Your Existing Strategy
• Content Ideas
• Discussion
11. Why Should Chambers Blog
• Deliver Timely, Useful Content
• Position Your Chamber as a Thought
Leader
• Raise Awareness for Your Programs &
Activities
• Bring Personality to Your Chamber’s Brand
• Promote Interaction and Community
12. Chamber Benefits
• Establish a Position of Thought Leadership
• Increase Exposure and Web Traffic
• Compliment Existing Marketing Efforts: Blogs
Make a Great Hub for Multichannel Outreach
• Generate More Member Feedback and
Engagement in Chamber Activities
• Great Media and Public Relations Tool
13. Member Benefits
• Easy Access to Timely and Useful
Information from a Trusted Source
• A Platform to Showcase Your Members
as Experts
• Increased Exposure and Credibility
• Create a Greater Sense of Community
and Involvement
15. Chamber - Information Filter
“It’s Not Information Overload.
It’s Filter Failure”
--Clay Shirky
www.shirky.com
Author of:
Here Comes Everybody
The Power of Organizing Without Organizations
16. Getting Started
• Research Blogging Tools
• Determine Your Goals & Objectives
• Develop a Plan
• Launch Something
17. Research Blogging Tools
• Does Your Current Content Management
System Support Blogging Functionality?
• Does Your Web Designer Prefer One
Solution Over Others?
• Does Anyone on Staff Have a Personal
Blog?
19. Goals & Objectives
• What Topics Will You Cover?
• What Are Your Goals for the Blog?
• How Do Your Goals for the Blog Tie Back
Into Your Chamber’s Goals?
• Define & Prioritize Key Audiences
• How do You Define and Measure
Success?
20. Social Technologies
A social trend in which people
use technologies to get the things
they need from each other,
rather than from traditional
institutions like corporations
--Forrester Research’s definition of the Groundswell
21. Social Technologies
• Objectives
• Listen - Better understand our members and
prospective members.
• Talk - Spread messages about the Chamber
• Energize - Put our most energetic supporters to
work
• Support - Give our members the tools to interact
with and support one another
• Embrace - Harness member ideas to improve our
services and programs
22. Develop a Plan
• What Approvals Do You Need?
• Who is Responsible for Developing Content?
• How Often Will You Post Updates?
• How Do You Incorporate Your Blog Into
Existing Marketing & Communications
Activities?
• How Will You Manage Comments?
• Set Reader Expectations Up Front
24. Comment Policy
• Let people post opposing viewpoints
• No profanity or tasteless comments
• Rather than deleting comments you think
are misleading, post your own comment
clarifying your position
25. Comment Policy
Please note that the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce
may, in our sole discretion, reject comments for any reason we deem
appropriate. Links of value to the business community are welcome,
but please use them sparingly - wield spam and you're banished
forever. If you have an issue with a Winter Haven area business,
please address that issue directly with that business. This is a
moderated site and comments will appear if and when they are
approved. We will review the queue several times daily, so please
don't resubmit if your comment doesn't appear immediately.
26. Launch Something
• Get Something Up and Running
• Ask for Feedback
• Make Incremental Improvements
• Not Sure: Use a Free Hosted Service and
Gauge Member Response
27. Content is King
• Legislative Advocacy • Local Attractions
• Testimonials • Corporate Social
Responsibility
• Articles & Press
Releases • Sustainability/Green
Business
• Member News
• Upcoming Events • Small Business Tips
• Event Recaps • Member Generated
Content
28. Content Ideas
• Promote Your Advocacy Positions
• Promote Your Events
• Provide a Peak Behind the Curtain
• Promote Member News
• Showcase Member Expertise - Go Beyond the Press
Release
• Promote Member Benefits
29. Content Ideas
• Promote Your Advocacy Positions
• Chamber Testifies Before XYZ Committee
• Frequent Updates About Bills You Don’t Read About
in the Paper
• Interviews with Member Policy Experts
• Interviews with Key Lawmakers
• Blog a Site Visit With Lawmakers Meeting with
Member Companies in the District
30. Blogs
• Advocacy
• Boston Chamber
posts position
statements and
advocacy videos
31. Blogs
• Advocacy
• Maryland Chamber
launched an advocacy
blog where our
lobbyists and staff
from local chambers
can post updates
32. Content Ideas
• Promote Your Events
• Promote upcoming events
• Interview or shoot a quick video of the speaker for
your next event
• Event recap
• Include some photos or video to show people what
they missed
33. Blogs
• Advocacy
• Boston Chamber
posts recaps of its
events, often
featuring photos and
videos
34. Blogs
• Events
• Maryland Chamber
posts video highlights
from educational
events
35. Content Ideas
• Provide a Peak Behind the Curtain
• Series of Board Member Profiles
• Provide Members a Fly on the Wall Perspective of
Your Next Board Meeting
• How do Committees Work
• Meet the Staff
• Profile a Key Volunteer
• Five Questions With ...
• Behind the Scenes at an Event
36. Blogs
• Behind the Curtain
• North Mason
Chamber posts
updates from the
Chair and other
inside looks at
membership efforts
37. Blogs
• Behind the Curtain
• Maryland Chamber
posted a video with
the new Chair,
outlining the
organization’s goals
for the coming year
38. Content Ideas
• Promote Member News
• New hires
• New business
• Member Profiles
• Awards & Recognition
• Events they are hosting
• Promote member blogs
39. Blogs
• Member News
• Maryland Chamber
profiles member
companies.
40. Blogs
• Member News
• Winter Haven blog
features frequent
member news
updates. Their
members interact a
lot in the comments
area as well.
41. Content Ideas
• Small Business Tips
• Ad Agency on How to Build Your Brand
• PR Firm on How to Pitch the Media
• Banking, Finance Pro,VC on Accessing Capital
• Consultant on Strategic Planning
• HR Pro on Hiring and Staff Development
• Well Known Networker on Networking Best
Practices
42. Blogs
• Small Business Tips
• Tips from a business
coach on how to get
the most out of
chamber events
43. Blogs
• Small Business Tips
• Indiana Chamber
summarized a
Business Week article
on presentation best
practices
44. Content Ideas
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Cover Member Community Service Days - Include
Photos and Videos
• Profile Business Leaders Who Serve on Nonprofit
Boards
• Showcase Corporate Philanthropy - How Much Did
Member Businesses Give to Local Charities Last Year
• Cover Local United Way Campaigns, Blood Drives
and Similar Community Outreach Efforts
45. Blogs
• Corporate Social
Responsibility
• Maryland Chamber
highlights member
community service
days
46. Blogs
• Corporate Social
Responsibility
• North Mason
Chamber organized
the North Mason
Cancer Crusaders
47. Content Ideas
• Human Resource Issues
• Identifying and Hiring Talented Employees
• Staff Development & Evaluation Best Practices
• HR Audits
• Employment Policy Manual Best Practices
• Employment Law Changes
48. Blogs
• HR Tips
• East Portland
Chamber had a
member post an item
with HR Tips
50. Content Ideas
• Sustainability & Green Business
• What Are Members Doing to Conserve Energy in
the Workplace
• Showcase a Company Who Has an Employee Green
Team
• Showcase a Member With a New Green Buildings
• Showcase Green Service Providers - LEED Certifies
Lawyers, Architects, Builders, Etc.
• Promote Recycling and E-cycling Programs
• Sit in on a Member’s Energy Audit
51. Blogs
• Green Business
• Video tour of a
member’s new
“green” HQ
52. Blogs
• Green Business
• Siouxland Chamber
promoted E-Cycle
Day
53. Content Ideas
• Promote Member Benefits
• How to Get the Most From Your Membership?
• Energy Co-ops
• Health Insurance
• Publications
• Discounted Office Supplies
• Member-to-Member Discounts
54. Blogs
• Promote Member
Benefits
• Siouxland Chamber:
101 Ways to Take
Advantage of the
Chamber!
56. Content Ideas
• Seek Member Feedback
• Polls & Surveys
• Ask For Feedback About Chamber Programs,
Services & Events
• Ask How Will a Certain Pending Issue Will Impact
Your Business?
