Using Blogs and RSS for Your Organization

1
Using Blogs and RSS for Your Organization

• Content Coffee with Merry Bruns
• April 18, 2005
• Cheryl Contee
• Senior Consultant
• Issue Dynamics Inc. (IDI)

2
The Blog Phenomenon

• Blog or Weblog Web journal
• 7 of 120 million U.S. adults online say they
  have created a blog 8 million people.
• 27 of internet users say they read blogs 32
  million people
• Political blogs driving growth 9 of internet
  users said they read political blogs frequently
  or sometimes during the 2004 campaign.
• Source Pew Internet Project, Jan 2005

3
Blogs -- Why Theyre Growing

• Easy to Set Up Anyone can be a blogger
• Successful bloggers develop an audience by
  sifting through content and providing high
  quality condensed postings for a specifically
  segmented audience.
• They become the place to go on an issue with the
  most up to date information on that issue.
• Heavy use of linking between blogs increases
  rank on search engines.

4
Blog Impact Grassroots Case Study Rathergate
of 60 Minutes

• A posting on freerepublic.com during September
  broadcast of 60 Minutes led to evidence that the
  Bush National Guard records were forged.

5
Case StudyRathergate 1st Posting called on
other Bloggers to do some investigating
6
Case StudyRathergate Buckhead responds
with a challenge on the fonts.
7
Case StudyRathergate "Freepers collectively
possess more analytical horsepower than the
entire news division at CBS- BuckheadWithin
72 hours, CBS is forced to respond.
8
Case StudyCNNs Eason Jordan One blogger
relates Jordan comments at Davos a blog storm
results in resignation
9
Ways to Leverage Blogsfor Your Organization

• Monitor Issues Impacting your Organization
• Story Placement
• Advertise
• Launch Organization Blog

10
How Viral Is Your Issue?Monitor the
Conversation Online in the Blogosphere Using RSS
11
What is RSS?

• RSS (Really Simple Syndication) - standard
  protocol to provide streams of content as
  published. Automatically updates.
• RSS Reader Displays RSS feeds on the desktop
  within an application.
• RSS Aggregator Website or Plug-in that display
  collected, filtered RSS feeds within a browser.

12
Monitoring BlogsIf a tree falls in a forest....

• Key Indicators to Measure Blog Impact
• Links to Blog from other sites
• Total Traffic/Viewers of Blog
• Buzz - tracking stories and links around a
  given story

13
Monitoring Blogs Measuring Impact LinksHow
well is the site linked with other Blogs?
14
Monitoring Blogs Measuring ImpactTraffic Many
Blogs have links to Traffic Meters to allow
public to view their stats.
15
Monitoring Blogs Measuring ImpactBuzz
-Online tools allow for measurement of blogs
sites linking to developing stories.
16
Monitoring BlogsSearch Tools utilize RSS to
allow for almost real time monitoring.
17
Monitoring BlogsResults include rankings based
on links to Blog.WishList has option to save
search as RSS feed.
18
Monitoring BlogsRSS Feed from Search Tool can
be added to RSS aggregator that includes desktop
Notifier
19
Blog/RSS Case Studies

• Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
• Accessible Airwaves

20
Publishing RSS Feeds Create InternetNew
Distribution Channel Email Newsletters go to
individuals RSS goes out in real time and to
wider audience through ease of republishing.
21
(No Transcript)
22
Publishing RSS Feeds Site editor can decide
what RSS Feeds or specific content to display
Turn Web Site to source of choice on particular
issue.While RSS is typically free, paid feeds
allow sites to preserve branding.
23
RSS Feeds can be picked up by Coalition Partners,
Public, Other Publishers
24
Case Study WETA PBS

• One blogger Steve Gilliard gets a fundraising
  direct mail piece from WETA local DC PBS
  station
• His reaction negative

25
Case Study WETA PBS

• Just one person picks apart a direct mail piece
  line-by-line -- online

26
Case Study WETA PBS

• You want MY money? (from Technorati)
• 94 days ago it was posted on her blog, I won't
  redact her name. Keep in mind that we will be
  fundraising in the New... to challenge all the
  kool kids on the block. In that vein, here's a
  snarky reply to a PBS fundraising letter...
  raised in the next fundraising drive will be sent
  to various charities. Most likely, direct funds
• Steve Gilliard's News Blog 969 links from 696
  sources

27
Case Study DSCC 2004

• Howard Dean raised 20 million online from
  bloggers and activists.
• The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
  wanted to tap this energy
• 2 Goals Diffuse Negative Blog Posts Raise

28
Case Study DSCC 2004

• Launched FromTheRoots.org
• Direct dialogue --Senate candidates, activists
  and bloggers
• Reward good behavior - Daschle

29
Case Study DSCC 2004
- Raised money on the site more than covering
costs - Allowed bloggers and visitors to build
their own fundraising pages on site
30
Case Study DSCC 2004

• Outreach to progressive bloggers to do their own
  fundraising
• - Atrios 34,682.12
• Daily Kos 8,152.26
• - DSCC outraised NRSC
• Republican counterpart
• online several times over

31
Blog Story PlacementCase Study Accessible
Airwaves

• United Church of Christ
• ad rejected by CBS and
• NBC. UCCs Office of
• Communication decided
• on Internet strategy to
• gain support for
• keeping the airwaves
• open to all Americans.

32
Case Study Accessible Airwaves

• Searched Blogs to identify lead spokespersons.
• Identified 5 leading Bloggers that already
  Blogged on issue.
• Strategy call on issue with Bloggers and UCC.
• Gave Bloggers Network rejection letter before
  shared with press.
• Pre-launch email rolling out strategy to wider
  group of Bloggers
• Conference call with 15 Bloggers at same time
  press were notified.
• Created Blog - The medium is the message.

33
Case Study Accessible AirwavesLead Bloggers
early involvement made them invested in campaign.
34
Case Study Accessible AirwavesInvested
Bloggers adapted messages to own audiences..
35
Case Study Accessible AirwavesBloggers pushed
specific actions for people to takeWrite
lettersGive
36
Case Study Accessible AirwavesBloggers now
running free ads
37
Advertising Blog Ads on issue campaigns is low
cost approach to place issue messages and
generate discussion.
38
The Future of Blogs RSS

• Your Blog
• Video Blogs
• Podcasting/Mobcasting

39
Organization Blog1) Create a Blog around a
hot theme with particular audience.2) Allow
staff or star to post unofficially for company
or campaign.Articles then can be distributed to
other sites via RSS
40
Video Blogs Tsunami videos pushed this video
Blog to be the most read Blog in late December
41
Podcasting Leverages RSS with Audio
Broadcast6 million Americans have listenedso
far - Pew Internet Project
42
Mobcasting Podcast Broadcasts live from events.
43
GodcastingReligious Broadcasts on Podcasting
becoming one of most popular uses.
44
Thank you.