Reasons for Business Blogging and Kicking Off a Local Socal Network

posted on Friday, June 6th, 2008 at 11:57 am by Bill Heaton · No Comments

Reasons for Business Blogging and Kicking Off a Local Socal Network [10:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Internet Marketing Report and Social Media Highlights Newsletter - June 2008

This newsletter will mail out the first week of each month, please visit the link below to opt-in http://lists.pixelhandler.com

‘Bill’s Internet Marketing Report’ - Another good reason for businesses to blog

- Strategies and topics relating to the happenings I experience in the race of marketing, publishing and selling on the web.

I’m currently employed by a medical equipment manufacturer and distributor (I freelance too) and last month some very interesting news was broadcast on news radio and the internet about the LA Laker’s own Kobe Bryant and his back injury.

From latimes.com — May 13, 2008

"I tried to play and make drives to the basket where I could kind of withstand the pain without the back completely spasming and then put the next game really in jeopardy," Bryant said.

On Monday he addressed reporters while standing, as he did during Sunday’s postgame news conference. Bryant said he would receive round-the-clock treatment.

His regimen includes ice, heat, massage and stretching. Bryant also held his electrical stimulation device by his side, saying he would basically sleep with it the next couple days.

The reason why this news was inspiring for my employer is that the company’s main product offering does just what Kobe’s medical device does and more. This news became a great way for the company to share with clients about just how good their technology really is; also sharing the story about Kobe saying “he would basically sleep with it the next couple days.” In following up on the report, Kobe did not miss a game during this series and continued to score very well, while the Lakers moved on to the next playoff series.

The reason why this news was so valuable to blog about is that it allowed the company’s news blog to add valuable content supporting the site’s search engine optimizations (SEO) objectives. The general public may use different variations of the words that a business uses to describe its offerings. The blog format allows for a very quick response to optimizing the companies Web site with the terms used by the general public and reporters. The best benefit is that the reported did report on Kobe talking about a medical condition that my employee has a solution for, back spasms!

Once the blog was posted, the same day as multiple news agencies reported on the injury I sent off an email to a targeted group of clients that would be very impressed with the technology and hearing that a professional basketball player and NBA MVP says so. That perspective was a lot better than I could say, even though I used the technology after a broken leg and shoulder and loved how well the medical device blocked my pain.

The return on investment for this blog and email blast was that conversation were opened up with key clients who needed to learn more about the technology and how it fit in within the sports profession.

Sites referenced:

‘Highlights in Social Media’ - Starting up an online social network with NING

- The Internet is bringing people together and making connections for personal and professional development. Being involved socially online is a way to build new relationships with like-minded individuals.

Recently I became interested in social media and networking with other like minded Internet professionals. My favorite online social networks are linkedin.com and twitter.com, I use facebook.com and a few others less often. When I read about ning.com in FastCompany magazine and also heard about ning.com again during a local meetup in OC. This got my created juices flowing and since I enjoy networking with other professionals, and also have spent much of my career flying solo (as an in-house person or working from home), I was inspired to kick off a new network, refreshoc.com in alignment with the ‘Refreshing Cities’ concept… Refresh is a community of designers and developers working to refresh the creative, technical, and professional culture of New Media endeavors in their areas. Promoting design,technology, usability, and standards.

I am interested to find out how many other Orange County Internet professionals would be interested in networking and building a local community for sharing experiences on creating the Web that we surf on. At the end of 2007 I attended a PodCamp in Ontario (SoCal); there I was very interested in how people gather around a common interest or passion. I was able to learn from others who are doing what I wanted to learn, just by attending and participating in the unconference style of gathering.

One concept that I would like to discuss on Refresh OC is the possibility of growing a community of OC Internet professionals who would like to attend a facilitated, participant-driven gathering centered around building the Internet; where professionals share, learn and grow in an open environment. Perhaps this will happen once discussions begin on the topic of planning events and organizing discussions, demos and interaction from participants right Here in OC. Perhaps each event could have a 50/50 raffle or a more creative way of raising funds to benefit a local cause.

Sites referenced: