Saratoga

I often create PDFs to use as attachments with blog posts. They are more secure than most file types and almost all Internet users have Adobe Acrobat Reader on thier PC which means they can view the file (this software is also free and can be downloaded from Adobe’s Web Site). Whereas a Microsoft Word file can be easily edited and you have no idea how many readers have this software and, if they do, do they actually have the same version?

I have found a very simple piece of software that installs as a Printer Driver allowing you to create PDFs from most software applications. You just create the document, go to the print dialogue box and select PDF as the printer. The software is PDF995. You need to download the PDF995 printer driver and converter form the site. I would also recommend using pdfedit995 if you want to do anything slightly more advanced with the documents, such as bookmarks, include hyperlinks and other useful features.

Once you have installed pdf995 print driver and convertor you are free to generate PDF files whenever you want. You do get pop up ads, but these are easily turned off and not overly annoying in return for some really useful free software.

Here are some instructions and screenshots of me creating a PDF from a Word document using this software.
Creating PDFs with pdf995

Have fun
Wayne

I am sure Richard will not mind being called a novice! He has only been blogging for a short while and is a self confessed beginner.

Here are his simple tips for others thinking of starting out
http://marketingthatworks.blogwessex.com/2007/04/19/whats-blogging-all-about/

Happy reading
Wayne

Sometimes people create their posts in other formats and copy in to the blog. This may have an effect on the links.

Here is a ‘How to…’ sheet for creating links in your wordpress blog.
create-a-web-link-in-your-wordpress-blog.pdf

I hope this helps
Wayne

We have found a very useful plugin for Wordpress from http://tantannoodles.com/toolkit/wordpress-reports/
You need a Google account and to create a Google Analytics account for your blog.
Google Analytics is free and provides very good statistics.
This plugin gives a snapshot view via the wordpress dashboard making it even easier!

I have created a PDF ‘How To…’ for creating a Google Analytics account and then activiating the plugin and entering the relevant settings.
add-google-analaytics-to-blog.pdf
If you need help installing the plugin itself, there are details on the tantannoodles web site.

At last night’s Blog seminar a prize was presented to the ‘Blogger of the month’: Desk Coach (Shirley Thompson)

The decision was based on number of posts, quality of posts (measured by number of people commenting) and general style. When analysing the posts from Shirley it was clear that they started in an article style (giving information) and ended with a question. It was agreed that this was a great way to stimulate thought and encourgae responses.

Well done Shirley - enjoy the wine!!
Wayne

We have embarked on this project to raise awareness in the Wessex region of the value of blogs as a marketing tool.

Whether you are one of the 9 involved in this project, or someone else looking for blog advice, you need to be clear about why you are blogging. It can be a time consuming activity and requires commitment over a period of time.
To make your blog an effective marketing tool you need to remember the following;
1. Do not rely on your blog as your only form of marketing. To have one form of marketing is never effective. Make sure your blog complements the rest of your marketing and is part of a planned approach to marketing.
2. Know your audience. You need to know what interests your target audience and how to get their attention AND get them coming back for more.
3. Have a focus for your blog. You are far more likely to get word-of-mouth promotion for your blog if the focus is clear. Visitors that find it of interest will know who else would be interested and be able to tell people what your blog is about!
4. Take a look at other business blogs. Find ones that you like and try to replicate the features and/or style. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
5. Set targets that can be measured. You need to know if the blog delivers or not. If after a while, it does not deliver then it may not be an effective marketing tool for you.

You are doing this for business reasons - but you can still enjoy it!!

Have fun
Wayne

The software powering the Blogs for this project is WordPress.

WordPress provide a number of guides, how to instructions and lessons. Many of these are for advanced users or web designers. There are some that are very helpful for beginners too. I have transferred the content into PDF files so that you can easily access them for download to read at your leisure.
They should help you get used to the basic features within the blog package.

wordpress-blog-lesson-1-introduction-to-blogging.pdf

wordpress-blog-lesson-2-wordpress-basics.pdf

Happy reading
Wayne

Writing content for a blog is similar to writing for a Web site in many ways: reading on a screen is difficult so keep it brief, use headings, sub headings and bullet points. Let people scan easily.

Follow this link to access a PDF of a recent presentation about writing content for a Web site. It does not all apply to blogs, but it could give you some useful tips.

http://blog.saratogauk.com/archives/51

My advice: take the leap of faith. Put content on your blog. We all have to start somewhere and only through trial and experimenting can you improve. Write with emotion, humour, etc - generally, people do not want to read slick marketing copy on a blog.

Good luck

Wayne