Our Blogging for Business Playbook highlights our premium tool-kit of tools & templates to help you create an effective blogging marketing plan and produce engaging content to support your marketing goals. This PDF is also the course guide for our Blogging for Business Training Course, which has 2 video modules that go from fundamental concepts to advanced implementation of blogging strategy including blogging SEO.

1. BLOGGING for BUSINESS
Playbook & Toolkit
Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a blogging plan that increases your leads,
builds community, implies authority, and grows brand awareness.

2. Table of Contents BLOGGING for BUSINESS
Introduction 04
Conclusion
Framework
28
03
About This Playbook 29
Understand Blogging 08
12Evaluate Readiness
15Research Approach
18Plan Content
23Implement Strategy
26Measure Results
stage
stage
stage
stage
stage
stage
1
2
3
4
5
6

3. Blogging Metrics
Dashboard
Blog Post
Inspiration List
How-to Guide
SEO Blog Post Opti-
mization Checklist
Top Marketing Blogs
Database
Content Marketing
Maturity Model
Content Mapping
Tool
Content & Buyers
Journey Benchmark
Content Marketing
Framework
Social Media Policy
Guidelines Template
Buyer Personas
Content Marketing
Training Course
Blogging Promotion &
EngagementChecklist
Blog Policy Template
Content Marketing
Maturity Assessment
Content Contributors
Database
Building A Content
Factory Workshop
Blog Post
Syndication Calendar
Training Course
Content Quality
Checklist
Blog Platform
Database
Blogging
Maturity Assessment
Blogging Topic
Prioritization
Content Effectiveness
Benchmark Report
Social Media
Marketing Framework
Buying Process Stage
Content Mapping
Social Media
Training Course
Blog Post
Syndication Calendar
Social Media Policy
How-to Guide
Content Marketing
Assets Database
Writing Effective
Content Workshop
AgencyManagement
Training Course
Leverage the framework below to quickly
empower your organization’s blogging strategy.
BLOGGING for BUSINESS
Framework
MEASURE6PLAN4 IMPLEMENT51 UNDERSTAND EVALUATE2 RESEARCH3
Click the buttons below to access all related
training, tools, templates, and other resources.

4. 4BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
What Is the Purpose of This Playbook? Blogging Defined
A blog is a discussion or informational
site published on the World Wide
Web and consisting of discrete entries
(“posts”) typically displayed in reverse
chronological order (the most recent post
appears first).
To help you develop a ’Blogging for Business’ Plan that:
Is aligned with corporate values and vision
Provides a solid foundation for content marketing
Supports Corporate Marketing strategy, Content Marketing
plans, and Social Media Marketing plans
Corporate Marketing strategy
Marketing Communications Plan
Content
Marketing
Plan
Social Media
Marketing
Plan
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Plan Content Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
1 2 3 4 5 6
Introduction
Bottom line
Blog posts bring in leads, create value, build
community, imply authority, and grow brand
awareness.

5. 5BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
What Are the Top 3 Benefits of Blogging? Why Do You Need to be Blogging?
SEO
Increase your organization’s search engine optimiza-
tion efforts by inserting targeted key words into every
post. The goal is to increase traffic to your website and
ultimately capture more sales.
Communication
Blogs are great communication vehicles and can be
used to provide more detail about upcoming events,
announcements, thought leadership, etc.
ROI
Blogs are notoriously inexpensive and efficient. Setting
up a blog with a service provider, such as Wordpress,
is free, and adding a new blog post can take minutes.
59% of B2B marketers consider blogs
the most valuable channel.
On average companies with blogs
produce +67% more leads per month.
Blogging 15+ times per month
generates 5 times more traffic.
Companies that blog have 97% more
inbound leads than those that do not.
MarketingProfs,
B2B Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmark
InsideView: How Social is B2B?
Copy Press
Midwest Marketing
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Plan Content Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
1 2 3 4 5 6
Introduction

6. 6BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Other Training Courses That Relate How to Use This Consulting Playbook
This playbook is connected directly to the Content Marketing
Training Course and Social Media Marketing Training Course, and
we highly recommend you also look at those courses for additional
best practice resources and advice for your blogging project.
This playbook consists of six stages, each with a description, steps,
and action items. Action items include using our premium tools and
templates. Our intention with this playbook is to help you:
Understand blogging and identify the audience and
topic you should focus on
Evaluate and select the technology that will be the
backbone of your blogging strategy
Plan and craft a strategy to drive traffic to your blog
content using SEO, Social Media, and Email
CONTENT
MARKETING
Training Course
SOCIAL MEDIA
MARKETING
Training Course
S TA R T L E A R N I N G
S TA R T L E A R N I N G
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Plan Content Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
1 2 3 4 5 6
Introduction

7. 7BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Outputs from This Playbook
Stage 1 - Understand Blogging
Stage 4 - Plan Content
Content Marketing Training Course, Content & Buyers
Journey Benchmark
Blog Post Inspiration List, Buying Process Stage Content
Mapping, Content Mapping Tool
Stage 2 - Evaluate Readiness
Stage 5 - Implement Strategy
Content Marketing Maturity Assessment, Blogging
Maturity Assessment
SEO Blog Post Optimization Checklist, Content Quality
Checklist, Blogging Promotion & Engagement Checklist
Stage 3 - Research Approach
Stage 6 - Measure Results
Top Marketing Blogs Database, Social Media Policy
How-to Guide
Blogging Metrics Dashboard
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Plan Content Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
1 2 3 4 5 6
Introduction

8. Understand Blogging
STAGE 1
BLOGGING for BUSINESS
It’s essential that your organization starts by leveraging best practices to ensure a strong
foundation for any blogging project. In this stage you will understand the approach
top marketers are having success with.
STEP 1: Review Blogging Best Practices
STEP 2: Leverage our 6-Step Blogging Plan
STEP 3: Review Data about Successful Content
STEP 4: Understand How to Build a Content Factory
STEP 5: Review Effective Content Writing Tips

9. 9BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Introduction
2 3 5 64
1
Choosing the best audience
Optimization framework for blog posts
Promotion and Engagement best practices
Reviewing blog technology solutions
Choose a blog provider
Decide on your audience
Choose a topic/theme
Create a promotional strategy
Start connecting
Continue writing
Review Blogging Best Practices Leverage our 6-Step Blogging Plan
STEP 1 STEP 2
Action Item Action Item
Watch the Training Course: Blogging for Business to
help you review fundamental concepts and advanced
implementation of blogging strategy.
Read the Creating a Blog for Your Business’ How-to Guide
to understand the fundamental steps required to launch your
business blog.
Topics covered by this video course include: The action plan includes:
BLOGGING
FOR BUSINESS
Training Course S TA R T L E A R N I N G
Blogging 101 (19 min)
Advanced Blogging (23 min)
Overall duration: 42 minutes
Length: 3 pages
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging
V I E W R E S O U R C E
CREATING A
BLOG FOR YOUR
BUSINESS
How-to Guide
V I E W R E S O U R C E

10. 10BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Executive Summary
The Buyer’s Journey
Content Performance
Key Principles of Content Marketing
Defining Your Content Objectives
Sourcing and Managing Content Contributors
Forms and Formats: Types of Content & Their Best Use
You Already Have it: Reusing and Recycling
Buying Stage Content
Effectiveness
Content Marketing Problems
Analyst Bottom Line
Review Data about Successful Content Understand How to Build a Content Factory
STEP 3 STEP 4
Action Item Action Item
Read the Content & Buyer’s Journey Benchmark Report to
explore how effectively marketers are using content to influ-
ence the buyer’s journey.
Watch the eWorkshop: Building a Content Factory to
help you create and manage a strong Content Marketing
program that can vault your company to the top of the
thought-leader board.
This report includes the following sections: This workshop includes topics such as:
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Length: 29 pages
CONTENT &
BUYER’S JOURNEY
Benchmark Report
Overall duration: 52 minutes
BUILDING A
CONTENT FACTORY
eWorkshop
W AT C H V I D E OV I E W R E S O U R C E
Introduction
2 3 5 64
1 Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging

11. 11BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Message Prioritization
Importance of writing style
Economy of words
Creating a call to action
Review Effective Content Writing Tips
STEP 5
Action Item
Watch the eWorkshop: Writing Effective Content to help
organizations craft better quality content that communi-
cates effectively and achieves better engagement results.
Topics discussed include:
Overall duration: 62 minutes
WRITING EFFECTIVE
CONTENT
eWorkshop
W AT C H V I D E O
Introduction
2 3 5 64
1 Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging

12. Evaluate Readiness
STAGE 2
In Stage 2 you will evaluate the maturity of your organization when it comes to
both blogging and content marketing overall.
You will perform the following actions to prepare your company for Blogging:
STEP 1: Assessing your Blogging Maturity
STEP 2: Assessing your Content Marketing Maturity
STEP 3: Set Goals for Content Marketing Maturity
BLOGGING for BUSINESS

13. 13BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Introduction
2
Strategy
Processes
Leadership
Organizational Alignment
Senior Management Buy-In
Content Marketing Knowledge
Existing Assets
Competitive Insight
Blogging
Technology
Budget & Staffing
Metrics and Reporting
Staff and Resources
Plan and Distribution
Process Documentation
Assessing Your Blogging Maturity Assessing Your Content Marketing Maturity
STEP 1 STEP 2
Action Item Action Item
Use the Blogging Maturity Assessment to identify strengths
and weaknesses in your current blogging processes,
systems, assets, and knowledge management.
Use our Content Marketing Maturity Assessment to
assess your organization’s content marketing program
maturity at a more broad level.
This assessment is intended to address the following areas: This assessment will audit these key areas:
Evaluate
Readiness
V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E
Understand
Blogging
Research
Approach
Plan Content Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
1 3 4 5 6

14. 14BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
STEP 3
Budget & Staff
Tools & Platforms
Lead Generation
Email Marketing
Cross-Channel Marketing
Metrics
Set Goals for Content Marketing Maturity
Action Item
Use our Content Marketing Maturity Model to help your
organization by providing a road map for improving their
content-marketing capabilities.
This model is based on several criteria:
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Introduction
2
Evaluate
Readiness
Understand
Blogging
Research
Approach
Plan Content Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
1 3 4 5 6

15. Research Approach
STAGE 3
STEP 1: Review the Top Marketing Blogs
STEP 2: Choose Your Blogging Technology Platform
STEP 3: Write Your Blog Policy
STEP 4: Write Your Social Media Policy
Stage 3 will help you review different successful approaches to blogging and then select the best
blogging technology platform.
You will also ensure a strong legal framework to protect your organization
with policy templates you can use as a starting point.
BLOGGING for BUSINESS

16. 16BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Marketing Automation
Personality
News
Social Media
Email Marketing
SEO
Company name
Description
Website URL
Pros
Cons
Review the Top Marketing Blogs Choose Your Blogging Technology Platform
STEP 1 STEP 2
Action Item Action Item
Use the Top Marketing Blogs Database to summarize
the top blogs in the marketing world, for easy navigation,
discovery, and inspiration.
Use the Blog Platform Database to evaluate the different
software platform options available, including both pros
and cons, free or paid, for blogging in your organization.
This database includes blog categories such as: This database includes the following information:
Introduction
5 64
3
1 2
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Research
Approach
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Plan Content
V I E W R E S O U R C EV I E W R E S O U R C E

17. 17BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Purpose
Scope
Personal Use of Social Media
Use on Behalf of Company
Write Your Social Media Policy
STEP 3 STEP 4
Action Item Action Item
Use the Social Media Policy and Guidelines to help
you create reasonable guidelines for online behavior by
employees and contractors.
This policy includes:
Purpose
Scope
Sample Disclaimer
Sample Terms & Conditions
Write Your Blog Policy
Use the Blog Policy Template to help absolve your
organization from litigation resulting from illegal or
inappropriate content.
This policy includes:
V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E
Introduction
5 64
3
1 2
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Research
Approach
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Plan Content

18. Plan Content
STAGE 4
STEP 1: Define Buyer Personas
STEP 2: Establish Your Buying Process
STEP 3: Map Your Content to the Buying Process
STEP 4: Choose Your Blog’s Topic/Theme
STEP 5: Leverage Existing Content Marketing Assets
STEP 6: Establish Your Content Contributors
STEP 7: Leverage the Blog Post Inspiration List
This stage is all about your blog’s content. In this Stage, you will:
BLOGGING for BUSINESS

19. 19BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Introduction
5 6
4
Background (Job Title, Income, Age, Education)
Situation (priorities, pain points, motivation, needs, goals)
Habits (likes/dislikes, trusted resources, research methods)
Decision-Making (authority, budget, purchase process)
Define Your Buyer Personas Establish Your Buying Process
STEP 1 STEP 2
Action Item Action Item
Use the Buyer Persona Template to document relevant
information about the prototypical “key players” involved in
making a decision to purchase your products and services.
Use the Buying Process Stage Template to identify the
messages and assets needed to align your sales process
& actions with each buyer persona’s progress through their
buying process.
Characteristics you will want to capture include:
1 2 3
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Buying Process
Need
Discovery
Consideration
Decision
Review
Sales Actions
Provoke
Educate
Explain
Reassure
Maintain
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach

20. 20BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Case Study Template
White Paper Template
Press Release Template
Business Case Template
Map Your Content to the Buying Process Choose Your Blogs Topic/Theme
STEP 3 STEP 4
Action Item Action Item
Use the Content Mapping Template to create a visual
representation of your content marketing plan.
Use the Blogging Topic Prioritization tool to measure how
different blogging topics or themes compare to each other
based on your target audience.
Here are a few resources you can use when creating content: This tool allows you to understand which topics of discussion will
be most engaging for your audience, ensuring you don’t have more
topics than necessary, so you can focus on only the best topics for
your readers.
V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E
Introduction
5 6
4
1 2 3
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach

21. 21BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Name of Asset
Status
Owner
Name of Contributor
Relationship
Specialization
Last Updated Date
Usage
Distribution
Skill Level
Turnaround time
Rate
Leverage Existing Content Marketing Assets Establish Your Content Contributors
STEP 5 STEP 6
Action Item Action Item
Use the Content Marketing Assets Database to identify
the condition of your existing marketing collateral and
sales assets.
Use the Content Marketing Contributors Database to
manage your content-marketing contributors.
This tool will provide you with the following information: This tool will provide you with the following information:
V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E
Introduction
5 6
4
1 2 3
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach

22. 22BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Product tips
Answer a Question
Customer showcase
Tell a story
Reaction
Company update
Leverage the Blog Post Inspiration List
STEP 7
Action Item
Use the Blog Post Inspiration List to get inspired for
amazing posts you could write on your blog that are
engaging and interesting.
Example blog topics include:
Introduction
5 6
4
1 2 3
Implement
Strategy
Measure
Results
Plan Content
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
V I E W R E S O U R C E

23. Implement Strategy
STAGE 5
STEP 1: Optimize Your Blog Posts
STEP 2: Promote and Engage with Your Audience
STEP 3: Syndicate Blog Posts on all Marketing Channels
STEP 4: Use Content Marketing and Social Media
In Stage 5 you will be ensuring that your content is ready for syndication and fully optimized. You will
discover a best practice approach to promoting your blog and engaging with your audience.
There are 3 steps:
BLOGGING for BUSINESS

24. 24BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Introduction
6
5
Styling & Format
Keyword placement
Call to Action
Use of Visuals
Posting regularly
Providing exit popups for blog visitors
Using email to promote posts
Daring people to comment
Allowing commenters to subscribe to the post
Optimize Your Blog Posts Promote and Engage with Your Audience
STEP 1 STEP 2
Action Item Action Item
Use our SEO Blog Post Optimization Checklist to get
your blog post ready for search engine optimization, and
ensure you didn’t miss any crucial components of your post
according to your blog policy.
Use our Blogging Promotion and Engagement Checklist to
help you review essential strategies to enhance the promo-
tion and engagement of your blog.
Optimizations include: A few key success factors include:
1 2 3 4
Measure
Results
Implement
Strategy
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Plan Content
V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E

25. 25BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
STEP 3 STEP 4
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email Newsletter
Google Plus
Syndicate Blog Posts to Marketing Channels Use Content Marketing and Social Media
Action Item Action Item
Use our Blog Post Syndication Calendar to help you plan
when you will syndicate your blog post across all of your
Marketing Channels.
Leverage the Content Marketing Framework and Social
Media Marketing Framework to dig more deeply into our
content marketing and social media resources to help your
blogging effort.
Distribution channels can include:
V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Introduction
6
5
1 2 3 4
Measure
Results
Implement
Strategy
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Plan Content

26. Measure Results
STAGE 6
STEP 1: Set Up a Metrics Dashboard
Now that your Blogging program has been launched, you need to take a moment to reflect on the
program, measure success of the initiative and plan for the natural evolution and maintenance of Blog.
In this Stage you will:
BLOGGING for BUSINESS

27. 27BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS
Introduction
6
Content Sharing by Social Channel
Blog Postings/Tweets by Topic
Referral Traffic (All Social Media Channels)
Total Comments/Re-Tweets
Facebook Fans
Twitter Followers
Set Up a Metrics Dashboard
STEP 1
Action Item
Use our Blogging Metrics Dashboard to collect key
metrics and show visually with charts how the Blogging
program is doing.
Following are some key metrics you want to analyze:
1 2 3 4 5
Measure
Results
Understand
Blogging
Evaluate
Readiness
Research
Approach
Implement
Strategy
Plan Content
V I E W R E S O U R C E

28. Conclusion
BLOGGING for BUSINESS
At the end of any project, it’s always a good idea to review it and identify
areas for improvement.
Demand Metric has the tools and expertise to help you build an effective
Blogging program:
Create or audit your existing Blogging Strategy
Assist with using any of the tools referenced in this playbook
Provide hands-on marketing assistance to accelerate achieving your
marketing department’s goals.
To learn more, contact Demand Metric: info@demandmetric.com

29. About This Playbook
BLOGGING for BUSINESS
Demand Metric is a marketing research and advisory
firm serving a membership community of over 106,000
marketing professionals and consultants in 75 countries.
Offering consulting playbooks, advisory services, and
500+ premium marketing tools and templates, Demand
Metric resources and expertise help the marketing
community plan more efficiently and effectively, answer
the difficult questions about their work with authority and
conviction, and complete marketing projects more quickly
and with greater confidence — thus boosting the respect
of the marketing team and making it easier to justify
resources the team needs to succeed.
To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit
www.demandmetric.com

30. © Demand Metric Research Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
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