Using a Blog to Engage Citizens Online

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Webinar Description

Agency blogs are a great way to engage with the public on a conversational level and have discussions about ways to improve government.

But, i t's not enough to just have a blog anymore . . . now you need to make sure you do it right

It used to be that if you even had a blog, you were ahead of the game. The sheer number of blogs on the Internet and intranets has raised the bar. If you want your blog to stand out, attract readers, draw comments, start conversations, and engage your citizens you have to do it right. In this practical seminar, you'll learn how to do just that.

You'll learn the different roles that communicators and Web content managers can play when it comes to blogs: Do you want to be the blogger? Do you want to recruit bloggers? Do you want to be the blog cop? Do you want to be the blog coach for your leadership? There are all sorts of roles you can play when it comes to blogging, and this seminar will help you figure out which one makes sense for you and your organization.

You'll also learn the nuts and bolts of creating and maintaining a successful blog—including story selection, writing style, how to draw out comments, how to manage comments, what blogs should and should not be used for, and the common mistakes to avoid.

Steve Crescenzo uses dozens of real life examples from both the Internet and intranets to show you how to:

• Adopt a conversational writing style that is a must for a successful blog
• Choose topics that will draw readers in, and get them to interact with your content
• Incorporate video and audio into your blog, when appropriate
• Coach your leaders into relaxing their writing style so that it's appropriate for a blog
• Sell leadership on the very idea of a blog—without scaring them to death
• Avoid five deadly mistakes you can absolutely not make when blogging

More information available at Web Manager University.