Did you ever see your name in a newspaper? It can be an ego inflating thing but is also a reward and benefit of having an active blogging and social media strategy. One of the things I tell all clients when they come to me for WordPress web design work is to start a blog and get active on social media so that their online efforts have the best chance of crossing into the offline realm.
You might have noticed that this blog has been quiet for the last week – I was in Spain and unable to blog as frequently as I’d like to however upon my return I had the pleasure of seeing “Robert Ryan” in one of the weekend papers. The Irish Independent had gotten in touch with me for a quote for an article about the decline of Facebook but I wasn’t sure if my quote would be included until it went to print, thankfully it was. Now, whilst a quote in a newspaper isn’t the be all and end all it does show that your online efforts can penetrate the offline one and can help build up credibility, authority and influence (or, so I hope ;)).
Extra, Extra, Read All About It
The journalist came across my site via a Bing search for “social media consultant” and spent a bit of time reading some of my posts and checking out my services section. If the time and effort had not been put in to optimise my site then odds are I wouldn’t have got my name in the paper. Further more, my blog posts and content were the acid test – the journalist had to make a decision about my gravitas based on what I’d posted. If I didn’t have fresh posts, or if I hadn’t tried to present them in a clear, professional manner, the journalist may have gone back to Google instead of going the hire me page and contacting me. It is these small margins that can make the difference.
Ultimately, when you’re blogging you don’t know exactly who might read your content, how they find it or why they are reading it so it’s important that you always put your best foot forward. You never know, you just might be asked for a quote for one of your national papers!
