Blogs & the Patient Advocate Versatile Versatile Efficient Efficient Effective Effective As easy as composing an As easy as composing an

You can use your blog to… Establish your voice, your persona. Establish your voice, your persona. State your mission on a regular basis. State your mission on a regular basis. Make a visual statement and increase recognition of your logo. Make a visual statement and increase recognition of your logo. Report relevant news. Report relevant news. Engage your readers. Engage your readers. Make some $$. Make some $$. Provide reinforcement for those who help you. Provide reinforcement for those who help you. Network with other organizations. Network with other organizations. Update Web site content without editing the actual HTML pages. Update Web site content without editing the actual HTML pages.

Establish your voice, your persona… Develop your conversational style, your voice Develop your conversational style, your voice Incorporate your color scheme Incorporate your color scheme Convey your philosophies Convey your philosophies Let the style you develop convey who you are.

State your mission on a regular basis… State it verbally State it verbally State it visually State it visually Rephrase your mission so everyone gets it Rephrase your mission so everyone gets it

Report related news… Local news Local news National news National news International news International news Find ways to relate it to your readers and to get them interactive through comments Find ways to relate it to your readers and to get them interactive through comments

Engage your readers… Make people think Make people think End an entry with a question to generate comments End an entry with a question to generate comments Write a controversial editorial piece Write a controversial editorial piece Request reader feedback via comments or Request reader feedback via comments or Link to a poll Link to a poll Link to a forum or chat room Link to a forum or chat room

Reinforcement & recognition Have a contest to name your blog Have a contest to name your blog Thank volunteers Thank volunteers Thank supporters Thank supporters Recruit volunteers & supporters Recruit volunteers & supporters Thank your community Thank your community

Update Web site… Set up a separate blog for any section of site that needs frequent updates Set up a separate blog for any section of site that needs frequent updates Use an iframe tag to insert the blog Use an iframe tag to insert the blog Anyone can be assigned to update any section and given password access to that blog only. Anyone can be assigned to update any section and given password access to that blog only. No need for people to edit HTML pages No need for people to edit HTML pages

Earn some $$ Blogs can monetize… Text ads such as Google AdSense Text ads such as Google AdSense Ecommerce affiliates such as Amazon.com, LinkShare and Commission Junction affiliates Ecommerce affiliates such as Amazon.com, LinkShare and Commission Junction affiliates Donation buttons Donation buttons Gift shop links Gift shop links