- Sign up for our WordPress Workshop in May – Social Media Emphasis http://www.thinktanklive.com/wordpress-workshop-social-media-emphasis/ #
Chicago WomenTech Meetup Notes
April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 was the first Meetup event for the Chicago WomenTech group and is being sponsored through Think Tank Live – Integrated Marketing Think Tank.
Some people may ask, “Why do women need to start their own tech meetup group?” The answers are clear and spring out of the fact that women are a minority group in the tech industry. We are joining together primarily to support one another in our work, to share ideas and network, and to learn from one another.
During the meeting we discussed several points:
- Women use technology in a serious way on a regular basis.
- It is important for women to have input into the design and function of technological tools because we can offer a different thought process, and we have valuable insights.
- Traditional “tech” industry tools and communication tools are merging. We see this clearly in the business world, on the internet and with social media platforms.
- We discussed the value of voices like Amber Case, a cyborg anthropologist, who provides fascinating observations about technology and human connectivity.
Where do we go from here?
Our primary focus will be to learn from one another. Our sessions will include varied formats: speakers, article discussions, sharing sessions where 2 or 3 members give short presentations on the latest trends in their area of expertise, and opportunities to leverage our network of tech-savvy women for lead generation and referrals.
We also plan to find a way to mentor or support younger women and girls who are interested in technology related careers – more info to come!
Upcoming Meetings:
Our next Meetup is scheduled for May 19 at 6:00 pm. The topic will be “What is Cyborg Anthropology?” Register here.
Note: Even though our group is women-focused, both women and men are welcome and invited to join.
Website Success for Your Business
April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Speaker: Dan Barnes, of KD Interactive
Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 6:00 – 8:00PM
Fee: $15.00
Location – 222 South Riverside Plaza, 29th Floor, Chicago, IL
Is your website trapped in a brochure? Do you want to improve your internet presence, but don’t know where to start? This session will answer your basic questions and get you on track to website success.
This meeting is designed to help Chicago entrepreneurs and business owners learn how to make the most of their internet presence, share ideas and network.
Business owners know the importance of having a strategic online presence. These days having a website is more involved than creating an “online brochure.” This session will help business owners explore the essentials for creating a comprehensive website that will help your business thrive.
Topics will emphasize how to create “Website Success for Your Business!”
Session Topics:
* The importance of website architecture.
* Defining your internet strategy.
* How to get seen by the search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.
* Online marketing tips and strategies.
* Using social media to drive traffic to your website.
* How to attract people to your website and keep them coming back.
* Key considerations when choosing a website company.
WordPress Workshop – Social Media Emphasis
April 23, 2010 By 1 Comment
WordPress Workshop – Social Media Emphasis
Ready to start a blog? You’ve heard about WordPress and don’t know where to begin? WordPress is the most popular blogging program and can also be used to manage an entire website. We will cover the language of WordPress (terms and lingo) and help you publish your first blog post. Join us, and learn how to connect your WordPress blog to Social Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and strengthen your online presence with the fresh content that Google loves.
Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Time: 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Where: 222 South Riverside Plaza, 29th Floor, Chicago IL
Registration – May 5 – WordPress Workshop – Social Media Emphasis
(or)
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010
Time: 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Where: ITT Rice Campus – 201 East Loop Road, Wheaton IL
Registration – May 27 – WordPress Workshop – Social Media Emphasis
Admission: $199
Includes: Workshop, Coffee, Soda & Water throughout the day, 3 month subscription to IM Think Tank Membership Site.
Laptop Required
Please bring your own laptop computer. Make sure your laptop can connect to a Wireless Wi-Fi Network. Internet access will be provided to all attendees.
WordPress Installation Preferred
It will be best if you have a fresh copy of WordPress installed, hosted, and ready to go on your domain prior to the workshop. If you need help with this, please contact us at 312-725-2221 prior to the event. Otherwise, we will give you access to a fresh installation of WordPress on one of our test websites to practice on for the day.
Who Should Attend:
People interested in getting a comprehensive overview of WordPress. We will talk about using WordPress as a blog and as a CMS (Content Management System) and connecting WordPress to your overall Social Media Online Strategy.
- Bloggers and Writers
- Entrepreneurs/ Business Owners
- Social Media/Marketing Professionals
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Web Designers and Developers
- Students
Benefits for you:
- Hands-On Experience with WordPress
- Networking opportunity with other WordPress users
- 3 months free subscription in IM Think Tank Membership Site
What You Will Learn:
1-Day WordPress Workshop Schedule
MORNING SESSIONS
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration and Doors Open
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Welcome & Introductions
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Session 1: WordPress Overview – Using your blog as a Social Media Hub
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Session 2: Selecting a Theme, Adding Plugins, connecting with Social Media Applications
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Break
11:00 AM – Noon
Session 3: Copywriting Tips & Publishing Your First Blog Post.
Noon – 1:00 PM
Lunch – On your own, many restaurants nearby.
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Session 5: How will Google find you? Search Engine Optimization Tools for WordPress
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Session 6: WordPress Security for Your Website & Common Sense Best Practices 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM Break
3:15 – 4:00 PM
Wrap Up Session: Q&A – Adding Final Touches
Register Online Today:
Parking – For 222 South Riverside Location in Chicago – Close and Easy Parking Available in the Amtrak Parking Lot on the corner of Jackson and Canal – The cost is between $18.00-$24.00 for the day, depending upon when you enter.
For ITT Rice Campus – Free Parking
Chicago WomenTech Meetup
April 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Tuesday, April 27 at 7pm
Chicago WomenTech Meetup
I.M. Think Tank Office
222 South Riverside Plaza
29th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
Fee: $3.00
You must register at least 12 hours before meeting at:
This is a new group designed for networking and idea sharing for Chicago women in technology related careers.
Who should join us?
Women trained in: Information Technology Directors, Digital Marketing Professionals, Search Engine Optimization Experts, Search Engine Marketing Specialists, Social Media Experts, Website Designers, Entrepreneurs, Professional Bloggers…. and the list goes on.
Men are welcome to join us, just remember the main focus is women claiming their voice in the tech industry.
6 Quick Biz Tips for Your Blog – Authentic Content & Conversation for Business
February 25, 2010 By 1 Comment
By: Ryan Evans
1. Develop a Readership Strategy
Before you start writing your blog, consider your overall goals. Targeting potential customers isn’t the only strategy for business blogging. Sometimes your blog will be read by other people in the industry or by the press. Here are a few basic readership strategies:
Speak directly to prospects
Communicate with existing or past customers
Write for industry influencers
Engage with other bloggers or press
Questions to consider:
What is my overall goal in writing this blog?
Who is going to find my topic interesting?
2. Think about Your Message
Writing a business blog is a tricky balance. You want to be personal, but not unprofessional. You want to stay true to your brand, yet be interesting. Think about the following points when considering your message:
Stay true to your brand
Be interesting
Be personal
Stay focused
Be unique
Take a position
Questions to consider:
What will my blog say about my company?
How can I make the content interesting?
What tone is appropriate for my readers?
3. Encourage and Participate in Authentic Conversation
A popular blog can be a powerful way to communicate your company message, but that is only part of the equation. Encouraging conversation among readers makes blogs more personal and interesting. Conversations often spill out onto other platforms, which increases exposure. Here are a few ways to foster conversation:
Open blog to comments
Respond to comments
Don’t sensor bad comments
Comment on other blogs
Invite others to write a guest post
Engage with readers on social media platforms
Leave comments on other blogs
Write blog posts about other blogs
Keep track of conversations
Questions to consider:
Is my blog set up to allow a conversation?
How can I facilitate conversation?
What topics are going to spur conversation?
How can I participate in conversation?
4. Open Channels of Distribution
Make it easy for people to find your blog and keep coming back. Here are a few channels of distribution for your blog:
Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Digg, StumbleUpon, etc.)
RSS Feed
SEO
Pay Per Click
Online Advertising
Other bloggers
Industry Publications
Questions to consider:
How would potential readers find my blog?
How can I stay in front of my readers?
How can I make my blog content easy for my readers to share?
5. Monitor the Conversation
Monitoring the conversation that is occurring online is a good source of content for your blog and shows you where relevant conversations are happening. Here are a few basic monitoring tools:
Twitter Search
Follow Industry People on Twitter
Google Reader or RSS Feeds
Google Blog Search
Questions to consider:
Where are conversations about my topic or industry happening?
What tools can I use to find and stay current with these conversations?
6. Track your results
Effectively tracking your results depends on what your goals are. You can track the actual performance of the blog content or analyze sources of blog traffic.
Google Analytics (Track blog visits, page views, average time on page, traffic sources, SEO impact)
Feedburner – tracks RSS subscribers
Yahoo Domain tool – track links to your blog
Questions to consider:
What metrics accurately represent my goals?
How can I easily track those metrics?
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