"People Inspire People". KDU University College. Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Malaysia. "Driving Dreams"
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
8 Ways to Better Media Exposure for Business
Pamela Slim shares some tips:
1. Have a focus, and an opinion. I have to agree with Seth that the quickest way to get any idea to spread is to be remarkable. Sometimes I feel like I bore you to tears with my urging to choose a niche, but in the case of press coverage, it is essential. I would much rather be known as "the Escape from Cubicle Nation Lady" (someone actually addressed an email to me like that) rather than "Pamela Slim, general career coach who can help with any sort of work-related topic." Blech, boring, and bland as oatmeal, don't you agree?
2. Be a resource to reporters. Too often, entrepreneurs become obsessed with getting their company name in print. Instead, your focus should be to act as an exceptionally helpful resource to journalists. I have worked behind the scenes for years with some reporters before getting in print myself. If you are constantly trying to get yourself in the press, you will be viewed as a self-indulgent bore, to put it kindly. :)
3. React to press inquiries with lightening speed, and with relevant information. Journalists are always on deadline, so the quicker you get back to them, the more likely you will be A) viewed as a resource and B) potentially featured in a story. The relevant information is hugely important, as they will be tremendously annoyed if you either send too little or too much information, or (shudder) pitch them totally off-topic when they ask for specific information.
4. Be a resource to your circle of clients and partners. One of the best moves I have made is to join Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a three-times-a-day listing of press queries run by the indefatigable Peter Shankman. I scour it religiously each time it hits my email box, respond to queries that relate to my expertise right away, and forward on those that fit friends and colleagues as well. Some of my friends and clients have gotten press as a result which is a totally fantastic thing. A rising tide floats all boats, and this definitely applies to your network. Joan Stewart of The Publicity Hound also has good tips.
5. Blog about your press, where relevant to your readers. I remember the first time I was contacted by the PR person for the Wall Street Journal, wanting me to blog on a topic in the publication. I chuckled aloud at the flip in traditional media -- how the publications we have all dreamed of appearing in, like the WSJ, now like to get attention from scrappy bloggers like me. I really do think we all need each other -- I don't see social media totally overtaking mainstream media any day soon, nor do I think it should. I would love it if we could take best practices from both sides and help each other. And there is nothing like mainstream press to make it easy for your relatives to understand what you do. I will never forget the day that Seth said something exceptionally kind about me in his blog. But have you tried lately to explain to a grandparent who Seth Godin is? "Um, Grandma, he is this total marketing genius, thought-leader, viral idea-spreader guy who is also a great human being ... " It is much easier to say "Grandma, you know all that time I spend in front of my computer? BusinessWeek noticed -- here , read the article!"
6. Set up a system to make it easy to respond to press queries. I have an email template that includes a brief bio, a link to my press page, and contact information. That way when I see a specific query, I don't have to type in all that new information each time. In the lucky case that you are asked to provide a photo, have a good one handy on your desktop to send to reporters (I recommend both a high resolution image for print and a low resolution image for online).
7. Always respond to queries exactly as asked. If you see a general query which asks you to include a specific email header, do that. If not, it will probably mean that your response will not be seen, since the journalist may have email filters to sort queries. Peter Shankman has very specific guidelines for HARO, and will publicly "out" someone who flagrantly violates them. This would be the equivalent of being a teenager and being paraded in front of your entire high school in your underwear. A professional nightmare come true. So don't do it -- pitch well, pitch focused, and use good judgment.
8. Blog. All of this press coverage has come without the help of a public relations person, and 95% of it has come to me because I blog. If you have something to say, start to say it. It can't hurt!
Read the whole post here.
1. Have a focus, and an opinion. I have to agree with Seth that the quickest way to get any idea to spread is to be remarkable. Sometimes I feel like I bore you to tears with my urging to choose a niche, but in the case of press coverage, it is essential. I would much rather be known as "the Escape from Cubicle Nation Lady" (someone actually addressed an email to me like that) rather than "Pamela Slim, general career coach who can help with any sort of work-related topic." Blech, boring, and bland as oatmeal, don't you agree?
2. Be a resource to reporters. Too often, entrepreneurs become obsessed with getting their company name in print. Instead, your focus should be to act as an exceptionally helpful resource to journalists. I have worked behind the scenes for years with some reporters before getting in print myself. If you are constantly trying to get yourself in the press, you will be viewed as a self-indulgent bore, to put it kindly. :)
3. React to press inquiries with lightening speed, and with relevant information. Journalists are always on deadline, so the quicker you get back to them, the more likely you will be A) viewed as a resource and B) potentially featured in a story. The relevant information is hugely important, as they will be tremendously annoyed if you either send too little or too much information, or (shudder) pitch them totally off-topic when they ask for specific information.
4. Be a resource to your circle of clients and partners. One of the best moves I have made is to join Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a three-times-a-day listing of press queries run by the indefatigable Peter Shankman. I scour it religiously each time it hits my email box, respond to queries that relate to my expertise right away, and forward on those that fit friends and colleagues as well. Some of my friends and clients have gotten press as a result which is a totally fantastic thing. A rising tide floats all boats, and this definitely applies to your network. Joan Stewart of The Publicity Hound also has good tips.
5. Blog about your press, where relevant to your readers. I remember the first time I was contacted by the PR person for the Wall Street Journal, wanting me to blog on a topic in the publication. I chuckled aloud at the flip in traditional media -- how the publications we have all dreamed of appearing in, like the WSJ, now like to get attention from scrappy bloggers like me. I really do think we all need each other -- I don't see social media totally overtaking mainstream media any day soon, nor do I think it should. I would love it if we could take best practices from both sides and help each other. And there is nothing like mainstream press to make it easy for your relatives to understand what you do. I will never forget the day that Seth said something exceptionally kind about me in his blog. But have you tried lately to explain to a grandparent who Seth Godin is? "Um, Grandma, he is this total marketing genius, thought-leader, viral idea-spreader guy who is also a great human being ... " It is much easier to say "Grandma, you know all that time I spend in front of my computer? BusinessWeek noticed -- here , read the article!"
6. Set up a system to make it easy to respond to press queries. I have an email template that includes a brief bio, a link to my press page, and contact information. That way when I see a specific query, I don't have to type in all that new information each time. In the lucky case that you are asked to provide a photo, have a good one handy on your desktop to send to reporters (I recommend both a high resolution image for print and a low resolution image for online).
7. Always respond to queries exactly as asked. If you see a general query which asks you to include a specific email header, do that. If not, it will probably mean that your response will not be seen, since the journalist may have email filters to sort queries. Peter Shankman has very specific guidelines for HARO, and will publicly "out" someone who flagrantly violates them. This would be the equivalent of being a teenager and being paraded in front of your entire high school in your underwear. A professional nightmare come true. So don't do it -- pitch well, pitch focused, and use good judgment.
8. Blog. All of this press coverage has come without the help of a public relations person, and 95% of it has come to me because I blog. If you have something to say, start to say it. It can't hurt!
Read the whole post here.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Avoiding Web-Publishing Pitfalls
Words of caution from Maya Payne Smart, excerpts below:
Praise Locally, Criticize Globally
Teachers may be liable for information they publish that is untrue and harms the reputation of organizations or other people. Bud Hunt, instructional technologist for the St. Vrain Valley School District, in Longmont, Colorado, advises teachers to describe positive programs in great detail while leveling criticisms more generically. "If I disagree with something a colleague does, I'm not going to make that fodder for my blog," Hunt says. "I'll address the broader issue without calling him or her out." Hunt cites his fellow educational blogger Doug Johnson, who describes this strategy as "praising locally and criticizing globally."
Fess Up
Hunt also recommends that educators blog using their real names to promote accountability and lessen the likelihood of launching online character assaults. He discloses his name, workplace, title, and other details on his blog but makes it clear that the views expressed on the site are his own and not those of his employer. "The lines between personal and professional lives are changing right now," he says. "It seems that 8 o'clock to 3 o'clock never worked for classroom teachers and, as our digital tendrils stretch into all elements of our lives, it becomes a challenge for folks to figure out where their personal interests begin and their job ends."
Don't "Out" Others
Teachers also may inadvertently break the law by publishing private or personal information about students, colleagues, or others online. This can happen when a teacher mentions private facts such as a student's grades, an administrator's medical or financial condition, or other information that hasn't previously been made public. Similarly, some states prohibit publishing photographs of others without their permission.
The Goochland County Public Schools, in central Virginia, made teacher blogging mandatory in 2005. The district promotes privacy by distributing a permission form each year to obtain parents' consent to publish photos of students. Teachers also take care not to name students, reveal their personal details, or allow others to. For example, when parents submit blog comments along the lines of "Why did Johnny fail the test?" teachers delete the comment before it appears on the site and respond via email to protect the student's privacy.
When teacher publishing is done right, the rewards far outweigh the risks. "All the comments from parents and the community have been very positive," says John Hendron, the Goochland district's supervisor of instructional technology. "They embrace the transparency that the blogs bring to classrooms. They enjoy knowing what's going on." The key is to remember that the Web is a public space, and that you should publish with your audience in mind.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
10 Mistakes That Could Be Killing Your Blog
From WritetoDone.com:
1. Less-than-useful posts. When I’m exploring new blogs, most of the time I’m looking for certain information — interesting new workouts, yummy recipes, good running advice, frugality ideas, inspiration to improve my life, and so on. You want useful posts — that’s why you’re there. Sure, some times a blogger is just such an interesting writer that you’ll read posts even if they’re not that useful. Some of my favorite bloggers are more interesting or funny than anything else. But most of the time, you’re looking for useful stuff. And when you go to a blog and scan the front page and can’t find one single useful post, you’re outta there. You want useful posts, and you want them fast. Bloggers should have lots of posts packed with useful information, and they should be on the front page so the reader doesn’t have to look for them. If your front page displays the 5 most recent posts, and they’re all updates about a competiton or a new product you’re selling or a contest on another blog … well, the reader will leave rather than having to wade through 10 non-useful posts just to find one useful post.
2. Infrequent posting. If you go to a blog and the last update was two months ago, you know the blog isn’t being updated. And while it might contain tons of useful stuff from the past, there’s no reason to subscribe or keep coming back if you don’t think new posts are coming out regularly. A good blog will have posts at least once a week — any longer than a week and it looks like cobwebs are forming on the blog. Two or three times a week is probably better, and 4-5 times a week might be best (depending on the type of blog you have — news blogs obviously are updated more than daily).
3. Writing about infrequent posting. What’s worse than noticing that the last post was two months ago? Reading the first paragraph of the post and seeing something like, “Sorry I haven’t been posting lately — things have been really busy for me. I promise to post more frequently!” That kind of post is a death knell for a blog. Don’t let that be the first impression. If you haven’t been posting recently, get on the ball and write some great posts (or ask other bloggers for guest posts). Don’t write a post about why you haven’t been posting.
4. Not displaying your best posts. Going through months of archives is too difficult for a new reader. The new reader wants to find your most essential posts right away, on the front page. Of course, your best posts might be spread out throughout the entire lifespan of your blog, so you’re not going to actually have them on the front page (which obviously just has the latest posts). But you can display them on the front page (and on every page, actually) by listing your best posts in your sidebar. A list of 10-20 essential posts for new readers is a must. Seriously, a must. Don’t make it difficult for readers to find your good stuff.
5. Flashy or annoying ads. If an ad is flashing, or popping up, or making noises, or expanding to block the text of the post, or in some other way forces the reader to click “close” … that’s just annoying. It’s happened on Zen Habits a few times when my ad networks ran annoying ads — and I wrote to them right away to ask them to remove them. Annoying your reader is a very bad strategy. Don’t do it. Seriously, stop it right now!
6. Trying to push products too often. I’ve run across some really good blogs with lots of useful information — they do everything right — except that they’re always trying to sell me stuff. I mean, like in every post, along with their sidebars and headers. It might be their own products, or the products of other websites. I’m not talking about banner ads in the sidebar. I’m talking about pushing products within the posts themselves, all the time. I do it every now and then when I think I’ve found a useful ebook my readers might enjoy, or do a book review with Amazon affiliate links. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that from time to time. But in every post? C’mon!
7. Long posts that are hard to scan. I’ve written about making your posts scannable before, so I won’t belabor the point here, but too often in my recent explorations of a large number of blogs, I’ve found post that contain useful information, but it’s too hard to find the info you’re looking for. You shouldn’t have to read every word of every paragraph to find the tips you want — they should be listed in bullet points or a numbered list, or highlighted in bold or somehow brought to the attention to the reader. Make it easy, not hard, to find the info the reader wants!
8. Pop-up subscription boxes. A good number of very decent blogs have this gimmick, and perhaps it helps them get subscribers. I can’t say. All I know is that as a reader, when I go to a blog like this, I click “close” or “no thanks” when the pop-up subscription box appears, and then I leave the site, never to come back. It’s too annoying, and too pushy. Don’t force the subscription on the reader. Let them review your site first, and then decide for themselves if they want to subscribe. A large number of blogs also use that WordPress plugin that says something like, “It looks like you’re new to this blog. You might consider subscribing … etc.” Something like that. Well, it’s better than the pop-up subscription box, but it still annoys me … especially as I’ve often been to the blog before but perhaps my browser has cleared out the cookie the plugin uses. Why tell me I haven’t been to your blog when I’m a regular reader? Frustrating.
9. Way too much clutter on your site. This is often related to the annoying ads and the blogger trying to sell you too much, but basically when you have a ton of ads, sidebar elements, and things throughout the post and in the header and footer of the blog, it gets overwhelming. The reader really wants to focus on the post, and while he’s willing to put up with some ads and other elements, if there’s too much it makes it hard to read. And that’s gonna lose you readers. Consider eliminating as many elements as you can while still retaining your best performing ad networks and other sidebar elements. Make reading a pleasant experience.
10. Boring or uninformative headlines. Again, a new reader wants to be able to find your useful posts very quickly. Often that means that he’ll scan through the front page, looking only at the headlines. If the headline is “Tuesday workout”, that doesn’t promise anything useful. But if it’s something like “Why running the day after lifting heavy weights is a bad idea”, that might contain something the reader is looking for. You can see the difference: the second headline is much more informative (even if both posts contain the same info), and it shows the reader exactly what useful information the post will deliver. Get that information and benefit in the headline, not just buried somewhere within the post. Or else you’ll lose that reader.
2. Infrequent posting. If you go to a blog and the last update was two months ago, you know the blog isn’t being updated. And while it might contain tons of useful stuff from the past, there’s no reason to subscribe or keep coming back if you don’t think new posts are coming out regularly. A good blog will have posts at least once a week — any longer than a week and it looks like cobwebs are forming on the blog. Two or three times a week is probably better, and 4-5 times a week might be best (depending on the type of blog you have — news blogs obviously are updated more than daily).
3. Writing about infrequent posting. What’s worse than noticing that the last post was two months ago? Reading the first paragraph of the post and seeing something like, “Sorry I haven’t been posting lately — things have been really busy for me. I promise to post more frequently!” That kind of post is a death knell for a blog. Don’t let that be the first impression. If you haven’t been posting recently, get on the ball and write some great posts (or ask other bloggers for guest posts). Don’t write a post about why you haven’t been posting.
4. Not displaying your best posts. Going through months of archives is too difficult for a new reader. The new reader wants to find your most essential posts right away, on the front page. Of course, your best posts might be spread out throughout the entire lifespan of your blog, so you’re not going to actually have them on the front page (which obviously just has the latest posts). But you can display them on the front page (and on every page, actually) by listing your best posts in your sidebar. A list of 10-20 essential posts for new readers is a must. Seriously, a must. Don’t make it difficult for readers to find your good stuff.
5. Flashy or annoying ads. If an ad is flashing, or popping up, or making noises, or expanding to block the text of the post, or in some other way forces the reader to click “close” … that’s just annoying. It’s happened on Zen Habits a few times when my ad networks ran annoying ads — and I wrote to them right away to ask them to remove them. Annoying your reader is a very bad strategy. Don’t do it. Seriously, stop it right now!
6. Trying to push products too often. I’ve run across some really good blogs with lots of useful information — they do everything right — except that they’re always trying to sell me stuff. I mean, like in every post, along with their sidebars and headers. It might be their own products, or the products of other websites. I’m not talking about banner ads in the sidebar. I’m talking about pushing products within the posts themselves, all the time. I do it every now and then when I think I’ve found a useful ebook my readers might enjoy, or do a book review with Amazon affiliate links. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that from time to time. But in every post? C’mon!
7. Long posts that are hard to scan. I’ve written about making your posts scannable before, so I won’t belabor the point here, but too often in my recent explorations of a large number of blogs, I’ve found post that contain useful information, but it’s too hard to find the info you’re looking for. You shouldn’t have to read every word of every paragraph to find the tips you want — they should be listed in bullet points or a numbered list, or highlighted in bold or somehow brought to the attention to the reader. Make it easy, not hard, to find the info the reader wants!
8. Pop-up subscription boxes. A good number of very decent blogs have this gimmick, and perhaps it helps them get subscribers. I can’t say. All I know is that as a reader, when I go to a blog like this, I click “close” or “no thanks” when the pop-up subscription box appears, and then I leave the site, never to come back. It’s too annoying, and too pushy. Don’t force the subscription on the reader. Let them review your site first, and then decide for themselves if they want to subscribe. A large number of blogs also use that WordPress plugin that says something like, “It looks like you’re new to this blog. You might consider subscribing … etc.” Something like that. Well, it’s better than the pop-up subscription box, but it still annoys me … especially as I’ve often been to the blog before but perhaps my browser has cleared out the cookie the plugin uses. Why tell me I haven’t been to your blog when I’m a regular reader? Frustrating.
9. Way too much clutter on your site. This is often related to the annoying ads and the blogger trying to sell you too much, but basically when you have a ton of ads, sidebar elements, and things throughout the post and in the header and footer of the blog, it gets overwhelming. The reader really wants to focus on the post, and while he’s willing to put up with some ads and other elements, if there’s too much it makes it hard to read. And that’s gonna lose you readers. Consider eliminating as many elements as you can while still retaining your best performing ad networks and other sidebar elements. Make reading a pleasant experience.
10. Boring or uninformative headlines. Again, a new reader wants to be able to find your useful posts very quickly. Often that means that he’ll scan through the front page, looking only at the headlines. If the headline is “Tuesday workout”, that doesn’t promise anything useful. But if it’s something like “Why running the day after lifting heavy weights is a bad idea”, that might contain something the reader is looking for. You can see the difference: the second headline is much more informative (even if both posts contain the same info), and it shows the reader exactly what useful information the post will deliver. Get that information and benefit in the headline, not just buried somewhere within the post. Or else you’ll lose that reader.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
10 Commandments of Social Media
Sonia Simone has a funny way of listing 10 'commandments' relating to Web 2.0 and how we 'shalt' live within it:
Commandment #1: Thou Shalt Participate in the Conversation. The conversation is going to take place with you or without you. The 21st century has no patience with cowards. Opting out is not an option, so get in there and participate.
Commandment #2: Thou Shalt Not Lie. Nothing will sink you faster in the wired world than lying and all its variants. It’s too easy to compare stories, and too easy for your attempted coverups to get leaked. Don’t tell two conflicting stories in two different media. Don’t say you’re one thing when you know that your actions tell an entirely different story. Don’t tell lies of omission. And...
Commandment #3: Thou Shalt Not Astroturf. See Commandment #2. Don’t try to engineer conversation or use fake characters to advocate for you. I guarantee you will get caught, and your credibility will take a beating you may never get over. Creating a space for conversation is good. Creating sock puppets is bad.
Commandment # 4: Thou Shalt Talk Like a Human Being. Corporations don’t hold conversations. Enterprises don’t hold conversations. Entities don’t hold conversations. Conversations take place among people. Be a person.
Commandment #5: Remember Thy Community and Keep It Holy. It’s not an audience of passive recipients of your message. It’s a community made up of a complicated mix of personalities. The community has its own needs and its own imperatives. Take care of your community.
Commandment #6: Thou Shalt Not Be a Wimp. Bullies have been a factor in every social group that has ever existed. The anonymity of the Internet gives bullies an extra measure of courage. You must face bullies down every time you encounter them, clearly and forcefully.
Don’t let bully-wrangling turn you into an aggressive butthead yourself. And don’t be a hall monitor, waggling your finger and quoting rules. (Or commandments!) Instead, see #5: be a citizen who values civility and defends it on behalf of your community.
Commandment #7: Thou Shalt Not Snivel. You’re going to get beat up every once in awhile. Never, ever whine about it.
Commandment #8: Thou Shalt Write What Is Worth Reading. Typos aren’t necessarily a big problem, although you notice you never see one on Copyblogger, Problogger or Seth’s Blog. Vague, weak, insipid or meaningless writing are a big problem. Write clearly and with vigor. Cut out every line of corporate doublespeak. If you don’t know how to do that, subscribe to Copyblogger, read it faithfully, and put their advice into practice daily.
Commandment #9: Thou Shalt Not Pontificate About Shit Thou Knowest Nothing About. You will get caught and mocked and that’s just embarrassing.
Commandment #10: Thou Shalt Have a Sense of Humor. It’s just people, and people are pretty much the funniest thing ever. Nothing will serve you online as well as a sense of humor, especially about yourself.
Commandment #2: Thou Shalt Not Lie. Nothing will sink you faster in the wired world than lying and all its variants. It’s too easy to compare stories, and too easy for your attempted coverups to get leaked. Don’t tell two conflicting stories in two different media. Don’t say you’re one thing when you know that your actions tell an entirely different story. Don’t tell lies of omission. And...
Commandment #3: Thou Shalt Not Astroturf. See Commandment #2. Don’t try to engineer conversation or use fake characters to advocate for you. I guarantee you will get caught, and your credibility will take a beating you may never get over. Creating a space for conversation is good. Creating sock puppets is bad.
Commandment # 4: Thou Shalt Talk Like a Human Being. Corporations don’t hold conversations. Enterprises don’t hold conversations. Entities don’t hold conversations. Conversations take place among people. Be a person.
Commandment #5: Remember Thy Community and Keep It Holy. It’s not an audience of passive recipients of your message. It’s a community made up of a complicated mix of personalities. The community has its own needs and its own imperatives. Take care of your community.
Commandment #6: Thou Shalt Not Be a Wimp. Bullies have been a factor in every social group that has ever existed. The anonymity of the Internet gives bullies an extra measure of courage. You must face bullies down every time you encounter them, clearly and forcefully.
Don’t let bully-wrangling turn you into an aggressive butthead yourself. And don’t be a hall monitor, waggling your finger and quoting rules. (Or commandments!) Instead, see #5: be a citizen who values civility and defends it on behalf of your community.
Commandment #7: Thou Shalt Not Snivel. You’re going to get beat up every once in awhile. Never, ever whine about it.
Commandment #8: Thou Shalt Write What Is Worth Reading. Typos aren’t necessarily a big problem, although you notice you never see one on Copyblogger, Problogger or Seth’s Blog. Vague, weak, insipid or meaningless writing are a big problem. Write clearly and with vigor. Cut out every line of corporate doublespeak. If you don’t know how to do that, subscribe to Copyblogger, read it faithfully, and put their advice into practice daily.
Commandment #9: Thou Shalt Not Pontificate About Shit Thou Knowest Nothing About. You will get caught and mocked and that’s just embarrassing.
Commandment #10: Thou Shalt Have a Sense of Humor. It’s just people, and people are pretty much the funniest thing ever. Nothing will serve you online as well as a sense of humor, especially about yourself.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Blogging Tips
Some blogging tips from Sharon Housley.
1.) Stay on topic.Opinions are generally accepted but the content of the items in the blog should all relate to a general theme. Unless you have an uncanny knack for wit, humor or cynicism, the majority of your readers will be interested in the content that relates to a specific defined theme or loosely defined area of interest. Most readers won't care that you eat Cheerios for breakfast. They may, however, be interested in the fact that vinegar takes out stains and that toilet paper rolls make great wreaths. Define a topic and stick to it. This will ensure that you create a loyal following of interested readers.
2.) Stay informative.If you are attempting to create the impression that you are knowledgeable about a specific industry or sector, be sure that you stay current on news. If you are endorsing a product or voicing an opinion, be sure to check your facts; your reputation is at stake. If you are offering an opinion, be sure to qualify your post, making it clear that the content is intended as an editorial.
3.) Old news is not news.While blogging every day can be a drain, it is important that the information presented is current and accurate, writing an article or blurb about something that happened 6 months ago, will not be of interest to many. Telling your audience that Martha Stewart was convicted and will be going to prison, after her sentence is completed will make people question the value of your columns.
4.) Adhere to a schedule. Create a schedule and stick to it. Realizing that blogging requires time and effort, don't create unrealistic expectations and be unable to deliver. An occasional lapse or holiday is generally understood but readers returning to find stale, out-dated content are going to find another blog with similar content. New blogs and RSS feeds are popping up on a daily basis. If you have worked hard to develop an audience and a community you don't want to lose them due to lack of communication.
5.) Clarity and simplicity. Keep your posts and blog entries clear and easy to understand. Remember, the web is global and expressions, idioms and acronyms don't always translate. Sometimes a little explanation goes a long way.
6.) Keyword-rich.If the goal of your blog is to increase your visibility, include related keywords in the title of the blog. Use the title as a headline to attract interest. Each item post should have a title that will attract attention but still be relevant to the post. The title should be no longer than 10-12 words.
7.) Quantity matters. In order to attract the attention of search engines, you will need to develop content and substance. A headline or simple sentence is not going to generate the interest of readers or help with search engine ranking. Be sure to archive old blog posts to develop a large portal of similarly-themed content.
8.) Frequency. If your blog content is updated frequently, search engines will tend to spider the pages at regular intervals.
9.) Spell checking and proof-reading. It only takes a few extra moments and can save you from having to make embarrassing explanations. Remember that whatever you publish on the Internet can be found and archived. Think carefully about what you post before doing so.
10.) RSS. RSS will increase your blog's reach. It is important that you include your blog's content in an RSS feed to increase readership and distribution. Most weblog audiences are small, but with time and regular updates audiences grow. Bloggers may never have more than a few hundred readers, but the people who return to regularly are generally interested in what you have to say.
1.) Stay on topic.Opinions are generally accepted but the content of the items in the blog should all relate to a general theme. Unless you have an uncanny knack for wit, humor or cynicism, the majority of your readers will be interested in the content that relates to a specific defined theme or loosely defined area of interest. Most readers won't care that you eat Cheerios for breakfast. They may, however, be interested in the fact that vinegar takes out stains and that toilet paper rolls make great wreaths. Define a topic and stick to it. This will ensure that you create a loyal following of interested readers.
2.) Stay informative.If you are attempting to create the impression that you are knowledgeable about a specific industry or sector, be sure that you stay current on news. If you are endorsing a product or voicing an opinion, be sure to check your facts; your reputation is at stake. If you are offering an opinion, be sure to qualify your post, making it clear that the content is intended as an editorial.
3.) Old news is not news.While blogging every day can be a drain, it is important that the information presented is current and accurate, writing an article or blurb about something that happened 6 months ago, will not be of interest to many. Telling your audience that Martha Stewart was convicted and will be going to prison, after her sentence is completed will make people question the value of your columns.
4.) Adhere to a schedule. Create a schedule and stick to it. Realizing that blogging requires time and effort, don't create unrealistic expectations and be unable to deliver. An occasional lapse or holiday is generally understood but readers returning to find stale, out-dated content are going to find another blog with similar content. New blogs and RSS feeds are popping up on a daily basis. If you have worked hard to develop an audience and a community you don't want to lose them due to lack of communication.
5.) Clarity and simplicity. Keep your posts and blog entries clear and easy to understand. Remember, the web is global and expressions, idioms and acronyms don't always translate. Sometimes a little explanation goes a long way.
6.) Keyword-rich.If the goal of your blog is to increase your visibility, include related keywords in the title of the blog. Use the title as a headline to attract interest. Each item post should have a title that will attract attention but still be relevant to the post. The title should be no longer than 10-12 words.
7.) Quantity matters. In order to attract the attention of search engines, you will need to develop content and substance. A headline or simple sentence is not going to generate the interest of readers or help with search engine ranking. Be sure to archive old blog posts to develop a large portal of similarly-themed content.
8.) Frequency. If your blog content is updated frequently, search engines will tend to spider the pages at regular intervals.
9.) Spell checking and proof-reading. It only takes a few extra moments and can save you from having to make embarrassing explanations. Remember that whatever you publish on the Internet can be found and archived. Think carefully about what you post before doing so.
10.) RSS. RSS will increase your blog's reach. It is important that you include your blog's content in an RSS feed to increase readership and distribution. Most weblog audiences are small, but with time and regular updates audiences grow. Bloggers may never have more than a few hundred readers, but the people who return to regularly are generally interested in what you have to say.
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