Blogging 101 Archive
February 19, 2006
Blogging 101 - CEOs in Blogland
Posted by Kathleen Vandervelde
Is it a good idea for top company executives to blog?
Writing for Information Week back in July, General Motors chief Bob Lutz praises blogging as "a hugely effective communications tool and a terrific way to conduct a grassroots, largely unfiltered conversation with GM fans and nonfans alike."
His FastLane Blog, online since January 2005, is "a way for GM to be culturally relevant," he says. To be effective, Lutz and the GM senior execs who contribute to the blog know they have to keep things real:
The key is to leave the corporate-speak behind and keep the tone conversational, open, and honest. Anyone who has read our blog sees the real deal, as produced by us and not polished by several layers of trained communications pros.
But Is It Worth Anything?
Of course the big question is always about return on investment. Is blogging worth anything, especially when you're talking in terms of the cost of the big guy's time and attention vs. even the slightest bottom-line gain?
I've come across a couple of success stories that might help sway even the most doubtful CFO.
GM's Lutz credits the blog -- a marketplace conversation -- with the development of the new Chevrolet Camaro concept car:
... the secret is finally confirmed: we introduced a Chevrolet Camaro concept car.
If I had a dime for every time I've read the word 'Camaro' in your comments on this blog in the past year, I could have financed the concept car out of my own pocket! And I would have! I like it that much.
If anything, it proves that we've been listening, to the rear-drive faithful, to the Camaro fanatics, and to those who say GM can't do anything exciting.
In another example, Go Daddy.com president and founder Bob Parsons is positively gleeful on his blog Hot Points following Super Bowl XL. After all the controversy surrounding Go Daddy's Super Bowl TV spot (It had to be reworked more than once after ABC initially rejected it.), the 30-second commercial drove record traffic to the Go Daddy site:
I'm proud to report that Go Daddy unquestionably had the very best ad in this year's Super Bowl and I've got the numbers to back it up.
In two days we've had an incremental 1.790 million visitors to GoDaddy.com!
On Super Bowl Sunday, visits to the Go Daddy website were up by 880,000 visitors more than normal. On the following day, Monday, visits continued to be strong and were also up by 910,000 visitors more than normal.
Parsons cites Akamai usage reports showing spikes after halftime and after the game represented visits to Go Daddy to the tune of 80% of that server's traffic. This after the commercial's first 13 submissions were rejected. And even then, the spot was panned by ad critics, who evidently didn't "quite get the fact that the purpose of these spots is to generate business," quips Parsons.
Is blogging -- CEO or otherwise -- worth it for any company? Results may not always be as easy to quantify as in the above examples. Gaping Void's Hugh McLeod explains that "blogging as a marketing tool is easier when you think of it as a chemical catalyst, not as a hammer and nail." He says that "by interfacing with the blogosphere, it fundamentally change[s] how [a company] look[s] at treating their ... customers and ... end-users."
But the final word comes from Lutz:
... So far, response has been outstanding ... To any senior executive on the fence about starting a corporate blog, I have a word of advice: Jump.
A freelance writer living in West Michigan, Kathleen Vandervelde's past lives include both corporate and agency employment. She keeps several blogs, two of which you could definitely let your mother read: Coit Avenue and Things I've Seen.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
February 5, 2006
Blogging 101 - Influencing Business
Posted by Kathleen Vandervelde
If your company still isn't sure about this blogging thing, it's time to take a look at just how influential corporate bloggers can be in the marketplace.
The first to come to mind is Microsoft's Robert Scoble, with his blog Scobelizer (just one of hundreds of Microsoft employee blogs). The "A-List" blogger, who consistently ranks among Technorati's Top 100 blogs for unique links, just might be the poster child for corporate blogging. In a recent post he writes about the influence blogging can have on product development:
So, in 2006, where is this going? Better products because now you know where to leave a comment and who is responsible ... Which, brings me to why this works. Social pressure. Nothing works better to get a company to change. Nothing. If there's a company you don't like, write about it. If they are listening, they'll respond. If not, well, at least you've warned everyone else not to do business with them.
Scoble's influence has gone beyond engaging consumers in the product development cycle, however. His openness and penchant for telling the (uncensored) truth -- even if it doesn't always reflect well on his employer -- have undoubtedly raised Microsoft's credibility score in the marketplace. Indeed, many credit the "technical evangelist" (his real job title) with turning public opinion around following Microsoft's "dark days" of the 90s.
So There's Scoble, and ... ?
Corporate bloggers with that kind of clout are hard to find, it's true. Don't mistake me, there are well-known CEOs and other company officers out there blogging, but they're a different breed (and fodder for a future post). In fact, Micro Persuasion's Steve Rubel cites a study stating that only about 4% of Fortune 500 companies are blogging. Studying the big guys is important, says Rubel, "but they're not the innovators in the blog world." Rather, he says, "most of the companies that have put points up on the blog scoreboard have been small to medium-sized firms."
My own research has turned up a few of the smaller companies whose blogs have garnered attention on the 'net.
Stormhoek: "freshness matters" is the mantra for this winemaker whose blog is devoted to not just the wine, but to their passion for winemaking. The blog was conceived by blogger, cartoonist and marketing consultant Hugh McLeod who insists that "The future of brands is interaction, not commodity. It's not something you buy, but something you paticipate in ... i.e. a brand is not a thing, but a place." An added twist to the blogging effort: Stormhoek offered free samples to bloggers, many of whom blogged about the wine (though it wasn't part of the freebie deal). Sales of the wine reportedly doubled over the year.
Stonyfield Farm is a good study in the participation/conversational nature of blogging. The New Hampshire-based maker of organic yogurt runs two blogs: The Bovine Bugle, written by one of their Vermont suppliers (a third generation dairy farm). The other is Baby Babble, where "Stonyfield Farm employees who have young children chat with each other here about balancing work and family, and knowing what's "right" for their children." Readers are invited to "Join the conversation!" Both blogs run through the company's information-rich website, taking the company's "healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet" philosophy directly to consumers in a friendly, unaffected style.
Michigan's Denali Flavors, purveyors of Moose Tracks and other ice cream creations, serves up a blogging success story that's right in my own backyard.
Last April the Wayland company launched a financial advice blog "sponsored" by Denali Flavors. The premise, according to a write up in the Grand Rapids Press, was that people might not visit an ice cream maker's website, but they do look for financial information online. The blog has increased visits to the website by 30% says the company.
Just. Join. In.
You see how blogging can have an influence, from getting name recognition out there to influencing product development, increasing sales and even molding public opinion. Companies can no longer question whether to blog, according to McLeod. Today's savvy consumers don't just want a product, he explains,
... They want "The Information." They want the substance. They want the gossip, and the insights, they want the insider's view ... They don't just want to understand the mystique, they also want to be part of it.
"Join. The. Conversation." McLeod exhorts companies who may still be waffling. "Start a blog."
A freelance writer living in West Michigan, Kathleen Vandervelde's past lives include both corporate and agency employment. She keeps several blogs, two of which you could definitely let your mother read: Coit Avenue and Things I've Seen.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
January 29, 2006
Blogging 101 - The Blog Meme
Posted by QBlog
Blogs and memes go together like peanut butter and jelly. Like Crockett and Tubbs. Like the Cubs and disappointment. They're practically made for each other and to deprive your blog of its natural meme-craving is an exhibition of sadistic cruelty.
Uh, What's A Meme?
Some of your out there don't know a meme from a hole in the ground but that's ok. I'll bring you up to speed.
The short definition is "a unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another."
However, that definition is incomplete as it relates to an Internet meme which "occurs when something relatively unknown becomes increasingly popular, often quite suddenly, through the mass propagation of media content made feasible by the Internet" technology.
Some examples of popular memes include:
- Bert Is Evil
- Bonsai Kitten
- The I Kiss You! guy from Turkey
- The Star Wars Kid
- The classic All Your Base Are Belong To Us
- Black People Love Us
- The infamous Dancing Baby
- My personal favorite, Peanut Butter Jelly Time
But while bloggers love a good meme, the examples listed above merely provide the opportunity to post a link and a few witty comments. What bloggers really want is something they can pass off as genuine content. You know, like what I'm doing right now.
The Blog Meme
A blog meme is a type of Internet meme that requires active participation by the blogger and rarely traces back to an originating source. It's often a series of questions that a blogger answers to share some personal perspective or experience on random topics.
Here are a few examples of popular blog memes:
There's even a site that offers blog meme material to help you get started. And if you're not sure how to write a "Quiz-like meme" the "working with me" blog has a helpful tutorial.
Memes Are Silly
Yes, memes are silly and blog memes seem to be especially popular with the LiveJournal - Xanga - MySpace crowd which likely means people under 21. It's a sort of narcissistic way for kids to tell the world how cool, unique and special they are because we all know that the world is dying to know more about YOU!
This, is the story of you
What makes you special, where you come from
This is one of the most exciting stories ever told
Because its about you
And you are one of the most important things in the world . . . you
Handsome Boy Modeling School - "If It Wasn't For You"
But plenty of the "serious blogger" set enjoy a good blog meme too so don't let the kids have all the fun. Toss your content worries to the wind and start a blog meme today!
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
January 22, 2006
Blogging 101 - Community Blogging
Posted by Matt Wood
The downfall of many a good blog has been a simple lack of content. Even the most well-intentioned blogger can find themselves without enough time to give their blog the attention it deserves. You know the story: you fire up that new WordPress installation with a burst of inspriation, promising to change the world with your thoughts on politics, Mac software, or dirt track motocross racing, and you post five times a day for a month straight. But soon life intervenes, you start posting less and less, and before you know it you're posting apologies for being away so long more often than you write anything new. It's okay, you're only human. Very few people get paid to blog, so it's usually the first thing that suffers when life happens.
Good Help Isn't So Hard to Find
One way to prevent a slow, agonizing blog death is to make it a team effort. The simple act of getting more monkeys pounding away at the keyboard for you can make the world of difference, and it can give your blog the variety that will keep people coming back. Witness the popularity of sites like Boing Boing, Gizmodo, and Daily Kos. Each of these sites has their own niche, but range widely enough within that area and post with enough frequency to build a huge audience.
I write for Chicagoist, a group blog about all things happening in the Windy City. With a team of about 20 regular contributors, we're usually able to post at least 12 times a day, covering topics from city politics to food and drink to sports and music. Some of the writers cover a specific beat, while others, like myself, fill in the gaps with general coverage. That would be a pretty ambitious undertaking for one person, but as a group we're able to cover all the angles, and not just superficially; most posts are over 300 words and consolidate multiple news sources.
Chicagoist Editor Rachelle Bowden started the site in 2004 as the second in the Gothamist family of city blogs. At first, she ran the site with just one other friend. She describes those first few weeks as "hellish," but once the site gained some popularity, they posted a call for contributors and the family grew.
Bowden says she reserves the right to edit any content posted by other Chicagoist contributors, but leaves much of the editorial process up to the writers. Each of us has a Movable Type account, and we post content ourselves. When asked if she ever thought about reviewing posts before they go live, Bowden says, "Maybe for a millisecond. But it's too time consuming especially since we're not getting paid. We put more time into finding quality contributors that we can trust."
Chicagoist has a formal application process for would-be contributors. Any time there is an opening, Bowden posts a job description to ask for help. Applicants usually send in writing samples, explain why they're a good fit, and draft some test posts to show that they can write in the Chicagoist style. Bowden and the associate editors review the applications and have the best candidate make a test run for a few days before joining the team full-time. But starting a group blog doesn't have to be so formal--you can simply ask some of your friends. Chances are you know some like-minded people who would love to rant and rave about their favorite topics.
A key part of keeping Chicagoist running smoothly is open communication. We have a Yahoo Group where we toss around topics and hash out ideas before they go online. Bowden usually posts a message early each morning with potential topics for the day, and the rest of us scan the news and add ideas for our specific beats. To prevent overlap, contributors claim dibs on a story before they start writing. The ensuing discussion helps set the tone for the day, but mostly it helps us get to know each other. Bowden says this constant communcation also helps find good writers. "We put a lot of time into talking on a daily basis. That way we can get a good feeling that people aren't going to come out of right field and write something crazy," she says.
What Readers Expect
By their nature, group blogs usually focus on a specific topic, like the city in which you live, a local sports team, gadgets and gizmos, or politics. As such you have less leeway for what you post on a group blog. In large part, this comes from a responsibility to your readers, who were attracted by the site's topic in the first place. Bowden says, "With the topic of the group blog being the City of Chicago, I only write about things relevant to the city, whereas on my personal site I dont really care about my audience as much so I can feel free to write about what I had for dinner and how fabulous my new jeans are."
This doesn't mean that a group blog has to lack personality. In fact, if each contributor develops a unique style, it adds to the dynamic of the site. Be aware though that as a team effort, readers will expect a certain amount of consistency unless you explicitly develop a forum for debate. You don't have to bend to their every whim, but you would do well to think about their expectations. Just the other day, a reader confronted me about my stance on smoking bans recently passed in Chicago. My view happens to differ from that of other Chicagoist writers who have addressed the topic, but he had assumed that we were all of the same mind. The resulting fallout ended in some ugly comments that could have been avoided had I paid more attention to the team's general stance.
Group Blog Isn't Spelled With an I Either
Working for Chicagoist has made me more aware of that basic human need to belong to something. Fill in all the corny slogans about teamwork that you want, but working with others on a blog raises the stakes. It's easy to let a personal blog slide because you only have to answer to yourself. But with a group, you feel an obligation to do the best job you can because you don't want to let your friends down. The responsibility may be greater when others rely on your to carry your weight, but the results are well worth it.
- By Matt Wood
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
January 15, 2006
Blogging 101 - iTunes Valid Feeds
Posted by QBlog
So, you've figured out how to publish a podcast and even got it listed in the iTunes Music Store podcast directory. But you haven't quite figured out how to make your plain, generic listing look slick, professional and personalized. Well, pay attention because I'm here to help.
Enhanced Super-Cool Listing
By now you're familiar with the iTunes podcast submission process. Fill out a simple form and your podcast will be listed as soon as it's reviewed by Apple's esteemed "Podcast Approval Team." Easy! However, the submission process does not provide a way to add things like artwork, author name and extended descriptions. Such extras must be included in the RSS feed and adding them can be a complicated and confusing exercise.
For example, take a quick look at Apple's podcast tutorial. It's a lengthy page filled with lines of code, iTunes-specific tags and confusing jargon. Not exactly helpful unless you're a l337 h4x0r. What's the average podcaster to do?
Obviously you don't want to hand-code your RSS feed for each new podcast as one tutorial suggests. Whenever a podcast tutorial includes the phrase "open up a text editor, like Windows notepad" you should run away — fast! What you want instead is an application, service or plug-in that simplifies and automates the iTunes tagging process.
Create A Graphic
There
are several solutions and you should pick which one meets your specific blogging
needs. But before making your decision you need to create a graphic. You know,
that cool image that makes your podcast look like it belongs on iTunes. Your
graphic doesn't have to be fancy. It could be a personal photo, some cheap
stock art or simply the title of your podcast. The only requirement is that
your image be a square jpeg
measuring 300 pixels wide and 300 pixels high.
I suggest using an image that looks good as it shrinks because it will be displayed at smaller sizes on the main iTunes directory. Some tools even suggest creating a 144x144 pixel image for thumbnail views.
The Solutions
I found several solutions that should meet the needs of most podcasters. Some
require a bit more knowledge than others but they're all much easier than hand-coding
your RSS feed for each new podcast.
- Feedburner - Possibly the easiest way to get your podcast feed published. Feedburner makes promoting your podcast to iTunes a cinch and it's FREE! Just follow the simple instructions and you're done. (Recommended for Blogger.com and those who don't host their own podcasts).
- Audioblog - Get started for $4.95 a month and your feed is automatically ready for iTunes. Provides hosting of your podcast files too. Recommended for those who don't mind spending some money and who don't want to be bothered with running their own site.
- Loudblog - This free application runs on your PHP server and supports iTunes valid feeds.
- WP-IpodCatter - A free, easy to install plug-in for Wordpress-powered blogs that really works. It's what I used to get my iTunes valid podcast information uploaded.
Who's Missing?
Sadly, I can't find any solutions for Movable
Type or TypePad. If you're
using either of those tools to get your podcast feed published you'll probably
need to use something like Feedburner to generate your iTunes tags.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
January 8, 2006
Blogging 101 - Going Corporate
Posted by Kathleen Vandervelde
If you ever find yourself in a position to take on the blogger's mantle for your company, I urge you to think twice. Then, DO it!As a former corporate blogger, I can tell you that the satisfaction potential in "going public" for your employer is pretty high. Why? Because you and your fellow bloggers can become a powerful force in shaping the public image of your company.
Think about it. You have first-hand knowledge of new products and new business developments, and you're taking this information to the world before most traditional marketing machines can get their motors running. Just by being timely, bloggers get first crack at grabbing the public's attention.
To take it further, blogging is not just about pushing news and information into the market. It's also about analysis and commentary. It's creating context by which readers can understand and relate to your company. It's taking in -- and acting upon -- comments, suggestions and questions from customers, prospective customers and the public at large.
By engaging directly with the marketplace -- conducting a dialogue, really -- you are helping your company build a community that's loyal to your products and brand.
Move over, traditional marketing
Smart companies are leveraging the power of these exchanges. Writing for the collaborative blog, "Creating Passionate Users " Kathy Sierra points out how the "open source /cluetrain world" is causing traditional "old-school" marketing to give way to "neo-marketing." She draws some interesting contrasts between the two:
- In old-school marketing, marketers have the power. In neo-marketing, users do.
- Old-school marketing employs one-way broadcast. Neo-marketing uses two-way conversation.
- The old school uses deception to sell. Neo-marketing depends on transparency.
- In old-school marketing, the 30-second spot is king. In neo-marketing, it's word of mouth.
- Old-school marketers attempt to get the customer to believe in it. In neo-marketing, you believe in it.
These particular neo-marketing attributes find expression through -- guess what
-- blogging. Turns out, as the authors of The
Cluetrain Manifesto proclaimed:
Markets are indeed conversations.
Let the discussion begin
As a blogger, you get to begin that conversation for your company. And if you
keep the dialogue going honestly, openly, you and your fellow bloggers can become
primary influencers in how the market perceives your company, its products and
its brand.
And if that's not enough of a head rush, you'll probably do it all without a
formal marketing plan, communications brief, brainstorming session, concept
presentation, photo shoot, copy approvals, or even -- gasp -- legal approvals.
Did I say corporate blogging can be hugely satisfying? You betcha.
Upcoming corporate blogging topics: Who are
some of these blogger influentials? OK, let's see some results. Guidelines?
What guidelines? It's still about transparency. How blogging can help you move
up (or move out) PR blogging. CEO bloggers. Can you make money doing this?
Got an idea for a post? Send me an email.
New Blogger Introduction
A freelance writer living in West Michigan, Kathleen Vandervelde's past lives
include both corporate and agency employment. She keeps several blogs, two of
which you could definitely let your mother read: Coit
Avenue and Things
I've Seen.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
January 1, 2006
Blogging 101 - Kill Your Blog
Posted by QBlog
Blogging 101 is back! I bet you're wondering about that special announcement I promised a couple of weeks ago. Well, a new guest blogger has agreed to join me and Matt Wood as a contributing writer for Blogging 101. I'll tell you more about her next week as she makes her Blogging 101 debut. Stay Tuned!
So, you hopped on the blogging bandwagon and posted your insightful commentaries about U.S. Foreign Policy, the rude waiter at Applebee's and that hilarious Snakes on a Plane meme. Yet, like the day after a Tequila-inspired Vegas wedding, you've come to your senses and realized that you really don't need a blog. But you have a blog, maybe even a popular one, and you're now faced with the challenge of getting rid of it and abandoning that self-imposed responsibility to churn out free content.
What To Do?
Obviously the easiest way to kill a blog is to simply stop blogging. If you don't feed the beast, it will eventually die of starvation right? Well sure but you're not a sick, sadist. You just want to stop blogging, not leave your readers speculating about what happened to you and why your posts suddenly halted.
Did she die?
I heard he was arrested.
Maybe he's in a coma? Or has amnesia?
Vacation or Death?
Before you decide to kill your blog I suggest that you take a break to think things over. Post a message letting readers know that you're putting the blog on hold and then leave it alone for a few weeks. If you still have the blogging itch after your hiatus then pick up right where you left off. But if you don't feel the itch then it's probably time to hang it up and kill off your blog.
How to Kill Your Blog
Each blog is different and therefore each blog death will be unique. However, most blog deaths should follow some practical guidelines to ensure that your piece of the Blogosphere doesn't end up resembling an abandoned Wal-Mart.
Here are seven recommendations for killing your blog:
- Be honest about the motivation for killing your blog. If you're killing it because it got you fired, let the world know.
- Once you kill your blog, resist the temptation to resurrect it. Nobody likes a zombie blog.
- Make the death quick and painless. There's nothing worse than a long, agonizing death. Don't waste dozens of posts explaining your action. Do it quick and do it with confidence. One farewell post should suffice.
- Don't delete your blog. Deleting a blog looks like you're trying to hide something and that feeds conspiracy theories. Simply kill it, have a funeral and put up an appropriate tombstone engraved with a clever epitaph for posterity.
- Be sure to tell your readers where you'll be spending your time if you decide to blog somewhere else. Unless of course you're killing your blog because you want to start blogging anonymously.
- Leave all the archives up for as long as possible. If you're paying for hosting then you may need to remove the blog at some point but post a termination date and explain your reasons for removal.
- Unless you plan to monitor comments for spam you should disable the comment (and trackback) features.
Conclusion
There's no shame in properly disposing of a blog. Our lives change. Our goals change. Sometimes our blogs can't adapt to those changes and it's better to kill a blog than to leave it lingering, sporadically updated with second-rate content.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
December 18, 2005
Blogging 101 - Returns
Posted by QBlog
Yipes! I put the popular Blogging 101 series on hold for the summer and now it's nearly Christmas with nary a post in sight.
So, it's time to bring Blogging 101 back. Beginning next Sunday, on Christmas day, Blogging 101 makes its triumphant return to the Quixtar BLOG. And because it's Christmas there will be a special surprise announcement that should delight and amaze children of all ages.
Merry Christmas Bloggers!
July 3, 2005
Blogging 101 - Summer Vacation
Posted by QBlog
Blogging 101 is taking a brief break this summer. It will be back in a few weeks but for now you can read the archives to get your dose of Blogging 101.
June 26, 2005
Blogging 101 - How To Blog
Posted by QBlog
The winner of the 2005 Weblog Awards for "Best article or essay about weblogs" demonstrates the futility of this "Blogging 101" series by explaining all you need to know about blogging in a single post. How To Blog is Tony Pierce's popular essay on how to build an internal combustion engine with common household items.
No, not really you dork. His essay is on how to blog, which is why it's titled "How To Blog." And since this "Blogging 101" thing was created to help people blog, I thought sharing the wisdom of a Weblog Award Winner would be a good thing to do.
Here are a couple of highlights from the famed "How To Blog" essay:
1. write every day.
15. dont be afraid if you think something has been said before. it has. and better. big whoop. say it anyway using your own words as honestly as you can. just let it out.
26. dont be afraid to come across as an asswipe. own your asswipeness.
29. dont apologize about not blogging. nobody cares. just start blogging again.
So, get blogging. Do it like your life depends on it, or maybe like someone else's life depends on it. Sometimes I pretend that every time I publish a blog post a starving child in Asia gets a meal. Or, if you don't want to go the benevolent route, pretend that every blog post kills a terrorist. It may be true. You never know.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
June 19, 2005
Blogging 101 - Develop Regular Features
Posted by QBlog
The question I'm most frequently asked by new bloggers (and some veterans) is, "how do you keep blogging for so long? Don't you run out of material?"
My answer is that yes, I run out of material all the time but with practice and a few "tricks" I'm able to overcome some of those "content droughts" and stick to a regular publishing schedule. I've outlined some of those "tricks" in previous installments of Blogging 101 such as The List, Consistency and The Interview. Today I'll outline my "ace in the hole" which is either a bit of blogging brilliance or blogging stupidity, depending on your perspective.
The Content Schedule
Traditional media (newspapers, radio, television, magazines, etc.) has had regular programming/publishing since the very beginning. A content schedule gives the audience something to look forward to, gives advertisers something to spend money on, gives content producers something too plan for and generally creates a structure that everyone enjoys. Blogs can benefit from similar structure and a schedule can make developing blog content a simpler process and less demanding of your "creative juices." It also gives your blog readers another reason to regularly check in.
I know, it sounds a little crazy. You're wondering how creating specific publishing expectations makes blogging easier. Well, allow me to explain with some personal examples.
I run a weekly feature on the Quixtar BLOG called Monday Reader Mail. Each Monday I select an actual email sent in by an actual reader and post it on the blog, usually with a few of my own comments. It's something that blog readers seem to enjoy and it doesn't take much time for me to produce. And after publishing the feature for a while, I've learned how to produce it more quickly and with less effort.
Think of any repetitive task. At first it's difficult but after a while it becomes almost second nature. A little like riding a bicycle though that's oversimplifying.
Developing Content
The real devil is in the details. A wise blogger will carefully choose the type of content to shift to a regular publication schedule. Don't create a weekly series critiquing European socialism unless you know you can pull it off. I suggest beginning with something simple, something like Monday Reader Mail or David Robison's Sunday Thoughts. Once you're comfortable with a simple feature, consider expanding to something more complex. The key is in finding your groove.
But be warned, don't bite off more than you can chew. If you start a regular feature you should plan to stick with it or else set an end date. There's nothing wrong with creating a seasonal feature, like "Summer Memories" or "Winter Travel Log." And if you run a feature for a limited time and find that you can extend it, then you've just developed a permanent fixture for your blog. Cool huh?
The Trap
There's a definite downside to developing regular blog features. I've bumped up against that with my own regular features, including this one. While I firmly believe that having specific expectations makes me a better blogger, there are just some times when the well is dry. On occasion I'd rather not expend creative energy posting a Blogging 101 entry or drawing a goofy cartoon and simply blog about whatever is on my mind instead.
When you develop a regular feature you give up some of the flexibility that has helped define blogging. That can trap even the best bloggers. Is there a way to avoid such content traps? I think so, by making it clear that every feature can be replaced by something more interesting and more spontaneous at any given time. Don't give up your flexibility and allow the quality of your blog to suffer. If you ever notice that your blog is harmed more than helped by regular features then end them immediately, or at least shelve them for a while.
Think of a regular schedule as a little like fire. When used correctly it can improve the quality of life but when neglected or misused, it can cause devastating destruction.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
June 12, 2005
Blogging 101 - The Interview
Posted by QBlog
Blogging can be hard work. After a few years of regular posting every good blogger is going to run out of things to say from time to time. That's when you turn to the interview and let other people say something instead.
Who To Interview?
Blog interviews are easy. The hard part is getting one set up and that all starts with deciding who to interview. You need to create a list (that's what I did) of people you'd like to interview. If you're not sure who to put on that list just think of people that you find interesting and that you would like to know better.
Your list should be realistic. Sure, shoot for the stars but don't expect Tom Cruise to be your first interview. Maybe try for Tom Coates instead.
Also, keep your blog audience in mind. If you write about rap music your readers may not be interested in an interview with Bill Dance.
The List
You should arrange your list into three categories:
- Likely to say yes
- Likely to say no
- Not likely to respond to the request
The first people you should contact are those who are unlikely to respond. Then, when they don't respond you can slam the stuck-up assholes in your next blog post. Instant content!
The Interview
I've done all kinds of interviews and by far the easiest are email interviews. They're easy because they write themselves. The problem with them is that they often read like a script and lack the spontaneity of real-time interviews.
Instant message interviews have the benefit of being real-time so you can quickly ask follow-up questions and they don't read like they're scripted. It's easier to capture that conversational tone with IM than with email.
The phone interview is very difficult but can produce the best results. I recommend recording the conversation if possible. After the interview, go back and transcribe the recording to be sure that you have all the quotes correct.
If you can do it, a face-to-face interview is fun but can be extremely difficult though the hard work usually pays off with quality content. Again, if possible record the interview to ensure accuracy. If recording isn't an option then take lots and lots of notes. Ask questions to be sure you get your quotes correct.
I recommend that bloggers new to interviewing do a few email interviews before attempting anything else.
The Benefits
The best thing about blog interviews, besides not having to think of an awesome post, is that many good interviews can lead to friendships with some really great people. Some interviews I've done have resulted in lasting friendships. Doing an interview is really a great way to get to know someone while providing some interesting content for your blog readers.
And yes, I'm available for interviews. ;o)
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
June 5, 2005
Blogging 101 - Dominate a Niche
Posted by QBlog
Until the advent of blogging an individual had to overcome at least one of two obstacles in his effort to reach a mass (and potentially global) audience.
- Cost
- Skill
For example, while a Ham Radio is relatively inexpensive, it requires a certain skill level and technological aptitude to operate. And using a word processor is pretty easy, but getting the document published and in the hands of the masses can be quite costly.
Blogging removes those barriers. The Internet (and the World Wide Web) made mass publication affordable and blogging made it as simple as using a word processor.
Scratch That Niche
niche - noun
"Generally, a niche is a special place within the scheme of things."
Because blogging gives individuals the power to publish, they aren't forced to depend upon traditional Media for content — they can create their own. That power shift has caused exponential growth in the types of content available and the beginning of a new era in "niche publishing."
Blogs that target the unique interests of small, specialized audiences fill a publishing void that's existed... well, since the invention of the printing press. With blogs, reaching a niche audience is cheaper, easier and more effective than ever before.
Identify a Niche
If you're thinking about blogging, or want to refocus your existing blog, you could identify a niche. Find a unique topic that you feel especially passionate about and use that as the foundation for your blog.
EXAMPLE: If you're passionate about basketball, think of ways to distinguish your contributions from the crowd. Maybe you can write about basketball shoes? Describe the colors, styles, laces, performance, etc. Or focus on a particular type of shoe — Nike Air Jordans or Tretorns. You could also write about basketball in your region, city or local gym.
Remember, when identifying a niche be sure it's something you feel very passionate about or else you won't write. It's pointless to blog about a niche that you have no interest in.
Dominate That Niche
The more specific your niche, the easier it is to dominate. If you're the only woman blogging about purple jars made from recycled glass then you've easily dominated the purple, recycled glass jar blog niche. As your topic loses specificity the field of competition obviously grows but so does your potential audience.
But how do I dominate a niche? Unfortunately, there's not a simple answer. If you write like a retarded third-grader then you're unlikely to dominate any niche (unless it's the retarded third-grader blog niche). But assuming you can at least string a few sentences together here are my suggested tips for niche domination.
- Blog Often - People are more likely to forgive poor writing if a blog is updated frequently. Blogs that are well written AND frequently updated (while rare) are much more likely to dominate their respective niches.
- Blog Well - Good writing. Good linking. Make sense. Be funny. Be sincere. Be informative. Be like Jason Kottke.
- Know Your Competition - I've always studied my competition to borrow ideas, identify weaknesses and gain inspiration.
- Know Your Niche - Sounds obvious but many niche bloggers don't know much about their chosen topic. Their blogs generally suck. Don't be like them. Study. Learn. Educate. Know your niche.
- Know Your Audience - Be in tune with what your niche audience wants from your blog.
The above tips really apply to all blogs, not just niche blogs. And I'm not suggesting that every blog should be a niche blog. Most bloggers are probably better suited for tackling mainstream topics and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind that niche blogging often provides audiences with content they can't get anywhere else.
Examples of Niche Blogging
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
May 29, 2005
Blogging 101 - Revise
Posted by QBlog
You remember that awesome entry you posted on your blog last week? You know, the Hemingway-esque pontification about life and blogs and destiny? Well, after a bit of sober reflection you realize that it wasn't so great after all and could use a little revising. That's pretty much what I did to the "Is Blogging Journalism" entry posted earlier this month.
I went back and tried to flesh out the Blogging 101 post to make it more comprehensive. The ability to quickly revise, while following some basic modification guidelines, is another reason blogging (or Web publishing in general) is so cool.
And that's pretty much my entry for Blogging 101 on this Memorial Day weekend. Just revising a previous post to make it better, improved. Have a great weekend and if you'd like to help out with Blogging 101, send me an email. I'm now taking submissions and will post more details soon.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
May 22, 2005
Blogging 101 - Care To Comment?
Posted by Matt Wood
Using comments effectively in a blog
I'm back from my brief hiatus, after my last Blogging 101 article necessitated a stay in protective custody. Now that I've been away and had some time to repent for what I said, I'm fully back on the blogging bandwagon. Hopefully this piece will be awkwardly read off a flickering screen by two hot interns from Vassar during a riveting "What's in the Blogs" segment on CNN.
Much of the hype about blogs stems from the audience interactivity they permit. Almost every blog features an integrated comment system that allows its readers to post immediate reactions to each post that are displayed right along with the original text. This turns one-sided, author-centric web pages into dynamic communities in which the real action often happens far down the page and far off-topic from the original post.
But starting this kind of discussion isn't just a matter of switching on the comment setting in Movable Type. A blogger has to know how to solicit meaningful feedback and keep the conversation going. She also has to know when to insert herself into the discussion and when to respectfully step back and let things develop as they will.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your comment section:
- Write open-ended posts. This can be as simple as adding
a "What do you think?" at the end of your furious rant about the
last OC episode, as long as
it invites people to respond. If you really have a lot of readers, you can
even get away with an "Open Thread" in which you make a placeholder
post just so people can talk.
- Lay off the inside jokes. If you're really interested
in getting a good dialogue going, make your blog feel open to people who don't
know you in the real world. There is definitely a place for blogs written
just for your friends, but to really engage new people, they have to feel
comfortable joining the conversation.
- Be outrageous. Nothing gets the peanut gallery more excited
than when you say something really obnoxious. Push the hot buttons. Use language
that you know will set off emotions. Deliberately pick on people (in good
taste). Even if you don't feel that strongly about something, sometimes it's
fun to whip up some Rush Limbaugh faux-outrage just to get the barbs flying.
- Participate in the discussion yourself. Don't get so wrapped
up in your own thoughts that you don't take time to respond to other comments.
Blog posts, by their immediate nature, are often incomplete, poorly written,
or unclear. Sometimes you have to elaborate or answer questions that will
lead you down new paths and bring up even more interesting points.
- Stay out of it when you're not wanted. You can also smother
a conversation by controlling it too much. You may want to let a handful of
people riff on a topic for a while before you jump back in the fray. Think
of the way your best teachers encouraged discussion in class: most of the
time they asked some well-placed questions and sat back to watch it unfold,
speaking up only when necessary to keep things on topic.
- Show your work. If you realize that you made a mistake
in your original post, don't delete the offending text. Leave it there to
elaborate and clarify, either as a clearly marked update or using strikethrough
tags. Readers who come to the page later will find it more instructive
to see the entire discussion as it unfolded.
- Don't be defensive, but don't be a pushover. If someone
jumps your case, think about it a few minutes before you respond. You have
to be in control of the situation. As we all know, internet discussions can
quickly get out of hand. It's much easier to take the high road and let the
flame throwers look like the high-strung assholes. But then again, you don't
want to look like an easy mark. If a commenter attacks you unfairly, you're
obligated to set the record straight and make fun of their mama.
- Follow the trackbacks. Trackbacks, in a nutshell, are
posts on other blogs that reference something on your site, and by the magic
of the internet, shows up in your comment section. They used to be a little
hard to pull off, but most blog software today automatically uses trackbacks
in some form or another. They're indirect comments. Some bloggers even prefer
that people use trackbacks instead of commenting directly on their site. If
you receive a trackback, make sure you read it and respond if necessary, or
better yet, respond by leaving a comment directly on the other site. Or, write
a new post and leave a trackback for them, and then they'll write another
one and trackback you, and then you'll become best blog buddies and all is
right with the geek world.
- Do it all on the same page. Always configure your blog
to display comments on a single page with your original post instead of in
a pop-up window. This way the entire discussion will be archived at the permalink,
allowing it to be indexed and searchable. This preserves the flavor of the
entire discussion, and captures ideas that happened later in the discussion
after the original post.
- Clean house. Nothing kills a discussion like the dreaded comment spam. You get a good argument going over the merits of Jack Bauer's latest torture technique, and all of a sudden everyone's talking about online casinos and porn. Again, most modern blog tools have automatic methods to help, but a few spam comments always slip through. Just make sure you pay attention and clean out the garbage. But then again, a well-placed penis enlargement comment might keep things going.
A blog without good discussion will always die of neglect. You have to actively monitor your comments. Every blogger, no matter what they say, started their site because they want other people to read it and respond. Say what you will about self-publishing and grassroots reporting and speaking your mind, but discussion is what blogs do best.
- By Matt Wood
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
Other related Blogging 101 Entries
May 15, 2005
Blogging 101 - Is Blogging Journalism?
Posted by QBlog
- Updated May 29, 2005
"Is Blogging Journalism" was one of the questions posed for discussion at last week's BlogNashville conference. My answer is similar to Dana Blankenhorn's — it's a stupid question.
To say a blog is journalism is like saying web pages are journalism. Journalism can happen on Web pages, and on blogs, in lots of places. Not everything that's printed is journalism. Not everything that's broadcast is journalism. Yet we have print and broadcast journalism. It's the same with blogging software.
Blogging is simply a publication tool identified by certain characteristics that distinguish it from other publication tools. When people ask the "is blogging journalism" question what they really want to know is whether or not bloggers who report and opine about public issues and current events should enjoy the same respect and protections given to traditional journalists? My answer to that question is a resounding YES.
What Is A Journalist?
A journalist simply reports information (and sometimes, in the case of columns and reviews, expressly shares opinions) to others and hopefully does so accurately, completely and with integrity. Unlike doctors or lawyers there is no formal certification or licensing process for journalists so anyone can claim to be a journalist. However, the marketplace ultimately decides who is and is not a journalist. Just ask Geraldo Rivera and Matt Drudge.
In a competitive marketplace those with skills and desire will succeed while the talentless hacks will usually fail.
The Blogging Parallels
Like journalism, there is no formal licensing or certification process for bloggers. Virtually anyone can blog and, like journalists, the marketplace determines which bloggers are worth reading and which should be ignored. Bloggers with skill rise to the top and command an audience while the talentless hacks remain unread.
The Concerns
Many traditional journalists express concerns about blogging based on five key issues:
- Credibility
- Accountability
- Ethics
- Agenda
- Accuracy
Let's examine each issue as it relates to bloggers.
Credibility One of the primary criticisms of blogs is also what makes blogging so revolutionary — anyone can say anything about everything to everyone. Due to that accessibility, critics rightly question the credibility and veracity of blog content. But credibility is not a birthright nor a permanent honor bestowed on any individual or institution. It must be regularly earned by consistently demonstrating that the content is trustworthy, accurate and credible.
60 Minutes is considered a credible news magazine but lost much of that credibility over Rathergate. Likewise the New York Times lost credibility during the Jayson Blair incident. And don't forget the Newsweek debacle. Main Stream Media (and the journalists it employs) must earn, and re-earn, its credibility. Bloggers must also earn, and re-earn, credibility. In both cases the audience (or marketplace) decides which information sources (bloggers and traditional journalists) are credible.
The significant distinction between most bloggers and traditional journalists is that most bloggers have no financial incentive to be credible while a journalist's livelihood is directly connected to his credibility. But credible bloggers, like credible journalists, are usually motivated by more than just a paycheck.
Accountability
Who holds bloggers accountable? Libel and other laws apply to bloggers as well as journalist. Also, like journalists, a blogger's audience holds him accountable and as that audience grows the degree of scrutiny and accountability also grows. While journalists are also held accountable by their employer (publisher, editor, supervisor, etc.), popular bloggers are held accountable by a peer group that works a little like the Open Source community. Good blogging gets recognized and supported while poor blogging gets ridiculed and castigated. It's not structured, but for the most part, it works.Ethics
Journalists are taught ethical standards in school while bloggers must learn them on their own. This reality gives journalists an ethical advantage but not an insurmountable one. Most ethical guidelines are just common sense and with some experience, bloggers can discern what is and isn't ethical. And let's not kid ourselves, journalists are human and can be as unethical as any politician in spite of all their training. Real ethics come from personal integrity and both bloggers and journalists that lack integrity will have a difficult time following ethical guidelines no matter how what the level of ethical education.Agenda
Do journalists have an agenda? They're trained to be unbiased but many have shown that such training can be ineffective. And so we, as journalism consumers, are left guessing about potential motives and possible hidden agendas in news reports and editorials. Such is rarely the case with bloggers.Bloggers often wear their agendas on their sleeves which makes it easier (at times) to put the reported information in its proper context. We can expect a "right" perspective from Instapundit and a "left" perspective from Daily Kos. Full disclosure may not be a blogger's advantage but at least it removes agenda ambiguity.
Accuracy
Traditional journalists don't have a lock on accuracy. Neither do bloggers. Instead of keeping score both should just recognize that the public detests negligent mistakes from both traditional journalists and bloggers. Don't piss off the people.
So Is Blogging Journalism?
Certain types of blogging are indeed journalism. If you've ever had any desire to become a journalist, the traditional kind, then I suggest you start blogging. It's a great way to get your feet wet and better understand how journalism works (and doesn't work).
Some futurists imagine a day when all news will be reported by citizen bloggers, making traditional journalists irrelevant. While that may happen (though unlikely) I imagine a day when all traditional journalists become bloggers and we ask the question, "is journalism blogging?"
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
May 1, 2005
Blogging 101 - Greatest Hits
Posted by QBlog
This week's Blogging 101 takes a look back to some of the past lessons in this helpful and educational series. If you haven't read back through all the previous entries, I encourage you to visit the Category Archives and poke around.
The 10 Greatest Hits of Blogging 101
- Be Brief - This may be the golden rule of blogging
- Blog Competition - My secret to blog success, if you call this blog a success
- The Importance of Blogs - Of course bloggers believe that what they do is important and this entry explains why they're right
- Read Blogs - A good blogger usually reads other blogs just like a good writer reads other writers
- Value Added - Explains how to make your blog more than just a blog including tips on how to increase traffic
- Consistency - My "secret" to consistent publishing is laid out here
- Podcasting - One of the best nuts and bolts tutorials about Podcasting
- Make A Little Money - The basics on how to make (a little) money from blogging
- Moblogging - If you want to blog on the go, this post is for you
- Blog Ethics - Everything needs a code of ethics
So, there you have it. If you would like to nominate another entry for the 10 Greatest Hits, be my guest and maybe it will make the 10 Greatest Hits of Blogging 101 - Volume II.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
April 24, 2005
Blogging 101 - Make A Little Money
Posted by QBlog
Yes, you can make money from your blog. There are several ways to generate a little cash with your blog but I'll highlight five of the most popular methods.
- The PayPal Tip Jar
- Google AdSense
- BlogAds
- Amazon Associates
- Sponsorships
Before I go into any more detail I should mention that unless you run an extremely popular blog, have the right kind of audience and are Jason Kottke then you will not make a lot of money with your blog. At best, you can hope to make enough to cover server fees, domain registration, software upgrades, licenses and other expenses associated with running a website. And when you do make money, keep in mind that Uncle Sam (for U.S. residents) will want a nice chunk of your blog cash.
PayPal Tip Jar
One of the best ways to get blog funds is with the PayPal Tip Jar. Like the tip jars used by coffee shops and street musicians, the PayPal Tip Jar is a way for people to directly support something they appreciate. Setting up a PayPal Tip Jar is really easy, just setup a PayPal account and let others know which email address should receive the funds.
If you'd like to put a nifty PayPal button on your blog (like the "Make a donation" one I have) then insert the following code into your template:
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<div align="center">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="business" value="support@youremail.com">
<input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="Support My BLOG">
<input type="hidden" name="no_shipping" value="1">
<input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="1">
<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
<input type="hidden" name="tax" value="0">
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but21.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="Make payments with PayPal - it's fast, free and secure!">
</div>
</form>
Of course you should change the appropriate fields to reflect your specific details.
Google AdSense
Google AdSense has quickly become the most popular and (for some) lucrative way to make money from a blog. According to Google:
Google AdSense is a fast and easy way for website publishers of all sizes to display relevant, unobtrusive Google ads on their website's content pages and earn money. Because the ads are related to what your users are looking for on your site, you'll finally have a way to both monetize and enhance your content pages.
To get hooked up with AdSense you must fill out Google's application which includes a lot of personal information, mainly for tax purposes. Once you're approved just follow the helpful instructions and start placing ads on your blog. Google ads use something called Cost Per Click and Pay Per Click. CPC/PPC means that advertisers only pay when their ad is clicked and then you get a percentage of what the advertisers pay Google for that click. This differs from impression-based ads which charge advertisers based on the number of times an ad is displayed, not clicked. Google doesn't use impression-based ads.
BlogAds
According to the BlogAds website, this form of advertising is a way to reach an audience that MSM (Main Stream Media) can't (or won't) reach:
You need to woo the early adopters that traditional media can't reach. You need to engage 500,000 opinion makers, not pester 100,000,000 nobodies. You need Blogads. Read by fanatics, pundits and journalists, blogs increasingly set the insider agenda. Use blogads to engage where opinions are made.
I like BlogAds and understand their potential but they're primarily appealing to a certain type of audience — political and web-centric. I'm not discouraging anyone from using BlogAds, I use them here and am pleased with them so far, but they're more hit & miss than the Tip Jar or Google AdSense.
Like Google AdSense, you must apply for inclusion in the BlogAds program but unlike Google, BlogAds has certain requirements. You really need to have at least 1,000 daily unique visitors before you can use BlogAds. If your blog doesn't generate that much traffic, then you probably won't be using BlogAds.
Amazon Associates
I don't know much about the Amazon Associates, even though I'm using it on this blog. I had to apply with Amazon and after getting approved, go through a few basic steps to set it up and install it on my blog template. The way it works is that you put a link (or ad) on your site and if someone clicks the link and then buys the resulting product, you get a cut of that sale. Pretty simple. There are many associate style programs but Amazon's is probably the most popular.
Sponsorships
I'm not aware of any specific applications that facilitate sponsorships. Most seem to be custom-built and unique to each blog. The concept of sponsorships is to sell (or rent) premium real estate on your blog to the highest bidder. For example, the extremely popular blog BoingBoing is sponsored by Wired, Speakeasy and Space Ghost (among others). Their ads appear in very visible spots, under the words "Sponsored By." The theory is that both sponsors and the blogs that host their ads share some common interests, values and goals. This isn't necessarily true but it's a bit different than straight advertising... I think.
Anyway, sponsorships are developed entirely by you so the accounting, reporting, security, billing, etc. is all on you. This may be more hassle than you're willing to deal with but it can be the most effective way to make money from your blog.
Some Considerations
Before you rush out and start trying to get rich from your blog I'd advise you to sit down and consider how money can impact your blog. More importantly, think of how the perception of money can impact your blog audience. Even Boing Boing has been "under attack" for "selling out" and not being forthcoming about its ad revenue (according to some). I'm not going to argue one way or another about blogs and money but just want you to carefully consider the ramifications before you move forward and develop a strategy based on that awareness.
Before I did anything related to money on this blog I decided that full disclosure was paramount and that my goal was to cover costs, never make a profit. But that's my decision. What you decide is entirely up to you. Just know what you're doing and why.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
April 17, 2005
Blogging 101 - Hosting Your Own Blog
Posted by QBlog
So you want to blog eh? Fantastic!
What's that? You don't want your blog URL to be myrants.blogspot.com or myblog.blogharbor.com or something like that? Well, then I suppose you want to host your own blog then? Spectacular!
Ah, but you aren't sure how to host your own blog, right? Well, that's why I'm here. Helping bloggers do more with less... or something.
Register A Domain
If you want your blog to reside at something like mysupercoolblog.com then you need to register that domain with a registration service. There are a few to choose from, Network Solutions is one of the oldest and most popular but I recommend Godaddy.com (for others search Google).
The first step to domain registration is to pick a domain name. This can be a difficult task because you must obviously pick one that is available. Most people try to choose something ending with ".com" because that's the most common but ".net" and ".org" are fine too. If you can, avoid names ending with things like ".info" and ".biz" because they're considered "second tier" domains by many Web enthusiasts. You should also steer clear of hyphenated domain names (like big-blog-fun.com) and domain names with numbers (like myblog1234.com). Of course, you can pick any domain name you like, I'm just detailing some "best practices" for choosing a domain.
It's pretty easy to search for available domains on most registration services. Just type in the one you want and if it's not available, most services offer alternative suggestions. Or you can keep trying different names until you find one that's available. When you find an available domain, the registration process is pretty simple. Follow the instructions, choose your registration term length (from one to ten years) and pay the fee (I recommend two years).
What Next?
So now you own a domain — what next? Well, some people choose to do a redirect which transfers people to another domain (also called Domain Forwarding). For example, I own quixtarblog.com but nothing is hosted at that domain. Instead, if you visit quixtarblog.com you'll end up here, at webraw.com/quixtar/. So, if you had a blog hosted at TypePad or blog.com, you could have your personal URL (like robscoolblog.com) redirect to your hosted blog (like robscoolblog.typepad.com).
The advantage of domain forwarding is that you're done once you tell the registration service where you want to transfer people. The disadvantage is that ultimately, visitors end up at a domain other than your own (example: myblog.blogspot.com).
Choosing A Host
Since you've decided to host your own blog (instead of forwarding your domain) you need to choose a host. Many registration services offer hosting but you're not required to use them for your site. It's best to shop around and find the package that fits your needs and your budget. Hosting your own site does cost money, so be prepared to spend a little cash. Also, you want a hosting plan that supports your blog software preference so be sure to choose one that fits those requirements (PHP, CGI, MySQL, etc.). Most blog tools run in either PERL (Movable Type) or PHP (WordPress) and almost all use MySQL as a database. Check the Blog Software Breakdown to get an idea of the minimum server requirements your host should provide.
I recommend Godaddy (no, I don't get anything to recommend them) as a blog host for beginners. It's cheap (as little as $3.95 per month), fairly easy to set up and has packages that support most blog software.
Hosting Alternative
There is an alternative hosting solution. Some blog services, like Blogger.com, allow users to publish to another server via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). The advantage of this is that you can use any type of hosting plan for this option. You don't need PHP, a Database or anything else except for FTP access. And there's no installation to mess with which is great for newbies. If you're already using a blog service, and don't want to stop using it, you might consider this option.
To see if your blog service offers FTP publishing, search for an FTP option in your admin area or check the FAQ section (Blogger's FTP Help).
Set Up Your Site
When you set up your site with your host, you'll need to enter the DNS information with your registration service. If your host is the same as the registration service (using Godaddy for both), this process is probably pretty simple. If not, then find out the DNS info from your hosting service and enter that into the Nameserver field of your Domain Registration service. It often looks something like this: site.nameserver.com.
The Domain Name System is what tells your browser where to go. If you type in a Web address, your computer sends a query to a directory service that matches that name to an IP address. Without getting too technical, it's basically the service that sends you to the correct site when you type a URL into your browser (or click a link).
There's More?
You're not done yet. The next step is to install your blog software. This is generally done by uploading (using FTP) a bunch of files to your server and following some installation instructions. Be sure your Database is set up before running the installation. Setting up your Database is usually just a matter of selecting "configure database" from a list of options in your hosting Admin tool.
After your blog software is installed, you'll need to configure it and choose a template. If you want to import posts from another blog (such as your previous blog on Blogger) then find the Import/Export instructions and follow those carefully. Most tools allow you to export posts and comments from one blog and then import them into another blog. It can be a tedious task but well worth the effort.
Start Blogging
Once your software is installed, you're ready to blog. That's a pretty simple process compared to all the other crap you just endured. I wish I could give detailed instructions for every step but there are just too many variables and options to cover and besides, others have done a much better job of explaining the details. Maybe I'll go back and give a step-by-step walk-through of each blog tool but for now, you have the basics of how to host your own blog.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
April 10, 2005
Blogging 101 - The List
Posted by QBlog
Every experienced blogger has, at one time or another, endured what some refer to as writer's block. It's a condition that afflicts both good and bad writers, though the symptoms are much easier to detect in good writers. And since writer's block (I call it inspiration drought) is an inevitable condition, many veteran bloggers have developed a veritable blogging "bag of tricks" which provide content in lieu of truly inspired writing.
So, today I reach into my blogging "bag of tricks" and pull out — "bullet points." Bullet points, or unordered lists, are a wonderful tool for bloggers to use any time but they are especially helpful during an inspiration drought.
How?
Many blog tools have a list button built into the WYSIWYG Application. If you write your blog in WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) mode then clicking the list button should set up your bullet points, just like in any word processing application.
However, if you don't have a list button or aren't working in WYSIWYG mode, here is how to set up your own list in HTML:
<UL>
<LI>List Item</LI>
<LI>Second List Item</LI>
</UL>
That's it. If you want more items, just add more lines. Be sure that you put the "< >" around your code tags and the end tags need the "/" forward slash. If you copy the example above, you'll be fine.
In the HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) the "UL" stands for Unordered List and the LI stands for List Item. If you'd like your list numbered, or ordered, then change the "UL" to an "OL" for Ordered List.
Advantages Of Lists
There are many advantages to using a list in your blog post. Here are a few examples:
- Easy to scan for interesting items
- Can use incomplete sentences
- Lists can help organize thoughts
- People seem to naturally like lists - Top 40 - Top Ten - Sexiest Celebrities
- One warning about lists. A list item should be relatively short. If you create a list but all the items in your list end up being several sentences long then what you've really done is written a few paragraphs set apart by bullet points instead of spacing or indentation. That sort of defeats the purpose of the list because it doesn't really make the list easy to scan for content.
- Links to other sites are great in lists (Blogrolls are just lists)
- Don't make your list too long unless that list is really, really interesting
And that's pretty much all you need to know about lists. If I had anything to add it would be suggested list topics but I'll let you do that. What are some list topics that you've found helpful or interesting in your blogging experience?
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
April 3, 2005
Blogging 101 - Sick Day
Posted by QBlog
Don't Blog when you're sick. Instead, stay in bed and drink lots of fluids. Today I feel like crap. I'm sick with something and my cop-out post today is just to say that if you're sick, really miserable sick, don't blog. I probably could have written something in advance but it's been a busy week.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
March 27, 2005
Blogging 101 - You Don't Need a Blog
Posted by Matt Wood
A few weeks ago, my partner QBlog wrote about blogging Rule #1: Don't Suck. Sage advice indeed, but the truth is no matter how hard you try, your blog will suck. It will be unbelievably, mind-numbingly bad. You won't post often enough to keep people coming back, and you'll be mad at yourself. You won't get any comments, and you'll feel like a loser. Then you'll abandon your blog, and the internet will be littered with yet another carcass with six meaningless posts, four of which are apologies for not posting often enough. There are 12,000 new weblogs created every day, and 11,999 of them suck, including yours. So don't even try. Do the internet a favor, and don't clog it up with your "ramblings," "musings," or "random thoughts" in a blog. There are better places for it.
But I just want to speak my mind, you say. Great. Don't do it in a blog. Speak your mind to your friends, your family, your co-workers, or your classmates. If you're angry or excited about something, tell them about it, and get them angry and excited too. Don't waste your time hoping some intrepid, like-minded soul will stumble upon your sad, default-Blogger-templated website. After the initial delusion that everyone from Finland to New Zealand will care about exactly how you feel about Donald Rumsfeld wears off, you'll realize that you're talking to yourself. And you'll be more frustrated than if you hadn't started the damn blog in the first place. So turn off the computer and get out of the house. It's liberating.
But my family and friends don't want to talk about this stuff with me, you say. There's probably a reason for that. You're either A) boring or B) an obnoxious blowhard. Either way, take the social cues from your friends and keep it to yourself. You'll be doing all of us a favor. Remember that guy at your office, the one you can't stand because he's such a know-it-all and won't shut up? Don't be that guy.
But I want meet new people with the same interests, you say. Bravo. Allow me to introduce you to the humble discussion group, otherwise known as a message board, a forum, or an email message sent to more than one person at a time. With four million other blogs to contend with, hardly anyone will be able to find yours, let alone feel compelled to comment on it. That endless succession of "Comments (0)" you'll see after every post will demoralize you to the point that you'll consider leaving the spam comments around just to boost your numbers. So instead of setting yourself up for failure, seek out these other wonderful people, in a place like Slashdot, Kuro5hin, or a Yahoo group, where all the technical bits are taken care of, where the discussion is lively, and where chances are someone will respond to you within five minutes of pressing "Send."
But I don't want to meet other people, I just want a place to record my thoughts, you say. Awesome. Instead of spending $29.95 a month for broadband, $14.99 a month for web hosting, and $69.95 for a copy of Movable Type, take $1.50 and buy a notebook and a pen. They're age-old tools for creating what you really need: a journal. Let's say you're really pissed about what your boss said to you one day, or you secretly think your boyfriend is cheating on you. Are you going to write about that on the public web? Probably not. Every blogger self-censors no matter how tough they talk. So spend some time really getting things off your chest in a good old diary. Trust me, you'll feel better in the long run.
We can't all be so lucky to write for a quality publication like this one. So seriously, don't even try. A blog isn't the right answer for most of the reasons people think they need one. But you don't need one. Your energy is better spent conversing with real people, not hoping to be the one voice heard in the middle of a riot.
- By Matt Wood
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
March 20, 2005
Blogging 101 - Click Here
Posted by QBlog
If you're new to blogging then you may also be new to linking content. Links, or hyperlinks, are references to other Web sites or files. Links are the lifeblood of the Web and can greatly enhance your content by providing context that wouldn't otherwise be available.
But how should you insert a link into your content? It's not as easy as it looks. For example, let's say you found a really cool video you want to link up in your blog post. Your post may look something like this:
Just saw an AWESOME Star Wars trailer. It's so cool. You gotta check it out. Click Here.
The above example is the wrong way to link the video. "Click Here" gives absolutely no context. It's also superfluous and makes the link virtually invisible to search engines.
Instead, try inserting the link within the flow of the content like this:
Just saw an AWESOME Star Wars trailer. It's so cool. You gotta check it out.
The link now makes more sense. It's about Star Wars and it's a trailer. It also doesn't disrupt the flow of your post with a big, intrusive "Click Here."
History of Click Here
In the early days of the Web, many believed that people needed clear directions about where to click. Those who were new to the Web didn't understand that an underlined word usually indicated a link and that by clicking that underlined word, they'd get access to additional content. And so "Click Here" was used as a way of guiding Web neophytes along the "Information Superhighway."
However, the Web has since become such a familiar fixture in our modern culture that such guidance is unnecessary and phrases like "Click Here" can actually detract from the value of content.
Improved Linking
There are other ways to improve your linking. Using the "title tag" gives your link even more context. Example:
<a href="http://www.link.com" title="Descriptive Explanation of Link">Linked Text</a>
The title tag generally displays when you "mouse over" a link. Title tags also help search engines understand what the links are and makes it easier for them to return relevant results.
Pointers
You should always be aware of the way links affect your content. Find the right balance. Here are a few tips:
- Too many links can be distracting and make your content difficult to read.
- Links that are too long can also negatively impact your blog post.
- Try to avoid linking punctuation. It's not necessary and looks silly. Same with "quotes" inside sentences. Linking quotes should be done by putting the link inside the "quote."
- Be careful with "hover links." If you don't know what a hover link is, don't worry about it. If you do, be sure that your hover link isn't bold or a different font size than the link text. Such spatial changes cause the text to "move" when moused over. It looks silly and can damage templates.
- IMPORTANT: Be sure you let people know when your link goes to a non HTML page. In the examples above I linked a movie file. I should have added some indication that the link was directly to a movie file.
Example: Just saw an AWESOME Star Wars trailer (Window Media File). This is especially important to do for pdf files, as you'll see demonstrated on this very blog. - Linking the same word many times in a single post is unnecessary and annoying. For example, if your post is about the Saki Monkey then you shouldn't link the words Saki Monkey every time you mention the Saki Monkey. Two or three times is fine, and sometimes helps the post but if you have a lengthy entry and the word is used dozens of times, then don't link each instance of that word.
Finally, if you have anything to add to this post, please leave a comment. This post discusses text links only. I will discuss image links another day.
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike
March 13, 2005
Blogging 101 - Radio Free Europe
Posted by QBlog
Sing
Reason: it could polish up the grey.
Put that, put that, put that up your wall
That this isn't country at all
Raving station, beside yourself
Keep me out of country in the word
Deal the porch is leading us absurd.
Push that, push that, push that to the hull
That this isn't nothing at all.
Straight off the boat, where to go?
Calling on in transit, calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
- REM, "Radio Free Europe"
What Is RFE?
Radio Free Europe was "established in 1949 as a nonprofit, private corporation to broadcast news and current affairs programs to Eastern European countries behind the Iron Curtain."
RFE was founded on the conviction that the "first requirement of democracy is a well informed citizenry." By freely broadcasting to countries with limited (or nonexistent) press freedoms, RFE informed the citizens in ways their own governments would never allow. RFE provided an alternative to the propaganda and lies force-fed to the people by totalitarian regimes. Those regimes occasionally resorted to threats and violence in an effort to silence the voices of RFE.
However, RFE was not deterred and continued with its mission to inform those living in countries with controlled media.
Impact of RFE
The impact of RFE is hard to measure, though its influence in changing the political landscape in Eastern Europe (and the former Soviet Union) is undeniable. Boris Yeltsin, former president of Russia had this to say on the 40th Anniversary of RFE, March 1993:
It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of your (RFE) contribution to the destruction of the totalitarian (Soviet) regime. No less important are your efforts to inform listeners in Russia about events in our country and abroad. We...rely on your objective illumination of Russian and international events... and in protecting democratic reforms.
The spirit of RFE continues with radio and satellite stations broadcasting to nations that lack basic press freedoms (or are developing those important freedoms for the first time).
And Blogging?
I see some obvious parallels with the way RFE assisted in undermining communist regimes during the Cold War and how blogs are undermining the efforts of Pan-National, Mega Corps to control content. No, I'm not saying Sony Corporation operates like the former Soviet Union, but that blogs erode the historical power of the "Gatekeepers." That erosion is similar to the success of RFE and equally irritating to the regimes it impacts.
But unlike radio, blogs can be published by anyone, from anywhere. The Corporations know this but most have yet to develop a coherent strategy on how to deal with this new, blogging reality (similarly the Soviet Union failed to develop an effective strategy to deal with RFE and resorted to "jamming"). Books like The Cluetrain Manifesto and The Red Couch outline ways in which Corporations can embrace blogging (or the Net in general), maintain their Corporate identity and help the bottom line in the process.
Yes, the idea of surrendering control over information scares the crap out of the average CEO but the alternative is a slow, painful slide into irrelevance. "What if they say my company sucks? What if everyone starts complaining about product X?" Well, the truth is that the conversations will occur in spite of the Corporation's efforts to control them. So, why not earn some of that coveted "good will" by encouraging (maybe even facilitating) that dialogue instead of trying to control it? That makes sense and will, in the long run, help the bottom line.
Conclusion
Like RFE, blogs are here to stay. Like RFE, they can't be silenced by spin, "jamming," fancy propaganda or Google Bombing. Unlike the Soviet Union, Corporations can successfully coexist with blogs and even join in the fun. Does your business embrace blogging? Why or why not?
March 6, 2005
Blogging 101 - Don't Suck
Posted by QBlog
One thing I love about blogs is that anyone can start one and say just about anything. One thing I hate about blogs is that anyone can start one and say just about anything. An obvious and valid criticism of blogging is that most blogs just plain suck. It's true, but not unique to blogging. Most books suck too. So do most television shows. And most radio shows. And most newspapers. And the list goes on. The norm is not to be great and wonderful and cool because if that were the norm, then... well you get the idea.
But, I digress. The point of this edition of Blogging 101 is to highlight some valid (and not so valid) criticisms of blogging. My hope is that you'll read the following criticisms and maybe learn what to avoid in your own blog. To keep things managable, I'm listing five of my favorite criticisms.
- Why
I F—ing Hate Weblogs! - "As we can see, clearly weblogs are
f—ing retarded as a general rule. Most weblog authors either think they
have something important to say (self-centered and egotistical authors), or
believe that they have an audience that cares what they think (delusional
and irrational authors.) What can be plainly seen is that most weblog authors
need something to push them back into the real world from the self-centered
and delusional world they have created for themselves."
- Why
"Blogging" Sucks - 'The problem with all of this is the nomenclature
of 'blogging' sucks. No, not 'blogging.' You know, 'BLOGGING.' I mean the
word 'blogger' or 'blogging'. It's meaningless. Saying 'bloggers are x or
y' is equally meaningless. Someone claiming to speak for bloggers is more
than meaningless it is delusional. Treating 'bloggers' as a group, a species,
a breed, or anything else is meaningless. As I noted previously, the word
'blogger' is an empty vessel into which too many, pour too much, in order
to mean too little."
- Paglia
Pans Blogging - "Blog reading for me is like going down to the cellar
amid shelves and shelves of musty books that you're condemned to turn the
pages of. Bad prose, endless reams of bad prose! There's a lack of discipline,
a feeling that anything that crosses one's mind is important or interesting
to others. People say that the best part about writing a blog is that there's
no editing -- it's free speech without institutional control. Well, sure,
but writing isn't masturbation -- you've got to self-edit."
- Blogging ...
Blah, Blah, Blah - "U.S. News & World Report reported last week
that several senior Republican senators — upon hearing that 'blogs'
had uncovered the Dan Rather scandal, helped to defeat Tom Daschle and pushed
for the resignation of CNN executive Eason Jordan — demanded that 'blogs'
be added to their official Web sites. Even though, as a Capitol Hill Web consultant
told the magazine, most of them hadn't the slightest idea of what a 'blog'
actually is."
- I Hate Blogs - "People who write blogs walk around in their own sweet, sweet smugness, spending their days – I assume – collecting anecdotes ('and then, guffaw, he said "penis" out loud. In public!') and then littering the Internet with them, merely for posterity because, of course, if it ain’t on the Internet it doesn’t exist."
I'll just add that the one of the most important aspects of blogging is to know your audience. Understand who's reading your blog or who you want to read your blog and then write for them. If you don't want anyone to read your blog then why the hell are you blogging?
Blogging 101 publishes every Sunday and provides blogging tips, advice and tutorials for blog newbies and veterans alike.
February 27, 2005
Blogging 101 - Moblogging
Posted by Matt Wood
Mo' Bloggin'! Mo' Bloggin'! Mo' Bloggin'!
Blog is such a ridiculous word. It always makes me think of something you might do after a night of hard drinking ("I really hit it off with this girl at the party, but then I blogged all over her sweater"). To make it worse, the word has mutated into other forms with equally nauseous connotations: blogroll (something you might find in the deli next to the head cheese), blogosphere (a geeky euphemism for a toilet bowl), and my favorite, moblogging. It's twice as much blogging! It's blogging with guys named Mo! Say it fast enough and you can't help thinking of the old "Homeboy Shopping Network" skits on In Living Color with Damon and Keenan Ivory Wayans. But stupid name notwithstanding, moblogging is one of the more exciting approaches to creating Dan Rather's favorite kind of website.
What is Moblogging?
The strict definition of moblogging is posting blog entries from a mobile device,
in abse