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What blogs can add
• Background
• Context, analysis
• Expertise
• Personal voice
• Interaction with audience
• Specialisation
• Continuity
Writing blog posts
• Adjust your writing style• Use links effectively• Manage comments intelligently• Decide on the best length and frequency
of posts—suitable for your topic
Writing blog posts
• Short posts are good• Short paragraphs are good (easy to read) • Do not be “too” complete• Do not write like you “know it all” • Include readers—do not exclude them • Find an appropriate tone – blogs are
conversational
Use links effectively
• Not too many links – “Less is more”• No “obvious” links – Avoid links to well-known
Web sites• No paid links – You will lose the readers’ trust• Only links that have real value to readers –
Increase your own credibility• Link text > clear, not confusing
Blogging effectively
Your blog gives you a way to see and be seen — but only if you use it with a spirit of sharing and connecting.
• Link out. Link to other blog posts. This makes you visible to other bloggers and to other blog readers.
• Comment on other people’s blogs. Particularly blogs with
subject matter similar to yours. In the comment form, always type your name and your blog’s URL in the boxes provided — this allows anyone who reads your comment to click your name and go to your blog.
How to manage comments
• You can delete any comment—it’s YOUR blog
• Do not delete a comment only because it disagrees with what you wrote
• Read comments often
• Respond often
• Do not respond to every comment
Dealing with the Trolls
> By engaging in the discussion the ‘value’ of comments will go up - when the reporter writes those commenting take notice
> Should be used to correct misstatements, or factually incorrect information and answer questions
> It should never be defensive, always objective and factual
> Don’t give unnecessary status to trolls only post if a correction is needed or a question must be answered
> Use your comments to steer conversation to something more productive and valuable
Getting noticed in the blogsphere
•There’s not much point maintaining a blog if no-one reads it.
• Here are some tips for getting noticed.
• Blog regularly as search engines have the potential to list every post – the more you write the more chance there is to get noticed.
• Key words matter, pay attention to headlines.
• Get on the blogroll of a blog with a similar audience. Mumberella or Subbed Out
• Get involved in the blogsphere; comment on other blogs and include your blog address in your entry. • But most importantly, the key to blogging success is to be readable, be factual and be different… if you do a good job, readers will keep coming back.
Length and frequency of posts
• Too infrequent = no audience• Too many posts? Too much effort for thereaders
– Exceptions: Crime blogs – Breaking news blogs, e.g. floods, earthquakes
• Long posts? Too much to read• Watch the statistics– Learn when your readers
visit your blog – Learn where your readers come from
