subject: Is Blogging In Your Future? [print this page] Is Blogging In Your Future? Is Blogging In Your Future?
Blogs are not traditional media.
A blog is a piece of software. It's something that one puts up on the internet post thoughts, ideas, news, articles etc. and to capture information. Whatever type of information you want to post, you can, and if anyone tells you that you're doing it wrong, well, that's just plain wrong.
Blogging serves many purposes, and here in B$ we teach you how to blog if you want to eventually make money at it. There aren't very many wrong ways to blog, unless you are doing something illegal.
If you are going to blog seriously you need to consider the following:
1. What are your goals for your content?
2. What is the value of your posts? Are you adding to a body of work? Are you blogging to educate, inform, or deliver value?
3. Facts matter. If you're stating opinions, stress that they're opinions. If you're claiming a fact, try to cite it.
4. Defamation is still an issue, and potentially illegal.
5. You can always ask questions BEFORE you blog.
6. Stick to the point if at all possible, don't make your readers wade through your posts to find those points.
7. Link to other bloggers in your niche. When you mention other sites or information that has a link, its good to link to it. It's good manners. It's the way good bloggers get more attention and popularity. It also gives your reader's more resources, which makes you the source for finding relevant and useful info & links. Linking only to yourself says something about you (which isn't flattering).
8. Disclosure is essential. If you're doing something to make money, if you have a business relationship with an organization that you're writing about, if there's anything that might potential change the way something is perceived were it be to be measured against what you wrote, consider that.
9. Review your work every 10 or so posts. Are you improving?
10. Review your work every 30 or so posts against the most recent. Are you repeating?
11. Review the body of your work against 5 other blogs in your space. Are you an echo?
12. Ask yourself WHY you're posting what you're posting. Pretend you're the reader. Is this worth their time?
13. What else could you be doing with your blog to add value to your core community?
There are lots of reasons to blog: capture your thoughts, share moments, build relationships, establish thought leadership, sell gerbil food, whatever. None of them are wrong. But if you're going to blog with the perspective that you are a professional, give it your best. Your audience deserves it.
