Best reasons to have your own blog — part 3
Still looking for the best reasons to have your own blog? So far, I’ve outlined four things a blog can help you accomplish (Check out the first two reasons here and the second pair of reasons here). Of course I wouldn’t be writing this post if all I had was links to share, so read on for two more compelling reasons why you should have your own blog.
Develop a community — Until this most recent webolution (Did I mention that you can make up words when you write your own blog? 
), if you wanted to connect with people around the world, you literally had to travel around the world. With the advent and popularity of social media–blogging, vlogging, podcasting, sites like MySpace, Flickr, Technorati, and more–global connections happen with a simple click of the button. Having your own blog and visiting others’ blogs, allows you to find like-minded individuals, people going through similar life experiences, or groups banding together in support of a cause.- Learn, grow, become a better person — Having your own blog will stretch you (not in the yoga sense, of course). Perhaps you’ll learn new technical skills–how to install and use plugins, working with social bookmarking sites, determining when to use trackbacks and comments, to name a few. You might develop skills you already possess–becoming a more creative, concise, or compelling writer, for instance. Maybe blogging will even help you discover a new interest, open you to different ideas, or challenge you to adopt new ways of living.
Have you made interesting connections via the blogosphere? Are you learning something thanks to having your own blog? Do tell. 
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Inspiration for women who blog (and men too)
Blogging can sometimes feel isolating, especially when you’re new to the blogosphere. As you’re building your readership, skills, and experience it might seem to be an uphill battle and one that you’re tackling alone. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are two good great fantastic opportunities for all bloghers (that’s bloggers of the female sex in case you didn’t know) to forge a deeper connection in the coming month.
BlogHer ‘07 — Live and Second Life Live
Increase your skills, expand your awareness, meet other bloggers (women and men too; all are welcome) at the BlogHer Conference in Chicago (July 27-29, 2007). It’s two days chock full of blogging discussions and hands on labs to practice your craft. Did I mention yet that I’m happy excited totally psyched to be attending? I am!!! 
The presentations at BlogHer ‘07 are organized around five themes.
- Art of Life: This track is devoted to the passions about which so many of us blog. . .food, art, photography, crafts, knitting, writing, music and more.
- Business of You: This track is devoted to personal and business advancement. We will discuss speaker and media training, self-branding and promotion, mentoring, turning your blog into a book or a business, and even managing your time, your finances, your blogging policies and best practices…the business of you.
- Community: This track is devoted to the care and feeding of communities. We’ll discuss building bridges between different online communities, how to galvanize social change with your blogs, and how blogging is a voice for different communities around the world.
- Identity: This track is about both the immutable and the dynamic aspects of our lives. Race, gender, age, sexuality, parenting, singledom…many of us blog about who we are, not what we do, and this track will explore your many facets.
- Technical: Day One’s technical track focuses on presentations that will help you decided how you want to get your geeky on, while Day Two will be more lab-oriented, so you can get your hands dirty.
Besides the great content (see schedules for day one and day two here), I’m really looking forward to meeting many awesome people. In fact, organizers celebrate the diversity of the attendees, writing, “There’s diversity in blogging experience (complete novices and old pros), ages (from students to retirees), areas of interest (from crafting to politics to entertainment to parenting to sex to…). We’ll have “famous” bloggers, women who make a living writing their blog, women who blog for companies, women who simply blog for themselves.”
For those who aren’t in Chicago, you can still be part of the festivities by joining BlogHer ‘07 in Second Life. As Queen Tureaud (aka Erin Kotecki Vest) describes the BlogHer in Second Life as an event that, “will offer the opportunity to experience the Chicago conference live on a virtual platform, complete with general sessions, audio feeds, and even a virtual cocktail party! Similar to BlogHer ‘07 in Chicago, the BlogHer Second Life virtual conference will feature an interactive format designed to inspire discussion. Not to mention FREE virtual goodies from our sponsors and vendors!” Does that sound great or what? Use the link above to find out how you can join BlogHer in Second Life.
So now you have 0 excuses for blogging away in solitary mode. Whether you can make it to Chicago or not, you can connect with other bloggers. Whether you’re a woman or a man, you can participate in BlogHer ‘07. Heck, even if you don’t currently blog, you can participate and see if you want to become a blogger someday.
So, for those of you trekking out to Chicago for BlogHer live, I’ll see you there. If you’ll be attending let me know so we can meet face-to-face. For the rest of you, have a great time at BlogHer in Second Life (Send a postcard, okay?).
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Building trust with your business blog
“Big idea: People want to know that you are real. That you are decent, kind and trustworthy. They want to feel you and sense you and look into your eyes to see what you are made of. They want to know your passion for whatever it is you stand for. And when they sense that you are the real deal, they will open up to you. When they see that you have their best interests in mind, they will trust you–and keep your best interests in mind. Once they get that you are good, they’ll be good to you. And your career (along with your life) will get to a place called world class based on those trust connections.”~ Robin Sharma
One essential ingredient for everyone seeking to build their business via a blog is trust. It’s not just for some businesses or some bloggers, it’s for everyone.
Ways to use your blog to build trust with your customers/clients
- Tell the truth. Though it may not always be easy or pretty, it’s the backbone of trust. If you’re not being honest and up front, it will have a negative impact on your business (and your psyche, health, relationships, etc.). Many times we lie out of habit or because we think the truth is either (a) “not good enough” (i.e., the truth isn’t impressive or compelling enough) or (b) not something others want to hear. Start telling the truth (begin with telling yourself the truth) and notice how much easier things actually become (no more stories to remember or stress to feel worrying that you’ll be “found out”). Blog specifics–If you quote from someone else’s content, give attribution and a link. If another person’s idea inspired your post, your blog design, etc., give them credit. If your credentials are XYZ, say so.
- Be authentically you. Not everyone will like you or want to do business with you, yet when you show up–in your office, on your blog, at a networking event–as yourself, people will at least know who they’re considering doing business with. Plus, as one of my favorite quotes (from Fanny Brice) reminds us, “Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be—because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose and then where are you?” Blog specifics–If you’re quirky, let your blog reflect that part of you. If humor is important to you, make sure your funny bone shows up in your posts from time to time. If you care about a cause, feel free to advertise it in your sidebar, your “about” page, or somewhere else your blog readers can find it.
- Respond rather than react. The blogosphere (and any virtual environment) can be particularly prone to ranting about people, things, and issues. My personal opinion is that such vitriol or bitchiness turns most people off and is never good for business. Blog specifics–When you find that you’ve got your knickers in a knot about something, go ahead and write a blog post, venting your anger and shock, and tell the world what they should do to seek justice. Then, instead of hitting the “publish” button, calmly click “save” so you’ll be able to review what you’ve written at another time to see if it’s really something you want your name and business attached to for eternity.
- Ask questions. Just as airplanes can fly on autopilot, humans can operate on assumptions. Though autopilot may work well for aircraft and pilots, I’ve found that assumptions can be the cause of many relationship snafus. Get good at asking questions of those whom you serve. Go straight to the source and seek input from them instead of relying on a third party to do your research for you. Blog specifics–Respond to actual questions from your customers. Ask your blog readers what matters to them, what they want to learn, or what value they’d like to receive from you. Though you can, and likely will, use third party information on occasion, I encourage you to make a habit of getting as close as you can to the source of the information.
If you have advice on how to build trust on a blog, please drop a line in the comments section or send me a message via my contact form. Also feel free to send in your best case blog scenarios to showcase your success or ask a question if you’d like some specific advice.
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Best reasons to have your own blog — part 2
There are many good reasons to have your own blog. . .perhaps as many reasons as there are bloggers. Though “just do it” is a great slogan, I strongly recommend that you identify your purpose for blogging and for your blog instead of jumping in without a clearly articulated reason to blog in the first place.
In part one of this series, I shared two great reasons for having a blog of your own–control your own identity and launch yourself into something new. Read part 1 of Best reasons to have your own blog.
Here are two more great reasons to start your own blog.
- Champion a cause — Do you have a passion for an issue? Are you a fervent supporter of an organization’s cause? A blog can help you amplify your voice so that your important message is carried out into the world. Not only can you write about your issue, you can have ads for specific organizations and events on your blog too. As one example (and there are many blogs that fit this category), check out bloggingforacause.com and what Trish Snyder said about the reasoning behind her blog. “I strongly believe a blog can be a tool for a connector to meet new people and connect people to each other. I am passionate about this idea. As a volunteer, I am closely tied to The American Cancer Society and I am dedicated to their cause. This blog was at first dedicated to promoting the American Cancer Society and creating community around the Relay for Life fundraiser. However, as the days passed and I started reading and commenting on cancer survivor’s blogs, and connecting with caregivers and family members of both cancer survivors and those who lost the battle, I slowly changed the focus of my blog to promote community around the fight against cancer in-toto.”
- Serve the world — I have two thoughts on this subject. First, if you’re like many people, not everything you care about is a local issue. Whether it’s what’s happening in Darfur, the Middle East, the rainforests, the oceans, or in the halls of Congress that calls you to act, a blog can be a great way to share your message and connect with like-intentioned people across the globe. Second, if your business isn’t constrained by geographic boundaries, you might want to let the world know about your company and how others can work with you. Again, the internet, especially blogs, can be an excellent tool for reaching out to the global marketplace.
By the way, check out Blogathon.org if you have a cause you want to champion in the 2007 Blogathon taking place on July 28, 2007.
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One great way to invite comments on your blog
“Hello. Hello. Anyone there?” At times, it can seem as if you’re blogging to yourself. There’s a dearth of comments, your Google Analytics stats are low and you’re wondering why you blog. Hang in there when you have those moments. . .it’s just a slump (or a phase of the moon or some other astrological phenomena).
While hopping around on BlogHer.org recently–planning my trip to the BlogHer07 Conference in Chicago (July 27-29, 2007), I ran across a new-to-me blog called Purple Women & Friends. I think the way Teri and LauraS have invited their readers to participate is a fabulous example of women who know how to start a conversation. I’ll share just a few gems and then you’ll have to pop on over to their site to get the rest of the details.
Rolling out the welcome mat to your blog readers
- First, Teri and LauraS tell readers, “It’s all about the dialogue…” Let’s me know that dialogue/conversation is encouraged.
- Then they rename the “comments” link as the “gifts” link, saying “Your Comment is a Gift.” Wow! Makes the reader feel important and valued.
- Finally they offer 4 simple, clear guidelines to help their readers know what to post and how to do it.
Don’t take my word for it, go visit for yourself and see how you could apply a similar idea to your own blog and make your readers feel warmly welcomed.
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Deciding whether to use a trackback or a comment
One of the many benefits that blogs offer is the ability to engage in a conversation. Using comments, trackbacks, and pingbacks, you can share your thoughts on someone else’s blog post. So, before I offer my recommendations on when to use these technological talking tools, let me share definitions of each term (All definitions below are loosely edited from the Glossary on the WordPress Codex).
Trackback
Allows you to notify another author that you wrote something related to one of her/his blog posts, even if you don’t have an explicit link her/his article. With pingback and trackback, blogs are interconnected. Think of them as the equivalents of acknowledgements and references at the end of an academic paper, or a chapter in a textbook.
Pingback
Notifies the author of an article if you link to his/her blog post. If the links you include in your blog post lead to a blog which is pingback-enabled, then the author of that blog gets a notification in the form of a pingback that you linked to his/her article.
Comment
Allow readers to respond to posts. Typically readers simply provide their own thoughts regarding the content of the post, but users may also provide links to other resources, generate discussion, or simply compliment the author for a well-written post. Comments can be controlled and regulated through the use of filters for language and content, and often times must await approval before they are visible on the blog.
Which tool should you use?
While I could give you an answer to that question, the truth is that only you are an authority on what practices are right for you and your blog. So, I’ll share what I do on my blog and you can use that in your decision-making process (or post a comment to ask me questions).
- On posts: I allow comments and pings because I want you to be free to leave your comments and I want to know if you’ve linked to something I’ve written so I can potentially come visit your blog.
- On pages: I don’t allow comments because I don’t see a static page as the appropriate place for your comments.
- Comment moderation: I set up my blog so that I approve comments before they will be visible on my site. I also have Akismet enabled to block spam comments. I do this because I want only comments that are positive in nature (critiques can be positive if done in a civil way) and are about dialogue/conversation. Ranters, flamers, and anyone who is disrespectful to me, other readers, or just generally offensive can post their venom on their own blog.
- Comment or trackback: I leave comments on other’s blogs when I have just a few words to say and/or my thoughts don’t need much elaboration. However, when someone has written something on which I have much to say (in agreement or disagreement), I will write my own post–often quoting from their piece–and then use a trackback so an excerpt of what I wrote appears in the comment/trackback section of their blog post.
So, just so you have more than my opinion, here are a few other bloggers who have thoughts on the subject of trackbacks, comments, and pingbacks.
- Raj Dash asks and answers the question: What’s more valuable, a comment or a trackback?
- Bill Sweetman shares his decision-making process at The business blogger’s dilemma: Trackback? Comments? Or both?
- Tom Coates, a long-time ago (2005) made his thoughts clear in Trackback is dead. Are Comments dead too?
Of course, if you have a comment, feel free to leave it below. Or, if you have a lot to say on the subject and want to create content for your blog at the same time, use a trackback.
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Serving your readers — being a guide or an expert
One of the common challenges I see many new business bloggers face is they think that they must be a subject-area expert. While I do believe you can provide excellent service to your blog readers through depth of knowledge and information, being a guru isn’t a necessity. Instead, focus your energies on doing what’s necessary to provide value to your readers (and anyone who can draw more readers to you).
Steps to creating a value-rich business blog
- Know your primary audience. If you don’t know who you’re writing/blogging for and what they want, it’s hard to provide them value.
- Know your SMARTI goals (read this post if you’re not sure if your goals are SMARTI or not). Knowing what you’re going for in terms of tangible results is critical.
- Develop a plan of action AND act on it. All the brainstorming, strategizing, and planning won’t reap rewards unless you follow through with action.
- Be curious and on the lookout for things of value to your readers. Whether you’re surfing the net, reading a book, having a conversation, or running errands, keep your eyes and ears open for information, insights, and ideas that you’re readers might enjoy.
Ways to provide exceptional value with your blog
- Share tips, techniques, and “how tos” that you’re readers likely want to know.
- Interview someone who your readers would like to learn from.
- Provide links to other sites (blogs or old-fashioned websites) with valuable information.
- Review a book, CD training program, or product that your readers might be interested in.
- Repurpose other material of your own (speeches, teleclasses, articles you’ve written, etc.) adding new thoughts if desired.
- Offer advice and suggestions about things your readers might buy, do, or see (e.g., travel info, report findings from consumers groups, etc.).
- Share surveys or polling data from groups like Gallup, Pew, USA Today.
- Answer reader questions (or post a Q&A from a client/customer if you don’t yet have questions coming from your readers.
- Fun (while still useful) things that might give your readers an emotional lift or bring a smile to their faces (definitely valuable for most of us in today’s world.
So, lighten up and don’t think that every bit of content you write on your blog needs to be original or labor-intensive. Focus on your reader and what matters to them, then be the one who guides them to the pot of gold they’ve been looking for.
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Best reasons to have your own blog — part 1
How many of you would like to share an important message with the world?
How many of you would like to earn passive revenue?
How many of you would like to be a superstar?
Did you know that a blog can help you do these things. . . and many more? In this series, I’ll share some of the best reasons for having your own blog.
- Control your own identity — “Everybody has an online identity whether they know it or not, and a blog is the single best way to control it,” says Debbie Weil in a Wall Street Journal article by Sarah Needleman. In this day and age, authoring your own story is the best way to make sure your true story gets out to the world. The same is true for a business. Write about your company, your products, your people. Put the facts out there on your business blog so that your customers and business partners can get the real scoop.
- Launch yourself into something new — ProBlogger, Darren Rowse writes, “. . . springboard bloggers usually start out with smaller blogs but use even the small influence that they build their to launch themselves into new and bigger ventures.” Rather than waiting for the “perfect idea,” get started blogging on something you have passion about and something you’re willing to commit time and energy to supporting. Are you a devotee of green energy? Start a blog to show others how to “go green.” If you’re a cancer survivor, launch a blog to write about your experience to help others living with the disease. Start where you are (and where your passion and commitment live) and see where that path leads you (hint: you might be really surprised!).
