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A Guide To Blogging
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03-Dec-2008
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Pretty much everyone online has dabbled in it, a semi-healthy 'curiosity', if you will; blogging. Or, as appropriately named, Web logging. There are a million ways to do it, and a million reasons why; but, as is true with everything, if not done properly, it can have some negative results – to say the least. Let this serve as a little guide on how you should (and shouldn't) blog, if you feel so inclined.
Why are you blogging?
The first thing any good blog needs is a purpose. Is this professional or personal? Though a well defined distinction is not necessary, you can't have one serve both purposes; it's just not possible. The last thing your friends want to hear about is how to properly fill out a 2-0-3b-AR-72 form, and the last thing you want your professional colleagues to know about is just whose lap so-and-so was dancing on the night before. Get the picture? Good. Thus, a clearly defined theme is best.
If this is for professional purposes, treat it as you would any other part of your professional persona. If you are neat and elegant at work; make your blog neat and elegant. If you don't have annoying music blasting in your office all day at work, don't have your blog blasting annoying music all day on the Web (ahem, MYSPACE!!!). Then again, if you choose to annoy the hell out of your co-workers, you might as well be fair and even online and give everyone else the same dissatisfaction. The important thing to do with a professional blog is make it an integrated and accurate extension of yourself. Web sites are our 24/7 salesman, that happens to have access to nearly everyone on the planet (and those orbiting ever so slightly above it). If you have a bad presence, it's probably going to get around, and the last thing you want to be is the latest laughing stock of a viral video – and, yeah, it happens.
If this is a personal blog, you are allowed to be a little more self-selective. If you are a 9 to 5 working stiff, but really an artist on the weekends, be an artist. Talk about art. Explain why you do what you do and all that. Background music is probably more appropriate here.
It is a well documented fact that people have a tendency to share more openly with strangers online than we would normally in face-to-face situations, even to those with whom we are well acquainted. Nonetheless, being the ever-present 24/7 salesman, this too could get out and reflect you professionally (Miss America contests, anyone?), so there still has to be some level of etiquette. And if you think employers don't google your name around employee review time or during the hiring process, think again.
How often will you blog?
Some people blog every day. Some people every week. Some people every 15 seconds when the cat does something new. It's a very fine line to draw, as so often we have so much we want to relate to people, but it is very easy for others to get lost in the stream, especially if the stream is a-flowin'. On the other hand, regularity is preferential so that people can come to expect something of you. We all have sites we love to visit, but have pretty much nailed down their content update times, and that's pretty much the only time during that week that we visit that site. There's nothing wrong with it, it even makes it easier so that we can plan our work-day distractions accordingly.
The problem is when you become inconsistent. If if you write on a somewhat daily basis, and then go dry for a month or so without any explanation, don't expect people to stick around and read the same old stuff over and over again. Likewise, if you consistently write about absolutely nothing, do not expect people to maintain interest. Variety is good, reliability is good, but consistency must be maintained, regardless.
What will you blog about?
Again, every blog must have a purpose. Are you an expert in something? Do you know how to do things better than everyone else (and feel so inclined as to share this genius with everyone else)? Do you simply lead such a fantastically interesting life that people will hang on your every word, photo, podcast and video clip? If so, share it. I write about tech. I know tech. People need to know tech. It's a mutually satisfying relationship (as are all good relationships). If you don't know anything (and hey, Microsoft Word Bandits can blog, too), just come up with really good questions; Andy Rooney made a career out of it. The point is to keep it interesting to at least one target audience, otherwise it's just a bunch of self-gratifying-indulgence.
How will you blog?
As previously stated, there are many ways to blog. Some people have attractive voices. Others attractive faces. Others yet...format printed type really, really well. I'm just kidding – believe it or not, some of the most popular video bloggers are people that would have never been let on a television set, period. How you blog reflects somewhat on you (maybe you hate typing, maybe you hate talking to people), but more so on the audience you are trying to reach. If you are targeting professionals, typed blogs are best (it's far easier to hide typed work-day distractions than loud ones blaring over the speakers, or the all-too conspicuous head phones). If you are targeting the at-home relaxation group, some mood music with a nicely orchestrated podcast could be more appropriate. Then again, if you're an insane-asylum escapee who knows who shot President Kennedy and why NASA's budget is over inflated, all the while scaring your grandmother half to death and talking to your 'invisible friends'...you probably should get that caught on tape, as you are about to be the most popular thing seen in college dorms around the world. Again, think about your audience, and blog accordingly.
Consistency
Yeah, I hit this point home pretty hard. And you've got it in your head by now; mission accomplished.
So, get some ideas, find a provider, and get to your blogging, plogging or vlogging. After all, the more content out there to distract us, the longer this 'fad' of an Internet will last (no, I do not believe it's just a fad, but even television is considered a dieing medium, so do your part and keep the eDream alive!!!). |
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