The following is a reprint of one of my most requested posts. I present it again for your reading (or re-reading) enjoyment. Because of the importance and value of blogs for public relations, it's always a timely piece. I am reprinting the post without any revisions from the orginal.
Here it is:
Blogs and public relations
As competition for available media coverage tightens, in a sea of press releases and attention stealing publicity stunts, it is harder than ever for a business to gain much needed publicity. A business person is often at a complete loss as to how to get media coverage of a worthwhile business story.
Getting someone to hear the message is half the battle. Having the members of the media consider it newsworthy is the other half. Somewhere, there must be another vehicle, that can gain the attention, of an already swamped news editor. That help, for the publicity seeking business person has arrived, in the form of the blog.
A growing number of journalists and news editors are reading blogs, on a daily basis, to find new and interesting story ideas. Often faster and more efficient than reading press releases, blog entries are likely to yield targeted short and feature article material.
When teamed with an RSS news feed, which employs the same technology as stock market and weather forecasts, a blog can provide an instant pipeline directly to interested media outlets.
Blogs provide a unique and personal way to communicate with current and prospective customers. By talking to people, in a conversational manner, a blog puts a human face on a company, that is difficult to duplicate in any other way.
The more casual, and comparatively unfiltered voice of the blogger creates the image of a business as being composed of real people like you. Instead of being a nameless and faceless corporation, the blog helps the people in the company, to come alive in their posts.
Should a disaster happen, either to the business or its customers, a business blog provides an immediate and personalized vehicle to discuss the issue with the public. Instead of the “spin”, usually associated with public relations, the blog can serve as an honest and concerned pipeline, directly to the public.
By addressing the issues openly and honestly, the business can regain and even increase the public’s trust. Concerned customers, and the general public, will view the blog as giving the straight answers. Such trust will only help enhance the business’s reputation, both in the short and long run.
The value of personalization
Perhaps the single most powerful aspect of blogs, in the area of public relations, is the personalization aspect. The writer is a real person, putting a human face on what might otherwise be perceived as a unknown and distant company. By developing trust among the various readership groups, the blog writer provides a personal link to the company.
If the goal of a public relations effort is to work in coordination with sales and marketing, a blog will establish trust with current and prospective customers and clients. It’s a well known truism that people will buy from their friends and people whose word they trust. The development of a blog component to the company website will go far in achieving those trust based goals.
In the past, public relations depended upon controlling the message, that was put forward from the organization. The unspoken goal was to manipulate public opinion. The prearranged message was centralized and carefully vetted for wording and nuances. The term “spin” was born to describe the technique.
Blogging as a public opinion medium gives up that tight control, and presents a message in a conversation with the reader. In that sense, the blog cultivates public opinion. With increasing transparency, inside and outside of organizations, the best approach is one of open discussion. A blog is the ideal delivery vehicle.
Many people have begun to mistrust the traditional canned public relations approach as lacking honesty. The openness of a blog changes that perception entirely. As the philosopher Marshall McLuhan stated, “Perception is reality”. In other words, what we perceive to be true, is real in our own thoughts.
A blog can enhance that perception of honesty by delivering the straight goods on an issue. With that open approach, lacking the traditional tightly controlled message, trust in the company is enhanced. In both the short and longer terms, that trust translates into more life long customers and clients.
Getting traditional media exposure through a blog
The traditional media has begun to visit blogs, and to subscribe to blog RSS feeds, via an RSS reader. As a blog is updated, the RSS feed, usually coded in XML and Atom, sends the post or part of the post to its subscribers.
Developing and adding an RSS feed is easily activated, and is readily available with almost every blogging tool. For sites preferring their own coding, there is widely available code, that can be modified as needed to suit your personal requirements.
Your blog’s readership can easily access your posts, as they are updated, in real time. Much of that regular blog audience are members of the traditional mainstream media, consisting of newspaper, television, and radio journalists and editors.
The news media are constantly on the lookout for potential news stories. By writing about your industry, reviewing products, providing company news, and commenting on various business and economics issues, your blog is a ready source of news stories.
By writing in a style that reflects your personality, along with your expertise in the industry, journalists will consider you to be an industry expert.
As someone considered knowledgeable in your business area, you will often be called upon for news interviews, in each of the mainstream media. Not only will you be interviewed about your own company, but about issues concerning your industry as a whole.
Be certain to always make yourself available. Reporters are pressed for time, due to tight deadline schedules. If you are unavailable, they will immediately call upon other people in your industry for comment. Provide your media contacts with a telephone number and fax number, where you can be reached at all times.
That media information should be readily available on your blog, as well as conveniently placed on the company website. Include a press kit, with your biography and other background materials to help the journalists do their job. Your assistance will be appreciated, and your expertise sought more often.
Blogging through a crisis
One of the most difficult times for any company, from a public relations standpoint, is during a company or industry crisis. During those often painful moments hours, the temptation for most traditional businesses is to shut down communications to the outside.
All of their statements and reports are carefully screened, and often require many people to sign off on them prior to release to the media and the public. Those controlled message days are a thing of the past.
By posting regular and open information on your company blog, you can address the crisis, fairly and honestly. Keeping the public completely aware of where your business stands, and what is the plan going forward, helps to improve confidence from your readership.
Blogs provide an unlimited number of postings per day. You can update what is happening, during the peak of the crisis, in real time.
Instead of hiding the problems, the trust your blog has developed over time, makes it the place for people to turn, for unfiltered information. Your job is to give the public honest answers, and not traditional spin. That openness about where the company stands, and it how it plans to resolve the problem, will be reported favorably in the media.
The general public will leave your blog feeling that they are provided with straight answers. Speaking directly those affected by the disaster will increase the reputation of your company, rather than detract from it. That confidence factor can only serve to enhance your company image, while raising your personal profile within the industry.
Conclusion
Businesses seeking a public relations vehicle, that provides numerous additional benefits, should consider adding a blog component to their website. The authentic and personalized blog voice is a natural fit for any public relations effort.
A rapidly growing number of journalists and editors are reading blogs on a daily basis. It’s becoming imperative that a company start a blog to keep up with that trend. Thanks to the addition of an RSS feed, a blog’s updated post can be on a journalist’s computer in seconds.
Old style tightly controlled public relations are becoming a thing of the past.
Get into the new public relations paradigm, by adding the personalized voice of a blog.
Saturday, December 3, 2005
Friday, December 2, 2005
Bloggers are readers: Books are us
As I was browsing through a few used book stores today, it struck me that bloggers are readers. While that might be a generalization with many excpetions, blog owners are book readers.
Bloggers are also book buyers and authors of books as well. In fact, books in print, audio, or electronic e-book format, are very much a part of any blogger's life. If their office and home are anything like mine, books will claim a fairly substantial portion of the available real estate too.
Bloggers buy both new and previously read books. When searching for new books, especially books featuring business themes, bloggers are indeed blessed with many retail options. Most people are familiar with the major online book retailers like Amazon.com. Along with those online giants, don't overlook business book retailer 800-CEO-READ or even buying directly from the author themselves. After all, many of them are bloggers just like you.
Used book stores, flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales are great places to find good used books. Whether your taste is in hard to find business books, classic novels, or simply some light reading entertainment, the prices for used books make them incredible bargains. When used books can be purchased for less than the price of a cup of coffee, you know you have some tremendous buys in your hands.
Filling out a great reference library of new works and timeless classics is not only cost effective, but fun as well. The sense of discovery when finding a long sought after title can brighten anyone's day. Finding rare book treasures always gives me a thrill.
My day was brightened today as I added two more business books to my ever expanding office reference library. It's always a pleasure to have your own personal library, right at your fingertips.
Of course, buying them is half the fun.
Now all I have to do is get around to reading them.
Bloggers are also book buyers and authors of books as well. In fact, books in print, audio, or electronic e-book format, are very much a part of any blogger's life. If their office and home are anything like mine, books will claim a fairly substantial portion of the available real estate too.
Bloggers buy both new and previously read books. When searching for new books, especially books featuring business themes, bloggers are indeed blessed with many retail options. Most people are familiar with the major online book retailers like Amazon.com. Along with those online giants, don't overlook business book retailer 800-CEO-READ or even buying directly from the author themselves. After all, many of them are bloggers just like you.
Used book stores, flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales are great places to find good used books. Whether your taste is in hard to find business books, classic novels, or simply some light reading entertainment, the prices for used books make them incredible bargains. When used books can be purchased for less than the price of a cup of coffee, you know you have some tremendous buys in your hands.
Filling out a great reference library of new works and timeless classics is not only cost effective, but fun as well. The sense of discovery when finding a long sought after title can brighten anyone's day. Finding rare book treasures always gives me a thrill.
My day was brightened today as I added two more business books to my ever expanding office reference library. It's always a pleasure to have your own personal library, right at your fingertips.
Of course, buying them is half the fun.
Now all I have to do is get around to reading them.
Thursday, December 1, 2005
Business blogger needs our help
Bloggers helping bloggers is one of the powerful uses of this medium we call blogging. By putting the global power of the internet to work, in the capable hands of the blogging community members great things can happen.
Unfortunately, we often have to use that combined power for good to help those in dire need.
My good friend business blogger Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group sends along the following plea for assistance for another blogger. Paul asks not for himself, but help is requested for his friends.
Here is Paul's request for help:
Be sure to do what you can to help out Patti and Stephan Thompson in their hour of need.
Show everyone that bloggers care.
Unfortunately, we often have to use that combined power for good to help those in dire need.
My good friend business blogger Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group sends along the following plea for assistance for another blogger. Paul asks not for himself, but help is requested for his friends.
Here is Paul's request for help:
I'm a man on a mission today, and I want to make a request of you. A small business blogger needs our help. Please take a moment to read the following...
The very first blog I developed was for a jeweler in my hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, Patti Thompson, owner of Way-fil Jewelry. Patti is an expert jeweler and jewelry appraiser, as well as a wonderful writer. She was intriqued by the notion of blogging and agreed to let me design a blog for her.
On November 1st, just at the beginning of the holiday sales season (a time crucial to jewelers) her store caught fire and was literally gutted. You can only imagine how devastated she and her husband Stephen must have felt. A store she has owned for years, her livelyhood, now burned to the ground.
But, Patti and Stephen are courageous people. They have made the best of a bad situation and are reopened in a temporary location - a room in an adjacent building owned by a tire shop. In fact, before Patti moved it was a storage room for tires! The tire shop owner graciously moved the tires to another location and made it available for Patti and Steve. They have worked long and hard over the past few weeks to make it presentable and are now open.
Here's the kicker - Patti is blogging the entire story! In fact, the very day following the fire she talked about it on her blog and is keeping her readers up-to-date chronicling the rebuilding process via her blog, Diamond Diva Online. To me, this represents not only one key way blogs can be used effectively as a communications medium, but also represents the highest ideals to which we bloggers aspire, that of transparency, honesty and authenticity.
Here's my request -- help Patti tell her story. Let me ask you to write a post about what she's doing with her blog in telling her story in such an honest open way, and link to her site (www.diamonddivaonline.com).
I owe Patti and Steve a great deal. Not only was theirs the first blog I developed (I might mention they have since redeveloped the blog and gone with a more basic design.), but they gave me invaluable business advice and enormous moral support. I might not be in business today had it not been for their help and encouragement. This is just one small way I can repay their kindness.
Be sure to do what you can to help out Patti and Stephan Thompson in their hour of need.
Show everyone that bloggers care.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Carnival of the Vanities at File It Under
The 167th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities, moves to the eclectic group blog known as File It Under.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and religion.
I have an entry in this week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My post is titled "Activist blogs: Blogging for societal change" where I discuss how a blog can be employed in your quest to change the world. I also point out soome possible techniques to avoid some problems often faced by activist bloggers.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears at the ice cream and moose themed business blog known as Denali Flavors.
In the meantime, head on over to the File It Under hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Visitor logs: Helping your readers
Visitor referrer logs are valuable records to examine, from time to time. Of course, the definition of time to time can vary considerably. For many bloggers, the visitor log examination can take place almost every minute of the day.
In almost all cases, the blog visitor logs get more than one peek a day.
Admit it. You do it. No one will scold you for your honesty.
It's not just an exercise in ego or vanity to read your visitor log records. In fact, it might be the nicest thing you can do for the interests of your regular and new readership. Instead of thinking of your visitor logs as being all about you and your blog, think of them in terms of your blog readership.
In the referrer records, there are probably indications of the keywords and phrases that discovered your blog through searches for information. Everyone who uses a search engine types in a search phrase in the hope of finding some relevant information on the subject. If the phrase found your blog, then one of the major search engines including Google, Yahoo, or MSN Search, thought your blog posts were important information. After all, your blog did appear in their search results.
By having that search information at your fingertips, you know what information that your visitors need. If the search is for some area of interest to you and your blog, and that was the topic of one of your blog posts, then it makes sense to write even more posts on the topic. The more search phrases that are included in your blog posts, the more searches will locate your blog. More importantly, however, your blog will grow in importance in terms of the information that it provides to the public.
After all, that's what your visitors want. They want to learn more about your blog's topics and themes. It's up to you to provide them, and your blog's visitor logs will indicate how your blog was found.
I know that it's fun to write new posts, on fresh areas of interest. We all do that, and we blog that way every day. Sometimes, it makes sense to step back, and examine what your readers want to find at your blog. Instead of simply writing a post about what you want, perhaps it's time to turm the issue around completely. Write posts that your visitors want to read.
To use a product marketing analogy, you are listening to the needs and desires of your current and future customer base. In this case, you existing blog customers are your regular readers, while new visitor traffic represents new clientele.
As we all are aware, I hope, a business that refuses to meet the needs of its customers doesn't stay in operation for long. Blogs can suffer the same fate, if the blog writer's post topics are of interest to almost no one. If no one reads your blog postings, then your blog will never find a larger audience. For business blogs, a growing and active reading audience is essential to its success.
The customer, or in this case, the blog reader knows best. If they can't find useful and informative posts on your blog, they will look elsewhere for what they require.
Keep reading those visitor referrer logs, and continue searching for the interests of your readers. The searches that found your blog will provide that information. If the same search phrase leads to your blog over and over again, it's time to consider writing more posts on that topic. After all, that's what your visitors want to read.
Your increased blog traffic will be there to prove the idea, of writing for the reader, to be a sound one. For business bloggers, the end result will be greater numbers of prospects and customers.
Oh. The information on your higher traffic level is contained in your blog visitor logs too.
Keep reading your blog visitor blogs, and help your readers find the information they seek.
In almost all cases, the blog visitor logs get more than one peek a day.
Admit it. You do it. No one will scold you for your honesty.
It's not just an exercise in ego or vanity to read your visitor log records. In fact, it might be the nicest thing you can do for the interests of your regular and new readership. Instead of thinking of your visitor logs as being all about you and your blog, think of them in terms of your blog readership.
In the referrer records, there are probably indications of the keywords and phrases that discovered your blog through searches for information. Everyone who uses a search engine types in a search phrase in the hope of finding some relevant information on the subject. If the phrase found your blog, then one of the major search engines including Google, Yahoo, or MSN Search, thought your blog posts were important information. After all, your blog did appear in their search results.
By having that search information at your fingertips, you know what information that your visitors need. If the search is for some area of interest to you and your blog, and that was the topic of one of your blog posts, then it makes sense to write even more posts on the topic. The more search phrases that are included in your blog posts, the more searches will locate your blog. More importantly, however, your blog will grow in importance in terms of the information that it provides to the public.
After all, that's what your visitors want. They want to learn more about your blog's topics and themes. It's up to you to provide them, and your blog's visitor logs will indicate how your blog was found.
I know that it's fun to write new posts, on fresh areas of interest. We all do that, and we blog that way every day. Sometimes, it makes sense to step back, and examine what your readers want to find at your blog. Instead of simply writing a post about what you want, perhaps it's time to turm the issue around completely. Write posts that your visitors want to read.
To use a product marketing analogy, you are listening to the needs and desires of your current and future customer base. In this case, you existing blog customers are your regular readers, while new visitor traffic represents new clientele.
As we all are aware, I hope, a business that refuses to meet the needs of its customers doesn't stay in operation for long. Blogs can suffer the same fate, if the blog writer's post topics are of interest to almost no one. If no one reads your blog postings, then your blog will never find a larger audience. For business blogs, a growing and active reading audience is essential to its success.
The customer, or in this case, the blog reader knows best. If they can't find useful and informative posts on your blog, they will look elsewhere for what they require.
Keep reading those visitor referrer logs, and continue searching for the interests of your readers. The searches that found your blog will provide that information. If the same search phrase leads to your blog over and over again, it's time to consider writing more posts on that topic. After all, that's what your visitors want to read.
Your increased blog traffic will be there to prove the idea, of writing for the reader, to be a sound one. For business bloggers, the end result will be greater numbers of prospects and customers.
Oh. The information on your higher traffic level is contained in your blog visitor logs too.
Keep reading your blog visitor blogs, and help your readers find the information they seek.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Carnival of the Capitalists at Gill Blog
This week sees a consultative approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to the business and professional consulting blog known as Gill Blog.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from Gill Blog there are many discussions of business, marketing, and entrepreneurship.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My post is titled "Non-profit organizations: A blog can help" where I discuss the almost unlimited benefits that a blog can provide for any non-profit organization.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
Note as well that Carnival of the Capitalists. has a new URL at http://thecotc.com/. Be sure to update your links and bookmarks.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists be at Adam Siegrist's business and technology blog known as Techronization.
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the Gill Blog hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer some ways to consult with others. (groan)
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Tom Evslin
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.
Blooks - More choice for readers; more opportunity for authors
Wednesday, November 30, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET - Free
Guest Expert: Tom Evslin, Hackoff.com
Book publishing is undergoing the same Internet-induced disruptive change in marketing, promotion and distribution that has confounded the traditional music industry. Readers benefit from increased choice and online access to content including fiction; authors will benefit from reduced barriers to publication.
Blogs are both a new distribution platform for fiction and a new marketing and promotional channel. Although some readers will always prefer a book they can hold in their hands, online books can have interactive features which traditional books don’t including reader interaction, subscription by email or RSS feed, and linked online support material.
Hackoff.com: an historic murder mystery set in the Internet bubble and rubble is written by Tom Evslin, the ex-CEO of an Internet company who is a well-known blogger. The blook (book on a blog) includes a faux company website, an online store, a wiki, and a user forum. Although the book will have a hard-cover edition, the Internet is its first distribution platform and the basis for its publicity campaign.
Tom Evslin was founder Chairman and CEO of ITXC Corp. The NASDAQ-listed company grew from startup in 1997 to the world’s leading provider of wholesale VoIP. Evslin conceived, launched, and ran AT&T’s first ISP, AT&T WorldNet Service. WorldNet popularized all-you-can-eat flatrate monthly pricing for Internet access. Evslin has been blamed and praised for this ever since. He is unrepentant. At Microsoft, Evslin was responsible for Microsoft Exchange and for overcoming the lead Lotus then had with cc:mail and Notes.
Evslin’s software company, Solutions, developed the first commercial EFT software. Solutions was the first developer of commercial communications software for the Macintosh and developed Glue (a predecessor of Adobe Acrobat). Fractals of Change http://blog.tomevslin.com is a popular read.
Register for this conversation with Tom Evslin:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Activist blogs: Blogging for societal change
Activist blogs are becoming a more important feature of the blogosphere. With the acknowledged power of blogging for business and for non-profit organization, it's reasonable to expect that blogs would become a powerful tool for changing the world.
You'll know the activist blogs when you see them. While your first thought might run to the various political blogs, I am referring more to the blogs that are issue related. For example, an activist blogger might write about the environment, abortion, legalizing drugs, or missing children, just to name a few controversial and emotion packed issues.
Activist blogs usually are single issue, and for good reason. The blogger wishes to concentrate the entire blog's efforts toward a single and often highly controversial goal. Along with those various hot button issues, there will be controversy and negative feedback, as part of the overall package.
A blogger for the cause will learn from experience the highs, and unfortunate lows, that go along with activist blogging. Not every day will be pleasant, as opposition to the viewpoint will be frequent and not afraid to be heard. Blogging for change will result in negative feedback. That is part and parcel with the blogging genre, and should be expected. As a result, planning for problems is essential.
Blog comments for an activist blog will be busy, lively, and very often filled with personal attacks and worse. It's important to maintain a balance of comments, and to avoid the temptation to delete opposing viewpoints. Comments must be left open, as free and open discussion and debate are essential for an activist blog. Comments might be even more important on an issue oriented blog than on any other type.
I would suggest that the only comments to delete are obvious spam, and remarks devoid of any value. That would include comments that were racist, sexist, lewd and profane, threatening of violence. Care must be taken to avoid the tendency to over moderate the comments. Let opposing viewpoints stand to encourage more comments and debate on the issues.
A blog certainly provides some very powerful techniques for aiding your chosen cause, and working toward those important goals. The blog will enable your voice to be heard in a crowd of other worthwhile organizations. The search engine visibility alone, makes the exercise a powerful one indeed.
Daily posts on your cause will keep readers returning for more information, either through bookmark, link, or site feed. Other people working to achieve the same societal changes will also link to your blog. Don't be afraid to post contoversial issues, as they often invite the most attention to your cause. Be aware that a wider reading audience will also include some very vocal opposition to your position on the matter.
The mainstream media is constantly searching for spokespeople on various issues. A blogger is an ideal person to fill that role. With daily postings, and the necessary research to fill them, the blogger is very well informed on the topic. As an activist blogger, with a rising public profile, you may be called upon to speak or comment on your blogging issue. During a crisis or major event involving your issue, you may be called upon to comment on a moments notice.
As such, you will need to have contact information on your blog. Be aware of the risks involved, and provide a non-personal, issue only e-mail address. Keep your blog e-mail address separate from your personal ones at all times. A single address, dedicated to the blog is the best option to prevent personal attacks. If they do occur, you are able to change addresses very quickly as well.
Whether you are tying to change the world, or just your own little corner of it, activist blogs might provide the ideal outlet for your goals. Changes in ideas and attitudes happen one person at a time. It only takes one person to get the ball rolling, and to take a stand. Others will follow your lead, and perhaps join your cause. It won't always be easy, and often discouraging, but your issues blog will be an important step toward achieving your goal.
Start your activist blog today.
You might even change the world.
You'll know the activist blogs when you see them. While your first thought might run to the various political blogs, I am referring more to the blogs that are issue related. For example, an activist blogger might write about the environment, abortion, legalizing drugs, or missing children, just to name a few controversial and emotion packed issues.
Activist blogs usually are single issue, and for good reason. The blogger wishes to concentrate the entire blog's efforts toward a single and often highly controversial goal. Along with those various hot button issues, there will be controversy and negative feedback, as part of the overall package.
A blogger for the cause will learn from experience the highs, and unfortunate lows, that go along with activist blogging. Not every day will be pleasant, as opposition to the viewpoint will be frequent and not afraid to be heard. Blogging for change will result in negative feedback. That is part and parcel with the blogging genre, and should be expected. As a result, planning for problems is essential.
Blog comments for an activist blog will be busy, lively, and very often filled with personal attacks and worse. It's important to maintain a balance of comments, and to avoid the temptation to delete opposing viewpoints. Comments must be left open, as free and open discussion and debate are essential for an activist blog. Comments might be even more important on an issue oriented blog than on any other type.
I would suggest that the only comments to delete are obvious spam, and remarks devoid of any value. That would include comments that were racist, sexist, lewd and profane, threatening of violence. Care must be taken to avoid the tendency to over moderate the comments. Let opposing viewpoints stand to encourage more comments and debate on the issues.
A blog certainly provides some very powerful techniques for aiding your chosen cause, and working toward those important goals. The blog will enable your voice to be heard in a crowd of other worthwhile organizations. The search engine visibility alone, makes the exercise a powerful one indeed.
Daily posts on your cause will keep readers returning for more information, either through bookmark, link, or site feed. Other people working to achieve the same societal changes will also link to your blog. Don't be afraid to post contoversial issues, as they often invite the most attention to your cause. Be aware that a wider reading audience will also include some very vocal opposition to your position on the matter.
The mainstream media is constantly searching for spokespeople on various issues. A blogger is an ideal person to fill that role. With daily postings, and the necessary research to fill them, the blogger is very well informed on the topic. As an activist blogger, with a rising public profile, you may be called upon to speak or comment on your blogging issue. During a crisis or major event involving your issue, you may be called upon to comment on a moments notice.
As such, you will need to have contact information on your blog. Be aware of the risks involved, and provide a non-personal, issue only e-mail address. Keep your blog e-mail address separate from your personal ones at all times. A single address, dedicated to the blog is the best option to prevent personal attacks. If they do occur, you are able to change addresses very quickly as well.
Whether you are tying to change the world, or just your own little corner of it, activist blogs might provide the ideal outlet for your goals. Changes in ideas and attitudes happen one person at a time. It only takes one person to get the ball rolling, and to take a stand. Others will follow your lead, and perhaps join your cause. It won't always be easy, and often discouraging, but your issues blog will be an important step toward achieving your goal.
Start your activist blog today.
You might even change the world.
Friday, November 25, 2005
DMOZ Open Directory Project: Submit your blog
Everyone talks about getting their blog or website listed in the free Open Directory Project, better known as DMOZ, but not everyone knows what to do about it.
Here's some help in navigaing the directory submission process.
DMOZ has become very inclusive and supportive of blogs. Entirely new categories, devoted entirely to blogs, have been added to the DMOZ Directory. You might not be aware of this, but DMOZ has added a special blog category. They are a very blog friendly directory these days. Be sure to get your blog included in the listings.
The Open Directory Project is probably the single most important internet directory. Its listings are used by Google in their search engine rankings calculations, as part of the Google Directory listings, and by many other search engines and directories large and small, all over the internet.
Many other sites and directories use the DMOZ for their online directories. A listing in DMOZ is, therefore, multiplied many times over. Tak about getting bang for the buck.
Here is the DMOZ URL:
http://www.dmoz.org
DMOZ is an entirely volunteer edited directory, where every site is examined by an editor for suitability. To get a listing in DMOZ, is to have several legs up, in the race to the top of the search results.
The first step to a listing, is to check the various directory categories, and find the appropriate one for your blog. Be very thorough here, as submitting your blog or website to the wrong category can result in very long waits, and possibly even rejection.
When you have narrowed your target to the most appropriate category, go to it, and click on "add URL". Be absolutely certain to read the instructions very carefully. They are not merely a suggestion. They are an absolute requirement.
Be sure to submit just your blog home page to only one category. Multiple page or category submissions will likely be treated as spam, and your blog might be rejected.
You will be asked to write a brief description of your blog or website. This is not the place to be flowery and biased. Be as objective as possible. If the editors think your description is too promotional, they will certainly change it on you. Your submission may even be rejected entirely.
Your blog has finally been submitted. Now what?
Since the website submissions are accepted on a first come, first served basis, you wait. The waiting period can last anywhere from one week to six long agonizing months.
Whatever you do, don't decide to resubmit your site. I can't stress that strongly enough. Don't even think about resubmitting. At best, your submission will be moved to the back of the line again. At worst, your blog may be rejected.
In the meantime, you won't hear from DMOZ one way or the other. Keep checking their site each week for results. Keep updating and adding content to your website or blog. The editors will like your site a lot better with the additional content, and your chances of approval go way up. After all, the editors are searching for unique content. It's up to you to procide it.
Be sure you have no pages "under construction", as the editors will reject any sites that aren't ready for prime time.
If you can't stand the wait, you can contact the category editor about your site's status, directly through their Feedback link. A better route, however, is to ask a polite question on the DMOZ public forum.
The DMOZ public forum URL is:
http://www.resource-zone.com
You don't have to be registered to read the forum, but you must register (free) to post a question. As always, be sure to read and follow the posting guidelines.
Happy submitting.
It's well worth the effort!
Thursday, November 24, 2005
SEO: Why search engine optimization anyway?
SEO is short for search engine optimization. I can almost hear the yawns already as you roll your eyes with boredom. Most website owners and bloggers have little interest in optimization of their blogs or websites. As long as the search engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN Search index them, most people are satisfied.
After all, SEO sounds boring and pointless at best, or shady and dishonest at worst. More myths than facts surround the concept of search engine optimization. These myths are fueled by discussions of Google penalties and search engine banning of sites. Many people mistakenly believe that SEO involves all sorts of trickery and underhanded tactics. Many other people consider the topic too boring to even contemplate. Drying paint as a spectator sport appears to have more appeal.
In fact, SEO is not really boring or dishonest, as much as it's misunderstood. The idea of SEO is to make your blog or website more visible in the search engines. Increased visibility means more visitors, and it's hoped they convert to paying customers. SEO critics believe that their site should rise or fall in the search engine rankings based on merit. Of course it should. The only problem is the search engines like Google can't always see those great website or blog qualities.
What SEO does, in the most basic sense, is to help the search engines discover, read, index, and rank your site based on a number of factors. In order to achieve their goals, the search engine spider robots need to know the themes and topics of your blog or website. They can't guess. It's up to you to show and tell them. That's the purpose of SEO.
Fixing the title tags that appear at the very top of the web browser (blue line at the top of Internet Explorer, for example) shows the spiders the topic of the page. The on page content contains words. Obviously. What the spiders need is the appearance of searched keywords. You can't rank for blueberry muffins if they are never mentioned on your blog. By including the searched upon words in the post titles, headings, and body of the content, you are helping the search engines understand your blog or site topics and themes. Once understood, they can be ranked.
Gaining links from other blogs, websites, and internet directories tells the search engines that your content is important and informative to other bloggers or traditional site owners. As such, the search engines can give your pages higher rankings. Popular linked to pages get the benefit of higher search engine placement. If the clickable link from the linking page, contains the searched words found on your page, so much the better. The search engines then understand the topic of your page is also recognized by others as well.
There is no need for dirty tricks or underhanded tactics, in your SEO efforts. You know your blog or website contain valuble and informative content. What optimizing the pages does is helps the search engines understand their importance too.
SEO is like holding the hand of the search engines and guiding them to your blog or website. Once there, the optimized title tags, links, headings, and post titles and body give a guided tour of the content. The spiders need spider food in the form of great content. Your SEO efforts show the spiders the way to the cupboard, and keep the spiders well fed.
SEO will help make your blog and website content easier to find, read, and digest. That's important to the search engines. By helping them, they will help you by providing your blog or web pages with higher search engine rankings.
After all, you do want everyone to enjoy your great content.
SEO gives your content more visibility for the search engines, making it easier to find, read, index, and rank highly.
That is neither boring nor dishonest.
After all, SEO sounds boring and pointless at best, or shady and dishonest at worst. More myths than facts surround the concept of search engine optimization. These myths are fueled by discussions of Google penalties and search engine banning of sites. Many people mistakenly believe that SEO involves all sorts of trickery and underhanded tactics. Many other people consider the topic too boring to even contemplate. Drying paint as a spectator sport appears to have more appeal.
In fact, SEO is not really boring or dishonest, as much as it's misunderstood. The idea of SEO is to make your blog or website more visible in the search engines. Increased visibility means more visitors, and it's hoped they convert to paying customers. SEO critics believe that their site should rise or fall in the search engine rankings based on merit. Of course it should. The only problem is the search engines like Google can't always see those great website or blog qualities.
What SEO does, in the most basic sense, is to help the search engines discover, read, index, and rank your site based on a number of factors. In order to achieve their goals, the search engine spider robots need to know the themes and topics of your blog or website. They can't guess. It's up to you to show and tell them. That's the purpose of SEO.
Fixing the title tags that appear at the very top of the web browser (blue line at the top of Internet Explorer, for example) shows the spiders the topic of the page. The on page content contains words. Obviously. What the spiders need is the appearance of searched keywords. You can't rank for blueberry muffins if they are never mentioned on your blog. By including the searched upon words in the post titles, headings, and body of the content, you are helping the search engines understand your blog or site topics and themes. Once understood, they can be ranked.
Gaining links from other blogs, websites, and internet directories tells the search engines that your content is important and informative to other bloggers or traditional site owners. As such, the search engines can give your pages higher rankings. Popular linked to pages get the benefit of higher search engine placement. If the clickable link from the linking page, contains the searched words found on your page, so much the better. The search engines then understand the topic of your page is also recognized by others as well.
There is no need for dirty tricks or underhanded tactics, in your SEO efforts. You know your blog or website contain valuble and informative content. What optimizing the pages does is helps the search engines understand their importance too.
SEO is like holding the hand of the search engines and guiding them to your blog or website. Once there, the optimized title tags, links, headings, and post titles and body give a guided tour of the content. The spiders need spider food in the form of great content. Your SEO efforts show the spiders the way to the cupboard, and keep the spiders well fed.
SEO will help make your blog and website content easier to find, read, and digest. That's important to the search engines. By helping them, they will help you by providing your blog or web pages with higher search engine rankings.
After all, you do want everyone to enjoy your great content.
SEO gives your content more visibility for the search engines, making it easier to find, read, index, and rank highly.
That is neither boring nor dishonest.
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