24.6.10 - If you’re stuck for blogging ideas, write the (killer) headline first
When faced with blogger’s block, the only way to beat it is to buckle down, force yourself to write and push through the rough patches (actions produce motivation). However when you run out of ideas (or if your ideas aren’t clear enough), then here’s an effective technique to focus your mind and let your blog [...]
1.6.10 - 21 ways to build a better blogger
When we talk about ‘creating’ better blogs, there’s an underlying assumption that it’s only the blog that needs improving.
The reality is, us bloggers could use a huge kick up the ass once in a while as well. We get sloppy, we sometimes let our standards slide and worst of all, when it comes to making [...]
1.6.10 - Ten networking tips for non-US bloggers
As a blogger residing in a third world country, networking opportunities are limited for me. Logistical problems mean that it is bloody hard to hop over to the US for conferences – and in many cases, us non-US bloggers are at a disadvantage in terms of real networking opportunities.
However, if you’re a non-US blogger (or [...]
1.6.10 - 12 link building tactics
As 2007 turns into 2008 (yes, its more than a month away but you can’t fault me for preparing right now, can you?), it’s worth taking a hard look at our blogging and promotion strategies and how those will evolve in the future.
Today I’d like to cover 12 link building tactics that will be most [...]
1.6.10 - Blogging on the move
If you’re a problogger and you travel more than once every 3 months, you need some sort of ‘living on the road’ solution to keep you plugging in and functioning (work-wise, of course). It may be a romantic (and healthy) notion that you should ditch all things work and Net when taking a break, but [...]
1.6.10 - Poaching writers and blog network ethics
One of the big plusses of the Internet is the ability to hire people from across the globe and have them work for you remotely. As a blog (and blog network) owner, I tend to take it for granted that I can, at any point in time, contact any of my bloggers and get them [...]
1.6.10 - News blogging vs ‘Real’ journalism
The default approach bloggers use when ‘reporting news’ is to follow the same pattern as journalists do in their newspaper columns.
Sara Christensen, from Pajama Professional, puts it best:
Breaking news on your blog is great, but that doesn’t mean your posts have to sound like news. If readers want news, they will head to CNN.com. They [...]
1.6.10 - When serving your readers can sabotage your blog
Serve your readers.
Or so goes the popular blogging mantra. In theory, you should always keep the reader first in your mind, because just like the consumer is always right, your blog is nothing if it doesn’t serve the desires of your much-valued readers.
In practice, there’s such a thing as bending over backwards too far to [...]
1.6.10 - The other side of blogger credibility
If you want to be known as an expert in your niche, one of the best ways to build your credibility is to get published in popular media – whether that’s offline or online.
It is credibility through association – books and newspapers are generally associated with expertise, authority, research and knowledge, so if you end [...]
1.6.10 - How do you train new bloggers?
If you’ve ever hired a blogger (or 20), you’ll know that it’s not an easy task to get the type of blogging work that you want out of your new people. This is especially the case when you’re an experienced blogger yourself – the urge to micro-manage may be too great to allow you to [...]
