The document provides tips for managing blogs on Open Text Online Communities. It recommends posting blog entries regularly, such as setting a recurring calendar appointment dedicated to blogging. It also suggests brainstorming topic ideas in advance and adding them to the calendar. Additional tips include: making posts relevant to readers' interests; adding images or videos to make posts more engaging; keeping posts concise; proofreading for spelling and grammar; promoting the blog to build readership; and engaging with readers through comments.

1. Open Text Online (OTO) Communities – CoP Blogs Tips for Managing Your Blog Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Janet Dixon Program Manager, OTO Communities

2. Tips for Managing Your Blog Post blog entries on a regular basis. Don’t let your blog get stale.

3. Mark time on your calendar for updating your blog. If you use outlook, schedule a reoccurring appointment/meeting with yourself for a designated day and time each week dedicated to your blog. Blocking off this time on your calendar will ensure time is set aside for keeping your blog up to date. Start with a Realistic goal, maybe once a week or once every other week. Your frequency of blogs can always be adjusted. Make sure you don’t over do it at the beginning. The steady runner wins the race. Tips for Managing Your Blog

4. During the week, if you have an idea for a good blog topic, go to your calendar and add a note to your blog appointment for that week. If you have a few minutes at that time brainstorm your idea and keep your train of thought going. Get down as much as you can while the idea is still fresh in your mind. When the appointment arrives for you to publish your new blog topic, you’ll already know what you are going to write about and won’t have to spend a lot of time trying to think of ideas. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Tips for Managing Your Blog

5. If you have a co-worker who also blogs, make a bet or contest with them on who can post the most topics within a certain time period, with the loser buying drinks or dinner for the winner. Being able to have a friendly competition about blogging with a co-worker will both motivate you to post new content and it will give you a partner to remind you about adding content. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Tips for Managing Your Blog

6. Tips for Managing Your Blog Remember that Open Text CoP blog topics can be posted from your mobile device. Simply add the eLink address of your blog to your contacts list. This way, you can still post blog topics while you’re traveling.

7. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Tips for Managing Your Blog Make sure your blog posts are relevant to the subject of your blog and to your intended audience. Using appropriate terminology and content will make your blog more appealing to your subscribers. If you start posting topics that have nothing to do with the purpose of your blog, you could lose readers. Subscribers subscribe for a specific purpose and being able to maintain your focus as the writer will maintain their interest as a reader.

8. “ Uh oh….Something tells me that my blog has been discovered.” Be careful about the content you post in your blog. If your blog is open to the public be sure not to violate any company policies or release any sensitive company information. Also be mindful not to post anything that could be personally offensive. Even if your coworkers are not subscribed, assume that they and your manager will read your blog. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say in person. Tips for Managing Your Blog

9. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Many bloggers become so engrossed in standing on their personal soap boxes that they forget others are listening to them. By taking the possible impact of your post into consideration, you’re less likely to say something inconsiderate or offensive. Others may still take offense, especially if you’re saying something negative, but they’re less likely to retaliate if you phrase your remarks politely, the same way you might if they were standing right in front of you. Tips for Managing Your Blog

10. Try to post more than just text for your entries. Adding images to blog posts can spice them up and make your blog more interesting to subscribers. In addition to images you can also embed videos or link to videos on other sites. Tips for Managing Your Blog

11. Tips for Managing Your Blog Be mindful about not being to long winded. People don’t like reading content that goes on and on. The longer your post, the more likely it is that readers will just scan instead of reading all you have to say. Being clear and concise will help you get all your ideas across and it will help keep readers focused.

12. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Check your spelling!!! Spelling and grammar mistakes aren’t very professional. Your blog loses not only readability but credibility if you have nothing but articles full of poorly written sentences and misspellings. Take the time to proof read your entire article after you’ve completed it. Tips for Managing Your Blog

13. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Sometimes you only have a first impression on your readers, and you want that impression to give the appearance that you are at the very least a well articulated writer. Without having well written articles that have the appearance of professionalism you stand no chance of having visitors subscribe to your blog. Tips for Managing Your Blog

14. Constantly promote your blog, and work at building your readership and subscribers. Put a link to your blog in your email signature. Tweet about new blog posts on Twitter. When you post new content that could be interesting to people you know send them an email about it. Bring up your blog in conversations or meetings. People will never know about your blog if you don’t make them aware of it. Tips for Managing Your Blog

15. Your blog should be an interactive place. When a reader replies to one of your posts be sure to engage them and create a conversation about the topic they were interested in. If a comment is left by someone who is not a subscriber reach out to them and ask them to subscribe to your blog. If there is a negative comment left on one of your topics, don’t take it personally. Consider what they have to say, but remember you can’t please everyone all the time. Don’t be discouraged. Copyright © Open Text Corporation 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved. Slide Tips for Managing Your Blog

16. If you are a facilitator or community manager, monitor the blogs in your community. If a blog is stale and hasn't had a new posting for a while, contact the owner of that blog and work with them to help them post on a more frequent basis. Sometimes people don’t post because they can’t think of any content for a new topic. Talk with them about their blog and see if you can help them come up with ideas for blog topics. If blog owners say they don’t have time to update their blogs work with them to contact other teammates to get co-bloggers to assist them with the blog. You can also create a campaign or contest to encourage your bloggers to post more. Tips for Managing Your Blog

17. Blog Resources in Community Leaders Place How-to’s Links LiveReports Subscribe to the “News & Tips for Facilitators” blog on the Community Leaders Place! http://communities.opentext.com/go/clp Tips for Managing Your Blog