Feed Your Enthusiasm: Blogging About Your Special Interests
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In this Social Media Week DC presentation, Mary Fletcher Jones shares how to get started with a blog about your favorite hobby, cause, or special interest.
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Feed Your Enthusiasm: Blogging About Your Special Interests
- 1. Feed Your Enthusiasm: Blogging About Your Interests Mary Fletcher Jones @FletcherPrince #SMWFeed
- 2. Process and payoff 1. My path 2. Your decisions 3. Styles 4. Interests 5. Best practices 6. Q&A
- 3. My blogging journey • Why I blog • Work blogs • Personal blogs
- 4. Is blogging for you?
- 5. Your blogging journey Self- discover Trans- y Sharing forming Empow- Inspirin ering g Healing or Connecting Growing Learning
- 8. Your blog type Business: reports and expertise Cause/nonprofit Government/Municipal Military Educational News/Journalism Personal: insights and special interests
- 9. Your personal blog Write about • What you know • What you care about • Personal experiences • In your own, unique voice
- 10. Your blog’s objective • Entertain • Share an informed opinion • Educate • Report • Tell a story
- 13. Exploring blogs • Where to find blogs • Connecting with bloggers • Finding ideas and inspiration
- 14. A community of enthusiasts • Finding your audience • What do they read? • What do they expect? • What is their experience level?
- 16. It is all about EFFORT “Why on earth people who have something to say which is worth hearing should not take the slight trouble to learn how to make it heard is one of the strange mysteries of modern life.” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- 17. Organizing your blog • Setting goals • Blog plan • Editorial calendar
- 18. Differentiating your blog • Tell your stories • Meet people and tell their stories • Find your niche
- 19. Building your blog • Platform • Set-up and organization • Design • Features
- 20. Crafting content • Niche topics • Different angles • Timely and relevant
- 21. Formatting blog posts • Headlines • Length • Categories • Tags • Visuals
- 22. Formatting your blog tagline headline image email subscription box categories bullet points
- 23. Promoting your blog • Comments • Social media
- 24. Thanks!
Editor's Notes
- Hi and thanks for coming to our Social Media Week DC seminar on blogging and podcasting your interests There are several people I want to thank.The hardworking and innovative organizers of Social Media Week DC, iStrategy Labs. Thomas Jefferson Public Library for allowing us to use this space for freeDavid Hyson for helping me with various planning and technical details. Ray Ortega for being here with us today to share his expertise. And most of all, I want to thank you for attending, either in person or virtually.
- What you can expect in this session:Explore reasons why you might decide to take up blogging or expand what you are already doing.Talk about various types of blogs and styles.Explore blogs as a way to share and learn about your special interests, with a focus on personal blogging (as opposed to professional blogging)Share blogging best practices.Take questions and move into podcasting presentation.Payoff: By the end of this presentation, my expectation is that you will have a clarified plan for enhancing your existing blog around your special interest, or launching a new one.Fill out these 2 first questions. Show of hands – who is?1. My blogging experience levelI am currently blogging for workI am currently blogging about personal interestsI want to blog for workI want to blog about personal interests 2. My blog has/will haveContent I writeContent others writePhotographs I takeVideos I record
- I have ten blogs and over 1300 blog posts. Topics from Halloween to human rights to parenting with autism to my life blog.
- A blog is public and that is one of the strongest things it has going for it.You write and even conduct yourself differently when you know have an audience.Maybe the best part of blogging to me is the joy of connecting with someone who shares your enthusiasm for a hobby or interest.So maybe one criteria for blogging is will this take you somewhere you need or want to go, and will it take maybe even one person somewhere they need or want to go? And if it’s true, then blog it!Although I am comfortable with my life being public, you may prefer more privacy. So note whatprivacy setting you want for your personal blog. I won’t ask you to tell me because that is private 3. Privacy: My blog will bePrivateClosed (viewed with password)Public
- Blogging can take you on a journey of self discovery and I don’t always think it’s strictly a linear path. Sometimes you kind of keep circling around, or hitting different places. A journey of self-discovery about your views, perceptions, preferences, talents, beliefs, and passions.As you blog, naturally the first thing you are doing is sharing. Sharing information about your experiences, knowledge, skllls, personal history. There may be an agenda, but it’s a generous one. Someone reads your blog one day and is inspired. They might comment, or email you, or connect in some way. From that person, you might learn something new about your interest, maybe discover a new blog. As you are exploring this, you of course, grow as a person. You may even find that you are healing or understanding things you didn’t before. This new level of wisdom you attain is very empowering. It gives you courage and motivation to try new things, keep blogging, or develop new aspects of your interest. As you do this, you find you are transforming as a person. Perhaps you are, as in my case, becoming more confident, more aware, and more connected with others. That self-discovery is ongoing and its also happening with your readers.
- BenefitsFunGood for your online reputation, credibility and SEOImproves writing abilityEnhances creativityEnriches and Strengthens interestsBuilds sense of self and confidenceConnections and business benefitsMay help other peopleRisksUnfamiliar and difficult at firstAfraid of failure, rejection or indifferenceImpact on professional reputationPrivacy issuesSecurity issuesTime consuming. The number one obstacle cited by bloggers.For some people, there are real career risks associated with even personal blogging. I know two young women who feel they cannot blog about Bahrain, even under an alias, because they might lose their jobs, or even put their friends or family in Bahrain in jeopardy. There are people who get put in jail because of true things they write in blogs, sad to say.But overall, I think the benefits of blogging far outweigh the risks,4. Risks/obstacles associated with this blogNo personal/career risks or obstaclesSome risks:________________________________Substantial risks: ___________________________________
- Now we are going to explore various kinds of blogs and blogging styles, and you’ll have the chance to note on your worksheets what you think best describes you and your blog, or multiple blogs, if you have more than one.
- So, look at number 5 on your worksheet and we’ll start exploring your kind of blog. 5. My blog(s) type: (check all that apply)Business/work: reports and expertiseCause/nonprofitGovernment/MunicipalMilitaryEducational (school/university/classes)News/JournalismPersonal: insights and special interestsLet’s see how many people have each kind of blog. Show of hands. As you’re looking at that checklist, here are some incredible stats.There are over 152 million blogs in the blogosphere and an estimated 31 million bloggers in the U.S.128 million people in the U.S. are blog readers (about 40X% of the population) and 346 million people globally.60% of businesses blog (37% of Fortune 500)64% of nonprofits blog31% of government agencies blog66% of universities53% of journalists blog.65% of all bloggers are hobbying bloggers (not corporate or monetizing bloggers)We are really going to keep our focus on personal blogging today but almost all of this will apply to professional blogging, as well.
- Technorati definition of personal blogs: ones you do for fun, do not earn money from it, and you success is measured by your personal satisfaction.This is where you are at your most authentic. So, write about what you know and care about. Share your personal experiences, in your own, unique voice. Be fearless about your enthusiasm. Somebody out there is going to be just as excited about it as you are, which is so gratifying.Question 6 identifies broad categories of blogs. See if your blog fits into any of these categories:6. My Personal Interest blog type: (check all that apply)Life blog: my thoughts, insights and commentaryHow to tips; hobby; craft; DIY: ____________________________Sports: _______________________________________________Travel: ________________________________________________Food/cooking/eating out: __________________________________Fashion: _______________________________________________Health/fitness: __________________________________________Books, movies, entertainment: ______________________________Arts: ___________________________________________________Parenting: _______________________________________________Politics/issue/cause: _________________________________________Pets/animals: ______________________________________________Photography: _____________________________________________Special interest(s): _________________________________________
- So like any other media, blogging is a form of communication, and all communication has a purpose. Your personal blog may have multiple purposes but it probably has one major purpose. So for example, I read a blog called Blurt Blog and it’s clear that it’s purpose is to entertain you and make you laugh, yeah, and think, too, but really it’s meant as a funny blog.So take a moment, now or later, and think about what communications end your blog is going to achieve/ENTERTAIN converse; relate; share; touch (life stagers, humorists)OPINE influence; persuade; urge; plead; convince; critique; effect change; prove (activists, nonprofits, political movements)EDUCATE coach; demonstrate; present; show (subject matter experts, crafters, cooks, coaches, counselors, and teachers)INFORM report; broadcast; publicize; reveal; update; review (reporters, reviewers, and journalists – more objective view than subjective)TELL Reflect; portray; narrate; comment (creatives, artists, film makers, photographers, musicians, authors, and life bloggers)OTHER ____________________________________________
- I found this online and you can too, just Google Zemanta’s 7 types of bloggers. I thought this was a fun and useful way to look at the experience of personal blogging.Look at checklist #8. You can be a hybrid of two or more types. But anyway here, they are. I’m going to go through each one and I’d like to see a show of hands to see where you are.Zemanta’s 7 types:Hedonist: Promotes a lifestyle; emotional style; can be fun. Food, travel, sex, shopping, life, entertainment blogs. Tech: analytical; educates; reviews; shares the latest thing in computers, cell phones, gaming, gear blogs.Professional: sharing expertise; establishing reputation and making connections. Corporate, consultants, business blogs.Preacher: shares content, viewpoints, commentary, and insights on specific field. Politics, religion, culture, news, activism blogs.Life Improver: Shares their know-how, they give support. DIY, sports, health, psychology blogs.Beauty Hunter: Create or promote beautiful things, educate others, exchange opinions. Art & design, fashion, beauty, and photography blogs.Life Stager: Blog about a certain stage their life and want to share their experiences and make someone else's life easier. Parenting blogs, wedding blogs, student blogs, etc.
- Now let’s explore how you can learn, expand, and share your special interestsThis Dept of Labor chart shows just how much we all watch TV. And if you have a TV blog, that is a good thing!But it’s just a reminder that our hobbies and special interests and the things we actively are what define us and make our lives rich. So let’s look at that and blog about it.
- Why to find bloggersReview content and topics people likeSee how you can be different and stand outDeepen your knowledge and enthusiasmFor example, when I started blogging and podcasting about autism, there were very few (actually none that I could find) positive blogs about coping with everyday challenges. So many were focused on cures and interventions and not just getting through the day and having a good quality of life. So I had a niche. Now there are a lot of people talking about that, which is a good thing, but it helped me establish an audience very quickly because I had something different to say that had not been said a million times before.Where to find bloggersGoogleTwitterMagazinesReportersTrade or industry organizationsSo good places to find these blog are Google, of course, and Twitter. Sometimes there are journalists or trade organizations that would have blogs, as well, you know if you are really into camping, there’s probably a lot of writers, and magazines, and things about that, and the websites will often link to these blog posts. So you start following these established bloggers.Commenting on other blogs So now you can start entering the dialogue and adding useful comments to their blog that add to the conversation. Then that will attract people to your blog, because those comment always have a hyperlink. So soon, you may find yourself developing a relationship with the blogger (who is very appreciative that you commented on his or her blog) as well as with his or her readers.Has anybody had that kind of experience? Show of hands? Great!So look at checklist #9 and see if you know right off hand 3 bloggers you really respect who also blog about your passion and if you don’t know any, then that is your homework – go find them! On Google, or Twitter, or in magazines, or at conferences or what have you.9. Blogs and Influencers I follow (related to my special interest):Name ____________________________________________Name ____________________________________________Name ____________________________________________
- Where to find your audience of like-minded enthusiastsBlogsYouTubeFace book PagesTwitterMeetup.com groupsTailoring your content to levelExperts or novices? In between, maybe call them enthusiasts? Checklist #10 is about your audience. That may take some time, but if you want to make a note go ahead and think about who you’d like to connect to online.10. Audience(s) for my blog:Primary: ________________________________Additional: _______________________________Additional: _______________________________
- So now we’re just going to review some basic blogging best practices to keep in mind and you can follow along on the worksheet or save that for later.
- Blogging is not rocket science. The greatest part of doing something well boils down to effort. Making yourself heard online just means knowing how to get organized, and put your content out there in a way so that it can be heard. Because I’m quite sure everyone in this room has something worthwhile to say and worth hearing.
- Blog goals: So blogging for fun is an endeavor, just as anything else, and although your approach might be more informal, maybe you have some kind of blog goals in mind. So think: why are you writing your blog? What will it do for you? What will it do for your audience? How are you making the world a better place with your blog? Your blog plan is kind of a statement (or if it’s for work, it might be a document). Really, what we’re working on today is your blog plan. For personal blogging, this might be something you think about and adjustfrom time to time.Now an editorial calendar, as you probably know, helps you plan your topics and when you’re going to publish. For work, you need one and we talked a lot about that last year. For personal blogging, not so much. But you might have a general idea of how frequently you will try to publish posts and when you’ll schedule them. I have blogs that I only write on for a couple of months out of the year. Your blog will get more views if you blog consistently and frequently and weekly is not a bad schedule. But this is for fun and you should do what works for you. But you might take a step farther and say, every third Thursday is a guest post, and and every 2nd Tuesday is a shopping review. There are certain annual posts I write almost every year. Whatever works for your blog.11. Goal(s) for my blogFor me: ____________________________________For my audience: ____________________________12. Editorial calendar:Frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.): _______________Scheduling (day/s of the week, months): _____________________
- So of course one of the best ways to develop an audience is to find a niche. This is the genius behind places like Georgetown Cupcake. You cannot go in Georgetown Cupcake and get a cookie or a pie, but if you really want a cupcake, what’s the first place you think of? So, you could have a cooking blog, or you could have a blog that is just about vegetarian lunches you can take to work.The thing is – it has to be something you are really really into, and that you love. That has to come first.Ways to differentiate your blogTell your story in your own voiceInterview people and tell their story (Conversations in PR)So, think about what you have to offer that is different and unique, but still useful and informative, and that really represents what you want to express.Unique blogsGabi FreshMetro Venture
- So if you look at your checklist on your handout you’ll see some reminders of what to take care of as you’re building your blog. Platform:WordPress is most popularHas CategoriesContact informationAbout PageEmail addressSubscription featuresRSS Feed is prominent (for readers)Email subscription boxDesign Choices:Light background, dark textAvoid slider imagesBlog set-upTitle _________________________________________Tagline _______________________________________URL __________________________________________Platform_______________________________________ DesignBlog theme and color palette _________________________Gravatar/profile ____________________________________Blog header _______________________________________ FeaturesCategories Widgets/social media integrationAbout page Contact info: email addressEmail subscription box RSS feed link
- I mentioned earlier how some of the best blog content is the things you write about that you know, that you are passionate about, and that relate to your personal experiences.But there are also some other well-tested ways to draw in your audience. On the second page of your handout, you’ll see a list of blog post ideas that you could adapt to almost any kind of topic.We know, for example, that people love how-to posts, behind the scenes peeks, and visual content, like video and infographics. But there are a lot of different spins you can put on your content. Different and specific are good because you have less competition for that topic online and you’ll get more readers. POV:Think about different angles to share what you know. For example, the point of view post. Okay, so there are lots of wedding plan blogs and tech blogs out there. But what if you wrote a blog post, such as: wedding planning, from my cat’s point of view? That could be funny, and I’m pretty sure people who are either into weddings or cats would click on that. Or maybe you have you interview your five year old about the latest version of the iPhone and see what he or she has to say about it. That also could be entertaining, while you are making a point.TIMELY: One surefire way to get people to pay attention to your content is to relate it to the news of the day, an upcoming holiday, or the weather. So if we go back to the wedding blog, maybe during a heat wave, you post an article on wilt-proof wedding bouquets and summery wedding dresses. So, there are all kinds of ways to make your contentstand out.
- Even when you have the content down, to get an audience, you have to know how to structure your posts, so your blog can be discovered. Best practice is informed by what we know about how people digest online content and how search engines crawl blog content. So, people first. We know that people scan online content, rather than read it straight out. They do this very quickly. Read the headlineLook at the photoRead the captionRead the subheads and bullet pointsThen they read the articleNEXT
- So start with the headline. Tell them exactly what the article is about, in five to eight words, and that hint that this is brief, manageable content. For example, people like headlines with numbers in them, such as three ways to save money on gas or 10 Father’s Day gift ideas. Don’t use punctuation, like exclamation points or quotation marks, in blog titles. Keeping your blog posts short, between 200 and 450 words, will get your more readers. Stick to a single topic and if you need more space to cover what you want to say, break it up into multiple blog posts. Boldface keywords in your article, the words you want to stand out. Use bullet points and numbered lists and subheads. Keep paragraphs short, about 3 sentences max, and use 1 sentence paragraphs, as well. Lots of white space will draw readers in. Categories are like the table of contents for your blog and that’s why I like WordPress the best. They should be the broad topics of your blog. For example, for my Halloween blog, I have videos, recipes, costume ideas, and events. Each blog post should be filed under at least one category. Tags are more specific and you can have multiple tags for a single blog post. So for my Halloween post on the 1931 version of Dracula, I might tag that post Dracula, Bela Lugosi, Todd Browning, horror films, Halloween videos, etc. Pictures or videos are a must for every blog post. For images, you might want to select a medium size, like between 300 and 500 pixels in width, and use a deep caption because people will read that. I always keep a digital camera with me so I can have lots of photos for blog posts. Post checklistLiteral headline with keywords Sub-headlines300-450 words in length Image with deep caption; videoCategory Tags
- Comment on other blogsUse social networks. 73% of hobbyist bloggers promote their blogs on Twitter.Email signature
- So, blogging for fun can be even more fun with just a little bit of organization and planning.I hope you found the handout and this presentation helpful as you develop your blog plan. You’ll see a list of hobbies and interests on the last page, in case any of that inspires you to try something new, or blog about it.Thanks.END