Comments on: Where’s the Blogging Party?

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 23:45:03 +0000

“Additionally, for those people who may contribute to multiple blogs, don’t post the same thing on them all. It clutters the blogosphere, and makes the aggregators mad.”
I agree in theory. However, different blogs do have different readers, so it’s possible to leave the same post on 2 different blogs and have 2 entirely different audiences be exposed to your message.
Personally, I try to make sure that I don’t cross-post anything here that’s already been posted on The Viral Garden, and vice versa. But occasionally I do so if I am posting about a topic where I would like to get everyone’s feedback on BOTH blogs.
So I technically agree with you ML, but I can see why some people would want to cross-post. How’s that for a good non-commital reply?

By: Multitype Librarian

Multitype Librarian — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 17:27:12 +0000

Well said!
Additionally, for those people who may contribute to multiple blogs, don’t post the same thing on them all. It clutters the blogosphere, and makes the aggregators mad.

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 16:46:06 +0000

Very nice David, and let me say I appreciate that you let me comment on L+E without having to ‘verify’ my comment by trying to decipher some mystery text that’s designed to determine if I am a ‘bot or not….but that I really can’t see

By: David Armano

David Armano — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 16:17:19 +0000

Mack,
Your list has inspired my latest visual. “The Four C’s of Blogging”. It’s intentionally simplified so I don’t cover everything–but it’s how I see it. Thanks for the inspiration.
http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2006/06/the_four_cs_of_.html

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:31:24 +0000

“2) Leave. Oh yeah… that’s one of the biggest points I make to other bloggers. I have been a poor blogger on my two sites over the past few months, but I stay active in the community of bloggers I interact with and so my traffic stays pretty constant. Some ups and downs, but people haven’t forgotten about me even after going more than a week without posting.”
Bingo. This is the biggest misconception I think bloggers have about leaving their blog, they think that THEIR traffic will drop. It doesn’t happen. Growing your community is never a bad idea.
“Ok, I rambled too much, but I couldn’t stop myself.”
That tends to happen with passionate people! I love it!

By: Tim Jackson

Tim Jackson — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 06:43:38 +0000

It would stand to reason that somebody who understands the meaning of “Roll Tide” would be so smart…
Mack, you hit many nails square on the head with this post. All of the points you list are excellent things to consider when blogging- and not just when getting started.
1) Passion. Hell yes! No passion is so gross to me. I live what I do for a living and it has helped me reach my audience and grow the community.
2) Leave. Oh yeah… that’s one of the biggest points I make to other bloggers. I have been a poor blogger on my two sites over the past few months, but I stay active in the community of bloggers I interact with and so my traffic stays pretty constant. Some ups and downs, but people haven’t forgotten about me even after going more than a week without posting.
3) Readers vs Traffic. Amen! Readers who come back are like customers who return to the same stores- they bring their friends and they spread YOUR passion around for you and free of charge. Reach out to them and embrace them. Your “regulars” are your best allies.
4) Think before you publish. Ooohh… I struggle with this one. I’m a writer, so I feel compelled to post something every day, but I know some of it is/ will be crap. Sometimes you have to just say no to yourself. Relevancy is very important too. Is the post relevant to your audience? If not, then maybe it needs to be shared somewhere else or some other way.
5)Have something to say. This kind of goes hand in hand with #4, but it is still important to remember. Just posting the day’s weather, unless you are a weather blog, doesn’t do much but prove that you don’t have much else to say.
6) Patience is a virtue. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are good blogs. Building community takes time and effort. Like any other marketing strategy or brand strategy, you have to have a long view. Immediate goals are fine, but they won’t carry you far. Build momentum over time and let it pay you back later.
7) Feedback/ contact. A blog site without comments is asking for trouble, in my opinion. You will always have more detractors saying “he doesn’t even allow comments” than you will have people coming to your blog to start a fight. Interactivity is a big key to effective social media. Allowing comments and/ or providing an email for contact gives that element of personal involvement that will develop those loyal readers who will bring more readers along with them.
Ok, I rambled too much, but I couldn’t stop myself.

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 03:14:32 +0000

Thank you Monica! I think it’s still a case of businesses ‘fearing what they don’t understand’. We’ll lead them into the light, kicking and screaming if we have to

By: Monica Powers

Monica Powers — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 16:15:16 +0000

Excellent post, and great article on June 13th about making your community part of your marketing strategy. I’m surprised by business execs who tell me they’re still slightly afraid of blogs or confused by them. Insights like yours will help them make that mental leap and start using new media and community-created content to their advantage. Keep up the good work!

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 13:59:39 +0000

“As we’ve discussed, for me the most relevant of your points is the one of building a community…and you’ve been extremely helpful to me in getting that started, so I just wanted to say thanks!”
Tricia thanks so much for commenting here, because you just proved that my methods work!
For those of you that don’t read The Viral Garden, a few days ago I found Tricia’s blog, Studio UES (http://studioues.blogspot.com/), which focuses on music marketing. I loved it, left a comment there, then went back and posted a link to it on The Viral Garden.
Since I did that, several regular readers of The Viral Garden have either linked to Tricia’s blog, or started commenting there. And Tricia has begun commenting at both The Viral Garden, and here as well.
See how easy it is to grow your community? All you have to do is LEAVE your blog, and you’ll find some incredible blogs, like Studio UES, and some amazing people, like Tricia. A win-win deal!

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 13:51:34 +0000

“If more marketers used the products and services they market themselves, and could speak as members of the same community, there might be less of a disonnect between them and their potential customers.
Think?”
Exactly! It’s about switching your point of view from that of a marketer, to that of the customer that you are marketing to. When you do that, you share the wants and needs of your customers, and you can THEN market your product WITH them from THEIR point of view.
Which makes all the difference in the world.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:34:46 +0000

Hi Mack!
Great post! As we’ve discussed, for me the most relevant of your points is the one of building a community…and you’ve been extremely helpful to me in getting that started, so I just wanted to say thanks! As a newbie blogger, I do find myself constantly monitoring my own mindset with regard to many of these issues. Your ideas, in conjunction with Eric’s recent post about the frequency of posting, have really given me a lot of food for thought as I continue to develop my own personal blogging style and strive to focus on creating content that is relevant and worthwhile reading.
Tricia

By: Kim klaver

Kim klaver — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 06:24:53 +0000

One thing many marketers have a hard time with, seems to me, is becoming a member of the community to whom they’re marketing whatever.
They are marketers, you know? Of whatever someone’s paying them to market.
For example, if one were marketing nutritional supplements, if the marketer also used the product, because they thought nutritional supplements were essential for optimal health, they’d always have a more believing audience, because they are part of it.
So if your #1, ‘passion’ could be for actually using the very product or service that’s being marketed because YOU use it or do it, you’re that much closer to being recognized as a bona fide member of the community.
Eric’s right about your list of TOP 25 marketing blogs – all the readers are writing such blogs and having that ranking available, of which YOU are a part (twice) makes the list and you part of the community for which you write.
We all like to see our standings each week…
So YOU are doing it…being a member of a community for which you write helpful stuff.
If more marketers used the products and services they market themselves, and could speak as members of the same community, there might be less of a disonnect between them and their potential customers.
Think?

By: Eric Kintz

Eric Kintz — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:59:18 +0000

Mack,
You are 100% right on the community and you are right that this is the number one mistake of new bloggers. I would add a #8, which is “finding your niche and your voice” to break through the clutter. A top 25 marketing blogging weekly list is a great example
Eric

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:35:07 +0000

Daria and Richard, you are exactly right, you have to find your own way with blogging. The purpose of this list was to give examples of ways that *I* have used to grow my blog, so I can stand behind the fact that these methods DO and ARE working for me. I believe they will work for anyone, but you can judge for yourself whether or not you want to try them.
David, as you know my main tenet is that it’s all about the community. You’ve done a great job of reaching out to other bloggers, and that’s a huge reason why Logic + Emotion is taking off like a rocket. Ann is also big on the community, or ‘Ms. Community’ as I call her
Eric, that’s time well spent. I’m sure Pardon My French will continue to grow as a result. And you’re exactly right, bringing as much original content to the table as possible is the key.
Thanks Ariel, and Benito, I’ll overlook your mistakes if you promise to overlook mine

By: Richard Sheppard

Richard Sheppard — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:37:50 +0000

Hi Mack,
I’m more of a techie than a marketer, but a friend sent me your link knowing that I’m interested in blogging from the point of view of increasing traffic and ultimately business. I guess that’s marketing afterall, eh? Doh!
Your points are completely valid and well thought out. Although I tend to be a freeform thinker and shy away from prescriptive solutions (as Daria says), it is useful to have some guidelines, and I often overlook some of the points you’ve made in this posting. At one time or another, I’ve considered some kind of variation on each of your seven points, but I never systematically stop to think of each point prior to clicking publish. I think I will from now on, though!
Other associates of mine have latched on to blogging to promote themselves or their product (or both) and I believe that they do so from a place of passion (point 1), but there is some sort of soul missing. Something intangible or fleeting – you can say you’re passionate but how authentic does your blog sound? I think authenticity should be in there somewhere, too. Perhaps point 1a?
Finally, Eric’s comment about your blog relying on links to other blogs is perhaps part of that authenticity thang. I couldn’t agree more with his comment “bring your own original content to the table”!
All the best,
Richard

By: Ariel

Ariel — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:14:54 +0000

Definitely a list to post next to my monitor. Thanks.

By: benito castro

benito castro — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 15:57:35 +0000

SEM (Sorry for my English Mistakes). I am blogging from Seville, Spain, Europe.
Good points. I agree whit them. I will write something at my blog, well a sort of translation into Spanish.

By: Eric Frenchman

Eric Frenchman — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:41:25 +0000

Mack,
You gave away all the secrets that you’ve given me….I don’t feel special any more!!!
I’d like to stress your point #2 which is very valuable. I now spend about 1 hour every day elsewhere. It helps me realize that no matter how special you are, there are other people doing the same thing. The trick, as David pointed out to me, is to be unique and have your own voice. Give people a reason to visit your site versus others.
One thing I’d like to add is having a blog that only relies on links to other blogs for content is a complete waste of time – bring your own original content to the table. Unless of course, you have first access to the information.
PardonMyFrench,
Eric

By: David Armano

David Armano — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:28:53 +0000

Mack,
That’s a terrific list. I wish I had it when I began blogging as I too had to figure out things for myself.
what I like about your approach is that these are simple, easy to follow guidelines.
I like that you share about deleting posts. I’ve only done this once, but it’s a good thing to think about in the name of providing valuble content that our readers are interested in.

By: Daria Radota Rasmussen

Daria Radota Rasmussen — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:10:06 +0000

Interesting post Mack. You’re right in many points. But do you think we can create frames and rules for blogging? Blogging is about being personal, it is about passion as you write. And as many personalities and passions we do have our there, so many different blogs will be there. Seting up such a rules seems to me like copying the mass media world, where process begins in A and ends in B. Blogosphere can defend itself, this is the place where natural selection works fine, and there is no ready prespcription how to get readers. What matters is whether you have something to say or not!