by Daria Steigman on September 27, 2010
If you know the secret sauce, please let me know.
A lot of people have strategies to facilitate regular blog posts. In fact, I’m doing several things right:
- Don’t strive for perfection. There are very few killer blog posts, and waiting until every element is perfectly formed and each post brilliantly crafted likely means you’ll never post. I aim for good writing and a cohesive idea.
- Capture ideas. Too many people say they don’t know what to write about. This isn’t typically my problem. I’m constantly looking around at what might inspire me, whether it’s a snippet of conversation or something I read or heard. Even something random I saw driving down the street might jog loose an idea. And I write down ideas for this blog and Workshifting.com everywhere–in Evernote, on pieces of paper, on my white board.
- Set aside time to write. I often draft blog posts on Sunday morning. (In fact, this post was written on my roof deck the other day.) It’s quiet time for me that I’ve set aside to write.
So what’s the problem?
My biggest barrier is when my Sunday morning gets hijacked by something else — a pressing deadline or just weekend activities. While I sometimes draft a post or two during the week, I often find it hard to quiet my mind from everything else going on in my work life.
That’s my barrier, and I’m still seeking solutions. Any ideas? And what’s your biggest barrier to regular blog posts, and how have you tackled it?
Photo by Dunleavy Family (Flickr).
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Tagged as:
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Workshifting
by Daria Steigman on January 22, 2010
Want to know how communicators are using social media? You could pose a question on Twitter or you could do a deep dive. MarketingProfs did the latter, surveying 4,763 marketers and others managing communications for their organizations. That included 3,285 who specifically said they are responsible for social media.
I don’t have a copy of The State of Social Media Marketing, but I did get a peak at some of the findings. There is some great data here:
- 48.2 percent said their organizations have a social media presence. They are typically companies that have “very little to hide.” Companies in industries with strict regulations and major repercussions for leaking information (think drug makers, bankers, insurers) are less visible.
- 60.8 percent who do social media said that it is not part of their job description.
- Social media isn’t cheap: Most of those doing social media are mid- or senior-level people.
- 48.8 percent said their company has no official social media policy; 12 percent said they have a restrictive one.
- There is a correlation between culture and the success of a company’s marketing efforts. Employees who blog (independently) can spark new ideas and increase prestige.
- All the measurement tools are helpful, but incomplete. For example, 52.8 percent of those surveyed said that paid analytics tools are “helpful but incomplete” (versus 66.1 percent of those using Google and other free tools). And approximately one-third of respondents (33.6 percent) said that the paid tools “enable perfect tracking” (versus 28.1 percent for those using free tools).
There is also a lot of data about the disconnects between the tactics people use a lot (i.e., what’s popular) and the tactics that are most effective. For example, the most used tactics on Twitter are driving traffic (72.1 percent) and driving sales (54.2 percent)—how’s that worked out for you lately? In contract, the most effective Twitter tactics cited involved two-way communications strategies and monitoring for PR problems in real time.
Photo by webtreats (Flickr).
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Twitter
by Daria Steigman on January 13, 2010
Don’t know what to blog about today? Well, Lisa Barone has come up with a solution. In a post for Small Business Trends, she identifies 104 topics covering your industry, your business, your customers, going social, and getting to know you.
The focus is small business–but Barone’s list is equally applicable to bigger organizations. Check it out here and get inspired all over again.
Photo by lilit (Flickr).
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by Daria Steigman on January 12, 2010
My friend and uber-trainer Lee Watts asked me the other day about collaborative blogs. His idea is to bring together several colleagues in related fields (i.e., sports performance, nutrition, physical therapy, and so forth) to create a broader and more dynamic go-to resource. His question got me thinking about the broader pros and cons of collaborative blogs. Clearly, it’s a good idea for some businesses–but not necessarily for everyone.
There are definitely some benefits to having a collaborative blog, including:
- potentially richer content across a sector, industry, or profession
- you aren’t responsible for all the content
- there are more people to share the posting load (which is exponentially more valuable when the primary posters aren’t natural writers)
- the potential to attract a more diverse audience drawn in by one or more of the key areas of expertise
But there are also some downsides:
- your company loses its unique branding
- loss of control over the content (versus having your own blog)
- you gain responsibility for bad content, but without the ability to remove it (i.e., whatever is on your collaborative blog reflects on your brand)
- there’s a danger of losing blog focus
- it’s harder to fire someone if they’re producing badly written or dull content
My recommendation: Keep your own blog and use guest posts to beef up your content and create opportunities for cross-blog collaboration. This will allow you to (1) keep your branding intact while showcasing your broader referral network; and (2) guest post to other blogs (and expand your visibility with new audiences). The exceptions: If you believe your area of expertise is too narrow to sustain a blog or you are unlikely to post at regular intervals.
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Tagged as:
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by Daria Steigman on June 4, 2009
Have you ever wondered why a growing number of small businesses are investing time and resources into starting and maintaining a blog?
My latest column for CW Bulletin is out, and the topic is blogging for business value. While there is no magic formula for business success, a well-written, well-focused blog can be an effective way of promoting yourself by adding value for your multiple stakeholders.
The column looks at three key reasons why, if you don’t have one, you might want to consider starting a business blog:
- content
- thought leadership
- street cred
Plus it features insights from Marc Meyer and A.J. Leon, both of whom know a little something about successful business blogging.
Read the column here, then come back and let’s talk about why you are (or aren’t) blogging for your business.
Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!
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