Blogger: Advanced

Kate Fox

Associate: SounddeliveryStudent: MA Social Media, Salford UniversityResearcher: BBC Multiplatformand formerly New Media Manager: Mersey Basin Campaign

Agenda

• What is Blogger?

• Getting set up

• Joining the conversation

• What am I going to talk about?

• Who’s going to do the talking?

• Blogging ideas

1. What is Blogger

• One of the longest-established blogging platforms

• A free to use platform

• Allows up to 100 authors to write on one blog

• Doesn’t allow as much scope to customise your blog as some platforms, but doesn’t require much technical know-how!

• Let’s take a quick look...

2. Getting set upOnce your blog is up and running, it can be really useful to link it up to your other social media presences.

For example...

•Feed your blog posts to Facebook via the Notes page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/editnotes.php?import)

•Create a link from your existing website to your blog, or use your blog’s RSS feed to bring content into your website (note, you might need to enlist the help of the person who looks after your website here.)

•Think about updating all your sites at once, through a platform like Ping.fm

...and vice versaUse Blogger’s Gadgets feature to add your Twitter feed to your blog.

Or to feature your Flickr (or Picasa etc) photos to your blog.

Add Blogger’s share buttons (in DESIGN>PAGE ELEMENTS>BLOG POSTS) to let readers share your content with their social networks.

3. Joining the conversation

• Use a blog search tool like Technorati.com or Google Blogs to find others blogging in the same field as you.

• Create a Blogroll, or list of links to blogs you read, and use Blogger Gadgets to feature it on your blog homepage.

Talk to other people...

• Read other people’s blogs and comment on them (always include a link to your own blog!)

• Link out from your posts.

• Track the conversation e.g. using www.samepoint.com

• Engage with other platforms e.g. Flickr, Delicious.

Remember, it is a conversation...

• Blogging is a two-way communication channel.

• Think of it as keeping in touch with friends.

• Write like a real person, not a PR.

• Write about real experiences and personal views.

• Link to others, and to key information sources.

4. What should I talk about?

• LISTS

• HOW-TO

• RE-BLOGGING

• SUMMARIES

• REVIEWS

• BRAIN DUMPS

• BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Essential blogging skills...• BE AUTHENTIC: Write it yourself, find a style that

works.

• POST REGULARLY: So that people can be relatively sure of finding something new when they check back.

• BE RESPONSIVE: Respond to people who comment, link, be a useful member of the community.

• INTEGRATE: Make your content viewable and usable by everyone, make a presence for yourself where people are.

• TAKE YOUR TIME: Don’t expect miracles right away.

Who’s going to do the talking?

• Blogging works best when the whole team gets involved.

• Bribery can work.

• Use behind-the-scenes insight.

• Encourage photos, video, short updates.

• Set up posting-by-email.

More ideas...

Using Flickr to collect content and map projects

Norfox youth theatre - using video on a blog(www.redshoestheplay.wordpress.com)

Create a Delicious page to collect links and resources

Interesting blogs...

http://wigglywigglers.blogspot.com/

http://blog.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/default.aspx

http://manchestermidnightwalk.posterous.com/

http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/dogmobile/dogmobilepage2.aspx

Blogging brainstorm...

• Use Technorati.com / Google blogs to find out who’s blogging in your field...

• Explore Blogger gadgets to discover new ways you could fancy-up your blog...

• Find a blog post that might inspire you to post a reponse...

• Think up some new strands for your blog - or draw up a list of colleagues or guest bloggers you’d love to feature...

• Pick Kate’s brains.