Blog 101

Archive

Author Teleseminars featuring Seth Godin

Published on February 14, 2008 in Author Teleseminars, Blog 101 Book and Recommended Services. 1 Comment

For the last two days I have had my morning tea with marketing guru Seth Godin and fellow marketing authors like Debbie Weil and Keith Ferrazzi. Okay, so it was over the phone, I was muted and part of an audience of 1,800 listeners from around the world. Nonetheless, it was a total thrill to get to listen to some of my current role models live, on speaker phone, in my living room. Their spirited discussions about the future of marketing, community building and proper utilization of social media have been inspiring and thought provoking, to say the least. Many of their ideas are reflected in my book Blog 101: Why YOU Need a Blog and How to Make it Successful.

These amazing calls are free and facilitated by Elizabeth Marshall at Author Teleseminars. I recommend checking out their services or signing up for future teleseminars. Welcome to the age of FREE, grab the information you can and make the most of it!

I also recommend getting a copy of Seth’s new book Meatball Sundae. If you are stuck in traditional marketing and trying to put new marketing on top of it, you will end up with a mess on your hands. Seth’s book will help you navigate your way to a sundae with hot fudge and a cherry on top.

BLOG 101 ON SALE TODAY!

Published on February 5, 2008 in Blog 101 Book. 4 Comments

Today is Super Tuesday here in California.

Did you VOTE yet?

Not only did I VOTE today, but I finished my book, BLOG 101, and put it up for purchase! This will not be a day I soon forget.

It has been a long road to completing this project and I am so thrilled with the final product. I believe that the Internet and blogging can act as a powerful vehicle for change. Just look at the impact it has had on the current race for President. My hope is that BLOG 101 will provide readers with the guidance and answers they need to start their own blogs and make them a screaming success.

Blog 101 owes a great deal of thanks to the amazing friends and family that have contributed content, design, feedback and inspiration along the way.

I had the pleasure and good fortune to work with designer Shawn Bathe. His keen sense of style and design made BLOG 101 a truly quality product. Not only is he a talented designer, but a joy to work with. I highly recommend his services.

Justin Kistner was my technical adviser, educator and all around incredible support system. Surely one of the brightest minds in the Web 2.0 realm, I’m so grateful to have him along for the ride. Be sure to check out his blog Metafluence: It’s Not Marketing, It’s Manipulation.

Although I have now officially written a book, it would not have been possible to follow the flow of my ideas without the help of an editor. Kellie Poulin spent numerous hours reading and correcting my shoddy syntax. In the end, she helped to transform BLOG 101 into a well-written and comprehensive guide. Her gentle nature and enthusiasm for the subject complimented my work beautifully.

There were many others whose valuable contributions are part of BLOG 101, but you’ll have to buy the book to hear more about them. I will be posting more information about the progress of the book as it comes in. Please feel free to send me your success stories to share with my readers. True inspiration is found in the success of others.

Until then…BLOG ON!!

article: 50 widgets for your blog

Published on January 29, 2008 in Blog Add-ons. 1 Comment

The folks at Mashable, a blog about social networking, put together a list of 50 widgets for your blog. They include widgets that give the current price of gas and videos that are relevant to the context of your blog or post. My favorite is the Giftbox that allows your friends and family to see what you want for your birthday. This widget might also be used to collect donations for needy children or items for a non-profit in need.

Blog 101 Book: Radical Transparency

Published on January 2, 2008 in Blog 101 Book. 0 Comments

Radical Transparency is a management method where nearly all decision making is carried out publicly. A form of this has existed in national parliaments for decades. It is now taking hold of the imaginations of CEO’s as a way to deal with the open information sharing taking place on the Internet. I briefly discuss the idea in my book, but I recommend familiarizing yourself with this concept. Whether it is the right move for you or not, the information is still vital to consider when managing a company blog. Below is the excerpt from Blog 101 about Radical Transparency with links and resources for more on this topic.

Radical Transparency

Social media sites are pushing the envelope and redefining what we consider taboo or confidential information. In a world where company secrets are posted on the blogs of disgruntled employees and dissatisfied customers are telling all, businesses are being forced to take a different approach to dealing with negative publicity. One emerging idea is “Transparency” where the strategy is in revealing all - almost. Many CEO’s are beginning to embrace “Radical Transparency,” the notion that exposing one’s weakness, strategies, internal memos, and other laundry can have surprisingly positive results with customers.

Clive Thompson wrote The See-Through CEO, for Wired Magazine in March 2007 and interviewed Glenn Kelman, CEO of Online Real Estate brokerage, Redfin. The article addresses many of the issues that come with opening your doors to the public. Common questions deal with how much you reveal, how you deal with the not so favorable news or comments from your customers.

Redfin was struggling with a fierce real estate industry. His company was suffering as a result of nasty attacks by agents. He chose to publicize their ordeal on the company blog. “Instead of discouraging customers, being open about our problems radicalized them,” Kelman says. “They rallied and started pulling for us.”

For more on the subject “The Naked Corporation” by Don Tapscott and David Ticoll thoroughly examine the benefits and risks involved with transparency.

Blog 101 Book: What is a Blog?

Published on December 30, 2007 in Blog 101 Book. 0 Comments

What is a Blog?

The term blog is derived from a combination of the words ‘Web’ and ‘Log’. A Blog is a website that contains entries in dated order, similar to a personal diary. The entries are then stored in archives for future use. Blogs are easy to update and can support text, video, audio, and flash content. Some blogs have multiple contributors writing for the blog and others accept content submitted by readers of the site.

The definition of a blog as defined in Wikipedia:

“Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.”

Examples of blogs:

· Food – Chocolate and Zucchini

· Fashion – Fashion Inc.

· News/Politics – The Huffington Post

· Entertainment – Pop Sugar

· Music – Rockinsider

· Small Business Advice – Duct Tape Marketing

The blog has been around for over ten years. Although there is some question as to who actually launched the original blog, there is no doubt that Robot Wisdom and Scripting News are two of the longest running blogs on the Internet.

Back in 1997, when most of us were just discovering the joy of message boards and chat rooms, web logs were used as a platform for the site’s author to record day-to-day happenings and links of interest. Ten years later, blogs have evolved into trusted resources for information that are starting to rival traditional journalism outlets like newspapers and television. In fact, in January of 2007, members of the Media Bloggers Association were among the first bloggers to receive press credentials from a federal court.

Blogs will inevitably have a significant impact on the way we get our news in the future. As more and more bloggers who are not tied to major media outlets are given press credentials, we are likely to have access to more accurate news, faster and less slanted to support corporate or government agendas.

News Blogs: