BlogWritingCourse

One of the major victories for a new blogger is when her/his posts begin to get comments on them!!  It is so exciting to see that what you are writing is getting read, and that people care enough about it to leave a response.  But even before you get to the feedback stage, it’s important to think about the types of comments that you might be receiving. 

Inviting comments from the world wide web is a bit like opening your home up to strangers.  The majority of people who trek through will be polite and respectful, but then there are the exceptions.  And you need to be prepared in advance for those folks!

For that purpose, it is a good idea to create a “Comments Policy” for your blog and have it displayed either as its own page or as a prominent link on your sidebar.  Unless you happen to enjoy reading spam, you don’t want to leave commenting up to chance.

So think about how you would like strangers to behave if they came to your house, and you will be well on your way to creating an effective comments policy for your blog!

Things you might want to include:

• Appreciation for your readers and commenters
• Explanation of your community-building hopes for your blog
• Listing of comment types that would not be appreciated
• Your intolerance for spamming

Not only will a well-defined comments policy help your readers understand the type of blog atmosphere you are trying to create, but it will also help you when it comes time to approve or reject those comments that come in.  When you are sitting there wondering whether to click “yea” or “nay”, all you have to do is refer back to your policy for a reminder of what it is you are trying to do here at your blog, and your clicking finger will have some moral support! 

For more in-depth guidance on building a community for your blog, check out our eight-week Blogging 101 course!!

Those who are new to blogging have probably come across either the term ‘meme’, or a meme itself, and been clueless as to just exactly what they have encountered.  When people talk about memes, they can be referring to quite a variety of things, but in terms of blogging, it usually has to do with some sort of list.  It could be a list of questions, a list of favorites, or a list of prompts that people can respond to. 

Memes are usually quite viral (another one of those strange computer terms that means it spreads quickly across the net.)  When someone sees a meme that they particularly enjoyed on a blog, they might decide to use the same meme on their own blog.  They might tweak a little for their own use, as well.  In fact, just like in the game “telephone,” a meme that travels across the world wide web might only vaguely resemble the original meme by the time it has made its journey.  And memes also can come in the form of a blogging “chain letter.”  When one blogger posts a meme, they will often “tag” several other bloggers with the task of continuing the meme on their own blogs.

Popular memes on the web have included Five Things I Own, A Thousand Words, 7 Weird Things about Me, and Works for Me Wednesday.  Each one requires participation from the blogger, who uses the meme to express an opinion or reveal something about himself or herself.

Memes have a variety of reasons that they appeal to the blogger. 

1. They can inspire.  When your writing juices have dried up, and you are clueless where your next post is going to come from, a meme might provide just the jumpstart you need.
2. They can help draw traffic. If you create a particularly clever meme, don’t be surprised when people will crawl out of the woodwork to not only copy your meme, but link back to your site, which naturally will increase your blog stats.
3. They can get your readers involved.  Comments are like catnip to bloggers.  They are addictive.  So when your meme gets even your lurkiest readers to come forward and have their say, you are usually already planning your next one!
4. They show off your personality.  A meme is the perfect opportunity to let your readers see who you really are.  They let you throw off all your winter bundling and show off your naked assets, so to speak.  Memes have a way of bringing out our impetuous side, and face it – - that is just plain fun.

The great news is that just about anything can inspire a meme.  The most random visit to a person’s blog might get your meme-ing juices flowing before you even know what has hit you.  For instance, Diane over at Universal Preschool, recently wrote a fun blog post about “Fun With Scarves.”  In the article she outlines a variety of creative ways to create educational experiences with this one single item of clothing.  In my opinion, this post is a meme waiting to happen.  A blogger would do well to link to Diane’s post, and then tag their readers with the task of picking their top three favorites out of her suggestions, and then adding three more of their own ideas to the list.  If you really want to have fun, you can add a creative title to the meme, such as “Scarfing Up Some Fun”, and there you go…instant meme-age.  With very little effort, you have taken a random subject and turned it into the next big thing to hit the net.  But whether or not meme-ing brings you your 15 minutes of fame, it will definitely bring a little life to your blog, and a little fun to your writing!

One of the first decisions you will have to make, if you create your blog through our Blogging 101 course, is whether or not to be anonymous. This was a tough decision for me.  I was so appreciative of all the advice I got through the class about blogging safety, and it gave me so much to think about.  Originally, since I am a freelance writer, and have many articles published on the web, I thought it would be a great idea to connect my blog with my writing website, and have people be able to connect the dots.  But then, when faced with the decision, I went against plan, and decided to keep my blog, Topsy-Techie, anonymous.  Looking back, I am pretty pleased with the decision….and here are some of the reasons why.

1. As “Topsy-Techie”, I am free to be opinionated.  In my freelance writing, I am often presenting information in a logical, unbiased way.  But in my blog, I can speak for, or against just about anything, and no one will be sitting there comparing my opinions with my freelance factoids. 
2. Topsy-Techie can make fun of herself, and her family, and no one gets embarrassed.  I have let only a few close friends know about my blog, and you can be sure that I won’t be mentioning them in it!  That way, I can let loose and tell it like it is in the Topsy-Techie household.  My kids don’t have to be afraid that their friends are going to find out that they secretly suck their thumb at night (they don’t…chill, kids!)  And hubby doesn’t have to stress out when I air some of his (literally) dirty laundry.  Blog anonymity is great for keeping families intact!
3. I can make friends without feeling like I have to invite them over for coffee.  My blog has allowed me to meet some really neat people.  People that I truly enjoy chatting with on the computer, but might or might not be so pleased to hang out with in real life.  Thanks to blog-etiquette, my community of fellow bloggers understand our limits and restrict ourselves to blog comments…not late night phone calls asking each other to babysit.
4. It’s just safer.  I share a lot of personal details about my life, my home, and my family on my blog.  Why lose sleep over whether Joe Schmoe, and his newfound parole status, is spending his nights trying to locate my exact whereabouts because of something I let slip in my blog??

Just as I have many reasons for my status as an anonymous blogger, you might can come up with just as many for why you choose to “let it all hang out.”  If you are a fearless blogger, who writes under your actual name, how about sharing in the comments section why you made that decision, and how it has worked for you.  Whether or not to blog anonymously is a big decision, so before you make up your mind, get all the facts.  To find out more about blog safety and anonymity, sign up for one of our blogging courses today.

Until next time,

Nonprofits, especially ones with smaller budgets, often don’t put a lot of time and effort into their online communications.  Their website, if they have one, usually consists of just a few pages dedicated to the mission of the organization, the services they perform, and instructions for volunteering, or sending in donations.  While this no-frills type of website is certainly better than having no online presence at all, it is far from ideal in providing adequate communication between you and your supporters.

Technology can be a valuable tool to keep donors, supporters, and volunteers engaged with the daily operations of a nonprofit organization.  Unfortunately, many worthy causes have settled for one-sided communication with their donors in the form of monthly newsletters and occasional fundraising appeals.  This method may have sufficed years ago, but in today’s world-wide-web culture, people expect more.  They want to know they have a voice, and that the causes they support are willing to listen to their ideas and suggestions.   An active internet presence can provide this two-way communication.  Your nonprofit could use any or all of the following methods to encourage interactivity with your supporters:

• Email Updates – You can easily create a section on your website where supporters can sign up with their email addresses to receive current status reports or news items.  Occasional email “bulletins” sent out to these addresses might include a particular victory your agency has experienced, an urgent call for help with a specific task, or a reminder about an important upcoming event.  Because a sign up for this type of mailing is voluntary, you can count on these updates to be read and attended to.
• Electronic Newsletter For Volunteers – volunteers give selflessly of their time and effort, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be told how much they are appreciated.  A special email “newsletter” for volunteers could be sent out monthly or quarterly, and could include special “inside” information about the agency, highlights of a particular volunteers contributions, notices about upcoming volunteer needs, and of course, generous appreciation for  their efforts.
• Dedicated Information Email Address – this would be located in a prominent place on your website,usually in the “Contact Us” section, and would be checked daily by someone in your organization who is talented at answering inquiries and taking feedback.  By providing an information email address, you are saying to your supporters and potential supporters that you have nothing to hide and are eager to answer any questions, concerns, or suggestions they may have
• Interactive Calendar – this would be a website feature that would allow the nonprofit to update as often as needed with current data on activities and events, and would allow the user to click on items on the calendar to receive more details and information
• Blog – Blogging is becoming one of the fastest growing methods of communication.  A blog, or web log, is an ongoing journal of information related to your cause.  It is almost limitless in its type of content, but could include news about your nonprofit, pictures of recent events and activities, editorials on the issues surrounding your cause, or spotlights on people who have made important humanitarian or financial contributions.  Blogging can be an uniquely effective tool, in that it allows readers to comment and interact with the content. This creates a sense of active participation for supporters, and gives them a way to express their ideas and to vent their feelings.  If your organization is interested in adding a blog to your website, but aren’t sure how to begin, you might want to sign up for a blog writing course, that will guide you through all the steps of designing, writing, and promoting your new blog.

There are many other ways to use your nonprofit website to encourage participation and involvement from your supporters, but hopefully these ideas will get you started on creating a two-way communication that will benefit your cause for years to come.

Blogging 101 is proud to introduce it’s next new crop of blogging students.  Some of their introductory posts will be featured here on this blog – - giving everyone a chance to meet them and encourage them in their blogging journey.  Please feel free to support them with your comments!

Also stay tuned later this week for a wonderful interview with Christine Moers, talented writer and blog author of “Welcome to My Brain.”  You won’t want to miss out on Christine’s experiences with blogging, and how she has turned a passion for writing into a therapeutic hobby!

Until next time,

When I was a little girl, there were few things that could make my pigtails bounce with joy more than getting a letter in the mail addressed to me.  It made me feel so important and valuable.  It didn’t even really matter what it was, or what it said – - it just mattered that someone had thought of me enough to write.  (Although I’ll admit there was an extra little pigtail bounce when I saw the letter was from my grandmother, because that usually meant there was a crisp new dollar bill inside.) Years of junk mail have dampened my excitement over heading to the mailbox, but I still get a little thrill when I open the mailbox door and find an honest-to-goodness letter with my name on it.

Come to think of it, bloggers have a lot in common with little pigtailed girls. The biggest part of the excitement of writing a blog, is knowing that others are going to read it.  And the only way to know what other people think of your writing is when they take the time to leave a comment.  Do you remember on Andy Griffith when Barney would finally  do something right, like remember to lock the jail door, or remember to put his bullet in his pocket?  Andy would get this proud look on his face and tell Barney he was doing “fine” work.  Barney would hike up his pants grin and nearly knock his ear out of joint with that sideways grin of delight.   That is pretty much the sum total of how a blogger feels when a reader leaves a comment on his blog. He or  she is not only proud that what they wrote mattered to someone, but is inspired to continue writing.

Commenting on a blog can be sort of like rolling a snowball down a hill.  It motivates the writer to interact with his readers and write more blogs, which in turn, brings about more comments.  Even more importantly, when a blogger knows she has readers, she is apt to raise the bar in terms of her content.  Posts get better, and more readers are drawn in.

For new bloggers, commenting on someone else’s blog has an additional benefit.  It gets you noticed.  Let’s say you are starting a blog about 80′s music, and you are also a regular reader of the Bangles Buff blog, the Duran Duran Devotee blog, and the Aerosmith Aficianado blog. By commenting on these blogs often, and using your blog url in your comment, you are making the writers aware of your similar interests, and hopefully they will stop by your blog to check it out, and maybe, if your blog hits the right 80′s “chord” with them, they will even add you to their blogroll!  And so on, and so on, and so on….the snowball keeps rolling.

Commenting is just one of the many things you can do to grow your blog readership.  To find out more information on starting a new blog or building a better blog, sign up for one of our blog courses today.  There is no better time to get the blog rolling!

Until Next Time,