Big Shot Blogger

Top-Shelf Personal Blogging Tips
A guest post by John Moore

Amanda, I wanted to start off by thanking you for the invitation to write a post for Strategic Fox.  I enjoy having the opportunity to engage people anywhere, anytime, and it was a pleasure writing this piece.

 

When it comes to the blogging process, I must remind you that there is no right approach.  However, if your goal is to engage in a dialog to share opinions and discussions, here is what I recommend:

 

• Determine what you are excited about.  Your passions; what you are interested in discussing with other users.  I have chatted with a lot of people who recommend a laser-like focus on one or two topics, if this is your passion, follow it.   I enjoy engaging on a fairly wide-range of topics and it has been successful, thus far.
• Define goals for your blog. Personal blogs, like corporate blogs, are often a means to an end.  My goals for social media usage are defined here.  A similar outline may help you measure the results of  your own social media efforts.
  
• Give yourself a target number of posts per week. I strongly urge you not to write a daily blog update, as you will burn out.  On the other hand, don't write a post once every two weeks.  Readers will not come back.  If feasible, try to write 2 or 3 times a week for your first couple of months.  As you enter the flow of blogging and begin to find your social voice, you will be able to determine a frequency that suits your life.
• Please, please, please....  Do not write a one-way blog. Comments are critical for engagement and engagement, in my opinion, is the only reason to develop a blog.  Unless you are an all-knowing being, keep comments open. Actively review and respond to your readers.  As you do this, people will return to your blog, both to agree and disagree with your opinions.  This is one of the most critical components for a new blogger, do not forget this please.
• Decide what PR channels you will utilize.  I recommend starting off with Twitter, LinkedIn Groups, Facebook, and Technorati.  You will get big bang for buck with LinkedIn Groups and Twitter in the short-term, while Technorati will provide longer term payback.

If your goal is to create a platform for social engagement, these tips will get you going in the right direction.  Do not get too discouraged when your posts get few views and do not get too excited when you write a post that produces a lot of discussion.  I have had a day with fewer than 50 views and a day with over 4600 views.  Remain calm with the Tao of blogging and follow the advice above.  Maybe one day you and I will be at the head of the virtual blogging classroom.

 

John Moore

http://johnfmoore.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/JohnFMoore

Things I Adore: Part 3

Blogs of Note:
Great blogs and how you can have one.

As the owner of a freshly-launched personal blog, I am vastly interested in top web publishers and their methods.  According to Technorati, the following is an accurate list of the five most popular blogs to date:


1. Boing Boing : A brain-child of Mark Frauenfelder and his wife Carla, Boing Boing started off as a magazine before it became a group blog in January 2000.  Together with four co-editors, Boing Boing promises to be a "directory of wonderful things" and delivers 'weird' to a Technorati fan-base of over 4,300 people.  Boing Boing works because it highlights strange and unique content on a consistent basis via staff and guest posts.

2. Problogger:  Darren Rowse launched his personal blog about life, faith and his hobby long before he ever thought he'd make money doing so.  Today, Problogger boasts a #2 ranking on Technorati with over 3, 800 fans.  Darren has lots to say about his journey, but  his most important lesson is 'slow and steady wins the race.'  Since 2002, Darren has brought his hobby from fun to profit through niche subject matter and genius marketing.

3. TechCrunch: This commercial blog is new in comparison to the top two, but it boasts over 3,600 fans on Technorati and profiles all things technology and business.  Started by Michael Arrington in 2005, TechCrunch has a dozen staff members working to keep the content fresh.  Their success stems from loyalty to their niche and expanded content offerings through The Crunch Network; several sub-blogs that target different tech genres.

4.  Lifehacker:  With just over 3,080 Technorati fans, Lifehacker has provided a steady stream of 'life-simplification tips' via web since 2005.  With over 18 updates per weekday, visitors can always find ways to streamline their routine.  Lifehacker is one of many blogs owned by Gawker Media founded by Nick Denton.  The corporate blogs' popularity is attributed to a steady stream of updates about new products and services that improve quality-of-life.


5. Engadget:  Just barely behind Lifehacker is Engadget, a corporate blog dedicated to consumer electronics that has over 3,040 fans on Technorati.  Engadget sets itself apart by offering geek-speak in seven different languages through sub-sites.  Peter Rojas created Engadget in 2004, which was recently acquired by AOL.  The blog is successful because it makes a general topic personalized through translation and news leads posted from readers.


Now, most of these blogs are owned by companies, but they didn't all start that way.  The top two blogs began as personal platforms dedicated to the writers 'niche of choice.'  Since personal blogs are the most common variety, the next post will feature a 'guide to personal blogging' from John Moore, VP of Engineering of Swimfish, Inc.  John's blog was created on February 3rd, 2009, it averages six comments per post and over 180 unique visitors a day.  You can follow him on Twitter at JohnFMoore.

I'll be posting his article as soon as I get it, so watch my twitter feed at @foxystrategy for update status.

Things I Adore: Part 2

"Where's Waldo" Advertising:
Eye-catching ads and how to make them.

Every day I drive, flip and surf past hundreds of advertisements and I know I'm not the only one. They are everywhere; on my TV, in my mail, and along my commute. Most of the time, I don't even realize they're there. After a while, the modern mind just tunes them out. But what about the rogue ad that catches my eye? Usually, the ad has to be oddly placed or extremely daring for me to notice it. It's like the book "Where's Waldo" where one out of hundreds of zebra-clad look-alike cartoons fill the page, but only one is right. Here are some examples of 'Waldo' ads:

These ads; that were seen by many in Chicago, were created by using a stencil to pressure-wash the dirty sidewalk. Best of all, the ads are non-destructive, legal and very cheap to create.

BBDO created these ads for FedEx Kinko's using over sized highlighters and correction fluid to catch the attention of New Yorkers. Another example of non-destructive, creative and legal 'Waldo' ads.

In Japan, Nintendo commissioned ads on several subway cars as a way to boost sales of the system. A 'Waldo-esque' use of existing space that's legal and affordable.

Mini Cooper hit it "spot on" with this funny Canadian ad complete with traffic cones. Be wary of splash-back should you hit a cone on this 'Waldo' course.

This ad for Tin Foil is so 'Waldo' I don't know where to start. How about with the price? Dirt. Cheap. This American ad is more effective then 100 billboards, but for a fraction of the cost.


Finally, this Proctor & Gamble ad in Bangkok uses tangled wires to advertise their line of de-tangling hair products. Don't try to read the copy, this 'Waldo' is foreign.

So, how can you create 'Waldo' ads for your company?

1. Look at your product(s), are there any everyday places, structures or settings that LOOK like all or part of your product?

2. Are there any everyday places, structures or settings that SMELL, TASTE or FEEL like all or part of your product?

3. Are there any places, structures or settings that look like the OUTCOME or PROBLEM your product addresses?

4. If representing a non-profit, what place is appropriate for spreading awareness that would have the biggest impact? Is there a PLACE, TIME or SCENARIO that relates to your service/issue either positively or negatively?

Once you have some ideas, ask yourself:
Is this legal?
Is this cheap?
Is this bold?
Is this ethical?
Will we reach our intended audience?
Does this fit the brand personality?

If you answered yes to all the above questions, then you are well on your way to designing the next 'Waldo' phenomenon.

Happy hunting!

P.S. If anyone has seen more ads like these, include a link with your comment. I'd love to see what catches your eye!