Kicking Ass Content Connections by Lorelle VanFossen

2007 Lorelle VanFossen lorelle.wordpress.com

Kicking Ass Content ConnectionKicking Ass Content ConnectionWordCamp 2007

By Lorelle VanFossenhttp://lorelle.wordpress.com/http://www.cameraontheroad.com/

WordCamp 2007

By Lorelle VanFossenhttp://lorelle.wordpress.com/http://www.cameraontheroad.com/

http://lorelle.wordpress.com/

http://www.cameraontheroad.com/




Connecting the BloggersConnecting the Bloggers• Do you know your blogging competition?• Do you know this blogger?• Have you blogged about this blogger?• Does something this blogger does interest

you?• To help your build your blog, you must

connect with other bloggers and work together to build each other’s blogs

• Do you know your blogging competition?• Do you know this blogger?• Have you blogged about this blogger?• Does something this blogger does interest

you?• To help your build your blog, you must

connect with other bloggers and work together to build each other’s blogs


The Blogging First Impression

The Blogging First Impression

• Too many blog posts look like they were written in 10 minutes by someone who clearly:• Can’t Type

• Can’t Think.

• Make you think they were released for the day or maybe they have computers in the institution.

• Too many blog posts look like they were written in 10 minutes by someone who clearly:• Can’t Type

• Can’t Think.

• Make you think they were released for the day or maybe they have computers in the institution.


Creating The ContentCreating The Content

If you want to get someone’s attention,

you need to show them something they’ve never seen before,

or show them something in a way they’ve never seen before.

If you want to get someone’s attention,

you need to show them something they’ve never seen before,

or show them something in a way they’ve never seen before.


Content BuildingContent Building

• Find the Missing Pieces

• Look at the Big Picture

• Take Your Time Blogging

• Find the Missing Pieces

• Look at the Big Picture

• Take Your Time Blogging


Find the Missing PiecesFind the Missing Pieces

• There are holes in subjects everywhere. Not everything has been said - and even if it has - show them the subject in a way they’ve never seen it before.

• Say it well, say it better, but don’t repeat old subjects. Find out what has been covered, link to the best, but find what is missing.

• There are holes in subjects everywhere. Not everything has been said - and even if it has - show them the subject in a way they’ve never seen it before.

• Say it well, say it better, but don’t repeat old subjects. Find out what has been covered, link to the best, but find what is missing.


Find the Missing PiecesFind the Missing Pieces

There are 1,860,000 search results for how to install WordPress.

• Do we need another? • Can you really write a better tip or technique

for installing WordPress than those that have already been written?

• What’s missing?

There are 1,860,000 search results for how to install WordPress.

• Do we need another? • Can you really write a better tip or technique

for installing WordPress than those that have already been written?

• What’s missing?


Find the Missing Pieces: Find the Missing Pieces:

• In school they taught “how to” but rarely did they ever cover “why”. We were told “because” and “that’s the way it’s always been done”.• School doesn’t prepare you for problem solving, it

prepares you for solving problems.

• Blog the why.

• In school they taught “how to” but rarely did they ever cover “why”. We were told “because” and “that’s the way it’s always been done”.• School doesn’t prepare you for problem solving, it

prepares you for solving problems.

• Blog the why.


Look at the Big PictureLook at the Big Picture

You are the editor and publisher of your blog.

You know it’s goal, purpose, mission statement, short range goals and long range goals. You see the big picture thus you should be able to see what’s missing.

What’s left out? In your industry, niche, blog content – what’s missing from the big picture.

You are the editor and publisher of your blog.

You know it’s goal, purpose, mission statement, short range goals and long range goals. You see the big picture thus you should be able to see what’s missing.

What’s left out? In your industry, niche, blog content – what’s missing from the big picture.


Take Your Time BloggingTake Your Time Blogging• Unless you blog the news, don’t read your feeds

in the morning. Read them before you go to bed and let the information stew. • Slow down.• Gives you time to think.• Gives you time to read what others have to say• Gives you time to say it better.• Gets you more attention as you aren’t reporting it as

one of the many but one of the few - with perspective.

• Unless you blog the news, don’t read your feeds in the morning. Read them before you go to bed and let the information stew. • Slow down.• Gives you time to think.• Gives you time to read what others have to say• Gives you time to say it better.• Gets you more attention as you aren’t reporting it as

one of the many but one of the few - with perspective.


Benefits of Waiting to BlogBenefits of Waiting to Blog• Blogger considered wiser.• Reader believes blogger now has a better

perspective on the subject with time.• You will catch those who “hadn’t heard it yet”.

Readers are grateful.• It gives the original authors of the subject a

second round of traffic for which they are grateful as this audience tends to be the thinkers not reactors.

• Blogger considered wiser.• Reader believes blogger now has a better

perspective on the subject with time.• You will catch those who “hadn’t heard it yet”.

Readers are grateful.• It gives the original authors of the subject a

second round of traffic for which they are grateful as this audience tends to be the thinkers not reactors.


Be Late to the PartyBe Late to the Party• Recently, worried after entering the conversation

late, a friend told me, “you sounded like the only sane one talking”. • Blog early on a controversial subject and you may

sound like a ranter. • You might not, but the readers are in such a panic to get

more information they impose their “desperateness” onto what they read.

• Waiting has the perspective of time, thus readers are calmer, had more information, and “ready to listen”.

• Recently, worried after entering the conversation late, a friend told me, “you sounded like the only sane one talking”. • Blog early on a controversial subject and you may

sound like a ranter. • You might not, but the readers are in such a panic to get

more information they impose their “desperateness” onto what they read.

• Waiting has the perspective of time, thus readers are calmer, had more information, and “ready to listen”.


Creating the Conversation ModeCreating the Conversation Mode

What is the difference between a website and a blog?

Conversation.

What is the difference between a website and a blog?

Conversation.


Building an Audience Begins With TwoBuilding an Audience Begins With Two

• Liz Strauss of Successful and Outstanding Bloggers just started a new series on blog strategy building and marketing. • Blog for one person. That’s your customer. Who? YOU.• When they walk in the door of your blog, it looks like

home. It meets their expectations for their needs. • You want your blog to be a familiar place, where

everything is where it is supposed to be, relative to your blog topic and content.

• Liz Strauss of Successful and Outstanding Bloggers just started a new series on blog strategy building and marketing. • Blog for one person. That’s your customer. Who? YOU.• When they walk in the door of your blog, it looks like

home. It meets their expectations for their needs. • You want your blog to be a familiar place, where

everything is where it is supposed to be, relative to your blog topic and content.

http://www.successful-blog.com/





People want to do business with people who are

People want to do business with people who are

• Like them.

• Meet their expectations.

• Make your blog’s design say “Hey, you’ve found the right place.”

• And they will stick around.

• Like them.

• Meet their expectations.

• Make your blog’s design say “Hey, you’ve found the right place.”

• And they will stick around.


Can you tell when someone’s faking it on their blog?

Can you tell when someone’s faking it on their blog?

Then your readers can tell when you are faking it.

Then your readers can tell when you are faking it.


What does “faking it” look like?

What does “faking it” look like?

• Too many ads - intent = money not content• Not enough or no original content.• More blockquotes than content.• Lack of sincerity and faith in the content.• Poor or lazy writing style.• No About page or “self” in the writing.

• Too many ads - intent = money not content• Not enough or no original content.• More blockquotes than content.• Lack of sincerity and faith in the content.• Poor or lazy writing style.• No About page or “self” in the writing.


Content Must Match IntentContent Must Match Intent

Building a relationship with your readers means:• Earning their trust.

• Being authentic in content and style.

• Keeping your promises and commitments.

• Putting the relationship between the you and your readers first.

• It doesn’t pay to fake it.

Building a relationship with your readers means:• Earning their trust.

• Being authentic in content and style.

• Keeping your promises and commitments.

• Putting the relationship between the you and your readers first.

• It doesn’t pay to fake it.


Give Without Expectation of Return

Give Without Expectation of Return

One of the wonderful aspects of blogging is sharing what you have learned. It brings value to your reader’s lives and work.

• If you teach someone how to break a habit, how to do it bigger, better, faster, easier, more efficiently, you have their attention.

• If you give them the easy way out, they will follow you. • Invite them to leave your blog for something

worthwhile, and they come back…with friends.

One of the wonderful aspects of blogging is sharing what you have learned. It brings value to your reader’s lives and work.

• If you teach someone how to break a habit, how to do it bigger, better, faster, easier, more efficiently, you have their attention.

• If you give them the easy way out, they will follow you. • Invite them to leave your blog for something

worthwhile, and they come back…with friends.


Getting the Conversation Going

Getting the Conversation Going

Too many people are still writing for their 8th grade teacher. Writing in complete sentences, complete thoughts, complete ideas.

That’s not a conversation. You can’t get a word in edgewise.

Too many people are still writing for their 8th grade teacher. Writing in complete sentences, complete thoughts, complete ideas.

That’s not a conversation. You can’t get a word in edgewise.


Don’t Finish That ThoughtDon’t Finish That Thought• To turn a complete idea into a conversation, don’t

finish the idea. Don’t finish the thought. Stop writing.• Instead of 10 tips for X, have 7. They will give you

the next three.• “Oh, you forgot” ...you didn’t forget. You let them

help you remember.• Incomplete thoughts allow readers to complete them.• Let them complete the game: What’s missing in this

post?

• To turn a complete idea into a conversation, don’t finish the idea. Don’t finish the thought. Stop writing.

• Instead of 10 tips for X, have 7. They will give you the next three.

• “Oh, you forgot” ...you didn’t forget. You let them help you remember.

• Incomplete thoughts allow readers to complete them.• Let them complete the game: What’s missing in this

post?


Never say “What do you think”

Never say “What do you think”

• You might get an answer.

• You might not like the answer you get.

Since you are writing to them, and they are like you, it’s like being with your best friend or being an old married couple – you’ll find them finishing your sentences.

• You might get an answer.

• You might not like the answer you get.

Since you are writing to them, and they are like you, it’s like being with your best friend or being an old married couple – you’ll find them finishing your sentences.


If You Want to Participate in a Conversation, Participate in the

Conversation.

If You Want to Participate in a Conversation, Participate in the

Conversation.


Participate in the Conversation

Participate in the Conversation

• Blog about what others are blogging about, linking to their parts of the conversation, and add yours. This gives permission to share their views and encourage comments.

• You don’t have to respond to every comment, but you have to make your readers FEEL like you do.

• Blog about what others are blogging about, linking to their parts of the conversation, and add yours. This gives permission to share their views and encourage comments.

• You don’t have to respond to every comment, but you have to make your readers FEEL like you do.


Other Ways of Making Blog Conversation

Other Ways of Making Blog Conversation

• Continue the conversation in comments on your blog.

• Don’t answer the question completely.

• Comment on other blogs setting an example of how to comment and continue the conversation.

• Comment on other blogs. Help them and they will help you continue your conversation.

• Continue the conversation in comments on your blog.

• Don’t answer the question completely.

• Comment on other blogs setting an example of how to comment and continue the conversation.

• Comment on other blogs. Help them and they will help you continue your conversation.


Building Content TipsBuilding Content Tips• Write timeless content that keeps new readers finding

you over the years, not days.• Write for the future, making your content valuable 20

years or more from now.• Write article series that keeps readers coming back for

more.• Publish a predictable schedule:

• Monday Links for the Week• Wordless Wednesday• Friday Summary

• Write timeless content that keeps new readers finding you over the years, not days.

• Write for the future, making your content valuable 20 years or more from now.

• Write article series that keeps readers coming back for more.

• Publish a predictable schedule:• Monday Links for the Week• Wordless Wednesday• Friday Summary


Building Content TipsBuilding Content Tips• Don’t just blockquote - continue the conversation.

• Write keyword-rich, search term filled content and titles.

• Make one or more of the first three paragraphs “blockquote-ready” for copy and pasting and referencing your blog post.

• Write content worth linking to.

• Write content that attracts “you” to your blog.

• Don’t just blockquote - continue the conversation.

• Write keyword-rich, search term filled content and titles.

• Make one or more of the first three paragraphs “blockquote-ready” for copy and pasting and referencing your blog post.

• Write content worth linking to.

• Write content that attracts “you” to your blog.


Finding LorelleFinding Lorelle• Author: Blogging Tips: What Bloggers

Won’t Tell You About Blogging• Lorelle on WordPress - WordPress and Blogging Tips• Taking Your Camera on the Road - Travel and

Photography and Life on the Road• Lorelle’s Family History - Genealogy Blog• The Blog Herald - Daily contributor and content translated

into 3+ languages• WordPress Wednesday News Report

• Email: [email protected]

• Author: Blogging Tips: What Bloggers Won’t Tell You About Blogging

• Lorelle on WordPress - WordPress and Blogging Tips• Taking Your Camera on the Road - Travel and

Photography and Life on the Road• Lorelle’s Family History - Genealogy Blog• The Blog Herald - Daily contributor and content translated

into 3+ languages• WordPress Wednesday News Report

• Email: [email protected]

http://lorelle.wordpress.com/books/blogging-tips/








http://www.cameraontheroad.com/family/


http://www.blogherald.com/



http://www.blogherald.com/category/wordpress/


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Blogging Tips: What Bloggers

Won’t Tell You About

Blogging

Blogging Tips: What Bloggers

Won’t Tell You About

Blogging













Technology

Kicking Ass Content Connections by Lorelle VanFossen