Archive for » August, 2008 «

Aug

The The 4-Hour Workweek( book) and the four day work week are both popular ideas. Based on the concept of “four”, I’ll be experimenting with the “Four Day Open Mic”.

The concept for the “Four Day Open Mic” (proposed) series is this: For the next four days the comment section (of this post) will be open to any questions, comments, and/or concerns any of you have about blogging. I’ll drop in to answer comments and if anyone can help another blogger with a problem they’re facing, feel free to join in.

Like many of you, I am dealing with a lack of time. Other than work and life, I’ll spend the next four days reading the rest of Liz’s book, emailing other experts for my A.S.K. series, answering emails, visiting other blogs, and working behind the scenes.

To recap this week:

1) Liz Strauss was the first participant in the A.S.K. (Answers Sharing Knowledge) series. She shared her answer on How To Format A Blog Post To Maximize Comments

2) Ari’s Our Best Version was introduced on New Blog Of The Week (NBOTW)

3) On Wednesday we discussed how to build a community in our blogs. The comment section is filled with brilliant ideas for anyone who missed it.

To start off this week’s Open Mic, I have two questions.

1) Has anyone ever “seeded” their comment section. Seeding is the process of writing a comment yourself (using a different name) as a way to encourage others to join in.

2) I’ve been trying to add a comment feed to this blog. I burnt a feed on Feedburner, got the feed address, but when I add the feed “code” to my sidebar, I can’t get it to work. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong? (I’ve experimented with it on my OM blog).

You know the rules.

Have Fun!

Keep it Clean!

And don’t forget to check the “subscribe to comments on this post” box so you can follow along.

Photo Credit: El Conde!’s photostream

Category: Archives, Comments, Open Mic Tags: Blogging, Blogs 106 Comments

Aug

Choices Equal Consequences

Barbara Swafford

Based on the responses from my first A.S.K. (Answers Sharing Knowledge) series, it’s obvious we all want to see comments and build an online community of like minded people on our blogs. Let’s face it, we yearn to be part of a group and we desire to be heard.

Today’s Lesson

Some bloggers do it right. They begin building a community even before they have their own blog. Scott’s doing it, Hunter did it, and I’m sure many others do the same.

Needless to say, I didn’t.

I didn’t put myself “out there” I didn’t work on expanding my community. I didn’t go past my comfort zone. I only commented on blogs of authors who commented on mine (with a few exceptions).

What changed?

I changed.

Even though I KNEW I was blogging for YOU, I was locked inside of my blog. I forgot to open the door, venture out, tap you on the shoulder of new bloggers and say “Hi! Can I help you?”

Realizing this, I threw away the lock, jumped into blogosphere and began my “New Blog Of The Week (NBOTW) series. THAT was the beginning of growth in my community.

I look back and realize, I was blogging for YOU, but I didn’t let your know.

Today’s Assignment

Do you feel imprisoned by your blog?

Are you spending so much time on your blog, you’re forgetting to reach out to others?

What advice can you share with other bloggers who are trying to find their way in blogosphere?

Photo Credit: Dazzie D’s photostream

Category: Archives, Blogging Lessons, Lessons Learned Tags: Blogging, Blogs 44 Comments

Aug

NBOTW – He Had Me With “Hello”

Barbara Swafford

When I landed on this New Blog Of The Week (NBOTW) the first thing I thing I read was “…this is my blog about becoming who you were meant to be…..”

That opening line intrigued me to read more. Here’s what I found:

On his Welcome page, he writes about our journey to self actualization. In part, he says:

How do you get there? By taking small steps, healing our wounds, mending our brokenness, raising our inner children that got lost and stuck somewhere on your walk. …..

In his post titled “Path Over Destination: A Little Known Secret To Satisfying Life”, he shares these words of wisdom:

The element that can give you your life back is the love of the act. Not output, not objective, not benefits. Life is what happens when you’re engaged in that act. You owe it to yourself to choose an act where the act itself is your reward. This is the most essential and effective way to live a satisfying life.

The Folly Of Being Likable is a short snappy post filled with tons of value. He ends it by saying,

Be a good person in your own eyes.

Always.

The rest of it is a truthful eye-opener. Read this, and like me, you’ll be hooked on this blog.

This blog is the result of a double nomination. One from Al of 7P Productions, and the second from Bamboo Forest of Pun Intended. Thank you Al and Bamboo for a great find.

This NBOTW is titled “Our Best Version”. The tag line reads, “Big Picture of Healing and Growth: From Depression to Self Actualization”. The author is Ari Koinumra.

Please join me in welcoming Ari to the BWAB community.

Welcome, Ari!

Photo Credit: Cyklista Dalibor’s photostream

Category: Archives, New Blog Of The Week Tags: Blogging 38 Comments

Aug

A.S.K. – Liz Strauss – How To Format A Blog Post To Maximize Comments

Barbara Swafford

Welcome to my new series. A.S.K. (Answers Sharing Knowledge.)

Based on the success of the interview series with Lorelle (of Lorelle On WordPress), my blog, like many others, is experiencing a slight transformation.

In my attempt to continue to help bloggers, I’ll be adding more interviews in the form of “answers”. I will contact experts in the blogging field and ask if they would like to participate. My hope is most will say “yes”.

This expert needs no introduction. It’s Liz Strauss of Successful And Outstanding Bloggers. She recently made blogging history by showcasing 260 blogs in her “2008 Blog-to-Show”, and is the author of “The Secret to Writing a Successful and Outstanding Blog, which, by the way, is a fabulous book.

Let’s get this underway.

I said: “When I spoke with Lorelle, she mentioned you’re known for an astronomical amount of comments on your blog (for some reason 70,000 rings a bell). Undoubtedly, you have a knack for making your readers feel so comfortable on your blog, they WANT to respond. For new bloggers who yearn to get comments, what’s the best piece of advice you would give them so they too, can begin seeing activity in their comment section?”

Liz answered.“Yep, on my big blog I’ll turn 70,000 comments in the next couple of weeks. Writing for conversation is a new genre, different than any writing we’ve done before. However, if we consider what we know about conversation, it’s not really that hard to figure out. When we have a conversation, we never get a chance to “present” an entire idea fully and complete. We get to say one part. Then, it’s the other person’s turn to speak. If we say everything we know and tie up every detail thoroughly, we’re not having a conversation, we’re giving a presentation. The other person is left sitting there listening — we’ve left them no room to talk.”

“The first advice I always give is to come down off the podium.”

Reflecting on the answer

Most important, thank you Liz, for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer this question.

When I look at Liz’s answer, it reminds me how bloggers have this wonderful medium for conversation. We speak, and others listen.

As Liz stated, “Then, it’s the other person’s turn to speak”

Today’s Assignment

Have you opened the door to letting your readers have their say?

If so, how are you accomplishing that?

Is what you’re doing working?

Other than Liz’s “first advice”, there is a lot of value hidden in her answer. Did you find it?

Category: A.S.K., Blogging Lessons, Comments, Writing Tips Tags: Blogging, Blogs, WordPress 43 Comments

Aug

Casual Friday – Open Mic

Barbara Swafford

Ahhhh, another Friday. Time to slip into our favorite jeans and tee, kick up our heels and relax.

Here at Blogging Without A Blog (BWAB) we had lots to think about this week. We talked about our target audience, giving our readers eye candy, and how our online image is projected through our blog.

As a footnote on growing niche blogs and reaching our target audience, we also need to know how to get “those” visitors to our blogs. The most important way is by use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). To avoid being redundant, I suggest reading John Hoff’s post on “25+ SEO Tips for Getting Ranked Well In Search Engines”. He covers the subject from all angles and provides links to many great sites and plugins.

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m bad about not using SEO. Using keywords and keyword phrases does change the way we write, and often I sit at my keyboard and start typing. Like many of you, I, too, have a lot to learn in that area.

Looking back on the week, or forward on what you need to do with your blogs, are there any areas you would like to discuss further? Do you have any questions? Any suggestions for future posts you would like to see here?

How has this week impacted you?

Are you planning to make any changes to your blog?

Or, to the WAY you write?

The floor is yours.

Have fun!

Keep it clean!

Don’t forget to “subscribe to comments” (bottom of page) so you can follow the discussion and join back in.

Photo Credit: nugun’s photostream