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Another sort of lame, but more ironic (no, not moronic) excuse for not updating the blog?I was busy attending a blogging conference.
The Blog Business Summit , held this week in San Francisco, was a great learning and networking experience for me.
Typically, I attend a show, listen to what the speakers spew from the podium, take lots of notes, chat with some attendees and then exit to write my story on whatever topic was discussed. Then very soon I?m on to the next subject.
And yes, part of my motivation for attending this particular conference was that I?m working on a big feature for the Fall Issue of Revenue how online marketers are embracing new technologies such as blogging and podcasting. But I?m also blogging for Revenue and would like to know more about how to make our own blog successful.
When I returned from Thursday?s sessions I didn?t want to immediately add the newly-gathered information to my story. I didn?t want to quickly write up what I had learned. I didn?t want to do more reporting on the topic (though, I still need to). Instead, I wanted to implement what I had learned. I felt excited and invigorated. I wanted to test out some new tricks and tips. I want to blog. Yes, blog.
I left the office Thursday morning feeling like the blog was this huge thing weighing me down ? taking me away from my ?real? job of putting out the magazine. I returned with a new perspective about the Revenue blog being a crucial part of my job. It?s not just another tedious task that must be performed so I can check it off my daily to-do list. Our blog is an integral part of our magazine’s communication and interaction with you ? our readers and subscribers.
Ok, that sounded a bit like some corporate speak. What I mean is that journalism has evolved. It?s no longer a one way street. It?s not about some big entity that prints word on paper (or online) and pushes that out to nameless, faceless readers who consume the thoughts and ideas and maybe respond on a letters to the editor?s page. It?s about being part of the community you?re writing about, interacting with your readers, and establishing relationships and having all parties benefit from those more intimate ties.
It?s not like I just figured that out yesterday. For years, I?ve thought that?s how it should be, but taking the necessary steps isn?t always easy. In fact, it?s very hard. However, the Internet and tools, such as those for blogging and podcasting, simplify the process of reaching out to readers and allow them to give us feedback.
Anyway, that?s enough about how I?m starting to get the blog religion. I just want to add a few thoughts about the conference itself before I move on to putting the final touches on the next issue.
First, about 90 percent of the attendees had their laptops out during the session. Not sure if they were all blogging about the conference, taking notes or just surfing the net. It was great to look out and see a sea of people all typing feverishly.
I ended up running into no fewer than a dozen folks I?ve worked in the past or knew from their previous jobs lifetimes ago. Most notably, I ran into Shel Israel. Back when I was a young reporter starting out as a tech journalist at PCWeek, Shel ran his own PR agency. He had some big name players as clients and I dealt with him on very regular basis. That was back in the day before PR agencies became nearly irrelevant, as Shel and I lamented when we caught up.
Shel just finished (the day before I saw him) writing a book he?s co-authoring with one of the blogsphere?s biggest star?s Robert Scoble. The book, called “Naked Conversations? is due out in January and there was a big buzz about it among the Blog Business Summit attendees.
As a former tech journalist, I?ve been following Scoble for long time and I also enjoyed hearing his talk (given with noted blogger Dave Taylor). I can?t wait for the book. I preordered my copy from Amazon as soon as the session let out.
Meanwhile, if you want to see who is getting attention for their blogs; check out the Feedster 500 list of top blogs. Affiliate marketing consultant Shawn Collins made the list.
Let me know me know how you are using blogs in your online marketing efforts. [email protected]
http://www.revenuetoday.com/blogs/index.php?title=mind_your_business_blog&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
