From CIL-NET Social Media Training Wiki
Blogs
Blogs are frequently updated web sites that are organized in reverse chronological order and allows readers to make comments. They are usually written by a sole author or group of authors with a particular expertise for a topic.
Blogs are an excellent way for organizations to tell stories, share links and resources with readers and provide timely news and information. Because you are also able to embed photos, audio, video, PowerPoint presentations, links, etc., blogs are also an excellent platform for sharing these kinds of resources with your audience.
Getting Started
1. Review these pages to get an idea of what blogs are and how they work.
2. Review these examples to see how others are using blogs. Look for some of the common elements of a blog (posts, commenting, blogrolls, etc.) Also look for things you do and don't like about how the blogs look, are written, etc.
3. Leave a comment on one of the blogs above. Or find a new blog using the links below and find a post where you can leave a comment.
What Can You Do with a Blog?
1. Read blogs written by others
- Stay abreast of developments in the field.
- Get new ideas, tips and techniques
- Find resources and information to share with your readers.
Resources
The easiest way to find blogs is to look for the "blogroll" section (definition of blogroll) section in the sidebar (definition of sidebar) of your favorite blog. This will be called "blogroll" or "Blogs I Read" or some similar name. Follow the links to those blogs to see if you find something new. You can also try the resources below:
2. Comment on blogs
- Ask questions
- Engage in a conversation with the blogger who writes the blog you're commenting on or with other commenters to that blog post.
- Consider having your customers start their own blogs to journal about experiences, ask questions, share information, etc. You can then comment on their blogs in response.
- When you comment on a blog, enter your URL, and your name will typically link back to your own site, thus bringing traffic, exposure, and search engine optimization.
Resources
3. Start your own blog
Blogs are a way for organizations to tell their stories. If you want to start a blog, be sure you've first thought through how you want to tell your organization's story. Also be sure to look at the examples of other blogs in this space in the "Getting Started" section above.
Tools for Creating a Blog
Below are some of the most frequently used tools for creating a blog.
Resources
Blog Etiquette
Via Community Organizer 2.0
Tips on Blogging
Here are some tips from the WeAreMedia project on getting started with a blog:
- Pick a topic and be passionate about it
- Ensure institutional readiness by engaging your staff well in advance to build buy-in
- Make sure there are resources to post, and create a strategy for regular postings
- Create internal guidelines for blog authors, timing of posts and content
- Set goals for your blog - visitors, subscribers, links, referrals, etc. - and measure and report out on them regularly to your stakeholders
- Respect copyright and fair use. Cite sources (and link to them, where possible).
- Find out who else is blogging on the topic. Read, know, and reference them if appropriate
- Don’t over copy-edit. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Determine what the "voice" for your blog is that works for your organization while also helping you connect with your audience.
- Promote the blog by allowing ping-backs (a way of showing links between blogs) and enabling RSS for your posts
Resources
Accessibility