Be a Power Blogger
This week, b5 business bloggers were discussing ways to bring more value to our readers. The question was barely asked when Eric Eggertson offered an answer on how to blog with power and more efficiently.
Eric Eggertson knows a bit about where he comes from. He’s been involved in corporate communications since 1987. He’s conceived and executed internal and external communication strategies for government agencies, non-profits and co-operatives in Saskatchewan. He blogs about public relations and has been doing so since January 2005 on the Common Sense PR blog for b5 media.
As soon as I read Eric’s email, I asked if I might use his email as a blog post. I thought what he had to say should be published. He graciously agreed.
“Be my guest, Liz!” is what Eric said.
So I give it to you raw and unplugged, like the value content that it is. By the way, Eric didn’t name this post I did. I think his ideas truly are incredibly intelligent and I’m hoping you’ll put them to use right away.
7 Incredibly Intelligent Ideas for Blogging More Efficiently
by Eric Eggertson
- When there’s a lot of discussion in the comments of a post, or if there’s some critical info added in the comments, create a short post quoting the most relevant info and pointing people to the contents of the prior post. This isn’t cheating. It actually really helps people who subscribe via e-mail or RSS, as they may not be aware of what’s being said in the comments.
- When someone writes about something you’ve posted, and their post adds something significant to understanding the issue, create a short post quoting briefly and pointing people to the other blogger’s post. This helps people who don’t see the Trackbacks and Pingbacks to your post (ie. RSS/e-mail subscribers).
- Create a short post linking to the top posts for your blog, or the most controversial, or the ones you sweated over that everyone ignored, or links to all parts of a series.
- When you write a guest post on another blog/site, create a short post linking to the post. Even if the item’s a bit off topic for your blog, this may be worth doing if you want people to get to know you a bit better.
- Break bigger pieces into smaller ones and spread them out over a few days. Use the first one to introduce the topic and solicit responses, then post the others, including any reader feedback.
- Ask readers for suggestions for further reading/best tools/best tips/weirdest news, etc., then post the results as link lists. You can do a separate post per topic. This isn’t cheating. Some of the best items on some blogs are short links to other sources, without a lengthy explanation of all the background about it.
- When you see something that is striking, unusual, awful, humorous, etc., post a short item about it, without feeling you have to find a weighty rationale for pointing it out. Think of it as the equivalent of a little item tucked in the margin of a magazine or a book – 15-30 words about it.
Seven incredibly intelligent ideas to make your work worth more to your readers, and at the same time make your life easier. What more value could a blogger or a reader need for the holidays?
How many of these will you be using before the year is over?
Thanks Eric, for letting me share these with the folks who read Successful-Blog!
–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you think Liz can help with a problem you’re having with your writing, check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.
If you’re a new blogger, check out the New Blogger page.
Fantastic list, Eric! Thanks, Liz, for bringing it to us! I’m going to put these into practice… uh, next year 🙂
Hey Robert!
This year, I think you should take some time off!
Next year you can be efficient as ever!!
Thanks Liz! And Eric! This is great. Stumbled, of course :0)
Hi Miranda!
Eric is the genius here! Thanks for giving his work a showcase on Stumble! 🙂
Happy Holidays!
Great post, Liz and Eric. I was impressed with Eric’s ideas when I read them at the channel. You’ve done a great job coordinating them into a post, Liz.
Thanks, Mary Emma!
Eric knows what he’s talking about. 🙂
Liz, I was just at the place where I needed to see some ideas.
Thanks!
Hi Steve!
Glad this was a help!
I’ve got another one.
8) When you find something in an e-mail, Tweet, IM, or other form of communications that is worth sharing with others, ask the person if you can use it as a guest post on your blog.
(I stole that from Liz’s example.)
Sssh Eric,
I don’t want everyone to know how I get ALL of my content. 🙂
Waiting for a conference call from Austin while sitting in my satellite office downstairs. 🙂
Very cool info — thanks.
Thanks Eric for pointing these out and thank you Liz for bringing this out to us.
These things seem so basic yet we all seem to ignore them. Thank you for pointing out these missing pieces that I need to put together in my blog.
Hey Jeff!
How cool is that? . . . a satellite office?!! You’re already incredibly efficient. 🙂
Hi Ritu!
That was exactly my same reaction when I read them in the email that Eric wrote!! 🙂
Hey Liz,
I’m having trouble keeping up with all your posts, you are on that 15 a day schedule still. However, I just got rid of half of my feeds, and I’m on winter break, so I’ll be catching up.
I like this post, especially the part about using comments to create new follow up posts. I didn’t really consider that RSS readers didn’t follow through to comments at times.
The readers at my blog always leave such amazing follow up comments that add such great value to what I have already said. I look forward to highlighting this information for others to see as well.
Hi Alex!
What a thoughtful comment this is.
Yeah, most of us don’t think about the experience of reading feeds, or when we’re reading feeds we don’t think about what we’re missing. It’s an opportunity lost if we don’t bring thoughts forward. 🙂
Thanks for a great list! I’m new at blogging, and tips like this save me from having to re-invent the wheel. I look forward to reading back posts!
Hi Kristi!
Welcome!
Glad you found the list and that you can make some use of it. YES!
Love these tips! #1 is great for when you’re running out of ideas to post. Sometimes the readers comments make a great starting point for new posts.
Hi Hock!
I’m in love with #1 and I sure look to my readers’ insights to find new ideas to write from. You’re incredibly intelligent folks who make me smarter every time I read what you add to this blog.