Successful Blog

Collaboration Link 2: Topical

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Collaboration Link 2: Topical
Two or more blogs agree to write on the same topic at the same time and link their posts

Topical collaborations can take many forms depending on topic and the blog owners involved. Darren Rowse at Problogger put out a challenge last September for bloggers to choose another blogger as a subject. He called it a Blog Crush, and it was meant to get bloggers to write posts about what they admire about another blogger. The original posts were linked to the admired, and Problogger linked both the writer and the subject.

If you follow this collaborative link example you’ll find out who was my Blog Crush.

Other Topical Collaborative Links include:

  • Ongoing Series Collaboration Two or more blogs in the same niche agree to write about the same topic, but different aspects of it. They post on the same day or days in series.
  • Posting in Parallel Collaboration–Points of View Two or more blogs agree to post on a controversial topic on the same day to argue their side of an issue.

Collaboration is a great foil for feeling like you’re all blogged out. It can bring new energy to an old topic, and liven up a tired crowd. Next time you’re wondering what to talk about, talk to another blogger about collaborating on your next post.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Collaboration Link 1: Image and Text
Collaboration Link 3: An Event
Collaboration Link 4: Movable Posts
Collaboration Link 5: An Interview
Collaboration Link 5: Begs the Question
Collaboration Link 6: Media Events

SOB Buttons Are Here!

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It is with great dignity and pride
that I announce and present
the official badge of achievement
of SOB to all who have been named

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers.

Original SOB Button

They take conversations here back to their readers.
I invite them to take this badge of achievement
back to their blog and to display it with pride.

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For the complete honor roll and details on becoming an SOB, see the Successful & Outstanding Bloggers page.

Why Didn’t WE Comment?

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. . . Successful Blog is a community blog where every voice is welcomed and every contribution is valued.–MES

Except last night most of the Succesful Blog community wasn’t heard.

Remember when I said this on December 4th?

I can talk about building community by answering comments relentlessly, but it’s so much more powerful when I do it, and my readers actually experience how it feels. . . .

I was talking about Successful Blog as a place where we try out practices and test how they work–where you can see my shining successes and flaming-out failures. See blogging-in-action and analyze the consequences–Successful Blog as Community Test Blog, so to speak.

What better use for a community blog than to use it
to try out what works and to see how to fix what doesn’t work?

Some folks might think that last night’s discussion was a screaming success.
But when I think of my readers, I’m not so sure.

We have been talking about why people don’t comment. Now I think many of us have experienced a reason or two for ourselves. It’s as if a bunch of new readers rented the community hall for a party last night. A few of us came, but the rest of us kept our distance. The new visitors were welcome and wonderful, and I hope they all come back. Their intent wasn’t to quiet us, but that’s what happened. Isn’t it?

So many who discussed Brian’s article chose not to hang out this time–so many of the same voices went without a word.

What a great case study–right here in real life. Are you as curious about this as I am? It’s an experience worth exploring. There’s something here worth learning about.

What do you think happened last night?

What could I have done differently to bring your voices in?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Collaboration Link 1: Image and Text

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Have you ever thought about collaboration as a creative way to make new links? It’s a great way to build community relationships as well as relevancy. How the collaboration works depends on the people involved and their blogs. I thought a few posts on collaboration links might be fun.

Collaboration Link 1: Image and Text
One person provides the text, the other the image.

I surfed a photo blog and this fabulous photo caught my attention. It had a caption that said

“You’re a photographer?” the child asked.
“No, I take pictures.”

I left a comment describing exactly what I liked about the photograph and how the caption inspired me. Then I emailed the photographer to say I would like to write a story about the photograph. Would he be interested? Would he share the photograph?

He said he’d like to see what I did with it and kindly agreed. What resulted was this collaborative link, “You’re a Photographer?”

A few weeks later a friend came to me. We had discussed working together, but we hadn’t yet hit on an idea–what should come first image or text? Then one day, he asked if he might use a story I posted to inspire a piece of art. Did I mind? I could hardly wait. What resulted was this collaborative link, “Dance with Me.”

These collaborations strengthened the blogging community. The links made the content on both blogs more interesting, more connected, more relevant. Personally, I enjoyed the chance to change things up a bit. It was cool to be blogging with a new friend and to feel like I was blogging on two blogs at once.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Collaboration Link 2: Topical
Collaboration Link 3: An Event
Collaboration Link 4: Movable Posts
Collaboration Link 5: An Interview
Collaboration Link 5: Begs the Question
Collaboration Link 6: Media Events

More Blog Designs to Discuss

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Successful bloggers are constantly trading ideas and talking about things.

Remember tonight is Tuesday Night Successful Blog Design Discussion Night.

Here are some more blog designs you might check out.

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Come if you can. If not it will be just Javier and me, figuring out how to comment on everyone’s blog.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles:
NEW————->> Cool Designs April 2006
Call for Designers
Blog Promotion: Checking Out Curb Appeal
GAWKER Design: Curb Appeal as Customer-Centered Promotion
Turning Reluctant Readers into Loyal Fans
Blog Design Checklist

Blogging Hypothetical Question 3

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For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Hypothetical Question.

Here you go. . . .

A friend in your blogging niche has 700-800 visitors a day. (Don’t we all wish?) But she gets no comments.
She asks:
Is this a bad thing? Is it my writing? What should I do? Should I do anything?

What’s your response?

Besides, of course, “Send them to me, and I’ll ask them.”

–ME “Liz” Strauss