How Many Ways Do You Offer Your Content?

June 29, 2009 by Liz

Repurposing Content Is a Service

If you watch cable television carefully, you will see an interview clip from one program replayed again in another program. Perhaps you’ve had the feeling you’ve seen a show before, but then again . . . maybe not? Packaging and repackaging bits of content makes it worth more and last longer. Five uses for the same content stretches the corporate dollar.

It seems backwards doesn’t it . . . to reuse content in a time when there is so much of it? But it makes sense. If I know my content is accurate and high quality, I should share it with as large an audience as I can — particularly in this time of attention economy.

So Much Content . . . Why?

The amount of content and information available is more than anyone can read, yet we are all being asked to know more, and more, and more. If there’s so much content already, it seems miserly to repackage what is already published?

Not necessarily.

There are valid reasons to repackage content in this age of attention economy. Repackaging and repurposing content allows a publisher

to custom publish for individual niche markets.
to focus publications on key principles they want to highlight.
to show their flexibility in the marketplace.
to give old customers new reasons to buy.

Granted, those three points actually say the same thing in different ways. That’s exactly what repackaging is — tailoring content to suit the needs of the audience.

Just as some conversations are meant for an email, some for a meeting, and some are meant to be shared in person … content can be designed to fit the needs of the situation.

Giving the readers what they want instead of what we think they need — that’s a concept worth exploring. Much of existing content probably suits existing needs, if only we would structure it in way that our readers found it relevant and offer it so that they could use it as they want to rather than as we think they should.

How many ways do you offer your content? Just one? Is that enough?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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Do You Have a Blog Content Strategy?

March 7, 2008 by Liz

Michael Martine offered to help me out while I was in Austin. He actually sent more than one idea for a high-value guest post. This one on content strategy appeals to the editor in me and also to the business strategist.

Do You Have a Blog Content Strategy?

by Michael Martine

A content strategy is a plan for how you will create content for your blog. Having a content strategy and following it will accelerate your blog’s growth. In this article, I’m going to explain how to develop and use a blog content strategy so you can get the best results. This is something that I have done with demonstrable success, so you can, too.

Over the past few years, as blogs have become more popular, a few best practices have evolved, and we see them repeated endlessly in all the metablogs out there: be passionate, create compelling content, and know your audience. But somewhere between reading that, nodding our heads sagely, and hitting publish, we lost our way.

Now, I can’t help you with passion. Either you have it or you don’t, and if you don’t, you are simply doing the wrong thing. Seriously, do yourself and everyone a favor and just quit blogging. But as far as the other two go, well, that’s where a blog content strategy comes in. A blog content strategy helps you channel your passion so that you get the results you want without first burning up all the fuel in your fire. Following a blog content strategy helps you accomplish what other bloggers have trouble with, like coming up with topics to blog about, and getting more traffic, comments, and subscribers.

A blog content strategy is not complicated. It only has two parts:

Knowing the purpose of the blog, and making sure everything about the blog fulfills that purpose

Knowing the needs of your audience, and creating content that meets those needs while fulfilling the blog’s purpose

Know the purpose of your blog

If I asked you right now point blank: what is the purpose of your blog, could you answer me right away? Most can’t. Your blog needs to have a purpose. It needs to have “true north” on its compass. The purpose of your blog is what you want to accomplish with it from the perspective of meeting your needs. I can use my own blog as an example: the purpose of Remarkablogger is to acquire new clients for my blog consulting and coaching business. Now, if you’re thinking that sounds a little selfish, hold on, because we haven’t discussed the second part of a blog content strategy, yet. One way to get to the purpose of your blog if you’re not sure is to ask yourself why you started the blog in the first place.

One problem with strategies and plans is that people keep them only in their heads. You think you understand it and know it, but it’s probably all foggy and vague. That’s why when asked point blank, you stammer. The solution is to write it down. The act of writing forces us to be clear in our own thinking because we have to make it clear for others. This is invaluable. Write it down and keep rewriting it until it’s clear.

Make sure the blog fulfills its purpose

This is part design strategy as well as content strategy (nothing is ever in its own little box in blogging!). Just like when you wrote papers in school and your professor said that everything in the paper should support the thesis statement, otherwise get rid of it, so it is with your blog. Whatever doesn’t serve the purpose goes buh-bye. Again, using my own blog as an example, I clearly and unmistakably display that I offer services and am for hire. My content is often about the work I do for clients that has brought them success.

Know the needs of your audience

The biggest mistake you’re probably making is that you think your audience is like you. If you are running a hobby blog or an internet marketing blog, they may be. But if you are running a business, they are not. This creates a huge blind spot for us. Here’s the secret: you define your audience by the content you create. This means you will get exactly the people you want. If you’re running a business (freelancing or small company or whatever) then you want qualified potential customers and existing customers reading your blog. By writing material that only appeals to that group and no other, you are guaranteed to get them. It may take a while, but eventually it will happen (especially through search).

Put yourself in the mind of a person who is looking for you, but doesn’t know it, yet. 😉 What is your dream? What is your biggest fear? What words are you going to type into that little box on Google? Write posts that create beautiful visions of those dreams. Write posts that speak to their fears, and that present you as the solution. Stuff that you like or that you find interesting, your audience may not identify with at all. If this means you have to change what you’re blogging about, and you’re afraid you’re going to lose part of your audience, well, you’re right. You will. But they were the wrong audience anyway, so it is no loss. They will be replaced by more qualified people.

Just as you wrote down the purpose of your blog, write down the hopes, fears, and needs of the audience you want to have. Refer to this list when writing posts (especially if you feel blocked: just pick something and start freewriting).

Meet audience needs while fulfilling your blog’s purpose

By meeting the real needs of your audience with your blog’s purpose in mind, you will fulfill your blog’s purpose. So, even though it seemed selfish earlier when I said to determine purpose from your perspective, you now can see how it works out in the end. By meshing your audience’s needs with your purpose, you have a blog that can grow and, if you’re in business, help you make more money, too. Speaking for myself, ever since I started pursuing this content strategy, I have had non-stop freelance blog consulting work. Having a content strategy and following it is a win-win situation for both the blogger and the audience. It needs to be for any real success to happen.

Review

Successful and outstanding blogs need a content strategy that consists of two parts: knowing your purpose and knowing your audience. Make sure everything on your blog fulfills the purpose. Put yourself in the place of your audience and write content that meets their needs while helping you fulfill the purpose of the blog.

About the author:
Michael Martine is an official SOB and has been blogging since the year 2000. He is a blog consultant and coach. He blogs at Remarkablogger and Gateway Blogging.

Thanks, Michael!
–ME “Liz” Strauss

5 Simple Rules for Getting Great Guest Posts for Your Blog

February 21, 2008 by Liz

An Email

A call came. Actually it was an email, it asked whether I might have time to help a blogger who needed a guest post on his blog. The request was honest and cordial.

I got that email. I had time, and I agreed.

I’m always intrigued by the opportunity to write for a new audience about new ideas. Mashing my ideas with a new venue is fun. It brings back the risk and the thrill of blogging. Guest posting always seems to inspire a blog post I wish I wrote for here — which is a good thing. Please check out the blog post I wrote.

Rational Networking, More Mind, Less Time, More Connections.

Are you wondering why I wrote that post for him and not for you?

5 Simple Rules for Getting Great Guest Posts for Your Blog

So you might be wondering would the same technique work for you? Well, it might. If you want increase your chances of getting me or another blogger to guest post on your blog, follow these simple rules.

Ask with a smile. It’s an honor to be asked. It’s not nice to be ordered. Give a blogger a chance to be generous. People like to be generous.
Be yourself. Don’t pretend. Make the request in your own voice as you might invite someone to an event you’re planning. If you’re asking a blogger who doesn’t know you, explain why you’re asking. A honest statement of your thoughts is impressive. Don’t sell the idea or exaggerate your esteem. Bloggers can tell if you actually read their blog or just say you do.
Offer some ideas. You know your audience better than anyone who is guesting ever will. You know the best place where your guest might make the best contribution.
Allow time. Bloggers are busy people. If you offer enough to time do a good job, any blogger is more likely to say “yes,” to you offer.

Be gracious. If for some reason, the blogger can’t say “yes,” be pleased that he or she took the time to consider your request seriously. Your response to a “no,” could the first step in a great relationship. It lets the blogger know that you can see things from his or her point view.

As I write this, I’m about to ask a select group if they will consider a guest post on my blog in the near future. You can bet that those are exactly the things I’m going to do.

Have I left some key points of this list? Feel free to add them.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

7 Incredibly Intelligent Ideas for Blogging More Efficiently

December 21, 2007 by Liz

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.

Five Original Must-Read Articles by Liz Strauss

August 28, 2007 by Liz

From the Thinker Himself

My friend, Ilker, has sent me a challenge as a writer. It’s one that appeals, because not too long ago Lisa Gates remarked at how my writing style has changed over time. The challenge Ilker sent was to select five original must-read articles that I wrote throughout history (so to speak).

Five Original Must-Read Articles by Liz . . . um, er, . . . me

Ilker’s challenge meant spending a while digging through the 2000 posts on this old blog. It was reliving the time I grew up here. I saw faces of the people who’ve passed through these posts and the so many others I considered including.

Who knows how and why I chose these that I did? I guess it was a bit sentiment, a bit practicality, and a bit of “oh why not?”

Without further ado, here they are.

February 16, 2006 . . . Why Pete Townshend Doesn’t Need to Do Promotion From his days with The Who, it was clear Pete marched to a different drummer. When it comes to blog marketing and promotion, it seems the same way. As far as I can tell, Pete didnâ€™t follow any of the recommended wisdom.

March 16, 2006 . . . The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Intellectual propertyâ€“contentâ€“is an asset that not only gets produced, but reproduced, reconfigured, and repurposed for variety of media. Those who produce intellectual property are builders of wealth. An original idea that solves a problem or presents an opportunity is worth more now than it ever has

been. Those who develop and mold original ideas are the new â€œkiller app.â€

June 24, 2006 . . . 9 + 1 Things Every Reader Wants from a Writer My experience is that beginners and experts are not that different when they read. They might choose to read different things, but we all do. Beyond that difference of content, beginners, experts, and those of us in the middle — all readers — want the same things from a writer.

July 31, 2006 . . . 10 Reasons Creative Folks Make Us Crazy What are the traits that creative folks have in common? Are we all creative? Is there anyone whoâ€™s not? Can I boost my creativity? Am I a creative freak? Questions follow creativity â€” what is it, how does it work, and how do we access our Creativity at Work to make our brand and business stronger?

January 26, 2007 . . . The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life We donâ€™t measure life in hours and minutes. We measure life in memories and moments. What do you think of when you read this sentence? It was the time of my life. We donâ€™t say that often enough.

So there they are. Every one from over six months ago — a look into the past. Now I’m wondering what’s in your past? Are you still saying the same things? Will you share too?

Kirk, CK, Mike, Ann, Dave, Rick, Jeff, Chris B., Susan, Seth, and everyone else reading, which five posts would you pick from your history to share today?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Reluctant Readers: Content Is King, But . . . I’m Too Tired to Read

January 9, 2007 by Liz

What This Is Not: This is NOT a design critique. It doesn’t take into account, the elegance, usability, great content, SEO, or revenue values of the fabulous blog discussed here: Read/WriteWeb, which is one of my favorite reads.

What This Is: It’s an exercise in point of view, how readers look at things. It also only addresses one value — how folks read. I choose a great blog to illustrate that even the greatest blog can challenge the patience of a tired, reluctant reader.

We’re All Reluctant Readers

In literacy education, there’s a euphemism, RELUCTANT READERS. That term is meant to name adults and children who come to print after having failed at learning to read. They come with specific needs. It’s hard to catch and keep their attention. Most educators use the term to identify folks who read below the level of the average population.

I use the term more literally. I think, at times we’re all reluctant readers — no matter how strong our skills are. Any time we have to read when we’re out of steam, we become reluctant readers — even if it’s our favorite topic. Then there are the times when we just aren’t interested. we’re definitely reluctant readers at those times too.

If you question that you’re ever been a reluctant reader, try this — pick up a legal document you don’t care about, and dig in for entertainment. . . . Bet you’ll wish for some pictures and some subheads.

Serving and Being a Reluctant Reader

Last night I was a reluctant reader. I decided to go with it. I looked at pages as an a naive, intelligent customer. My quest was to see when the page made it hard for me to read the content. What I found was that the question of supporting reluctant readers is only one value.

Beautiful blogs have many values.

Here’s a page from Read/WriteWeb, a blog I read regularly. This particular page features a post on Web Previews. The screen shots that follow tell the story.

Read/WriteWeb: the page full width.

Read/WriteWeb: same page main text only.

To get the fullest effect, visit the Read/WriteWeb page itself.

Feeds are a moot point in this discussion. Readers can’t see the ads, but they also can’t respond to them. Some questions to consider about folks who see the whole page:

Where does your eye want to spend it’s time?
Would you call this choosing for the reader?
Could design tweaks increase readership, without sacrificing revenues?
Is content king on this page? How would you order the elements by importance as you take the page in visually?

Read/WriteWeb is an excellent blog. with great content, great design, and a loyal readerhip. They’re in a business that is sponsored by advertising. That’s what lead me to realize that accessing the content has to be a partnership between the blog and the reader. Each has a part to make the experience work effectively.

What do you see that supports a reluctant reader? What might you do to draw that reader into the content?

–ME “Liz” Strauss