Blog News Watch

Conga-rats to Jummy from Life Tips Daily who won last week’s Open Mic Talk Back Fridays comment contest! Jummy wins my editing services for one upcoming post - congratulations, Jummy, and thanks for playing!

How can you win the same prize? Simple - read the post below and comment away! The most original and well-expressed thoughts win. (And spelling counts! Or might. Depends on my mood.)

How Do You Monetize A Personal Blog? Should You Even Try?

Something a bit different this time: Jummy’s winning comment (OK, it was the only comment but still, it’s good!) poses a question about personal blogs, like Dooce.com. Namely: How do you create enough interest in your personal blog to make monetizing it worthwhile?

This is a great topic. There are a couple of schools of thought, I suppose. One - the odds are against you, so don’t bother. Or put your ads up, sure, but don’t expect a lot.

I think that’s rubbish.

Frankly, just because something’s hard, it’s never been sufficient cause to me to avoid even trying. How about you? All “hard” means is “time to buckle down and get creative.”

So, let’s help Jummy out - how do we create buzz over a personal blog?

Some ideas to start us out:

• Get arrested. Just kidding.
• Find a way to distinguish your blog. What’s your “unique selling proposition” to borrow a term from marketing?
• Write incredibly well. If you’re going to hold readers’ attention over your personal life, you’d best bring your A game, each and every single day. Impeccable grammar and spelling, perfect formatting, sharp and descriptive word choice, arc and development for each post’s “story.”
• Eye-catching design - visually and aesthetically pleasing, something sharp and unique, not your “top 10 Wordpress themes” unless you tweak it significantly…

What else can we do to turn a personal blog into a moneymaker? Post away!

personal blogs, monetizing personal blogs

First things first - congrats to Deb Ng who won last week’s Talk Back Fridays comments contest! Deb’s won my editing/proofing services for one post of her choice for her thoughtful comment on the Army’s new blogging rules.

How can you win? Easy! Post a comment to this post, and the most original and thoughtful comment (in my discretion) will win. I reserve the right to refuse to edit defamatory, obscene, or otherwise illegal posts, but otherwise, you can write about anything relevant to your blog.

Now, on to the post: there isn’t one! This is Open Mic day. Talk about anything you want (relevant to blogging). Got a gripe? Something to say about blogs and civility? Or the First Amendment? The role of blogs in a free press? Your favorite (or least favorite) platform?

Spout off!

First order of business: congratulations to last week’s Talk Back Fridays comments winner, Scott, from the musical Web Writer’s Cafe! Scott wins my editing services on a blog post of his choice for his insightful thoughts on last week’s topic, “Is Blogging In a Decline, or Just Getting Going?”

How can you win? Easy - just read today’s post (which refers back to yesterday’s post, in this instance) and leave me your thoughts in the comments section. The winning comment over the next week, as evaluated solely by me for content, originality, expressiveness and good grammar (hee - yes, I’m evil), will earn its author my editing services for one blog post of the author’s choice. As always, I reserve the right to decline to edit particular posts for obscene, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate content.

Enough of the rules - let’s play our game:

What Do You Think of the Army’s New Blogging Rules?

Yesterday, we learned that the Army has issued some pretty draconian new rules which may effectively quash war blogging (but which also impact such activities as writing letters home). Read the original article here on Wired online, and check out the rules for yourself here in PDF.

What do you think? Did the Army go too far? Or is it about time they started clipping the wings of bloggers who might otherwise reveal military information that shouldn’t be revealed? What role does the First Amendment play in this discussion, given this is taking place in a combat setting in a foreign country within the armed services, an institution not exactly known for its devotion to practicing the democracy it protects (and for good reason)? What part does politics play in this decision, if any? Or will we ever know? Is this a kneejerk reaction by brass who might be afraid of a technology they don’t actually understand? Or is something else going on?

Let the talking back commence.

talk back fridays, army blogging rules, war blogs, soldier blogs, first amendment and blogs

First up - congratulations to last week’s winner Chris Lodge of Blog-Op! His prize is my editing services for one blog post of his choice. Chris, email me at sheryl dot sisk at 451press dot net for instructions on claiming your prize.

On to this week’s topic - but first, the rules: Couldn’t be simpler. Read the post. Give me your creative, original thoughts on said post in the comments. Winner, chosen by me, gets my editing services for one upcoming blog post of your choice on whatever blog you choose. I reserve the right to decline to edit obscene, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate content, but - hey, that leaves a whole world full of potential posts from which to choose, so, it’s a win-win.

Today’s Topic: Is Blogging In a Decline, Or Just Getting Going?

Much has been written of late about (A) the moral decay of the blogosphere (in the wake of the events surrounding Kathy Sierra’s receipt of death threats); and (B) our current location on the wave of blogging. Some say we’re peaking. Others - we’re nowhere near the peak yet, but still riding the wave. Still others cry “doom” and say that we’re past peak, and nigh unto wipe-out on the rocky shore. (OK, maybe no one’s saying that exactly but I can’t resist a good metaphor.)

Here’s my take: Give me a break. Blogging is nowhere near its peak. It’s still in its infancy, relatively speaking. We’re in that “oh look how easy it is! Give me one of those! And another and another…” phase. Yes, there will be an initial decline as some bloggers come to recognize just how much work it is keeping a blog going. Others after a professional paid gig will rethink that choice. Still others will decide that their marketing efforts are better spent elsewhere, as their targeted clients aren’t reading blogs yet. That pruning is necessary - ask any gardener, and she’ll tell you the same. You must prune the plant to keep it healthy. Get rid of the dead leaves. Yank the weeds. Cut off the blossoms, once fabulously beautiful but now past their prime. Whack that puppy back to the bare stem an inch off the ground … sorry. Metaphors.

But this pruning isn’t a “real” decline. It’s merely another stage in the growth of blogging as a medium. I think the real decline - the point when blogging is given up in exchange for the next big thing - is years off yet. I think we, as bloggers, tend to be “early adopters” and thus look at the rest of the computer-using world through our own eyes. We thus miss the fact that not everyone is nearly so comfortable with blogging technology as we are. RSS feeds, while second-nature to most of us, are completely unknown to many users. Think about that, and then tell me that blogging is in a decline.

But then again, what do I know?

What do you think? Is blogging in a decline? If you want to blog professionally, are you just deluding yourself? Are professionals who blog in support of marketing their businesses wasting their time? Given the blog glut, and the vast array of tools with which to penetrate said glut, are we all kidding ourselves when we go in search of higher traffic? Is blogging a fad whose time has come - and gone?

We have two more weeks in our “Talk Back Fridays” experiment - so far, the only potential candidate was another 451 Press blogger who’s graciously bowed out of the competition and Ashley from Blogger’s Choice Awards, who was responding to our questions about the Awards. So - Ashley - congrats! The blog post editing’s yours if you want it.

Rules for participation in TBF are simple: I post, you think, you post a comment, I pick one that’s exceptionally insightful and/or otherwise outstanding, and that person wins my services helping him or her edit and polish one blog post. I’ve previously committed to keep doing this through the end of April, at which time the prizes may go away and we’ll just call it “Fridays.”

Today’s Topic: SEO or Content - Can There Be Only One?

There’s been a lot of buzz in the blogosphere of late regarding SEO vs. content - which drives traffic more? Certainly all SEO isn’t black hat (the SEO you wouldn’t bring home to mama) but there are, apparently, deep shades of grey. Take a look at this awesome post from Tropical SEO called “The Lazy SEO Manifesto.” Now, if you agree it’s awesome, tell me why - awesome because it’s spot-on satire? Or awesome because it’s what you aspire to, one day?

I fall squarely in the “content is king but SEO is its Prime Minister” camp. That being said, I think good content drives SEO - your “flagship” content (and if you haven’t read the e-book of similar title at Chris Garrett’s site, then go add him to your feed and look for the link therein) creates the fulcrum about which the rest of the lever turns.

So, talk to me about content vs. SEO - can there be only one? Or is this a marriage of equals? Talk back in the comments.

This post has been updated! See comment from Ashley of BCA in the Comments section, and the “Update” note in the post.

Well, let’s try this again! I’m going to keep doing this for a few months at least, to see if we can get some conversation going. Brief recap:

• You post your thoughts on today’s subject in the comments section.
• Best comment, chosen by me, gets my editing services absolutely free for one (1) upcoming blog post on any topic. (I reserve the right to refuse to edit inflammatory, harassing, illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate posts.)

That’s it! Couldn’t be simpler.

Today’s Topic: Are the Bloggers Choice Awards Bogus?

Well, I was all excited yesterday for a few hours. Seems this site had been nominated for Best Blog About Blogging at the Bloggers Choice Awards site, and was doing pretty darn well - top 10, first page of results. Not too shabby.

Then, Rosie came along. Rosie O’Donnell’s blog, to be exact, and in the space of a few hours, it had walloped Darren Rowse of Problogger fame. Darren. Rowse. PROBLOGGER.

Rosie’s blog, while many things, is not about blogging. Nor it is about animals, but it’s been nominated for Best Blog About Animals. Also: Best Blog About Stuff, Best Blog Design, Best Blog of All Time, Best Blogging Host(please - this is about Wordpress vs. Typepad), Best Celebrity Blogger (arguably valid), Best Charity Blog, Best Educational Blog, Best Entertainment Blog, Best Gossip Blog, Best Health Blog, Best Hobby Blog, Best Humor Blog, Best Parenting Blog, Best Photography Blog, Best Political Blog, Best Pop Culture Blog, Best Travel Blog, Best Video Blogger, Hottest Daddy Blogger (c’mon, that’s just mean), Hottest Mommy Blogger, Most Obnoxious Blogger, The “Blogitzer”, and Worst Blog of All Time. She’s even winning in most of these categories as of this writing - not, however, in Best Humor Blog (funny, ’cause she came from stand-up). (And no, I can’t believe I just linked to each one of those categories either.) UPDATE - Rosie’s blog has been removed from the “Blog About Blogging” category, and others, as Ashley indicated in the comments.

And thus we have a conundrum. The system set up to support the nomination and voting process is inherently flawed - does that render the entire thing invalid - nothing more than an exercise in ego stroking? Is it the American Idol of the blogging world, but without the benefit of (arguably, at least) valid critique? (No, I’m not linking to any page having anything to do with that show.)

This is NOT about whether Rosie’s blog is the Sanjaya equivalent. It’s not about Rosie at all, frankly - I don’t know whether she’s got particularly rabid fans or whether this is the result of some “vote for the worst” or “let’s make a point about BCA” movement. It’s about the awards themselves - have they lost any credibility or importance they might have otherwise enjoyed? (And what’s up with a “Worst” category anyway? “Worst” competitions are typically found in parody scenarios, not usually (if ever) in legitimate awards.)

Tell me what you think!

bloggers choice awards, rosie’s blog, bogus awards, talk-back friday, blognewswatch contest

I’m a total liar. I know I said I was going to dish on this whole Calacanis/”SEO sucks” thing - and I will. But I’ve come across something in the meantime that I think is even timelier and meatier, and a great way to introduce the Friday Talk Back Thread. This is sort of like the weekly open discussion Kamrul had going. Here’s where I pontificate set up in a completely neutral fashion a point of contention about some topic related to blogs, blogging, or the larger Web 2.0 world we find ourselves playing in. Then you get to “Talk Back” in the comments. The winner gets my professional editing services to look at and revise one upcoming blog post, headline and all.

Capisce? Sound like fun? Let’s play!

Today’s topic: Is Web 2.0 Losing Its Innocence?

Google Maps unleashed MyMaps yesterday (announcement here at Mashable). David Galbraith wrote a stinging piece in reply to this release - quotable excerpt follows:

On the same day, Techcrunch review an enterpise mashup service, Rearden Commerce, with $100M of funding. This wouldn’t appear so ironic, (since they currently and sensibly have their feet firmly in the ’stupid money’ enterprise camp), if it weren’t for the fact that they are announcing a move into the consumer space. Talk about a day to pick for that announcement. To add insult to injury, Rearden have an hilariously meaningless ‘long tail’ graph and are apparently going after the services market: “services are roughly 60% of the worldwide economy.” Oh yeah, are Rearden gonna run the Bosnian police force (like Computer Sciences Corporation) and hook up tourists with Bangkok Ladymen?

Om Malik commented on his good friend David G’s piece with a piece of his own:

The Web 2.0 story so far has been about taking APIs, mashups, low cost infrastructure and building applications that are then offered to customers for pretty much free, backed by an ad-supported business model. Think of this as the tie-dyed-free-love hippie phase. The Web 2.0 conference held in San Francisco in Fall 2006 was its Woodstock. A lot of good things happened, innovation blossomed, but now we are entering a more pragmatic phase, where the large players like Google and Amazon who distributed the API elixir are taking control back. Google My Maps is a case in point, where the company is competing with its “users.�? Don’t worry – it won’t be the last time you will see Mountain View adopt tactics that in the past were associated with Microsoft. Keeping that $145 billion market capitalization intact is a bitch!

And Tony Hung commented on Om’s piece here, at Deep Jive Interests, calling Google’s actions Machiavellian.

Ordinarily in Talk Back Friday, here’s where I’d present the other side but … um. I can’t find one on this issue, at least in linkable post form. But see the comments at Om’s post for some really good points:

In my eyes this is (finally) the “reality check�? that “2.0 entrepreneurs�? need to see in order to go back to the drawing rooms and go off to build business that are truly innovative and differentiated. - Jeremy Toeman

…those who insist on attaching their hopes and dreams to the bodies of charging giants’ APIs…may be destined to live the life of a lamprey…able to take in just enough nourishment to keep from starving…unless the giant decides to cut off their food supply entirely… - Steve Morsa

The way I see it is that if your startup is based solely on the basis of a mashup, you should have already figured such a scenario into the equation. There are literally hundreds of startups that are solely based on the MySpace ecosystem. If Myspace pulls the plug, thats it. Party’s over. - Pranav

So, the topic for discussion: Web 2.0 - end of the innocence? Or completely foreseeable next step in the capitalistic evolution of technology?

Rules for the Contest:

1. Comments must be substantive. Something more than “ditto” or “you’re full of it” and something less than a manifesto.
2. You must leave your email address for me to contact you if you win.
3. The winner will be chosen by me, based on content, originality, and style.
4. Winner may then submit to me via email one blog post, written by the winner, for editing and critique. I’ll be nice. Review of content will include grammar, style, headline strength and emotional appeal, and general content and formatting. Winner’s free to accept or reject my opinions as they see fit.
5. There are no restrictions - right now - on how many times you can win. If it turns into a weekly rout, I reserve the right to retire the rout-er for some period of time.

Go to it!