Community Corner

The Blogging Life: Experts Share Their Secrets for Success

The launch of the new "Local Voices" feature on Patch sites around the country this week got "Patch" Regional Editor Holly Edgell thinking about what makes a good blog.

When I was in the fourth grade, my mother gave me a diary. It was a beautiful thing, with a brocade cover and a ribbon attached to mark my place. I wrote in it almost every day, even if my jottings only amounted to a paragraph or two. I continued the diary habit off and on through college, by which time a paragraph or two turned into pages and pages of angsty ramblings that make me cringe today.

Even though I always knew my diary was for my eyes only, I remember feeling self-conscious about it; like I had better write well, because someday someone might read my diary. Perhaps I always knew I’d end up writing for an audience; I am now a journalist.

Today we have the blog, which some people use like a diary—albeit one that has a self-conscious element. Themes and subject matter range from the minutiae of daily life, hobbies, oddities, and endless slide shows of one’s children. Other bloggers use the medium as an extension of their professional lives or a way to advertise their company, product or services. There are endless permutations and combinations.

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I have dabbled in blogging, but I can’t say I am religious about it. I have a WordPress site, where I write about journalism and writing. As a journalism professor at Mizzou (2006 to 2010) I used a blog to share information and my own insights about journalism with my students and required them to blog as part of their grade.

So, how do you instruct or teach someone how to blog? I think we know good blogs when we see them. Some bloggers keep us coming back for more, with a combination of great writing, useful information, and wit. Other bloggers may not be particularly erudite, funny or insightful but have unique voices and a flair for storytelling.

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Show me the blog

, has her own popular blog, The Cubicle Chick, and founded Show Me the Blog St. Louis, a resource for blogger training and networking. I thought she would be a great person to set the tone for this column and asked her several questions in my favorite format, the email interview.

Do you have a personal philosophy about blogging? In other words, what drives you and what to try to achieve with your posts? My personal philosophy in blogging is: If at first you don’t succeed, keep going. Most bloggers aren’t overnight successes---it takes time to become a professional blogger and gain a following. Stay focused, engage your readers, and your blog will grow. Also, find your passion and blog about it. If you have to struggle to blog or create a blog post, then you most likely aren’t blogging about something you are passionate about.

If you could start your blog over again, would you do anything differently? I would focus on the content first and then building relationships second. When I first started, I was all about trying to get to know the right people, and it stagnated me a bit.

What's the key to keeping your blog current and relevant? I listen to feedback from my readers and try to implement it to keep my blog fresh and new. I also keep learning new tools and new ways to engage readers and not just rely on my “following.”

To what degree does feedback from your audience drive your blog posts? Feedback is very important. As I mentioned in the last answer, it has been key to my growth as a professional blogger. I also have a “think tank” that consists of two other bloggers who keep me on my toes and gives me real feedback about my site and its direction.

Can you share your favorite online tools and resources for bloggers? ProBlogger.com by Darren Rowse is a great resource. His books and website have been very helpful with my blogging goals. XDWebSolutions.com also have great information on blogging and marketing your blog.

More on the blogging life

Name: Todd Jordan
Blog: The Broad Brush
Launched: Spring 2006
Themes and Subject Areas: Tech, Social Networking and Media, blogging, photography
Bloggers You Like: Chris Brogan,UnMarketing; Geoff Livingston

Why do you blog? I blog to educate, share and build community around topics I'm interested in.

How do you define "success" as a blogger? In other words, what makes a good blog? Success--when the content you create is consistent and satisfying to you, the blogger. A good blog is one that's accessible, readable, sparks discussion, and builds community.

Do you make money from your blog? How does someone get started on monetizing his or her blog? I make a small amount of money via the blog, primarily through affiliate links. Getting started? Find someone to model after that's doing what lines up with your values. The easiest way is to become an Amazon affiliate. It has a low entry level and with blog posts focused on reviews and discussion of books, it's possible to bring in several dollars per month. It won't pay a bill, but it's an easy way to get started.

What doors has blogging opened for you, professionally and personally? Blogging has given me fresh avenues to explore both professionally and personally. It exponentially grew my network outside my day job, allowing me to learn a lot, make business and friend connections, and become an authority on topics I care about.

One piece of advice for beginning bloggers? Write. I do mean write, regardless of how you feel, what the weather is, or if the money is coming in. The writing done when it's hard to write is the most rewarding in the long haul. My second bit of advice is to connect with other bloggers--often and by participating in their blogs.


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