When first setting up a blog, a client will often ask, “What do I blog about?” It’s a great question, and it often gets answered with a huge smile. That question begins the discussion that defines the blog’s BIG IDEA or main blogging goal. In almost every case — business or education — the goal is the same one.
The purpose of a blog is to put a human face on the enterprise, to let the people who are the “customers” know that real people are there working for them.
That is why it is important to choose a blogger readers trust. The blogger is the living proof of the goal.
The goal, then needs to be defined one step further to include the needs of the readers.
- What is it they care about?
- What do they want to know?
- Why do they read the blog?
- What do they wish for, desire, want?
- Do they come for information on existing products?
- Do they want to know how to troublshoot problems?
- Do they want to be part of something bigger than they are?
- Do they want to do all of the above and more?
- Do they care about the things that the enterprise assumes that they care about?
It’s the blogger’s role to offer them posts in the first few weeks of blogging that begin to get answers to these questions — answers in the form of which posts gain the most readers and comments, which posts get read most often over time. As days go by the blog will begin to show a picture of what is important to readers. That will make a data bank for the blogger to mine.
The conversation, even though word may not as yet have been exchanged, has begun.
Liz Strauss
Liz Strauss
Humans use many tools for sorting their thoughts, sharing their thoughts, expressing their ideas, communicating, persuading, moving others to action, sharing principles and ideals. They have through history. These tools include:
- the human voice
- a stick and dirt
- rocks laid out to make words
- heiroglyphics and pictographs
- brush and canvas
- pen and paper
- word processor and printer
- website and blog
All are tools for communication. All have had the potential to be a diary, a rant, a slanderous lie, prayer, a poem, a lasting work of humanity.
Investigate the potential of what blogs are becoming.
I have read and written stories on blogs that have moved me so much I have had tears in my eyes. Great writing has not been tied to only certain technologies. To work as if that were so, would be to ignore a powerful tool. It would be like using pencils to write only my name — not any other words.
That would be silly.
A blog is a tool. As with all tools, a blog lives up to the standards and skills of the user.
Liz Strauss
Brian Clark, a wise man I know, recently wrote about The Two Most Important Words in Blogging.
Go on read his post. He’s a fine writer. You’ll need to know what he says to see where I take the conversation from here.
I agree with Brian and I raise him one higher. I think his two words could be the two most important words in human relationships, and I would add a third I, and in you and I.
Imagine No Conflict and No Conflict Resolution
In conflict Resolution, we learn to say I statements. I hear what you’re saying. I hear that you’re angry. I understand your disappointment.
Yet, I wonder what would happen if we had learned instead to use the word you more often before the conflict arose? You look a little down today. Are you feeling okay?
Because is so important, not only to move people to action, but also it stops them from filling in missing information. People have a habit of filling in an information vacuum with a negative. Why did he do that? If he doesn’t tell you, the because that you figure out is hardly ever good. Why? Good things don’t need us to prepare for them. So we focus on the negative in case we need our armor shined and ready to go.
You and I and because. three words, not two, that connect people in the same ways that blogs do — through meaningful conversation.
Liz Strauss
You are reading an example of the positive impact of blogs on the Internet.
Blogging has
- made me a better thinker.
- caused me to think more deeply and more regularly.
- prompted me to read and consider the thoughts of so many other thinkers I would not have encountered otherwise.
- has enriched my life culturally and as part of a community.
- has allowed me to give back to others in so many ways.
Blogging gives a whole new meaning to the words freedom of speech.
I’m a better writer, a better business person, and a better contributor to society because I am a blogger.
Who would believe?
Liz Strauss.
Want a hour of Liz’s personal consulting time? See the About Liz page.
