Thanks,

St. Louis Blogger’s Guild

Blogging can be addicting.  I’ve heard a good way to increase your blog traffic is to read others’ blogs and comment thereby opening up a dialogue between yourself and other bloggers.  I simply don’t have time to read many blogs and I certainly can’t comment on every blog that I read.  What are other effective ways to increase blog traffic when you are short on time? – asked by Kelli Stuart

•   21 Tactics to Increase Blog Traffic
• 10 Free Ways to Increase Blog Traffic

Have you ever felt you needed to revisit (or even rewrite) a blog post after new information (or simply the passage of time) has come to light? – asked by Scott Roberts

•   Should You Rewrite Your Old Blog Posts

Do negative comments on your blog hurt your feelings, or do you not let them affect you? – asked by Kim

• Handling Negative Comments on Your Blog Post

• Hosted vs Self-hosted Blog Platforms

Is Twitter swallowing blogging? – asked by Marianne Richmond

• Is Twitter Killing Blogs and Blogging

What is the best publishing platform out there? – asked by Dana Loesch 

• WordPress.org

Blogging In The ‘Lou can be found at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/38675
Feedback for this podcast can be sent to me at patd88@gmail.com
I blog at http://www.patricksays.net
You can follow me on Twittter at http://www.twitter.com/patrickd88
You can follow the Bloggers Guild on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bloggersguild
Written by: Patrick

When did you first start blogging and why?

I satrted blogging back in 1992. Of course, it was in a program called WordStar and the Internet wasn’t around yet, so it was just on the floppy disk I had. I took a break, well ‘break’ as in ‘lost the floppy’. When I came back to blogging, it was 2005 and I hopped on Blogspot. Originally, my reason was that I fancy myself a writer and a blog would give me the place to practice my craft and hone my skill. Later, it just devolved into me making fun of stuff and whining, you know, like the rest of the blogosphere.

What was the impetus behind creating the Guild’s podcast?

I was at one of the earliest meetings of what would eventually become the Guild. I happened to not be at the meeting where it became official and hence, not a founder. (No, I’m not bitter. Much.) Anyway, at some point, we talked about the areas the Guild would venture into. One arm was the idea of a podcast. I listen to a fair amount of podcasts. Also, no one seemed to be moving it forward and so I just kind of took it. Of course, I NEVER envisioned me as the on-air talent. I’m a mumbler and I’m fine with that. So the idea of me hosting a podcast was very argh.

Have any favorite podcasts you love to listen to? (Why?)

I like the tech podcasts. I listen to two from Jeff Chandler, Perfcast as well as WordPress Weekly and This Week in Tech which is basically ‘The Screen Savers’ from the old TechTV days. That’s about all I can squeeze in each week with a very short commute to work.

I’ve noticed you don’t include archives – you link each post to a few related posts. You also keep your posts short. Any reasons behind that?

Well, the Archives thing was really unintentional. I used to have that page. But really, I’ve never been to a blog where I wondered what the author wrote on June 14, 2007. My hard and fast rule has always been to have a search box. People know what they’re looking for.

I like to keep my posts short because of the attention span on the Net these days. I know if I see a blog post that’s eight REALLY long paragraphs, it better be phenomenal. People like things in bite-size pieces.

How has your blog (and you as a blogger) changed over that time?

I think I’ve gotten more real. In my very early days, I tried comedic bits that really fell flat. Just awful. Now I just talk about things. I TRY to make them interesting things. As always, nobody cares what you had for lunch.

Patrick’s three favorite posts can be found here, here, and here.

While there is some validity in the AP’s desire to protect their property, one must ask the question: Is this the best way to go about doing that?  According to this article, those in charge at the AP are gearing up for a fight.  They are “mad as hell” and they are going to stop at nothing to stop what they see as unlawful use of intellectual property.

Exactly how they go about protecting their news is still to be determined, but for now I’d like to pose the question: Should the AP seek out ways to stop the distribution of the news that they put forth and how exactly would they go about doing that without infringing upon fair use?  And even more, what exactly is fair use? 

The line in this particular situation is a little ambiguous and altogether sticky.  On the one hand, the AP absolutely has the right to make sure that the information that they collect, organize and write stays within their realm of control.  On the other hand, once that information is put out into the World Wide Web, it is generally seen as public domain and thereby the attempt to somehow prosecute for copyright infringement would seem to be both a waste of time and money.

So what’s the solution?  Is there a happy medium?  Is the principle of fair use valid protection for those bloggers who cut and paste AP news onto their sites?  What say you, oh internets?

Bottom line is this: The AP is a valid and longstanding news tradition.  This day and age, however, the news is transmitted in ways that are far broader than any other time in history.  It’s not going to get any easier for organizations like the AP to both distribute their information and also protect it.  So where does the balance lie?  That seems to be the unanswerable question these days.

1. Describe some aspect of your daily routine, and what makes it special for you. Maybe there is a particular phrase you say to the kids when you drop them off at school, or send them out the door each day. Maybe you share stories about the day around the dinner table. Perhaps there is a special treat that you like to get for your kids. Tell the world!

2. Compare/contrast some area of your childhood with your childrens’. You can talk about your kids’ favorite toy, then yours (as a child – unless you are still playing with it!). You could even compare that to what YOUR paren’ts favorite toys were, if you know. How have things changed over time? How have they stayed the same? What about the music your kids listen to compared to you? Do you share tastes or are your tastes at opposite ends of the musical spectrum?

3. Picture days. Sure, you won’t always be able to pull off that cute picture of your kid covered from head to toe in spaghetti, but sometimes a simple picture of them in their room, just playing tells all the story that needs to be told. We tend to take pictures of all the special events, but not the normal moments. I’m certainly guilty of that and it is something that I’d like to change. Who knows but that shot of your daughter brushing her teeth may turn into your favorite photo! The rest of us would probably like to see it, too. Remember, if you have steady readers, they are interested in your family, too.

4. Find the light side of something that drives you nuts. Is there something you threaten your kids with when you are picking up all their STUFF? Write about it. Do you sometimes spend an entire Saturday – your only free day – shuttling your kids around? Do you get in silly arguments with your children that have you sounding every bit as much as a kid as them? The rest of us would like to know that we aren’t alone!

5. A Day in the Life. There are a lot of popular, and interesting, books written from the aspect of “A Day in the Life.” Why not make your own version on your blog? Take a little point and shoot camera with you everywhere and document your typical day with photos and text.

6. Lessons learned. Sometimes, we don’t realize what we’ve learned from someone until many years later. Maybe a parent told you something, and just TODAY you finally understood. Maybe a teacher in school made a remark that you think about every single day, even though you didn’t realize the impact it would have on you when you first heard it. This is probably something that is worth passing on!

7. Turn the tables. Perhaps there is something your kids or family would like to write about you! It’s probably only fair, seeing as you write about them every other day. How about giving them a chance to strike back? Maybe they could repeat one of your posts, but written from their perspective!

8. Brag. Sure, it’s easy to go crazy with this one, but a little bragging isn’t a bad thing. In fact, why not brag about the little things. Does your son or daughter always hold the door for people? Are they polite on the phone? Do they resist peer pressure? Do they take care of things at home without being asked – just because it needs to be done? Are they protective of their siblings? What makes them a unique individual? What little things make you proud of them?

9. Quote of the day. This one takes a little bit of preparation and planning on your part. If you are anything like me, your kids will say something that is just hilarious, and unless you write about it right away, you’ll forget it – despite assurances to yourself that you’ll NEVER forget this one! Why not bring a small notebook around with you, or record observations in your voicemail. There has GOT to be an iPhone app that does this for you, but I’m no technically advanced person so I couldn’t tell you. Don’t let those cute things your kids (of all ages – I still get them from my teen) tell you get lost with all the other things in your head.

10. The Great Escape. Despite how rewarding parenting is, there are certainly days you question your decision to have kids. What do you do to escape, if only temporary? Is there a dark corner of your coat closet you hide in with your iPod? Is tea in the garden your escape? What would your DREAM escape be, if you were able (and willing) to spend a week away from the kids?

Hopefully, these brief ideas spark your imagination for your blogs. Have fun!

Written by: Gregg Mueller

“Parent Blogging 101″ is a monthly feature published on the first Monday of each month on the St. Louis Blogger’s Guild website.  If there is a topic you’d like to see addressed here, please email Gregg at dadincharge@swbell.net.

It is wise of companies to be thinking outside the box in a time like this.  Using the innovative technologies that are present before them, companies are building a connection between themselves and their customers that couldn’t have existed otherwise.

As a customer, however, there is one critical point to remember before connecting yourself too closely with a company online:  by adding businesses to your friends list, you are giving them access to your profile information. You should think carefully about this before adding, say, The Melting Pot as a friend.  Do you really want whoever is in charge of their online activites to see the photos of your vacation to Cancun?  And, honestly, how often are you going to eat at The Melting Pot?  Does the benefit of adding them as friend outweigh the risk? 

The Melting Pot is just an example of course.  You should think carefully before you allow anyone access to your personal information.  Also, if you’re adding these companies in order to obtain coupons for their services, you need to decide whether the discounts they offer are for items you would normally buy anyway.  Because if they’re not, you’re not really saving money.

For a list of companies that are participating in offers like these, read the article “How Facebook, Twitter Can Save You Money.”

The bottom line is this: online social media is extremely beneficial if used properly and with a healthy dose of caution.  Read up on the benefits and risks of your actions and make educated decisions.  If you do this, you set yourself up for success in the end.

Written by: Scott Wheeler

While I do make use of twitter, I find it to be a daily struggle to figure out what in the world to tweet about.  I mean, do people really care what I’m doing?  I’m a stay at home mom so what I’m doing on any given day does not vary all that much.  I often find myself sitting down at the computer and trying to think of something profound or witty to post.  But I’m not really that profound a person and I’m not sure I’m all that witty, so I find myself staring at the screen in complete confusion.

Now, I’ve read this article so I do agree that twitter can be highly beneficial in the world of online social media.  It is a brilliant tool if you want to connect personally with employees or customers.  And as a blogger, I do see the benefits in tweeting about recent posts, thereby increasing the chance that my blog gets a broader readership.  That makes sense to me. 

A couple of days ago, I posed the question to my followers on twitter: Why do you use this service? What purpose does it serve for you?  I got a few responses, mostly from people who use it to promote business or services.  One person specifically told me how he was able to generate a rather large sale for his company simply by his interactions with a customer via twitter.  I get that.  In the context of promotion and marketing, twitter makes a lot of sense.  But there has to be more than that, right?  I don’t think I’m wrong in assuming that twitter was organized for more than just shameless self promotion.

My question is simple, why should I twitter?  What are people hoping to glean from the tweets that they read?  Does anyone really want to know that I just cleaned my kitchen…again?  Or that I ate scrambled eggs for breakfast?  This is my conflict.  I want to take part in this social media tool because it’s hailed so positively.  But, truth be told, I am just following the crowd with no real understanding of why I’m following.  And that makes me feel, well, kinda lame.

So will I stop twittering?  I don’t know.  I’m going to keep giving it a try.  I’m hoping that at some point I get it and can make better use of it as a social media tool.  At this point, what seems beneficial to me is to keep the list of people I’m following relatively small.  Otherwise I tend to get lost and overwhelmed by the long row of tweets and I find myself just searching for updates from those people that I know.  Again, I’m not sure if that is proper twitter protocol, but clearly I’m not overly twitter savvy.

I am truly curious to hear why many of you use twitter.  I would also like to know how the average person could benefit from an online tool like twitter.  Just to be clear, I am not at all questioning the effectiveness or validity of twitter and its users.  I am simply looking for a little bit of dialgoue.  Why twitter?  Your comments on the matter would be appreciated – and you don’t have to limit them to 140 characters or less!

Plan For It:  Don’t assume you’re immune.  If you have any personal documents on your work PC, copy them to CD, email them to yourself as attachments, or even print a copy.  Copy or print out your email contacts.  Companies are handing employees a box and walking them out.  You may not have a chance to access your information. 

File:  File your unemployment claim as soon as possible.  It may take 4-6 weeks to start receiving benefits, so even if you receive a severance, it may run out before your benefits kick in.

Network:  Tell people you are looking as soon as possible.   HR departments are being overwhelmed with applications, so if you can bypass the masses and have someone personally deliver your resume, you might have a better chance of being interviewed.

Report to Your Desk:  Put a notepad, pen, calendar, file folders, etc.  in your home office, so when the phone rings with a potential employer on the other end, you’re not scrambling around writing on the back of envelopes with a crayon.  If you don’t have a home office space, use a small tote or basket to keep it all handy. 

Get Organized:  Those file folders mentioned above?  Those are to keep all your separation paperwork, insurance information, unemployment claims, and all the other paper organized.  Make a folder for each job application, so when they finally call, you can quickly put your hands on all the pertinent info, making you look supremely professional.

Go to School:  Find an online course or tutorial and brush up on or learn a new computer program.  Take a summer class at your local college.  Visit the library for additional free resources.  Keep your skill set sharp. 

Put on Pants:  It’s tempting to hang out on the couch in your sweats, but I found it helps my mood if I get up, shower, and even just put on some lip gloss.  Not to mention, if I were to get a call about an interview, I could be ready a lot faster than if I had just rolled out of bed.  Enjoy an occasional sloth day but don’t slack off on personal hygiene.

Seek Medical Attention:  While you still have insurance, and while your schedule is relatively free, visit your doctor and dentist, and catch up on any physicals you may have been putting off.  Also, if you think you’re starting to feel depressed, please see your doctor immediately. 

Be Patient:  Remember, you aren’t the only one competing for that job.   It may take two or three weeks, if not longer, to get an initial response.  Even if you haven’t heard back from the employer, don’t forget to follow up.   It keeps your name in the front of their mind and their files.

Be Positive:  Take a walk.  Visit a museum, the zoo, an art exhibit.  Stay healthy.  Don’t drown your sorrows in M&Ms.  Catch up on your reading.  Organize your closet.  Even alphabetizing your CDs can give you a sense of accomplishment. 

Finally, look at being unemployed as a gift of time.  Spend time making contacts, networking (both on and off line), and catching up on all the things that you would have liked to do but didn’t have the time for when you were working.  And remember, unemployment won’t last forever.  Whether your time looking for a new job is brief or extended, spend each moment wisely.  This is perhaps the most important key to surviving unemployment.

Written by: Kim Dorsey 

Here are the links from the show. You can also go to the show’s page on TalkShow where all episodes can be downloaded for play on your mp3 player of choice.

• http://www.gregbussmann.com/a-5-step-twitter-users-manual.com/
• http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/02/26/7-ways-to-keep-fresh-content-flowing-on-your-blog/
• http://www.winextra.com/index.php/2009/03/03/about-that-sidebar-over-there/
• http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/How-to-Cancel-and-Delete-Accounts-from-Any-Website
• http://stlouisbloggersguild.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/25-tips-on-increasing-your-blog-traffic/
• http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/03/09/the-influence-of-twitter
• http://www.jessicahickok.com/archives/352

Written by: Patrick D.

A Nielsen Online report says two thirds of us now use what it calls “Member Communities,” which includes both social networks and blogs. MC’s now make up “the fourth most popular category online – ahead of personal email,” says Nielsen Online. The others are search, portals, and PC software. Nielsen Online says Facebook – the world’s most popular social network – is visited monthly by three in every 10 people online across the nine markets in which Nielsen tracks social networking use. Read the entire article here. 

I read recently that Mr. Zuckerberg’s plan is for Facebook to actually replace e-mail, at least on a personal basis. I can attest to this personally. While I, like most, can’t escape e-mail in my work related activities, I use my Blackberry to check messages and status updates on Facebook, not e-mail. In fact, my wife checks her e-mail about once per week, while she checks her Facebook pages, daily. She has told me that if someone wants to send her a message, they need to send it through Facebook, or she might not see it. Now I send her messages and post notes on her “Wall”, so I know she’ll see them!

And speaking of smart phones (like iPhone, Blackberry and others) all have Facebook applications for download, so that you can keep in touch with your “friends” all the time. So, if you think about it, one day in the not so distant future, e-mail programs like Outlook, Eudora, and GroupWise, will bite the dust like the pager, the Visor, and the Walkman and will be replaced by the more interactive networking sites instead. 

Written by: Scott Wheeler