by Michelle Lentz
This is pure self-promotion, but let me have a minute to promote a new class I’m offering, called The Art of Blogging.
Here’s the thing – there are a lot of people out there who have blogs, but they don’t know how to really use them. You see, there’s a lot that goes into writing a blog. You need to know who your audience is, understand what they want, and find your own unique blogging style. This 4-hour seminar focuses on just that – content creation and everything that goes with it. The course is geared towards business blogging, both large and small, but anyone is welcome to attend.
We don’t just talk at you; the class is an engaging discussion to help you improve your blog. Remember, I’m a trainer and instructional designer, so this class is actually structured so that you’ll learn something. What will you learn?
1. What is a blog?
In this portion of the class, we’ll define blogging, understanding what makes blogs different from your average web site. We’ll discuss what blogs you enjoy, and why. What makes you participate? We’ll talk about the ROI of corporate blogging and review some successful corporate blogs. We’ll also talk about other (non-corporate) uses for blogging.
2. Blogging Goals
At this point, we’ll define goals for your blog. There are a few goals you should always have. What else do you want to get from your blog? What are your ideas for reaching these goals?
3. Blogging Voice
In this section, we’ll define and understand your audience and your style. What does your audience want to hear? How do they want to hear it? We’ll work to understand subtle marketing on a blog and developing your conversational style. We’ll also dive into sharing opinions on blogs, and whether you want to share them with your readers.
4. Content
The most important thing on a blog is content. We’ll talk about where to find it and how much to research. We’ll discuss consistency, quantity, and quality. Curious as to where to find images that you can legally use on your blog? We’ll cover that too. Finally, we’ll review how to deal with proprietary information and blogging about your company.
5. Blogging Etiquette
We’ll cover the 10 Commandments of Blogging, as well as other tips and tricks, including page breaks, linkbacks, internal links, corrections, and citations. We’ll also talk about comment moderation and dealing with negative commenters and criticism.
6. Quick Tips for Growing Your Blog with New Media
We’ll finish the day with the phenomenon of talking to yourself, etiquette for commenting on other blogs, understanding tagging, and some basic SEO principles. We’ll also cover RSS feeds in more detail.__
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Takeaways:
A new comfort level and knowledge for maintaining your blog, participant guide, and access to a private class-only wiki for on-going discussion.
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Cost & Payment:
$179
Credit card accepted via Paypal. To pay with a check by mail or at the door, please contact events[at]write-tech[dot]com. Credit cards will not be accepted day-of.
When?
November 18, 8 am – noon
Where?
Hamilton County Business Center
1776 Mentor Avenue
Suite 160
Cincinnati, OH 45212
How much?
$179
You can register online and pay via Paypal. Alternatively, you can contact me and we’ll arrange payment via cash or check. Credit card payments will not be accepted day-of and you must be pre-registered.
Anything else?
Make sure you tell your friends and colleagues. I’d love to see everyone there!
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Contact Michelle with your news, apps, and events via email, Twitter, Pownce, or FriendFeed. Visit Michelle at Wine-Girl.net and Write Technology. You can also catch Michelle presenting on Twitter at the upcoming DevLearn ’08 in San Jose.