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New to the Blogosphere? READ THIS FIRST
By: Marijean Jaggers | 05/11/2009
If you're new to blogging, or reading blogs, there are a few things you need to know.
- Dooce is the most popular single-author blog in the English language. Its author is Heather B. Armstrong. Do not call her "Dooce"; you aren't cool enough. If you want to see how a blog is done well, read her Web site. Fair warning: don't read it if you're offended by the occasional F-bomb, or if you lack a sense of humor. Heather Armstrong and her husband, Jon, make millions from her blog. This will not happen to you.
- About the word "blog": blog refers to the whole, not the part. Each published entry is called a "blog post." Do not say, "I wrote a blog," when what you mean is that you wrote a blog post. When seasoned bloggers hear you say you wrote a blog, they think, "Really? The whole thing? In 15 minutes. Wow."
- The language of blogging is fluid. The word "blog" itself is hated categorically by most bloggers. A shortened version of the original, "weblog," some bloggers simply refer to their blogs as what they really are: Web sites. Beyond that, a whole vocabulary has evolved: "vlogging" for video blogs, "blogosphere" to refer to the whole shootin' match, etc. Please, for all that is good and holy, do not further bastardize the English language by referring, for example, to blog cards as "blards" or making up additional nonsense words to describe elements of social media. Twitter has spawned "Tweeple," "Tweets," "Tweet-ups" and more. Ugh. Enough is enough.
- Good bloggers, real bloggers are authentic, sincere and transparent. They're real people sharing real stories. Respect them and respect will be given to you. I have personally gotten to know several hundred bloggers, including a high percentage of those in real life. They're some of the most gracious, smartest, most interesting people you'll ever meet. Make the effort to remember that there's a person behind the content on the Web site.
- If you're contributing to a blog for business or authoring a personal blog, you have a responsibility to read other blogs, particularly those with content that attracts the same readers. When you read someone else's blog post, leave a comment. If you don't comment, it's a little like not leaving a tip for your waitress. Don't be THAT guy.
Got any other pet peeves to air? Help me educate the blogosphere newbies.
Posted in Digital Communications
comments
Courtney says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 9:04:am
(not you, Marijean- that’s my tip!)
From,
Captain Obvious.
Steve Gaines says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 9:08:am
Outstanding insights, Marijean. I’m in the process of setting up a couple of different blogs. (Something which has been far trickier than I expected as one who doesn’t know CSS!) Anyway, as my partner and I embark forward into this world of writing and content marketing I’m always looking for helpful thoughts from experienced writers like you.
I must say that my attention was particularly piqued with your point #5 about leaving comments and the analogy of the stiffed tip! To wit, I’m responding here first, as opposed to merely dashing off a quick tweet reply.
Marijean Jaggers says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 9:11:am
Courtney—you just about gave me heart failure, so thanks for the quick follow-up comment. I’m a pretty solid speller and I agree—nothing throws me off more than typos in a blog post.
Marijean Jaggers says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 9:13:am
Thanks, Steve! I’m happy to offer guidance. Also, you may wish to check out our series on corporate blogging. http://www.standingpr.com/blog/category/corporate_blogging_101/
Thanks for reading (and tweeting, and commenting).
Amy Eastlack says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 9:52:am
As a “newbie” it’s extremely helpful to hear tips from the ‘pros” - there’s a lot of etiquette involved that you can’t get from reading how-to books. My blog is separate from my work, but the two always coincide and collide.
Thanks, Marijean, for your insight. (And I promise to leave a comment the next time I read your blog)..
Jason Hull says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 10:26:am
I really like #5. It’s far too easy (and I am terribly guilty of it) to live off of the commons and not give back. A large majority of bloggers write because they want to participate in conversations. Not commenting forces bloggers to become monologers (<—yes…a made up word) rather than bloggers. I write because not only do I have something on my mind that I want to discuss and cover, but also because I want to find out what others think. As usual, you ROCK!
Linda Kolker says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 12:12:pm
Number 5 for me, too—I’m relieved to see I’m not the only one! And although I’m a good speller, I’ve wondered about spell checking in WordPress. I’ll look more closely to find that button.
Looking forward to more, Marijean, and thanks for this one. You’re my godmother of blogging and Web 2.0. (and Jim Bain is my godfather).
Shawn Decker says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 1:00:pm
Very nice! If something. Is spelled wrong, it’s because I’m on my iPhone and the display box is not visible to me as I type. Silly Web 2.0!
Molly Fulton says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 1:42:pm
All good, and I’m with Jason. I’ve started blogging (reading and writing) because as much as I may be tempted to pontificate, what I’m really after is the conversation. Thanks for it!
Kurt Greenbaum says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 3:11:pm
Corollary to No. 2: Comments on blogs are “blogs” either. People who post a comment are not “blogging.”
Kurt Greenbaum says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 3:12:pm
Damn it! They’re NOT “blogs” either. Talk about spell checking!
Michelle Cox says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 3:42:pm
Great post and good tips. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Marijean Jaggers says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 4:42:pm
Oh, Kurt—you’re so right. Good point. Commenting only is NOT blogging. Is Twittering blogging, if that’s all you do? I think not.
Dave Donohue says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 5:01:pm
This is brilliant stuff. Many, many people need to understand #2 in particular. About to share this post with them. You’re a gem for summarizing this so concisely.
Also, I know you would never violate one of these rules, but your identical twin sister tried to hand me a “blard” one time in Cville Coffee - but that was a long time ago 
Marijean Jaggers says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 5:07:pm
BUSTED! OK, OK, I’ll admit it. I’ve used “blard.” I’m not proud of it. I do have blog cards, and recommend them, but think the word blard is awful. It’s comical, though, because it rhymes with lard, and if you read my personal blog, particularly the Life of Pie series, you’ll know that fortunately or unfortunately, when people think of lard, they think of me.
See #4. I admit it when I’m hypocritical.
Randee says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 7:53:pm
I love to comment, but I always worry I comment too much and am some weird webstalker. Now, I’ll comment more! Also, I could use some more tips on all this blogging stuff, since I only read about 2 or 3…I stumbled into reading blogs when this woman I went to high school with posted a link on our 20-year reunion site!
Marijean says:
Tue, May 12, 2009 at 8:21:am
Randee, your comments are always most welcome, and one of the reasons I love to blog. It’s been so much fun to reconnect with you after all these years! The Standing blog is a great place to find tips on blogging so keep reading this space.
Stacey Rynders says:
Wed, May 13, 2009 at 12:51:pm
As a fellow marketer to small business owners, I appreciate remark #4 the most. So many business owners still think of the web and bloggers as amateur hour. I find it incredibly difficult to get many clients to understand the power and sophistication of online authors. Many have a vision of blog writers as unemployed, over-opinionated people with nothing better to do…. so not true. Your comments are much appreciated.
Courtney says:
Mon, May 11, 2009 at 9:03:am
Please spell check your posts. That little button does wonders!