The video in this post is my response to the horrible incidents that lead to
the post heard round the world that lead to Michael Arrington’s leave of absence from TechCrunch.com
I also weigh in on my current viewpoints on the current state of blogging as a media outlet and journalistic standards and changes that should be made.
What are your views on the content contained within the video? Agree? Disagree?
Right on time with the swearing in of our country’s 44th president, the White House has a new design and web presence witht the launch of the White House Blog.
Log onto: to receive the latest news and updates from the White House.
There were many questions on whether or not Barack was going to continue to feed and maintain his online presence, which was a key strategy in his winning the election over John McCain.
Blog posts currently on the site include the following offerings:
A National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation
Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy and Serving America
White House.gov caters to the “on-demand” generation as well by providing a full-text of President Obama’s Inaugural Address.
What are your impressions of the blog? If you were the White House’s Chief online strategist, what would be your four year plan for the Obama administration and the White House in general?
Did you start blogging as a New Year’s resolution only to find yourself short on motivation midway through January? Starting to think blogging was a “mistake” and that you’re too busy, tired, distracted to keep it going? You are not alone. In this blog post today, we’ll get the fire re-lit on your blogging habits and get your blog back up and running strong through 2009.
Look for the Reason, Not the Result
You decided to start this blog for specific reasons. In order to regain that focus and motivation to keep your blog afloat, don’t look too far ahead to the future. Instead, look inward and reconnect with the reasons you wanted to kick off the new year in a blogging fury!
What if I didn’t have any specific goals?
Answer the following questions to uncover your motivation:
What are the reasons I started my blog?
What skills and tips do I have to share with my community?
What areas of expertise do I feel comfortable writing about?
Tips to get you back up and running
“Script Your Posts”
This is a great way for me personally to keep blogging when time is limited or motivation could be higher. Simply enter the title of your potential post and save it as a draft. Once you have the title, you can brainstorm ways to put it together throughout your day.
Keep It Short
Keeping it short refers to literally 1-3 paragraphs (or less) on a topic in order to”stay in touch” with your blog. Provide an intro on the topic and add a few links. The End. What I’ve found consistent amongst the best blogs is that there is no specific word count that equals a great blog post. Providing value for your readers is the best litmus test.
Blogs From Around the Web
Create a blog post consisting of helpful links that you’ve found around the web on other sites. It helps your readers by providing them with resources and may help the sites gain new readers. Everybody wins.
Caption This
Utilize photos in your blogging by incorporating a caption to a picture you come across on the web. Inviting readers to provide captions is a community builder that will help new bloggers remain motivated as well.
Bottom Line
January is a month where many new committments to a better lifestyle and increased productivity are in abundance. You may fall off the wagon but keeping a realistic approach and staying in touch with your blog will help you stay afloat and steadily maintain your blogging efforts in 2009.
New bloggers, leave a comment with your name and bloglink so that I may check out your blog and leave feedback on your progress. - Mr. Shadeed
The Philly tech scene is showing some signs of great events and wonderful people who attend and contribute to make Philadelphia a tech community on the rise.
January?s Net Tuesday will be about Blogging for Nonprofits.
Whether you?re thinking about starting a blog or want to make your existing blog more effective, we?re planning a program that will :
feature nonprofits that are using blogs successfully to raise awareness, raise funds, find volunteers and achieve their mission — and how they are doing it
share techniques, strategies, tools and resources for effective nonprofit blogging
explore thorny issues , such as how to reconcile the need for a blog to have a personal voice, yet also represent the many voices of an organization
We’ll be using an “open panel” format, featuring some local non-profit bloggers, including:
Andrew Schwalm and the First Person Arts blog and Malcolm X Park Blog
Daniel Pantano and the Academy of Vocal Arts Opera Blog
Judah Ferst and the Buzzing 4 Change blog
Larry Blumenthal and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton blog
Maryann Devine and the smArts and Culture blog
In addition to an informative, interactive discussion about issues confronting new and veteran nonprofit bloggers, we’ll have lots of practical tools and opportunities.
Nate Gasser, of Rock River Star, will demonstrate creating a new blog during the evening with one of the attendees (maybe you?).
We will also introduce an idea to provide ongoing support and encouragement for new and current nonprofit bloggers.
This promises to be another intersting, fun and useful Net Tuesday event.
Source: phillynewmediahub.com
Attendees leave comments on your experience at the event.
