"Blog" is shorthand for weblog, a sort of public online diary, updated regularly -- often daily or even every few hours -- with the owner's comments, announcements, and recommended links.
Blogging has been popular for years with teens, geeks, and flamboyant extroverts comfortable with blog style: informal, unedited, first-person entries, usually posted in reverse chronological order. While many bloggers apparently consider no detail too insignificant to chronicle for a worldwide audience ("went to the podiatrist today;" "had egglant parm at Gino's and forgot to tape ER"), the best stock their online journals with news and links they believe visitors might find useful.
More recently, the "blogosphere" has expanded to include professional web-based journals (See "Blogging for Dollars", Inc., May 2003) as well as the traditional highly personal ones. Now, with entrepreneurs developing lots of creative new uses for business blogs (or "b-blogs," as serious practitioners call them), the technology appears poised to become the "Next Big Thing" in business communication.
If you doubt blogging's move from an underground phenomenon to bona-fide trend, consider how personal blogs have already become powerful voices in two industries: politics and media. Last December, a couple of high-profile bloggers blasted Sen. Trent Lott for a speech that appeared to sanction racial segregation; the resulting publicity ultimately prompted Lott's resignation as Senate majority leader. Meanwhile, journalists from the Poynter Institute's Jim Romenesko to funnyman Dave Barry maintain high-traffic blogs.
Evangelists believe b-blogs offer similar potential to just about every other industry as well. "Two years out, you'll wonder how you lived without them," predicts author and consultant Jim Carroll, writing in Successful Meetings. At a recent business-blog conference, Jupiter Research vice president Michael Gartenberg said today's single word of advice to Dustin Hoffman's character in The Graduate wouldn't be "plastics" but "Weblogs." B-blog consultant John Lawlor summed it up this way: "Blogging equals opportunity."
Why all the fervor? Unlike corporate websites, b-blogs are cheap to launch and easy to maintain, thanks to powerful, easy-to-use tools. (For a sampling of blogging software and services, see Resources.) Unlike spam, or junk e-mail, b-blogs aren't intrusive; users must click to them. Done well, b-blogs provide a fast, informal way to share information -- project updates, research or test results, product-release news, industry headlines -- inside and outside your company.
But blogs are also deceptively tricky to manage. Do it wrong and you could embarrass yourself, bore or alienate customers or prospects, contribute to information overload, and potentially even wind up on the wrong end of a lawsuit.
Worse yet, you could run afoul of the blogging community itself.
Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc. did just that in early 2003, when it enlisted several young volunteers in hopes that they'd plug a new milk beverage, Raging Cow, on their blogs. The effort backfired when other bloggers, upset over the orchestrated word-of-mouth campaign, called for a product boycott. (However, no one complained about the product's mascot, a cartoon cow, who kept its own blog, presumably because, in that case, the diarist clearly worked for the company.)
Like any other initiative, successful b-blogging requires a strategy, which consultant Lawlor sums up in five words: Who, what, when, where, why. More specifically:
• Who should blog? Who is our target reader?
• What are we blogging about? What benefits do we expect? What needs to be restricted?
• Where will blogging appear -- on individual blogs, an internal site, or a public website?
• When will bloggers do the work, and when will the company see results?
• Why are we doing this?
Answering the last question is key to determining exactly what you want your b-blog to accomplish. Do you want to demonstrate the company's expertise -- or perhaps your own? Promote products or services? Provide customers with news, announcements, updates? Build a community?
Answering the other questions is key to staying out of trouble, especially if -- as companies like Mobilocity Inc. and O'Reilly & Associates -- you encourage or allow your employees to blog as well. Setting ground rules seems antithetical to blogging's joyously spontaneous and personal nature. But you need make sure bloggers don't -- even accidentally -- libel anyone, insult customers, misrepresent or disparage your company, or reveal confidential or proprietary information. You may also need to establish guidelines about blogging on company time and equipment. (Lawyers point to Groove Networks blog policy as a good model.)
What makes a good b-blog? The best are lively, relevant, straightforward, and, though informal, relatively well-written. They showcase their owners' distinctive voices, interests, and expertise without crossing into mind-numbing narcissism. Some worthy examples: New York PR executive James Horton posts daily observations about PR news and trends. San Francisco attorney Denise Howell blogs about intellectual property law and, well, blogging. And Ray Cox of Northfield, Minn., maintains two professional blogs, one tracking contracting work done by his Northfield Construction Co, the other reporting on his work and observances as a Minnesota state representative. (For a sampling of other CEO Web sites, see Resources.)
Finally, great online journals never get stale. As Jupiter's Gartenberg notes, nobody will ever complain that you update your blog too often.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Banish Blog Spam
It’s great when your company blog gets noticed -- but not so great when the acclaim makes it a spam magnet. By taking a few simple steps, companies can stop spam from clogging the comments section of their blog.
And you thought spam was an e-mail problem.
Spam, those unwanted messages hyping miracle drugs, cheap knockoffs and cut-rate loans, has become the bane of blogs. In fact, some experts believe spam is a bigger problem for blogs than it ever was for e-mail.
That spells trouble for companies that have made blogs part of their customer service or marketing programs. Now, not only do small businesses have to work to keep their blogs in the public eye, they’ve also got to work to keep spam from giving them a public black eye.
But by following some simple steps, companies can block spam from creeping onto their blogs in the first place.
Spam in blogs is often called comment spam because that’s where it shows up, in the section of a blog set up for readers to post comments. Spammers use software programs to sniff out blogs and post advertisements or links directing traffic to the spammer’s website.
Anti-spam software to the rescue
Matt Mullenweg knows spam. Mullenweg co-founded Automattic, the company that makes the popular WordPress blogging software and created Akismet, an anti-spam program that’s built into WordPress.com blogs. Akismet is also available as a software add on to blogs hosted elsewhere, including other well-known free blogging sites such as Blogger and TypePad. Akismet is an adaptive filter. When comments are sent to a blog they pass through mathematical algorithms that determine if it’s a legitimate or spam. If a comment gets through that’s really spam and a blogger marks it as such, Akismet “learns” from its mistakes, Mullenweg says.
According to Mullenweg, 90 percent of comments that pass through Akismet are spam. He estimates the software has blocked 5.5 billion pieces of spam since WordPress and other blogs started using it in 2005. Though software programs like Akismet block spam, they haven’t stopped it. “Spam on blogs and the Web is where spam on e-mail was 10 years ago,” Mullenweg says.
Akismet isn’t the only anti-spam software out there. Companies can also use so-called CAPTCH programs, short for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. The popular programs, which can be seen on many websites and blogs, require someone to take a simple test to prove they’re not a machine before they can leave a comment. In programs such as reCAPTCHA, the test is typing in a sequence of squiggly letters or numbers.
Other software that blocks spam includes Bad Behavior, which analyzes the method and software being used to deliver a comment to a site to determine whether it’s spam, and, Spam Karma 2.3, which works on WordPress blogs.
Common sense solutions to block spam
Anti-spam software is a blog’s first line of defense, but there are other tactics. Blog experts and IT professionals also recommend that companies:
• Check comments before approving them. According to Mullenweg, some off-shore spammers pay programmers to post what look like genuine comments. The solution: use a blog’s comment moderation feature to check out comments before the go live. Or authenticate people before allowing them to leave a comment by requiring them to sign up for a user name and password.
• Turn off comments. Not all blogs need two-way communication. Digital Forest, a 14-year-old Seattle, Web hosting and server co-location business, uses a blog to keep customers apprised of the status of the company’s servers. When customers e-mail or call the tech support line they’re directed to check the blog for information on maintenance and system updates, says Chuck Goolsbee, a Digital Forest vice president. “We train our customers to look there, so if there’s a problem, people go there first,” Goolsbee says.
• Disable pings and trackbacks. Pings and trackbacks were originally intended to notify Blogger A that Blogger B had written something about them. But spammers use them to plant links to their own Websites in order to up their click-through rates. If trackbacks are a problem, don’t use them, Goolsbee says. “When you design a system you have to take into account how it can be abused,” and the creators of blog software didn’t, he says.
And you thought spam was an e-mail problem.
Spam, those unwanted messages hyping miracle drugs, cheap knockoffs and cut-rate loans, has become the bane of blogs. In fact, some experts believe spam is a bigger problem for blogs than it ever was for e-mail.
That spells trouble for companies that have made blogs part of their customer service or marketing programs. Now, not only do small businesses have to work to keep their blogs in the public eye, they’ve also got to work to keep spam from giving them a public black eye.
But by following some simple steps, companies can block spam from creeping onto their blogs in the first place.
Spam in blogs is often called comment spam because that’s where it shows up, in the section of a blog set up for readers to post comments. Spammers use software programs to sniff out blogs and post advertisements or links directing traffic to the spammer’s website.
Anti-spam software to the rescue
Matt Mullenweg knows spam. Mullenweg co-founded Automattic, the company that makes the popular WordPress blogging software and created Akismet, an anti-spam program that’s built into WordPress.com blogs. Akismet is also available as a software add on to blogs hosted elsewhere, including other well-known free blogging sites such as Blogger and TypePad. Akismet is an adaptive filter. When comments are sent to a blog they pass through mathematical algorithms that determine if it’s a legitimate or spam. If a comment gets through that’s really spam and a blogger marks it as such, Akismet “learns” from its mistakes, Mullenweg says.
According to Mullenweg, 90 percent of comments that pass through Akismet are spam. He estimates the software has blocked 5.5 billion pieces of spam since WordPress and other blogs started using it in 2005. Though software programs like Akismet block spam, they haven’t stopped it. “Spam on blogs and the Web is where spam on e-mail was 10 years ago,” Mullenweg says.
Akismet isn’t the only anti-spam software out there. Companies can also use so-called CAPTCH programs, short for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. The popular programs, which can be seen on many websites and blogs, require someone to take a simple test to prove they’re not a machine before they can leave a comment. In programs such as reCAPTCHA, the test is typing in a sequence of squiggly letters or numbers.
Other software that blocks spam includes Bad Behavior, which analyzes the method and software being used to deliver a comment to a site to determine whether it’s spam, and, Spam Karma 2.3, which works on WordPress blogs.
Common sense solutions to block spam
Anti-spam software is a blog’s first line of defense, but there are other tactics. Blog experts and IT professionals also recommend that companies:
• Check comments before approving them. According to Mullenweg, some off-shore spammers pay programmers to post what look like genuine comments. The solution: use a blog’s comment moderation feature to check out comments before the go live. Or authenticate people before allowing them to leave a comment by requiring them to sign up for a user name and password.
• Turn off comments. Not all blogs need two-way communication. Digital Forest, a 14-year-old Seattle, Web hosting and server co-location business, uses a blog to keep customers apprised of the status of the company’s servers. When customers e-mail or call the tech support line they’re directed to check the blog for information on maintenance and system updates, says Chuck Goolsbee, a Digital Forest vice president. “We train our customers to look there, so if there’s a problem, people go there first,” Goolsbee says.
• Disable pings and trackbacks. Pings and trackbacks were originally intended to notify Blogger A that Blogger B had written something about them. But spammers use them to plant links to their own Websites in order to up their click-through rates. If trackbacks are a problem, don’t use them, Goolsbee says. “When you design a system you have to take into account how it can be abused,” and the creators of blog software didn’t, he says.
Friday, January 15, 2010
When Blogs Go Bad
Blogs can be a great marketing tool. But when they bite back, it's all about damage control.
Donna Lynes-Miller was looking to create some buzz for GourmetStation, her Web-based retailer of high-end food, and jumping on the blog bandwagon seemed like the perfect way to do it. The medium, after all, thrives on voice and attitude. And GourmetStation--which ships fine food, including four-course meals made from recipes by the world's top chefs--has plenty of both.
The Atlanta-based company's unofficial mascot is a fictional character called T. Alexander, an oh-so-sophisticated epicurean and an expert on everything from the best Bordeaux to serve with rabbit pâté to how to cook for vegans. The character had proved so popular with GourmetStation's customers that Lynes-Miller and her marketing consultant Toby Bloomberg decided that the blog, Delicious Destinations, would be written in T. Alexander's voice. With a disclosure that Alexander was indeed a fictional character, the blog launched last March. But the response was not what the women had hoped for.
Robert French, a communications instructor at Auburn University who blogs about marketing on a site called Blogthenticity, was the first to notice. Delicious Destinations, he wrote, was a prime example of so-called character blogging, something that has become increasingly popular on business blogs. "What value do you find in this tactic?" he asked his readers. "Is it authentic?" The blogosphere responded. Hugh MacLeod, who runs Gapingvoid, a highly regarded and often scathingly critical site for marketing professionals, decided that GourmetStation's new blog merited special recognition--the Beyond Lame Award. Soon, GourmetStation was the talk of all the marketing blogs. "Horrible. Stupid. Insane. Worthless. Ineffective," wrote one person. "The ultimate in false advertising."
Welcome to the blogosphere. Sixteen percent of the U.S. population reads blogs, according to a May 2005 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The blog search engine Technorati estimates that the number of blogs doubles every five and a half months--with many of the new ones started by entrepreneurs. Blogs, after all, are inexpensive and easy to set up. They're heavily viral--one blogger links to another who links to another, and soon enough you've attracted a vast community to your company. A well-trafficked blog also can help generate better results on search engines.
But as Lynes-Miller learned, there's a dark side to the blogosphere. Bloggers, and those who frequent blogs, can be a prickly lot. They live by a code of their own, and you offend them at your peril. Come into the club wearing the wrong thing--something that screams "notice me" but offers little substance, or pretending to be someone you're not--and there's a good chance you'll find yourself, and your brand, publicly ridiculed.
Even those who know the rules can get burned. Bloomberg, who writes a blog called Diva Marketing, knows how sensitive people can be to false representations. That's why she insisted on disclosing the fictional nature of T. Alexander's identity from the get-go. In an attempt at full transparency, she even blogged herself about the development of the character. But it didn't help much. Indeed, things hit a nadir when the controversy caught the eye of marketing guru Steve Rubel, who blogs at Micro Persuasion, one of the top 250 most trafficked blogs on the Web, according to Technorati. "Here comes another fake blog," Rubel announced.
"I was taken aback," says Lynes-Miller. Her instincts told her to ignore the uproar and forge ahead. But Bloomberg had other ideas. As a marketing pro, she'd seen plenty of PR flare-ups on the Web. Do nothing, and the fire likely will continue to burn on its own. Respond with anger, she knew, and you risk fanning the flames even more. The best way to douse them, Bloomberg says, is to join the conversation.
So Bloomberg began writing to the commentators. She kept the tone cool and respectful, and explained what GourmetStation was trying to accomplish with its blog. That led even some of its most bitter critics to take a second look at the site and even change their minds, says Bloomberg. "I may have overreacted and not understood the entire idea of this particular fictional character," admitted one.
Lynes-Miller, meanwhile, posted a comment on the blog of her greatest detractor, Hugh MacLeod, and tried to explain the strategy behind T. Alexander and Delicious Destinations. "We are a small pioneering food company and we see the blog and its content as a way of adding value to our patron's experience," she wrote. "What T. Alexander has to say about food is not as important as what our patrons have to share about their culinary adventures." MacLeod was impressed with Lynes-Miller's note. "Thanks for stopping by and telling your side of the story," he responded on his blog. Of course, he still professed deep loathing for T. Alexander. "A great food brand or a great food blogger is no different than a great chef," he said. "She needs passion and authority. Methinks your T. Alexander has little of either." Some on the site rose to Lynes-Miller's defense, and, in any case, MacLeod soon directed his ire elsewhere.
Lynes-Miller has no regrets. For one thing, traffic at her site almost doubled as a result of the controversy. Besides, blogging is just one part of the company's marketing plan. In May, for example, GourmetStation was touted on Good Morning America as a great place to shop for Mother's Day gifts, which helped send second-quarter sales up 158%.
Meanwhile, T. Alexander's culinary adventures continue uninterrupted. "I didn't expect the negative feedback we initially received," Lynes-Miller says. "Though there was no negative feedback from customers--and that's the feedback I'm most concerned about."
Resources
Resources There is no end of blogs about business blogging. To get started, go to thenewpr.com and click on "Business Blogging 101." For case studies, best practices, and corporate blogging policies check out blogwrite.blogs.com and buzzmarketingwithblogs.com.
Donna Lynes-Miller was looking to create some buzz for GourmetStation, her Web-based retailer of high-end food, and jumping on the blog bandwagon seemed like the perfect way to do it. The medium, after all, thrives on voice and attitude. And GourmetStation--which ships fine food, including four-course meals made from recipes by the world's top chefs--has plenty of both.
The Atlanta-based company's unofficial mascot is a fictional character called T. Alexander, an oh-so-sophisticated epicurean and an expert on everything from the best Bordeaux to serve with rabbit pâté to how to cook for vegans. The character had proved so popular with GourmetStation's customers that Lynes-Miller and her marketing consultant Toby Bloomberg decided that the blog, Delicious Destinations, would be written in T. Alexander's voice. With a disclosure that Alexander was indeed a fictional character, the blog launched last March. But the response was not what the women had hoped for.
Robert French, a communications instructor at Auburn University who blogs about marketing on a site called Blogthenticity, was the first to notice. Delicious Destinations, he wrote, was a prime example of so-called character blogging, something that has become increasingly popular on business blogs. "What value do you find in this tactic?" he asked his readers. "Is it authentic?" The blogosphere responded. Hugh MacLeod, who runs Gapingvoid, a highly regarded and often scathingly critical site for marketing professionals, decided that GourmetStation's new blog merited special recognition--the Beyond Lame Award. Soon, GourmetStation was the talk of all the marketing blogs. "Horrible. Stupid. Insane. Worthless. Ineffective," wrote one person. "The ultimate in false advertising."
Welcome to the blogosphere. Sixteen percent of the U.S. population reads blogs, according to a May 2005 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The blog search engine Technorati estimates that the number of blogs doubles every five and a half months--with many of the new ones started by entrepreneurs. Blogs, after all, are inexpensive and easy to set up. They're heavily viral--one blogger links to another who links to another, and soon enough you've attracted a vast community to your company. A well-trafficked blog also can help generate better results on search engines.
But as Lynes-Miller learned, there's a dark side to the blogosphere. Bloggers, and those who frequent blogs, can be a prickly lot. They live by a code of their own, and you offend them at your peril. Come into the club wearing the wrong thing--something that screams "notice me" but offers little substance, or pretending to be someone you're not--and there's a good chance you'll find yourself, and your brand, publicly ridiculed.
Even those who know the rules can get burned. Bloomberg, who writes a blog called Diva Marketing, knows how sensitive people can be to false representations. That's why she insisted on disclosing the fictional nature of T. Alexander's identity from the get-go. In an attempt at full transparency, she even blogged herself about the development of the character. But it didn't help much. Indeed, things hit a nadir when the controversy caught the eye of marketing guru Steve Rubel, who blogs at Micro Persuasion, one of the top 250 most trafficked blogs on the Web, according to Technorati. "Here comes another fake blog," Rubel announced.
"I was taken aback," says Lynes-Miller. Her instincts told her to ignore the uproar and forge ahead. But Bloomberg had other ideas. As a marketing pro, she'd seen plenty of PR flare-ups on the Web. Do nothing, and the fire likely will continue to burn on its own. Respond with anger, she knew, and you risk fanning the flames even more. The best way to douse them, Bloomberg says, is to join the conversation.
So Bloomberg began writing to the commentators. She kept the tone cool and respectful, and explained what GourmetStation was trying to accomplish with its blog. That led even some of its most bitter critics to take a second look at the site and even change their minds, says Bloomberg. "I may have overreacted and not understood the entire idea of this particular fictional character," admitted one.
Lynes-Miller, meanwhile, posted a comment on the blog of her greatest detractor, Hugh MacLeod, and tried to explain the strategy behind T. Alexander and Delicious Destinations. "We are a small pioneering food company and we see the blog and its content as a way of adding value to our patron's experience," she wrote. "What T. Alexander has to say about food is not as important as what our patrons have to share about their culinary adventures." MacLeod was impressed with Lynes-Miller's note. "Thanks for stopping by and telling your side of the story," he responded on his blog. Of course, he still professed deep loathing for T. Alexander. "A great food brand or a great food blogger is no different than a great chef," he said. "She needs passion and authority. Methinks your T. Alexander has little of either." Some on the site rose to Lynes-Miller's defense, and, in any case, MacLeod soon directed his ire elsewhere.
Lynes-Miller has no regrets. For one thing, traffic at her site almost doubled as a result of the controversy. Besides, blogging is just one part of the company's marketing plan. In May, for example, GourmetStation was touted on Good Morning America as a great place to shop for Mother's Day gifts, which helped send second-quarter sales up 158%.
Meanwhile, T. Alexander's culinary adventures continue uninterrupted. "I didn't expect the negative feedback we initially received," Lynes-Miller says. "Though there was no negative feedback from customers--and that's the feedback I'm most concerned about."
Resources
Resources There is no end of blogs about business blogging. To get started, go to thenewpr.com and click on "Business Blogging 101." For case studies, best practices, and corporate blogging policies check out blogwrite.blogs.com and buzzmarketingwithblogs.com.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Writing Well on the Web
If there's one thing everybody knows about the Web by now, it's that people read differently online than they do on paper.
Why, then, do so many business websites (perhaps even yours) still read like books, brochures, or reports -- and often badly written ones at that?
In part, it's because digital documents usually get far less scrutiny than their hard-copy counterparts. Typically, overworked Web teams put them online quickly, probably with a manager's approval, but without serious editing or copyediting. After all, one of the Web's greatest strengths is its capacity for limitless corrections, revisions, and updates.
But good writing -- online or off --- involves much more than fixing typos or tweaking awkward phrases after the fact. It starts at the point of creation. And in larger part, that's the problem's source. Too many wordsmiths still write for the Web as if they're writing for paper, generating page after page of densely packed content that frustrates, confuses, or alienates readers.
See for yourself
Try two experiments. First, jump online and visit a handful of business websites. Sooner or later, you'll hit one with content so impenetrable that you get tired just looking at it. Then take a hard look at your own Web pages. Try seeing them as if for the first time. Would you want to read them? Or would you decide they're not worth the effort?
The good news: You can easily improve your Web writing, making the content enjoyable, maybe even desirable, to read. Even better news: Doing so won't cost a cent.
What do Web readers want?
To a certain extent, good writing is good writing in any medium.
But Web readers do have specific expectations. Think about how you use the Web yourself. If you're like most Web users, you don't read word for word. You scan. Even then, according to classic research by Web guru Jakob Nielsen and others, you read digital pages more slowly than paper ones, and ultimately you read less online than you do in print.
Also, you're probably in a hurry. You're looking for something specific, and you don't want to hunt through screen after screen of text to find it. Finally, you may want to do something with the content: print it out, request information, make a purchase, contact a human rep. But you won't bother if it's a struggle.
So to provide a high-quality experience for like-minded Web users visiting your site, offer content that's easy to locate, easy to read, and easy to use.
The best way to do that: Apply the "three S's."
1. Keep content scannable. Write in the "inverted pyramid" style, putting the most important information at the top of each document. Consider identifying documents with brief "executive summaries."
Also try:
• Headlines that identify documents; subheads that keep readers moving through them.
• Bullet points.
• Numbered lists.
• Questions and answers.
• Bold or colored highlights (but sparingly).
• Pulled quotes to emphasize major points.
• A few simple, easily recognizable icons.
Avoid: Extensive use of hard-to-read italics, mixing too many fonts, and using underlines for anything except links.
2. Keep content short. Do your readers a favor; don't contribute to information overload. Instead:
• Write short, direct sentences (general guideline: maximum of 20 to 25 words).
• Break up long paragraphs (general guideline: maximum of three to five sentences).
• Be succinct. Use only your best details and examples.
• Write less. Usability research indicates that the most effective Web documents are 50% shorter than their print counterparts. If you must include more information, see the third "S."
• Edit ruthlessly. Trim every unnecessary word.
3. Keep content segmented. Take advantage of what the Web does well by layering information. Split long material into smaller chunks of varying lengths, linking them to the original document and to each other. Consider presenting some information as:
• Checklists.
• Primers or glossaries.
• Fact sheets or "at a glance" boxes.
• Testimonials or short case histories.
• Formatted personal profiles.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents.
• Resource lists.
• Price lists.
• Quizzes (with informative answers and relevant scoring).
• Charts, tables, or graphs.
Bottom line: Write Web content you'd like to read yourself, and present it the way you'd like to read it. Chances are your Web readers will view it the same way.
SIDEBAR: Good Writing is Good Writing
These best practices haven't changed in generations:
• Write with a goal in mind: making a point, teaching or advising, answering a question, prompting an action.
• Write clearly, concisely, and consistently in the right tone for your audience.
• Write with carefully chosen details and examples.
• Write with zero tolerance for errors.
• Write engagingly. No one likes being bored.
Why, then, do so many business websites (perhaps even yours) still read like books, brochures, or reports -- and often badly written ones at that?
In part, it's because digital documents usually get far less scrutiny than their hard-copy counterparts. Typically, overworked Web teams put them online quickly, probably with a manager's approval, but without serious editing or copyediting. After all, one of the Web's greatest strengths is its capacity for limitless corrections, revisions, and updates.
But good writing -- online or off --- involves much more than fixing typos or tweaking awkward phrases after the fact. It starts at the point of creation. And in larger part, that's the problem's source. Too many wordsmiths still write for the Web as if they're writing for paper, generating page after page of densely packed content that frustrates, confuses, or alienates readers.
See for yourself
Try two experiments. First, jump online and visit a handful of business websites. Sooner or later, you'll hit one with content so impenetrable that you get tired just looking at it. Then take a hard look at your own Web pages. Try seeing them as if for the first time. Would you want to read them? Or would you decide they're not worth the effort?
The good news: You can easily improve your Web writing, making the content enjoyable, maybe even desirable, to read. Even better news: Doing so won't cost a cent.
What do Web readers want?
To a certain extent, good writing is good writing in any medium.
But Web readers do have specific expectations. Think about how you use the Web yourself. If you're like most Web users, you don't read word for word. You scan. Even then, according to classic research by Web guru Jakob Nielsen and others, you read digital pages more slowly than paper ones, and ultimately you read less online than you do in print.
Also, you're probably in a hurry. You're looking for something specific, and you don't want to hunt through screen after screen of text to find it. Finally, you may want to do something with the content: print it out, request information, make a purchase, contact a human rep. But you won't bother if it's a struggle.
So to provide a high-quality experience for like-minded Web users visiting your site, offer content that's easy to locate, easy to read, and easy to use.
The best way to do that: Apply the "three S's."
1. Keep content scannable. Write in the "inverted pyramid" style, putting the most important information at the top of each document. Consider identifying documents with brief "executive summaries."
Also try:
• Headlines that identify documents; subheads that keep readers moving through them.
• Bullet points.
• Numbered lists.
• Questions and answers.
• Bold or colored highlights (but sparingly).
• Pulled quotes to emphasize major points.
• A few simple, easily recognizable icons.
Avoid: Extensive use of hard-to-read italics, mixing too many fonts, and using underlines for anything except links.
2. Keep content short. Do your readers a favor; don't contribute to information overload. Instead:
• Write short, direct sentences (general guideline: maximum of 20 to 25 words).
• Break up long paragraphs (general guideline: maximum of three to five sentences).
• Be succinct. Use only your best details and examples.
• Write less. Usability research indicates that the most effective Web documents are 50% shorter than their print counterparts. If you must include more information, see the third "S."
• Edit ruthlessly. Trim every unnecessary word.
3. Keep content segmented. Take advantage of what the Web does well by layering information. Split long material into smaller chunks of varying lengths, linking them to the original document and to each other. Consider presenting some information as:
• Checklists.
• Primers or glossaries.
• Fact sheets or "at a glance" boxes.
• Testimonials or short case histories.
• Formatted personal profiles.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents.
• Resource lists.
• Price lists.
• Quizzes (with informative answers and relevant scoring).
• Charts, tables, or graphs.
Bottom line: Write Web content you'd like to read yourself, and present it the way you'd like to read it. Chances are your Web readers will view it the same way.
SIDEBAR: Good Writing is Good Writing
These best practices haven't changed in generations:
• Write with a goal in mind: making a point, teaching or advising, answering a question, prompting an action.
• Write clearly, concisely, and consistently in the right tone for your audience.
• Write with carefully chosen details and examples.
• Write with zero tolerance for errors.
• Write engagingly. No one likes being bored.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Traffic Magnets
With imagination and a clear sense of their customers, Earth Treks and Merriman Capital Management keep their Web visitors coming back for more.
Using a formidable sense of their customers, Earth Treks and Merriman Capital keep their visitors coming back for more.
Most people can only imagine what an attempt to reach Mount Everest's 29,035-foot summit is like: laboring to find oxygen, battling snow blindness, tunneling through 60-mile-an-hour winds. But a climbing center and professional-guide service based in Columbia, Md., is doing everything it can to bring the experience home.
Since 11-year-old Earth Treks Inc. ( www.earthtreksclimbing.com) launched its Web site, in 1999, the guides on its seminannual expeditions -- from Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano to the Himalayas' Mount Everest -- have regularly posted journal entries online from on high, detailing the travails of their excursions for anyone who wants to read about them. "Eighteen hours of snowfall make Camp 2 a living hell," reads one E-mail entry sent from an Everest trek last year. Notes another from the same climb: "Most of us picked up on news from passing climbers that someone had taken a fatal fall somewhere between steps 1 and 2, a somber note to close the day on."
That Earth Treks' revenues have nearly doubled over the past two years isn't surprising, given that the company has matched its marketing efforts to its customers' mind-set. People who are into climbing are fascinated by the challenge and the exhilaration of the endeavor. They are also drawn to communities of like-minded individuals. By inviting its Internet audience along on its adventures, Earth Treks not only generates a sense of camaraderie online but also creates the perception -- among both serious mountaineers and hobbyists -- that the company gets it.
Moreover, Earth Treks has built into its marketing strategy programs to cultivate its next generation of customers. With the aid of two Baltimore-area teachers, company founder Chris Warner recently started Shared Summits, an online program that enables local students, ages 6 to 18, to follow his staff's adventures while earning academic credit. In addition to learning about different cultures, geography, leadership, and teamwork as expeditions unfold, students can also E-mail the climbers, view digital photos, and check out real-time videos of the trip, shot by guides and streamed by satellite with the help of partners that provide IT and financial support. What's the question that students most often ask Warner in their E-mails? "How do you go the bathroom up there?" he says, laughing. (The answer: using suits with front-to-back zippers for easy access.)
________________________________________
Earth Treks invites visitors on adventures both outside its walls, in the Himalayas, and on them, at its indoor-climbing center in Columbia, Md.
________________________________________
Warner says that the program has received "tremendous response" from current customers and from the community at large, in the form of coverage in local media such as the Baltimore Sun. For example, on Warner's last trip to Mount Everest -- a successful attempt to reach its peak in May -- the CEO received 483 E-mails from children in suburban and urban middle schools. And largely as a result of the media exposure, 50,000 visitors logged on to the site on the day that he reached the top. Of those visitors, 20,000 have signed up to be notified automatically whenever Earth Treks posts new journal entries.
Sales are soaring, too; they reached $1.4 million in 2000. The company is fielding a record number of inquiries from people who want to scale the world's highest mountaintops, and revenues for the indoor climbing center have jumped by nearly 40%. Among the new customers are families hosting their children's birthday parties at Earth Treks and youngsters signing up for the Youth Rox climbing program, in which kids age 10 to 14 learn how to scale the gym's more basic mountains under the supervision of instructors.
Needless to say, Earth Treks has made back many times over the $3,000 it spent to launch its site and the $7,200 it spends a year on its Webmaster, Warner's sister-in-law.
Show me the money
Though dramatically different from Earth Treks' site in look and feel, FundAdvice ( www.fundadvice.com) is thriving for the same reason as its fellow Web Award winner: its marketing reflects the personality of its particular audience. The site, which is sponsored by 18-year-old Merriman Capital Management Inc., a $3-million Seattle-based investment-advisory firm, targets investors who are seeking financial advice from a dependable source.
Aware that investors are looking first for security, FundAdvice's top priority is to establish credibility. One way it does that is by providing a link to SoundInvesting.com, the online arm of a one-hour investing show that airs in Seattle on Sundays and often features commentary from Paul Merriman, Merriman Capital's president. After downloading the appropriate streaming-media software, visitors not only can hear audio clips from the most recent program but also can tap into an archive of the shows that have aired during the past five months. Another way the site establishes credibility is through links to some of Paul Merriman's distinctions, including press awards that FundAdvice has garnered and mentions of the high-profile publications that have quoted the president (nine), the national TV shows on which he's appeared (five), and the three investing videos he's produced.
FundAdvice also works to tackle the mystery of how money managers actually manage money -- an issue that often goes unaddressed, to the frustration of many investors. Specifically, the site gives visitors an overview of Merriman Capital's investing philosophy by providing them with five "model portfolios" that the company, which manages more than $300 million in assets, has designed. Based on algorithms devised in part by Merriman himself, each model is aimed at a different type of investor, ranging from the conservative to the aggressive. The algorithms anticipate how the market will change based on past movements that seem likely to persist. Accordingly, two to four times a year, the company shifts its clients' portfolios among the funds that it believes will optimize their returns.
Perhaps most startling about FundAdvice, however, is its glaring honesty. Any number of Web sites offer advice for novice investors. What distinguishes FundAdvice is the forthrightness with which it addresses topics that beginners are eager to learn about but are often shy about broaching -- topics like "How can I save myself from taxes?" and "Do dividends increase my 401(k)?" Other links connect to the more than 100 articles Merriman has written about investing and to outside sources, including Amazon.com, U.S. stock exchanges, and -- surprisingly -- Hoover's Online, Lipper, and other financial-information providers. "I'm happy to provide our visitors with whatever information they need," says Merriman of the rationale behind giving visitors a gateway to other financial sites. "The reality is that even after you show people how to do something, they're still likely to ask you for help."
In fact, since its launch in 1998, FundAdvice has enticed 25,000 people to sign up for a monthly E-mail newsletter concerning the site and its themes, Merriman says. "It's like getting to propagate your name to 25,000 people monthly and make money on the deal," observes Larry Chase, publisher of E-mail newsletter Web Digest for Marketers. "It costs $1 per 1,000 E-mails, roughly," says Chase of the cost to send Web Digest to 175,000 E-mail boxes monthly. "For lead generation and prospect conversion, you can't beat it. If you aren't making money, you're at least reducing your costs in getting your name out."
Merriman Capital has the good fortune to be making money off the effort. Launching FundAdvice cost just $2,000, and annual expenses -- including Webmaster's compensation, promotional costs, and hosting charges -- come to some $100,000. But the site has already brought in assets of $40 million, says Merriman, and revenues have jumped by 23%. Of the 583 prospects who contacted Merriman Capital in the first half of 2001, he says, 251 came from the Internet, and 147 of those became clients.
Different strokes
The marketing philosophies of Earth Treks and FundAdvice may be similar, but how they play out couldn't be more different. At Earth Treks, where community is key, Warner must constantly update the content to give people a reason to come back. At FundAdvice, where stability is paramount, Merriman concentrates on arming visitors with the kind of sturdy information that will lead them to entrust their assets to the company. "We aren't as interested in getting people to come back on a daily basis," Merriman says. "We want the site instead to be instructive."
Through their divergent approaches, the two companies reach a common ground: both ultimately inspire confidence in the public. As Web Awards judge Marcia Yudkin observes, "At both sites, the links work, the layouts are attractive, and everything about the sites functions the way it is supposed to, which isn't true of many sites."
The proof is in the payback that both companies are seeing. And it's not on just the financial level. "Of the feedback we get, many people say they see us as honest presenters of information," says Merriman. "It's a good feeling." Warner voices similar sentiments. "Putting myself in the shoes of a 12-year-old student and understanding what gets him or her excited? That's powerful."
Using a formidable sense of their customers, Earth Treks and Merriman Capital keep their visitors coming back for more.
Most people can only imagine what an attempt to reach Mount Everest's 29,035-foot summit is like: laboring to find oxygen, battling snow blindness, tunneling through 60-mile-an-hour winds. But a climbing center and professional-guide service based in Columbia, Md., is doing everything it can to bring the experience home.
Since 11-year-old Earth Treks Inc. ( www.earthtreksclimbing.com) launched its Web site, in 1999, the guides on its seminannual expeditions -- from Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano to the Himalayas' Mount Everest -- have regularly posted journal entries online from on high, detailing the travails of their excursions for anyone who wants to read about them. "Eighteen hours of snowfall make Camp 2 a living hell," reads one E-mail entry sent from an Everest trek last year. Notes another from the same climb: "Most of us picked up on news from passing climbers that someone had taken a fatal fall somewhere between steps 1 and 2, a somber note to close the day on."
That Earth Treks' revenues have nearly doubled over the past two years isn't surprising, given that the company has matched its marketing efforts to its customers' mind-set. People who are into climbing are fascinated by the challenge and the exhilaration of the endeavor. They are also drawn to communities of like-minded individuals. By inviting its Internet audience along on its adventures, Earth Treks not only generates a sense of camaraderie online but also creates the perception -- among both serious mountaineers and hobbyists -- that the company gets it.
Moreover, Earth Treks has built into its marketing strategy programs to cultivate its next generation of customers. With the aid of two Baltimore-area teachers, company founder Chris Warner recently started Shared Summits, an online program that enables local students, ages 6 to 18, to follow his staff's adventures while earning academic credit. In addition to learning about different cultures, geography, leadership, and teamwork as expeditions unfold, students can also E-mail the climbers, view digital photos, and check out real-time videos of the trip, shot by guides and streamed by satellite with the help of partners that provide IT and financial support. What's the question that students most often ask Warner in their E-mails? "How do you go the bathroom up there?" he says, laughing. (The answer: using suits with front-to-back zippers for easy access.)
________________________________________
Earth Treks invites visitors on adventures both outside its walls, in the Himalayas, and on them, at its indoor-climbing center in Columbia, Md.
________________________________________
Warner says that the program has received "tremendous response" from current customers and from the community at large, in the form of coverage in local media such as the Baltimore Sun. For example, on Warner's last trip to Mount Everest -- a successful attempt to reach its peak in May -- the CEO received 483 E-mails from children in suburban and urban middle schools. And largely as a result of the media exposure, 50,000 visitors logged on to the site on the day that he reached the top. Of those visitors, 20,000 have signed up to be notified automatically whenever Earth Treks posts new journal entries.
Sales are soaring, too; they reached $1.4 million in 2000. The company is fielding a record number of inquiries from people who want to scale the world's highest mountaintops, and revenues for the indoor climbing center have jumped by nearly 40%. Among the new customers are families hosting their children's birthday parties at Earth Treks and youngsters signing up for the Youth Rox climbing program, in which kids age 10 to 14 learn how to scale the gym's more basic mountains under the supervision of instructors.
Needless to say, Earth Treks has made back many times over the $3,000 it spent to launch its site and the $7,200 it spends a year on its Webmaster, Warner's sister-in-law.
Show me the money
Though dramatically different from Earth Treks' site in look and feel, FundAdvice ( www.fundadvice.com) is thriving for the same reason as its fellow Web Award winner: its marketing reflects the personality of its particular audience. The site, which is sponsored by 18-year-old Merriman Capital Management Inc., a $3-million Seattle-based investment-advisory firm, targets investors who are seeking financial advice from a dependable source.
Aware that investors are looking first for security, FundAdvice's top priority is to establish credibility. One way it does that is by providing a link to SoundInvesting.com, the online arm of a one-hour investing show that airs in Seattle on Sundays and often features commentary from Paul Merriman, Merriman Capital's president. After downloading the appropriate streaming-media software, visitors not only can hear audio clips from the most recent program but also can tap into an archive of the shows that have aired during the past five months. Another way the site establishes credibility is through links to some of Paul Merriman's distinctions, including press awards that FundAdvice has garnered and mentions of the high-profile publications that have quoted the president (nine), the national TV shows on which he's appeared (five), and the three investing videos he's produced.
FundAdvice also works to tackle the mystery of how money managers actually manage money -- an issue that often goes unaddressed, to the frustration of many investors. Specifically, the site gives visitors an overview of Merriman Capital's investing philosophy by providing them with five "model portfolios" that the company, which manages more than $300 million in assets, has designed. Based on algorithms devised in part by Merriman himself, each model is aimed at a different type of investor, ranging from the conservative to the aggressive. The algorithms anticipate how the market will change based on past movements that seem likely to persist. Accordingly, two to four times a year, the company shifts its clients' portfolios among the funds that it believes will optimize their returns.
Perhaps most startling about FundAdvice, however, is its glaring honesty. Any number of Web sites offer advice for novice investors. What distinguishes FundAdvice is the forthrightness with which it addresses topics that beginners are eager to learn about but are often shy about broaching -- topics like "How can I save myself from taxes?" and "Do dividends increase my 401(k)?" Other links connect to the more than 100 articles Merriman has written about investing and to outside sources, including Amazon.com, U.S. stock exchanges, and -- surprisingly -- Hoover's Online, Lipper, and other financial-information providers. "I'm happy to provide our visitors with whatever information they need," says Merriman of the rationale behind giving visitors a gateway to other financial sites. "The reality is that even after you show people how to do something, they're still likely to ask you for help."
In fact, since its launch in 1998, FundAdvice has enticed 25,000 people to sign up for a monthly E-mail newsletter concerning the site and its themes, Merriman says. "It's like getting to propagate your name to 25,000 people monthly and make money on the deal," observes Larry Chase, publisher of E-mail newsletter Web Digest for Marketers. "It costs $1 per 1,000 E-mails, roughly," says Chase of the cost to send Web Digest to 175,000 E-mail boxes monthly. "For lead generation and prospect conversion, you can't beat it. If you aren't making money, you're at least reducing your costs in getting your name out."
Merriman Capital has the good fortune to be making money off the effort. Launching FundAdvice cost just $2,000, and annual expenses -- including Webmaster's compensation, promotional costs, and hosting charges -- come to some $100,000. But the site has already brought in assets of $40 million, says Merriman, and revenues have jumped by 23%. Of the 583 prospects who contacted Merriman Capital in the first half of 2001, he says, 251 came from the Internet, and 147 of those became clients.
Different strokes
The marketing philosophies of Earth Treks and FundAdvice may be similar, but how they play out couldn't be more different. At Earth Treks, where community is key, Warner must constantly update the content to give people a reason to come back. At FundAdvice, where stability is paramount, Merriman concentrates on arming visitors with the kind of sturdy information that will lead them to entrust their assets to the company. "We aren't as interested in getting people to come back on a daily basis," Merriman says. "We want the site instead to be instructive."
Through their divergent approaches, the two companies reach a common ground: both ultimately inspire confidence in the public. As Web Awards judge Marcia Yudkin observes, "At both sites, the links work, the layouts are attractive, and everything about the sites functions the way it is supposed to, which isn't true of many sites."
The proof is in the payback that both companies are seeing. And it's not on just the financial level. "Of the feedback we get, many people say they see us as honest presenters of information," says Merriman. "It's a good feeling." Warner voices similar sentiments. "Putting myself in the shoes of a 12-year-old student and understanding what gets him or her excited? That's powerful."
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Proofread Your Content
Spelling errors and other mistakes can diminish your credibility and turn off potential customers, leading to costly customer service problems. Proofread everything you publish to ensure professional, organized content. This checklist covers strategies, tools, and tips for improving your proofreading accuracy and speed.
Double-check your spell checker
Spell checking utilities have been a standard word processing feature for years, and many users find them helpful. Still, avoid the tendency to rely too much on automated spell checking, especially when producing important business materials for the public. Three particular problems often foul up with spell checking software:
• New, foreign, and other unfamiliar words
The Internet generates new words and jargon every week, and most of them won't pass the spell checker regardless of whether they are correct. Don't just ignore them, check your spelling against Web sites, newspapers, and other sources that use these words. If you plan to use them often, add them to your computer's spell check function. (In Microsoft Word, right-click on the word and select
• False friends - right spelling for the wrong word
Visually proofread for incorrect words spelled correctly. For example, a simple error like typing "though" instead of "thought" will fool the spell checker, but not your audience.
• Words your spell checker can't see
Don't forget to proofread the text in your graphics and illustrations. Because images are eye-catching - that's probably why you've installed them - any blunders you make will attract a lot of attention.
Check grammar and usage
Grammar checking utilities, like the one in Word, are much less reliable than spell checkers, so be sure to proofread for grammatical errors, incorrect word choice, and other writing gaffes. Here are several online references for English grammar and language use:
• The Slot -- A Spot for Copy Editors
Tips, tools, and other resources for copy editors. A useful site for anyone striving after quality grammar, usage, and style in their writing.
• Kanten Communications International Writing Guide -- Questions and Answers for Writers
Do you have questions regarding correct grammar, usage, or writing style? This extensive index of writing questions and answers may help.
• University of Victoria Writer's Guide
Exhaustive guide to correct English grammar and usage. Includes recent updates on writing and citing for Internet materials.
Create and use a style guide
Some language problems don't have a single correct solution. How will you decide between e-commerce and ecommerce, or e-mail and email? These are easy decisions to make on the fly, but remembering your previous decisions can be more difficult. Your style guide doesn't need to be epic-length; often just two or three pages covering common language issues will help you maintain a professional writing style throughout your site. Here are a few links to more extensive style and editing manuals to build from:
• San Francisco State -- Editorial Style Manual
Useful overview of proper usage and style guidelines for staff, students, and faculty at San Francisco State University.
• Penn State -- Editorial Style Manual
Another student style guide, this time from Penn State. You can probably ignore their guidelines on formatting Ph.D. dissertations.
Review with your audience in mind
Think about your target audience; who would you like to reach with your content? Who else might be interested? Make sure your content meets two requirements:
• Reach those you want to reach
Are you using slang or technical jargon that might confuse your readers? Do you use any geographical or cultural references that might not be familiar? For example, not everyone would guess that "fifty bucks" means $50 (US). Choose words, images, and other communication devices that your audience will understand and accept. Be especially careful when handling religious and cultural issues.
• Prepare for unexpected visitors
Visitors other than your intended audience may find your content as well. Could this raise any problems? If your content is intended for adults, what might children experience? You don't need to avoid all controversy and offensive material, but make sure you've considered the possible consequences of what you publish.
Use four strategies to proofread your content
Sometimes one proofreading isn't enough. Here are four ways used by educators and editors to ferret out holes and flaws: You'll be surprised at how different reading situations highlight different problems.
• View your content the way your audience will view your content
In the case of web content, that means viewing your content inside a browser. Is the text readable? Too long to read on a monitor?
• Proof the old-fashioned way -- print a copy
Computers provide content creators with a variety of tools and shortcuts, but experienced editors still know that proofreading on a computer leads to more mistakes. Print a hard copy of your content and use a red pen to double-check your work.
• Read your writing aloud
Embarrassing? Find a quiet room. Research in education has demonstrated that reading a written piece out loud is an extremely effective way to catch "camouflaged" style errors -- repetitive word use, uneven flow, and confusing sentence structure. Reading your text aloud will not only help you check for mechanical errors, but will help you write with style.
• Read the page backwards
Start from the last word on the page and read backwards. This prevents your proofreading from becoming distracted by the content of the sentence.
Be an active editor
Don't scan or browse your work, get involved. Touch every word with the pen. Make a lot of comments, marks, and drawings, if necessary. Editing is an exercise in focus, so do what it takes to keep your focus on your content. You can find the most commonly used proofreading marks here:
• Proofreading and Editing Marks
Have two other people check everything again
It's almost inevitable that you'll become too focused on the project and too attached to the content to see your work the way your audience will. Recruit other proofreaders to bring fresh and different perspectives to the task. Remember two things:
• Make sure they can be honest with you
If you can't accept constructive criticism, your content will suffer. Decide which is more important: publishing good content or protecting your ego. If necessary, have them review your content out of your presence.
• Remember who is in charge
Not every critique is valid, and you can't please everyone all of the time. Take suggestions and comments with an open mind, but remember that ultimately editing decisions belong to you.
If you have time, put the project aside for a week
If you're not under a tight deadline, try putting the content away for a week. When you pick it up again, you'll have a more objective perspective and your ability to spot problems and mistakes will improve.
Double-check your spell checker
Spell checking utilities have been a standard word processing feature for years, and many users find them helpful. Still, avoid the tendency to rely too much on automated spell checking, especially when producing important business materials for the public. Three particular problems often foul up with spell checking software:
• New, foreign, and other unfamiliar words
The Internet generates new words and jargon every week, and most of them won't pass the spell checker regardless of whether they are correct. Don't just ignore them, check your spelling against Web sites, newspapers, and other sources that use these words. If you plan to use them often, add them to your computer's spell check function. (In Microsoft Word, right-click on the word and select
• False friends - right spelling for the wrong word
Visually proofread for incorrect words spelled correctly. For example, a simple error like typing "though" instead of "thought" will fool the spell checker, but not your audience.
• Words your spell checker can't see
Don't forget to proofread the text in your graphics and illustrations. Because images are eye-catching - that's probably why you've installed them - any blunders you make will attract a lot of attention.
Check grammar and usage
Grammar checking utilities, like the one in Word, are much less reliable than spell checkers, so be sure to proofread for grammatical errors, incorrect word choice, and other writing gaffes. Here are several online references for English grammar and language use:
• The Slot -- A Spot for Copy Editors
Tips, tools, and other resources for copy editors. A useful site for anyone striving after quality grammar, usage, and style in their writing.
• Kanten Communications International Writing Guide -- Questions and Answers for Writers
Do you have questions regarding correct grammar, usage, or writing style? This extensive index of writing questions and answers may help.
• University of Victoria Writer's Guide
Exhaustive guide to correct English grammar and usage. Includes recent updates on writing and citing for Internet materials.
Create and use a style guide
Some language problems don't have a single correct solution. How will you decide between e-commerce and ecommerce, or e-mail and email? These are easy decisions to make on the fly, but remembering your previous decisions can be more difficult. Your style guide doesn't need to be epic-length; often just two or three pages covering common language issues will help you maintain a professional writing style throughout your site. Here are a few links to more extensive style and editing manuals to build from:
• San Francisco State -- Editorial Style Manual
Useful overview of proper usage and style guidelines for staff, students, and faculty at San Francisco State University.
• Penn State -- Editorial Style Manual
Another student style guide, this time from Penn State. You can probably ignore their guidelines on formatting Ph.D. dissertations.
Review with your audience in mind
Think about your target audience; who would you like to reach with your content? Who else might be interested? Make sure your content meets two requirements:
• Reach those you want to reach
Are you using slang or technical jargon that might confuse your readers? Do you use any geographical or cultural references that might not be familiar? For example, not everyone would guess that "fifty bucks" means $50 (US). Choose words, images, and other communication devices that your audience will understand and accept. Be especially careful when handling religious and cultural issues.
• Prepare for unexpected visitors
Visitors other than your intended audience may find your content as well. Could this raise any problems? If your content is intended for adults, what might children experience? You don't need to avoid all controversy and offensive material, but make sure you've considered the possible consequences of what you publish.
Use four strategies to proofread your content
Sometimes one proofreading isn't enough. Here are four ways used by educators and editors to ferret out holes and flaws: You'll be surprised at how different reading situations highlight different problems.
• View your content the way your audience will view your content
In the case of web content, that means viewing your content inside a browser. Is the text readable? Too long to read on a monitor?
• Proof the old-fashioned way -- print a copy
Computers provide content creators with a variety of tools and shortcuts, but experienced editors still know that proofreading on a computer leads to more mistakes. Print a hard copy of your content and use a red pen to double-check your work.
• Read your writing aloud
Embarrassing? Find a quiet room. Research in education has demonstrated that reading a written piece out loud is an extremely effective way to catch "camouflaged" style errors -- repetitive word use, uneven flow, and confusing sentence structure. Reading your text aloud will not only help you check for mechanical errors, but will help you write with style.
• Read the page backwards
Start from the last word on the page and read backwards. This prevents your proofreading from becoming distracted by the content of the sentence.
Be an active editor
Don't scan or browse your work, get involved. Touch every word with the pen. Make a lot of comments, marks, and drawings, if necessary. Editing is an exercise in focus, so do what it takes to keep your focus on your content. You can find the most commonly used proofreading marks here:
• Proofreading and Editing Marks
Have two other people check everything again
It's almost inevitable that you'll become too focused on the project and too attached to the content to see your work the way your audience will. Recruit other proofreaders to bring fresh and different perspectives to the task. Remember two things:
• Make sure they can be honest with you
If you can't accept constructive criticism, your content will suffer. Decide which is more important: publishing good content or protecting your ego. If necessary, have them review your content out of your presence.
• Remember who is in charge
Not every critique is valid, and you can't please everyone all of the time. Take suggestions and comments with an open mind, but remember that ultimately editing decisions belong to you.
If you have time, put the project aside for a week
If you're not under a tight deadline, try putting the content away for a week. When you pick it up again, you'll have a more objective perspective and your ability to spot problems and mistakes will improve.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
How to Choose In-House Blogging Software
Small businesses starting an in-house blog are bombarded by choices. Picking the right technology depends how comfortable you are hosting software, among other factors.
The biggest step in creating an in-house blog is deciding how you’ll use it. But once you’re over that hurdle, you’ve still got to wade through all the available options to find a technology platform that’s right for your business. Should you license software and run it in house, or sign up for a hosted service? Is open-source software the way to go or would proprietary tools be a safer choice?
What to consider
The right answer will depend on an individual company’s needs and desires, according to social-media industry experts. When evaluating blogging software, small and mid-sized businesses need to consider their budget, in-house technical skills, how much use a blog will get and how large it could grow, says Paul Gillin a new media consultant and author of The New Influencers. In addition, Gillin and other industry experts suggest that companies consider:
• Location -- The biggest decision a company has to make is whether to host a blog in-house or use a Web-based service. There’s nothing inherently better about running blog software in-house, it’s more a question of corporate policy, the type of information that’ll appear on the blog, and whether a company has employees who can maintain the hardware and software, according to Anil Dash, vice president of evangelism for Six Apart, maker of Moveable Typeand TypePad blogging software. “It really has to do with your desire for control,” he says.
• Portability -- The day may come when a company wants or needs to switch vendors, so make sure you create can be easily exported to a new platform, says Lee Huang, head of the New York City chapter of the Internet Strategy Forum and former digital strategy director at Nielsen Business Media.
• Customization -- If you opt for a hosted service, find out how much you can customize it to suit your special needs and if additional plug-in functions are available.
• Vendor expertise -- The biggest vendors of blogging software aren’t necessarily the ones with the most experience, according to the experts. Evaluate vendors by looking at their track record, customer base, support from developers, and the type of training and support that’s available directly or through developers and other users.
• Simplicity -- “Any kind of technology gets left behind if people find it too hard to use,” says Dash, of Six Apart.
SIDEBAR: Blogging Software Vendors
Blog technology comes in as many flavors as ice cream. Some of the better known technology providers are:
• WordPress -- This free, open-source blogging software from WordPress.org can be hosted on any computer server running PHP version 4.2 or later or MySQL version 4.0 or later. WordPress.com is a website that hosts free blogs written in WordPress.
• Blogger -- The latest version of the free, Web-based blog service fromGoogle supports multiple authors, allowing for group blogs.
• Movable Type and TypePad -- Movable Type is Six Apart’s blog publishing platform. Prices for the MT Enterprise Solution start at $295 for a five-user license. In December 2007, SixApart introduced the beta version of a free, open-source version of Movable Type called MTOS 4.1. TypePad is Six Apart’s free, Web-based blog service that’s based on Movable Type’s publishing platform.
• Joomla -- Version 1.5 of this free, open-source content management system (CMS) debuted in January and includes blog software along with forums and chat software and many other features.
• b2evolution -- This free, open source CMS supports multiple blogs, news feeds and other social-media features, and runs on Web servers with PHP and MySQL.
• Roller -- Version 4.0 of this Java-based, open-source blog software from Apache Software Foundation debuted in December 2007 and includes upgrades such as custom blog themes.
• Blogtronix -- This enterprise-level integrated social media platform can be used to create text, audio and video blogs, plus wikis, RSS, and networked communities on Microsoft’s .Net 2.0 platform. Blogtronix offers a free 25-user Express version with limited functions and paid support, and a 30-day free trial of its complete enterprise platform.
• SuiteTwo -- Another social-media platform bundle that includes technology for blogs, wikis and other applications from Intel, SpikeSource, Simplefeed, Moveable Type, and others. Prices for software only or a hosted version start at $990, and for a hardware/software suite at $2,495 for a 10-user license.
The biggest step in creating an in-house blog is deciding how you’ll use it. But once you’re over that hurdle, you’ve still got to wade through all the available options to find a technology platform that’s right for your business. Should you license software and run it in house, or sign up for a hosted service? Is open-source software the way to go or would proprietary tools be a safer choice?
What to consider
The right answer will depend on an individual company’s needs and desires, according to social-media industry experts. When evaluating blogging software, small and mid-sized businesses need to consider their budget, in-house technical skills, how much use a blog will get and how large it could grow, says Paul Gillin a new media consultant and author of The New Influencers. In addition, Gillin and other industry experts suggest that companies consider:
• Location -- The biggest decision a company has to make is whether to host a blog in-house or use a Web-based service. There’s nothing inherently better about running blog software in-house, it’s more a question of corporate policy, the type of information that’ll appear on the blog, and whether a company has employees who can maintain the hardware and software, according to Anil Dash, vice president of evangelism for Six Apart, maker of Moveable Typeand TypePad blogging software. “It really has to do with your desire for control,” he says.
• Portability -- The day may come when a company wants or needs to switch vendors, so make sure you create can be easily exported to a new platform, says Lee Huang, head of the New York City chapter of the Internet Strategy Forum and former digital strategy director at Nielsen Business Media.
• Customization -- If you opt for a hosted service, find out how much you can customize it to suit your special needs and if additional plug-in functions are available.
• Vendor expertise -- The biggest vendors of blogging software aren’t necessarily the ones with the most experience, according to the experts. Evaluate vendors by looking at their track record, customer base, support from developers, and the type of training and support that’s available directly or through developers and other users.
• Simplicity -- “Any kind of technology gets left behind if people find it too hard to use,” says Dash, of Six Apart.
SIDEBAR: Blogging Software Vendors
Blog technology comes in as many flavors as ice cream. Some of the better known technology providers are:
• WordPress -- This free, open-source blogging software from WordPress.org can be hosted on any computer server running PHP version 4.2 or later or MySQL version 4.0 or later. WordPress.com is a website that hosts free blogs written in WordPress.
• Blogger -- The latest version of the free, Web-based blog service fromGoogle supports multiple authors, allowing for group blogs.
• Movable Type and TypePad -- Movable Type is Six Apart’s blog publishing platform. Prices for the MT Enterprise Solution start at $295 for a five-user license. In December 2007, SixApart introduced the beta version of a free, open-source version of Movable Type called MTOS 4.1. TypePad is Six Apart’s free, Web-based blog service that’s based on Movable Type’s publishing platform.
• Joomla -- Version 1.5 of this free, open-source content management system (CMS) debuted in January and includes blog software along with forums and chat software and many other features.
• b2evolution -- This free, open source CMS supports multiple blogs, news feeds and other social-media features, and runs on Web servers with PHP and MySQL.
• Roller -- Version 4.0 of this Java-based, open-source blog software from Apache Software Foundation debuted in December 2007 and includes upgrades such as custom blog themes.
• Blogtronix -- This enterprise-level integrated social media platform can be used to create text, audio and video blogs, plus wikis, RSS, and networked communities on Microsoft’s .Net 2.0 platform. Blogtronix offers a free 25-user Express version with limited functions and paid support, and a 30-day free trial of its complete enterprise platform.
• SuiteTwo -- Another social-media platform bundle that includes technology for blogs, wikis and other applications from Intel, SpikeSource, Simplefeed, Moveable Type, and others. Prices for software only or a hosted version start at $990, and for a hardware/software suite at $2,495 for a 10-user license.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Top 10 Things You Should Know Before You Blog
Three business blogging experts share their best tips for getting started in the blogosphere.
It's been widely covered that weblogs are a viable way to build brand awareness and establish an individual's expertise in a particular area. "For a small business, [a weblog] is a perfect low-cost positioning-yourself-as-an-expert tool," notes Debbie Weil, the publisher of WordBizReport and Debbie's Blog, as well as author of an upcoming book on corporate blogging for Penguin Portfolio (2006). But what hasn't been covered is how to actually take the leap?
In essence, when you begin to blog, you're publishing your own work. You're making a statement to an enormous audience that will shine a spotlight on your company and your credibility as an expert. With so much at stake, building a weblog into your marketing arsenal can seem intimidating.
To help lessen the anxiety you might feel about blogging, we went out to three experts in the field to uncover the top 10 things you should know before you blog. These tips should help better prepare you for writing and maintaining a weblog for your business.
1. A weblog is a two-way conversation, not a top-down communication medium.
As a boss, you're in a natural leadership role -- generally, you talk and people associated with your company listen. When you're blogging, the dynamic is different. Your audience is infinitely larger, and the conversation you start will take on a life of its own. "You need to ask yourself, 'Am I willing to engage people without controlling the conversation in a top-down kind of way?'" says Paul Chaney, president of Radiant Marketing Group, a business blog consulting firm. Readers will build on your thoughts, and, gasp, may even criticize them. You need to be able to accept feedback in stride. Besides, a little criticism might lead to a topic you might want to discuss in a future posting. Even better, it could lead to such tangible outcomes as better solutions, products, and strategies for your business.
2. It takes time to blog, maybe more than you're willing to devote.
Consistency and frequency are the keys to building an audience on the Web. If you're using a weblog to build brand recognition or establish yourself as an expert, you need to be sure that you're blogging frequently. "I advise business owners to blog at least twice a week," says Anita Campbell, a former CEO and editor of the daily blog Small Business Trends. "If you don't do it at least twice a week, the blog can quickly look stale," she adds. This is not to say you have to sit down to write 500-word posts two or three times a week. "Better a couple of sentences three times a week than one blog a week," suggests Weil.
3. Find out what others are saying about you and your business.
Get a head start on your weblog by first discovering what others, maybe even competitors, are saying about your industry, your business, even you. "Get the pulse of what is being said to determine whether you can speak to that particular issue or put forth a message that can set you apart," suggest Chaney. "If you're in a competitive space where other companies are blogging, you can monitor that and then come up with a strategy that's more intelligent than just throwing stuff out there," he adds. Chaney suggests using blogpulse to search the most up-to-date listings of weblog postings about your company and industry.
4. Yes, you do need to be able to write.
But you don't have to be Ernest Hemingway. "If you can write a coherent e-mail, you can write a blog entry," Weil says. Pay attention to proper grammar -- you don't want to sound illiterate, and try to have fun with it. "The writing style should be informal, as if you're speaking to someone in an e-mail," Weil suggests. And if you don't feel like you have a distinctive voice, just give it some time. It will emerge eventually.
5. Practice can make perfect. Or, at least make you more comfortable with blogging.
Some owners might shudder at the thought of writing so publicly. But it doesn't have to be "show time" right out of the gate. You can experiment before you go public. Put comments on others' weblogs or do a weblog behind the scenes. "Open up a Typepad account, use it for free, and don't make it public," suggests Weil. Keep it private for a while or put it behind a firewall. "Get at least ten entries in there and have colleagues comment on them," she adds. Feedback from people you trust can help build your confidence. Likewise, the exercise could reveal you just don't like doing it. Better to learn this now rather than after you've made your blog intentions public.
6. Some topics are verboten.
Remember, you're blogging for your business, so stay away from anything that could throw prospective and current customers into a tirade. Campbell generally advises against blogging about the following topics: sex, race/ethnic bias, religion, politics, and too much patriotism. The patriotism one is especially sensitive because of the global nature of the Internet, according to Campbell. "Anyone can come to your website from any country," reminds Campbell. "While you can be patriotic, you don't want to do it at the expense of someone else's nationality."
7. Be sure to know your keywords.
Blogs can help customers find your business when they are searching on Google or other sites. Therefore, it's important to know: What words do customers most often use to find you via the search engines? What words show up in competitor or industry blogs on a regular basis that help place them high in Google's index? Knowing which words to drop into your posts on a regular basis will help boost your search rankings. "Small businesses get more search engine benefit from blogs than larger businesses," Campbell says. After all, your marketing budget probably is a fraction of what GE will spend this year. Writing frequently and dropping keywords into your posts to help boost your search standings can go a long way for a business owner on a tight marketing budget. But don't overdo it. Readers will see right through any obvious attempts at self-promotion.
8. It will take longer than you think to build awareness -- and a following.
Don't expect your weblog to be an instant hit. Traffic to it and building a following will take a while to develop. "You will find you need to give at least a three- to six-month commitment, updating routinely [to get noticed]," Chaney says. And Weil suggests at least one year. Whether its three months or a year, you need to be committed for the long haul, regardless of feedback, or lack thereof, from readers. "You're not going to be found after a couple of weeks," says Weil. It will take at least several months before the major search engines and other bloggers and websites find you.
9. Know your confidentiality limits. "Don't write anything you don't want your competition to know about," Campbell says. When you're blogging, it's easy to get caught in the moment and share your coolest ideas and best strategies. But you need to think of your weblog as any other writing communication you do for your business. Before you write, ask yourself whether your topic will compromise your position in the market, or compromise your position as leader of your company. If an employee or competitor shouldn't hear it, then it shouldn't be in your weblog.
10. Know why you're blogging.
Sounds like common sense, but stating why you've decided to start a weblog can quickly put into perspective what you expect to get from it. "You shouldn't be doing it just because it's the latest trend," Chaney says. You need to determine how the weblog will serve your organization: Will its primary purpose be to build brand awareness? Do you want to establish yourself as an expert in a field to better highlight your company's expertise? Will it be used to simply alert people to company news and information? Are you more interested in using it as an internal vehicle for updating employees? Knowing what you're setting out to do with your weblog will help define what you'll write about -- and keep you focused on your primary effort.
Once you know the ropes, blogging is easy -- and fun. It's an opportunity for you to establish meaningful conversations with potential and existing customers. And it offers you a instant platform to share your knowledge and expertise with the world at large.
It's been widely covered that weblogs are a viable way to build brand awareness and establish an individual's expertise in a particular area. "For a small business, [a weblog] is a perfect low-cost positioning-yourself-as-an-expert tool," notes Debbie Weil, the publisher of WordBizReport and Debbie's Blog, as well as author of an upcoming book on corporate blogging for Penguin Portfolio (2006). But what hasn't been covered is how to actually take the leap?
In essence, when you begin to blog, you're publishing your own work. You're making a statement to an enormous audience that will shine a spotlight on your company and your credibility as an expert. With so much at stake, building a weblog into your marketing arsenal can seem intimidating.
To help lessen the anxiety you might feel about blogging, we went out to three experts in the field to uncover the top 10 things you should know before you blog. These tips should help better prepare you for writing and maintaining a weblog for your business.
1. A weblog is a two-way conversation, not a top-down communication medium.
As a boss, you're in a natural leadership role -- generally, you talk and people associated with your company listen. When you're blogging, the dynamic is different. Your audience is infinitely larger, and the conversation you start will take on a life of its own. "You need to ask yourself, 'Am I willing to engage people without controlling the conversation in a top-down kind of way?'" says Paul Chaney, president of Radiant Marketing Group, a business blog consulting firm. Readers will build on your thoughts, and, gasp, may even criticize them. You need to be able to accept feedback in stride. Besides, a little criticism might lead to a topic you might want to discuss in a future posting. Even better, it could lead to such tangible outcomes as better solutions, products, and strategies for your business.
2. It takes time to blog, maybe more than you're willing to devote.
Consistency and frequency are the keys to building an audience on the Web. If you're using a weblog to build brand recognition or establish yourself as an expert, you need to be sure that you're blogging frequently. "I advise business owners to blog at least twice a week," says Anita Campbell, a former CEO and editor of the daily blog Small Business Trends. "If you don't do it at least twice a week, the blog can quickly look stale," she adds. This is not to say you have to sit down to write 500-word posts two or three times a week. "Better a couple of sentences three times a week than one blog a week," suggests Weil.
3. Find out what others are saying about you and your business.
Get a head start on your weblog by first discovering what others, maybe even competitors, are saying about your industry, your business, even you. "Get the pulse of what is being said to determine whether you can speak to that particular issue or put forth a message that can set you apart," suggest Chaney. "If you're in a competitive space where other companies are blogging, you can monitor that and then come up with a strategy that's more intelligent than just throwing stuff out there," he adds. Chaney suggests using blogpulse to search the most up-to-date listings of weblog postings about your company and industry.
4. Yes, you do need to be able to write.
But you don't have to be Ernest Hemingway. "If you can write a coherent e-mail, you can write a blog entry," Weil says. Pay attention to proper grammar -- you don't want to sound illiterate, and try to have fun with it. "The writing style should be informal, as if you're speaking to someone in an e-mail," Weil suggests. And if you don't feel like you have a distinctive voice, just give it some time. It will emerge eventually.
5. Practice can make perfect. Or, at least make you more comfortable with blogging.
Some owners might shudder at the thought of writing so publicly. But it doesn't have to be "show time" right out of the gate. You can experiment before you go public. Put comments on others' weblogs or do a weblog behind the scenes. "Open up a Typepad account, use it for free, and don't make it public," suggests Weil. Keep it private for a while or put it behind a firewall. "Get at least ten entries in there and have colleagues comment on them," she adds. Feedback from people you trust can help build your confidence. Likewise, the exercise could reveal you just don't like doing it. Better to learn this now rather than after you've made your blog intentions public.
6. Some topics are verboten.
Remember, you're blogging for your business, so stay away from anything that could throw prospective and current customers into a tirade. Campbell generally advises against blogging about the following topics: sex, race/ethnic bias, religion, politics, and too much patriotism. The patriotism one is especially sensitive because of the global nature of the Internet, according to Campbell. "Anyone can come to your website from any country," reminds Campbell. "While you can be patriotic, you don't want to do it at the expense of someone else's nationality."
7. Be sure to know your keywords.
Blogs can help customers find your business when they are searching on Google or other sites. Therefore, it's important to know: What words do customers most often use to find you via the search engines? What words show up in competitor or industry blogs on a regular basis that help place them high in Google's index? Knowing which words to drop into your posts on a regular basis will help boost your search rankings. "Small businesses get more search engine benefit from blogs than larger businesses," Campbell says. After all, your marketing budget probably is a fraction of what GE will spend this year. Writing frequently and dropping keywords into your posts to help boost your search standings can go a long way for a business owner on a tight marketing budget. But don't overdo it. Readers will see right through any obvious attempts at self-promotion.
8. It will take longer than you think to build awareness -- and a following.
Don't expect your weblog to be an instant hit. Traffic to it and building a following will take a while to develop. "You will find you need to give at least a three- to six-month commitment, updating routinely [to get noticed]," Chaney says. And Weil suggests at least one year. Whether its three months or a year, you need to be committed for the long haul, regardless of feedback, or lack thereof, from readers. "You're not going to be found after a couple of weeks," says Weil. It will take at least several months before the major search engines and other bloggers and websites find you.
9. Know your confidentiality limits. "Don't write anything you don't want your competition to know about," Campbell says. When you're blogging, it's easy to get caught in the moment and share your coolest ideas and best strategies. But you need to think of your weblog as any other writing communication you do for your business. Before you write, ask yourself whether your topic will compromise your position in the market, or compromise your position as leader of your company. If an employee or competitor shouldn't hear it, then it shouldn't be in your weblog.
10. Know why you're blogging.
Sounds like common sense, but stating why you've decided to start a weblog can quickly put into perspective what you expect to get from it. "You shouldn't be doing it just because it's the latest trend," Chaney says. You need to determine how the weblog will serve your organization: Will its primary purpose be to build brand awareness? Do you want to establish yourself as an expert in a field to better highlight your company's expertise? Will it be used to simply alert people to company news and information? Are you more interested in using it as an internal vehicle for updating employees? Knowing what you're setting out to do with your weblog will help define what you'll write about -- and keep you focused on your primary effort.
Once you know the ropes, blogging is easy -- and fun. It's an opportunity for you to establish meaningful conversations with potential and existing customers. And it offers you a instant platform to share your knowledge and expertise with the world at large.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Blog Rules
Blog Rules
The blogosphere is a world unto itself, with its own set of rules and regulations. Newcomers break them at their own peril. Here's what you need to know before jumping into the fray.
1. Bare it all
You don't have to give away trade secrets, but effective blogs require a certain amount of candor. There's nothing more boring than a blog that pulls its punches.
2. Update frequently
Content gets stale fast online, so refresh the blog at least three times a week, if not more often. And mind the spam in the comments section--business blogs get tons of it.
3. Be interactive
Encourage visitors to post comments. And join the conversation. Visitors to business blogs generally want one thing--to be heard by the business.
4. Stay cool
If commentators get nasty (and if your blog is any good, they will), don't go on the offensive. Engage them in conversation. And wait it out: There's always a new controversy around the corner.
The blogosphere is a world unto itself, with its own set of rules and regulations. Newcomers break them at their own peril. Here's what you need to know before jumping into the fray.
1. Bare it all
You don't have to give away trade secrets, but effective blogs require a certain amount of candor. There's nothing more boring than a blog that pulls its punches.
2. Update frequently
Content gets stale fast online, so refresh the blog at least three times a week, if not more often. And mind the spam in the comments section--business blogs get tons of it.
3. Be interactive
Encourage visitors to post comments. And join the conversation. Visitors to business blogs generally want one thing--to be heard by the business.
4. Stay cool
If commentators get nasty (and if your blog is any good, they will), don't go on the offensive. Engage them in conversation. And wait it out: There's always a new controversy around the corner.
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