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Top 10 Topics to Blog About

Ok, so you're blogging, or about to start. What do you write about every day?

Whatever your topic, let your readers know you're a human being. Don't let the PR department re-write all your posts and don't use jargon. Be conversational, but respect the rules of the language (please.)

While all your posts don't have to be original material, your view of any topic should be.

Top 10 Topics to Blog About

_ Provide information that helps your readers do their jobs.

_ Talk about the dumbass things people do in your industry.

_ Also write about the really smart things they do.

_ Respond to negative things that are said about you or your company – fast.

_ Share resources and links to other manufacturer's products and to services that are helpful to you in your work.

_ Report and comment on industry news.

_ Blog live from tradeshows, meetings, speeches and events whenever you can.

_ Write about which trades, websites, blogs are worth reading.

_ Review other blogs, explaining what you like and don't like about them.

_ Explain the features, good and bad, of services for bloggers that you've tried.

Types of Posts
There are three basic types of posts:
_ Original content-- articles you research and write
_ Aggregate and comment -- your comments on news, blog posts, articles, events that others already have written about
_ Interviews

Most bloggers write about 10 to 20 percent original content, then aggregate and comment on news and other content.

Experiment with long and short posts and link, link, link.

blogging, blog_writing

Categories: Blogging and Moblogging

BL Ochman | Jul 22 05 12:36 | TrackBack (2)

Comments

This is a very helpful post...Some of us corporate bloggers, however, need to tread lightly with some of these!

While I strive to be honest and casual (not too hard) as the voice of my company's blog, I have to be careful with my content. It would be difficult, for example, for me to review another blog because anything negative I post would reflect back on DigitalGrit as a whole. Ditto, believe it or not, for services, because you never know who the next partner might be.

It was one thing when I *was* my own company, and I was solely responsible for anything on my blog. Now I have to be a bit more cautious.

But heck, I'll be the first one to comment on stupid things people in our industry do - and the smart things, too!

Posted by: Aimee at July 22, 2005 4:49 PM

Your suggestions for what to write about provide some good starting points. I always thought that one should use their blog as an extension of what interests them. In many ways we are observers and participants in life simultaneously and there are many topics one can choose to put the light on, if they take the time to transfer the (sometimes) randomness of their thoughts to onto (virtual) paper.

I also believe that there are many people who have a great deal to offer in the way of there thinking but are a bit reticent to publish it, because of there perceived ideas of security and privacy which surround the internet. It is always good to have a healthy dose of skepticism, however, the reality it that marketing companies who collect your purchasing habits already more about you than anyone would get from a site in which you control the content.

My final point is that we are still in the “early adopter” stage in regard to personal web site/blogging. That is, it is less than 15% of all internet users are blogging. Over time, we see an expansion in the area and blogging will become (even) more mainstream. This will expand the number of topics which people write about and diversify the texture and artistry of the medium.

Posted by: John Kwarsick at July 24, 2005 5:14 PM

What's the next most important thing to do with your blog, other than provide helpful content? Use the various pinging services to let everyone know when you've added new content and attract people to your site.

Best,

Charlie Cook
www.marketingforsuccess.com

Posted by: Charlie Cook at July 25, 2005 8:35 AM

Charlie: indeed that is true, and I will be writing about how to build an audience in future posts. This one was about writing. It's the heart of the matter IMO.
BL

Posted by: BL at July 25, 2005 12:03 PM

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Top 10 Topics To Blog About from IF
BL Ochman provides some guidance to wannabe bloggers on her site What'sNext. She gives an overview of the type of posts you should consider and then lists ten subject areas to concentrate your efforts on. What'sNext... [Read More]

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B. L. Ochman: Top 10 Topics to Blog About from Blog, RSS and Podcast - Marketing Loop

B. L. Ochman of What's Next Blog wrote a good post about top 10 topics to blog about. Many people postpone starting their own blog because they wonder what to write about. If you follow her advices, lack of blog ideas would be part of the histo...

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About BL Ochman

Blogger, social media strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies, and sought-after corporate speaker B.L. Ochman heads the creative team of whatsnextonline.com. She also publishes the Ethics Crisis blog for SRF Global Translations

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