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Harold Mansfield
06-23-2010, 10:43 AM
One of the things that newspaper publishers are desperately trying to pull of is something called Hyperlocal blogs. Smaller niche market community blogs written by the members of the community, citizen reporters, and so on...over seen by company editors.

So far it hasn't taken off, but it is seen to be the next evolution.
I have also been trying to develop a platform based on this concept..actually, I would like to convert all of my new projects to this type of platform, but here is the problem as I see it..

1. There are still only a select few people that even remotely understand the back end of any major publishing platform like Wordpress

2. There are even less people that know how to write in a coherent manner following the simplest principles..Who , What, When , Where, Why and How.

3. Not enough people care about community issues to sustain any substantial contributions over along period of time.

Personally, I'm not thinking about community as it pertains to geographical locations, but more so as it pertains to industry.

So I'm curious what you thoughts are on community blogging and if you would use such a platform?

Do you think that something like this would appeal to people who occasionally have something to say, report or discuss, but really don't have an outlet to be a published writer/blogger, without starting their own?

Does it mean more to have your article published elsewhere, rather than your own blog?

What do you think it would take to get people interested in participating. How does it need to benefit them?

vangogh
06-23-2010, 11:55 AM
Do you think that something like this would appeal to people who occasionally have something to say, report or discuss, but really don't have an outlet to be a published writer/blogger, without starting their own?

In order to make it appealing to someone to be published on your site you have to first build the site into something appealing. It's a catch 22 since you can't build the community without something there to attract them and you need the community to build that thing that will attract them.

I think you'd have to first write the content on your own or hire people to write it. You'd have to be the citizen reporter and do all the things you eventually hope the community will do on your own at first. That would call attention to the site and get people reading and build an audience. In time you could open it up and let others do the blogging for you. I think it's a very hard sell in the beginning though.

KristineS
06-23-2010, 12:14 PM
I don't see it as being sustainable if people only occasionally have something to say. In order to make it a site that people will want to visit regularly, you have to have content that they will want to read, and that content has to be produced on a regular basis.

I'm also not sure that having your article published elsewhere really counts if it's still a blog that you started. It's not like a magazine article or something where they pay you for the writing. The site probably also won't be well known enough that there would be a prestige factor from seeing your name there. So, I don't see why being published on a site such as the one you're describing would be much more exciting than being published on your own blog.

Of course, I don't think I'm the target market for this kind of thing, so that may be skewing my view of it.

Harold Mansfield
06-23-2010, 01:12 PM
All good points that I ponder every hour of every day. However, I know that there is a sustainable platform in this somewhere.
The point is that you can have your own place to blog without having to have your own blog.
You are listed as an author, with your own bio and profile, and can respond to your own comments.

If it is organized into areas that are important to different user groups, then I think the content will flow and it will be beneficial to all kinds of writers.
Obviously people have something to say, or else Twitter, and Tumbler wouldn't be so popular.

For instance, if there were a place where others posted help articles about using Wordpress. It would be more beneficial for me to post an article there, in that hub of Wordpress information, than it would be on my own blog. (just an example)

Also, people do like to voice their opinions and expertise. Submitting editorials and articles to industry mags and websites is rarely about the money and more about the promotion. But obviously only a small percentage of people are ever actually published.

I have been thinking about this for a while, spawned from my music blog. I get far more press and promotional pieces and CD's t o review than I could ever possibly post..so for months I have been thinking..."How do I let promoters and managers post their own stuff ?" "How do I let readers post their own CD reviews, or share information?"

Yelp seems to work pretty well. People like sharing their reviews with others. so why not everything else?

I feel like I am on the cusp of it, but I'm missing the actual hook. It's catchy and has a nice beat, but you can't actually dance to it yet.

Spider
06-23-2010, 02:30 PM
I don't think I'm getting the concept yet, which suggests that at least a few other people in your target market aren't getting it, either.

On a geographical basis, local blogging is a non-starter for me. The most exciting thing that could happen in my neighborhood is that little Jimmy, three streets over, fell off his bicycle. Or maybe that the Smith residence was broken into, which is the first burglary for 10 months (and we've had nothing to talk about on such topics for the past 10 months!) Enquiring why President Obama fired General McChrystal seems to be far more important and more likely to draw interest, but is hardly local.

On a topic basis, I'm not sure how it would work. Do I want to blog in a community of other business coaches, for other coaches to read and comment on, or for potential clients to read and comment on? Or, is this community going to be for wouldn't-be clients who are looking for free stuff to help them in their business?

And how would this "coaches community" differ from SBF.net - a community of small business owners (including a consultant/coach or two of various disciplines) with whom I discuss business in general?

vangogh
06-23-2010, 02:35 PM
I think it's sustainable. To me the issue is attaining the critical mass in order to reach sustainability. I don't know that you can do that easily. That's where you have to be the one creating the content and promoting the site.


For instance, if there were a place where others posted help articles about using Wordpress. It would be more beneficial for me to post an article there, in that hub of Wordpress information, than it would be on my own blog.

More beneficial to you reading? What makes it more beneficial to the person writing the articles? Once it's reached that sustainable stage we can probably list all sorts of benefits to the person writing. Prior to that though where's the benefit to them?


Submitting editorials and articles to industry mags and websites is rarely about the money and more about the promotion

Again that only has value after you've built the site up and have a large enough readership.

Twitter is something different. It required more than one person to be useful so the first person wanting to try needs to enlist at least one other person. Naturally the more people using Twitter the more valuable it becomes to the people using the service so there's incentive to spread the word.

Tumblr fills a space. It's for people who want to express themselves in more than 140 characters, but don't need all the functionality of a blog. They want to communicate somewhere in between.

Does your site aim to fill a space not currently being served? If so find those people using the current solutions just outside your space and let them know about it. I don't know that what you're planning is comparable to Twitter. You might offer that kind of communication within your site, but people don't really need a way to communicate on a specific topic with a new service. They can already form groups within Twitter or Facebook to discuss specific topics of interest to the group.

Harold Mansfield
06-23-2010, 03:13 PM
I don't think I'm getting the concept yet, which suggests that at least a few other people in your target market aren't getting it, either.
I'm probably not expressing it clearly because I don't have a clear picture in my head of what I want to do.


On a geographical basis, local blogging is a non-starter for me. The most exciting thing that could happen in my neighborhood is that little Jimmy, three streets over, fell off his bicycle. Or maybe that the Smith residence was broken into, which is the first burglary for 10 months (and we've had nothing to talk about on such topics for the past 10 months!) Enquiring why President Obama fired General McChrystal seems to be far more important and more likely to draw interest, but is hardly local.
I don't think I would do anything local like that and honestly of all of the publishers like the New York Times that are trying it...I don't see it working.



On a topic basis, I'm not sure how it would work. Do I want to blog in a community of other business coaches, for other coaches to read and comment on, or for potential clients to read and comment on? Or, is this community going to be for wouldn't-be clients who are looking for free stuff to help them in their business?And how would this "coaches community" differ from SBF.net - a community of small business owners (including a consultant/coach or two of various disciplines) with whom I discuss business in general?


I dunno. Probably wouldn't be anything as specific as "business coaches"..maybe more of overall business experts or "pundits' sharing knowledge. I don't know.


I think it's sustainable. To me the issue is attaining the critical mass in order to reach sustainability. I don't know that you can do that easily. That's where you have to be the one creating the content and promoting the site.
Yeah, that's a real issue. I'm trying to cut down on the amount of content I have to create, not add more.


More beneficial to you reading? What makes it more beneficial to the person writing the articles? Once it's reached that sustainable stage we can probably list all sorts of benefits to the person writing. Prior to that though where's the benefit to them?

I don't know, you guys are answering my questions with questions.



Does your site aim to fill a space not currently being served? If so find those people using the current solutions just outside your space and let them know about it. I don't know that what you're planning is comparable to Twitter. You might offer that kind of communication within your site, but people don't really need a way to communicate on a specific topic with a new service. They can already form groups within Twitter or Facebook to discuss specific topics of interest to the group.

The only thing that I have in my mind is, "What can I offer the section of society that doesn't Twitter, Tumbl, or have their own blog, but would like to be published, or voice opinion?"

The one thing I do know is that more people are concerned about American Idol and Jersey Shore than any legislation in Washington, or other World events...and can name all of the contestants and cast members and not the 2 Senators from their state.

Other than that, I really have nothing.
That's why I'm asking you guys.

Added:
What I am envisioning is a combination National Enquirer, New York Post, Pop Culture, National, Local, MTV, Editorial, and Promotional rag where the readers write the posts. A combination of real news, opinions and editorials, gossip, and serious issues.

Somewhere where someone can review a movie or CD one day, and write an editorial about politics the next. And readers can read opinions and voices about anything under the sun from real people...not reporters.

That's pretty much as far as I've gotten. Right now I love the domain that I have set aside for it that is pretty much just sitting in limbo.

vangogh
06-23-2010, 06:01 PM
What can I offer the section of society that doesn't Twitter, Tumbl, or have their own blog, but would like to be published, or voice opinion?

Before asking that you have to ask do those people even exist. It's pretty easy to publish on Twitter and Tumblr so it could be that the people you're looking for don't have any interest in publishing.


What I am envisioning is a combination National Enquirer, New York Post, Pop Culture, National, Local, MTV, Editorial, and Promotional rag where the readers write the posts. A combination of real news, opinions and editorials, gossip, and serious issues.

That's a pretty wide group of people. You mentioned community issues in the beginning. Could you pick one issue in your community that you think you could rally people behind. Make it something that's a couple months out or at least organize something that's a couple months out. You use your site as the central hub for communication about the event so by the time the event comes and passes you have an active community in need of a new issue.

You'd have to do considerable legwork outside the site to get things organized for the event and you'd likely need to stage several events over the course of a few months so the community doesn't leave after the first one. However each new event should be easier to organize as you'll have more volunteers and more people you can turn to to organize each one.

Spider
06-23-2010, 06:12 PM
...I dunno. Probably wouldn't be anything as specific as "business coaches"..maybe more of overall business experts or "pundits' sharing knowledge. I don't know...Well, I had been thinking - having created a WP blog (after being browbeaten into doing so by you guys!) and not having posted anything after that first post - why am I doing this? What is my purpose? And is a blog (WP or otherwise) the right way to go about it? Having thought that, I wondered if I could encourage other business coaches I know, and who have their own blogs, for us all to link to each others' blogs and frequently comment and guest blog on each other's blogs - in a form of community ...... Hey! Isn't that what Harold is talking about?

That led me to thinking that we could accomplish the same with a discussion forum --- probably are already accomplishing that in various discussion forum.

That led me to my questions to you.


Are we going round in circles?

Business Attorney
06-23-2010, 06:13 PM
The Chicago Tribune is doing something similar with ChicagoNow.com which is a community of blogs. It would be interesting to see how it is doing in terms of readership. They plug it constantly. Links to the blogs are integrated into online ChicagoTribune.com just like regular articles or columnists. ChicagoNow has a weekend radio show on WGN (a Tribune property) where each week a few of the bloggers take turns talking about their topics. The Trib even integrates the blogs into its ChicagoPOINTS.com incentive reward system where users are given points for reading various sections of the paper. It appears that the Tribune has even moved many of its regular print columnists to ChicagoNow.

Personally, the only times I read one of the blogs is when there is a link from the paper (or, I'll confess, the ChicagoPOINTS area). Even though I subscribe to the Tribune at home, I usually check out the online edition a few times during the day or evening, so I do probably end up reading one or another of the blogs fairly often when I see something relevant in a link, but nothing enough to make me actually subscribe to a blog.

From the standpoint of a "community of bloggers" it has little appeal to me and if it were not for the links in the Tribune to specific blog posts, I would probably never see ChicagoNow.

Harold Mansfield
06-23-2010, 06:49 PM
So the big picture is, I have this domain that I kind of like (Blabb.it).
What should I do with it?
Obviously it would be good for something where people talk about something. But what?

vangogh
06-23-2010, 07:15 PM
Good domain for what you're trying to do. I don't think there's anything wrong with your idea as you've presented it so far. No matter what topic you choose the issue is going to be building the community to the point where it can sustain itself.

I think within most any topic you can find a niche to get you started. Look at similar sites like the one David mentioned and look at what they aren't serving. Read as much as you can on that site become part of that community for awhile. People will probably make their complaints known. Be there listening and the build the site that solves their problem with the existing site.


What is my purpose? And is a blog (WP or otherwise) the right way to go about it?

Only you can really answer that, but I'll share how my blog helps me. Writing about what I do once a week helps show potential clients that I know what I'm talking about. One of my biggest clients actually found me through my blog. It was someone who also blogged and we had commented on each other's sites and linked back and forth. When he needed someone to develop WordPress sites for his clients he called me.

The posts also help in regards to search engine traffic. More content means more opportunity to rank for something. Most traffic to my site enters on some post I've written. As I look over my analytics to see which posts are sending me traffic and are leading to new subscribers I can write more around similar topics. If one page on my site ranks well around a general keyword theme it stands to reason other pages can too.

Because the posts are informational in nature they have a greater capacity for attracting links. That helps the posts rank and it also helps my other pages rank. I mentioned one of my biggest clients found me through my blog. A number of others found me through a search engine.

I feel confident that my content is good and mostly needs me to promote it. Over the last year or so I've been promoting each post. In the design/development/WordPress communities some sites ask you to promote your posts through their sites. They have a community section which links out to other people's posts. That's helped drive more traffic, links, subscribers. People are tweeting my posts and liking them on Facebook without me having to do anything. It's also brought me to the attention of some of the larger sites in the design community, which has led to writing opportunities. I write a post for someone else, get my name and brand in front of a new audience that's highly targeted for my site, and while I'm gaining all that marketing benefit I'm getting paid to write.

As the audience around my blog grows it's opening up more opportunities for me in many ways. From links to subscribers to networking to new business ideas and projects.

You may or may not want to have all of the above happen with your site, but the majority of things I mentioned are marketing. We all have to market ourselves and our businesses. What I'm doing certainly isn't the only way to do that, but it's one way.

Harold Mansfield
06-23-2010, 07:32 PM
Well, I had been thinking - having created a WP blog (after being browbeaten into doing so by you guys!) and not having posted anything after that first post - why am I doing this? What is my purpose? And is a blog (WP or otherwise) the right way to go about it?

I have to say that I too have gotten clients because of an article either on my website or found online. Couple of times it wasn't even because of an article specifically about the business, but that I had a presence online via multiple blogs, profiles, and other things...it gave these particular clients the comfort that I know the web, not just Wordpress stuff.

My last client said she found me on a site that I forgot I owned when she was looking around at other stuff, but it linked back to my main site with the phone number. So everything you do online helps.
I look at my presence in Google all of the time and outside of articles about 2 other people named Harold Mansfield, 6 listings out of 10 ain't bad.

Why you blog should be determined before you even think about putting one together.
My suggestion for you get to know Wordpress was actually targeted at the issues that you have with your website. Not that you should start a separate blog.
I think you should have it all in one place. There isn't really a reason to have your website on one domain and your blog on another.

vangogh
06-23-2010, 07:49 PM
Why you blog should be determined before you even think about putting one together.

Great advice that's so often ignored.

Harold Mansfield
06-23-2010, 08:03 PM
Getting back to the original issue, my problem is that I am tired of doing blogs just for affiliate and ad commissions.
I want to do something a little more involved that I can monetize directly, maybe even license.
I have a bunch of domains, some good, some horrible that for some reason seem to never expire, but I don't want to waste a good one on yet another blog.

I want to do something good with this one, so I'm looking for ideas.

Spider
06-23-2010, 11:12 PM
Getting back to the original issue...

...I want to do something good with this one, so I'm looking for ideas.The reason I posted my thought process - my confusion process - was to reference the original issue and, hopefully, unblock your creative juices. I certainly don't have any ideas for you, but I believe you already have all the ideas you need. It's simply ("simply" he says!!) a matter of your thoughts being jogged into developing a solution. It's like you have all the pieces to the jigsaw puzzle but you're stuck expecting all the green pieces to fit together when they really fit with other not-quite-green pieces. By getting your mind off trying to find the solution to your problem and have you spend a little time trying to solve my problem, can often lead to a breakthrough for yourself.

It may seem strange, but it invariably works sooner or later. One of the fun parts of coaching. It's what I do! Have fun with it.

vangogh
06-24-2010, 01:18 AM
Harold one reason I suggested reading other sites that were similar is you will get ideas over time. It won't happen right away, but you the more you're plugged into an industry the more you start seeing opportunities and you'll likely have made some connections for when you're ready.

I completely get wanting to put more into one site. In the beginning you could just spend time writing for the site and even tossing up the usual ads and affiliate links. Not forever, but as a way to get started. I know you write well, particularly about political stuff. Be patient and give the site time to grow. You'll build a community around the site naturally and in time you can open it up to BuddyPress and get the community creating more of the content.

I think the way you've been working sites so far is to get them going quick and ideally not having to spend all your time on any one site. If you want to make this site something more you have to be prepared for it not earning much early on. I'm sure there's some skill you have around the topic that you can offer as a service. You could even offer yourself out as a writer for other sites.

Lyrafire
07-20-2010, 09:59 AM
"Do you think that something like this would appeal to people who occasionally have something to say, report or discuss, but really don't have an outlet to be a published writer/blogger, without starting their own?

Does it mean more to have your article published elsewhere, rather than your own blog?

What do you think it would take to get people interested in participating. How does it need to benefit them?"

Speaking strictly from the point of view of someone who has seen a bazillion people refer to themselves as "writers" because they posted some articles (with regurgitated content) on Associated Content or eHow, I think it might work--people like to have their say, but they don't necessarily want to maintain a blog. I'd think outside the web and look at pop culture or political topics. Many people want to review movies and television, for example. And as long as people love the sound of their own voices, there will be a huge appealing ego element: "You can read my [reviews, story, commentary, what-have-you] on Blabb.it."

vangogh
07-20-2010, 12:00 PM
there will be a huge appealing ego element

True. It's often a good strategy to appeal to ego. That's why you see so many interview posts. The idea being that anyone you interview is going to direct their audience to your interview. Same for giving a positive review.

Harold Mansfield
07-20-2010, 01:07 PM
Speaking strictly from the point of view of someone who has seen a bazillion people refer to themselves as "writers" because they posted some articles (with regurgitated content) on Associated Content or eHow, I think it might work--people like to have their say, but they don't necessarily want to maintain a blog. I'd think outside the web and look at pop culture or political topics. Many people want to review movies and television, for example. And as long as people love the sound of their own voices, there will be a huge appealing ego element: "You can read my [reviews, story, commentary, what-have-you] on Blabb.it."

I think there is a market for giving people an outlet. We have to remember that most people don't have blogs or websites and don't participate online as a form of marketing or SEO..some people just like to express themselves.
I figure if I can make it easy to use, I can get something going with it.
Right now, my biggest draw back is I don't have the design for it. There is nothing out there that is set up the way I need it, so it keeps looking as if I am going to have to learn how to design it myself...that is going to take a little more time.

greenoak
08-25-2010, 08:04 AM
it sounds so good eborg...i hope you figure it out...........BUT WHY JUST BLOGGING? WHY NOT FACEBOOK AND MESSAGE BOARD AND LINKS AND a CALENDAR..in other words a community.....with all the good parts there.....im thinking my customers arent into reading blogs as much as surfing the web and the speed of facebook.... easy fast and fun would be good goals.......there is so much free out there on the internets it might be hard to find that hook...
.. ...... most meeting places are so narrow..dominated by one person or idea or just reduced to spam...or just a way to guide buyers to a service....or a new expert pontificating......but i guess thats how they get their money ,,,, ...... i would love a platform for a bigger community with lotsof juicy parts.......and it would be nice if it had a message board like here.. with good info and varied conversations.... but with people more in tune with my retail world.....i try to get them here and it doesnt work... andi thnk any business could get and give good stuff n here....
i thought about something like this ...i even put it on facebook and called it vintage indiana...and i love the idea..a place where all kind of related things could be there....and some good talk...but i never worked it out and i think a wider platform would be much better....with a big facebook presence of course.....
. i know i would love to join one in my field!!! ... .... ......i would like a vintage indiana version of your idea or one for a wider group...like vintage junkers and rehabbers....
it could be so BIG...IMHO

Lyrafire
08-25-2010, 10:09 AM
eborg--I still like the idea. Using a theme that looks like a newspaper or magazine, why not start it as a regular blog with comments. But instead of it being a one-author blog, let it be a multiple-author blog. VanGogh is right, I believe, in that you need to narrow the field. Trying to be all things to all people right off the bat is too broad. Perhaps start with one topic that many people have opinions on. You can get ideas from "Letters to the Editor" newspaper pages, Huffington Post, and from pop-culture and arts-related sites.

If you write about music, you might make a good editor for a site that allows people to post reviews and other articles of interest to people who love music. By "other articles of interest", I mean profiles of musicians and key figures in the industry, essays that explain why a certain artist--say, Gene Krupa--was a breakthrough artist and so forth. (By the way, have you seen the documentary, "Tom Dowd and the Language of Music"? I love it. I could have married him.)

Later, you could add a section on film review (no--wait--I'm already doing that!), a section devoted to symphonic music, a section devoted to music festivals, a section devoted to other arts, and so forth, until you have organically built it into an interdisciplinary site. Huff Post, for example, started as a political commentary blog--now it includes everything under the sun.

I think I'd refer to it as community blogging, rather than local blogging; too many people will be confused about what you mean by "local."

Harold Mansfield
08-25-2010, 12:18 PM
All good points and it actually brings up the problem...with so many options, where to begin? It's definitely something that I will have to put some time into figuring out all of the details and configuration.