Bend Blogging Panel – SmartGroup Recap Notes

Smart Group – Blogging for Business

Notes from Jake Ortman (and a review of our general discussion on etiquette)

Blog Etiquette:
Some of these blatantly stolen from http://www.tipjunkie.com/2008/05/blog-etiquette-or-blogtiquette.html

For the Blogger
Give Credit where credit is due. If it’s not your content, don’t claim it. Link to the original author.
Don’t blog about something that will get you fired or cause you to lose a relationship, unless you’re comfortable with losing job or relationship.

(This is my biggest issue, personally): Don’t be long-winded. If you have a TON to say, break it up between several blog posts, and make sure to link them all together.

Don’t feed the trolls: Some visitors to your site will always post vitriol no matter what. It’ll just be a waste of your time no matter what. However, think twice or thrice before you delete inappropriate comments from your blog. Some of your best conversation will come from controversy.

But do respond to comments. It’s encouraging to your readers to know you’re involved.

As a commenter:
Each blog you visit is the Internet “home” of someone. You wouldn’t dare walk into a home and run your mouth at the host. It’s inappropriate to do on blogs as well. It’s just ugly and you end up looking stupid. Don’t do it. It’s immature.

Don’t be the guy that always has to post “First Post!” or something equally inane. You generally only see this on high-traffic sites, what do these guys think they’re accomplishing? When I think about all the great moments in online history, this guy’s first post is not going to be on the top of my list.

Actually read the post you’re commenting on, because if you ask a question or bad-mouth the author for something they’ve already covered in the original post.

I have thousands of comments on my site from folks who NEVER read the original post, but I keep them there as the idiot-bait is entertaining:
http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2003/09/30/have_a_small_penis.php
http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2003/06/13/how_to_cancel_an_aol_account_in_3_minutes.php
http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2004/09/06/another_great_gmail_hack.php

Don’t plug your own site unless it’s relevant to the discussion or original post. Plugging your diet pill on a site about the latest XBox games? Stupid. Plugging your site just for the sake of plugging it and attempting to get google juice? Unless there’s a compelling reason, I delete those comments.

Don’t talk in TXT/SMS Speak. I shouldn’t need a translator to figure out what you’re saying. Proper grammar/spelling (or as close to it as possible) will likely keep your comments on the site and allow you more leeway in your comments.

When I’m considering posting a comment I ask “Is what I’m about to say going to add value to the conversation?”. Add Value to the conversation

Platforms:
-Sites using MovableType:
http://www.movabletype.com/showcase [no longer active]
BrackObama.com
BritneySpears.com
BoingBoing
NPR Blogs
Instapundit
Gothamist
ArsTechnica
BBC Blogs
Jason Kottke

1) Starting out blogging from a personal viewpoint, transitioning into community/portal/business blogging as a result of influences.  His personal blogs (hackbend.com and thebrewsite.com) have give him acclaim to the point where Deschutes Brewery is sending him free beer to review.

2) The importance of transparency and disclosure; esp. as it relates (to me) with reviewing beer.  He does not guarantee any type of review – and provides as unbiased as possible personal review.

3)  Platforms; I advocate WordPress on your own domain, but there are other good options including: hosted Blogger and WordPress.com, Movable Type.  I don’t recommend “rolling your own” any more!