One of the first presentations at BlogWorld New York 2011 was Dave Murray’s “Building Your Content Bubble.” There were a lot of valuable take-away tips from Dave’s session, but overall, I think one of the most important points was this: You need to become a resource.
As you start blogging, it makes sense to focus on a very specific core topic, and you can start to expand to include related topics, passionate pieces, and sharing other content. But above all, as you’re planning your posts, make sure that they’re not just hard-selling your product. As Dave put it, there’s a lot of I in content creation, but by turning that into YOU (i.e. reflecting the reader’s wants), you’ll be able to build a blog (and a brand) that resonates with people. Help people. Become they’re go-to resource for your topic.
Think about it this way – if you were a car lover, what would you read: a company’s blog post that was nothing but a press release about new steering wheel covers and a pitch to sell it to you – or a post called “Ten Car Parts You Need – and Might Not Own” with a pitch about your steering wheel covers at the end. Which post would you pass to a fellow car enthusiast? Which post would you tweet? Which post would entice you to leave a comment?
And most importantly: Would you come back?
I thought Dave’s presentation also hit on another key point: the need to stop hiding behind the computer screen, especially for small business bloggers. If someone leaves a great, thought-provoking comment on your blog, it’s great to comment in return, thanking them for their opinions.
But it’s even better to email them and ask for a phone number so you can call to discuss their views or even set up a time to meet face-to-face. BlogWorld proves it – in-person networking is still not only relevant, but necessary. Content creation is communication, and it shouldn’t be a chore. So, talk to your readers and find out how you can help them – and don’t be afraid to pick up the phone.
Thanks to Dave Murray for a great BlogWorld NY 2011 session. Dave works with re:group, an integrated marketing communications company focused on creating and maintaining relevant, powerful brands, which you can follow on Twitter @regroupinc.
Hi Allison,
I agree 1,000%! In fact, I often tell people to ask people to perform a little bit of a self-audit before publishing a blog post. Ask yourself: “How is this helpful to my audience? Why would they care?”
If it doesn’t pass that screening test, then it’s probably not worth publishing.
I don’t like reading press releases. And it’s a shame when you come across a great site whose every post is a stinkin’ press release.
On our own company blog, I’m using KISSinsights. It’s a simple pop-up form that sits on the lower right and asks: “What do you want us to right about next?” I’ve gotten some good submissions on it so far. Basically, we’re trying to cater to our audience by being helpful first. Selling comes later after we’ve proven ourselves resourceful 🙂
Alli,
Thanks for the great post on re:group’s social media director, David Murray. We were so proud to send him to Blogworld and have him speak there. To find out more about us and David, head to our blog at http://www.regroup.us/wordpress or our website at http://www.regroup.us/bios or on Twitter @regroupinc:disqus
All the best!
Carey Jernigan, regroup
You definitely sent the right guy – I can’t say enough nice things about Dave, and I think when we get the recordings posted, his session will be a popular download.
Hi Alli,
Thank you very much for spotlighting our presentation. I REALLY appreciate the time you took to wake up early and join me in kicking off #BWENY 🙂 I’m glad to hear the presentation brought value to the BlogWorld program, and I look forward to see what you guys have planned for LA. Thank you again!
Thank you very much for spotlighting our presentation. I REALLY appreciate the time you took to wake up early and join me in kicking off #BWENY..