Recent Comments

  • Deb Ng: Thanks for the example, Rebekah. I did this as well when I was a community manager. I trolled Twitter to see...
  • Rick: haha Great example Rebekah! We all love to hate our cable companies. What a great way for a company to provide...
  • Rebekah: I Twittered about a problem with my Charter internet the other day (I think I said something along the lines...
  • Jim "Genuine" Turner: Maybe I should change my title to New Media Director?
  • Kathryn Lang: Companies from all industries are learning the power of social networks. The recent troubles in Iran...

Lorelle VanFossen blogging content is about the connections

  • Comments: (6)
  • Published July 21st, 2007 in WordCamp

Lorelle started off her talk a few minutes early by wandering through the audience and asking people about their blogs and such … and connected up several folks who were doing related things…building on the idea of content and community.

Most blog posts look like they were written in 10 minutes by:

  1. Can’t type
  2. Can’t think
  3. Released for the day or the institution got computers

This is from Lorelle’s friend in Israel. So Lorelle’s advice on content…say something in a new way, with more information, and in a better way. Look for what’s missing in the existing content. Is it the problem or the symptom. What’s missing, what’s the blank?

Ask why, there is always another way, another answer.

When was the last time you looked at your content? Really looked. Where are the bits you haven’t written about?

Lorelle is chiding us feed addicts (guilty) for trying to post first, etc. Unless you cover the news, sleep on it. Giving it time gives you perspective. Distance. Time to think. This is a truism about blogging. Blogging in the moment, you lose the sage wisdom, the thinking. I did this about Parakey and Facebook, somewhat unintentionally, but because I let my thoughts perk a bit, I think it came out better than if I posted right away.

Liz Strauss’ Successful Blog is an example of this new relationship paradigm. Liz, and Lorelle, say blog for one person…you. I tend to blog thinking of a friend. I’m tying to write to you. Now, live blogging is a bit of a brain dump. Lorelle’s point is that you need to make readers comfortable.

How do you know when a blogger is faking it:

  • factual errors
  • too many ads (all about greed)
  • no real content … just not adding to the whole
  • reposting their Twitter stream

“Too many of you are still blogging for their eighth grade teacher…”

Leave gaps in your post, on purpose, in complete thoughts, let your readers complete them.

This might be the best advice no how to generate more comments. If you give readers an opening, they will step up to the plate.

Stop using “So what do you think…” Make your readers finish each your sentences.

BTW…Lorelle is funnier and more interesting in person than she is on her blog. If you miss the chance to hear her speak…more fool you!

Methinks I shall be listening to her more (as in reading her more closely).

Comments are content so say something intelligent/interesting because people will follow your link to your blog. I do this all the time. You leave a comment, I’ll go read you. Link to me, I’ll go read you. Chances are, I’ll even subscribe to you.

Interesting point…comment like you should blog…leave an opening for others to comment.

Timeless content…is what’s latest bestest?

If you divorce your content from time, then the content can live beyond the day-to-day ups and downs of the “news”.

Lorelle’s inspiration is really that she is so, so passionate about writing. So passionate about helping others and sharing.

Dern my ADD, I zoned out for a moment. Crap. Okay the discussion about what you write and staying on topic.

Fighting comment spam by working together. So true.

And … thus ends the wisdom of Lorelle. Go in peace to love and blog the world…

Rate this:
2.5
Share the Blog:
  • del.icio.us
  • Furl
  • Ma.gnolia
  • Reddit
  • TailRank
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Digg
  • Netscape
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
Sphere: Related Content

  • Tags:
  1. no imageLiz Strauss (Check me out!) said on July 21st, 2007 at 9:37 pm

    Tris,
    This sounds like anything but a brain dump. Gosh, it’s an excellent and cohesive read, packed with content and well-packed. You should be giving a presentation on how how to live blog. I enjoyed reading this.

    Thanks for the notice. Yeah. Lorelle’s fun and dynamic, isn’t she?!! :)

    Rate this:
    		2.9
  2. no imageTris Hussey (Check me out!) said on July 21st, 2007 at 9:41 pm

    Thanks Liz! Live blogging … some hate it, some love it. I see it as a challenge. Especially when my attention wavers…oh look something shiny!
    ;)

    Rate this:
    		2.5
  3. Jim Turner said on July 21st, 2007 at 10:56 pm

    I guess since I’m in charge of the biz dev department I had better include the fact that Tris is for hire if you want him to live blog and event for you!

  4. no imageLorelle (Check me out!) said on August 4th, 2007 at 9:32 pm

    I was sure I had commented here earlier, but maybe the spam catcher got me.

    Thanks for the kind words and the lovely review of my program. It was hard work coming right after that huge lunch and with competition from another meeting at the same time, but I did my best and hopefully many learned from what I offered.

    The conference was so much fun. I can’t wait until next year.

    Rate this:
    		2.8
  5. no imageTris Hussey (Check me out!) said on August 5th, 2007 at 6:59 am

    Lorelle … you are more than welcome! It was awesome to me THE Lorelle!

    Rate this:
    		2.5
  6. Bloggers at WordCamp 2007 said on July 22nd, 2007 at 6:59 am

    [...] Tris reports approvingly a great observation about comments, from Lorelle VanFossen: Comments are content so say something intelligent/interesting because people will follow your link [...]