Blogging 101

Building WFSE’s Online Community

 Bloggers speak truth to power and are
starting to fill the checks and balances role
formerly performed by the conventional
press. The best in blogging pursues the
truth, with fact-checking comparable to the
best of the press.
- Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.org and HuffPost blogger
 What is a blog?
• The word “blog” comes from web log
• Originally an online journal
• Updated frequently
• Implies a community - writers and readers
• Chronological entries called “posts”
 In summary:
• Blogs help people share information
and connect with people who share
interests
• Blogs are an opportunity to set the
record straight
• Blogs are inclusive, they let everyone
participate
 Why blog?
• Pew (4/2009) reports that 63% of adult
Americans now have broadband
service.
• 35% of adults belong to a social
network.
• This is up from 54% in 2007
• Applying these statistics, it’s possible
that 23,750 WFSE bargaining unit
members have internet at home.
 Who blogs?
• Academics, advocates
• Businesses, special interest groups
• Non-profits, political organizations
• Watchdog organizations
• Artists, musicians, poets
• Families, bookclubs, and pet lovers
 WFSE
Demographics
 Getting back:
• Blogs help people share information
and connect with people who share
interests
• Blogs are an opportunity to set the
record straight
• Blogs are inclusive, they let everyone
participate
 Blogging Basics:
• Establish a strategy (target audience, purpose)
• Editorial process - defines types of articles, provides
support and guidance
• Find a voice - it shouldn’t sound like a committee
writes the blog - the voice should match the target
audience.
• Create compelling content
• Use key words
• Post articles on a regular schedule
• Put a face on it - show author images
• Link from homepage - market the blog’s existence
• Engage with readers/commenters
• Spread your content - comment on other blogs
Interpreters United
Federation
Blog
 LPA
Political
Blog
President’s
Blog
 Blog types
• Unifying a community around a single
objective
• Presenting news and allowing for
viewer commentary (alternate vehicle)
• Presenting commentary and debating
the issues
 BU & Committee Blogs
• CSD Blog
• Corrections Blog
• Natural Resources
– Natural Resources Task Force blog
– Natural Resources Policy Committee
– Ecology News Blog
• Next Wave
 Commenting:
Best Practices Checklist
• On Your Blog: Comment to other's comments in your own blog. This will grow
the conversation and ad more value to your posts

• On Other Blogs: Make your comments thoughtful, beginning often by

referencing what stood out to you in the post or in another's comments. Strive to
include a valuable take-away for anyone else reading your comments

• Frequency: No hard rule, but remember conversations are easier to join than
start. Commenting on a few of the same blogs often can establish a relationship
with the blogger and their audience.

• Linking: If you are linking to content of your own, be sure it very relevantly
addresses the topic at hand. Consider including links to other blogs often.
Linking to your own content in a comment is better received
when the blogger recognizes you have commented earlier.
 Posting an Article:
Best Practices Checklist
• Title: Intriguing titles go a long way.
• Keywords: As much as possible, use your top keywords in: the post title; tags
used to describe the post subject matter
• Scheduling: No less that one post per week if possible.
• Images: Including an image with a post is recommended when possible.
• Links: Link to other blogs and/or to previous posts of your own.
• Post Length and Content: Mix up length of your posts. Don't be afraid to be
brief (i.e. 200 words). When possible, offer analysis, new tips and tricks
• Submitting: If resources are available, run your pending post by a trusted
advisor or editor who can do a review, make minor edits and immediately
submit on your behalf. If it has to go back to you for your "final approval," it
may not be worth having an approval process.
• Announcing: Sometimes announce on other social networks to notify others
about your post (example: Facebook or Twitter). Do this tactfully by writing a
question, then including a link to your post.
Building an online community

• Courage
• Honesty
• Presence
• Ability to differentiate right
action from wrong
7 Deadly Sins
Pride Humility
• Grim reaper of • Ok to make a
social media sins mistake
• Can’t admit you • Accepting you are
are wrong wrong - priceless
• Defend flawed • If clarifying
positions response is not
• Spin facts to immediate or
convince others genuine - all hell
breaks loose.
Gluttony Temperance
• Too much too fast • Add value to
communities you join
• Find themselves
• Do not push
swamped, messaging.
ineffective and
wasting
everyone's time.
Sloth Diligence
• Lazy • Dedicated time
• Never posts • If the effort is not a
passion, the creativity
comments, new will dry up
content or value
• Failure to join the
conversation
Envy Kindness
• Jealous of other’s • Put yourself in the
success conversation
• Genuine
• Failure to build a
strong network
• If a tree falls in the
forest . . .
Greed Charity
• Fakes • Put yourself in the
conversation
• Flacks
• 80/20 rule
• Truth tellers
Lust Self Control
• Superficial praise • Skill, tact and
common sense
• Smoochy
comments
Wrath Forgiveness
• Uncontrolled • Resist publicly
feelings of hatred berating an individual
or organization
and anger that
• Don’t personalize
stream out vile anything
only meant to tear • No name calling
someone or
something down.
 Remember

"Fear is the path to the dark side.

Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering,"
- Yoda.
 Helpful Tools
• Commenting
– Examples
• GA Contracting news blogs
• KOMO Schrammie commentary blog
– Logins
– Guidelines

• RSS Readers
– Google reader demonstration
 We appreciate our readers
• Keep comments on topic - any comment that appears to be off-
topic will be edited or deleted.
• Profanity - we’re PG13 here. Moderate language is allowed, but
we reserve the right to edit out anything offensive.
• Personal attacks - personal attacks on the authors or other
commentators will result in an immediate ban.
• Editor’s right - While we encourage comments that challenge or
offer constructed criticism, we reserve the right to edit or remove
any post, and to ban a user.*
• External linking - external links are ok, if they are relevant to the
original post and your comment. Simply linking to your own site
will be frowned upon.
What are we doing to meet the need
of Spectators?

• Read blogs (readers)

• Watch Video, photos (subscribe)
• Podcasts - shows (TVW, report v
discuss)
• Facebook - staff and fan page
• Reviews, polls, surveys
Google Reader
 WFSEc28
on YouTube
WFSEc28
on Flickr
WFSEc28
on Flickr
What are we doing to meet the need
of Joiners?

• Facebook - fan page

What are we doing to meet the need
of Collectors?

• RSS feeds
• Tags (WFSEc28)
• Reviews, polls, surveys
What are we doing to meet the need
of Critics/Responders?
• News websites
• WFSE hotline/staff blogs
• Contribute to existing sites
• Facebook - staff and fan page
• Critics who speak truth
What are we doing to meet the need
of Creators?
• Write, join blogs
• Add video to YouTube
• Create websites
• Write articles
• Writers who speak truth
Whe do we blog