Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Nothing new under the sun, good writers simply steal well, homage, pastiche, parody, satire... the assorted excuses that come up for shamelessly ripping off other advertising ideas may as well be named Legion, for they are certainly many.
Emblematic of this phenomenon is the Mac/PC ad format. The initial idea was clever enough — personalizing the PC vs. Mac experience with actual actors standing in for the machines ties into storytelling techniques that have gone back to the Greeks and the Babylonians, if not further. We as a people have personified lightning, war and other concepts into gods and heroes for time immemorial, so there's no reason the trend should stop now.
Inevitably, of course, the copycats came up. For example, consider Sprint's recent G4 smartphone commercials. There is an element of delicious reversal in these; after all, Sprint is making fun of Apple's iPhone the same way that Macs were trashing on PCs not too long ago. Still, the entire thing has an air of "we've seen this already." The format is identical, with the white background, the two personalities bickering in passive aggressive wordplay... what's new here?
Granted, this isn't the first time the web and society have seen branding styles copied. Every new automobile model that comes out has scenes of it being driven over rough fields, empty roads, or racetracks depending on what the design is trying to accomplish. Medicine commercials all seem to have caring moms or smart people in lab coats; even telling action movie posters apart is an exercise in higher art criticism given the homogenizing trends that are making themselves known in that industry.
A Case for Branding Independence
Before we go down the road of originality for originality's sake, let's bring things back a little bit. Simply backlashing against the trend and coming up with something different for no other reason than trying to be different doesn't work, either.
Thinking about it is enough to make anyone schizophrenic, so what is there to be done?
Well, consider how some of the branding success stories of the web have gone about making themselves known. The Nostalgia Critic, Penny Arcade, Google, Memebase/Cheezburger — they all have one thing in common that they did with their brand: They made it work.
Each of these examples put together an organization to accomplish a task the creators loved. Penny Arcade talks about gaming and various social issues touching on it, and appealed so strongly to its target audience with its simple adherence to this core concept that it was able to kick off a charity for sick children. Google started out as a web browser with a weird name, and now is basically the first course in SEO 101 classes, with every other browser out there filed under "other."
These companies didn't start out with the idea of making a powerful brand; they began with the idea of marketing a product, a service, an activity that they were good at, and stuck to it.
Take Google in particular — not only did Google make searching the web simple, they strove to make it ethical. They adopted their unofficial slogan of "don't be evil" and leaked it into the world. This appeals highly to the dedicated web user — the Internet and the web gained the power they have because people were adamant about the freedom to share information and the technology to do so, and having the most powerful web browser in the world on their side appealed to them and brought them into the brand.
Now, there have been rough spots. Google's wishy-washy policies with China, the potential privacy invasion of Street View and other projects... these all have Google's fan base talking animatedly to Google about what's seen as a problem.
But notice what they're doing: They are talking. Notice what they aren't doing: They're not leaving. Google has established its brand as a company that listens to its consumers and tries to do the right thing. Whether that perception is true remains to be seen, but the brand has convinced people it IS true, because Google has MADE it true in the past, so the client/customer is willing to stay and talk things out.
What does this mean for your brand? Simple — do what you love, and do it well.
It is, of course, naive to say that Google doesn't think about marketing at all, or that the guys behind Penny Arcade are some kind of gamer saints who never "sell out" for advertising considerations. But their branding efforts clearly come as an extension of their core, unfailing missions.
So if you want to build a solid brand, you have to build a strong foundation to support it. Don't try to cash in on the latest style of advertisements, whether for popularity, edginess or "irony." Instead, make sure your brand conveys that you do whatever it is you do the best way it has ever been done. Let your branding be an extension of your core business model, an effort to bring your passion to the world so customers will want what you have to offer, and your brand will thrive long after Sprint is still living down the shame of copying Apple.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Blog Management - Know When to Let Go
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Sometimes a topic just isn't working - you can tell when you're writing it, and you can tell when you're reading it. Maybe the humor is forced, tired, or rote. Maybe the blogger didn't go into the same level of interesting side detail that he usually does, or perhaps her topic looks like she fell back on a safe and reliable piece, rather than going somewhere new like her last eight. Whatever the reason, not every topic is created equal, and sometimes a post just isn't up to anything like your usual standards.
There are a lot of reasons, most of them hard to pin down, for why a post might not be making the cut. Perhaps the details are just too sparse to get ahold of, or the interview that the post is based on just went poorly and the subject has almost no personality to do a piece on, or maybe it's just mind-numbingly dull to the writer and he can't work up any enthusiasm for it. These things happen, not necessarily to every writer, but they are likely to happen to most.
So the question becomes, how do you deal with a bad topic?
The professional answer might be to "chin up and bear through it, deliver what you were hired to write and just try harder next time." For some of us, this is acceptable and even good practice. After all, not every assignment can be gravy; sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
However, this article aims to argue that this is not always or even often the case, and writers need to learn when to let a topic go and move on to something else more frequently.
How Does This Work?
After all, professional bloggers in particular are hired to write about specific subjects — how can they get away with writing about something else or just dropping a topic?
It has to be said, the option to leave a post behind isn't always there. Sometimes an assignment is too specific, and one has to go through with it. However, this is actually very rarely the case. An engaging blog is about the writer's personality, not necessarily the content (although the content is how this persona is put forward). Thus if a particular topic or, more importantly, a particular approach to a topic is not working for a writer, then a change is needed in either small or great degree to allow the writer to work their particular magic.
Side Doors
The first step in letting go of an article is to let go of your initial approach to it. It may be that the subject itself actually isn't all that bad, just that the initial or usual way of approaching it isn't working out so well. Take that interview example: Say our mysterious blogger is an interviewing genius, and has had some exceptional success with interview-driven blog posts so far. However, the latest interviewee, an artist in this case, is just dreadful. Their work is exciting, their reputation amazing, but in person or in print they're as dull as a brick! The blogger can't get their normal approach to work.
Alright, another approach is warranted. So instead of using the actual interview, our blogger makes one up. This isn't to say they make up the actual interview with the artist, which would be illegal and wrong. Instead, they interview the person's art itself. They raise questions they have, and look at what answers the art itself provides.
This is a bit of an esoteric example, but it illustrates the key point — if you're having trouble doing something, try approaching it from a different angle. Languages are flexible, with shades of meaning and cultural variations that can surprise you. Experiment a bit and see if a new method opens new successes.
Genuinely Drop It
Some topics, however, just don't work. It happens, be it writer's block or just a lack of information.
The solution here is be honest. If you are your own boss, just accept that you tried and it's time to write something else. Writers of fiction do it all the time; bloggers should be no different.
If you're writing for an organization that expects you to cover certain topics, be up front as early as possible and go to your bosses with an explanation in detail why the topic isn't working, and why you think posting it would be detrimental rather than helpful. To make the process easier, go with alternative ideas — already written out or at least drafted in proposal form — so they can see you know what you're talking about and have the content ready.
Why Letting Go is Good
Burnout is a very real phenomenon among bloggers. People can sense when a writer hasn't put their heart and soul into a piece, and they can tell when something was forced out of their keyboard at gunpoint. Consistently forcing oneself to write articles that wear on them will wear a writer down and diminish their blogging talents. So for the sake of your creativity and excellence, make sure that you know when an article needs either a different approach, or a graceful decline.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Sometimes a topic just isn't working - you can tell when you're writing it, and you can tell when you're reading it. Maybe the humor is forced, tired, or rote. Maybe the blogger didn't go into the same level of interesting side detail that he usually does, or perhaps her topic looks like she fell back on a safe and reliable piece, rather than going somewhere new like her last eight. Whatever the reason, not every topic is created equal, and sometimes a post just isn't up to anything like your usual standards.
There are a lot of reasons, most of them hard to pin down, for why a post might not be making the cut. Perhaps the details are just too sparse to get ahold of, or the interview that the post is based on just went poorly and the subject has almost no personality to do a piece on, or maybe it's just mind-numbingly dull to the writer and he can't work up any enthusiasm for it. These things happen, not necessarily to every writer, but they are likely to happen to most.
So the question becomes, how do you deal with a bad topic?
The professional answer might be to "chin up and bear through it, deliver what you were hired to write and just try harder next time." For some of us, this is acceptable and even good practice. After all, not every assignment can be gravy; sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
However, this article aims to argue that this is not always or even often the case, and writers need to learn when to let a topic go and move on to something else more frequently.
How Does This Work?
After all, professional bloggers in particular are hired to write about specific subjects — how can they get away with writing about something else or just dropping a topic?
It has to be said, the option to leave a post behind isn't always there. Sometimes an assignment is too specific, and one has to go through with it. However, this is actually very rarely the case. An engaging blog is about the writer's personality, not necessarily the content (although the content is how this persona is put forward). Thus if a particular topic or, more importantly, a particular approach to a topic is not working for a writer, then a change is needed in either small or great degree to allow the writer to work their particular magic.
Side Doors
The first step in letting go of an article is to let go of your initial approach to it. It may be that the subject itself actually isn't all that bad, just that the initial or usual way of approaching it isn't working out so well. Take that interview example: Say our mysterious blogger is an interviewing genius, and has had some exceptional success with interview-driven blog posts so far. However, the latest interviewee, an artist in this case, is just dreadful. Their work is exciting, their reputation amazing, but in person or in print they're as dull as a brick! The blogger can't get their normal approach to work.
Alright, another approach is warranted. So instead of using the actual interview, our blogger makes one up. This isn't to say they make up the actual interview with the artist, which would be illegal and wrong. Instead, they interview the person's art itself. They raise questions they have, and look at what answers the art itself provides.
This is a bit of an esoteric example, but it illustrates the key point — if you're having trouble doing something, try approaching it from a different angle. Languages are flexible, with shades of meaning and cultural variations that can surprise you. Experiment a bit and see if a new method opens new successes.
Genuinely Drop It
Some topics, however, just don't work. It happens, be it writer's block or just a lack of information.
The solution here is be honest. If you are your own boss, just accept that you tried and it's time to write something else. Writers of fiction do it all the time; bloggers should be no different.
If you're writing for an organization that expects you to cover certain topics, be up front as early as possible and go to your bosses with an explanation in detail why the topic isn't working, and why you think posting it would be detrimental rather than helpful. To make the process easier, go with alternative ideas — already written out or at least drafted in proposal form — so they can see you know what you're talking about and have the content ready.
Why Letting Go is Good
Burnout is a very real phenomenon among bloggers. People can sense when a writer hasn't put their heart and soul into a piece, and they can tell when something was forced out of their keyboard at gunpoint. Consistently forcing oneself to write articles that wear on them will wear a writer down and diminish their blogging talents. So for the sake of your creativity and excellence, make sure that you know when an article needs either a different approach, or a graceful decline.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Some Thoughts on Specialty Blogging
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Blogging is held up in many circles as the epitome of the personal project. Blogs are praised for their focus on the personality of the blogger, the flexibility of the medium (text only, vlog, podcast) and the relatively limitless topics that can be blogged on.
Given that the division of labor allows for the formation of specialized approaches, it shouldn't be a surprise that niche and specialty blogs have become part of this great journalistic movement. There are blogs covering all manner of specialties, from arts and craft-focused publications to hard-hitting diatribes on the political situation in foreign hotspots. The powers of SEO and keyword writing allow these blogs to stand out to their intended audiences during searches, so clearly all that remains is for the next blogging genius to unleash his specialized knowledge upon the world, yes?
Well, as ever, the situation is perhaps slightly more complex than that, and for good reason. Let's have a look at some of the pros and cons alike of dedicating a blog to a particular topic.
The Sublime
There is something very satisfying in reading a well-crafted blog on a particular subject when it's put out by a skilled and well-versed master of that topic. A specialized blog is more than single mindedness when done properly — it is a treasure house of many varied gems.
A genuine expert writing a specialty blog is what really makes the medium come alive, in fact. It's one thing to simply have anyone writing about something they care about and focusing on that topic. Having someone who knows it, who "groks" it as Heinlein would say, means that the blog can cover the various shades in between the obvious postings.
As an example, consider a blog focusing on the latest in board games (and if you think gaming of all sorts isn't a topic worth considering, you haven't seen Steve Jackson Games' 2010 shareholder report, in which they posted $3.5 million in gross earnings). Our gaming blog, written by an interested observer rather than an expert, could cover the major releases for the year. Big gaming companies like Wizards of the Coast, Steve Jackson Games, Battlefront and so forth could be profiled, the occasional interview with a game designer could be featured, trade shows could be reported on. It would be nice and informative, and safe for all those reasons.
A genuine expert in game publication and game theory, on the other hand, could get into the subtleties of game mechanics. They could explain how a certain game is literally impossible to play properly because of bad designs in the rules, or illustrate how a new game just released takes all the problems inherent in a timeless classic and makes a much better game of it. Rising stars in the independent development industry could be pointed out and brought to greater prominence.
Basically, the blog would look very similar, but would have many varying shades of interest and subtlety between the more common flavor of post, allowing for so much more interaction and engagement with the material.
The Unfortunate
Specialization is, by necessity, also exclusive. Choosing to specialize in a particular topic to any degree automatically alienates a set of readers not interested in that specialization. So while a specialty blog can allow an expert to really illustrate the varying shades and joys inherent in their favorite topic, each level of focus it dives into cuts away that much more of an audience — and readers are certainly not an infinite resource.
Again, take our gaming blog: Gaming as a whole topic is fairly broad, encompassing video games, board games, roleplaying games, casual games, serious-hardcore games and so forth. And yes, there is a certain amount of overlap; many people enjoy playing games of all sorts, so a blog about any one of them isn't going to outright sever all connection with the others.
However, there are people who are interested in some things, but not others. Focusing a blog on RPGs and not video games eliminates a major portion of the gaming crowd (RPGs haven't been the largest contender in the gaming market in more than a decade now). There is a lot to talk about in roleplaying game development, of course — but it will never approach the scale of video game development as a market, and thus any blog about it is never going to attract the same degree of attention.
So, what to about it.
There is fortunately a very clear answer: Do what you can do best. If you know your niche, and are confident you can make it work, try it. Start right now, put up that first post, and begin shopping around for good keywords, listing your blog in directories and promoting gently on social media networks. You will never have success if you don't try. If, on the other hand, you feel more comfortable taking a generalist approach, understand that this isn't bad. There are many readers out there, and a general approach to blogging can bring them in. And if you start wide, there's nothing to say you cannot drill down to a more specific angle later.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Blogging is held up in many circles as the epitome of the personal project. Blogs are praised for their focus on the personality of the blogger, the flexibility of the medium (text only, vlog, podcast) and the relatively limitless topics that can be blogged on.
Given that the division of labor allows for the formation of specialized approaches, it shouldn't be a surprise that niche and specialty blogs have become part of this great journalistic movement. There are blogs covering all manner of specialties, from arts and craft-focused publications to hard-hitting diatribes on the political situation in foreign hotspots. The powers of SEO and keyword writing allow these blogs to stand out to their intended audiences during searches, so clearly all that remains is for the next blogging genius to unleash his specialized knowledge upon the world, yes?
Well, as ever, the situation is perhaps slightly more complex than that, and for good reason. Let's have a look at some of the pros and cons alike of dedicating a blog to a particular topic.
The Sublime
There is something very satisfying in reading a well-crafted blog on a particular subject when it's put out by a skilled and well-versed master of that topic. A specialized blog is more than single mindedness when done properly — it is a treasure house of many varied gems.
A genuine expert writing a specialty blog is what really makes the medium come alive, in fact. It's one thing to simply have anyone writing about something they care about and focusing on that topic. Having someone who knows it, who "groks" it as Heinlein would say, means that the blog can cover the various shades in between the obvious postings.
As an example, consider a blog focusing on the latest in board games (and if you think gaming of all sorts isn't a topic worth considering, you haven't seen Steve Jackson Games' 2010 shareholder report, in which they posted $3.5 million in gross earnings). Our gaming blog, written by an interested observer rather than an expert, could cover the major releases for the year. Big gaming companies like Wizards of the Coast, Steve Jackson Games, Battlefront and so forth could be profiled, the occasional interview with a game designer could be featured, trade shows could be reported on. It would be nice and informative, and safe for all those reasons.
A genuine expert in game publication and game theory, on the other hand, could get into the subtleties of game mechanics. They could explain how a certain game is literally impossible to play properly because of bad designs in the rules, or illustrate how a new game just released takes all the problems inherent in a timeless classic and makes a much better game of it. Rising stars in the independent development industry could be pointed out and brought to greater prominence.
Basically, the blog would look very similar, but would have many varying shades of interest and subtlety between the more common flavor of post, allowing for so much more interaction and engagement with the material.
The Unfortunate
Specialization is, by necessity, also exclusive. Choosing to specialize in a particular topic to any degree automatically alienates a set of readers not interested in that specialization. So while a specialty blog can allow an expert to really illustrate the varying shades and joys inherent in their favorite topic, each level of focus it dives into cuts away that much more of an audience — and readers are certainly not an infinite resource.
Again, take our gaming blog: Gaming as a whole topic is fairly broad, encompassing video games, board games, roleplaying games, casual games, serious-hardcore games and so forth. And yes, there is a certain amount of overlap; many people enjoy playing games of all sorts, so a blog about any one of them isn't going to outright sever all connection with the others.
However, there are people who are interested in some things, but not others. Focusing a blog on RPGs and not video games eliminates a major portion of the gaming crowd (RPGs haven't been the largest contender in the gaming market in more than a decade now). There is a lot to talk about in roleplaying game development, of course — but it will never approach the scale of video game development as a market, and thus any blog about it is never going to attract the same degree of attention.
So, what to about it.
There is fortunately a very clear answer: Do what you can do best. If you know your niche, and are confident you can make it work, try it. Start right now, put up that first post, and begin shopping around for good keywords, listing your blog in directories and promoting gently on social media networks. You will never have success if you don't try. If, on the other hand, you feel more comfortable taking a generalist approach, understand that this isn't bad. There are many readers out there, and a general approach to blogging can bring them in. And if you start wide, there's nothing to say you cannot drill down to a more specific angle later.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Brand Management - Press Release Fundamentals
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Certain concepts just carry over well from print journalism. The press release, the tried and true method of updating the public on an organization's affairs, is an example of just how well such a concept can survive. While there have been a few adjustments to the specifics, such as the use of keywords and SEO-oriented writing, the core structure of the press release remains the same.
Of course, as with all well-established writing conventions, the press release has seen its share of abuses. Press releases are such a routine part of any organization's operations that they often see quality sacrificed in the name of quantity. They're viewed as a source of easy SEO rankings if they're given any thought at all, and naturally the quality of these publications suffers in line with the degree of neglect.
Of course, no one has to follow this trend. There are a number of things one can do to create a solid press release. Here are a few of the simpler but oft-overlooked steps that can redeem this marketing tool into a primary force.
Hook with the Lede
The lede is that first sentence in a journalism story, a press release included. The lede must contain everything the story is going to talk about. If nothing else, it must boil the story down to its most relevant points, because very often people read the first few lines of a news story, then move on.
The key then lies in finding the most interesting part of the story and making the lede into a verbal "hook" that people can get ahold of. Don't hide your big announcement; sure, it works for Steve Jobs because attendees at the Apple conferences aren't going to leave mid-speech. But people reading a press release can always click away, so make sure you get the "what's that now?" out in front of them immediately.
Keep the Headline on Topic, Not on Company
The headline is not the place to brand your company. There are many wonderful venues for promoting your brand or company name; trying to sandwich it into the headline is simply asking for trouble, because all it does is give the press release away as a marketing effort. The story may well be solid journalistic gold, but it will still be ignored because people were turned off by the marketing.
Instead, treat the headline as a summary companion to the lede, with catchy writing and an on-topic message that draws readers' eyes down to the lede in order to see what the headline is talking about.
Simplify
Remember Strunk and White's eternal maxim: omit needless words. Remember once more that people tend to read a few lines into any news story, then move on. The longer a story can keep the reader's attention, the better it is doing. Words that hinder this process are introducing friction into what should ideally be a smooth process. This includes words that are obscure, very long words and, worst of all, jargon.
There is a place in the world for jargon. That place is between experts in a field who want to communicate more precisely and effectively. It is not in the lines of a press release. Most people are not experts in any given field, so using highly specific terms such as jargon is not going to help. It does not make a publication sound more intelligent — it makes it sound like it's geared toward someone else at best, or pretentious at worst. Discard the jargon and go for simple explanations instead.
Dress it Up
Simplicity is ideal for the core message of a press release, but there are ways to amplify the effectiveness of each part of the release given the power of online media.
Given the widespread access to broadband, embedding photos and videos is no longer a faux pas. If you're doing a press release on a trade show, include some pictures of the booths from the last year's show, perhaps a video of a short interview talking about the highlights of this year's events. Again, keep the material on-topic; the goal is to amplify what you're talking about in the release, not to distract from it.
Additionally, linking content is easy and efficient. Perhaps your release cites a major study your organization just completed and is releasing. Include a link to the study in the headline or lede so that people can click over to it immediately. This technique works for all manner of content, incidentally. If you're mentioning some manner of content that your organization is providing, be it product or service, put a link to it in the lede or near to the lede, so people can go right over and take a look.
The Basics
It shouldn't have to be said anymore, but there is always a need to remember the basic principles of good writing. Pay attention to grammar and punctuation. Use brief and active-voice statements. Don't editorialize. Keep the press release straightforward and cite the facts you want conveyed.
These are not options, they're important fundamentals. If you break the rules of the basics, your credibility will suffer. Remembering to mind them will help reduce the polish that has to go into a release later on.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Certain concepts just carry over well from print journalism. The press release, the tried and true method of updating the public on an organization's affairs, is an example of just how well such a concept can survive. While there have been a few adjustments to the specifics, such as the use of keywords and SEO-oriented writing, the core structure of the press release remains the same.
Of course, as with all well-established writing conventions, the press release has seen its share of abuses. Press releases are such a routine part of any organization's operations that they often see quality sacrificed in the name of quantity. They're viewed as a source of easy SEO rankings if they're given any thought at all, and naturally the quality of these publications suffers in line with the degree of neglect.
Of course, no one has to follow this trend. There are a number of things one can do to create a solid press release. Here are a few of the simpler but oft-overlooked steps that can redeem this marketing tool into a primary force.
Hook with the Lede
The lede is that first sentence in a journalism story, a press release included. The lede must contain everything the story is going to talk about. If nothing else, it must boil the story down to its most relevant points, because very often people read the first few lines of a news story, then move on.
The key then lies in finding the most interesting part of the story and making the lede into a verbal "hook" that people can get ahold of. Don't hide your big announcement; sure, it works for Steve Jobs because attendees at the Apple conferences aren't going to leave mid-speech. But people reading a press release can always click away, so make sure you get the "what's that now?" out in front of them immediately.
Keep the Headline on Topic, Not on Company
The headline is not the place to brand your company. There are many wonderful venues for promoting your brand or company name; trying to sandwich it into the headline is simply asking for trouble, because all it does is give the press release away as a marketing effort. The story may well be solid journalistic gold, but it will still be ignored because people were turned off by the marketing.
Instead, treat the headline as a summary companion to the lede, with catchy writing and an on-topic message that draws readers' eyes down to the lede in order to see what the headline is talking about.
Simplify
Remember Strunk and White's eternal maxim: omit needless words. Remember once more that people tend to read a few lines into any news story, then move on. The longer a story can keep the reader's attention, the better it is doing. Words that hinder this process are introducing friction into what should ideally be a smooth process. This includes words that are obscure, very long words and, worst of all, jargon.
There is a place in the world for jargon. That place is between experts in a field who want to communicate more precisely and effectively. It is not in the lines of a press release. Most people are not experts in any given field, so using highly specific terms such as jargon is not going to help. It does not make a publication sound more intelligent — it makes it sound like it's geared toward someone else at best, or pretentious at worst. Discard the jargon and go for simple explanations instead.
Dress it Up
Simplicity is ideal for the core message of a press release, but there are ways to amplify the effectiveness of each part of the release given the power of online media.
Given the widespread access to broadband, embedding photos and videos is no longer a faux pas. If you're doing a press release on a trade show, include some pictures of the booths from the last year's show, perhaps a video of a short interview talking about the highlights of this year's events. Again, keep the material on-topic; the goal is to amplify what you're talking about in the release, not to distract from it.
Additionally, linking content is easy and efficient. Perhaps your release cites a major study your organization just completed and is releasing. Include a link to the study in the headline or lede so that people can click over to it immediately. This technique works for all manner of content, incidentally. If you're mentioning some manner of content that your organization is providing, be it product or service, put a link to it in the lede or near to the lede, so people can go right over and take a look.
The Basics
It shouldn't have to be said anymore, but there is always a need to remember the basic principles of good writing. Pay attention to grammar and punctuation. Use brief and active-voice statements. Don't editorialize. Keep the press release straightforward and cite the facts you want conveyed.
These are not options, they're important fundamentals. If you break the rules of the basics, your credibility will suffer. Remembering to mind them will help reduce the polish that has to go into a release later on.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Good Press: Promoting Your Blog
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
There are numerous ways to get a blog noticed and mentioned online. Some are good and others are atrocious. We're all aware of "that guy" who simply joins conversations online and says, "Wow, that's interesting. Hey, have you read my blog about..." Sometimes the blog covers the topic being discussed — but usually it doesn't. Sometimes our "friend" doesn't even go to the trouble of actually even trying to comment on the conversation and simply spams his blog's links everywhere he can, hoping someone somewhere will accidentally click the link instead of the block button.
So how do we avoid becoming "that guy?" The blog needs promoting; blogs that people don't know about don't get read… it's as simple as that. But there are polite ways to promote your blog in an active sense without becoming a blog-spamming troll.
Directories
There are a number of website and blog-specific directories out there. Most of us are familiar with these, so a short summary is all I'll include here. In essence, these are websites that will host and promote various other sites for a subscription of sorts. Some are ad-supported, others require payment or contracts of a certain period of time. What these do is allow another angle of search engine optimization so that people looking for topics relating to your blog will have more of a chance of finding your hard-written content.
SEO
By now, good SEO practices should be seen as mandatory. Keywords, meta-tags and other good SEO practices will promote your blog for you without ever requiring you to contact anyone. Do it.
However, there is the related, yet not identical, field of topic tagging. Many blogs have an option to tag an article with topics. These don't necessarily directly relate to SEO results, though in some cases they do get listed. What they do is allow people using the same blogging software to browse based on topics. So if you're discussing a particular issue or news story, tag it in the categories or topics section, and fellow WordPress or Blogger users might just come across your work.
Social Media
The previous techniques are useful because they don't require direct interaction with others. They're based on letting searches promote your work for you. However, nothing in the world beats the personal touch, and there's nothing more personal than social media. As mentioned above, the personal approach is risky, because people have fickle moods. Not everyone is in the mood to hear about a blog when they're having a discussion. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be as crass as the above example of our blog-desperate friend.
First, there are online forums. These are a great place to ease into the social media experience. Find a forum or two related to the topic of your blog, and begin participating. When it comes time to create your profile, make sure good content is provided. Provide a short but informative bio about what you do, put keyword relevant tags to your blog in the activities section and make sure your blog is linked in either the website or signature portions of your forum, or both.
These practices, you'll note, can be repeated on any social media site. Facebook in particular is good for this, as it has a very robust background and biography section to work from.
Once in the forum or social media discussion group, participate actively. Introduce yourself if there is an appropriate place to do so. Mention your blog and what it is about briefly, and then drop it for a while. Drop in on discussions that you feel you have something relevant to contribute to, always being sure to be polite and provide insightful commentary. If you can't think of something to say, don't force it.
One good "bridging" method in these cases is using your fellow conversationalists' comments as inspiration for a blog post. Suppose someone brings up a commonly held misconception, or mentions something you genuinely hadn't thought of before. Write a post about it, and link to that post in the message. Use this technique sparingly — you want to be known for your own unique content, not as a topic-miner. However, when done politely and genuinely, this can get people interested in speaking with you and reading what you have to write.
Habits and Practices
Those paying attention will see that this is a process, not a "step." Blog promotion is an activity that takes time to properly cultivate and is very easy to get wrong. The steady and measured approach is the best way to avoid taxing peoples' patience — pushing too hard will get you flagged for spam or banned, which results in a bad reputation.
Getting readers to come to a blog is like developing any good relationship. Businesses tend to thrive on repeat customers rather than one-time visitors, and a blog is the same way. You want a loyal readership? Show them you're trustworthy and friendly before they ever show up. You aren't going to be able to force interest — either it is there or it isn't. Do your blog a favor and remove the roadblocks of over eagerness by accepting the long-term view of solid promotion.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
There are numerous ways to get a blog noticed and mentioned online. Some are good and others are atrocious. We're all aware of "that guy" who simply joins conversations online and says, "Wow, that's interesting. Hey, have you read my blog about..." Sometimes the blog covers the topic being discussed — but usually it doesn't. Sometimes our "friend" doesn't even go to the trouble of actually even trying to comment on the conversation and simply spams his blog's links everywhere he can, hoping someone somewhere will accidentally click the link instead of the block button.
So how do we avoid becoming "that guy?" The blog needs promoting; blogs that people don't know about don't get read… it's as simple as that. But there are polite ways to promote your blog in an active sense without becoming a blog-spamming troll.
Directories
There are a number of website and blog-specific directories out there. Most of us are familiar with these, so a short summary is all I'll include here. In essence, these are websites that will host and promote various other sites for a subscription of sorts. Some are ad-supported, others require payment or contracts of a certain period of time. What these do is allow another angle of search engine optimization so that people looking for topics relating to your blog will have more of a chance of finding your hard-written content.
SEO
By now, good SEO practices should be seen as mandatory. Keywords, meta-tags and other good SEO practices will promote your blog for you without ever requiring you to contact anyone. Do it.
However, there is the related, yet not identical, field of topic tagging. Many blogs have an option to tag an article with topics. These don't necessarily directly relate to SEO results, though in some cases they do get listed. What they do is allow people using the same blogging software to browse based on topics. So if you're discussing a particular issue or news story, tag it in the categories or topics section, and fellow WordPress or Blogger users might just come across your work.
Social Media
The previous techniques are useful because they don't require direct interaction with others. They're based on letting searches promote your work for you. However, nothing in the world beats the personal touch, and there's nothing more personal than social media. As mentioned above, the personal approach is risky, because people have fickle moods. Not everyone is in the mood to hear about a blog when they're having a discussion. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be as crass as the above example of our blog-desperate friend.
First, there are online forums. These are a great place to ease into the social media experience. Find a forum or two related to the topic of your blog, and begin participating. When it comes time to create your profile, make sure good content is provided. Provide a short but informative bio about what you do, put keyword relevant tags to your blog in the activities section and make sure your blog is linked in either the website or signature portions of your forum, or both.
These practices, you'll note, can be repeated on any social media site. Facebook in particular is good for this, as it has a very robust background and biography section to work from.
Once in the forum or social media discussion group, participate actively. Introduce yourself if there is an appropriate place to do so. Mention your blog and what it is about briefly, and then drop it for a while. Drop in on discussions that you feel you have something relevant to contribute to, always being sure to be polite and provide insightful commentary. If you can't think of something to say, don't force it.
One good "bridging" method in these cases is using your fellow conversationalists' comments as inspiration for a blog post. Suppose someone brings up a commonly held misconception, or mentions something you genuinely hadn't thought of before. Write a post about it, and link to that post in the message. Use this technique sparingly — you want to be known for your own unique content, not as a topic-miner. However, when done politely and genuinely, this can get people interested in speaking with you and reading what you have to write.
Habits and Practices
Those paying attention will see that this is a process, not a "step." Blog promotion is an activity that takes time to properly cultivate and is very easy to get wrong. The steady and measured approach is the best way to avoid taxing peoples' patience — pushing too hard will get you flagged for spam or banned, which results in a bad reputation.
Getting readers to come to a blog is like developing any good relationship. Businesses tend to thrive on repeat customers rather than one-time visitors, and a blog is the same way. You want a loyal readership? Show them you're trustworthy and friendly before they ever show up. You aren't going to be able to force interest — either it is there or it isn't. Do your blog a favor and remove the roadblocks of over eagerness by accepting the long-term view of solid promotion.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Blog Management - How to Work Interviews Into Your Blog
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Being a subset of journalism, it is no surprise that blogging shares many traits with its parent. In particular, blogging strongly resembles the feature or editorials pages of many newspapers. Not beholden to quite the same rules of timeliness or AP style guidelines as the news sections, these sections focus on matters of personal interest to the writer, or on a specific topic of particular relevance or human interest.
So, given that blogging tends to be derived from these sections, it is reasonable to look into the tactics that bring traditional journalists such success in their writing and to borrow the best ideas from them. In particular, many bloggers have discovered the value of including interviews in their publications.
An interview is fairly straightforward: a conversation between the blogger and another party, generally about a topic of mutual interest to the blogger, the subject and the readers. Some interviews are scripted, some are more extemporaneous, but at their heart they all have the mission of illuminating the thoughts of the interviewee to the audience of the publication in order to shed some extra light on the subject being discussed.
In the world of blogging, there are generally three approaches to integrating an interview into a blog.
The Writeup
This is the general, news-story style form of an interview. The blogger contacts the subject, does their interview, then writes a story around the interview using the subject's quotations as a framework. It tends to look something like:
Recently I spoke to branding icon John Doe, asking his thoughts on the importance of personal identity. "You really need a strong name, something people can get ahold of and never forget, that's the first thing." When I asked him for details, John commented, "Well, if you don't have a name that people remember, they'll just refer to you as 'that one guy' or any old thing."
The structure is easy to follow, and very much suited to blogging as a style of writing. It doesn't have to be in first person; it is easily adapted to any blogging style. It has the value of letting the blogger do most of the writing. This way, their style remains intact and the interview is presented on their terms to the readers, maintaining a unique voice.
The weakness of this style is that it tends to raise questions. Did the blogger use the whole interview? Are they editorializing in their choice of quotes? and so on. For example, in the choice above, When I asked him for details could actually have played out as "Well, that's obvious. Could you be more specific?" and our imaginary blogger simply rephrased to make himself look less confrontational.
The Reprint
The alternative is simply to reprint the entire interview, without editing other than to remove little asides such as "um" and other verbal tics. This tends to look as follows:
BenjaminBrandBlog - Hello, John.
John Doe - Hello. Thanks for interviewing me.
BBB - Glad to talk with you. So, what would you say is the first thing that comes to your mind when talking about branding?
JD - You really need a strong name, something people can get ahold of and never forget, that's the first thing.
The reprint is rather an unusual choice, very rarely seen in blogging or in print journalism. This is because it has some obvious weaknesses. For example, not every question in an interview ends up being relevant. Not all interviews follow a particular script; some go down tangents, interesting or dull asides, and so on. It is the job of the journalist to edit the content so that the material that stayed on subject gets to the readers.
However, there are some cases in which reprinting an interview is an interesting alternative. If a conversation was purely illuminating, if it covered some amazing grounds that people didn't expect, and the writer wishes to share it, then by all means share the interview itself.
The Podcast or Video
Similar to the reprint, this is the process of using recording equipment to make an audio podcast or videoblog of the interview in question. This has a number of advantages over the simple reprint, because it allows the personality of the two subjects to shine through in a way that text doesn't always quite capture. Sarcasm and wit come through a bit more readily when tone of voice or body language are added into the subject matter, making the whole process more dynamic and interesting.
The difficulty of these formats is in their complexity. The logistics of getting recording software to work, of cleaning up audio and video for proper use on the net if they aren't your blog's primary medium, etc. can all make this a bit out of reach for the average blogger. They require the dedication of actual time and effort to produce, share and refine as a series. Further, not everyone is as suited for speaking as they are for writing; some just aren't as comfortable in a spoken medium, and a skilled writer isn't always a stunning speaker.
That said, there is strong value in this type of process, as it can add variety and interest to the usual presentation of a good blog.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
Being a subset of journalism, it is no surprise that blogging shares many traits with its parent. In particular, blogging strongly resembles the feature or editorials pages of many newspapers. Not beholden to quite the same rules of timeliness or AP style guidelines as the news sections, these sections focus on matters of personal interest to the writer, or on a specific topic of particular relevance or human interest.
So, given that blogging tends to be derived from these sections, it is reasonable to look into the tactics that bring traditional journalists such success in their writing and to borrow the best ideas from them. In particular, many bloggers have discovered the value of including interviews in their publications.
An interview is fairly straightforward: a conversation between the blogger and another party, generally about a topic of mutual interest to the blogger, the subject and the readers. Some interviews are scripted, some are more extemporaneous, but at their heart they all have the mission of illuminating the thoughts of the interviewee to the audience of the publication in order to shed some extra light on the subject being discussed.
In the world of blogging, there are generally three approaches to integrating an interview into a blog.
The Writeup
This is the general, news-story style form of an interview. The blogger contacts the subject, does their interview, then writes a story around the interview using the subject's quotations as a framework. It tends to look something like:
Recently I spoke to branding icon John Doe, asking his thoughts on the importance of personal identity. "You really need a strong name, something people can get ahold of and never forget, that's the first thing." When I asked him for details, John commented, "Well, if you don't have a name that people remember, they'll just refer to you as 'that one guy' or any old thing."
The structure is easy to follow, and very much suited to blogging as a style of writing. It doesn't have to be in first person; it is easily adapted to any blogging style. It has the value of letting the blogger do most of the writing. This way, their style remains intact and the interview is presented on their terms to the readers, maintaining a unique voice.
The weakness of this style is that it tends to raise questions. Did the blogger use the whole interview? Are they editorializing in their choice of quotes? and so on. For example, in the choice above, When I asked him for details could actually have played out as "Well, that's obvious. Could you be more specific?" and our imaginary blogger simply rephrased to make himself look less confrontational.
The Reprint
The alternative is simply to reprint the entire interview, without editing other than to remove little asides such as "um" and other verbal tics. This tends to look as follows:
BenjaminBrandBlog - Hello, John.
John Doe - Hello. Thanks for interviewing me.
BBB - Glad to talk with you. So, what would you say is the first thing that comes to your mind when talking about branding?
JD - You really need a strong name, something people can get ahold of and never forget, that's the first thing.
The reprint is rather an unusual choice, very rarely seen in blogging or in print journalism. This is because it has some obvious weaknesses. For example, not every question in an interview ends up being relevant. Not all interviews follow a particular script; some go down tangents, interesting or dull asides, and so on. It is the job of the journalist to edit the content so that the material that stayed on subject gets to the readers.
However, there are some cases in which reprinting an interview is an interesting alternative. If a conversation was purely illuminating, if it covered some amazing grounds that people didn't expect, and the writer wishes to share it, then by all means share the interview itself.
The Podcast or Video
Similar to the reprint, this is the process of using recording equipment to make an audio podcast or videoblog of the interview in question. This has a number of advantages over the simple reprint, because it allows the personality of the two subjects to shine through in a way that text doesn't always quite capture. Sarcasm and wit come through a bit more readily when tone of voice or body language are added into the subject matter, making the whole process more dynamic and interesting.
The difficulty of these formats is in their complexity. The logistics of getting recording software to work, of cleaning up audio and video for proper use on the net if they aren't your blog's primary medium, etc. can all make this a bit out of reach for the average blogger. They require the dedication of actual time and effort to produce, share and refine as a series. Further, not everyone is as suited for speaking as they are for writing; some just aren't as comfortable in a spoken medium, and a skilled writer isn't always a stunning speaker.
That said, there is strong value in this type of process, as it can add variety and interest to the usual presentation of a good blog.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Response and Rebuttal: Having a Good Argument on a Blog
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
According to one theory of knowledge, there are no original facts. All knowing is gained through more knowing, each fact tied to every other fact like a spider web — none supported completely on its own, but all working beautifully in concert. Whether this is ultimately true philosophically, it illustrates a key point of online knowledge: Everything worthwhile refers back to something else.
This is particularly true of the many arguments on the web. The strongest arguments are those that can relate their case to other fields of knowledge and understanding. While there are always those who will buy into constantly debunked arguments, by and large the web is a place where the meritocracy of truth can hold court.
So, how exactly does one harness this for his or her own blog?
First, understand that an argument always produces hard feelings. This is the inherent risk of it; people do not like to be proven wrong. Whether it is cultural or evolutionary in nature, there is an almost gut-level need to be right in an argument. If you have a discussion of this sort, you will run the risk of alienating some audience members.
However, the same effect can gain you a strong readership if handled properly. People admire those who can demonstrate a strong case against consistent criticism. Take the video bloggers Thunderf00t and AronRa on YouTube. Both of these men advocate very specific positions about science, free speech and religion, and the role of these entities in the modern world. Both have come under extensive attack, including outright legal action in some cases, for advocating their views and maintaining the argument about these issues. Yet both have very popular YouTube channels, and both writers have been booked for speaking engagements as a result of their work. Their channels are consistently growing, largely because they are willing to have arguments and back them up with strong evidence.
The first step is to make sure the argument is worth having. Is it genuinely an issue worth arguing over, with significant relevance to the average user? Consider your audience carefully for this one. Arguments about freedom of speech may well touch on everyone's lives in some degree, but if your blog is dedicated to the subtleties of audiophile technologies, it might not be the argument to have.
Once you have made the decision that a point needs to be argued, it is important to match the intensity of your tone to the relevance of the point. If you have a relatively academic disagreement with one portion of another blogger's work, then it would likely not be appropriate to ream the entire piece based on one disagreement, or to focus on the disagreement instead of the areas of concordance.
This should be common sense, but the web seems to create a tendency in people to narrow their focus onto odd elements.
Begin with a post stating the basics of the other party's case, honestly and omitting nothing relevant. Then provide your commentary and rebuttal in specific terms, providing due credit and citations and making sure to link to your opposite number's blog if the argument is occurring between the blogs, or in the comments section if the discussion is to be had there.
Remember also to be gracious in victory and polite in defeat. It may well be that you utterly end their argument. If so, then well done. If they concede the point, accept the concession and move on. People have had their show, things have been learned, and hopefully both of you have benefited. Similarly, if you are clearly shown to be in the wrong, you gain much more credibility by revising your stance and acknowledging the opposing party's points. This is not formal debate, where the idea is to win points — it's to maintain good discussion and draw in the kind of people who take your work seriously.
Tying in with this effect is the user effect. People feel more invested in a blog when they feel their contributions are honored and considered worthwhile. So if a commenter to your blog provides a particular insight on an ongoing discussion or argument you are having with another blogger, bring them in. Highlight insightful commentary from your readers with a post, or incorporate it into one if appropriate to do so. This will encourage more people to bring commentary in, both for and against your point of view. This is a great way to attract the viewers of your opposite number's blog, as they feel their input will not be ignored.
So, in the end, should you go looking for arguments to start? Probably not; enough of them will present themselves to you. This is evident from reading just about any blog on the web. Read enough of them, and you will find something you disagree with. If you feel you can have a reasonable dialog with the writer of another blog, or if you feel their views are so drastically wrong as to require your rebuttal, then by all means do so. Simply do not forget to make it an argument worth having, and one that will educate and entertain your readers.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2011 Enzo F. Cesario
According to one theory of knowledge, there are no original facts. All knowing is gained through more knowing, each fact tied to every other fact like a spider web — none supported completely on its own, but all working beautifully in concert. Whether this is ultimately true philosophically, it illustrates a key point of online knowledge: Everything worthwhile refers back to something else.
This is particularly true of the many arguments on the web. The strongest arguments are those that can relate their case to other fields of knowledge and understanding. While there are always those who will buy into constantly debunked arguments, by and large the web is a place where the meritocracy of truth can hold court.
So, how exactly does one harness this for his or her own blog?
First, understand that an argument always produces hard feelings. This is the inherent risk of it; people do not like to be proven wrong. Whether it is cultural or evolutionary in nature, there is an almost gut-level need to be right in an argument. If you have a discussion of this sort, you will run the risk of alienating some audience members.
However, the same effect can gain you a strong readership if handled properly. People admire those who can demonstrate a strong case against consistent criticism. Take the video bloggers Thunderf00t and AronRa on YouTube. Both of these men advocate very specific positions about science, free speech and religion, and the role of these entities in the modern world. Both have come under extensive attack, including outright legal action in some cases, for advocating their views and maintaining the argument about these issues. Yet both have very popular YouTube channels, and both writers have been booked for speaking engagements as a result of their work. Their channels are consistently growing, largely because they are willing to have arguments and back them up with strong evidence.
The first step is to make sure the argument is worth having. Is it genuinely an issue worth arguing over, with significant relevance to the average user? Consider your audience carefully for this one. Arguments about freedom of speech may well touch on everyone's lives in some degree, but if your blog is dedicated to the subtleties of audiophile technologies, it might not be the argument to have.
Once you have made the decision that a point needs to be argued, it is important to match the intensity of your tone to the relevance of the point. If you have a relatively academic disagreement with one portion of another blogger's work, then it would likely not be appropriate to ream the entire piece based on one disagreement, or to focus on the disagreement instead of the areas of concordance.
This should be common sense, but the web seems to create a tendency in people to narrow their focus onto odd elements.
Begin with a post stating the basics of the other party's case, honestly and omitting nothing relevant. Then provide your commentary and rebuttal in specific terms, providing due credit and citations and making sure to link to your opposite number's blog if the argument is occurring between the blogs, or in the comments section if the discussion is to be had there.
Remember also to be gracious in victory and polite in defeat. It may well be that you utterly end their argument. If so, then well done. If they concede the point, accept the concession and move on. People have had their show, things have been learned, and hopefully both of you have benefited. Similarly, if you are clearly shown to be in the wrong, you gain much more credibility by revising your stance and acknowledging the opposing party's points. This is not formal debate, where the idea is to win points — it's to maintain good discussion and draw in the kind of people who take your work seriously.
Tying in with this effect is the user effect. People feel more invested in a blog when they feel their contributions are honored and considered worthwhile. So if a commenter to your blog provides a particular insight on an ongoing discussion or argument you are having with another blogger, bring them in. Highlight insightful commentary from your readers with a post, or incorporate it into one if appropriate to do so. This will encourage more people to bring commentary in, both for and against your point of view. This is a great way to attract the viewers of your opposite number's blog, as they feel their input will not be ignored.
So, in the end, should you go looking for arguments to start? Probably not; enough of them will present themselves to you. This is evident from reading just about any blog on the web. Read enough of them, and you will find something you disagree with. If you feel you can have a reasonable dialog with the writer of another blog, or if you feel their views are so drastically wrong as to require your rebuttal, then by all means do so. Simply do not forget to make it an argument worth having, and one that will educate and entertain your readers.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)