Blogging: Building a Conversation around your Important Ideas.

There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in. -- Graham Greene


Do I need to pay $1,000.00 to start a blog?....Short Answer: No!

This is a question I received from a neighbor when we were chatting about a project he has to refine some of his current writing into a book. It highlights some of the disconnect in the transfer of “New Media tools (blogs, microblogs, e-commerce sites, etc. ) to regular people who might be able to utilize the tools for a project they are working on.  It also highlights the problem that there are individuals who hold themselves out to to be an expert in using these tools, but can't back it up.  (I didn't make it up -- someone actually told a 65+ year old man, who wanted to start a writing project, that he needed to pay him $1,000.00 before he could get going).

 A number of people and organizations make claims about how they can be helpful to individuals with bringing an idea alive, but they can’t deliver. I recommend trying to get a basic roadmap in place before seeking assistance, to ensure that we are not taken advantage of during the process. While there is a lot of free information “out there”, I have been extremely lucky to find an internet strategist Lethia Owens, who has been extremely helpful to me.

In this instance, I played that role for my neighbor and shared  few fundamentals on bringing his blog along (He gets the added benefit of me recently attending the Netsol Social Commerce Boot Camp on Saturday and Roots Camp).

Reasons why you might use a blog:

• A blog is a free resource to use to share ideas and develop conversations around them.
• In setting up a blog you have numerous options, but you might try WordPress or Blogger (Blogging applications)to start along with a corresponding Twitter Account (micro blog application)
• Understanding your Market. A blog is useful to see if there is any audience for your broader project.
• Networking. A blog may lead to connecting you to people or organizations who your ideas are helpful and could lead to getting your ideas off of the ground.

I was able to assist Fitz in establishing a blog using Blogger, but that’s the easy part and it only took him 30 minutes to get going. But in order to achieve maximum success, he will need to do the following:

• Establish goals for this medium (know what you want your final outcome to become).
• Build the Community (Engage and Interact with the Community to Gain Support)
• Give them GOOD content
• Get them involved (Give your community actions to do on your behalf)
• Get them Investing (time, money, action)
• Share the Success with the community (Goals accomplished)

I explained to him that while he’s just starting to get involved in Social Media. He will be part of a larger effort that is transforming how the world does business and exchanges ideas. Some have coined the term “Social Commerce”.

The Components of Social Commerce are:

• Social Shopping
• Ratings and Reviews (core)
• Recommendations & Referrals
• Forums & Communities
• Social Media
• Social advertising

Social media isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it offers marketers unparalleled opportunity to participate in relevant ways. It also provides a launchpad for other marketing tactics. Social media is not an island. It’s a high-power engine on the larger marketing ship.  ---Matt Dickman