CruBlogging

State of the Blogosphere Survey

Jayson Whelpley — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:26:21 +0000

Hey CruBloggers. I want to encourage you all to take 15 minutes (and I mean a full 15 minutes) and head over to the State of the Blogosphere Survey site and give your input.

This is an important tool for bloggers to get a feel for what the internet is becoming and how blogs are changing & developing in their implementation and their uses. It would be wonderful to help represent our particular niche of blogging in the survey.

The survey can be found here.

Develop A Personal Tone on Your Blog

Brian Barela — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:25:08 +0000

“When you write like everyone else and sound like everyone else and act like everyone else, you’re saying, “Our products are like everyone else’s, too.”–Jason Fried from a recent Inc magazine article

When I started blogging I feared being myself and looked to other bloggers I respected and copied their tone. I’m sure everyone starts similarly but over time the more personal you sound on your blog the more engaging and interesting it becomes.

Finding your tone is not an independent endeavor. I believe the feedback (or lack of) that you get from those reading your blog solidify your tone.

My two favorite blogs right now are Chris Brogan’s and Signal vs. Noise by the 37 Signals team. It’s not just the content that I enjoy but the tone of their writing–there are blogs that provide better content around the same topics but lack the personality of these blogs. Your readers are gravitating towards your blog not just for the content but also for the tone.

Two more great quotes from the article:

“They don’t hide behind jargon. They aren’t insecure. They aren’t afraid to tell you who they are.”

“Remember: It’s not about telling a story. It’s about telling a true story well.”

What blogs do you read that have good tone? What has your process of finding your tone looked like as you have been blogging?

photo courtesy of rexandsharkey

Why Internet Explorer is a Bad Choice

Jayson Whelpley — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:58:16 +0000

Last week I got an email from Brian asking me to write a post here about IE and why it’s no good. He’s right it’s no good. It’s so “no good” that I’m having a hard time not writing vulgar words about it. I have my self-control turned up to 11, so I think we’ll be okay.

For full disclosure, I should inform you that all I did to get info for this post is search for “why internet explorer sucks” on Google. I am going to pull extensively from a post at lockergnome.com because his post follows the same flow that mine was going to and that way I don’t have to write as much. I’d suggest you go and read that post, too.

Let’s start then.

Security

This is going to be the reason that convinces more of you than anything else. I will not be offended if you leave this post immediately after this section and download another browser right away.

Put simply: IE is not secure, and this is even more true as you look at older versions.

Pop-ups, viruses & the like will always have an easier time getting to your system in IE because IE is integrated into your system. The fact that Firefox, Chrome and the like aren’t seamless is a good thing. You always want to have something in between you and anything that might have a virus – the argument is exactly like a safe-sex talk, except less dire.

Lockergnome:

…most other browsers don’t make it so easy to install malicious software on your system without you knowing about it. IE makes it relatively trivial through two features called ActiveX and Active Scripting. These technologies were designed specifically for the purpose of giving Web sites more control over a user’s computer.

Web Design Standards

Most people don’t know this, but there are standards for web design and coding on the internet developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community that develops standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web.

These standards deal with how the different coding languages (HTML, CSS, XHTML, etc.) & image formats should displayed on a browser. This is why everything looks virtually the same in every browser. The reason that I say “virtually” is because Microsoft has, in the development of IE, essentially decided that they are too big and important to be bound by the rules that everyone else on the internet seeks to follow.

Lockergnome:

Ask yourself why a company would choose not to support standards that benefit everyone? The way I see it, it’s for precisely one of two reasons – either they are unable to, or they don’t want to. Given the fact that they are a multi-billion dollar company (one of the richest on the planet), I can’t help but lean toward the second option. Without going into too much detail… they have their own plans, and those plans involve implementing their own standard and forcing it upon the world. Call me a geek/hippie, but the idea of a multi-billion dollar corporation snubbing its nose at agreed-upon standards is nothing short of infuriating.

Others

There are other reasons, but they all boil down to customization. I like to browse the internet in a seamless fashion, and other browsers let me do that. I’d suggest reading a series of posts I wrote on CruTech.org a few years ago. They specifically talk about Firefox, but the argument and the options apply to Chrome and other browsers as well.

Use Google Keyword Tool to Optimize & Focus Your Blog

Brian Barela — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:47:58 +0000

Often times people jump into blogging with passion but fail to translate and focus that passion into content that other people want to read. I always click on other posts that offer tips on how to refine the focus of a blog.

An easy way to do this is to use Google Keywords to discover the phrases other people search for. This is helpful because:

1. It causes you to think about phrases that others would use to describe your blog–a great exercise in refining your focus!

2. It provides insight into whether those phrases are actually being searched for in Google. The reason no one may be reading your blog is because your content is too vague.

Here’s a short screencast I made on how to start using the tool. I hope you find it helpful!

RE-Think: Campus Crusade Blogerence April 13th-15th

Jayson Whelpley — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:54:36 +0000

Join us for a 3 day conference via blogs! The hope is to engage in online dialog that will lead to changed lives–our own and lost students! This blogference will be like a conference, yet in the virtual world. There will be ‘Hosts,’ who will post on their blog something to stimulate discussion at the beginning of each day.

Throughout the day, hosts and participants will dialog over the initial post via comments left on the blog. At the end of each day, the host will look over the discussion, and decide which direction to carry the conversation for the next day. By the end of blogference, I’m hoping you have been challenged and been able to challenge the thoughts of each host.

If you have never blogged before, GREAT! This blogference is meant for you. You do NOT have to have a blog to be a part of the blogference.

How do you participate?

The links to the host blog will be posted here. Just click on one of the topics that interest you, read the post, and comment!

Each morning, the host will start the day with a post to move the conversation along. There will hopefully be plenty of information for you to share and comment on.

Cost?

FREE; when will you ever participate in a completely free Campus Crusade conference? If anything you should be a part of it just to say that.

Visit Brian’s announcement of it on his blog.

Join the Blogference Facebook Group!

Do as we say…

Jayson Whelpley — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:03:22 +0000

Brian has covered this before, but one of the things that I’ve found is most effective in bringing visitors to your site is posting regularly.

On my personal homepage I’ve been trying to post something with substance twice a week. What has been even more effective is splitting longer posts up. There are a couple of ways to do this:

Just split it up. Remember, 3-6 paragraphs or about 500 words is the most that anyone is going to read on your blog. If what you’ve written is longer than this or even close, split it up into posts with titles that have “Part 1″ and “Part 2″ on them. Two posts of 200 words will draw people and have them at your site longer than one 5oo page article.
Teaser posts.In the past two months I’ve written a number of longer pieces, both for my personal blog and as a guest post on a friend’s blog. In both instances the piece itself was preceded by a teaser post. This works best when the teaser post contains something interactive – post your bullet points, a video, or a question for your readers (your best bet for interaction). This will create a bug in your readers’ brains so that they’ll want to come back and see what you’re going to say about it.

This is my 5th paragraph and I am at 227 words, so I am going to end it here. Just get out there and post a few posts!

5 New Year’s Resolutions for New Bloggers

Brian Barela — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:55:55 +0000

1. Post REGULARLY (not a numerical goal): Something as specific as “I’m going to post every Tuesday and Friday.”

2. Respond to EVERY comment: A blog is set up for discussion and engagement; if you do not respond to comments you will dampen the spirits of those who comment and decrease the chances that they will comment in the future.

3. Link to other bloggers in your posts: Next to commenting on other people’s posts this is the easiest way to build rapport in the blogosphere.

4. Embed pictures and videos more frequently: It causes more people to engage and requires just a little bit more time on your behalf.

5. Focus your posts around specific topics: the more diverse your blog is the less it will be read. If people know what you blog about they will be more likely to check your site when the want information about a specific topic. There’s no way you will compete with the Huffington Post.

photo courtesy of undeleterious

5 Quick Fixes to Tune Up Your Blog

Brian Barela — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:51:55 +0000

1. Consolidate Your Categories to 3-5 larger ones: None of your readers are going to take the time to go through fifty different category tags. Eliminating tags will also help focus your writing and make your posts sharper.

2. Optimize Your Blog Title for Search Engines: Is your blog title abstract? Or is it only your name? Both lack the information to help those searching for content online find you. The title of my personal blog was “The Necessary Things” (too abstract). I recently added a subtitle to help with search engine optimization: “The Necessary Things–Future Oriented Leadership Thoughts within Campus Crusade.” Much more descriptive and immediately lets people know what the blog is about.

3. Optimize Your Permalinks for Search Engines: Read this article on using permalinks. If you’re still using “ugly” ones please change to “pretty.” They don’t just look better, they also make your blog posts more findable.

4. Mix Media into your blog design and posts: Are there any pictures of videos on your blog layout? Are there hundreds of pictures or videos on your blog layout? Each person that gets into blogging leads more towards one of these three media elements: text, photos, video. A big part of the refining process of blogging is balancing each of these three media elements to increase engagement among your readers.

5. Post more often by reading more posts: Are you using an RSS reader? Are you reading any other blogs besides yours? Reading other people’s blogs has probably helped me with my own blogging more than anything else. If you have yet to dive into RSS I suggest starting with Google Reader. It’s easy to use and if you have an iPhone or a Droid there are apps that sync with it.

Google Analytics: An Advanced Tip to Sharpen Your Content

Brian Barela — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:08:10 +0000

I just met Nick Iyengar (thks @jeffwidman) and he was generous enough to explain Google Analytics to me.

He recently blogged about how to use the results that analytics shows for your organic keywords to sharpen the content production process.

Here are some great quotes from the post. You should definitely take some time to read the whole thing on his blog.

“Search behavior is evolving over time, so even if you have great keyword coverage, people are constantly searching on new terms you’re not covering with ads.”

“In other words, use your organic keyword data to identify new keywords to add to SEM campaigns.”

This is how it can affect your blog:

Most blogs start out with content that is specific to a small audience, but over time more people begin to find your blog through search engines.

Over time patterns emerge in relation to that organic traffic; you may knowingly or unknowingly draw readers from many contexts because of a particular mix of words used in your blog.

For example: I wrote a post that included the words “listening, hearing, and jimi hendrix.” It turns out that phrase is searched often and drives a handful of pageviews on my site weekly.

If you invest some time exploring your organic keywords you can learn to write content around words that are searched more frequently resulting in not only more pageviews but also views that are more targeted.

photo courtesy of weekend_snoop

Expert Blogger Chris Brogan Keynote Presentation

Brian Barela — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:35 +0000

I attended Web 2.0 in New York this week and had a chance to hear this live. Thought it would be great to share with you.

Webinar Postponed!

Brian Barela — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:46:39 +0000

hey everyone the blogging webinar is postponed! sorry for that!

hopefully in the future we can get it going!

happy blogging!

Listen and Communicate On Twitter!

Brian Barela — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:34:18 +0000

“Anyone not ‘@’ replying on Twitter doesn’t get it. It’s about listening and communicating, not press releasing”–Gary Vaynerchk

If you are new on Twitter and barely update it then using the ‘@’ reply can be difficult. However I would suggest deciding on a ratio between “push” and “pull” tweets.

I do not have an exact one, but functionally I ‘@’ reply once for every two “push” tweets I send. I often do this in spurts rather than intermittently–I may send three or four ‘@’ replies at once and then push tweets for a few days.

The ratio is not the point. The PRINCIPLE of listening and communicating is.

In ministry we often have many projects that we’re working on that we want more people to know about. It’s tempting to jump on twitter to “spread the word” which is a great goal.

However I would define “spread the word” on twitter in this manner:

Searching out users who are ALREADY talking about things related to your project and getting to know them first by reading their recent tweets

Then ‘@’ replying those users when they tweet something that you find useful, insightful, or encouraging

Then engaging them with an ask to promote or share your project with their network.

The biggest miss I see is not understanding these tactics but getting on Twitter WELL BEFORE the actual project or event deadline. If you can be on twitter months before the event, steadily engaging people and posting sporadic push messages, you can set yourself up really well when the project or event draws near.

Have you been on the front-end of this? What are some tactics for using the ‘@’ reply that you have found helpful for listening and communicating with people on twitter?

photo courtesy of robparkin

Make That Next Email Into A Blog Post

Brian Barela — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:34:40 +0000

I’m all about keeping my inbox at zero these days. Here’s the post I read that inspired me.

Since creating content can be the biggest challenge for entry level and mid-range bloggers, I wanted to encourage you to use emails that you either send or are sent to you as fodder for blog posts.

Here are some practical ways to turn an email into a blog post:

If it was an insightful email:

Quote part of the email and explain what made it so insightful.

If the email caused you to take a significant action step or think about something differently, blog about that.

Extract the principle or spirit of the email and blog about that.

Sometimes I receive emails from leaders who write with a powerful tone. I like to step back and evaluate my writing in light of theirs, looking for ways I can improve my tone.

If it was an annoying/unnecessary/common email:

Don’t quote it!

What was it about the email that made it annoying? Did it tap into any of your core values or strengths? Don’t write about the annoying part. DO write about the core value/strength stuff.

Is it a metaphor for something wrong on a greater scale? What could you write that in some small way might lead people in a more redemptive pattern?

Google the problem that the email caused/suggested. Write a post offering tactical solutions based on the links that Google provided. Now you’re actually contributing to the solution in a meaningful and practical way.

What are your tips for turning emails into blog posts?

Claiming New Ground: Marching Into the Blog World

Barbara Francis — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:06:33 +0000

Ok, I admit it: I’ve been in blog world for only six months, which undoubtedly puts me in the minority within the Campus Ministry. But even though I’m a newbie, I think I’ve learned a few lessons along the way that may help the remaining four of us tip-toe into the unfamiliar.

I am committed to growing in all areas of my life. I have never wanted the fear of the unknown to rule my world and eventually close it down. Learning helps my character, as well as my trust in the Lord, to grow. I sensed God wanted to expand my footprint to encompass ministry to believers and non-believers alike. So last spring I took that scary first step and started the process of actually getting my own blog site.

I had a new book coming out in June ’09, Grace and Guts: What It Takes to Forgive, and the marketing strategy included a blog piece. I contacted two friends who were far ahead of me and asked for their help: Mike Foster of PlainJoe Studios and Brian Barela, MTL at Chico State. Both of these guys were invaluable to me, lending insight and very practical suggestions on how to proceed.

Now, I’m going to be honest here: At first I felt way over my head. I was afraid of failure, I entertained thoughts that it was all too hard for me, and I even slammed my computer shut one morning when I couldn’t import an image into my post! But I am growing and learning—and expanding my ministry. I’m glad I’m hanging in there, and I celebrate even the smallest of victories.

Maybe a few of you have been hesitant about claiming new ground in blog world, too. My advice? Grab a few friends who are further down the road than you and just jump in. You might fall and skin a knee or two, but you won’t crash and burn, I promise. Before long, you’ll be smoothly marching into blog world. Practice makes perfect. I’d love to hear about your successes, too. Just post them as comments on my blog site at http://graceandguts.net/

This is a guest post by Barbara Francis. Subscribe to her blog here | Add her on Facebook

The Power of Social Media–Understanding the Potential of Your Blog

Brian Barela — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:44:14 +0000

I attended this webinar yesterday and wanted to pass on the slideshare presentation. It outlines some helpful and central principles to using social media effectively and with maximum leverage. Hopefully it will continue to inspire your blogging efforts!

Combining the Power of Social Media with Online Advertising

View more presentations from Ripple6, Inc..