I do some of my best blogging on other people's forums

There's a really neat thread on blogging going on over at  private discussion forum at Mark Silver's HeartofBusiness.com (contact Mark directly for info on how to join the forum and get the secret handshake, etc.; you can also find some excellent articles at Mark's blog)

Anyway, someone mentioned that they were feeling kind of stuck about what to do with their blog; they already had a newsletter and were writing articles for directories, and they didn't know how to make sure the blog would add something new to the mix.

My response seemed to strike a chord for a few folks in the forum, so I thought I'd better share it with my own subscribers! Here it is:

I hear what you're saying about wanting to provide value to people, and not wanting your blog to be redundant.

But keep in mind that blogs and newsletters (and publishing articles via directories, etc.) each have their own particular benefits or objectives, and they aren't exactly the same.

Don't be afraid to recycle content between your blog and newsletter. Some folks need to see something several times before it sinks in; or maybe they didn't even see it in the newsletter but then read it on your blog (or vice verse). You can also re-purpose an article, rather than recycling it; shift the emphasis or turn a long article into a list of tips, etc.

Re your question about what to do with your blog -- maybe another way to ask it is, what would you like your blog to do for you? Here are some ideas for what a blog can do:

• Help you grow your list (be sure to add a subscription box)
• Improve your search engine results (you'll need to encourage trackbacks, comments and links, plus post new material frequently)
• Build trust and credibility with your target market (keep posting like you're already doing)
• Help you write a book or ebook (create a category for each chapter and then transfer your content over to a Word document when you're ready to publish)
• Help you build your brand (give your customers a taste of what it's like to work with you one-on-one by featuring case studies and client scenarios)
• Position you as an expert in your niche (make sure you write with authority and offer your readers lots of resources and links; do the Googling for them)
• Create a community around your business (again, encourage comments and subscriptions and create a safe environment for people to share their thoughts and questions)

What's your blog done for YOU lately?

Comments

[Mark Silver]

I'm interested in this final point you raised, Kathy- about creating community. 'Community' is such a bandied-about word. I don't want to get into theory or intellectual questions,

but I do have a real question about how we get our needs for connection met, and what role online 'community' truly plays.

They are having an interesting discussion about it at the Grok.com blog, and I posted it on my own as well. Curious as to what you think about it all.