blog Archives - Page 2 of 4 -

Tag: blog (page 2 of 4)

The blog vs the book

Writing a blog may be more effective than writing a book.

I’m not convinced of this. But here’s one thing I know.

When I’m doing initial research for a project, I don’t first ask Dewey Decimal. I used to. But the game has changed.

I’ve replaced Dewey Decimal with a little tool you may have heard of: Google. And if you tell me you haven’t, I’ll tell you you’re a liar.

A Google search for a topic may lead you to a book. But if it does, you’ll probably skip right over that to click on the link that lands you on an article you can read immediately. And the way that search engine optimization (SEO) works, a single blog post is forever searchable.

When it comes to most of our information gathering, our culture values speed and timeliness over exhaustiveness.

Publishing isn’t dead

Books and publishers still serve our culture well. They help sift ideas and package them in a way that helps a broad audience. They put flesh to content that single blog posts just can’t do. They have often spent years building trust through their platform (by publishing reputable, helpful resources), and use this as a launching pad for current and future titles. But the publishing industry’s strengths lead them to be a slow-moving machine that’s not capable of moving as quickly as a blogger.

The days of books aren’t over. But the days of books being the primary starting point for research is done.

Moving your idea forward

So if you want to get your idea out, start a blog. Don’t wait for a publisher to pick you up. If you wait for a publisher, your culture-shifting idea may take years to get into people’s hands. Most books take years to move from initial idea to gathering dust on a shelf.

I just talked with a guy in London who had found my blog helpful in dealing with a delicate small group issue he faced in his local church. Could he have found the answer to his questions and concerns in a book? Certainly. But Google is much more accessible, when problems arise, than your local library.

Write a blog post, and your content is at the fingertips of people who need it most. In fact, consider guest-posting right here on my blog. I’d love to feature you! Details HERE.

I may write a book someday. But in the meantime, I’ll keep fleshing my thoughts out quickly and efficiently right here on the blog.

Ever considered starting a blog?

What’s keeping you from posting more often?

Twitter Spam

May 10, 2011 / Ben Reed / 2 Comments

Image from BusinessGrow.com

I was followed by a gardening site right after I tweeted about my own garden recently.

Lame?

Maybe not.

The reason I am quick to say that it may not be spam is because they simply followed me. Didn’t send me a direct message promoting their site, or pushing me to their Facebook account. They just subtly let me know that they’re out there. No in-my-face marketing. And you know what, when I need help, I’ll likely refer back to their site.

Drive-by spammer?

I saw this acted out in real life while driving through my neighborhood.

I saw a professional landscaper stop and help a couple that was trying to get their tiller started. Apparently they were having a tough time, and this guy knew what he was doing. He was being generous. Not to get business. Not so he could drop off his business card, and subtly drop hints that he was the best landscaper in town. But just because he had a bit of expertise and a few minutes to help this older couple figure their tiller out.

Social media is the same way. You’ve got an expertise. Maybe you’re a landscaper. Maybe you’re a mom. Maybe you’re a theologian or a comedian or a runner. You’ve got some expertise in something.

That’s your angle.

Use that as your platform. Give away your knowledge, stories, insights, failures, and successes. Because somebody else wants to know what you know. Your words will be priceless to them.

And in their time of need, you know where they’ll turn first?

Google.

And when they turn to Google, they’ll find you. You’ll be that guy that drove by at exactly the right time.

So tweet, blog, facebook, and share with the world your expertise.

We need you.

When you begin to see social media (and life as a whole) as a way to be generous with your gifts, passions, and expertise, we all benefit. You included.

Quit trying to be funny

May 9, 2011 / Ben Reed / 6 Comments

Want a snapshot into my thought process? Here you go.

image by Beaty Bass

Me: I could write a blog off of this thought:

If you’re not funny, don’t try to be.

Because I read something the other day where someone was trying to be funny, and they weren’t. It was painful.

My brain: But you write things that you think are funny. And they’re not. So they’re painful.

Me: Ouch.

My brain: Don’t judge people on a funniness scale.

Me: I don’t mean to jud…

My brain: And who made you the funny judge, anyway?

Me: …

My brain: And isn’t “funny” subjective? What’s funny to you may not be funny to everyone.

Me: Well, ok. But some things just aren’t funny. Case-in-point: well, um…I can’t think of one right now. But you know what I mean.

My brain: You mean that there are some things that just aren’t universally funny. Right?

Me: Yeah.

My brain: There you go again. Judging “funny” purely by what you find “funny.”

Me: But why would someone write something intending to be funny, when they’re not?

My brain: Hey, you don’t have to read their stuff…

Me: I guess not, but…

My brain: No, you don’t. Just quit reading.

Me: I guess you’re right. Nobody is forcing me to read. That would be weird if they did.

My brain: Don’t you write from your own experiences?

Me: Yes.

My brain: And aren’t your experiences sometimes funny to you?

Me: Yes.

My brain: Boom! Then you just contradicted yourself. You’re funny to you, but not to everyone. Isn’t this what you’re frustrated with other writers about?

Me: I suppose…

My brain: And are you forcing anyone to read your stuff?

Me: I sure hope not.

My brain: What kind of an answer is that? It’s either a “yes” or a “no.”

Me: I guess that realizing there are countless voices out there, and that those non-funny funny guys can have their voice, too, is good.

My brain: Finally. You get it. It doesn’t matter. They’re funny to someone.

Me: Be who you are, and let others be who they are. Hey, I think I’ll Twitter that. Wait, no. I’m having an important internal dialogue right now. Stick with it.

My brain: What just happened right there?

Me: Sorry. …But can’t I be a little critical? Bust on people a little when they’re not funny?

My brain: Nope. Again…you’re not that funny to most people.

Me: Ok, ok…I get it. I’m not funny either. Will you lighten up already?

My brain: You need to lighten up. Give people the freedom to express themselves however they want.

Me: Fair enough.

See what I have to deal with? Here’s my own takeaway from my own thought process:

I’ll let you be you.

In fact, let me take that one step further.

Please, please…you be you.

We need you. Your brand of humor. Your style of relating. Your way of leading. Your ideas, passions, giftings, and set of failures. Your training, your taste, and your family dynamics.

Don’t be me. I won’t be you.

And, I promise…I won’t judge you for being you.

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. (Romans 12:4-6)

Social media as Amuse Bouche

April 12, 2011 / Ben Reed / 2 Comments

Recently, my wife and I ate at a 5-star restaurant. It was a fantastic experience. you can read about it HERE.

For the first time, I started the meal off with an amuse bouche.

I had to Google it.

Amuse bouche is, according to Wikipedia HERE, a small, bite-sized hors d’oeuvres. Sounds pretty…un-filling, right?

It was.

But that wasn’t the point.

The point was for the chef to show his artistry and skill in combining flavors, textures, and temperature. It was for him to put his heart and soul into one bite, so that you take that bite and instantly see his skill, care, precision, and love of food.

And I’m pretty sure that social media is quite similar.

Social media as amuse bouche

Communicate more through communicating less. With Twitter, you have 140 characters. On my blog, I try to keep it less than 500 words. And that doesn’t mean that you can’t communicate much…it means that you’re required to craft your message to be consumed in one bite. So that, in one pass, a reader comprehends your message and knows what you’re calling them to.

It’s not intended to be a full meal. Don’t think that you have to flesh out a thesis in social media. Communicate one message clearly, and be okay with the fact that you’re not going to be able to dispel all arguments in 140 characters. That can’t be your goal…you don’t buffet-style an amuse bouche. If the thought takes more time and words to develop, consider spreading the post(s) out over the course of a few weeks. Think: bite-sized.

Pour your heart and soul into the effort. You only get one shot. One bite. One read. If you don’t capture their attention quickly, they’re gone, moving on to someone who has perfected the craft better than you. Highlight your artistry and creativity.

Use multiple ingredients that don’t apparently go together. In an amuse bouche, artistry is highlighted when the chef pairs flavors and textures that one wouldn’t naturally pair. Social media is strong when you challenge people to think differently about each aspect of life, drawing truth from environments and situations that others may overlook.

Do you tend to ingest social media in broad, quick passes?

Do you create social media knowing that this is how it’s consumed?

The limited value of guest-posts

April 11, 2011 / Ben Reed / 6 Comments

I’m in the middle of a series of guest posts. You can read it HERE.

And I’ve had people asking me how my blog traffic is changing because of these guest posts from big-name players in the small groups world.

You’d think that it would drive traffic up. These guys I’m getting to guest-post are well-known in the small groups, social media, and church conference world. You’d think I would get a significant hit the day that these posts go live, and a residual effect moving forward.

Because not only are these guys well-known in these spheres, they’re putting great posts together! So I’ve got consistent, high-quality guest posts…the numbers should go up, no?

Nope. The numbers have stayed relatively the same. There have been no positive gains.

But that’s not why I solicit guest posts. I’m not looking at my blog asking, “What’s in it for me?”

Benefits of the guest post:

Helping someone else get their name out. When you allow a guest to post, you open up their content to your readers. Their “name” can then extend to the people who visit your site regularly, and thus their message is broadcast to a wider audience.

Using your platform to benefit someone else. You’ve spent time and energy building your platform. Through consistent, quality content, you’ve crafted an image of who you are. Allowing someone to guest post gives them the chance to build on your success. Especially when the guest poster is new to the blogging scene.

Continuing to reinforce your brand. As long as the guest post fits within the normal range of your topics, you can reinforce your personal (or corporate) brand by adding another voice to the conversation.

But you know what the best part of guest posts are?

Being generous. And this generosity goes both ways. It’s extended to the blog, because this guest author is sharing his or her valuable insights and wisdom. And it’s extended to the author, because that author is given a platform that he or she didn’t work to attain.

Social media is at its best when people are being generous.

How have you seen the generosity of social media in action?

Have you guest-posted on a blog before?

The frustrations of blogging

March 29, 2011 / Ben Reed / 30 Comments

I love blogging. I really do. I believe that the impact it can create is quicker than in any other media. And the potential for a message to spread worldwide is present more in blogging than elsewhere in leadership and communication.

But there are things about blogging that frustrate me regularly. And if they frustrate me, I am going to guess that they frustrate you, too.

Blogging frustrations

I’m the only one creating content for it. Nobody else is going to write for me. Which, incidentally, is the most difficult part of blogging: writing and creating content. There are so many reasons you can find to not write. And those times when you choose to not write…nobody else does that work for you. In fact, “guest posts” end up being more work than writing my own! (I’m compiling a series of guest posts from small group experts. You can read it HERE).
I’m the only one thinking about the design. And since nobody is volunteering to take on that role, it’ll stay with me.
SEO. If you don’t know what that is, just Google it. Too lazy to Google it? Click HERE. Most days, I just want to write. I don’t want to have to think about the back-end stuff. But alas, I do.
Marketing. I don’t like pubbing my own stuff. It feels self-serving, and that’s definitely not why I write. Not in the least.
Short shelf life. A post is typically is dead after ~12-18 hours. It’ll never be seen again. And though someone could do a search for it, likely it’s going to sit in the archives and gather digital dust.

But these frustrations also push me to make the best content possible. To make the greatest, short-term impact as I can, using this medium.

The impact that any given post can create is exponentially decreasing once you hit “publish.”

Create the best content that you can. Stretch your mind. Share your heart. Make us think.

Are you ever frustrated by blogging?

Have you ever thought about starting one?

Blogging’s not cool anymore

March 17, 2011 / Ben Reed / 8 Comments

Blogging isn’t cool anymore.

There, I said it.

It seems that almost every person on the planet can say either, “I have a blog…” or, “I used to have a blog…”

You used to be cutting edge if you had a blog, back when the first ones launched in 1999. Now, in 2011, bloggers are a dime a dozen.

And there are so many mediocre blogs out there that if yours doesn’t significantly stand out, you’ll get lost among the noise. Here’s what I mean:

There’s no guarantee today that if you start a blog, it’ll become successful.

There’s no guarantee today that if you have a blog, it’ll continue to be successful.

And though this may frustrate you, it thrills me. It drives me to work harder, faster, more creatively, and more passionately. Creating art that is relevant, helpful, and sharable is difficult, given the level of noise that social media is creating in our world. But the product that successful bloggers are creating is getting better and better.

In the long run, the fact that blogging is difficult will make you a better writer, communicator, and artists (assuming you stick with it). And it will force better artists to step up and continue to create better art. And in the long run, the number of active blogs may decrease. And that competition is good for the system.

People aren’t just clicking on blogs anymore. They’ve got to have a reason.

What reason(s) are you giving them?

Why should someone read and subscribe to your blog?

Maybe it’s not worth it

January 25, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

The more I delve into social media, the more questions I have.

Here’s what I’m wrestling with today:

Are all of my readers and commenters the same as yours?

If everybody’s drawing water from the same pool, and the pool’s not getting bigger, then we’ll eventually dry the thing up, won’t we?

If everybody is adding water to the same pool, but nobody is coming to take that water away, the pool becomes a cesspool. Nasty.

Are bloggers creating a cesspool of mind-dump…or a refreshing well of idea swap?

Sometimes, I wonder if the people that ReTweet my updates are the same ones that ReTweet yours. And whether the folks that comment on my blog are the same ones that comment on yours. If there are a few thousand people that read blogs, and promote them among themselves, but they never really get outside of that circle, then isn’t it like we’re just scratching each others’ backs? Spinning our wheels? Puffing up our own numbers so that we look good…to each other?

Maybe this is a form of effectiveness. Maybe we’re making an impact in the lives of this pool of social media-ites, and they’re impacting the lives of those they come in contact with on a regular basis. Maybe.

But maybe we’re ReTweeting and commenting so that somebody will ReTweet and comment on our stuff…so that our numbers will increase, so that we can draw a little more ‘water’ from the pool of bloggers. So maybe ReTweeting and commenting are just a form of self-service.

I love social media. I just want to continue to strive for effectiveness, reaching new readers, sharing ideas with folks who are putting them into action, and propelling people to take steps of faith.

Are blogs really making a difference in the world?

Is social media worth the effort?

Online effectiveness

January 18, 2011 / Ben Reed / 28 Comments

I read a lot of blogs. And I think that blogs will continue to become an increasingly respected source for opinion, information, and idea sharing. Because no form of print media has the ability to impact as many people globally, in such a short time, as blogs.

But for the blogger that’s just getting started, or the company that’s looking to expand their influence and effectiveness, what should they be doing? Here are some essentials, for both on and off your site.

Off of your site

1. Read other blogs. Although each blog has its unique twists, there’s a generally accepted format. You pick this up the more you read other blogs. In addition to formatting and styling, when you read blogs in your niche, you’ll notice trends, and what your readers care about. You may think you know what makes your audience tick…but you also may be surprised by what bigger bloggers are saying. And trust me, if they’re a big blogger, they’re doing research to know what posts will drive traffic to their site.

2. Comment on other blogs. And don’t just say, “Nice post!” Interact on sites you like. The more you do this, the more you will build your platform (your online reputation) with your potential audience.

3. Build your online platform on outposts. I’ve stolen this term from Michael Hyatt, and I think it’s helpful. You don’t own Facebook, Twitter, or FourSquare. But you use them as outposts, representing yourself there. You’ve got a unique voice…let it stand out among the rest on outposts.

5. Guest post. If there’s a site you’re learning from, and that you know the readers of your blog enjoy, ask the site owner if you can put a guest post together for them. Of course, this would be something you’d do for free. And though it may take you some time to put together a high-quality guest post, the return on investment you’ll see is worth the effort, as you build your online platform with a wider audience.

6. Connect offline. When you get an opportunity, connect with your online friends offline. Don’t just be a robot. Let online interactions spur you to build real, in-person relationships.

7. Read voraciously and widely. Don’t just hang out in the blogging world. Read books. Magazines. Journals. Pamphlets. Brochures. The fine print on back of your insurance card. The more you know, the better blogger you’ll be.

On your site

1. Consistency. Some of your blog posts will hit a homerun…and some will be a pop fly to the catcher. And that’s ok. Blogging is, in a sense, an experiment. The more you do it, the more you’ll know what will work with your audience. But don’t let a few strike outs keep you from posting again. Just keep putting your stuff out there.

2. Creativity. Try something different. Mix up your posting style. Try posting

a series of pictures
a video (that’s consistent with your niche)
a review of a product you’ve tried
a guest post
a praise of another site
a story from your childhood
a list of resources you use
a series of posts on ‘how-to’ do what you do
a question that helps people interact

3. Value. You need to be consistently posting, but to be successful, your posts need to add value to your specific readers. If your audience is primarily young pastors, then posts with just pictures of your children probably won’t add much value. However, if you’re a ‘mommy blogger,’ posts with pictures could be your m.o. Knowing your audience is key.

Do you have a new site?

Have you found other ways to be effective?

Tag: blog (page 2 of 4)

About Me

Let’s Connect

My Book

Starting Small: The Ultimate Small Group Blueprint