blogging

Is Twitter Killing Blog Comments?

If you’re a blogger, you’ll know how comments make a blog. They can take the original post into a whole new level altogether, with opposing views and discussions opening up some great viewpoints.

Personally, I’ve used the comments on some of my posts (and those on other blogs) as inspiration for new posts here. I’ll add my comment on the original post, and then expand on it with a new or slightly different take. That then opens the discussion up even further, both on the new post and the original (play fair – always link back to your inspiration).

While content may be the instigator, it’s the conversations by the community that often make the content. And maybe it’s just me, but Twitter seems to be taking more of the conversations and making them 140-character bites.

I’ve seen many great posts by some truly remarkable bloggers be tweeted, and the conversation remain on Twitter. Points and questions raised in the post start the conversation rolling, but instead of via the comments section on a blog, they take place on the little blue bird nest. And that’s a shame.

There’s nothing wrong with this, of course – after all, Twitter is the king of instant feedback and interaction. And weekly events like #journchat and #blogchat , and others like them, show just how effective a medium Twitter can be for conversations. And yet…

Imagine how much a conversation could build without the limitations of 140-characters. Imagine how opposing views could be fully fleshed out with unlimited text. Imagine how communities could be forged, and new friendships built, through the reasoning and acceptance that long tail blog comments can offer. Imagine being the catalyst or inspiration for a blog post by your favourite blogger, all from a single comment you left.

Of course, you could say that it’s down to the blogger to make the content as open as possible, to encourage discussion – and this is true. Yet at the same time, maybe we (as readers) need to take part more as well? Maybe we need to encourage bloggers more by being part of their community, as opposed to rubbernecking on Twitter?

There are a myriad of ways for conversations to take place. Sometimes little snapshots like Twitter are ideal, if you’re pressed for time. But isn’t it nice to get away from the noise at times, and relax where you have time and space to say what you really want?

What’s your take?

photo credit: Shirin K. A. Winiger

Making the Switch to Headway

Regular readers here may have noticed my blog has a fresh new lick of paint in the shape of the Headway premium WordPress theme. This replaces the Thesis theme that I was using previously.

While I’m a big fan of Chris Pearson’s Thesis, I found it wasn’t quite so user-friendly for making major design changes (unless you were a decent level of coder). Because of this, many of the blogs using Thesis have a very similar look. Enter Headway.

Developed by Clay Griffiths, Headway takes some of the best ideas from Thesis, adds a whole bunch more, and mixes it all together in a powerhouse WordPress theme. Ideal for everyday WordPress users as well as intermediate and advanced coders, it’s one of the most flexible themes I’ve ever used.

I’ve only just started customizing my blog and already I love the way each page has a different feel. When I really get to work expect some real changes! (Note: the redesign took me around 6 hours from basic framework to fully customized, with no CSS or HTML coding – this is all from out of the box).

Some of the features include:

Drag and drop design.
No two pages the same.
SEO customization on no-index, no-follow, do-follow, meta, tags, posts and pages (everything, then!).
Unique “Leafs” system that lets you add text, media and widget boxes on the fly.
Easy visual color and font editor for making your own completely personalized skins.
In-house Twitter synchronization and social network options.

I could keep writing about how cool Headway is, but you’d get really bored of my praise, I’m sure. Instead, check out the Headway site, watch the videos, and check the theme out for yourself. Or, mosey round my blog and see the different designs for different pages.

Just a note. Since I’m a Headway affiliate, any sales of the theme result in a percentage for me. So, here’s a deal – for any theme ever purchased through one of my links or banners, I will donate 50% of the affiliate payment to the current 12for12k charity in your name. Sound fair?

Update Tuesday November 3 – the game just changed radically with Headway 1.5 and its visual editor. Check out all the details here.

Note: This blog no longer runs on the Headway framework. Instead, it’s a custom WordPress design by Lisa Kalandjian of SceneStealer Graphics.

AdAge and The Power of Response

Lines and Laziness There’s an interesting story happening at the minute online with AdAge and Lindsay Ferrier, who blogs over at Suburban Toil. It concerns an article published yesterday on AdAge by Lauren Barack, and a quote she used from Lindsay’s blog.

In the AdAge piece, Lindsay is quoted as saying she deserves all the free swag that advertiser’s and PR companies send to blogging moms: “I worked hard for my swag, okay? I freaking deserved it.” Reading that quote, you’d think Lindsay was nothing but a shill that’s out for all she can get.

Where it becomes interesting is that the blog post the quote was taken from is a satirical piece, with Lindsay actually decrying the way this year’s BlogHer conference seemed to have devolved into a free-for-all grabbing spree by some bloggers. Lindsay mentions this in the comments section of the AdAge piece, as do several other replies.

Lindsay’s comment was posted at 9.17am this morning. As of writing (almost two hours later), there is no reply from either AdAge or Lauren Barack, nor has the piece been amended. This seems like a missed opportunity for AdAge and Lauren.

One of the things that is repeated time and time again in this space is the importance of monitoring the conversation. The slightest negative response can soon flare up into something much bigger, and this is now being seen in the comments of the AdAge piece, Twitter, and Lindsay’s blog.

What could have happened and what could happen next?

AdAge could/should have amended the article.
Lauren and/or AdAge could/should have apologized to Lindsay.
AdAge could/should do a follow-up piece about fact-checking, relevance and the importance of timely conversation.

There’s no doubt that AdAge offers an excellent medium for some of the best media news around. Lauren Barack is also an award-winning journalist. But it’s clear that what may have seemed a harmless quote was taken all out of context and could have been seen as questioning Lindsay’s integrity.

It could have been avoided with a simple email to Lindsay prior to the piece. Even when the shit hit the fan this morning, it could have been handled better with a clear response. So far, this hasn’t been the case.

If you’re still dubious about the importance of monitoring and responding, the AdAge/Lauren Barack/Lindsay Ferrier triangle is a great example of why you need to.

Are your ears burning this morning?

Update: Lauren has responded to the comments with this reply, although it could be argued it’s not exactly apologetic.
Update: AdAge has since added an addendum to the post, apologizing for the gaffe.

photo credit: svenwerk

It’s Still Your Blog – Isn’t It?

There’s a bit of a hullabaloo floating around the Internet at the minute concerning the Momdot mommy blogger network and their proposed PR Blackout for one week in August.

The topic is being discussed on Twitter pretty vocally and bloggers and PR pros are coming out with their take on both sides of the argument.

Indeed, the flak got so bad that it led to a follow-up post on Momdot asking who’s more whiny, PR or bloggers?

I’m not going to get into the whole “she said, they said” argument as there’s enough of that in the comments of both Momdot blog posts, as well as via the Twitter discussion and other bloggers. The Momdot admins say it wasn’t an attack on PR per se, and reading the original post I believe them.

But here’s the thing.

While the reasoning behind the PR Blackout is sound – giving moms more time with their families and reclaiming their blogs – should it even have come to a blackout call in the first place?

A blog is, ultimately, your baby. Your voice; your home from home. What you do with it is up to you. It can be a personal blog, a business blog, or? you can try make income from it, either part-time as most review bloggers do, or full-time as a professional blogger. But the key thing is this.

It. Is. Up. To. You.

If you want to be a reviewer of products, you’ll be contacted by PR companies. If you want to make money blogging, it is going to be hard at times – it’s one of the sacrifices you make when working for yourself, knowing that hours are no longer straightforward nine-to-five.

Heck, even being “just a blogger” with no reviews and giveaways is hard work and why so many give it up within six months. But how hard blogging is is up to you.

You don’t have to say yes to every review. You don’t have to say yes to every PR pitch. Over at Momdot, Trish makes a point in her Last Word video message that for every one PR pitch you agree to, you get six more.

That’s only if you let that happen.

I know there are crappy PR pros that harass bloggers constantly with pitches, follow-up calls and deadline blackmail. They tell you that you’ll be taken off their blogger list and that their clients won’t be sent to you. Here’s what you do with PR “pros” like that:

Tell them to go f*ck themselves.

If they’re so crap at their jobs that they have to harass the people that are putting their clients in front of thousands of eyeballs, they’re not worth dealing with to start with. Let them go; find the great PR companies instead and work with them.

Make it even easier for yourself – have a visible page on your blog that explains to PR pros how to pitch you, and the process after that. If they can’t adhere to your instructions, then they only have themselves to blame for being blacklisted and ignored.

Blog communities need to do their bit too. If you’re hearing from your members that a PR agency is causing issues, speak with the agency in question and voice your concerns. Good PR pros know the importance of blogger relations – if they can’t accept and work with your concerns, then your duty lies with your bloggers. Stop accepting that agency’s pitches and blacklist them and only put your bloggers in touch with approved agencies.

The buzz (for and against) the Momdot PR Blackout shows there is a growing problem with burned out review bloggers and that’s sad. No-one likes to hear of people’s health and relationships suffering.

But a little bit of me can’t help but feel that if you keep control of your blog, the issues being talked about at the minute would be a lot less visible. No?

photo credit: Daquella manera