Chris Brogan has always been one of my favorite Social Media experts. In a world where just about everyone has attached the title to themselves, most provide very little everyday, common sense advice, that when applied can really make a difference. But for the second year in a row, I’ve come away with some actionable items that will grow my blog.
Chris is the President of Human Business Works, a company providing business systems for small business, and he wrote the New York Times Best Selling book Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust and Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to Develop Your Business Online. You can find Chris online at ChrisBrogan.com and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/chrisbrogan.
C – Connect. Connect with your audience; always be connecting – reach out in person and electronically.
R – Referrals. Bloggers rely on word-of-mouth. Be sure the story being told about you is a positive one. Raise up fellow bloggers and avoid the crab-pot mentality of pulling back down anyone who’s making a break. No company wants to work with a blogger who tears down others.
A – Attention/Awareness. Turn your audience into a community.
P – Presence– be online; have current content. How often should you blog? Depends on how much attention you want. Blog twice a day and you’ll get twice the attention.
Random blogging hints and tips.
- Install wptouch. “WPtouch automatically transforms your WordPress blog into an iPhone application-style theme, complete with ajax loading articles and effects, when viewed from iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Palm Pre, Samsung touch and BlackBerry Storm/Torch mobile devices.”
- Use your camera to take photos – photos of random objects or events make for great and easy blog posts and are a way to interact with your readers.
- Do less. Concentrate on the task at hand and stop trying to do everything and be everything at all times. Close those multiple tabs and ignore Facebook while you work.
- Time management: look for pockets of time. Carry your quick to do list with you
- Don’t publish your RSS blog feed to your twitter feed – give your readers more than just a title and don’t inundate them with the same information on Twitter and Facebook.
- Don’t count your comments as currency – get out there and give more than you get.
- Don’t overwhelm your readers with ways to share your content – 2 sharing buttons are plenty.
I also heard Chris speak at the 2010 Disney Social Media Mom’s Celebration but I failed to share it here. Last years’ message is still relevant today. Bloggers need to establish a relationship with a company BEFORE holding out their hand. Build your reputation and show the company what you can do for them. Become a Trust Agent. I’ve taken this advice to heart and used it several times over the last year. I love Chris’ human touch to Social Media – it’s a refreshing change from other so-called Social Media “experts” whose advice it to beat down doors with your hand out. That’s just not my style.
Disclosure: I’m attending the Disney Social Media event at WDW – I was not compensated for my time and I paid for my own travel and conference, but the conference is at a reduced rate.
Sounds like a lot of good tips!
Some great tips, although I’m not sure I’d be able to close the multiple tabs on my browsers. What if I need to click to that other site really fast? LOL.
Great post! The title really threw me off LOL
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing this. Hope you’re having fun!
WP users get all the fun stuff! Great post overall, very helpful!
Love WPTouch. I try to get everyone on wordpress to install it.
I love him too! What great information and a great opportunity, enjoy!
Thanks! I’m going to check out that plugin.
Thanks. I am going to check out wptouch now.