READ THIS IF YOU ARE A BLOGS-OF-A-FEATHER HOST
Note: You may want to print this out and bring to Blogfest. There will be copies at Blogfest if you forget.
Dear Blogs-of-a-Feather Host/Facilitators:
Thank you very much for being a Blogs-of-a-Feather (BOAF) host/facilitator. Here is some information about BOAF and some ideas that may be of help.
At the end of the Blogfest program, the MC of the Blogfest (Louise) will tell the audience that it's time for Blogs- of-a-Feather. All facilitators will be invited to stand up in front of the stage with signage. Louise will announce where each group is meeting and audience members will either follow facilitators or meet at their location.
If your group is small you can go around and have people introduce themselves. If it's a large group you may have to forgo that and suggest that people introduce themselves to each other more informally and give each other business cards and/or other materials. .
Here's a facilitator's script if you need one:
Hi, my name is _____And this is _____{introduce other facilitators}. Welcome to the _____BOAF. We are the hosts of this Blogs-of-a- Feather, which is your chance to meet and mingle with other bloggers.
You may have a lot in common with the people here and this can be an opportunity for you to share ideas, resources, and advice. However, before you begin talking among yourselves we, the facilitators, will briefly tell you about ourselves, our blogs and we've learned about blogging.
If any of you are just starting out as bloggers, check out this handout called Top Ten Tips for New Bloggers {You will be provided with flyers}. Be sure to ask the more experienced bloggers here how they got started and for some advice.
So get out there and meet and mingle. Here's a list of some topics you might want to discuss with your fellow bloggers {see below}. At the end of the BOAF, go on over to Galapogos Art Space across the street for the after-party, the shout-out and the announcement of raffle winners.
SUGGESTED TOPICS {Feel free to come up with your own}
1, How do you balance work, blogging and the other responsibilities? How do you keep it up every day?
2. How do you build an audience; are you interested in developing a brand?
3. What about physical networking: do you plan events connected to your blog?
4. Do you use social networking for building an online community with yahoo groups, meetup groups, tweeting, facebook, email newsletters?
5. Do you take content from others or is your blog a solo effort?
6. How do you generate ideas for blog posts?
7. What are typical rookie blogger mistakes?
8. What do you like/dislike about your blog platform (Blogger, Typepad, Wordpress, other)?
9. How do you support your blog? Are you looking to secure advertiising, membership fees, or grants?
10. Do you include podcasts or video?
TOP TEN TIPS FOR NEW BLOGGERS
1. Relax. It’s easy to start a blog. Go to Blogger, Typepad, Word Press or another online blog set-up service. It’s a snap and as cheap as free or $14.95 per month.
2. Name Your Blog: A great name is a great start.
3. Get a domain name that's easy to remember: Make sure it points to your blog name like creativetimes.blogspot.com or britinbrooklyn.com
4. Post frequently: Fresh new content is the only way to lure readers to your site on a regular basis
5. Keep it Visual: Use photographs, illustrations, cool typography and keep your posts short.
6. Tag your Posts: Do it by subject (i.e. Park Slope, real estate, Brooklyn, Atlantic Yards, your zip code). Tags get picked up by Google, which will drive traffic to your site
7. Moderate your comments: It’s a great way to discourage the meanies and the spammers.
8. Make a Blogroll of all your favorite blogs: Link to other blogs. Email others who have similar interests.
9. Back up everything: Don’t rely on your blogging service to keep your archive of images or text. Consider using Word or even your email to write posts so you have an offline copy.
10.Give Credit Where Credit is Due: If you quote another blogger or use a photo credit them and link