Blogging Reference

Blackpool Community News, and The Hedon Blog are websites created by me. Both are powered free of charge by WordPress.com who are Blogging software providers.

As 'Blogging' websites then The Rough Guide to Blogging (Rough Guides Reference Titles)is one of the books used 'behind the scenes at. The book is reviewed by me here:

"Navigate the blogosphere" and "Unleash your online voice..." are the bylines to this extremely useful book.

Although published two years ago in 2006 - a long time when discussing things to do with social media - this definitive guide is still one of the best books on Blogging available.

Covering every aspect of the Blogosphere from starting and writing a blog, through to making money from blogging, the book is more of an 'ultimate reference' than a 'rough guide'.

The book is packed with examples and case-studies and includes its very own 'Blogroll' reviews of 250 of the world's most respected, notorious and infamous Blogs.

So if you are looking for a present to introduce yourself or friends to the world of Blogging - then this book is for you. It can be purchased at reduced rates through this website's association with Amazon by clicking the link above.

New US Presidential Elect is Blogging!

Following on from an unprecedented use of the Internet and social media in his Presidential Election campaign - Barack Obama's Office of the President Elect have established a new blog at http://change.gov to inform and involve people in the period of transition until his inauguration on 20th January 2009.

"Throughout the Presidential Transition Project, this website will be your source for the latest news, events, and announcements so that you can follow the setting up of the Obama Administration. And just as this historic campaign was, from the beginning, about you - the transition process will offer you opportunities to participate in redefining our government." From change.gov

From http://infocoms.wordpress.com/

Social Media Services

Supporting Social Media in Hedon

Do you want your own blog?

Article updated February 2009:
It is possible to set your up own blog up in minutes! Wordpress, Blogger, Xanga, Vox all provide FREE blogging services - and there are many more out there. You simply register with the service concerned; choose a blog name, a theme (layout, colours, etc) - and hey presto - away you go!

However, a bit of planning does go a long way - why do you want to set up a blog? What do you hope to achieve? Who do you hope will read its content? What facilities do you need i.e. a blog with photos, videos, music or one that will conduct surveys for example? Do you want a blog with lots of authors - or will you manage its content? Do you want people to be able to leave comments on your blog?

Once you have set up a blog and written your first articles (posts) then how do you attract and keep readers? What other tools are available that can make your blog more attractive and accessible to readers? How do you continue to generate content for your blog and public interest in it?

This blog is all about offering online 'coaching', discussion and help with all those queries that blogging undoubtedly generates.

It is about setting up a local online bloggers group that can promote blogs and blogging in the Hedon area and mutually support each other. It will also help with information on social networking, wikis, Twitter and other social media.

Overview

This FREE online service is intended to offer support to individuals and organisations in Hedon that wish to:

• Set-up, manage, maintain and develop their own non-commercial Blog.
  
• Encourage online collaboration from others (member, clients, friends) in creating and designing documents and publications.
• Share their message (whether social, fun, campaigning) more effectively on the internet.

Objectives

This service should leave a group or individual:

• With a Blog that reaches and engages with the people that matter; that ranks highly in search engines; that drives visitors to existing websites, online facilities and other activities.

• With the means to engage the relevant audience in creating more effective documents. Examples:
  • involve service users in creating more effective flyers and promotional material;
  • involving members in designing a club newsletter;
  • involving residents in creating a joint response to a council consultation.
  
  
• With the ability to use social-networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Myspace, Bebo) and Flickr, Twitter, etc, to full effect to promote what you do and engage with your audience.

What will be involved?

It should be possible to get your blog up and running in minutes using Free Software that is available on the internet. This blog can point you in the right direction and be the forum for questions and debate on the best solutions to problems and issues that arise.

Mostly this will be online - but on occasion it might be that Hedon bloggers meet up for a public meeting.

Who will carry out the work?

• Ray Duffill, Facilitator, Community Development Practitioner, Digital Enabler and hobby blogger!
• And you..... the community of bloggers!
  

For further details email rayduff@gmx.com