Blog about what you are learning about, not what you are an expert in

I think you should be blogging.  I know you have something to say.

Start Blogging Now!

13 “get-your-blog-going” thoughts from a conversation with Benedict on the road between Lausanne and Vevey this morning:

1. Write about what you are learning about, not what you are an expert in. If you are an expert, then publish your expertise in magazines, “big” blogs and other professional locations. Your blog is to open your thinking and wondering and learning up to the world and allow a conversation to form. Expertise ends conversation.
2. Write comments on other’s blogs.  (I love comments on my blog. I shouldn’t, but I do. Ego thing I guess.  Somehow adds a sense of meaning to this.)  It motivates them and might just pull a good idea for a full blog post into your mind.
3. Force yourself to hit publish after 20 minutes. Do not leave blog posts unpublished. Start conversations.  Do not try for perfection (you can always, always edit or delete a post if you really hate it).
4. Write “list” posts every-so-often. People like lists. My top 5 favourite free online tools. My top 10 books of all time. 6 ways to get your emails ignored. 17 habits of a fulfilling life. 6 reasons you should be blogging. If you can think of 3 ways… write 5 ways in the title and then push yourself to come up with 2 more. This brings out your creativity.
5. Write interview posts – ask some experts in your area of interest a few questions and post the transcript – or the video – or the audio.  This gets the expert pointing people you your blog.  If you pick other bloggers, they might send a reader or two over your way.
6. Write controversial posts sometimes.  If you don’t agree with something say so.  If you don’t think entrepreneurship is for everyone, say so.
7. Use your own “voice”. Don’t try to be an expert or copy another person’s style. Write how you speak. Be you. If you have a strong opinion, say so. Don’t pussyfoot around and give watered down, two-sided argument versions of your opinion (like I was taught to do when writing my psychology essays in university). If you think education is broke, say it is broke. If you think Tim Ferriss is an ass, say he is an ass. If you love Seth Godin, say you love his stuff.
8. Publish a poor post every so often. It makes the next post easier. A blog is not perfection. It is not peer-reviewed academic journal. It is not edited magazine. It is a fun, simple, easy communications medium to share ideas. Don’t ever let it become a chore. Don’t make it hard work.
9. Use Twitter to connect to other bloggers and retweet them if you like their stuff. Use a tool like Hootsuite or Tweetdesk to read your twitter feed. I use Hootsuite. Create searches and lists of favourites. Don’t read everything.
10. Facebook and Linkedin allow you to integrate your blog into your wall (here is mine in facebook via the notes tab). These are great tools to widen your audience.
11. Use Blogger or WordPress. (I use blogger.)  As of October 2012, I use wordpress.
12. Don’t try to “monetise”. Maybe when you get really big, but not when you are just starting. You can recommend books on Amazon and earn affiliate commision, or maybe recommend a product you use and like. Blogging builds your credibility, not your income (not directly, not for a while).
13. Just do it.
14. (bonus) There are 5 and a half benefits of blogging.