Comments on: An Inside Look at Business Blogging - Interview with Wild Apricot Paid Blogger Rebecca Leaman

By: Caged Ether » On being a paid corporate blogger

Caged Ether » On being a paid corporate blogger — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:23:36 +0000

[...] Read more… Bookmark with: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]

By: Coffee Break

Coffee Break — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:41:44 +0000

[...] If you don’t have the time to blog or feel uncomfortable with the medium, don’t forget that many companies are now hiring professionals to write their blogs. To get an inside look at this approach read this post from Remarkablogger in which Michael Martine interviews Rebecca Leaman, paid blogger for Wild Apricot. [...]

By: Mitchell Allen

Mitchell Allen — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:01:29 +0000

Great interview, Michael!
Like most things that are important for businesses to succeed, a business blog needs to be in the hands of caring professionals.

I agree with Rebecca’s comment about bloggers shooting themselves in the foot. But I suspect she is referring to your run-of-the-mill personal blog gussied up as a monetized click magnet.

A real business blog, such as Wild Apricot and Remarkablogger, will not suffer that fate if handled professionally.

Cheers,

Mitch

By: Laura Spencer

Laura Spencer — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:19:03 +0000

Very good interview! I think that Rebecca has a lot of good insights about the benefits that a corporate blog can bring to a company. Thanks for alerting me to the Wild Apricot blog.

By: Hammer - Ventibate

Hammer - Ventibate — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:25:35 +0000

Now if I could only use the correct form or “your” my credibility as a blogger wouldn’t be in question.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:42:39 +0000

I’ve thought that Wild Apricot has one of the absolute best models for a business blog since I discovered it, thanks to Rebecca. It’s all about generating trust, not sales, which will surely follow as the trust grows.

By: DazzlinDonna

DazzlinDonna — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:29:15 +0000

Great interview with a fabulous lesson to be learned (even for non-business blogs). An old saying comes to mind, “Moderation is key” and that applies to self-promotion as well.

By: rjleaman

rjleaman — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:39:57 +0000

Yes, Hammer has just totally nailed it: “As soon as you look like you’re only purpose for posting is for self promotion, your credibility comes into question.”

And that’s a real shame, because it’s not just schemers and sploggers - so many truly *worthwhile* bloggers fall into that trap, too. Shooting themselves in the foot, really… And who knows what useful content the postential readers might be missing out on, put off by over-agressive selling.

By: Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

Michael Martine, Blog Consultant — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:21:03 +0000

@ Hammer - Exactly! Providing value, contributing, and building relationships/trust IS the best way to “sell.”

By: Hammer - Ventibate

Hammer - Ventibate — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:16:53 +0000

I’ve always taken this approach with my blogs as well as my posts on webmaster boards, including the couple I moderate. I very seldom talk about my services or websites directly but let my message board signature or links on my blogs do the work. As soon as you look like you’re only purpose for posting is for self promotion, your credibility comes into question.

The idea is similar to what was discussed in another of your posts recently about letting other people sell you rather than trying to sell yourself.