Post #5–Two Women Business & Publishing–Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler

Traditional media has been taking a beating of late. Well not just of late. Newspapers and magazines have been reporting declining readership, lost ad revenue, and dwindling stock values for some time now. Seemingly the only thing going up are the number of layoffs. And now after about a century of daily publication, the Christian Science Monitor will cut back to a weekly. Last night on the NewsHour with Jim Leher, we heard an interesting segment, called “Old Media, New Media,” and I’ve included a link to the audio file.

There’s no question print media has to change to remain at all competitive. And digital media is the cost-effective choice. Paper, printing and distribution costs make it difficult for publications to compete aggressively for readership that’s drawn to 24-hour news, cable TV channels tailored to virtually every interest, mobile media and the Internet. Add economic uncertainty to the equation and it becomes virtually impossible.

So what does this have to do with blogging? It’s this. For all I read and hear from the traditional media about the need to cut costs and reposition themselves in the digital arena, I hear very little about how they’re going to build their Web presence.

I grant that the major magazines and papers have a stronger brand than you and I, and that many of their loyal readers will follow them online. But will they stay? It all depends on how effectively the old media make the transition. Will they embrace interactive formats, encourage forums, blog effectively? Will they be able to compete with social networks? Some will. Many will not. The new media is not traditional media sans the paper and ink. Success requires a new template.

The same applies to authors and entrepreneurs moving online from traditional publishing and brick-and-mortar businesses. Blogging and social media are key components that we’ll continue to explore there. But I want you to leave you this link to a discussion between author-entrepreneurs Seth Godin and Tom Peters recorded for American Express’ Open Forum.

“I just don’t know what to blog about.” I can’t tell you how often I hear that one. While the obvious answer is, “Then don’t blog!” I suspect the problem is more fundamental. Many people who blog or think they should blog don’t know why they’re doing it…except that it seems everyone else is blogging. So before you start blogging…or give up on an apparently unsatisfactory blogging experience, consider these 21 steps. They’ll help you know how (or even if) you should go forward.

Now, as a twist today, I crafted this post in response to a challenge over at Copyblogger. Author Brian Clark suggested we all take a page from a current issue of PC World and create a post with a list headline. You can see his post by clicking here.

I’m not going to elaborate on any of these 21 items as my post would be impossibly long. But I promise to return to some of these subjects in future posts and explore them in greater depth. Also the items are in no particular order. Enjoy.

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“I have a great designer and a really beautiful website…it’s gorgeous!”

That’s what someone said to me the other day. My reply was immediate, “That’s great, but you want the interest value that an ever-changing front page buys you.” Since that exchange, I’ve been thinking more about the importance of a blog, and I’ve decided to devote several posts to the subject. I look forward to your questions and comments.

Okay, so let’s consider website beauty for a moment. I think we’ve all admired drop-dead gorgeous sites from time to time. I’ve seen some really nice sites, and their talented designers deserve our recognition and admiration. But to be successful, designers need the support of strong editorial direction.

Be honest now…How many times have you returned to a website because you loved the way it looked? Not many I wager. But how many times have you returned to a site that:

* Answered an important question
* Gave you guidance you wanted
* Helped you make a decision
* Introduced you to a new service or product
* Held out the promise of much more information and assistance

More than once, I suspect.

Here are the facts:

* Websites are NOT window dressing for companies.
* Websites are selling tools that encourage their owners to “sell” by informing prospective customers.
* Websites must be dynamic and stay current with all the latest information.
* Websites are not constrained by the costs and time of production…this fact must be reflected in the content.
* Content is STILL King…and we must never forget that fact.

Well, actually, in our current economic times Cash is the real king. So listen to me when I say that the quality of your content is the key to your ability to earn cash online. Or in the case of authors, earn readers who will buy your books. Blog platforms provide a built-in text editor that enable everyone to post and manage the content on their blog sites.

What you need is a blog strategy for your editorial content..the subject of our next post.