31 Days To Better Nonprofit Blogging

Michele Martin, Bamboo Project

Michele Martin is one of my favorite BlogHers in the nonprofit space.  I've been a fan of her blog for about two years.  Michele covers a wide range of topics related to how nonprofits are using technology. She also writes about training and personal learning. What's even better, she is a terrific community-builder. I learn something everytime I read her blog.

This month, Michele has taken the Darren Rowse's 31 Days to Building a Better Blog challenge.  The goal of the project is to help bloggers build traffic for and community at their blogs. Each day, Darren provides a homework assignment.  Michele has not only taken the time to do each assignment and written about on her blog.  She has, in turn, challenged her readers to follow along with her on this journey. Twelve of her readers have taken her up on that and are seven days into better blogging.  One of them,  Sue  Waters, upped the ante by offering a kilo of chocolate to the "winner" of the challenge (although the criteria for winning hasn't yet been defined).

Here's a few words of wisdom that Michele has passed on about how to improve the quality of your blog.

• The best way to move forward is to include some peeks in the rearview mirror--I've tended to belong to the "stream of consciousness school of blogging where I create as I go along and don't necessarily look backward too often. But that means I'm missing out on opportunities to provide people who look at old posts with the benefit of new information and learning. It also means that once I've finished with a feature (like an About Page) I haven't periodically looked back to see if it's time for an overhaul. It's great to have a lot of forward motion, but I can't forget that people will also come in from behind.

 

• The personal touch means a lot--I've always tried to respond to commenters and those who email me individually, but this week's exercises to email both a new reader and a long-time reader really brought home to me how much people value the personal. Yes, we're connecting in a digital world that can seem anonymous and cold. But it doesn't have to be that way. And people always respond when you're willing to be personal. I think I've felt better this week about my blogging experience than I ever have.

Michele has built a lovely community on her blog.  I discovered some wonderful nonprofit BlogHers by checking out the bloghers who participating in this learning experiment. 

• Christine Martell
• Frances McLean
• Kate Foy
• Laura White
• Nancy Ritter
• SmokeFree Wisconsin
• Sue Waters
• The Indian Blogger
• Cammy Bean

Comments

[Sue Waters]

Hi Beth

I agree I really like reading Michelle's blog.

Thanks for talking about our Chocolate challenge, we really appreciate it.

Although I can not take full credit for chocolate challenge. Frances originally purposed the chocolate as reward, then I upped the challenge by opening it up to any one that joins us with the Challenge. Regarding as to who/how the winner is decided we asked for input, which did not happen. We will be writing a post to clarify.

We are all learning so much from this challenge - so it has been great.

Sue

[Michele Martin]

Thanks so much for the shout-out, Beth. Coming from one of MY favorite BlogHers, it's a fabulous compliment!

I have to say that at first I was reluctant to commit to this as I have a busy month, but it's been such a tremendous learning and community-building experience, I'm really glad that I took the time to do it. It's been well worth it.

Thanks again for the mention--and remember, anyone can join in at anytime. That chocolate is calling . . .

[Cammy]

I don't work for a non-profit, but I am a blogging her.

Michele does do fabulous community-building work and the exercises are useful (even the ones I decided not to bother with)....

Blog on....

[Cammy]

I don't work for a non-profit, but I am a blogging her.

Michele does do fabulous community-building work and the exercises are useful (even the ones I decided not to bother with)....

Blog on....

[Cammy]

I don't work for a non-profit, but I am a blogging her.

Michele does do fabulous community-building work and the exercises are useful (even the ones I decided not to bother with)....

Blog on....