Photo by Mean Lux used with permission
What tools and techniques do you use to create good conversations on your blog? What advice would you offer to Cambodian bloggers? Do you have an awesome example of a conversation on your blog or one that you've started elsewhere? Let me know in the comments below.
I'm doing a workshop in Cambodia called "Five Steps to Khmer 2.0" for the Bloggers Summit. I have a half-hour to explain Web2.0 and provide some practical tips to a non native English speaking audience. This workshop was remixed from Associations 2.0 which was based on Marnie Webb's Ten Ways To Use Web 2.0 to Change The World I also created another version for University Extension professionals and one that focused on fundraising/marketing.
So, needed to really simplify which was so liberating!
Here's Step 2:
Conversation
Read someone's blog post and start a conversation:
Advice:
Before you leave a comment, ask yourself:
- What did they say well?
- What did they miss?
- Answer questions
- What are other people saying
- How does it apply to you
- Look forward
- Look backward
- Ask what if?
Source: How To Add Blogging Conversations by Darren Rowse
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/02/22/how-to-add-to-blogging-conversations-and-eliminate-the-echo-chamber/
Examples of Good Conversation in Cambodian Blogosphere and Beyond
Borin - Blogging Does Anyone Tell You To Stop
Details Are Sketchy - Street Art
Mini Screencast: How to have a conversation
Once you establish relationship, try networking
- Network with the Bloggers – when you reach out to individual bloggers, always ask “What other blogs do you read?”
Via powerpoint from New Organizing Institute
Resources
How to Comment Like King or Queen by Coolcat Teacher Blog
Strategic Blog Commenting A Screencast by Amy Gahran
Strategic Blog Commenting: Blog Post by Amy Gahran
Commenting by Alan Levine
Google News Feature to encourage commenting by Michele Martin
Not exactly to your questions, but...I was very impressed with the Malawian William Kamkwamba blog http://williamkamkwamba.typepad.com/williamkamkwamba/ Two months from first using a computer to writing a blog! He's got a "blog helper" in the USA. I'm not sure how that works, but the idea of blog helpers seems a good one. By the way William wrote me a nice email when I left a comment. That really imprssed me because his blog was deluged with comments.
Solkari Ekine owner of black looks http://www.blacklooks.org/ began encouraging women bloggers in Africa by recruiting blog helpers and then setting up Africa Women Blogs http://www.africanwomenblogs.com/
So not really help for your presentation, but I think this idea of helpers, or partners, is really good.
Posted by: John Powers | August 10, 2007 at 05:58 PM
Hi, Beth, I'm an EFL teacher in Brazil, and I'm always looking for way to keep the conversation flowing on a blog. So, here's my example of a great conversation that started about a Brazilian film and now has shifted to religion.
http://brazilandbrazilians.blogspot.com/2007/05/city-of-god.html
What I teach my students to keep blogging flowing? Every time you answer, finish with a question!
Beijos,
Carla
Posted by: carla arena | August 13, 2007 at 11:58 AM