Why Blog?
Why Blog?
- Why do I blog?
- Notify me with a Web feed when this site has new entries.
- I prefer an e-mail notification of blog updates.
To blog or not to blog. Obviously, I believe the answer is “to blog!”
What better way to communicate personally with your audiences? I hope to share the experience I’ve gained over the years—often the hard way, as my mother said. If I can save you a few missteps on the path to successful public relations, at least one of my goals will have been reached.
The other goal is to let you know that I know what I’m talking/blogging about. I tell you I can help you be more effective in your communication goals, and I ask you to make Persuasion Communication your media and PR partner. So it’s my responsibility to share a bit of my expertise so you’ll know what you’re getting into!
Most likely, you should be blogging on your Web site, too. You’re the top resource on your area of expertise, and you need to share some of that with your audiences. The challenge for both of us is to avoid the axiom: “Better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and be proven one.”
Successfully sliding over that mogul entails good grammar, correct spelling and, most important, a thoughtful, memorable message.
So enjoy these blogs, and I look forward to hearing back from you.
I included a Web feed (often called an "RSS" or "XML" feed) on my site so you can be notified almost instantly when I post a new blog entry—and you don’t have to be a geek to participate.
What exactly is a Web feed?
Most Web feeds take the form of a reverse chronologically ordered (most recent first) running list of the latest news items posted to a site. Each feed item (called a "post") includes a headline and a link to the detailed content.
How do you SAVE TIME by using Web feeds?
A Web feed(often called an “RSS” or “XML" feed)helps you keep track of the latest content published by your favorite sites by compiling the headlines and summary content into a tool called an "AGGREGATOR." You no longer have to go to several sites or read e-newsletters to find out the latest news and updates—the content comes to you through your aggregator as it polls the sites for updates. WOW! That's nice—focused information in a lot less time. It really is a great thing!
Another benefit of Web feeds is that they are SPAM-FREE. Because they are a direct link between you and your favorite Web site, no one can send junk mail to your feeds. So, unlike e-mail, you no longer have to wade through useless information to get to what you really want to know.
Ready to go for it and subscribe to Web feeds?
Step 1: You'll need an aggregator. My Web feed, and all other Web feeds, can be read through a simple tool called an aggregator, or feed reader. Most blog experts recommend using a Web-based aggregator. There are several tools available, each with an accompanying Web site that has help on how to set up the feed reader and subscribe to Web feeds. Many people like the FREE Web browser-based aggregators Bloglines and NewsGator (see consumer version for the free version). You already might be using news aggregators; My Yahoo! and My MSN are two popular ones.
Step 2: Subscribe to the Web feed. Subscribing to a Web feed simply means entering the online address (URL) of that Web feed into your feed reader. Your feed reader will automatically know what to do with the Web page that you point it to, and will tell you if you have the right URL for the Web feed. Currently, the process of subscribing to a Web feed is not quite as simple and straightforward as visiting a Web site, but after you do it once, it becomes rather easy.
First you need to find the site's Web feed. Unfortunately, not every Web site you visit will have a Web feed, although the easiest way to find this is to look on a site for a small, cryptic button (usually ORANGE or BLUE) that says something like "XML" or "RSS" or a text link that says something like "Syndicate this site (XML)." My link is http://www.persuasioncommunication.com/blog/atom.xml.
You will see a page that looks like little more than Web code or basic text. That's correct. Copy the URL and paste it into the subscription area of your feed reader. You can usually get to this area of your feed reader by telling it that you wish to "Add a Feed." See, it's that easy!
So you'll enter the feed link for my site as well as any of your other favorite news or blog sites that provide feeds. Some feed-reader programs and services, including Bloglines, simplify this process with one-click or click-and-drag subscribing.
So -- that's it! To read recently updated blogs, you'll simply log into your selected aggregator site at your convenience. All of your favorite news and blog entries will be gathered there for you.
If you have any problems, contact me at pam@persuasion-communication.com.
For those of you afraid to try the aggregators, or think you need an in-house teenager to help you, I'll send an e-mail notification to you. Just send me a note at pam@persuasion-communication.com.
- Notify me with a Web feed when this site has new entries.
- I prefer an e-mail notification of blog updates.
Why do I blog?
To blog or not to blog. Obviously, I believe the answer is “to blog!”
What better way to communicate personally with your audiences? I hope to share the experience I’ve gained over the years—often the hard way, as my mother said. If I can save you a few missteps on the path to successful public relations, at least one of my goals will have been reached.
The other goal is to let you know that I know what I’m talking/blogging about. I tell you I can help you be more effective in your communication goals, and I ask you to make Persuasion Communication your media and PR partner. So it’s my responsibility to share a bit of my expertise so you’ll know what you’re getting into!
Most likely, you should be blogging on your Web site, too. You’re the top resource on your area of expertise, and you need to share some of that with your audiences. The challenge for both of us is to avoid the axiom: “Better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and be proven one.”
Successfully sliding over that mogul entails good grammar, correct spelling and, most important, a thoughtful, memorable message.
So enjoy these blogs, and I look forward to hearing back from you.
How do I know when this site has a new blog entry?
I included a Web feed (often called an "RSS" or "XML" feed) on my site so you can be notified almost instantly when I post a new blog entry—and you don’t have to be a geek to participate.
What exactly is a Web feed?
Most Web feeds take the form of a reverse chronologically ordered (most recent first) running list of the latest news items posted to a site. Each feed item (called a "post") includes a headline and a link to the detailed content.
How do you SAVE TIME by using Web feeds?
A Web feed(often called an “RSS” or “XML" feed)helps you keep track of the latest content published by your favorite sites by compiling the headlines and summary content into a tool called an "AGGREGATOR." You no longer have to go to several sites or read e-newsletters to find out the latest news and updates—the content comes to you through your aggregator as it polls the sites for updates. WOW! That's nice—focused information in a lot less time. It really is a great thing!
Another benefit of Web feeds is that they are SPAM-FREE. Because they are a direct link between you and your favorite Web site, no one can send junk mail to your feeds. So, unlike e-mail, you no longer have to wade through useless information to get to what you really want to know.
Ready to go for it and subscribe to Web feeds?
Step 1: You'll need an aggregator. My Web feed, and all other Web feeds, can be read through a simple tool called an aggregator, or feed reader. Most blog experts recommend using a Web-based aggregator. There are several tools available, each with an accompanying Web site that has help on how to set up the feed reader and subscribe to Web feeds. Many people like the FREE Web browser-based aggregators Bloglines and NewsGator (see consumer version for the free version). You already might be using news aggregators; My Yahoo! and My MSN are two popular ones.
Step 2: Subscribe to the Web feed. Subscribing to a Web feed simply means entering the online address (URL) of that Web feed into your feed reader. Your feed reader will automatically know what to do with the Web page that you point it to, and will tell you if you have the right URL for the Web feed. Currently, the process of subscribing to a Web feed is not quite as simple and straightforward as visiting a Web site, but after you do it once, it becomes rather easy.
First you need to find the site's Web feed. Unfortunately, not every Web site you visit will have a Web feed, although the easiest way to find this is to look on a site for a small, cryptic button (usually ORANGE or BLUE) that says something like "XML" or "RSS" or a text link that says something like "Syndicate this site (XML)." My link is http://www.persuasioncommunication.com/blog/atom.xml.
You will see a page that looks like little more than Web code or basic text. That's correct. Copy the URL and paste it into the subscription area of your feed reader. You can usually get to this area of your feed reader by telling it that you wish to "Add a Feed." See, it's that easy!
So you'll enter the feed link for my site as well as any of your other favorite news or blog sites that provide feeds. Some feed-reader programs and services, including Bloglines, simplify this process with one-click or click-and-drag subscribing.
So -- that's it! To read recently updated blogs, you'll simply log into your selected aggregator site at your convenience. All of your favorite news and blog entries will be gathered there for you.
If you have any problems, contact me at pam@persuasion-communication.com.
Notify me by e-mail of new blog entries!
For those of you afraid to try the aggregators, or think you need an in-house teenager to help you, I'll send an e-mail notification to you. Just send me a note at pam@persuasion-communication.com.