I coach, consult and educate small business owners on how to use their websites to grow their businesses. Some of my clients are not bloggers. Some are. Many become bloggers during the process.
So I’m always looking for easy-to-understand ways to explain to my clients about why they want to be blogging. Moreover, I always want to engage my clients in conversation that will make them think about whether they’re using the web most effectively or not.
Reading some of David Armano’s ‘Greatest Hits’ on Logic+Emotion this morning I ran across a post called, The 4C’s of Blogging. In less than 90 words, David does a great job stirring thought around why, if I’m a small business owner, I would want to consider blogging.
Here are his 4C’s:
Community:
Are you PARTICIPATING in social media networks or passively READING content?Content:
Are you writing and including content that YOU are interested in? That other PEOPLE are interested in?Clarity:
Do you have a clear VISION for your blog? What makes it DIFFERENT and special?Consistency:
Is your “blog personality†CONSISTENT with who YOU are? Are you offering a consistent EXPERIENCE to your community?
Personally, all four I recoginize as goals for both my blog and my business. And, I see them as all being integrated – as though one could not stand alone without the others.
For instance, I’m blogging, in part, to create relationships with other like minded people I may not meet otherwise. So, in essence, I’m interested in building a community. I’m doing so by providing excellent content (I hope) for you, my readers (community), on a regular basis with a consistent, passionate voice. And I can’t write good content for my community consistently without clarity. Trust me, I’ve tried.
David’s post, for me, is brilliant. I can’t wait to meet David and hear him speak on what he calls, “Conversation Architecture” at SOBCon07 in Chicago, May 11-12.
Also, last week Liz Strauss hosted a Pre-Conference Mini-Session with David (and other SOBCon07 Speakers). Check out the great conversation that came out of that Mini-Session.
How do you see the 4 C’s working in your blog?
Great Article! What advice would you have around building community through the social networks? I know about them but don’t really know what to do with them?
That’s good clarity, there.
Depending on your line of work, I wonder if we could add Compassion to the list of C’s? Maybe it’d be a good sub-topic under Community, but it’s a crucial piece of many of our businesses.
(I can see how in some fields, it may not be needed, like some blogs I’ve seen that seem to exist just to poke fun, disparage, or slam other people… but I doubt those folks are too concerned with their image, other than buzz factor, or having a loud enough soapbox to advance their agendas. Anyhoo…)
Actually, I stumbled upon a post (can’t remember where at the moment) that brought up a word I just used… Crucial. It’s the idea of having a blog that’s crucial for people’s lives, rather than just a fun pastime, or a distraction from other work…
Dave,
Thanks. Really, follow the 4 C’s. First and foremost, get really clear about your blog’s topic. Then create great content for your readers – consistently. Three down.
Lastly, community, encourage comments, thank commenters, and add to the communities of other blogs by leaving high-quality comments.
(Oh, and Liz, David, Char and Randa, I see you lurking over there in my sidebar)
Adam,
There’s probably quite a few “C’s” we could come up with. Mike Sansone has five on this post – four of which are different from David’s four. So compassion could fit. And each business is different.
The reason I see such brilliance in David’s four “c’s” is that they are simple and they all flow together. AND, they are as foundational as I think you’ll find. I’m just fond of simple, foundational pieces like this. And visit his blog to see the neat graphic he made to illustrate the 4 C’s.
Thanks Dawud – and here’s a request for a future post on what to do with those social networks!
Hi all
Mini item 13 was really interesting topic at the SOBCon mini (still don’t think mini was the correct word).
Networking a bit further (my own blog’s vision, recently defined ;-)) just read this article a few minutes ago, the article that links to is not a easy read for non-webmarketers (talkes about SEO-ways a lot), but still interesting as a ‘educating’ or earging small business owners to ‘engage’ in the new webworld
Dave,
Thanks for the idea. I’ve been thinking about doing a weekly piece on each of them – sort of a review, trying to understand who their general audience is.
Karin H.,
I know. Great conversation. Can’t wait for SOBCon.
Great resource article, by the way. I just read it and found it quite helpful. May cover it in a post soon.
Hi again Dawud
(Seems to me you’re creating a very long list of post to do at this rate ;-))
Anyway, just remembered another item that might help ‘reluctant’ small business owners ‘come-to-term’ with blogs. Advice them to read Citizen Marketers by McConnell and Huba. That way they get to realise what independent and influential marketeers (i.e. bloggers) can do for but also to their business.
(Took the liberty to link to my own book-review, explains it a bit further)
I wanted to blog this just now after watching Dave speak. I may still do so, just put a different spin on it!
Alex,
David offered some great info at SOBCon. I’m quite impresses by him – and the quality of all the speakers.
Awesome! Thanks!
nice i love the idea of 4 c’s
4c’s really must to consider, serve as guideline for successful blogging..