Presentation given to Australian Medical Writers Association blogging workshop August 2013.

1. AMWA Blogging workshop
Renee Barnes
Renee.barnes@usc.edu.au
@renbarau

2. What blogs can add
• Background
• Context, analysis
• Expertise
• Personal voice
• Interaction with audience
• Specialisation
• Continuity

3. Writing blog posts
• Adjust your writing style
• Use links effectively
• Manage comments intelligently
• Decide on the best length and frequency
of posts—suitable for your topic

4. Writing blog posts
• Short posts are good
• Short paragraphs are good (easy to read)
• Do not be “too” complete
• Do not write like you “know it all”
• Include readers—do not exclude them
• Find an appropriate tone – blogs are
conversational

5. Use links effectively
• Not too many links – “Less is more”
• No “obvious” links – Avoid links to well-known
Web sites
• No paid links – You will lose the readers’ trust
• Only links that have real value to readers –
Increase your own credibility
• Link text > clear, not confusing

6. Blogging effectively
Your blog gives you a way to see and be seen — but only if you
use it with a spirit of sharing and connecting.
• Link out. Link to other blog posts. This makes you visible to
other bloggers and to other blog readers.
• Comment on other people’s blogs. Particularly blogs with
subject matter similar to yours. In the comment form, always
type your name and your blog’s URL in the boxes provided —
this allows anyone who reads your comment to click your name
and go to your blog.

7. How to manage comments
• You can delete any comment—it’s
YOUR blog
• Do not delete a comment only because
it disagrees with what you wrote
• Read comments often
• Respond often
• Do not respond to every comment

8. Dealing with the Trolls
> By engaging in the discussion the ‘value’ of
comments will go up - when the reporter writes those
commenting take notice
> Should be used to correct misstatements, or factually
incorrect information and answer questions
> It should never be defensive, always objective and
factual
> Don’t give unnecessary status to trolls only post if a
correction is needed or a question must be answered
> Use your comments to steer conversation to
something more productive and valuable

9. Getting noticed in the blogsphere
•There’s not much point maintaining a blog if no-one reads it.
• Here are some tips for getting noticed.
• Blog regularly as search engines have the potential to list every post – the more you write the more
chance there is to get noticed.
• Key words matter, pay attention to headlines.
• Get on the blogroll of a blog with a similar audience. Mumberella or Subbed Out
• Get involved in the blogsphere; comment on other blogs and include your blog address in your entry.
• But most importantly, the key to blogging success is to be readable, be factual and be different… if you
do a good job, readers will keep coming back.

10. Length and frequency of posts
• Too infrequent = no audience
• Too many posts? Too much effort for thereaders
– Exceptions: Crime blogs – Breaking news
blogs, e.g. floods, earthquakes
• Long posts? Too much to read
• Watch the statistics– Learn when your readers
visit your blog – Learn where your readers come
from