It may be safe to say blogging has hit the mainstream. There’s a blog – and in some cases hundreds – on any and every topic conceivable.

Blogs are great outlets for voicing opinions, educating, expressing creativity and, of course, as marketing tools. They provide you or your organization a global platform and an opportunity to create a more meaningful relationships with a niche audience. If you don’t have a blog and you’re thinking about starting one, or maybe you do, but have hit a wall with creating fresh content, there are a few things you can do to get started or overcome creative block:

• Research – what is already being done in this area? Can you fill a niche not currently being filled or approach a common topic from a fresh angle? Discover that and you will have a leg up on the competition.
• Passion – what are you most passionate about? Base your blog on something you are passionate about and it won’t feel like a chore. Topics will come easy, and you’ll be excited to constantly create and share your passion with the world. In turn, you will create better content, because it won’t be forced.
• Voice – find your voice. Your passion will dictate this too, but also think about whether you want your blog to be written, video or audio as a podcast. Blogs are not just limited to the written format. If you hate writing, maybe audio is the route to go. Make it fun.
• Curating content – create an editorial calendar with at least a month or two of topic ideas so you are not scrambling each week. Check in with your audience. What are they talking about? Ask them what they want to know or see in your blog. Crowd source!

A good example of someone rocking the blog world is Liza de Guia of Food Curated.com. She started by analyzing what else was being done in the food blog world, found a void in the online food documentary arena, then determined how she could take her documentaries to the next level.

Though there’s no shortage of food blogs, de Guia managed to create a name for Food Curated and a following by doing something different. See the interview below in which de Guia provided some great tips for rising above the fray and finding your passion.

Hopefully this gets you thinking about what you can create. Just remember to be relevant, have fun, find your passion and make it special.

Question: Have you found a new approach to blog about a common topic? If so tell us about it and share a link your blog.

Resources:
• FoodCurated.com
• Tumblr.com
• WordPress.com
• “Top 5 Business Blogging Mistakes and How to Avoid Them” ~ by Josh Catone via Mashable

For more marketing and PR tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

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It’s happening with greater frequency – traditional media using social media not only to share their stories, but also cultivate new stories and sources. As an added benefit, they are also deepening relationships with their audience and creating more loyalty.

While some organizations have been slow to adopt social media, others jumped in feet first – treading new territory and figuring it out as they go, just as the rest of us are. One news outlet that has integrated social media into the show format is the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb. Though it was a collaboration among producers and talent, Today Show correspondent Sara Haines has become the unofficial social media correspondent for the show and is doing a lot to deepen interaction with viewers.

During the show, Haines regularly reads comments and questions from the Facebook page, and tracks trends and feedback to help shape the direction of the show. Now, more so than ever, viewers are helping source content and coverage.

“Whether they specifically lead to an idea or shape the route I’m taking….they (the viewers) contribute everyday,” Haines said. “It happens everyday in every post, it influences what we’re thinking and which way we’re leaning.”

This is completely changing the way we communicate with mass media. For the first time, we are seeing more opportunities for two-way interaction, rather than the one-way street we’ve grown accustom to.

“Having people ask questions, and knowing you can give it back, means it’s not a one-dimensional thing,” she said. “Back in the day we could feel we knew someone just by tuning in each day. Imagine if you tune in each day and now you talk with them. It just deepens the bond.”

While not all news institutions monitor and utilize their social networks like the Today Show, more are seeing the value. So what does this mean to you?

You now have the potential to have your voice heard, either by sharing a story idea, interesting news or trend you think journalists and producers would be interested in; joining the conversation – you could have your comment read on air; or you could even be called on as a source for a feature story. Take advantage of the fact that this barrier is slowly coming down and start interacting with the media…but remember to keep it relevant, because spamming will work against you.

**For the entire interview click the video below or download the audio version.

Question of the week:
What online tools are you using to connect with traditional media?

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

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These days we’ve all been forced to do more with less, and the mass media is one industry where this trend is in full effect. This has, however, paved the way for finding new ways to operate more efficiently using the power of the social web.

What are you doing to make it easy for the media to find you?

When you think about the way in which you get your news, connect with your customers, or do research, how much of it takes place online and in social networks? Many of those in the news business are turning to the social web for the same purposes – to uncover new stories, conduct research, find sources and connect with their audience. With the changing newsroom and social media shaping how journalists find news and sources, it’s increasingly important for you or your brand to become searchable and make it as easy as possible to be found online.

Content-rich online newsrooms, blogs, social networking connections, and social and multi-media press releases are a few ways to get your information out there. It’s important to determine which best fits your company and the news you are releasing. A multi-media press release could be overkill in one instance, and incredibly useful in another.

Adam Kress of the Business Journal has embraced various forms of media – print, online, social networks and even radio to share his reports and cast a wider net. He also uses many online platforms to find information and sources, but says it varies based upon the news or the article he is writing.

“I’m looking at it as more of a sounding board – as an idea-generator as opposed to copying what may already be out there,” Kress said. “Depending on what you may be writing or reporting on, if it’s on a certain industry or certain topic, you can use Facebook and Twitter to try to connect with other people out there who may be involved in that industry.”

He said these networks enable him to reach out to potential sources he might not otherwise have access to without a major time investment. “It takes a very small amount of time to do, but it can pay off in that you may be connected with people very quickly.”

When it comes to online newsrooms, Kress said the more information the better. Fill your company site with useful and relevant news, press releases, and most importantly, contact information. For multi-media releases, however, tons of information could be overload if it’s not relevant.

“If you’re going to do those multi-media releases just make sure what you are putting in there is relevant,” he said.

Bottom line, do your homework. You have to know who you are pitching and how they like to receive information.

Hear the entire interview with Adam Kress below.

Resources:

• PitchEngine
• “Essence of Online Newsrooms” by Ryan Zuk
• “How to Connect with Mass Media Using Social Media”

Question of the week:
What online tools are you using to connect with traditional media?

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

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How can you effectively build relationships with members of the media and increase the chances of them telling your story? Get social.

Whether you work in the media or public relations industry, own a business, or create some amazing gizmo, you should be using social networks to connect with storytellers – bloggers, journalists, broadcast and radio reporters and producers. You never know when you might be able to serve as a source for them or better yet, have your story told.

By now chances are a majority of people in the media have Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. They are using these mediums not only to promote their work, but also to connect and search for sources or story ideas. Being on the receiving end of their posts will help you network with some powerful voices and be in the know if they are looking for sources for their story or news report.

The social media platform has done a lot to tear down many of the barriers and bridge the gap between media producers and the community. So how do you connect? Join the conversation and start interacting, but remember many of the same rules apply here:

• Don’t spam or bombard them with irrelevant messages.
• If they ask for a source or topic for a story, be sure you truly fit the bill. If you pitch off-topic you run the risk of never getting one of your responses read by them again.
• Self-edit. While speed and brevity are the nature of social media, be sure you are sending accurate information. You want them to think of you as a credible source.
• Pay attention to their posts. See what they typically write about or report on. This will give a tremendous amount of insight on what types of story ideas they might be receptive to.
• Don’t always just promote yourself. If you have a connection to a source they are in need of, but it won’t necessarily promote you or your company, still let them know. Or if you come across a compelling story that doesn’t involve you, but they would be interested, share it with them. They’ll remember you for it and it’s just good karma.
• Don’t get discouraged if they don’t respond. Keep in mind they likely have at least ten times the number of followers as the average user and likely receive just as many messages. It would be near impossible to keep up with them all. Be diligent. Be relevant. And don’t give up. More often than not it will pay off…trust me.

How do you find these sources? Search the various networks and also check out the below links for a few lists. Once you find them, search their profiles. Who are they following and talking to? You may want to do the same…if it’s relevant to you.

• We Heard You: 10 More Media Tweeters to Follow
• Twitter: 25 Media Insiders to Follow Right Now

Question of the week:
How do you use social media to connect with various media outlets? Any surprising moments? Share a comment.

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

Enclosures: MP3, M4V

How do you build your fan base on Facebook? This can be quite subjective and it truly varies from company to company and across various audiences. And of course you will have to do some testing and research to figure out what works best for your organization and what will resonate most with your audience.

Begin with the end in mind. Outline a very specific goal complete with a timeline, target number of fans you want your page to reach or what you want your page to do. How do you want your page to serve your fans? Outlining a goal will provide a solid foundation for developing measurable objectives and hopefully these five ideas will spark some ideas.

1. Give fans a voice – whether through daily questions, polls or by inviting fans to post photos, links or relevant events, it will help your brand become the venue for virtual social gatherings. By giving fans a voice, you let them know you value what they have to say about your brand and often times they become your best advocates.

2. Contests – engage your fans through fun, interactive contests. Create a campaign that requires them to take some sort of action, which will in turn appear on their wall and in their friends’ newsfeeds. See what Ikea did with their photo-tagging contest…brilliant.

3. Exclusivity and consistency – make your fan page a virtual “Members Only” jacket through special offers and exclusive information only available to your fans. Consider posting one piece of information on a consistent basis – something that’s signature to you…maybe a tip, question or interesting fact of the day. See what Sears did with their $10 coupon or Einstein Brothers did with their free bagel offer. Dell used their page to create a social media resource for small businesses.

4. Make it easy for people to find you – typically users are not poking around Facebook for companies to fan. They are usually pointed to the page by some external link. Be sure to link to your fan page from your other sites, social networks, email newsletter and in your email signature block.

5. Advertise – consider advertising on Facebook. The self-service ad platform works much in the same way early versions of Google AdWords worked. You can set spending limits and choose either cost per thousand impressions (CPM) or cost per click (CPC). The platform also enables you to drill down to an extremely targeted group based on gender, age, location, and preferences to name a few.

Bottom line…engage, engage, engage, but always keep it relevant to your fans. There are also tons of Facebook applications that can help you customize your page and develop fun ways to interact with your fans. To help spark a few ideas check out other business pages that have successfully grown their fan base: Ikea, Dove and Pepsi Refresh are just a few.

Question of the week:
What tactic have you used to generate more fans or what is an approach you’ve seen another company successfully use?

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio. Feel free to fan Wired PR too!

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