Blogging on InformIT
Do I need to install any special software to blog?
What if I already have my own blog?
Where will the blogs be on the site?
Will the blogs have RSS feeds?
How will I know if someone has responded to one of my posts?
Will we be able to remove offensive/inappropriate posts?
How long does a blog post have to be?
What's an example of a good blog entry?
Whom do I contact if I have a blog-related question?
Why blog?
InformIT.com reaches about 1 million unique visitors per month and receives 10 million page views per month. Blogging is an excellent tool for you to build awareness of your expertise and the content of your book and develop a loyal user community.
Best of all, blogging allows readers to enter into conversations with or talk back to you by commenting on posts. You get to interact with your readers and would-be readers.
Who will read these blogs?
Well, anyone. Everyone. Readers primarily will be the purchasers of our books, potential customers, industry observers, and media outlets. Our competitors (and partners) will be closely monitoring the site, so discretion is important. Check with your editor about pre-announcing your book's content or publication date. Do not violate nondisclosure agreements.
How does it work?
Contact your book publishing editor or one of the web site editors (listed below). Once blogging rights have been assigned to you, the Blogging Tool will be accessible via the Account page on InformIT. You will use your primary site login (e-mail and password) to access the tool. If you have not yet registered as a member of InformIT, you will need to do so before we can set you up as a blogger. If you are already registered on peachpit.com, ftpress.com, ciscopress.com or ibmpress.com, your log-in information is valid on InformIT.com.
The Blogging Tool will be a WYSIWYG editor that gives you basic formatting controls over the appearance of your posts. The tool will also allow for file upload (e.g. .gif, .jpg, .mov files).
Each post will include a subject, date, and topic. You will select topics and sub-topics based on a pre-set list (driven by the topics/categories that appear on the site). You will be able to post into more than one topic area.
Do I need to install any special software to blog?
No. The blogging tools are web-based. You will have access to them automatically once you are registered as a blogger and are logged on to InformIT. We have instructions for using the tool here in this online author kit.
How often should I blog?
You may choose to blog for a limited period of time — say, for three or four weeks following the publication of your book in order to build interest in it. You may also want to blog for a longer period of time. Either way, it's best if you update your blog is regularly. Short-term bloggers should try to blog three or four times a week. Long-term bloggers should try to blog at least once a week.
What if I already have my own blog?
We don't mind if you double-post to both your own blog and the InformIT blog (if you own the rights to your blog content). Referencing their "other" blog can boost traffic (both ways).
Where will the blogs be on the site?
Blogs are available on almost every content page, including the home page. They are also accessible via the Explore option on the top navigation menu. This menu will be on every page on the site.
Will the blogs have RSS feeds?
Yes. Each topic area has its own RSS feed.
How will I know if someone has responded to one of my posts?
You have the option to be notified via email each time a new comment is added to one of your posts. You are able to view all comments associated with posts.
Will we be able to remove offensive/inappropriate posts?
Yes. We can remove entire threads or individual posts/comments if they are not appropriate for the site. Examples of inappropriate content include, but are not limited to: offensive comments, threats, hate speech, copyright violations, and trade secrets (i.e. certification exam questions). Note that someone's negative comments about your blog post, book, or article are not necessarily grounds for removal.
How long does a blog post have to be?
There is no rule for length. The key to a good entry is to get the point across clearly and accurately. If that can be done in a pithy entry, that's fine as long as enough detail is included. If it takes several paragraphs, that's fine, too, as long as the entry isn't rambling or unfocused.
What's an example of a good blog entry?
While there are many possible good entries, most "good" entries would be described as something that contains value for the reader. That value can be defined as information the reader would not have been able to get elsewhere.
Original ideas, of course, are the best blog entries. However, if the entry is based on something else (a news story, a book, an article in a magazine/website, etc), a good entry will add meaning, context, or additional details rather than simply re-stating what was written or said elsewhere. An entry that simply says "Here's an interesting article" and is followed by a link is not necessarily useful or interesting. That same entry followed by an analysis or review of that other article would be much more useful to the reader. Your opinion should be well reasoned and should avoid name-calling. For instance, writing "I am not happy with Microsoft's release of Internet Explorer 7 for the following reasons." is more informative than writing, "Microsoft is stupid."
The overall tone of the blog should be friendly, informed, and "authentic." Unlike a marketing site that conveys "official" information, a blog must feel as if you are talking to a real person who wants to share the latest news and insights with you.
Entries that encourage readers to comment are also good in that they help build traffic and community. (e.g., "Has anyone else had trouble with this feature on software package X? Let me know if you've come up with a good workaround.") Readers who actively participate in their favorite blogs are more likely to be frequent visitors to the site.
It's best not to use blogs to directly promote your book. If readers think that your blog is all about selling them something, most will quickly quit reading.
Here is an example of a poor blog entry:
"MIT's Technology Review published a recent interview with Bjarne Stroustrup. Bjarne's views about software in general, the causes of bad software and the solutions he proposes are aways illuminating."
The author refers readers to another web site in his link, but he doesn't really discuss the interview or add any insight or opinion with his own comments. It's okay to post short "link-only" updates like this occasionally, but remember that many readers are interested in you and your perspective on topics.
The blog entry below, is much better (hindsight notwithstanding). It includes a news item, followed by analysis and opinion by the blog author.
"Neil Holloway, Microsoft president for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said on Wednesday that in six months Microsoft will introduce a new search engine that is better than Google. 'What we're saying is that in six months' time we'll be more relevant in the U.S. marketplace than Google,' he added. The new search engine release date coincides more r less with the launch of Vista. As I estimated in my predictions for 2006, the Browser War is now over. The recent release of IE7 beta 2 will end Windows users' migration to the so-called alternative browsers (primarily Firefox). For Microsoft, the only obstacle towards complete desktop domination is a search engine. Its imminent launch will be a serious blow to Google's dominance in this area.
While Holloway's statements may sound arrogant, I believe him. Microsoft will probably need some time to perfect the user interface, performance, and reliability of their new search engine, but mark my words: it *will* oust Google. Why? Because Microsoft can't lose this battle. Unlike Microsoft, Google can't fight back; I don't see them launching a new killer operating system or an Office clone; doing so would be suicide, actually.
What does a new search engine mean to you? Basically, it's very good news. For far too long, this market has been dominated by a single product from a single vendor. There's no arguing that Google is a good product, but it certainly isn't perfect. The lack of competition in this area as led to monopolistic behaviors: violating users' privacy in China, tampering with the results of certain queries as a means of punishing "ill-behaved" companies, and those annoying query-sensetive ads. It's about time to reopen the search engine market to competition. We, end users, can only benefit from it — at least until it turns into a one-vendor market once more...
Whom do I contact if I have a blog-related question?
Contact your book editor, or email Dustin Sullivan (dustin[dot]sullivan[at]informit.com), Jennifer Bortel (jennifer[dot]bortel[at]informit.com), or Molly Jarchow (molly[dot]jarchow[at]pearson.com) from the InformIT editorial and marketing groups. They can answer questions about the tools and processes for blogging, as well as sign you up.