The Blog Coach and why hire a Blogging Consultant

My eye was drawn earlier this week by a post over at Blog Business Summit called Why hire a Blogging Consultant. Professional interest or in search of justification for what I do?

Definitely professional interest.

While it is an interesting overview, I think that it skims over the business side of what a blogging consultant should be able to offer and focuses too much on simply their knowledge of the Blogosphere. Certainly that’s important, as is the passion – you have to know how things work and why they work before you can start to apply them to a business situation.

But you also need to understand the business requirements of the companies you work with, their customers and their other marketing activities if you want to truely integrate a blog and really add value. You should feel comfortable working with both the marketing and technical teams (as well as the general management) with larger clients, and potentially be able to provide both of these roles yourself with smaller clients.

What I did like was the split that was made, between why set up a blog and how to do it so that it really works for your business. In the conferences they are running, they are focusing on the “how” rather than the “why”. I have no doubt that in the US, this is the right way to go.

However, in the UK, we are very clearly in a situation where we need both – the majority of companies are still at a stage where they are learning what blogs can offer them and why they should be considering them. However, there are also a growing number who have identified where they can be applied and now require help and direction in achieving that.

It is for this reason that I now run two blogs aimed at helping companies with their Business Blogging and the split between “Why” and “How” seems like a good one.

• Why set up a blog? – Better Business Blogging will be looking primarily at these aspects by focusing in on the range of business uses/applications of a blog and the issues in business and corporate blogging;
• How to do it? – The Blog Coach will aim to address the need for specific advice on the implementation, development and marketing of blogs as well as offering services and workshops to help businesses achieve this.

As you might imagine, there will be overlap between the two areas as one flows into the other but the differentiation is a good starting point.

So, why work with a Blog Consultant or, dare I say, a Blog Coach? Well, certainly for the understanding of how the blogosphere works and what works best, but also for the ability to apply that knowledge by getting to the heart of your business and ensuring it will produce the best results for you and your customers.

Using Technorati to research your future Blog or your Market

As I pointed out in the Green Cross Code of Blogging, the first step before embarking on a Blog yourself is to look at the blogs that are already out there – ideally ones dealing with your market or subject area – to see what is being said, how they are being used and how they are approaching blogging as a business tool.

So the question is where the best place to find out what blogs exist in a certain industry or cover certain topics. For me, I always turn to the first of my two main blog site recommendations for anyone intending to use blogs – Technorati. If you want to find out what blogs exist and what is being said in them, then this is the place to start your search.

Spotlight on UK Business Blogs

Over at Better Business Blogging, each week I have been highlighting some of the Business Blogs which exist in the UK. The aim has been to show a cross section of the current blogs to give a feel for what people are writing about and how they are approaching the task of using blogs in their business activities.

With the launch of The Blog Coach, I have taken the decision that this series sits more comfortably on this blog and so will be continuing the series here in future. As a start point, I am giving a quick recap of those I have already highlighted by publishing a list of them here before continuing the Spotlight on UK Business Blogs series.

In addition to this weekly selection, I am working with others to build a comprehensive list of Business Blogs in the UK. So if there are UK blogs which you have visited and would recommend (including your own!), then please let me know by leaving a comment or sending me a message. Thanks!

Adam Smith Institute
Interesting mix of opinion on free marketing policies but nicely put together.

Andy Hayler
Andy Hayler is the founder of Kalido and uses this blog to comment on developments in the Enterprise Software marketplace.

The ArtFinder Blog
The ArtFinder in question is Lydia Bates.

Bad Language
Matthew Stibbe writing about Business, Technology and Marketing.

Being Kintished
Will Kintish shows people how to attract more business and clients.

The Big Blog Company
Does what it says on the tin and a lot more besides.

Breath Coach
Never come across a Breath Coach before, so here you are.

BT Business Blog
BT’s new Business Blog covers a range of topics to do with online businesses.
Charkin Blog
Richard Charkin from Macmillan does his own bit of personal publishing.

The Dental Business School
More Profit in Less Time is what Business Coach, Chris Barrow, provides.

Eie Flud
Eie Flud blogs about the countryside and the natural ingredients which make up their products.

The Engaging Brand
Podcasts and an engaging blog from Anna Farmery over at The Engaging Brand!

English Cut
English Cut from Thomas Mahon, a Savile Row tailor and blogging veteran.

Financial Planning for Dentists
Dentists and Financial Advisors together by Ray Prince and Graeme Urwin.

For Immediate Release
A twice weekly podcast by Neville Hobson together with Shel Holtz on PR and Technology.

Gaping Void
The unique blog by Hugh MacLeod.

Guinness Blog
Nice to see another major brand in the UK blogging arena.

Human Law
Written by Justin Patten, with a focus on Law, Technology and People.

Innocent Drinks
Keeping up the smooothie and fun image.

Intelligent Measurement
Richard Gaunt and Glenn O’Neil on evaluation and measurement in communications, training, management and other fields.

Jamie Oliver
The Naked Chef himself provides a suitably pukka blog.

The Just Giving Blog
The Just Giving Blog for people who use Justgiving to build their personal fundraising pages.

Luxury Travel Blog
Paul Johnson at the Luxury Travel blog gives us some ideas on locations, hotels and expensive cocktails!

Modern Marketing
A blog from Collaborate Marketing, led and edited by James Cherkoff.

Murmurs and Musings on Success at Work
Dr Rob Yeung does his musing on creating success at work.

Nubricks
A blog which talks about property, property and more property.

Open Gardens
Ajit Jaokar’s much acclaimed blog which deals with issues around mobile web 2.0 and Wireless Mobility.

Podcasts from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Blog, podcasts and the Fringe all mixed into one entertaining blend.

Positive Impact
Niall Cook writing on Hill and Knowlton’s Collective Conversation.

PR Blogger
Stephen Davies writes on PR, marketing, media, technology and the world around him.

A PR Guru’s Musings
Written by Stuart Bruce, founder and partner of Bruce Marshall Associates.

PR Voice
PR Voice is written by Tony Bradley, the President of the CIPR.

SmallBizPod
Produced by Alex Bellinger, the SmallBizPod is the UK’s first (and foremost!) small business podcast.

Spittoon
A wine and food blog written by Andrew Barrow, a freelance wine writer and expert.

Stuart Oliver
Stuart Oliver talks about social software, Networks & Communities, Innovation, Globalisation & more.

Teblog
David Tebbutt on the 3C’s of cooperation, collaboration and communication.

Thomson Holidays
One of the few larger UK companies which have realised where the potential of blogging lies.

Tinbasher Sheet Metal Blog
Fronted by Paul Woodhouse, the TinBasher blog is another UK classic.

Travel the Home Exchange Way
Lois Sealey gives an engaging and compelling insight into the area of holiday home exchange.

Vanessa & Baukjen
Designs for pregnant women who love clothes.

Tom Watson, MP
Finally, a first political blog – no doubt the first of many.

Wishful Thinking
Mark Mc Guinness focusing on coaching creative professionals.

A Blogging Break …

No sooner started than having a short break! What is the world coming to?

Just to let you know that there will be a short hiatus in updating The Blog Coach as I am having a few days break and the PC has been banned … just for a week, though.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as we are sure just what normal is (sic: Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy) – or alternatively on Tuesday 19th September.

There is, however, going to be a lot of information coming your way over the next couple of months on:

• specific ways in which you can use a Blog from a business and marketing perspective;
• how to use your Blog most effectively and get the best out of it;
• using RSS to encourage visitors and generate sales;
• integrating your blog with your other marketing activities;
• marketing and promoting your blog and therefore your business;
• … and a whole lot more.

So, do add The Blog Coach to your RSS reader and, just as importantly, drop me a line and let me know what areas you would like to see covered. My email address is mark(a t)theblogcoach.co.uk or you can leave a comment on this post.

See you soon!

The Blog Coach is spotted!

Once again the blogosphere shows one of its key strengths – news travels fast!

While I had been intending to keep the launch of “The Blog Coach” quiet until after my break next week to allow me to add some content and additional functionality to it, Easton over at the excellent BusinessBlogWire has as ever been keeping his eyes peeled and ear to the blogging ground. Anyway, the long and the short of it is that The Blog Coach has been spotted.

So why the second site on Blogging?

As you may know I run the Better Business Blogging site which is designed to help give all the information you may need when setting up, developing and marketing a Business Blog. This has been hugely successful in its goal of providing a wide range of information on Business Blogging and nothing will be changing there – in fact, I will be increasing that. (Watch that space, so to speak!)

What I wanted to do was to set up a site which would also support my Blog Consultancy and Blogging Training Workshops here in the UK, and rather than interfere with the Better Business Blogging site, do so through an independent blog. Hence, The Blog Coach was born. I also want to be able to highlight the developments in the take up and understanding of blogging in the UK which I felt would not be appropriate on Better Business Blogging.

Anyway, formal launch comes later in the month and in the meantime … Welcome!! … and please do get in touch with me at mark(at)theblogcoach.co.uk to let me know about your blog or how you would like to use a blog to help develop your business.