My life as a blog editor is a lot like working in a gold mine, minus the sooty face, the pick axe, head lamp and well...the actual gold. Okay, so in the literal sense the two are nothing alike, but figuratively I'm searching for shiny glistening chunks of 24k goodness. And my mine? A private school with a writing staff comprised of individuals who happen to be a collection of world class teachers and administrators.
A blog can be a powerful tool for any inbound marketing strategy regardless of industry, but finding continuous topics and relevant information can be a challenge. I have a background as an editor and worked previously at a city regional magazine covering all things Rhode Island. I can tell you that the word "sideburns" comes from the facial hair stylized by a Rhode Island general named Ambrose Burnside, but I can't rattle off the components of the MYP Design Cycle, the best practices for disciplining a child or the pros and cons for standardized testing without either looking it up or consulting a colleague.
And thus, the mining for gold comes into play. Everyone has a story or something unique to say. The hard part is finding it.
Here are some steps I take for tapping into the mind of a potential blogger
Start a discussion
Starting a blog in an industry that traditionally doesn't have one is no small task – that can include companies based around anything from kitchen appliances and auto parts to coffee and gourmet oils. That also applies to private schools. While deciding you want a blog is the easy part, getting participation from colleagues who aren't traditionally blog writers is the challenge. This might sound obvious, but announcing your blog's purpose to your staff is key. The cliche "If you build it, they will come" isn't necessarily true here. If you build it and announce that you're looking for staff participation as experts in your industry, they may come.
Build a rapport
Once you establish transparency and your willingness and desire to work side by side with potential writers, it gets easier. After an initial announcement (and hopefully expressed interest), a one on one meeting is key – whether that's in person or via Skype, Google Chat, etc. is up to you. Though for us, it might sound logical to say "this person is a math teacher so naturally I should have them write about the best techniques to teach math," a discussion with the same person could unleash their passions and excitement and reveal blog post topics you would never think of.
Set Deadlines
I'm busy. You're busy. We're all busy. We know this. Writing for a blog is almost always going to be a secondary task for anyone you're working with. You and your newly found editorial staff may put together the greatest list of blog topics in all the land, but topics are only good if they end up getting written. Setting deadlines is essential to getting things done. If ideas are presented and the mentality of "just write it when you get a chance" is established, blogging will almost always fall to the bottom of the to-do list.
Have Realistic Expectations
Writing isn't necessarily going to be the primary skill of your blog's authors. While they may have the knowledge and expertise to provide the content, they may not necessarily be used to blogging. Establishing tone, length and purpose are all important from the start. Equally important is acknowledging (to your writer and to yourself) that you'll likely be making edits and that this should be expected and does not in any case mean the work is bad.
Continue the Discussion
A big part of editing for me is bottling up momentum and continuously driving forward every idea, sentence and blog post. Your job is not done once you and your writer have identified an idea. It's really just beginning. Though I'm constantly floating around campus and am oftentimes not in my office, I still maintain a sort of "open door policy." If anyone working on a blog post has questions, concerns or simply just gets stuck, I'm available to meet and work through whatever hump may be the problem. Even when there's not a problem, I periodically like to check in to see how things are going. This accomplishes two things: your writer knows they're not alone; the blog post and proposed deadline is once again top of mind.
Show Thanks
"Thank you" goes a long way. Cliche or not, this is true in limitless areas of life, never mind work. It's also boldly apparent when running a company blog. Again, while you may be proficient in editing, organizing ideas, and may have a good level of knowledge in your industry, your colleagues who live and breathe your product know more than you. Showing thanks can come in different ways and how you express it is up to you. I always make sure to give a verbal thanks but also feature staff-written pieces in an internal email that is shared among 100+ staff and faculty. By making blogging an enjoyable and rewarding process, you increase your chances of return authors and create an internal word of mouth that may inspire other colleagues to contribute.
Mining for gold is a job for a team and so is running a successful blog. Gaining participation won't be easy but with persistence and a positive outlook, it's certainly doable. Go forth, grab your pick axe, and mine.
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