Tips for prospective blawgers

As the year winds down (and I approach my 1 year anniversary blogging), I thought I'd offer a few tips for attorneys who are thinking about blogging.  I (and probably every other blogger) frequently get the same questions asked by other attorneys considering blogging...so why not create a post on the topic?  I'll also leave the comments open so other blawgers can add their own tips, comments and ideas (and a link to their blog too)...or create their own post and gimme a trackback.  I'll probably add my own comments as I think of more things.  That being said...on with the show:

1.   Why did you start blogging?  Buzz Bruggeman at ActiveWords (if you haven't tried ActiveWords...do) kept prompting me to start blogging...I eventually caved.  I had been blogging on our firm's intranet for a while (I had (years ago) converted my bookmarks into a stand alone html document that I set as my home page...everyone in the firm eventually started using it and at some point I added a "news" section at the top of the bookmarks...that "news" section essentially being v1.0 of my blog).  Considering blogging, I realized that Marty's Trademark Blog was the Bible of its topic, so I decided to do a patent blog (instead of an IP blog).  Within a few months of my blogs launch, other patent bloggers started blogging (Crouch, Buchanan, Heinze, Sorocco, etc.) and so I eventually started the transition to a blog covering independent inventors.  I'm still working on the conversion, but that leads me to my next point...niche.

2.    Niche.  Most bloggers start writing about what interests them, but most eventually find their voice/audience and start blogging in a niche.  If you are starting a blog, my advice would be to blog about what interests you and don't worry about standing out right now.  As your blog evolves, you can decide where to take it.  Don't worry about it now.

3.  How much time does it take?  Like any question you ask an attorney, the answer is "it depends."  It depends on how much time you want to spend.  I personally prefer blogs who give me a post, maybe two, of the best information (rather than bury me in posts to read).  To blog like that, you could easily do it in 5-15 minutes a day.  If you want to write detailed posts, or lots of them a day...it is going to take you some serious time. 

4.   What is your favorite blog?  I really like Homann's the [non]billable hour blog.  If anyone is going to write something I print out and think about...it is going to be Matt.  At some point in the future I am going to convert my blogroll into a separate post...with reviews of all of my favorite blogs.

5.  Comments, e-mails and forwards.  There are days when all of us bloggers think "why in the world do I even bother posting..."  Thus, if you like a blog, leave comments to posts you like, send the blogger a "great post" e-mail, and please, please, please forward posts you find interesting to other people you think would find it interesting too. 

That's a good start (and it is getting late)...the comments are OPEN!!

Comments

[J. Matthew Buchanan]

Blogging can actually turn into a self-discovery exercise. It did for me. Blogging over the last year has helped me to rediscover a strong interest I have in legislation and politics (my wife will tell you I am a wannabe politician). After blogging on a few patent-related bills, I figured it out -- a niche! Now I try to focus on these areas, and my readers identify my blog with this niche. The side benefit is this -- passionate writing (and updating, in the case of blogs) brings readers. So having a niche that is aligned with a passion you have serves double duty -- you are having fun and attracting readers.

So find a niche, but be patient. It may take time to find it, and it may evolve over time. Be flexible and have fun.