Loading ...Experience Matters Turns 100. What Have We Learned?
So, we’ve reached a bit of a milestone here at Experience Matters by reaching 100 posts. And what have we learned? Well, quite frankly a lot. Choosing to participate in the information exchange and conversations happening in the online space is not an easy decision to make. The vision for this blog was always about providing value, and as it turns out, having a vision is critical in the creation and maintenance of a blog. Here are a few things we’ve learned since our first post:
Blogs Require A BIG Commitment
Maintaining a blog is a TON of work. If you can’t commit to producing content on at least a semi-regular schedule, than you may not want to include a blog as part of your marketing strategy. Before starting a blog, think about the pros and cons and how you plan on measuring success.
Providing Value Is Tough
We have an editorial board that will review content informally and have a lot of behind the scenes discussions about what to write about and how to write it. But we also allow for timely POV’s and spontaneity through bypassing our own editorial process when appropriate. Either way, having something interesting to say is hard work and we want to make sure that you, the reader have the best possible experience on this blog. Experience is our business—we take this seriously.
Be Ready For Anything
Who would have known that our most commented on post would have been the shortest? Or that our most viewed post would have been about Flash technology? Or that our most popular post would have been about the recession? Not to mention we’ve got a healthy dosage of environmentally conscious write ups for you to peruse. If you look at the visual above, you will see that we are leaning to the right of “plan” and moving toward “improvisation”. This blog has taught us the value of “learning as we go” and adapting to your response and feedback.
Speaking of feedback, we would like some more please. What’s working for you here? What’s not working for you? What would you like to see more of? Less of? Have we met your expectations? How can we do better? Does Experience Matters matter to you?
And lastly, we’d like to extend an invitation to one of you to write a post for us. Leave us a comment with feedback on Experience Matters and after reading through them, we’ll pick one individual who we feel could make a great contribution here. We would link to your blog or site if you have one and you could consider yourself part of the Experience Matters team. At least for a day. So tell us—how are we doing?
Looks matter.
“We have an editorial board that will review content informally and have a lot of behind the scenes discussions about what to write about and how to write it.”
There’s your problem…
Ah, thanks for that honest feedback Paula. it is a challenge trying to keep that balance between getting internal feedback and just letting it fly.
Mat, can you expand?
Ah, the editorial board. When we were first putting this blog together, my initial reaction was that having an editorial board was a *really* bad idea.
That’s not been the case. For most, I’ll assume that the term “editorial board” carries a connotation that doesn’t align with what blogs are all about. Editors are *bad*. They control stuff. They limit stuff. That was my headspace too.
The reality is that our editorial board is the same people that are blogging on Experience Matters. It’s not a bottleneck or a filter, it’s a peer group. Like David said, we can bypass when/if we want to, but the majority of the time we don’t. Why? It’s simple. The ‘board’ is a conversation that we’re having both about the content of our posts as well as our foray into the world of blogging. Without the board we’d just be a bunch of disparate voices. With the board, we’re unique, but also united. That’s not a bad place to be in, IMHO.
So, the “what to write and how to write it” piece isn’t prescriptive. Instead, it’s a dialog, and I think the ongoing conversation is really valuable for us as we continue to find our voice and our way.
My biggest problem with the blog has been trying to come up with content that’s not totally overshadowed by Armano’s posts.
Congratulations on 100 Posts! It’s a big milestone! Here’s to another 100!
Having an Editorial Board is almost a requirement when managing a collaborative blog on behalf of an agency or organization. The blog can be a crucial component in helping team members develop their voice and identify value for others. Additionally, we spend so much time thinking about content to post, that we often miss key points or related information. When collaborating on a blog, these types of “pannels” or “boards” or “editorial teams” help everyone stay on point.
I feel bad for Geoff though… we’re all trying to figure out how to not be overshadowed by Armano… and I don’t even work at CriticalMass!
Thanks for your hard work with the blog.
I think the “providing value” part is the most difficult. It is hard to balance between what we want to say in our blogs, twitter, etc. and what people want to know about.
Some “official” corporate or agency blogs tent to talk at us VS talking with us.
I’d like to see in the blog more “we don’t know; what do you think?” type of posts. Actually, it would be interesting to have some of the dialog taking place within your editorial board with your readers.
Governance models are critical. But so is language. There is ‘baggage’ with the term ‘editorial’. If it’s a governance model (absolutely, effective), then use a different term: Advisory Board
To me, it doesn’t matter whether there’s a board or one lonely ranger - it’s the experience itself that’s been consistent through the 100 posts. And the particular point of interest for me is analysis of all buzz and content going on daily. It’s hard enough to keep up - imagine understanding, discussing, getting a POV and putting it together straight and simple (and in small posts). Great job!
I think this blog is off to a strong start. Out of curiosity is there a set process behind the editorial board? Who decides what is written and when? Does anyone have veto power?
Mac,
We’ve got a pretty loose process actually. A couple of us act as “enforcers” poking and prodding contributers for contributions. Than, if a contributer wants, they can put their post before the board via e-mail. After a quick round of feedback a post someone on the board says “get this live” and it goes up.
But it’s optional. I post directly all the time and with other contributers we do a little one-on-one editing.
It’s a pretty flexible arrangement. Biggest challenge is getting regular quality content lined up. An obvious but very true statement.
We’ve also learned/shown that a twitter demand leads to more comments!
I have never seen any issues in using an editorial style board provided it doesn’t end up preventing good content from seeing the light of day. Even the ideas that don’t make it to the blog provide value in an internal sense.
People often see a company/corporate blog as a great external marketing tool but fail to realize the potential of using it as an internal marketing tool as well.
Even though blogs tend to be more casual, putting all stale holders and company members through the process of thinking about “what is valuable to our audience” and “what voice should we be speaking from” really develops an interesting perspective and understanding of the brand voice.
From what I have read it seems the quality of the content is here. It seems new, relevant, and valuable.
I ask you; has it helped internally at all? Does it keep people thinking about what is current and valuable? Do people better understand what they are doing because of the blog?
Those could be looked at as success criteria as well.
One perspective as to how you might ‘rethink’ the future: It’s a conversation. What are you doing today that doesn’t fit a conversational model? What could you be doing to increase the level of conversation?
If you leverage Patrick’s observation, you can gain ‘attention’ (just from an observation perspective) if individuals could watch how employees think and/or disagree with each other.
Make the culture explicit through conversation. Don’t forget the other keyword of this era: transparency.
I dunno Paula,
I think you’re putting yourself in a position to write a post for us. Maybe there’s a topic here (transparency in a conversation economy)
I think before conversation and transparency lies the fundamental root of most experiences:change. Experience derived from the process of change in concert with sharing our observations, seem to be the most relevant in a connected and dynamic world.
It seems to me that blogging puts you in a similar position as being in school. If a blogger is committed to content then they live differently, they take in information differently because they are always trying to learn and always have the next thing to write, kinda like being in school. It is a discipline, blogging. All in all it seems to me that while it is work it is profitable work in that idea growth happens and ideas are shared?
Do you have similar feelings about blogging as you have or have had about school? Do you feel like you’re in school because of your blog?
David wrote: “Who would have thought that the most commented, most popular, etc.”
I’d say that the “most” _______has to do with how much the post relates or can be used by the reader.
Which is why modern messaging methods should be called WEdia or MEdia.
To your second point, David, not sure if your website or another recommended this book: The Future and Its Enemies, but the author would agree that the direction your blog is leaning is the right way to go.
Author writes: Dynamism - an open-ended society where creativity and enterprise, operating under predictable rules, generate progress in unpredictable ways. BTW, I have no connection whatsoever with the author or publisher. Hard to believe her book was written a decade ago.
Congrats on 100th.
best,
betaBonnie