- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Nelson Business an imprint of Thomas Nelson Publishers (14 Mar 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 078521576X
- ISBN-13: 978-0785215769
- Product Dimensions: 21.5 x 14.4 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,365,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Blog Schmog
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Synopsis
Reveals the pros and cons of blogging; the effect of blogging on writing and the printed word; and the effectiveness of blogging in its major applications - especially marketing, politics, and technology.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
Robert Bly's 'Blog Schmog' reads like a cautionary tale for all those who are made to believe that blogs are the ultimate marketing tool.
Mr Bly's honest and balanced assessment of Blogs and their marketing relevance is a welcome addition to the literature in the field. Though I am more optimistic than he is when it comes to the future of blogs and their impact on PR, I believe his book raises some fundamental issues about branding, direct marketing and the hype and overblown promises by internet consultants and what he defines as 'blog evangelists'. Thumbs up.
Mr Bly's honest and balanced assessment of Blogs and their marketing relevance is a welcome addition to the literature in the field. Though I am more optimistic than he is when it comes to the future of blogs and their impact on PR, I believe his book raises some fundamental issues about branding, direct marketing and the hype and overblown promises by internet consultants and what he defines as 'blog evangelists'. Thumbs up.
Format:Hardcover
Those who are about to read this book need to keep in mind that in it, Robert Bly shares his thoughts about what blogs cannot do (nor be expected to do) as well as what they can do. Over the years, he has earned and deserves his reputation as a master of reasoning, reading, and writing skills...whatever the given genre may be. Among his previously published books, my own favorites are The Copywriter's Handbook, his Guide to Freelance Writing Success, and most recently, The White Paper Marketing Handbook. In his latest book, Blog Schmog, he focuses on "the strategy of using blogs as a business-building and marketing tool, explaining how your time is best bent on strategy, not fooling around with programming or design." Bly then goes on to explain, in the Introduction, that his book "is written from the point of view of a blogging skeptic and doubter, not one who has bought into the whole blogging fad without holding it up to close scrutiny... And my conclusions about blogging, unlike those of [blogging consultants, enthusiasts, and evangelists], are not always favorable; my positions on blogging are highly controversial within the blogosphere." He urges those who read this book to share their comments ideas, techniques, and/or success stories with him at rwbly@bly.com or to visit www.bly.com.
Who will derive the greatest benefit from this book? Probably, those in need of expert advice on how to start their own blog, and, those who have done so and are dissatisfied with the results thus far.
Time Out: There are significant differences between personal blogs and institutional blogs. Therefore, those who are about to launch either a personal blog or an institutional blog should first answer the six questions posed on Pages 55 & 56 in Chapter 2, "How to Start Your Own Blog." (Bly cites Elisa Camahort's Worker Bees as their source. Her Web site is workerbeesblog.blogspot.com.) Moreover, I think that those who have already launched a blog and are not satisfied with results thus far should also answer these six questions. For those with a special interest in institutional blogs, Bly provides an insightful analysis of do's and don'ts in Chapter 7. Then in Appendix E, he identifies "Business Blogs Every Blogging Newbie Should Know" and provides links to them.
To me, some of the most valuable information and counsel are found in Chapter 3, "Blogetiquette: The Rules of Blogging." He shares his responses to a number of frequently asked questions. For example:
Is "selling" a person, a company, or a product acceptable in the blogosphere?
How to treat copyrighted material in a blog?
Why are corporations afraid of blogging?
What is the "bloatosphere" and what's wrong with it? (Note: Bly cites Steven Streight, president and CEO of Streight Site Systems, as his source for much of the response provided.)
What is "ghost-blogging' and why does it occur?"
What about other types of blogs such as "simulated," "drivel," "sleazy link," "fictional persona," and "link farm?" What does Bly think of each?
Throughout his narrative, Bly inserts a series of "Rules"(also listed in Appendix B) and provides a context for each. (I highlighted each of them to expedite periodic review of them later and suggest that other readers do the same.) He concludes this chapter with Rule 8A: "To be effective marketing vehicles, blogs should be relatively free of marketing. They should contain useful content and the truth, not hype or sales talk. To violate this rule not only costs you sales and credibility, but it also incurs the disdain and wrath of the blogosphere." He makes essentially the same assertion about white papers in an earlier book, The White Paper Marketing Handbook.
In the final chapter, He shares a number of opinions whether or not blogging has a future and many of these opinions are certain to generate controversy. (Bly urges those who disagree with any of them to contact him at rwbly@bly.com. He plans to share feedback with readers of the next edition of this book.) I strongly recommend, however, that the first nine chapters be read with great care, first. I cannot think of a better way to conclude this review than to share the conclusion to Bly's book:
"So blog if you want to. If you don't like blogs, don't bother. And if you think the advice in this book is great, and you want to let me know, or if you think I don't know beans about blogging and that my advice is useless, you can certainly say so - on my blog.
"Best of luck to you in the blogosphere - and outside it!"
Who will derive the greatest benefit from this book? Probably, those in need of expert advice on how to start their own blog, and, those who have done so and are dissatisfied with the results thus far.
Time Out: There are significant differences between personal blogs and institutional blogs. Therefore, those who are about to launch either a personal blog or an institutional blog should first answer the six questions posed on Pages 55 & 56 in Chapter 2, "How to Start Your Own Blog." (Bly cites Elisa Camahort's Worker Bees as their source. Her Web site is workerbeesblog.blogspot.com.) Moreover, I think that those who have already launched a blog and are not satisfied with results thus far should also answer these six questions. For those with a special interest in institutional blogs, Bly provides an insightful analysis of do's and don'ts in Chapter 7. Then in Appendix E, he identifies "Business Blogs Every Blogging Newbie Should Know" and provides links to them.
To me, some of the most valuable information and counsel are found in Chapter 3, "Blogetiquette: The Rules of Blogging." He shares his responses to a number of frequently asked questions. For example:
Is "selling" a person, a company, or a product acceptable in the blogosphere?
How to treat copyrighted material in a blog?
Why are corporations afraid of blogging?
What is the "bloatosphere" and what's wrong with it? (Note: Bly cites Steven Streight, president and CEO of Streight Site Systems, as his source for much of the response provided.)
What is "ghost-blogging' and why does it occur?"
What about other types of blogs such as "simulated," "drivel," "sleazy link," "fictional persona," and "link farm?" What does Bly think of each?
Throughout his narrative, Bly inserts a series of "Rules"(also listed in Appendix B) and provides a context for each. (I highlighted each of them to expedite periodic review of them later and suggest that other readers do the same.) He concludes this chapter with Rule 8A: "To be effective marketing vehicles, blogs should be relatively free of marketing. They should contain useful content and the truth, not hype or sales talk. To violate this rule not only costs you sales and credibility, but it also incurs the disdain and wrath of the blogosphere." He makes essentially the same assertion about white papers in an earlier book, The White Paper Marketing Handbook.
In the final chapter, He shares a number of opinions whether or not blogging has a future and many of these opinions are certain to generate controversy. (Bly urges those who disagree with any of them to contact him at rwbly@bly.com. He plans to share feedback with readers of the next edition of this book.) I strongly recommend, however, that the first nine chapters be read with great care, first. I cannot think of a better way to conclude this review than to share the conclusion to Bly's book:
"So blog if you want to. If you don't like blogs, don't bother. And if you think the advice in this book is great, and you want to let me know, or if you think I don't know beans about blogging and that my advice is useless, you can certainly say so - on my blog.
"Best of luck to you in the blogosphere - and outside it!"
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
11 reviews
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
An Honest and Skeptical Look at Blogging from a Marketing Expert
6 Jan 2007
Format:Hardcover
Finally some realistic truth about blogging. Robert W. Bly is a marketing expert and someone who regularly writes about how writers can increase their bottom-like earnings. His column in Writer's Digest magazine is excellent. This book comes with a warning in the opening pages which in part says,
"If you are a blogging evangelist or consultant, I guarantee you will hate this book and that it will make you angry. If you are a practical marketer concerned with results, this book can prevent you from wasting a lot of time and money, improve your marketing results, and create realistic expectations about what blogging can--and cannot--do for your business."
That warning summarizes what you will gain from this book. It's not a book against blogging. In fact, it's a clarion call for focused topic-centered blogging and excellent writing. As Bly contends in one of his 14 Rules of the Blogsphere, "13. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other rules of written communication apply to blogs just as they do everywhere else. The reader who spots typos and misspellings will not think you are casual or relaxed about grammar and proofreading, he will think you are a sloppy and careless writer--and by extension, a sloppy, careless thinker--not the impression you want to convey."
This book is loaded with seasoned advice from an expert. I highly recommend it.
"If you are a blogging evangelist or consultant, I guarantee you will hate this book and that it will make you angry. If you are a practical marketer concerned with results, this book can prevent you from wasting a lot of time and money, improve your marketing results, and create realistic expectations about what blogging can--and cannot--do for your business."
That warning summarizes what you will gain from this book. It's not a book against blogging. In fact, it's a clarion call for focused topic-centered blogging and excellent writing. As Bly contends in one of his 14 Rules of the Blogsphere, "13. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other rules of written communication apply to blogs just as they do everywhere else. The reader who spots typos and misspellings will not think you are casual or relaxed about grammar and proofreading, he will think you are a sloppy and careless writer--and by extension, a sloppy, careless thinker--not the impression you want to convey."
This book is loaded with seasoned advice from an expert. I highly recommend it.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
A good book that seems to accurately put blogs into perspective for people interested in including them in their marketing mix.
3 Mar 2007
Format:Hardcover
I enjoyed reading this book. It confirmed what I already knew about blogs and blogging. I highly recommend anyone interested in exploiting blogs for financial gain get a copy of this book and read it.
The overall message of the book is that blogs help increase a marketing-focused Web site get favorably ranked with search engines. Therefore, indirectly they help in marketing. But blogs are not a marketing tool in and of themselves unless one treats article writing as a marketing tool.
Building Web sites has always been pretty easy. And blogs are Web sites. What has always been somewhat hard is designing a Web site and filling it with content so visitors to the Web site will be inclined to buy a certain product or service. Since blogs by definition are not seriously researched or planned, their ability to convince visitors to buy is limited. And, as a result, their marketing value is not that great. However, Web sites do not exist in a vacume. They rely to some extent on getting traffic from search engines on the Web. And blog entries help in a few ways with getting a Web site some traffic. First, they provide content in a Web site that search engines index. At least this is the case when the blog entries are stored on Web pages within the blogger's main Web site for marketing purposes. Second, blogs are possible "hit pages" surfers will click through to when trying to find information. Such pages will then direct the surfers to "marketing pages" in the blogger's main Web site set up for marketing purposes. And third, if the blogs are freestanding, then they can provide external links directing Web surfers to the blogger's main Web site which has marketing umf. Search engines rank a Web site more favorably when other Web sites direct traffic its way.
The book also points out that the best blogs from a business' standpoint are "topical blogs." And the businesses that usually benefit are service oriented (as compared to retail oriented). For example, a consultant who counsels small business owners might have a blog that only includes entries about small business. A life coach might have a blog that only includes entries regarding life coaching issues. Or a bankruptcy attorney might have a blog that only includes entries regarding Chapter 7 personal bankruptcies. The blogs will probably help boost surfer traffic to their main Web sites, but they will also help build credibility for their respective services. Assuming the blogs have accurate and timely content, then the bloggers arguably will be viewed as "experts" even though they haven't gone through the hassle of getting a book published or passed some professional exam.
But there are many blogs out there that are not topical, are not accurate and timely, and don't really say anything worth reading. Those are the blogs that the author says are not worth producing. And I agree. 5 stars!
The overall message of the book is that blogs help increase a marketing-focused Web site get favorably ranked with search engines. Therefore, indirectly they help in marketing. But blogs are not a marketing tool in and of themselves unless one treats article writing as a marketing tool.
Building Web sites has always been pretty easy. And blogs are Web sites. What has always been somewhat hard is designing a Web site and filling it with content so visitors to the Web site will be inclined to buy a certain product or service. Since blogs by definition are not seriously researched or planned, their ability to convince visitors to buy is limited. And, as a result, their marketing value is not that great. However, Web sites do not exist in a vacume. They rely to some extent on getting traffic from search engines on the Web. And blog entries help in a few ways with getting a Web site some traffic. First, they provide content in a Web site that search engines index. At least this is the case when the blog entries are stored on Web pages within the blogger's main Web site for marketing purposes. Second, blogs are possible "hit pages" surfers will click through to when trying to find information. Such pages will then direct the surfers to "marketing pages" in the blogger's main Web site set up for marketing purposes. And third, if the blogs are freestanding, then they can provide external links directing Web surfers to the blogger's main Web site which has marketing umf. Search engines rank a Web site more favorably when other Web sites direct traffic its way.
The book also points out that the best blogs from a business' standpoint are "topical blogs." And the businesses that usually benefit are service oriented (as compared to retail oriented). For example, a consultant who counsels small business owners might have a blog that only includes entries about small business. A life coach might have a blog that only includes entries regarding life coaching issues. Or a bankruptcy attorney might have a blog that only includes entries regarding Chapter 7 personal bankruptcies. The blogs will probably help boost surfer traffic to their main Web sites, but they will also help build credibility for their respective services. Assuming the blogs have accurate and timely content, then the bloggers arguably will be viewed as "experts" even though they haven't gone through the hassle of getting a book published or passed some professional exam.
But there are many blogs out there that are not topical, are not accurate and timely, and don't really say anything worth reading. Those are the blogs that the author says are not worth producing. And I agree. 5 stars!
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
The Fantasy World of Blog
22 Mar 2007
Format:Hardcover
Robert Bly's BLOG SCHMOG is a balanced, openly honest, "no pie-in-the-sky" assessment of the craze which has swept across the internet, namely blogging. In short, the book's subtitle "The truth about what blogs can and can't do for your business" tells the buyer exactly what to expect if they buy and read this book. In fact, that is exactly why I purchased this book because I am on the cusp of setting up my own blog. I was not disappointed.
In conceptualizing and framing his book BLOG SCHMOG, Robert Bly has targeted a wide audience: new bloggers, blog enthusiasts thinking about designing and launching their own blog, and internet surfers who have been blogging for awhile.
BLOG SCHMOG is a three-tier crash course in how to realistically analyze blogging application and effectiveness, how to measure the effect of blogging on current marketing and media trends, and how to create your own effective blog that will lure in readers and participants. The back matter or appendices of BLOG SCHMOG contain invaluable information: detailed notes from each chapter, blogosphere rules & etiquette, a comprehensive list of blogging books & guides, blogging consultants with their emails and phone numbers, blog software, blog search engines, a litany of successful business blogs covering an array of topics, and a glossary of blogging terms so the newbie does not remain a newbie.
.
A word to the wise should be the mantra for this book. In other words, underscoring all of the above is a golden thread that runs through his book, namely, do not miscalculate or overestimate the effect that your blog will have on your business. Do not live in the fantasy world of blog. Be very clear about what your blog can do for you, in terms of a return on your investment ROI, whether it is financial, advertising, or just broadening your reputation via the web. Your ROI is always a balance between weekly time invested in your blog versus what do you get in return for giving up that time. What Robert Bly makes clear in BLOG SCHMOG is that blogging is a new phenomenon whose long-term effects are yet to be measured in the commercial marketplace. He does cite instances where bloggers have influenced politics; they have fanned the flames of a sweeping news story; and, through the mainstream media, blog designers and analysts have attempted to alter the path of the meandering river of public perception.
All-in-all, though some critics view Robert Bly's perspective and tone more akin to a parent who negatively discourages his child by undercutting his child's goals, I found Robert Bly's BLOG SCHMOG to be an informed primer that encourages the newbie blogger by giving him all the tools he will need to succeed, but Bly does so with words of caution. BLOG SCHMOG reads with experience and careful consideration. In short, it informs. As a writer and businessman, Robert Bly blends his knowledge of writing, marketing, advertising and persuasion into a most pleasing and rewarding work. BLOG SCHMOG is worth every penny.
John M. Weiskopf
Author, The Ascendancy
[...]
In conceptualizing and framing his book BLOG SCHMOG, Robert Bly has targeted a wide audience: new bloggers, blog enthusiasts thinking about designing and launching their own blog, and internet surfers who have been blogging for awhile.
BLOG SCHMOG is a three-tier crash course in how to realistically analyze blogging application and effectiveness, how to measure the effect of blogging on current marketing and media trends, and how to create your own effective blog that will lure in readers and participants. The back matter or appendices of BLOG SCHMOG contain invaluable information: detailed notes from each chapter, blogosphere rules & etiquette, a comprehensive list of blogging books & guides, blogging consultants with their emails and phone numbers, blog software, blog search engines, a litany of successful business blogs covering an array of topics, and a glossary of blogging terms so the newbie does not remain a newbie.
.
A word to the wise should be the mantra for this book. In other words, underscoring all of the above is a golden thread that runs through his book, namely, do not miscalculate or overestimate the effect that your blog will have on your business. Do not live in the fantasy world of blog. Be very clear about what your blog can do for you, in terms of a return on your investment ROI, whether it is financial, advertising, or just broadening your reputation via the web. Your ROI is always a balance between weekly time invested in your blog versus what do you get in return for giving up that time. What Robert Bly makes clear in BLOG SCHMOG is that blogging is a new phenomenon whose long-term effects are yet to be measured in the commercial marketplace. He does cite instances where bloggers have influenced politics; they have fanned the flames of a sweeping news story; and, through the mainstream media, blog designers and analysts have attempted to alter the path of the meandering river of public perception.
All-in-all, though some critics view Robert Bly's perspective and tone more akin to a parent who negatively discourages his child by undercutting his child's goals, I found Robert Bly's BLOG SCHMOG to be an informed primer that encourages the newbie blogger by giving him all the tools he will need to succeed, but Bly does so with words of caution. BLOG SCHMOG reads with experience and careful consideration. In short, it informs. As a writer and businessman, Robert Bly blends his knowledge of writing, marketing, advertising and persuasion into a most pleasing and rewarding work. BLOG SCHMOG is worth every penny.
John M. Weiskopf
Author, The Ascendancy
[...]
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Careers > Entrepreneurship
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > E-Commerce > E-business
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > E-Commerce > E-commerce
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > E-Commerce > Web Marketing
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Management
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Sales & Marketing > Advertising
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Sales & Marketing > Public Relations
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Entrepreneurship
- Books > Computing & Internet > Digital Lifestyle > Online Shopping > Amazon
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
