So it serves a purpose after all

Blogging is a funny game.

Considering it doesn't pay (I run adverts on neither of my blogs, though the other one generates work on occasions) one is entitled to ask why we bloggers really bother?

Why do we regularly write, rack our brains for original ideas, scour the web for inspiration, remember the camera to even the most mundane social gathering, etc etc.

I'm not the greatest blogger out there, in fact this website has been somewhat neglected since my blog arrived but my reason for blogging are likely shared by many others - I blog because I enjoy writing (helps when it is your profession), arranging my thoughts and the interaction and engagement within the Thai-blogging community. Occasionally there is the unexpected bonus of seeing your content or name appear somewhere else, but this is the cherry that sits on the blogging pie, if you will.

Take for example this New York Times article from 'The Frugal Traveller' Matt Goss covering recent travel chaos in Thailand - which came in the form of both the current political unrest in Bangkok and the knock-on effects of European flight cancellations following after volcanic ash from Iceland covered the continent's skies.

Thanks Kat for tipping me off that this blog got a honourary mention (albeit without a URL link) in the article, which put a smile to my face.

In the case of Thailand, Mr. Waldman has done his research, following not just the news on CNN but going on travel forums (including LonelyPlanet.com’s Thorn Tree) and reading blogs by expatriates (like Jonny Foreigner, by a young Brit living 70 miles north of Bangkok). “Statistically,” he’s concluded, “I could get hit by a car here a lot easier than I’d get caught up in some protests in Thailand, because I’m not standing in the middle of the protest area.”

Don't get me wrong being mentioned in the article is flattering (even if there is no URL link - especially as I wonder why this blog has been picked out for special treatment when others are more regular and informative?!) but it gives me a greater sense of fulfilment to think that my oft-neglected blog has helped someone with the prepare for a trip to Thailand (I did say to check the blogsophere before you come over to Thailand).

That's given me the incentive to make more effort with Jonny Foreigner.

So thanks Mr Waldman for reigniting my blogging fire. To realise that people are watching is motivation enough for even the most inactive bloggers out there, all fingers pointed at me.

Thailand Voice

While I've blogged about the use of Thailand blogs before (see here) I'm yet to mention Thailand Voice, an incredibly useful site which I stumbled upon last year.

The website aggregates (posts) content from Thai blogs making it a one-stop-shop for finding content and information about Thailand on the web. Blogs range from Politic sites like Bangkok Pundit, Absolutely Bangkok and New Mandala to expat blogs like this one of others listed in the blogroll on the left hand side.

As well as finding the latest posts, the search feature can be used to find information about Thailand from the site's archieve which is rapidly approaching 6,000 posts.

For example, I was interviewed by students from Singapore Management University as part of their research into the social media landscape in Thailand. I was flattered to be interviewed by wondered how they had found me, turns out they searched Thailand Voice and stumbled upon an entry of mine before reading more at the blog.

In practical terms, if you're looking to holiday in Phuket, for example, you can search the term on Thailand Voice and a range of content relating to Phuket. It may not all be relevent but it provides an excellent, local angle in addition to the traditional Google search.

For those of us blogging in Thailand, Thailand Voice does a great job of spreading our content. It uses just the first paragraph to preview posts, providing a link to the original content which in turn encourages new visitors to your site.

If you're not already on the list I suggest you contact them through the site by clicking here.

As if that wasn't enough, Thailand Voice just got even better by joining Twitter (@thailandvoice).

Now I can keep up with new content from the Thai blogosphere without racking up hundreds of unread posts on Google Reader. I definitely recommend following.

Ten tips to creating a successful blog for your company

[Originally posted on the Director Thailand blog here.]

I can't say I follow all of these, been especially inactive of late.

We’ve discussed social media in detail but have yet to touch on blogging – perhaps the original social media platform – in any detail.

Here we present ten essential tips for developing a successful blog for your business.

1. Think it all over first

Blogging isn’t for everyone so, before you launch your company’s blog take a little time think and plan exactly what you are looking to get from blogging.

Keep your goals and aims in mind every time new content is posted or the site is edited. This way content will be consistent and more appealing to potential new readers.

2. Write regularly

If a blog does not contain new content regularly readers will begin to lose interest and visitor numbers will decrease. Posting new content daily, or every day, gives regular viewers reasons to return to your blog meaning increased levels of traffic.

3. Use (a little) SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the art of positioning a website well within search engines. SEO pays homage to the power of Google which will can, when done well, generate a large amount of traffic for your blog – Google, SEO and other search engines cannot be ignored.

SEO techniques vary but, in terms of blog content, a website which regularly uses key words (words which relate to the company’s business) will feature higher in Google searches and drive more traffic from search engines.

Despite the positives key words only work to an extent and should not be abused. SEO done badly, with too many keywords repetitively positioned, makes a blog sound unoriginal and too focused on driving traffic, making it less attractive for readers looking for interesting content.

4. Sprinkle social media dust

Social media, like SEO, is a popular and effective way of generating traffic to a site.

Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Hi5 or LinkedIn, posting snippets of content alongside a link can significantly boost visitor numbers to your blog.

Equally, posting information about social networking, for example details of a company’s Facebook group or presence on Twitter, can generate interest in the company’s social media presence(s) which may in turn lead users to recommend, visit or link to your blog or social media profile.

Social media buttons, which allow content to easily be posted to websites like Digg, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Facebook and more, can be installed and will spread blog content virally over social networks.

5.Engage with the community

Networks of bloggers who cover similar topics exist across the web. Engaging with and entering a community is an effective way to get noticed, generate traffic and discuss topics close to your business.

The first step is always to monitor conservations and track other blogs that relate to you business/keywords – which are the influencer? Which generate the most traffic/comments, etc?

These are the influential blogs that can boost your blog.

There are many ways to engage. Linking to other blogs and websites in posts is a simple way of alerting other blogs to your presence and encouraging link reciprocation, and consequently, traffic to your blog.

Most blogs have a blog roll, a list of blogs that the blog owner reads or recommends to their visitors, which generate visitors to the blogs listed on them. Creating and displaying a blog roll on your blog encourages other bloggers to include you on their blog rolls which, in turn, encourages more traffic to your blog.

Commenting on other blogs will also help increase our visibility in the blogosphere. This will encourage blog owners to list your blog on their blog rolls and post comments on your blog and discuss ideas and topics you raise on their blog.

6. List contact details

Blogging is about communication so providing contact details is essential yet still many bloggers do not do so.

If a visitor reads an interesting post or is interested in your business and wanting to find more information listing contact details will allow them to get in touch with you directly.

On a more principled level, blogging is about breaking communication barriers and transparency, listing contact details will help your blog achieve these goals.

7. Use multiple authors

With a need to post regularly and insightfully, the job of blogging is made easier when shared.

Using multiple authors will give a variety of insights, experiences and knowledge which may make your blog a more interesting read for visitors.

8. Be creative

A blog is more than just pages of text, it is a medium to entertain and interest. Adopting a creative approach will sustain visitors interest, maintain traffic levels and generate interest and buzz in the blogosphere.

For example, why not run surveys, regular features, interviews, guest posts, pictures and special offers in addition to regular blog posts. The variety and different angles will generate a greater level of interest and interaction with readers.

9. Have patience

Rome wasn’t built overnight and neither will your blog be. It may take anything from one month to one year before you start seeing regular numbers of comments and visitor numbers – persistence and patience are key virtues which pay off in the long run.

10. Monitor, monitor, monitor

There are scores of web analytics and monitoring tools which provide insightful data about your blog, its readership and how it is used.

Free services such as Google Analytics, Alexa, Technorati and others will help you understand more about your blog and how you can better use it as a resource. For example, which blog posts pull in the most visitors, which keywords generate search engine traffic and which websites are sending traffic to your blog.

Google Wave

I don't often cross-post my work from Director but I'm going to shamelessly pimp out today's piece on Google Wave - a name that will become familiar with over time, if not already.

Google Wave is likely to be a major part of how we communicate and use the internet in the future

Check out the official Wave website for more info.

Why Your Business Should Care About Google Wave

Since its preview release at the end of September, Google Wave has barely been out of the headlines, being regularly touted as the future of internet communications.

Yet despite the hype only 100,000 people, worldwide, are invited to use its preview version, leaving the rest of us with a lot of questions.

What is Google Wave? How will it change the way we communicate and why should businesses be interested at this stage?

This week, the Business 2.0 column will take a look at Google Wave and why businesses, and others, should take an interest in its progress.

Internet Communications Born Today

Put simply, Wave has the potential to be a ‘game changer’ in the same way that MSN Messenger, Skype, email, Google Search, YouTube, eBay and others have shaped the state of the web and consumer habits today.

The principle belief behind Wave is to update internet communications. The founders saw that, whilst instant messaging and email are successful and popular, they were designed a long time ago and therefore to do not make the most of the web as it is today.

Wave is a difficult concept to grasp let alone explain but leading web technology blog Mashable succinctly described it as:

“A real-time communication platform. It combines aspects of email, instant messaging, wikis, web chat, social networking, and project management to build one elegant, in-browser communication client.“

Read this rest here on the Director blog.

Note the absence of lines like "Ride the Google Wave" or "Surf's Up as Google Wave comes in", tempting though they were.

Thai film industry

I recently had the pleasure of writing a piece about the Thai film industry for the September-October issue of the mag.

Research and interviews were really quite like any other piece. With my background I'm pretty used to speaking to, and getting excited about, techy companies, geek products, social media gurus or internet trends.

This article however, was an opportunity to learn about a totally new topic and, an interesting one at that.

From my research and interviews it seems that the Thai film industry was not as successful as I had initially thought.

In a nutshell: the industry is badly in need of investment, big budgets film are not using Thailand and, with little signs that the Thai government or Board Of Investment (BOI) are promoting to international film communities, many are sceptical that change will come any time soon.

Private developments look the most likely way for the film industry to progress with the most notable project being a $264 million project in Chiang Mai, aka CNXWOOD (see this preview video for more). There are also whispers of a Chonburi-based initiative, backed by a number of investors which allegedly include Hollywood big shot Oliver Stone.

This aerial shot shows the impressive blueprint for Chiang Mai Wood. Photo courtesy of Creative Kingdom Studios.

My print article on the Thai film industry is in the September-October issue of Director (out this week) but you can catch a preview of it on the Director blog here.

Fascinating stuff.

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If you're on Twitter, I recommend following the following people who regularly cover Thai film industry news, views and updates.

- http://twitter.com/wisekwai [Anonymous film blogger Wise Kwai]
- http://twitter.com/scott_cos [Noted film industry analyst-cum-journalist, Scott Rosenberg]

Recent work

Here's a look at a few pieces I've written for Director lately:

• Social Networking And Jobs - a look at social media's increasingly influential role in the recruitment process

• Putting The Social In Social Media - analysis of the ways social media is changing how we interact/network offline, citing examples from the Bangkok

• Interesting Week For Microsoft - review of a varied week of news from The Company We All Love To Hate (formerly know as Microsoft)

• Can Twittle Tattle Lose Your Battle - my view on the contrasting social media policies of the US Marines and British Armed Forces, and the lessons for the world of business

Plus, I have an interesting piece on the Thai film industry in the September-October print edition, which is out next week.

I post details of my latest work, amongst other things, on Twitter - follow me for updates at www.twitter.com/jonrussell

Can Twitter-Tattle Lose Your Battle? - Director

Shameless plug for my latest piece for Director's blog - Can Twitter-Tattle Lose Your Battle? - looking at the lessons business can take from the recently announced social media policies of armed forces in the US and UK.

Read it in full here.

Plug over...

New role

I'm back from a brief sojourn to Lao to get a new visa - the funny thing about this trip is that it could have been prevented if one person had done their job properly.

I'm not to dwell on that though as I'm, in fact, behind on my own news.

Starting last week, I've taken on a new role at Director, Thailand's bimonthly business magazine described in a recent conversation as a magazine that "does things properly." After contributing on a freelance basis for a while, I'm stepping into a permanent role as staff writer.

In my new role I'll continue to contribute articles but will also run a couple of features in the print edition whilst regularl writing for the magazine's blog.

My regular Tuesday column goes under the 'Business 2.0' banner, covering the use of technology and the internet in business today. Here's my first post from last week talking about Zappos, newly acquired by Amazon, and its successful use of Twitter.

I'll be posting the links on my Twitter feed but will post some work here too.

I'm very excited about the role and, along with the additional work, I'm going to put more into this blog too.

Controlling the internet - Director Thailand

Here is a short piece I wrote following about the Thai government and the internet for Director Thailand. The magazine's blog is a recommended daily read for anyone working, or interested, in the business world in Thailand.

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Controlling The Internet

Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositakul sparked controversy on Friday when she lamented the difficulties of controlling new media on the internet.

The blogosphere and social networking sites were a hive of activity with discussions revolving around why the government would want to control social media, a domain where people freely express themselves to the world.

The Senator’s comments are hardly surprising when you consider the state’s distrust of the web.

This is a country which banned access to 50,000 websites in February, once banned YouTube and has government offices devoted to locating and blocking ‘unsuitable’ websites.

The government’s failure to understand the internet was further shown when it ordered the closure of 72 websites after the suicide of a 12 year old boy whose father had banned him from computer games.

Blaming the internet, it seems, is the easy answer.

While it is accepted that bad content does exist on the internet, its capacity to do good far outweighs the few rotten apples that have grown.

Just a glance at the West gives the Thai government examples of the benefits.

Last year saw (now) President Obama fight a ground-breaking Presidential campaign using social media to drum up funds, communicate ideology, listen to America and mobilise his voters.

In Britain too, where politics is increasingly seen as out of touch with the public, the main parties use the internet to better listen and communicate with the country.

Given the recent political and social problems in Thailand, the internet could be used to increase communication, educate and promote peace. Yet the government is more concerned with control and a ‘we know best’ attitude.

The next issue of Director Thailand discusses the growing influence and benefits of social media for businesses in Thailand.

One leading figure interviewed suggested that “social media will be embraced by Thailand, even if it is forced upon the market”.

The government appears to be the resistance that the internet and social media is up against; a head on collision seems imminent.