Establish personal brand, 'Jerusalem Post' editor advises would-be bloggers

Blogging is a powerful tool for establishing your "personal brand," but it is important to share your opinions explicitly or build a reputation for reliable objectivity.

That was key advice offered by Niv Elis, a breaking news editor at The Jerusalem Post and author of the newspaper's policy-focused blog, "The Bottom Line," during a lunchtime discussion of blogging at the Events Committee's Get It Online series June 19.

Among other insights he provided the audience of would-be bloggers, Elis said:

- Although there are several types of blogs, it's best to start out with one of two approaches.

One way is to use an Aggregator blog, which provides readers with a succinct summary and analysis of several varied sources on a given topic. By bringing the aggregation to reader repeatedly, the blog becomes a valuable and convenient resource to its audience.

The other approach is to serve readers by providing unique content or coverage that would not be found elsewhere.

- A quick and easy way to promote your blog is by directly mentioning or quoting individual people and then informing them that you’ve done so.

Most people are by nature self-promoters and most likely will share your blog post with their own friends and followers. By letting them do the sharing, you will draw new viewers that you would not have otherwise have reached.

- If you're daunted by the prospect starting your own blog, you can breathe a sigh of relief; there are many established blogs with dedicated followings that are always looking for content and expertise from respected sources and skilled writers.

If you have knowledge that people will find valuable, you can easily contact relevant blogs and offer your services.

The Get It Online Series will continue with a lunchtime discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Peter Panepento from The Chronicle of Philanthropy will discuss his publication’s successful LinkedIn group and how it has been used to fulfill the publication’s mission.