BlogPro

Blog of the Week: The Democratic Party Blog

2008-07-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

The DNC is approaching fast and you can keep up with all the latest news and events at The Democratic Party Blog.

Learn to think like a blogger

2008-07-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

ProBlogger has an interesting piece about overcoming obstacles to blogging. Read the entire article here.

10 Reasons Your Small Business Should Have a Blog

2008-07-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Adam Singer is Director of Digital Strategy for Pierson Grant Public Relations in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On his personal blog The Future Buzz, he writes about ten very good reasons why every small business should have a blog. Read the article here .

Blog of the Week: DenverInfill

2008-07-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

The DenverInfill Blog keeps up with all of the news, ideas, and commentary about Downtown Denver and its urban infill developments. Infill is the use of land within a built-up area for further construction, especially as part of a community redevelopment or growth management program or as part of smart growth.

Blogging Your Business

2008-07-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Did you know that there are 200,000 new blogs created in the USA every day?

Blog of the Week: Flickr Blog

2008-07-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

The companion blog to Flickr, almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world, Flickr Blog features some of the gorgeous photography the site is known for as well as news and information.

World's oldest blogger dies

2008-07-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo! News:

An Australian woman described as the world's oldest Internet blogger has died at the age of 108 after posting a final message about singing "a happy song" in her nursing home. Read the rest here.

You can read her blog at All About Olive.

Why you should advertise on blogs

2008-07-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

From Dev Mechanic:

"Why would you consider advertising on blogs? Well, blog advertising is currently one of the hottest marketing techniques available.

Advertising through blogs is much cheaper than the traditional advertising media, mainly because it is still in its infancy. Blog advertising is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the web. It's easy, convenient, cheap, and you do not require a website or any expertise in site building, and the list goes on."

Read the rest of the article here.

Blog of the Week: MileHighGayGuy

2008-06-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

It’s official – MileHighGayGuy is the hottest blog in town. In the past few months, Drew Wilson, Denver’s MileHighGayGuy, has appeared on “Studio 12” with Tamara Banks, on radio station KGNU – with a weekly segment in the works – and in the metro area’s largest biweekly newspaper.

In addition, he was the first official blogger for Denver PrideFest, one of the top ten Pride celebrations in the country, and has been named the Denver Gay Examiner for billionaire Philip Anschutz’s new online media venture, Examiner.com.

Now, for the first time, you can advertise on MileHighGayGuy.com, Denver’s premier gay-interest blog. Be one of the first to take advantage of this hot new way to reach Colorado’s gay community, the seventh largest in the nation.

Since blogs are updated daily, instead of weekly or monthly like standard print media, readers visit every day to check out the new content – and they will see your ad, with a direct link to your Web site, every single time.

So hook up with MileHighGayGuy and be a part of the hottest gay blog in Denver. Call or email DrewDenver@aol.com to discuss rates or set up an appointment.

More unconventional marketing tips

2008-06-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

So what is a business blogger wanting to ’sell’ to do?

2008-06-24T09:43:00.001-07:00

Here's what ProBlogger.com has to say about that:
"If I were a business blogger (and I guess I am in a way - but that’s another discussion) I would spend more time actively engaging with and enhancing the lives of my readers (and potential readers) than selling to them."

Makes a lot of sense to me! Read more of this forward-thinking sales strategy here.

Blog of the Week: Denver PrideFest Blog

2008-06-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Well, now that PrideFest 2008 has come and gone, the official PrideFest Blog has been put to bed. But it's still a great resource for PrideFest photos from years gone by and person-on-the-street news and views, as well as some interviews with local movers and shakers. And maybe we'll be back next year with the official PrideFest Blog for 2009!

Advertising on Blogs: Pros and Cons

2008-06-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

Oprah's Blog

2008-06-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Even Oprah's blogging! Here's her most recent:
"Week Four: Sunday
Day 21…yes, I want some wine. Bordeaux 82. Just one glass at sunset, almost broke down and had a glass. I didn't, mostly because of my commitment to fellow VCTers. Tomorrow, Scarlet…tomorrow is another day. That's my mantra for now."

Read the rest here.

Entrepreneur.com's Summer Assignment

2008-06-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Looks like I've got my homework cut out for me this summer!

From Entrepreneur.com's blog: "Summer is quickly approaching, but for entrepreneurs, that doesn't necessarily mean vacation is on the horizon. If you're trading in margaritas and summer novels for coffee and file folders, add SCORE's "Summer Finance Fix-up" to your to-do-list."

Read the rest here.

How to market in a poor economy (the answer is: BLOGS)

2008-06-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

From Hubspot.com:

"I talk to several marketing executives per week and my favorite question to ask them is about how they are building sustainable lead generation machinery for their businesses to grow. In response, I typically receive a similar set of responses: trade shows, seminar series, telemarketing, email blasts to purchased lists, "pr" (press releases), and maybe some advertising. I call these techniques "outbound marketing." There are two things these outbound marketing programs have in common. First, they all cost of a lot of money. Second, they are all becoming less and less effective over time as people like you get better at better at blocking out these traditional forms of interruption and you turn to search engines, bloggers, and peers on social media sites to more effectively learn and shop."

Read the rest of the article here .

Blog of the Week: Mile High Buzz

2008-06-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

In honor of me really needing a good cup of coffee this morning, this week's Blog of the Week is none other than Mile High Buzz, Denver's coffee blog.

I repeat: Your business needs a blog!

2008-06-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Blog Squad explains, once again, why your business needs a blog!

Liveblogging Steve Jobs at WWDC 2008

2008-06-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

I just live blogged an event for the first time yesterday on MileHighGayGuy (KGNU had a panel of local experts talking about Denver's GLBT past, present and future). I'm looking forward to doing it more often as live blogging seems to be an exciting and immediate way to spread information as it happens. I don't think I did too badly for a first effort but this right here is how it's really supposed to be done:

Live blog: Steve Jobs at WWDC 2008

BlogPro's Banners for PrideFest

2008-06-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

Just picked up the official BlogPro banners that will be hanging at PrideFest and they look amazing! I think they'll prove to be a great marketing tool, and, on a personal note, there's something really really cool about seeing your company logo and motto on an eight-foot-long banner. Very larger-than-life!

Blogging's good for your health

2008-06-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

"Blogging can help you feel less isolated, more connected to a community and more satisfied with your friendships, both online and face-to-face, new research has found ..." according to Claudine Ryan for Discovery News. Read the rest here.

Blog of the Week: Denver Gay Examiner

2008-06-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

BlogPro's Drew Wilson is now the Denver Gay Examiner for Examiner.com.

Examiner.com is one of the fastest growing websites for local news and information. Serving 57 local markets, Examiner.com connects consumers with a premium blend of news and information from the best local sources.

As the Denver Gay Examiner, Wilson offers news, entertainment, and many other features specifically for Denver’s gay community. Read the latest news and information for Denver’s gay community at www.examiner.com/x-391-Denver-Gay-Examiner.

In addition to his role as the Denver Gay Examiner, Wilson blogs as MileHighGayGuy at www.milehighgayguy.blogspot.com. He is also the official blogger for Denver PrideFest 2008, one of the top ten Pride celebrations in the country. That blog can be seen at www.denverpridefest2008.blogspot.com.

Business blog writing can be frustrating for professionals

2008-06-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

One more reason to have BlogPro write your blog!

Blog of the Week: Etalkinghead's Political Blog Directory

2008-06-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Check out Etalkinghead's Political Blog Directory, with more political blog links than you can shake a stick at. Not that you'd want to shake a stick at a political blog.

Listed on the blog are the following:
Conservative (148 listings)
Right-leaning and conservative blogs.

Group Blog (24 listings)
Blogs with more than one author and one opinion.

Humor (23 listings)
Funny ha-ha.

Independent (59 listings)
Blogs independent of ideology.

Liberal (152 listings)
Left-leaning and liberal blogs.

Libertarian (48 listings)
Blogs with a libertarian bent.

Moderate (31 listings)
Middle-of-the-road blogs.

News Only (12 listings)
Cousins of the Drudge Report.

Religious (16 listings)
Blogs dominated by the discussion of religion and its political implications.

The Political Blog Directory has a total of 513 listings.

Examiner.com recruits local bloggers

2008-06-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

From The Denver Business Journal:

William Randolph Hearst was a new-media pioneer before there was such a thing.

The inspiration for "Citizen Kane," Hearst began as owner of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper in 1887, the start of a nationwide empire that grew to more than two dozen dailies.

But Hearst soon branched out into what were then considered nontraditional media: magazines at first, and then radio, movie newsreels and, eventually, television.

If Hearst -- who died in 1951 -- were alive today, it would be easy to imagine him at the helm of an unconventional media venture that takes its name from his first newspaper.

After low-profile beginnings, Examiner.com -- a Denver-based national news-and-information website -- was relaunched April 14. The redesigned site now offers localized content from bloggers -- known as "examiners" -- chosen for their knowledge of various topics of interest.

Read the rest here .

Good business blogs need voice, focus and frequency

2008-06-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

"The best business blogs have a voice, a focus on a topic and are frequently updated, said Jamie Hammond, editor in chief of AOL Money & Finance."

If your blog is lacking these three things, you'll never be able to attract the millions of online blog-reading readers and customers you want and need. Worse, a poorly written, unfocused, rarely updated blog can give those readers and potential customers the wrong impression about who you are and what you do. But maintaining a blog takes energy, time and talent. That's why I started BlogPro and why I think it's such a valuable service to the business community. Business owners have enough responsibilities to deal with on a day-to-day basis and it can be difficult to add more to your plate, even for something as important as a blog. When you get set up with a BlogPro blog, you know your blog is in the best hands possible. Written, researched, edited and maintained by professional writers and editors with years of media experience, BlogPro lets you focus on what you do best, running your business, while we do what we do best, blog.

Read the rest of the article here .

Blog of the Week: Ray Hill Studios

2008-06-02T10:15:00.001-07:00

The Ray Hill Studios blog is an online portfolio for Denver, Colorado based furniture maker and carpenter, Ray Hill. He is inspired by the works of Eames and Herman Miller but ultimately, his vision and designs are uniquely his own.

PrideFest issue of Out Front Colorado (including the Official PrideFest Pullout Guide) is on stands now!

2008-05-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Be sure to pick up the latest issue of Out Front Colorado. The first of two official PrideFest issues for this year, the May 38 edition of OFC features articles on the new Sex in the City movie, Trans 101, an interview with Aubrey Sarvis, El Futuro Community Center, Naughty Pierre, fabulous Las Vegas, and all of the rest of the regular OFC features and columns you've come to know and love over the years.

Yours truly has a piece on Bisexual Pride in the paper proper and one on Blogging for Pride in the PrideFest pullout. Read them after the jump.

Social Media for Business (that includes blogs!)

2008-05-30T11:12:00.001-07:00

In times of economic downturn, it's more important than ever for businesses to explore alternative modes of advertising and brand-building. Like blogs.

Study: U.S. Blog Advertising To Hit $746M By 2012

2008-05-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

From ProBlogger: Advertisers seem to be embracing the niche-ready blogosphere with $746 million expected to be spent in 2012 on getting messages in front of Internet users. Unlike social networks, such as MySpace and Facebook, which present a hard-to-define audience, blogs seem ready-made for online advertisers. “Like podcasts, blogs tend to appeal to specific audiences. Accordingly, much of the demographic targeting that marketers work so hard to achieve in the mainstream media is already done for them,” writes eMarketer. The... [Read the full story]

BlogPro Blog Denver PrideFest 2008 marks 100th post

2008-05-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Denver PrideFest Blog marked the occasion of its 100th post. Since its inception on March 28 of this year, Denver PrideFest Blog has provided daily news, entertainment, interviews, rare photos and videos by, for, and about one of the country's top ten biggest and best GLBT events.

BlogPro is proud to be the official blogger for Denver PrideFest 2008 and on a personal note, I've had a wonderful time working on it. It's great to be able to be a part of an event that is so important to Colorado's GLBT community. Anyway, we've still got a month to go before Denver PrideFest is upon us and I've got some really cool things planned for the blog so be sure to check it out.

Number 1 on Google! Business Week Takes a New Look at Blogs

2008-05-26T17:18:00.001-07:00

Three years ago, Business Week published a story about blogs.

"...you cannot afford to close your eyes to them [blogs], because they're simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And they're going to shake up just about every business - including yours...Given the changes barreling down upon us, blogs are not a business elective. They're a prerequisite.

-- Business Week Magazine, May 2, 2005

According to Business Week that cover story, Blogs Will Change Your Business, archived on the Web, received hundreds of thousands of page views and still comes up #1 on Google search results for "blogs business."

Now they've updated and revisited the blogging issue and you can read the rest of the story by Denise Wakeman for allbusiness.com here.

Business Blog Writing with The Blog Squad

2008-05-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Business Blog Consulting

2008-05-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Business Blog Consulting is a site devoted to demonstrating how effective weblogs can be for communicating with customers and marketing to new customer prospects. You will find here lots of examples of business and corporate blogs, as well as resources to help you learn more about the topic.

Blog survey: Why do people read blogs?

2008-05-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell, people read blogs because they want better, faster information that they can't get anywhere else.

Should I wait this blogging fad out?

2008-05-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

John Bell says, 'no way':

"I guest-lectured at a colleague's graduate class at Johns Hopkins where I also teach a class. One of her students - a young man in his twenties studying to enter marketing and/or communications - asked seriously, "Can I just wait out the whole blog-thing, wait till it fades away or do I have to pay attention to what's happening?"

Didn't expect that question from him, a digital native. But I do hear it a lot from business "gray-hairs" - the digital immigrants. The short answer is that blogging will not fade away like a fad. I certainly believe there will be a "leveling off" of the explosive growth we have seen. But too many people have found a voice and a reward for publishing their POV to expect that to recede It is part of a movement that will continue to grow and change affecting how we market from this moment forward. ... "

Read the rest at the Digital Influence Mapping Project

Blog of the Week: WeatherBug

2008-05-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

WeatherBug, the leading provider of weather information services, manages and operates a proprietary network of 8,000 WeatherBug Tracking Stations and more than 1,000 cameras that are strategically placed at schools, public safety facilities and television stations throughout the U.S. These professional grade weather stations generate live neighborhood level reports every second (unlike other weather providers; their data is up to an hour or more old). Check out more information at their blog, www.blog.weatherbug.com.

Market your business online

2008-05-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

Brazil: A chat about blogs and journalism

2008-05-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

From Global Voices:

"Mario Amaya [pt] talks about how the mainstream media has adapted itself to the Internet, transition from paper to digital, advantages of blogging, and the Brazilian blogosphere in preparation for his piece for Palavra na Tela 2008 (Word on the Screen) [pt], a special chat about Blogs and Journalism hosted by the Digestivo Cultural site."

Read the rest here.

Blog Quotes

2008-05-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

"The Internet is just a world passing around notes in a classroom." - Jon Stewart

Blogs and the GLBT community

2008-05-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

From Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs:

" ... Regarding web logs or blog use, the survey found about one in four GLB individuals (24%) report visiting personal blogs, which are websites that serve as an individual’s personal online journal, compared to 12 percent of heterosexuals. In fact, over one in three GLB adults (36%) visit their favorite blogs everyday, while only 19 percent of heterosexuals say they visit their favorite blogs daily. GLB respondents also reported having a more positive reaction towards advertising found on blogs, by two to one when compared to heterosexuals (22% vs. 9%). ..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Blog of the Week: The Hype Machine

2008-05-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

The Hype Machine blog follows music blog discussions. Every day, thousands of people around the world write about music they love — and it all ends up on The Hype Machine.

Offering up a number of ways to explore the music that flows through the site including; Front Page: What's going on right now in the blogosphere; Radio + Chat: A mix of popular & newly posted music & a place to talk about it; Popular: The most popular artists, searches and blogs on the internet right now; and Hype Spy: Snoop on what other people are listening to on the site, The Hype Machine is here to make music discovery fun and get artists paid.

An interview with a 14-year-old professional blogger

2008-05-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

Forbes' best small business blogs

2008-05-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

"It stands to reason that budding businesspeople would be attracted to Weblogs, those do-it-yourself publishing sites that embody the very spirit of entrepreneurism. What do blogs add to the small-business dialogue that a whole host of magazines, cable channels and Web sites don't? In addition to transmitting news, industry gossip and occasional rants, the best small business blogs offer interactivity, allowing readers to chime into the dialogue with their own bright ideas. ..."

Read the rest here .

Quote of the Day: Sergey Brin

2008-05-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

"Google actually relies on our users to help with our marketing. We have a very high percentage of our users who often tell others about our search engine." - Sergey Brin

*blogspot is owned by Google

Sarah Boxer, author of Ultimate Blogs

2008-05-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

"... Today there are, by one count, more than 100 million blogs in the world, with about 15 million of them active. (In Japan neglected or abandoned blogs are called ishikoro, pebbles.) There are political blogs, confessional blogs, gossip blogs, sex blogs, mommy blogs, science blogs, soldier blogs, gadget blogs, fiction blogs, video blogs, photo blogs, and cartoon blogs, to name a few. Some people blog alone and some in groups. Every self-respecting newspaper and magazine has some reporters and critics blogging, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker. ..."

Read the rest here.

Blog of the Week: Monster

2008-05-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

"The world of work can be sometimes terrific and sometimes terrible, sometimes crystal clear and sometimes completely confounding, sometimes rewarding and sometimes repugnant (are you sensing a penchant for alliteration?). Searching for your next job and/or career just magnifies all these paradoxes.

As members of the team that creates Monster Career Advice, we spend a lot of time thinking and writing about careers and the pursuit of them. The Monster Blog gives us a chance to write about an array of issues in a free-form style. Sometimes we'll talk about the day's big news stories and sometimes we'll muse about workplace microwave etiquette -- just depends on the day."

Find out more at Monster Blog.

What should your business blog do for you?

2008-05-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

It's RSS Awareness Day

2008-05-01T23:36:00.001-07:00

Bloggers and people in the Internet industry are aware of RSS but its reach seems to halt there. To inform more people about the benefits of RSS the RSS Awareness Day campaign was launched by Daily Blog Tips. You can find the RSS Awareness Day website at www.rssday.org . The website has a page with buttons and banners for bloggers who want to spread the word about the RSS holiday. This page also contains information that shows how few Internet users know about RSS.

Blog Quotes

2008-04-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

"I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user." - Bill Gates

New York Times: blog trolling 101

2008-04-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

From Mathew Ingram:
'I’m sure someone at the New York Times has to be feeling pretty smug right now — after all, look at all the attention the paper’s story on bloggers is getting from the blogosphere. Obviously, the Times has learned the first rule of getting attention from blogs: talk about blogs. The Times also seems to have learned the second lesson, which is related to blog “trolling,” namely: associate blogs or blogging with some kind of apocalyptic or otherwise incendiary statement, viz. “Blogging kills.”'

Read the rest HERE.

Blog of the Week: AARP's Social Security Blog

2008-04-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

AARP's Social Security Blog is a fun and informative site dealing with the everyday issues of aging. From Health and Travel to Politics and Finances, AARP's blog is one you'll want to visit every day.

BlogPro featured in La Gente Unida newsletter

2008-04-25T11:19:00.001-07:00

La Gente Unida was kind enough to feature BlogPro in their most recent newsletter:

DENVER PRIDEFEST HAS A BLOG that provides updated information on PrideFest 2008, including news, announcements, history, commentary, interviews, photos, videos, and more. Updated Monday through Friday, the blog is where you can find everything you want to know about Pridefest. The blog includes an interview with longtime Chicano gay activist Donaciano Martinez who, as an elder, shares his recollections about the early days of Pride 1975-on. Produced by the nonprofit GLBT Community Center of Colorado, Denver’s PrideFest is recognized as one of the top ten GLBT Pride celebrations in the country, with over 210,000 people expected to attend this year. BlogPro, Colorado’s premier professional blog-content service provider, is the official blog service for this year's PrideFest event. The founder of BlogPro is Drew Wilson, a professional journalist and longtime ally of La Gente Unida. To access the blog, go to: www.DenverPrideFest2008.blogspot.com

Today’s nonprofit organizations and successful companies know the importance of a blog, but many simply don’t have the time or the resources to devote to daily updates, and many do not have the writing skills and knowledge to create and maintain a successful, attractive blog. With customized blog content to meet every need, BlogPro takes care of all that so that busy managers and staff can take care of their business and their customers or clients. For more information, call (303) 934-4482.

Why the heck don't I have a blog?

2008-04-24T09:30:00.001-07:00

Blog Quotes

2008-04-23T09:16:00.000-07:00

"They say a year in the Internet business is like a dog year ... equivalent to seven years in a regular person's life. In other words, it's evolving fast and faster." - Vinton "The Father of the Internet" Cerf

Corporate blogs are in their infancy ... but growing every day

2008-04-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

"Corporate blogs are still in the infancy phase. Yet many have been launched in recent years. There are many considerations an organization needs to weigh when thinking about launching a blog -- or encouraging the use of social media tools on behalf of the company. ..."

Read the rest at Conversation Agent.

Blog of the Week: JNJ BTW

2008-04-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here's what the good folks at Johnson & Johnson have to say about their blog, Johnson & Johnson By The Way, "Everyone else is talking about our company, so why can’t we? There are more than 120,000 people who work for Johnson & Johnson and its operating companies. We're some of them, and through JNJ BTW, we will try to find a voice that often gets lost in formal communications. Like any conversation, there are certain ground rules that will be followed on JNJ BTW and you should read our comments policy to be familiar with what we will do here."

Launch that blog!

2008-04-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Blogiversary by Tunku Varadarajan

2008-04-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

"It's been 10 years since the blog was born. Love them or hate them, they've roiled presidential campaigns and given everyman a global soapbox. Twelve commentators -- including Tom Wolfe, Newt Gingrich, the SEC's Christopher Cox and actress-turned-blogger Mia Farrow -- on what blogs mean to them."
* left to right: Tom Wolfe, Mia Farrow, Newt Gingrich

Read the rest of the article HERE .

Blog Quotes

2008-04-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

“Information often spreads faster through blogs than via a news service. No form of viral marketing matches the speed and efficiency of a blog… (blogging) is the best way to secure a high Google ranking…the shortest, cheapest, fastest, and easiest route to a prominent Google ranking is to blog often.” – Robert Scoble & Shel Israel in “Naked Conversations”

Blogs to Riches by Clive Thompson

2008-04-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

"Two years ago, David Hauslaib was a junior at Syracuse University who was, as he confesses, “totally obsessed with who Paris Hilton was sleeping with.” So he did what any college student would do these days: He blogged about it. Hauslaib began scouring the Web for paparazzi photos of Hilton and news items about her, then posting them on his Website, Jossip.com. ... "

Read the rest HERE.

Blog of the Week: Jonathan Schwartz's Blog for Sun Microsystems

2008-04-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Schwartz is chief executive officer and president of Sun Microsystems, and a member of Sun's board of directors. He became Sun's CEO in 2006, succeeding the Company's co-founder and current chairman of the board, Scott McNealy.

Ross the Intern's first talky blog

2008-04-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

Blogs will change your business

2008-04-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

This comes from a 2005 article from BusinessWeek but it makes just as much sense today:

"Look past the yakkers, hobbyists, and political mobs. Your customers and rivals are figuring blogs out. Our advice: Catch up...or catch you later."

Read the rest of the article HERE.

Quote of the Day: Dawud Miracle

2008-04-08T19:38:00.000-07:00

What do I think about when I strike out? I think about hitting home runs. -Babe Ruth
"One of my favorite all-time quotes. With your blog, swing for the fences. Just know that sometimes you’ll miss. So don’t let striking out get you down. Think about the sweet feeling when you connect and the ball goes sailing over the wall." - Dawud Miracle

Blog of the Week: Coca-Cola Conversations

2008-04-07T14:14:00.001-07:00

Coca-Cola's official blog is called Coca-Cola Conversations and is written by Phil Mooney, the historian/archivist for The Coca-Cola Company for the last 30 years. Recent posts have covered such topics as Coke Collectors, Coke in the movies and Coke in space.

One more great reason to get a BlogPro blog

2008-04-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Earnings Rise for Denver Papers -- Due to Cuts

Revenue for the entity that manages the joint operating agreement between The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News slipped eleven percent in 2007 -- but the papers saw a 48% increase in earnings over 2006 due to cost cuts.

That's according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by The Post's owner, MediaNews Group Inc.

MediaNews and E.W. Scripps Co., which owns the News, split income under a joint operating agreement managed by the Denver Newspaper Agency.

DNA reported earnings of $27.4 million for 2007 -- up from $18.5 million in 2006 -- as expenses for payroll and benefits, newsprint and ink dropped.

Revenue was $363 million in 2007, down from nearly $409 million in 2006.

From Editor and Publisher

To Blog or Not to Blog!?!

2008-04-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

A cute music video about blogging. Perfect for a sunny Friday afternoon.

Why a business blog makes sense by Eric Pfeiffer

2008-04-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

"Need more proof that blogging for your business can make a big marketing impact? Look no further than Cisco Systems. Even though it's one of the biggest, most successful companies in the world, small businesses can learn a lot from its blogging strategy. Cisco has more than 10 blogs, some tech-centric (what you would expect) and one that may catch you by surprise: A high tech policy blog that has been going for two years and receives about 150,000 visits in a quarter."

Read the rest at www.allbusiness.com.

Blog of the Week: Denver PrideFest 2008

2008-04-01T10:49:00.001-07:00

Denver's PrideFest celebration is one of the biggest and best in the country. And now they've got the blog they deserve at Denver PrideFest 2008. Chockfull of news and interviews and entertainment and videos and photos and much more, Denver PrideFest's blog will have you counting down the days until PrideFest.

BlogPro contributor Matt Kailey wins Westword Best of 2008

2008-03-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Best GLBT Anthology (2008) - Focus on the Fabulous: Colorado GLBT Voices

Colorado was a red state in the last presidential election. And it's also home to that other Focus organization — which means that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Coloradans find themselves living elbow-to-elbow with one of the most conservative groups (and, arguably, some of the most conservative people) in the country. What's that like? Matt Kailey, author of Just Add Hormones and staff writer for Out Front, wanted to find out, so he began collecting poetry, short stories, personal essays and experimental writing from 33 GLBT Colorado citizens; the result is this absolutely fabulous anthology. Each piece is different, but a common thread runs through them all: living day to day outside the straight-and-narrow gender and sexual-orientation categories in today's Colorado. Get out and be proud!

Check out the rest of Westword's Best of 2008 HERE.

BlogPro is the official blogger of Denver PrideFest 2008

2008-03-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

Recognized as one of the top ten pride events in the country, Denver’s PrideFest is a celebration of community and culture. Produced by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of Colorado, more than 210,000 people from Colorado and surrounding areas come out to enjoy the parade, rally, music, entertainment, food and much more.

BlogPro is proud to be the official blogger of Denver PrideFest 2008. Check it out starting April 1; we've got some amazing things planned.

Andy Beal: How to get started in business blogging

2008-03-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Blog Quotes

2008-03-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

“Blogs are already moving upmarket and improving. The term “Professional Blogger” is no longer an oxymoron. Some in the traditional media realize this – ESPN, for example, recently purchased the popular basketball blog TrueHoop.com to complement its other online news offerings,” Luke Langford from Dailyblogtips.

Save money by hiring a blog evangelist

2008-03-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

Jason Preston of the Blog Business Summit writes:
Last week Jason Calacanis wrote a list of about 20 ways that startups can save money. It’s a good list with a lot of sensible advice.

Fred Wilson also went through the post, and added his thoughts to several of Jason’s points. I couldn’t agree more with Fred on this one:

"Really think about if you need that $15,000 a month PR firm. - There are some really good PR firms out there and if you can get one of them to work with your company, then it may be worth considering it. But a mediocre PR firm is not worth it for sure. I encourage our portfolio companies to hire a person inside the company to be an 'evangelist.' That job includes blogging actively, reading and commenting and linking to other blogs, reaching out to the media and industry analysts and gurus, going to conferences and events, and generally getting the word out. That person can be young and not particularly expensive, certainly nowhere near $15,000 a month. And they have two things that a PR firm cannot offer. They work for you and they represent your company exclusively."

I am consistently surprised when startups choose to forgo blogging as a PR strategy. A startup environment lends itself so well to blogging, and no other approach packs as much bang for the buck.

Fred is absolutely right that having a dedicated, energetic blogging evangelist will go a lot farther than a monthly contract with most PR firms. It will help create personal relationships between your company and your customers, give you an authoritative, authentic outlet for new information, and can create opportunities for feedback and community involvement that surveys and focus groups will never provide.

Blog of the Week: Loosetooth

2008-03-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Brandy Agerbeck's Loosetooth is an online art shop complete with blogs that provide customers with a way to get to know the store owner, her unique perspectives on art and life, and her wares.

BloggingStocks serves up some piping hot Starbucks news

2008-03-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

When Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) brought back founder Howard Schultz to revitalize the company's image, product line and customer experience, the coffee chain's edge had disappeared. It had lost customers, revenue, the niche and - most important - the overall experience to newer competitors. That was not to say Starbucks still was not king, but it had become diluted in the race for newer growth.

Read the full article at BloggingStocks.

Blogs in plain English

2008-03-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

The simplest and clearest explanation I've heard yet for just what a blog actually is. If you're still a little unclear on the concept, this is the YouTube video for you.

Blog Quotes

2008-03-19T06:14:00.001-07:00

"No one listens anymore to sanitized marketing messages. If you find the right person in your organization to 'blog' about your products or services you’ll brand your company as authentic and knowledgeable," says Debbie Weil, publisher of WordBiz Report (5 Key Questions To Ask About Business Blogs).

What can a blog do for your business?

2008-03-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Blogs aren't just personal diaries any more. Discover what a blog can do for your business with these links to business blogs and articles about creating and using business blogs.
Business Blogs at About.com

Look who's blogging now! Coca-Cola and Banana Republic launch their first advertising campaigns via blog

2008-03-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

In recent months, big-name companies like Banana Republic and Coca-Cola (Charts) have for the first time run campaigns on blogs, in the belief that blog communities often consist of concentrated numbers of the passionate and influential people all marketers want to reach.
From CNN.

Blog Quotes

2008-03-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

"I am consistently surprised when startups choose to forgo blogging as a PR strategy. A startup environment lends itself so well to blogging, and no other approach packs as much bang for the buck."
Jason Preston

Blog of the Week: Gizmodo

2008-03-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo is one of the leading technology and gadget blogs and is chockful of interesting tidbits about shiny new toys for the techhead in all of us. Recent posts touch on everything from solar-electric roofing tiles to a device that detects nerve impulses in your brain and converts them to speech to zombie survival kits. That's right, zombie survival kits.

Michael Martine: Business Blogs versus Normal Websites

2008-03-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Having a website for your business is a no-brainer but blogger Michael Martine explains how a frequently updated business blog reaches customers and expands your brand in ways a static website can't.

Blogging means business

2008-03-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

IBM executives Harriet Pearson and Willy Chiu discuss the power of building communities in the marketplace.

How Perez Hilton Has Risen To The Top Ranks Of Blogging

2008-03-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

Many bloggers are held out as examples of blogging excellence, and some of them do a great job. But you have to hand it to Perez Hilton, who has put himself into a class by himself. For a one-man operation he’s been able to garner a huge portion of the spotlight, and is regularly cited by MSM sources as an originator of news concerning celebrities. Furthermore, he has become a celebrity himself, transcending his role as a blogger to someday become a regular on the Hollywood Squares (maybe). Perez Hilton is the Charles Nelson Riley of his era, and he’s done it by blogging. Let’s see what he’s done and what we can learn.

Read the entire article at Blog Republic.

Top 10 Ways to Market Your Blog in 2008

2008-03-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

By Valeria Maltoni

As the year draws to a close, it is good to take stock of how far you’ve come with your blog. We all like to think about improvements to implement in the New Year. Rather than offering a list of to dos, I prefer to consider ways to be a marketer that highlight your accomplishments all year around. With that in mind, people notice you when you:

1. Write something fresh, unique, and useful in a human voice — this is as true of your business web site as it is of your blog. You ask time and attention of your readers and visitors, make sure they are both well spent on learning about topics and opinions they cannot find anywhere else. As more companies and businesses start considering blogs as tools to begin online conversations, it is important to remember that along with information that readers find valuable, voice plays a large role in stickiness. Make it personal and human — it is on both counts.

2. Become a trusted source of news and informed opinions — there has been a lot of discussion around the definition and meaning of expert. Personally, I prefer to become a trusted advisor, and so should you. The Internet is a great place to find information on every conceivable thing. You can run searches on virtually any topic and find dozens and dozens of entries. This is good, yet it can also overwhelm. When you act as an informed and reliable source, your experience and expertise also come through.

3. Are a good member of the community — highlight the great content that other people create, become active on other blogs and sites with comments, guest posts, interviews and volunteering advice off line. Blogging can be a solitary activity, especially when you aim to create original content. Get out there and help others and you will find more inspiration to bring what you know to the surface.

4. Show that you can be trusted and that you care — every contract that lasts is based upon trust and care. All it needs is a hand shake and a nod. If you think back at the people you most admire and respect, they are probably the ones you never doubted for a moment. Not everything is up for grabs, relationships are complex. Some things are not blog material, don’t think they should be just because you are there when they happen. Ask permission first, and provide a sanctuary where a face to face encounter is off limits. We are human after all, not everything is and should be for public consumption.

5. Put the work in — the best way to succeed is to be in it for the long term. Why would you expect time and attention from others if you haven’t put them in yourself? People often ask me how I landed a guest blogger gig at FastCompany.com, for example. I started developing off line conversations with the magazine readers seven years ago and offered free monthly events with thought leaders, CEOs and prominent businesses to a group that has grown to include more than 500 members.

6. Get the word out — this may seem a bit simplistic, yet I am surprised at how many people overlook the step. Register your blog or site URL with the search engines. Google, Yahoo, and DMOZ.org. Use a description that captures your niche market and topic — the more specific, the better in helping you stand out. If you are judicious and have asked permission first, it is good to spread the news to friends and colleagues. Remember that while it may be promotion that gets the word out, it is solid and useful content that keeps people coming back for more.

7. Listen to your customers — yes, you may think about them as readers, yet the people who happen upon your site are customers. Learn from them by engaging in the conversation when they comment. A good way to do this is user surveys. Cheap, too. Those are perfect opportunities to listen and adapt to your customers needs and wants. Granted, they visit because you already provide what is appealing and interesting to them. Yet the best way to develop relationships is to listen to what others draw from your content.

8. Think creatively — while it’s good to be a reliable and steady source of a consistent type of content, every so often it’s also great to shake things up a little. Using a different perspective, inviting a guest blogger, or recalibrating your brand (and focus) are all signs that you are putting the effort and care in what you offer.

9. Project the right image — make sure your layout, sidebars and links are all aligned with the purpose and meaning you are trying to convey with your content. Design means business, not only colors, lines and photographs. Choose the appropriate illustrations and shots, those that complement and complete your message.

10. Remain grateful and thankful for the connections you make — each comment, each email and message is a gift, take them as such. Never, ever take your customers for granted. Take the time to acknowledge people and find new ways to be of service to them.

Technorati Top 100 Blogs

2008-02-26T19:33:00.000-08:00

Website Technorati hosts a list of the Top 100 Blogs. Here's what's made the Top 10 recently:

1. Engadget

2. Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

3. Techcrunch

4. Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post

5. Boing Boing

6. Lifehacker

7. Ars Technica

8. Mashable! The Social Networking Blog

9. Blog di Beppe Grillo

10. icanhascheezburger

Blogging for Business by Olga Kharif

2008-02-26T19:29:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Schwartz, president and chief operating officer of server maker Sun Microsystems (SUNW ), first suspected that his blog was a success when his salespeople began reporting that customers were reading his posts and sealing deals faster. Then, the blog started getting a surge of traffic from users with e-mail addresses ending in "ibm.com" and "dell.com" -- folks who work for Sun's rivals. Schwartz saw that as irrefutable proof that his blog, started on June 28, was a gold mine (see BW Online, 8/4/04, "Don't Quote My Blog on That").

Read the rest of the article at www.businessweek.com.

Corporate Blogging Takes Off by Susan Kuchinskas

2008-02-17T14:20:00.000-08:00

Business blogging is taking off. Companies are using blogs for both internal and external communications, to improve customer relations and improve business processes.

You can read the entire article at www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/3556606

Who Reads Blogs? by Eunice Park

2008-02-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

Who reads blogs? Probably not who you'd guess - they're older, wealthier and click on blog ads.

Read the full article at www.imediaconnection.com/content/3656.asp

Blog Buzz by Chris Penttila

2008-02-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

* Article from Entrepreneur Magazine. Click article to read.

Who has a blog?

2008-02-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

Who has a blog? Just some of the biggest, most important companies in the world, that's who.

1. Google - www.googleblog.blogspot.com
2. IBM - www.mainframe.typepad.com
3. Monster - www.monster.typepad.com
4. Park City Mountain Resort - www.parkcity.typepad.com
5. VH1 - www.blog.vh1.com
6. YouTube - www.youtube.com/blog
7. Amazon.com - www.aws.typepad.com
8. Dell - www.direct2dell.com
9. Kodak - www.1000words.kodak.com
10. eBay - www.ebaydeveloper.typepad.com

Not to mention such Fortune 500 companies as:

Ford; McDonald's; Motorola; Nokia; Nike; Wal-Mart; Whole Foods; Wells Fargo; Pitney Bowes; Sprint; Southwest Airlines; Johnson & Johnson; and many more.

10 reasons why ya gotta have a blog

2008-02-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

1. Research shows that 80 percent of Americans ages 15-75 make purchasing decisions based on advertising they have seen online. And 70 percent of U.S. adults use the Internet as an information source when shopping locally for products and services. (Kelsey Group and ConStat)

2. There were around 70 million blogs online in 2005. Today, there are more than 112 million.

3. One in three Americans regularly gets his or her news online. (people-press.org)

4. One in six Americans reads blogs. (New York Times)

5. Of the people who read blogs, 80 percent do so to find information they can't find anywhere else. (Kelsey Group and ConStat)

6. A blog gives you instant legitimacy with clients. (Boston Globe)

7. In times of economic downturn, it may be tempting to cut back on advertising while money is tight. But a downturn may actually require more marketing efforts to stay in the game. The trick is to diversify and find new types of customers and new ways to market your offerings. (AOL Money & Finance)

8. "One of the most cost-effective and efficient ways of marketing yourself is with a blog. When someone searches for your product or service, make sure your blog comes up first." (Boston Globe)

9. Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Edelman, the global PR giant, proclaims, "PR will be changed by blogs." (New York University)

10. "My blog has gotten me more notice than any other publicity tool I've used." (Mark Fearing, cartoonist, quoted in Boston Globe)

Why should you have a blog?

2008-02-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

For your customers, a blog provides:

1. Entertainment
2. Interactive communication with your business
3. Access to your business and services any time and any place
4. A forum and an online community
5. Current information about sales and specials
6. Specialized tips and information about your products and services

For you, a blog provides:

1. Brand promotion and recognition
2. Credibility for your company
3. A convenient way to get customer feedback
4. A showcase for your unique offerings
5. A means of establishing yourself as an expert in your field
6. That all-important online presence

What is a blog?

2008-02-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

Technically, a blog is a type of website with special software that allows for frequent updates of information. But really, a blog is an all-in-one online marketing tool that can take the place of television, radio and newspaper advertising. Best of all, a blog is the best way to build and maintain customer relationships, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.