Interview With Dr Hsien Hsien Lei on Blogging

by Steve Remington

I just recently did an interview with Dr Hsien Hsien Lei about blogging and some of the dynamics and strategies she uses to become a better blogger. I met her online maybe 6 months ago and have chatted with her quite a bit. In fact, I met her through a blog network where she was a Channel Editor at the time. She has a wide range of knowledge on blogging and I felt doing an interview with her could help benefit those who are looking to blog long term. I have personally learned a lot from her as both a mentor and friend. The following are 8 questions I asked her for some insight on:

1) Hsien, how long have you been blogging?

I’ve been blogging since November 2003 when I started a personal blog at LiveJournal. Back then I didn’t even know any HTML! It was a challenge figuring all of it out but I had some kind online friends who taught me a lot. In April 2005, I started my first topic-specific professional blog, GeneticsAndHealth.com, that was originally part of the About Weblogs network founded by Shai Coggins. About Weblogs merged with b5media in November of that year. And now I’m at my own independent blog – EyeOnDNA.com.

2) What would you say is the most difficult part of blogging?

As much as I love blogging, it’s a non-stop gig. Traffic definitely follows posting frequency and the top 100 blogs all post more than twice daily (some many times more). Even when I got on vacation, I make sure to blog at least 5 times a week. My usual posting rhythm is twice a day on weekdays and once on Saturday and Sunday. I average around 50+ posts a month on a single blog.

3) You have been blogging for a while now so you obviously are getting something out of it. What is it that you like about blogging and what has it done for you, your blogging, and your career?

Initially, blogging was a way for me to make contact with other mothers since I had a newborn at the time. Once I got into the rhythm of writing and posting something everyday, I found that it was a great way to organize my thoughts and share my ideas and opinions of which I have no shortage! Gradually, I began moving away from the daily diary format and more into discussion-type, exchange of ideas posts which is where I’ve found the most rewards.

As for my career, I’m actually trained in genetic epidemiology – the study of the genetic causes and distribution of diseases in the population. After leaving academia in 1999, I was able to continue biotech consulting but later moved into editing and writing which is what led me to b5media. While at b5media, I wrote a fairly successful genetics blog, GeneticsAndHealth.com, that helped me make some contacts within the industry and I served as Channel Editor of the now defunct Women’s Channel, Family & Relationships Channel, and Science & Health Channel. After two years of building my personal brand and reputation there, I was able to return to biotech consulting and I believe this move was made possible largely because of my blogs.

4) You have worked both within a blog network and independently. Could you explain a little bit about which you prefer and what you feel are the pros and cons of each?

Being at a blog network at the start of my professional blogging career was a great way for me to gain necessary experience. I’m sure I could have learned all about maintaining, writing, and promoting blogs on my own but it would have been a lot more painful and slow. In a blog network, I had the support of people who’d been blogging successfully for far longer than me as well as the chance to learn from tech support. And, nothing beats the camaraderie of working with a team. Of course, that’s how you and I met as well! So blogging for a network has many benefits.

Going independent, on the other hand, feels like a breath of fresh air. I no longer have to use the network-dictated template and I can choose what ads (if any) to place on my blogs. Of course I’ve had to deal with server-side issues on my own and even a recent hack, but I see them as learning opportunities. Now I am solely responsible for my blog and given my personality, it’s the ideal situation.

5) If you had to prepare and teach a new blogger, what is it you would tell them and what aspects of blogging should they focus on?

a) Quality blogging is hard work. It’s more than links and regurgitating newspaper articles or press releases. A good blogger should be able to piece together information to give unique insights into a specific topic.

b) Single-author blogs should aim for 2-3 posts per weekday and at least 1 post per Saturday and Sunday.

c) Try to include an image–clipart or photo–with every post. It helps to make them pop especially in RSS readers. Also find podcasts and videos to share once in a while to make your blog multi-media.

d) Make friends with the blogging community by leaving engaging comments on others’ blogs and linking to them whenever appropriate.

e) Actively participate in at least one social networking site beyond just submitting your own links. My favorite is StumbleUpon. Also try participating in blog carnivals.

f) Make sure you include keywords in your post titles and first paragraph.

6) How do you best measure success when it comes to blogging? Is it readership, revenue, impressions, or a combination?

Because I’ve decided to minimize advertising on my blogs, I measure blogging success by traffic and links. I’m absolutely addicted to StatCounter, Technorati, Feedburner stats, and Alexa. None of these measures are perfect but taken as a whole, you have a good idea of how well your blog is doing and if it’s growing. I don’t tend to put as much emphasis on comments because some topics lend themselves to discussion more than others.

7) How long does it take before you can determine whether or not blogging is for you? In other words, is there a certain time in a blogger’s life when they can step back, look at their blog, and determine whether or not their blog is a success or failure?

From my observations, most people know if blogging is something they’ll enjoy by around the 1-2 month mark. If you’re struggling to post at least 5 times a week, you probably don’t have time for blogging, don’t have the inclination to blog,or your topic doesn’t excite you. As for determining whether your blog is a success, that really depends on each person’s expectations. Some are happy with less than 100 page views a day as long as the people that matter to them are reading while others won’t settle for any numbers no matter how high! Personally, I like to consistently beat my daily average.

Do you see blogs as a fad or “new media”? In 15 years from now do you think it will be common place to login to the Internet and read blogs as we do today?

Fifteen years is a loooong time. I’m not even sure what the blogging landscape is going to be like ONE year from now! Personally, I think blogging will increasingly be used as a way to market yourself. Blogging as one’s sole income won’t be possible except for the very few. I can tell you right now that I get paid many times more as a biotech consultant than I ever did working for a blog network. That’s going to be true for most people who don’t blog about tech, celebrities, or entertainment and who aren’t interested in writing more than a couple of blogs at a time.

People will definitely be reading blogs just as we’ll always be reading books, magazines, and newspapers. Whatever makes good reading will attract readers no matter the medium. So maybe blogs won’t be called “blogs” anymore. I prefer “wunderkammer” but that’s probably a little too esoteric. No matter what, I’ll always find some way to communicate my thoughts on the role of genetics, genes, and DNA in our society. For now, blogging has been a great way to accomplish my goals.

Outdoors Bloggers Summit in the Making

by Steve Remington

After months of steady blogging it is sometimes nice to step away from the computer and meet other bloggers face to face. Things like the New York Bloggers Summit and others from all over have been formed in the past. It is a time to meet other bloggers, learn more about blogging through seminars, and maybe catch a guest speaker or two.

Just recently there is a group of outdoor bloggers who are trying to head up and put together the first Outdoor Bloggers Summit. Those who are sitting on the steering committee currently blog at the following blogs:

• Bright Idea Outdoors Weblog
• Deer Camp Blog
• Hunt Smart, Think Safety Blog
• HuntingLife.com
• Marian’s Hunting Stories
• Outdoor Odyssey
• Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer

If you get some time, head over and check it out. These guys need support and a place for Outdoor writers to come together and unify could be a real good thing.

Very First NFL Blog at Skinny Moose Media

by Steve Remington

Let’s all welcome Da NFL Blog, “Fantasy football advice and musings that would make Coach Ditka proud.”

Joey G. is a die hard fantasy football and NFL fan. For those looking to learn more about the sport or to soak up as much football as you can all season long, Joey is here for you.

Here is a brief bio of Joey:

Joey G has been an NFL fan since he collected his first football card and watched Walter Payton run to greatness in 1977. Since then, he’s lived through the Bears’ incredible 1985 season, Tecmo Bowl and Super Tecmo Bowl, two Super Bowl runs by the Packers (it’s a long story how he became a Chicagoan became a temporary Green Bay fan), the Bears’ disappointing loss in Super Bowl XLI, and 12 sometimes successful years of fantasy football. He has dispensed fantasy football advice for The Capital Times (Madison, Wis.) and The Salt Lake Tribune. When not blogging or being a journalist, he is a stay-at-home dad of two boys he hopes become the next Peyton and Eli.

Outdoor News Blog Written by Greg L Johnson

by Steve Remington

Skinny Moose Media is happy to announce our newest blogger, Greg L. Johnson, who will be blogging at Thinking Outside. His blog will devote to news that spans the great outdoors. From political issues to simply reporting events taking place all over the country, Greg will bring us good commentary.

Head over to his new blog and welcome him aboard the Network. Read more about Greg below:

Greg L Johnson lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, grew up in a hunting, fishing and camping family, and is an avid camper and backpacker. Throw in a life-long taste for science fiction and you’ve got the typical guy with his head in the stars and his feet on the ground.

On his blog, Thinking Outside, Greg will be tracking, and commenting on, news and political decisions that affect the outdoors environment that we all enjoy so much. Whether you’re a hunter, fisher, hiker, camper, bird-watcher, or simply someone who cares about the world we live in, stop by and join in the discussion at Thinking Outside.

Yellowstone National Park

by Steve Remington

With our push for more blogs regarding State and National Parks we have just opened a new Yellowstone blog. Please welcome the author, Robert Witham, who is a freelance writer and has a passion for not only Yellowstone, but the great outdoors. Packed full of Yellowstone knowledge, Rob will be updating us often on the latest on Yellowstone news, Yellowstone facts, and overall issues that pertain to the Park.

So go give him a warm welcome to the Network. Below is a pic and short bio:

Rob is a freelance writer and speaker. Rob writes about Yellowstone, spirituality and technology from upstate New York and Montana.

Top 5 Most Important Things Your Blog Needs

by Steve Remington

There is always talk about what makes a blog successful and what doesn’t. What is it these bloggers do differently? Is it they just know more people or are there hidden tricks? What are the most important components a blog needs in order to be successful? And how do we define success? Is it loyal readers, traffic, revenue, or some other factor? As a blogger you need to define what it is you call success. For me, I define success through several venues. I see traffic and revenue go hand in hand. I see if you have one then you more than likely have the other. So what are the main components of a blog that help build up traffic and revenue?

It’s debatable, but when you take the top 100 most popular blogs on the internet they all have a common theme. What are they? I see blogs that have themselves signed up to every social bookmarking site known to mankind such as Digg.com. Some have installed the Stumble Upon toolbar and have submitted their site many times in hopes for more traffic. I see blogs that are join fun community sites that link bloggers together like MyBlogLog. These are all good marketing tools but here is how I break it down.

1) Content/Voice – You look at the top 100 blogs on the internet today and they post several times per day all throughout the day and sometimes on the weekend. Obviously not all of us can pull that kind of weight on our blogs but these guys do. And they are very successful. But what it comes down to is content. You can tweak your blogs day in and day out to make your blog look spectacular, you can check your stats 10 times a day, you can email all your blogging friends, but at the end of the week it comes right down to content, content, and content. If you want to promote your blog, you need to write. If you are sitting there wondering how you can get people to read your blog, go put up another blog post.

You can’t slap up 30 blog posts and wonder why nobody is visiting you blog. You need to write a lot, you need to write well, and you need to be persistent. You have to get content up on your blog. It is the number one most important thing. Without content you can promote and you can have people stop by your blog, but what most people are after is good content. Google, and other search engines love content, especially when it is “real” and not “stolen” content. They like to see that a website is getting updated often with “niche” material. This will train the robots to come out more often to crawl your blog and get the new content.

But you have to have something worthwhile to readers. You can’t just say the same thing. You need to have a voice, something that is different than other bloggers… something they can’t find anywhere else. This isn’t so much for search engines but for readers who are not looking to fall asleep in their comfortable computer chair. So write content, and have something worthwhile to say, and do it all the time, constantly. Don’t give up 3 months, 6 months, or even a year into it. The successful bloggers say it takes one good year of constant blogging before they can determine whether or not their blog will be a success.

2) SEO/Marketing – Most people believe this is number one. I think it is number one after content. You need something to market and you can’t really fully and successfully market a product that doesn’t exist. Not that you can’t begin marketing your blog from day one but content is by far the number one best thing for your blog. If you have content you will sooner than later be found even with poor marketing skills. People will find you some day if you wrote content, linked to your sources, and kept at it. But if you didn’t focus on content and spent all your hard earned time and dollars towards marketing, what is it you are promoting? Again, marketing is very important and is the number one best component to add to a blog but only after content.

Marketing comes in many forms. Emailing, advertising, linking, outsourcing, submitting articles to social bookmarking sites, joining other communities in your niche, and the list goes on.

3) Networking – Networking is a form of Marketing. But I am going to make this the 3rd most important aspect of a blog. You could be the worst marketer on the face of the planet but if you can manage to Network you are well on your way to executing one form of marketing. Networking is reaching out to other bloggers, and other sources. You can do this by emailing people in your niche, linking to them from your blog post, linking to them in your sidebar, commenting on other blogs, joining online communities, and basically getting involved with the latest online trends. You can’t hide in one corner of cyberspace. Get out there and Network. Meet new people and learn. Work together.

4) Loyal Readers – Networking helps you achieve more loyal readers. Having readership is important on a number of levels. People tend to stick around and learn more about your blog if you have others that are sticking around and reading your blog. People tend to follow the crowd and go where the action is. Readership also keeps you motivated as a blogger. You know your content is being read and therefore the need to perform is there. In turn, you will work harder to make your followers happy. Readers also engage and provide you with feedback. This can spark new ideas, helping reduce blogger’s block, and finally lead you to more and more loyal readers. Readers will begin Networking by linking to you as a legitimate source, ultimately bringing more added traffic your way.

5) Navigation/Design – If your blog is tough to navigate and find archived posts that are relevant to a topic it will be tough to provide a resource for your readers. Easy navigation is easy. Always keep in mind that when you are blogging and your blog post falls off the home page it doesn’t disappear. Your blog is a living, breathing document. Much like the constitution that can be amended. Always feel free to edit old posts to link to newer content. We can easily link back to old posts but how often do we edit old posts with updates to link to new posts? What’s the purpose? Any successful blogger will tell you they aren’t getting comment just on the new blog posts for the day or week, but older posts written 3 months ago, or 6 months ago, are being commented on. These posts have finally moved up in search engine results or are being found from older sources. So don’t always think of your blog as linear, but circular. Update old posts if you have updated material on a subject. All you have to do is update with a link to your new post. This keeps your blog easy to navigate and takes them to the most updated information.

Design isn’t so important as long as you don’t have something completely ugly. Good design will help readers find what they are looking for. Keep a good list of categories. Emphasize more on archives by categories and not so much on archives by date. People search the web by topic more often than date.

These are the Top 5 things I would say are the most important aspects of blogging.

The Sled Chick Blogs at the SledChix Blog

by Steve Remington

Say that 5 times real fast. Well Skinny Moose Media is happy to announce a nice new Wintery season blog. Welcome Mary who is a Sled Chick and loves the snow. She will be blogging about snowmobiling, and most specifically about women slowmobilers. During off season Mary says there are all kinds of things to talk about. In other words, once a Sled Chick always a Sled Chick no matter what the weather is. So head on over to The SledChix Blog and say hi and give her a big welcome to Skinny Moose Media.

Below is a pic and quick bio of Mary.

Mary Ward’s dual-personalities have her sledding when the ground is white, and freelance writing to support her habit. Mary’s other side is a wife and mother of 4 snow-bound kids. With so much on her plate, Mary finds plenty to write about both on- and off- sledding season on her blog, the SledChix Blog.

Skinny Moose Media Expands Into Baseball

by Steve Remington

Atlanta Braves Fan, Jeremie Amoroso, tries to hide his bias for the team as he starts up a new Baseball blog on the Skinny Moose Network. The blog will cover all aspects of baseball, all the teams, players, news, and his own commentary. For those baseball fans, make sure to head over to The Baseball Guy’s new blog and welcome him to the Network.

The following is a picture and brief bio of The Baseball Guy:

Having spent the last 11 years following baseball by losing sleep, missing meals and getting yelled at, I think I’m qualified to write about the sport.

I am a Braves fan…just thought I’d get that out of the way. The first time I saw a baseball game was on TV: Arizona vs. Atlanta and from there I was hooked. I’m a college kid who tries to get baseball news from everywhere…and I mean everywhere.

I will provide my own baseball news on skinnymoose.com/thebaseballguy. Here, I will be covering almost anything related to baseball. It’s more than just a baseball blog. It’s a friend, an enemy, a place to talk…

Some people indulge themselves in various vices: sports, but more specifically, baseball is my vice. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. So…my name is Jeremie…and I am a baseball addict. In this online circle, you may call me The Baseball Guy.

First True Hiking Blog Hits Skinny Moose Media

by Steve Remington

Corey Buckley and his wife set out on an adventure across the country to hike as many mountains as possible. In the meantime, Corey has brought his laptop with him and will be documenting his cross country trek into the unknown. Make sure to follow along on his adventures on his new blog at Hiking the Unknown and go give him a warm welcome to the Skinny Moose Network.

The following is a brief bio of Corey:

Hello, my name is Corey Buckley. I am originally from north of Syracuse, New York from a small town called Central Square (aka “the Square). I went to school at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York and graduated in December of 2006 with a Biological Anthropology degree. While I lived in this area I made frequent trips to the Adirondack Mountains and discovered my love of backpacking/camping.

After graduation I moved to Bend, Oregon to work at Mt. Bachelor (A ski resort) for the remainder of the winter and ski for free. While there I discovered numerous hiking trails leading through the Cascade Mountains. While the Cascades are amazing they are very different than the Adirondacks, this peaked my curiosity about the different mountain ranges throughout the United States and ultimately led to the road trip I am now embarking on.

Coyotes – Can’t Find Them

by Coyote John

Sometimes you just can’t see the forest for the trees.   Have ya ever been out calling and nothing seems to respond, then you get up to leave and right there in front of you a bobcat or a coyote takes off for parts unknown.   Well if so you know your doing something right, one of the ways to cure this little problem is to sit in an elevated position.  This way you should see anything that is coming in and gives you a better chance of getting into a shooting position.  I normally do not use shooting sticks and/or a bi-pod when calling as I like to be a bit more flexable than what “sticks” provide.  I also like to use as short of a barrel as possible.  I just recently purchased a ArmaLite www.ArmaLite.com  M15A4 in .223 with a 18″ barrel and may retire my little Sako Vixen.  Both of these rifles have provided me with the ability to swing on a fast moving target and in tight brush.  Another little tip is when you get to your calling location don’t slam the truck door, just kinda press it closed very gently.  I have also covered all the chrome on my truck with camo masking tape.    Try to park it up against a tree or large boulder or in the shade, or in a ravine if possible, but never on the skyline.  Only a couple of more months than coyote calling season will be in full swing for me, hope to have plenty of pictures and stories for you all to read and hopefully enjoy.

I’ll be leaving this weekend for a four state road trip through some darn good coyote calling country – New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.  If I can get some access to a computer while I traveling I’ll give ya all an update, if not I’ll see ya about the end of July. 

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