environmenatal health blogging 101

Blogging 101

Steven J Lipton LEHP CF-FS

Biotest Services Inc.

What’s a Blog?

• weB + Log = Blog

What’s A Blog

• An Easy to Use, often free website

• A way to journal or post to the Public

• A way to send out announcements, information or Opinion

What’s A Blog

• Accessible from any internet browser

• Allows comments

• Archives posts

Blogs vs Web Pages

• Blogs are Simple and fast to add content

Blogs vs Web Pages

• Content Automatically Archived

All posts from Feb 2006 to the present

Blogs vs Web Pages

• Very cost effective

$105/yr

$0/ yr

Blogs vs Web Pages

• Not as Flexible – Date order to posts

Using a blog

Using a blog

• Example sites

• http://nehaaecexhibition.blogspot.com

• http://ehblogger.blogspot.com

• http://shoestringsanitarian.blogspot.com

Using a blog

• http://shoestringsanitarian.blogspot.com

• The home page elements

• Navagation to older posts

• Links

Using a blog

• http://nehaaecexhibition.blogspot.com

• Commenting

Using a blog

• Example sites

• http://ehblogger.blogspot.com

• Connecting to RSS

Making a Blog- Sources

Two types

• Self Contained • Blogger (Google)• Wordpress

• Self-hosted (often not free, but cheap)

First steps in making a blog

• Get an account

• Pick a name

• Register the name

• Check your options

• Add some layout options

• POST!

The EH Blogger Overhaul

• Titles

• Administrative options

• Permissions

• Layout options

Posting a Blog

• Option 1: Post from the blog software

• Option2: Post from e-mail

• Option3: Post from other software

Posting a Blog

• Option 1: Post from the blog software

• Option2: Post from e-mail

• Option3: Post from other software

Practice Posting: e-mail

• E-mail post to

• EHBlogger.?????@blogger.com

Posting a Blog

• Option 1: Post from the blog software

• Option2: Post from e-mail

• Option3: Post from other software or add-on’s

Content Types

• Text & HTML

• Links

• Pictures

• Embedded content• Video (YouTube, Viddler)• Audio (Podcasts,MP3 files)• Powerpoint presentations(slideshare)• Other content

Types of content

• Opinion pieces & Commentary

• News articles and announcements

• Forwarding other content

• Ongoing training

• Scores

• Surveys

• Discussions

Promoting your Blog

• Let people Know!• Links • Other media

• Let the media know!

• Include keywords!

Promoting your Blog - Content

• Be consistent!

• Blog 2 to 3 times a week

• More content grabs more attention

Promoting your Blog - Links

• Link with others

• Other sites Popularity has Attention value

• Well linked + well visited = Attention

• Attention + keywords + content = popularity

Your Assignment: Part I

• Become a Reporter!

• As you attend sessions, write articles about the sessions to post to EHBlogger.

• E-mail EHBlogger@gmail.com to get the address to blog to.

• Comment on other’s articles.

• Remember a By-Line!

Your Assignment: Part II

• Comment on articles on the NEHA Blog

• NEHA will have posts to put comments.

Your Assignment: Part III

• Make your own blog

• Have a link to EHBlogger.blogspot.com

• Email EHblogger@gmail.com or write a comment to the Links post with the address of your blog and I’ll include on the EHBlogger’s web links

Questions?

Steven Lipton Biotest Services inc. Des Plaines IL http://shoestringsanitarian.blogspot.comsjlipton@biotestservices.comEHblogger@gmail.com