What is the name of your blog?

Remarkablogger

What is your blog about

Through free content, consulting, and training, Remarkablogger helps business owners boost their bottom line with blog marketing.

How long you have been blogging

The way Naomi Dunford puts it in her book SEO School: “since Jesus was a baby.”

How much time do you spend each week working on your blog (writing, design, etc)

Surprisingly little. I write one or two posts a week. Each post is usually more than a thousand words (in some cases, more than three thousand words per post). This is something my audience indicated to me they preferred, so that’s what I delivered. I spend about three hours per post, on average (since they’re longer than usual).

What was one of the first blogs that you read that you love

You know, I’m not 100% sure, but I think it was Boing Boing, which I still subscribe to now. Boing Boing is such a great example of how to do so much right with a blog. Anyone can learn a lot from their example.

What three blogs do you read every single week

Well, I already mentioned Boing Boing, so let me list three others. The three other blogs I never ever miss are:

1. Chris Brogan: I am pretty much sick with admiration for how smart and yet accessible Brogan’s blogging is. He’s the epitome of making it look easy. He’s also real, regular, and humble as well as smart.
2. Copyblogger: Brian Clark and the gang over at Copyblogger are the cream of the crop and make no mistake. If you’re involved in online marketing and blogging, you simply must not only read Copyblogger, but also buy everything he sells or recommends. You will not regret it.
3. IttyBiz: Naomi Dunford is the swearing shit-disturber of the internet marketing world. She uses real stories as marketing lessons better than anyone else I know. And she’s exactly the same in real life as she is on her blog. She’s also someone who you should basically buy everything she sells and subscribe to her blog.

What is the blog post you are the most proud of

Whichever one I most recently published. I never want to write a blog post that’s lesser than any other one I ever wrote. The latest post is at the blog.

How has your blog helped you personally or professionally

Oh, man, I don’t even know where to begin on that one. Blogging is a huge personal development tool (even if you never set out for it to be one). I make my full-time income from helping others get their businesses and their blogs in alignment and get their blogs to help the bottom line of the business.

What is something you hope to do with your blog that you have not done yet

My goal is to be the number one small business blog on the planet. I’m not there, yet, but I’m moving closer to it every month.

What is the best “do it” tip you have for a blogger that is start today

Get your blog on self-hosted WordPress as fast as you can. Start an email list as fast as you can. (OK, I cheated, that’s two, but not everyone begins on Blogger or WordPress.com.)

What is the best “never do it” tip you have for blogger that is starting today

Never compromise your readers’ needs for money. Your readers’ needs come first. The money is just a byproduct of meeting the needs of your audience. As soon as you get dollar signs in your eyes and you flip those things around, you’re dead. Always put your readers first, and you will be taken care of.

We are starting a new guest blogging series here at StopDoingNothing. Our goal is to have a new guest blogger post every Friday morning. I (Patrick) will be looking around the intertubes for other people that are interesting and post on different topics from my own. If this is something you would be interesting in please send me an email at patrick . allmond at gmail.

Our first post in our guest series comes from Karla Porter over at Human Capital Needs

===

What is the name of your blog?

Karla Porter Human Capital & New Media

What is your blog about?

It focuses on talent management, human resources, recruiting, leadership, workplace, related topics and the uses of new media in those environments.

How long you have been blogging?

I started blogging in 2006 on Myspace where I created a profile in an effort to make new local contacts and create a new candidate pipeline. I didn’t realize at the time this would later explode into something called social recruiting and that I was in the forefront of the movement. At the time I wasn’t aware of other recruiters using it for this purpose and I experimented until I found what worked. It all started when I was tasked with reducing the recruiting budget. I figured if I had a no cost way to spread the word about job openings and a free unlimited forum to promote the organizational culture to attract passive and potentially active job seekers I should do it. This resulted in a 40% cost reduction the first year. The blog was a mix of company culture, job postings and job seeker advice.

Knowing I was about to advance in my career and move on to another organization in the beginning of 2009, but not wanting to give up blogging, I created karlaporter.com with the help of a friend who was very kind to work with me on the design and hand code the site. It took about 4 weeks and while it was under development I began to write posts to upload and have content when it launched.

How much time do you spend each week working on your blog (writing, design, etc.)?

Since the launch I spend about 6 to 8 hours per week on research, writing, photos, etc. Depending on my career commitments I may spend less or more time. I would like to have new content daily but that is rarely possible and so I try to post a few times a week.

What was one of the first blogs that you read that you love?

I’ve read a great many blogs over the years and I can’t remember the first, but currently it tends to be those of my peers in social recruiting and human resources along with a smattering of marketing, leadership, customer service and psychology.

What three blogs do you read every single week?

Three blogs I find myself visiting with frequency are The Human Race Horses, Usable Insight Blog and The BrandBuilder Blog.

What is the blog post you are the most proud of?

To me it’s not a matter of pride but importance. Perhaps the most important message I have delivered is Are You a Social Media Kamikaze Biotch™? It’s a tough love piece on the dangers of inappropriate social media reputation management that can lead to career and credibility suicide.

How has your blog helped you personally or professionally?

Blogging has helped me both personally and professionally. It has provided me with what I consider a virtual home for, and compliment to, my on line presence and networking.

What is something you hope to do with your blog that you have not done yet?

Future plans for karlaporter.com include the integration of other forms of digital media like video and podcasts, things I’m currently working on.

What is the best “do it” tip you have for a blogger that is start today?

Think about who your audience is and write to it.

What is the best “never do it” tip you have for blogger that is starting today?

Do not ever publish a post that contains something you would not be very proud for your family to read unless you are purposely going for shock value or it is an autobiography you are trying to sell and you are prepared for it to live publically and immortally.