Best Blogging Practices

Thank you for reading my fifth and final post for my social media course towards my Masters in Sport Management! This week I will be talking about some of the best practices for blogging and how the sports industry employs these best practices. Sports blogging has gained a great deal of credibility and has become a normal practice in the industry. Almost any industry can benefit from a blog if they follow guidelines and take advice from other blogs that are doing things correctly.  

“You can’t ignore this trend. Read Groundswell and learn how to ride the wave. There’s no going back.”

Here are 10 tips for successful blogging from the book Groundswell, written by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. (If you haven’t had a chance to read this book you are missing out! Pick up a copy and you won’t regret it!)

1. Start by listening.
2. Determine a goal for the blog.
3. Estimate ROI.
4. Develop a plan.
5. Rehearse.
6. Develop an editorial process.
7. Design the blog and its connection to your site.
8. Develop a marketing plan so people can find the blog.
9. Remember, blogging is more than writing.
10. Final advice: be honest.

I also read another article written by Pratik Dholakiya that was published on Social Media Today and titled How to Blog (Even If You Can’t Write). I think he made some really great points about how you can be successful with blogging right from the start if you just keep it simple, know what you are talking about, and follow basic guidelines. It stated the following 5 steps for successful blogging.

1. Play Mad Libs with headlines.
2. Write your subheadings.
3. Do your research.
4. Don’t be a try-hard.
5. Promote it.

I read a few different articles published through Sports Business Journal but one really stood out to me. It is titled Revolution to Credential Independent Fan Bloggers and was written by Fred Dreier. It had two great quotes that I’m going to post below and helps show that independent bloggers are getting more and more recognition in the sports industry. The NHL and MLS have given opportunities to independent bloggers and given them the same respect as a credentialed press member. The New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals are two of the main teams who helped start the trend in the NHL of letting independent bloggers in the pressroom.

“The NHL allows teams to set their own credential guidelines, and the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals both allow independent bloggers in the pressroom on a game-by-game basis. The Capitals request each blogger provide website traffic data and a summary of previous writing experience.”

“MLS Commissioner Don Garber hosts an annual “bloggers roundtable” at MLS Cup to discuss policies for its online writers, and the league allows clubs to set individual policies for offering credentials to online writers. Representatives from the San Jose Earthquakes, FC Dallas, Chivas USA and MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids say they allow independent bloggers access to credentials on a case-by-case basis, but do not actively reach out to blogging communities and don’t give them regular spots in the pressroom.”

Blogging is not going anywhere anytime soon and it is a trend that can be seen throughout many different industries and is gaining a great deal of support and recognition.