What's Next? Blogging

If you're looking for tips and a source of social media news, B.L. Ochman's What's Next Blog will satisfy. She's been doing it for years, though I just discovered it, and she has great insights and tips for social media, and even hints on how to reach out to bloggers like herself (I'm guessing as a response to the piles of poorly written pitches she likely gets). Over all, there is something to be learned at the What's Next Blog.

She's unapoligetically herself, and I love it. Ochman not only lets her personal opinions be heard, as in her boycott of Nike as a response to their handling of Michael Vick's endorsment, but has a personal style and flair that keeps her entries interesting. The style she wrote the article I meantioned above, B.L. Ochman's Blogger Outreach Manifesto, is not only helpful, but a fun read with the "thee" and "thou" style she chose. Dry, bland articles need not apply.

The archives of the blog are broken up by category, which makes a fantastic tool for someone looking for, say, social media entries. Though, as with anyone, I've found a handful of things I disagree with, such as her 10 Reasons Why Your Company Should Not Tweet entry [edit: this went right over my head! It's spot on. Evidence that I'm not getting enough coffee in my diet], the What Next Blog is going into my bookmarks. After all, it's boring only listening to people who agree with you. You miss the whole picture.

So, let's say you're reaching out to someone like B.L. Ochman. How do you do it? Well, I'd be damn well sure that I'd follow her "Outreach Manifesto." Her first piece of advice, "Readith what we write" follows the same line of thinking with any and all social media. The first email you send is the beginning of a relationship, and it's up to you to get it off on the right foot. It boils down to being transparent, exciting, and relavent. If you can provide those qualities, you're on the right track.

It wouldn't hurt to know she loves dogs as well.