I believe that weblogs, or blogs are a tool that can be used effectively as part of a planning process for several reasons. They are easily accessed by anyone with an Internet connection, they make it easy for the reader to do deeper research on the posted topic, they provide a way for information to be shared quickly, and give the writer a way to easily communicate with more than one person at a time. I have used my blog to show off photographs I have taken during my travels, let my friends and family know what I am up to, vent on topics that I felt strongly about, and most recently, to explore a few planning topics that I was interested in learning more about.
Anyone with an Internet connection can search for an access blogs on any topic imaginable. Just choose a topic, enter a few related key words into a favorite search engine, and millions of results can be returned. This not only gives the searcher many choices to look through, but it can help to focus a search topic once some of the returned content is reviewed. Blogs usually provide fresh content every few days and can be a great way to gain a lot of knowledge quickly without having to purchase several books or periodicals. Using a service such as Google Reader to organize a list of favorite sites makes accessing and reading blogs even easier.
Because blogs usually contain links to sites with more information, the reader can often learn more about a given topic than what was posted on the blog itself. Ideally the author has spent some time himself or herself looking for sources that support their opinion and have linked them appropriately, allowing the reader to verify the data and form their own opinion. This can be especially helpful for municipal or regional agencies that may not have the time to give much background information on a topic during a public meeting. The agency can provide a summary of the of the topic being discussed as well as links to appropriate background information. Meeting attendees could be directed to use the blog for pre-reading or follow up reading, meeting schedules and other information.
A blog can also be used as a tool to reach out to customers, community members, and any other interested parties. As an independent planning professional, they can be a place to showcase knowledge and specialties to others that might also be interested in those topics or who are looking for a resource with a particular knowledge base or skill set. It is a simple way to market yourself or your firm to both current and potential clients. By updating content regularly, the blog will be visible to a broad audience who are probably finding it via search engines.
In the past, a writer might have written an article for a newspaper or magazine and anyone with a comment about the content would have written a letter to the Editor of the publication, looked for and found an envelope and a stamp, addressed and finally mailed the letter to the Editor. Several months later, if they were lucky, the letter would be published in the periodical and rare still, a response provided by the Author or Editor of the piece that provoked the comment to begin with. A reader can comment on a blog post in real-time, agree, disagree, add some additional thoughts, or discuss the ideas found in the posting. In some ways, it can be like having a conversation with the whole world at one time.
Blogs are easy to start, provide a way to easily communicate with multiple audiences, and give the writer a way to market their knowledge to a broader audience. With the addition of micro-blogging services such as Twitter and Tumblr as well as the explosive growth of the popular social media site Facebook, municipalities and other agencies must be able to work effectively within all of these structures, including blogs to provide content that supports their strategies. All of these services are free and allow content providers to post thoughts, links to articles, and information quickly and easily, ensuring their message is seen and heard by a wide audience of friends, foes, and fans.
Anyone with an Internet connection can search for an access blogs on any topic imaginable. Just choose a topic, enter a few related key words into a favorite search engine, and millions of results can be returned. This not only gives the searcher many choices to look through, but it can help to focus a search topic once some of the returned content is reviewed. Blogs usually provide fresh content every few days and can be a great way to gain a lot of knowledge quickly without having to purchase several books or periodicals. Using a service such as Google Reader to organize a list of favorite sites makes accessing and reading blogs even easier.
Because blogs usually contain links to sites with more information, the reader can often learn more about a given topic than what was posted on the blog itself. Ideally the author has spent some time himself or herself looking for sources that support their opinion and have linked them appropriately, allowing the reader to verify the data and form their own opinion. This can be especially helpful for municipal or regional agencies that may not have the time to give much background information on a topic during a public meeting. The agency can provide a summary of the of the topic being discussed as well as links to appropriate background information. Meeting attendees could be directed to use the blog for pre-reading or follow up reading, meeting schedules and other information.
A blog can also be used as a tool to reach out to customers, community members, and any other interested parties. As an independent planning professional, they can be a place to showcase knowledge and specialties to others that might also be interested in those topics or who are looking for a resource with a particular knowledge base or skill set. It is a simple way to market yourself or your firm to both current and potential clients. By updating content regularly, the blog will be visible to a broad audience who are probably finding it via search engines.
In the past, a writer might have written an article for a newspaper or magazine and anyone with a comment about the content would have written a letter to the Editor of the publication, looked for and found an envelope and a stamp, addressed and finally mailed the letter to the Editor. Several months later, if they were lucky, the letter would be published in the periodical and rare still, a response provided by the Author or Editor of the piece that provoked the comment to begin with. A reader can comment on a blog post in real-time, agree, disagree, add some additional thoughts, or discuss the ideas found in the posting. In some ways, it can be like having a conversation with the whole world at one time.
Blogs are easy to start, provide a way to easily communicate with multiple audiences, and give the writer a way to market their knowledge to a broader audience. With the addition of micro-blogging services such as Twitter and Tumblr as well as the explosive growth of the popular social media site Facebook, municipalities and other agencies must be able to work effectively within all of these structures, including blogs to provide content that supports their strategies. All of these services are free and allow content providers to post thoughts, links to articles, and information quickly and easily, ensuring their message is seen and heard by a wide audience of friends, foes, and fans.
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