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10 Lessons I’ve Learned in my First Year as a Blogger

13th July 2015 By Ian Winterton Leave a Comment

Architect Elrond Burrell launched his lively, plain English blog on Passivhaus last year. So what has he learned from a year in the blogosphere? 

Elrond 2 v 2

Elrond Burrell is passionate about designing buildings that are affordable, comfortable and healthy to live in – and which have the minimum impact on the environment. It’s a passion he puts into practice at the firm where he works, Architype. They’re one of the UK’s leading Passivhaus and sustainable architecture companies.

He’s long been an active and outspoken participant on social media, interacting and commenting regularly on matters of environmental and sustainable design. It was this evident passion that saw his peers prompt Elrond to start his own Passivhaus blog.

“Because I was active on social media anyway, establishing relationships with others in the industry, I found myself commenting on Passivhaus and sustainable building a lot,” he said.

“A couple of people said to me that it was unusual to have someone who was so knowledgeable and outspoken about Passivhaus and suggested I do something for myself. That was what really prompted me to think about blogging.”

Conflict Resolution

Elrond loves to write. In fact, he goes as far as saying that if he had an alternative career, it would be as a writer. But if you think that made starting a blog any easier, you’d be wrong.

“There was a lot of deliberation when I started thinking about writing the blog,” he said. “It took me a long time before I published anything.

“My main concerns were about what I could and couldn’t write about in a personal capacity. The blog is a personal project, so I have to be careful not to write specifically about Architype, clients or projects I’m working on.

“That conflict between work and personal opinions was a tricky line to tread – and there are still some grey areas. It took a few months of thinking about that before I got the guts up to publish.”

ElrondBurrell

Avalanche of Ideas

Elrond’s second concern was what to write about. So he embarked on the ambitious task of scheduling ideas – one blog every two weeks – for the entire year. Each one would be based on questions or challenges he encountered around Passivhaus and would provide a few key answers.

“What always interests me is when you work with clients you hear the misconceptions and misunderstandings people have about adopting Passivhaus. So these were a great starting point.”

With the planning in place, Elrond stepped into a brave new world of blogging. And here are 10 key lessons he’s learned:

  1. Tone down your perfectionism

It always takes much longer to write than I anticipate. I’ve had to learn to tone down my perfectionist streak. Early on, I was drafting something, then editing it, then worrying whether I should have done it in a different way. What I’ve learned is that at some point, you say ‘it’s done, it’s good enough’ and you hit publish.

  1. Your schedule is sacrosanct

I decided early on to publish a post every two weeks. And having a schedule for this was important for two reasons. Firstly, it meant I did it – otherwise it was too easy to put it off. Secondly, reliable, regular posting helps people get engaged because they know something is coming. The most important thing is to keep going. Regularity is as important as the quality of your work.

  1. Collaboration is key

Working with other people is beneficial in terms of generating different quality of content. I’ve done two interview-type posts with a structural engineer and builder. I use their comments to reinforce my message, help flesh out my own ideas and get a good synergy between their words and mine.

  1. Controversial titles are good for traffic

I wrote a piece called, 10 Things I Hate About Passivhaus. It was kind of tongue in cheek and based around the film 10 Things I Hate About You. In that film, through hating each other, two characters eventually fall in love. The blog was similar. It said that in order to adopt Passivhaus, you need to get to know it first and change your mind about a few things. It caused a massive stir, with triple the normal traffic. But I’d be cautious about being too attention-grabbing. I’d rather get people who want to get involved in the subject rather than those just looking at the blog because of a controversial headline.

Elrond 3

  1. Be clear on your ideas

I find it easier – and I write better – if I spend time getting a clear idea of what I want to say before I start writing. I’m also a fan of writing in small chunks and then checking they all fit together at the end. So I’ll tackle the intro, make sure I’m happy with that, then each key point, and then the summary. Then I’ll give it a final proofread to check it flows well.

  1. Short is sweet

It’s really important to write shorter sentences. With technical subjects, it’s easy to have a long, in-depth style. But actually, in terms of getting people to read what you’ve written – and feel it’s fast paced and easy to understand – it’s better to write punchier sentences.

  1. Define your target readers

At the beginning, I tried to establish who my target readers were, which helps me to keep my posts relevant and engaging. I established that my readers would be either self builders, architects or design professionals looking for information on Passivhaus, or corporate clients keen to find out more. I’m also trying to provide resources that take Passivhaus back to basics to see what response I get. I want it to be an evergreen resource for people new to Passivhaus, to try and extend the blog’s reach.

  1. Book reviews boost traffic

I had the idea of reviewing Passivhaus books quite early on, where I’d take out the key points and get people to think about them. So I wrote to authors who had published an English language book on Passivhaus and asked for a review copy. It’s been great on a number of levels. You establish a relationship with the author, who’s an influencer in the sector, you get a free copy of a book you’re interested in, and you bring a new audience to your site.

  1. Ideas flow once you’re up and running

I found that once I got going, I was overflowing with content ideas, so I’ve barely referred back to my original list. It’s important to make a note of good ideas when you get them – or you’ll forget them later! I’ve got so many things to write about now, that I can’t possibly fit them all in. I’ve also learned to borrow ideas from other disciplines. Lots of Passivhaus writing is quite insular, but I want to push the boundaries of understanding Passivhaus and get it out to a wider audience.

  1. Fresh ideas grow your audience

I recently added a pop-up to the blog, which displays when it looks like you might be leaving the site. It gives people an easy opportunity to subscribe and has increased my number of subscribers considerably. I’m also using MailChimp to send a newsletter out when each post gets published. While the mail used to just be a summary of the blog and a link to it, I now write a few paragraphs of original content that share my thoughts on various conversations I’ve had or my thoughts on projects I’m working on. I refer to it as ‘insider information’ – although I don’t share any specific details – and it is an experiment to see if it entices more people to subscribe and feel privileged as a subscriber.

You can read and subscribe to Elrond’s blog at elrondburrell.com

Filed Under: Blogging Tagged With: architect, Architype, blog, blogging, blogs, Elrond Burrell, MailChimp, Passive House, Passivhaus, social media, sustainability

How to Raise Your Business’s Profile with Captivating Construction Content

29th June 2015 By Ian Winterton Leave a Comment

Writing creative content for your construction website really pays. In fact, it can be just as effective as paid advertising, says Green Building Store’s Chayley Collis.

 

Content is an incredibly powerful tool for construction businesses. Telling compelling stories about how you deliver projects and apply your expertise can help you connect with thousands of potential new customers.

If you still need convincing, Chayley Collis’ story should do the trick. She’s Communications Manager for Green Building Store, a company which provides building solutions that help tackle climate change.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Content Creation Tagged With: blog, blogging, blogs, construction, content creation, Denby Dale, energy efficiency, Green Building Store, internet marketing, Passivhaus, Stirley Farm

How Crowdfunding Helped Me Make a Documentary on Creating Better Homes

19th May 2015 By Ben Adam-Smith Leave a Comment

Does your business have a message about green building that’s worth sharing?

Is there a project you’d like to pursue but you don’t know how to fund it?

In this post I’m going to share my experience of crowdfunding a documentary on building better houses, how I realised it and why I know I will be repeating the process in the future.

While people rant and rave about climate change, and curl up into a ball because nothing can be done I always try to keep positive. In my mind there is a world of opportunity before us and it is increasingly weighted in favour of those willing to invest in what a sustainable future might look like.

Over the last couple of years blogging at House Planning Help I have met people who have come up with elements of this sustainable future, whether it be by creating an energy-efficient house, forming a cohousing group, being careful where their money gets spent or making other significant lifestyle changes such as refusing to fly! That’s why I feel – if we’re not afraid of action – we each have a role to play here. We need to strive for that vision of a sustainable future, in whatever context that means for us, and then share our experiences online.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Crowdfunding Tagged With: building, construction, crowdfunding, documentary, eco homes, energy efficiency, home, homes, house, houses, Kickstarter, video

5 Reasons Podcasting is About to Take Off in the UK

31st March 2014 By Ben Adam-Smith Leave a Comment

I was very pleased to make it to the first ever UK Podcasters event in London over the weekend. Having attended New Media Expo in Las Vegas at the beginning of the year, what was exciting for me was to realise that the same passion does exist in the UK.

169H

In fact I believe there are 5 reasons why UK Podcasting is about to make its mark: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Podcasting Tagged With: New Media Expo, podcast, podcasting, podcasts

What is the Process of Making a Video?

28th February 2014 By Ben Adam-Smith Leave a Comment

Are you wondering whether you’ve got the resources to make video?

Is there a set procedure that most people follow?

In this article I look at why video is accessible at all levels . . . but you have to begin!

 

In the late 1980s, aged 11, I discovered that our new neighbours owned a camcorder. There was something very alluring about this state-of-the-art device and its magical function of being able to record directly onto VHS tapes, which led to me asking if I could borrow it. Yes, they were trusting, kind and tolerant (because this became a habit).

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Video Marketing Tagged With: how to make a video, marketing, process, video

The Advantages of Building a Video Library For Your Niche

14th February 2014 By Ben Adam-Smith Leave a Comment

As I write this article it is raining. In fact January 2014 has been England’s wettest month since records began in 1766.

With flooding even in my local town I took time out of my workday to capture the impact on video.

Why am I telling you this?

building flooded

Seize Content Opportunities When They Arise

This flooding is potentially useful to me in my housing niche (I run the website House Planning Help). I don’t actually need this footage at the moment but I went on the shoot for my library.

I am aware that these floods could be the affects of climate change and if I ever want to illustrate a flood, which I see as pretty likely, now I have the material.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Video Marketing Tagged With: content, library footage, niche, stock footage, video, video production

Why Traditional Media Needs to Pay Attention to New Media

28th January 2014 By Ben Adam-Smith 1 Comment

Is traditional media taking notice of new media?

Why is new media likely to grow at the expense of traditional media?

In this article I look at the key elements that I believe will lead to a rapid growth of new media in the next 10 years.

It’s nearly my second year anniversary of working in new media. Coming from a traditional media background I often enjoy the perspective I have, which allows me to draw on experience from either area.

I definitely feel that I am in the right place at the right time and after attending New Media Expo I came to the conclusion that traditional media may be fighting a losing battle.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: New Media Tagged With: audio, connection, engagement, new media, niche, platforms, television, traditional media, tv, video

5 Reasons to Spend Your Advertising Budget on Content in 2014

10th December 2013 By Ben Adam-Smith 2 Comments

As we approach the end of another year, we suddenly start to look ahead to the next year and plan for all the exciting things we want to make a reality.

Part of that routine may be looking at advertising and marketing budgets, and thinking where to spend that money.

I’m sure you could find lots of outlets quite happy to take your money but what if your money could be better spent in a new area?

content

In this article I want to share 5 reasons why your company should reduce its advertising and marketing spend in favour of funding content creation.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Content Marketing Tagged With: advertising, marketing, niche

The Different Ways of Contributing to the Online World

28th October 2013 By Ben Adam-Smith Leave a Comment

Do you want to be someone who makes a positive impact online?

How would this vary according to the commitment you are able to give?

In this article we look at the different levels of contributing and why they might draw you further into the online world.

globe on keyboard
Firstly we should establish that anything we do online is forming part of this bigger jigsaw, so this is unlikely to be about our first few steps in cyberspace and more likely to be assessing what we have done so far and where we want to go.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Internet Marketing Tagged With: content marketing, contributor, internet marketing, internet presence, online marketing, personal brand

What Does Enabling Comments Mean for a Business?

19th October 2013 By Ben Adam-Smith Leave a Comment

Are you wondering whether to enable comments on your blog or website?

How can you tell if it’s a good idea or not?

This article looks at why comments are increasingly used and what you really need to understand about them.

Man opening a hamburger

For years restauranteurs and hotel owners have been rated on the whole experience they provide. We’ve all read these types of reviews and no doubt based our decisions partially upon them. A positive review from a renowned food critic might have a huge impact on business, just as reading about the discovery of a slug in the salad can have the opposite effect! These businesses have learnt to deal with feedback – it’s part of their trade.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Internet Marketing Tagged With: blog, blogging, blogs, business, comments, community, feedback, websites

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