community blogging the metblogs way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Dylan Wilbanksseattle.metblogs.com

April 28, 2007

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Metblogs: The Basics

• Started in 2003 (blogging.la) by Sean Bonner

• Expanded to other cities; Seattle added in 2004

• 54 cities, 5 continents, 700+ bloggers• City captains• Unpaid (though there are goal-based

rewards)

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

How A Metblog Is Formed

• Person has interest in forming local Metblog

• They start blogging (soft launch) and recruit new bloggers

• Who recruit new bloggers, and so on, and so on

• Once there’s critical mass, public launch

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Seattle Metblogs

• 15 writers right now (8-10 normally)• Age range from 20 to mid-40s (median ~28)• ~50% live in Cap Hill/Eastlake/Madison Park• Strive to be Seattle-centric – global memes

only discussed if there’s a Seattle connection

• Still have our own blogs

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

We fall into roles

• We write about what we know and love– Zee: Movies– Samantha: Art– Ryan: Sports– Kristen: Politics and culture– Dylan: Ranting

• But we don’t have defined roles

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

What does the community look like?

(Please tell us. We’d love to know.)

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

How do we know we even have a community?

Because people are willing to take the time to say how much

they hate us.

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Discussion topics

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

YOYOW(You own your own words)• But…with group blogs, is that

still true?• Ownership questions• Mean Kids

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Blogs != Forums• Blogs are primarily two-way:

Blogger writes about a topic, readers respond.

• Forums are multi-way: Readers write, writers read, everyone responds.

• Horses for courses

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Group blogs mean the group must interact with each other.

Seattle MB writers interact:• Physically

– Meetups (second Thursday, all invited)– Tastings (coffee, chocolate, etc.)

• As writers – Online story meetings– Commenting on each other’s posts

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

How does a group blog build a good online community?

• Good ideas• Good writing• Good readers• Good feedback• Good interaction• Good connections -> community• So good community starts with

good writing and ends with connections

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.

-- E.M. Forster, Howard’s End

Community Blogging the Metblogs Way

Links and Contacts

Seattle Metblogs – http://seattle.metblogs.com

Metblogs – http://metblogs.com

Dylan Wilbanks – http://clientandserver.comwnalyd@gmail.comTwitter: wnalyd