Time for a new interview in the Newstex Blogger in the Spotlight Video Interview Series where we turn the spotlight on the bloggers, Twitter publishers, and video publishers who syndicate their Authoritative Content through Newstex.

Today’s interview is with Garland Pollard who writes about legacy brands (you know — those brands we all remember that are no longer around) at BrandlandUSA.  Watch the video interview below to learn more about Garland’s blog and what makes it unique and authoritative.

You can watch previous video interviews in the Newstex Blogger in the Spotlight Video Interview Series on the Newstex YouTube Channel, and keep your eyes open for new video interviews coming soon!

Time for another blogger video interview from the Newstex Blogger in the Spotlight Video Interview Series where we turn the spotlight on the bloggers, Twitter publishers, and video publishers who syndicate their Authoritative Content through Newstex.

This Blogger in the Spotlight Video Interview features Jay Brewer of Blogpire, a blog network that offers news, reviews, and more about products in a variety of niches.  Watch the video below to learn more about Jay and his successful blog network.

Watch for more Blogger in the Spotlight video interviews coming to the Newstex YouTube Channel soon!

Welcome to the first interview in the new Newstex Blogger in the Spotlight Video Interview Series where we turn the spotlight on the bloggers, Twitter publishers, and video publishers who syndicate their Authoritative Content through Newstex.

The first Blogger in the Spotlight Video Interview features Kelly Jad’on of BasilandSpice.com, a blog that offers views on healthy living from over 300 authoritative contributors.  Watch the video below to learn more about Kelly and her successful blog.

Watch for more Blogger in the Spotlight video interviews coming to the Newstex YouTube Channel soon!

The February 2010 Blogger in the Spotlight is Trisha Torrey who writes the Every Patient’s Advocate blog.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with Trisha Torrey who was diagnosed in 2004 with a rare, fatal lymphoma and told her life would be measured in months not years.

But her intuition told her there was something wrong with the diagnosis.  In search of alternatives to both the diagnosis and chemo, Trisha did some homework, empowered herself, made a few professionals angry, but eventually proved that in fact, she had no cancer at all.

With that odyssey behind her, she changed careers to begin teaching others to improve their chances for better medical outcomes, too.  Today Trisha is known as Every Patients Advocate. She is a newspaper columnist, radio talk show host, About.com’s expert in patient empowerment, and a national speaker who teaches patients how to navigate the unwieldy and dysfunctional health care system.  She’s been quoted by CNN, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, US News and World Report and others.

Her blog, called Every Patient’s Advocate provides tools patients can use to get the healthcare they need.

Trisha’s first book, You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes will be published in October 2009.

Learn more about Trisha’s expertise at her websites:  www.EveryPatientsAdvocate.com or http://patients.About.com.  You’ll also find her on Twitter (@TrishaTorrey) and LinkedIn.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

Trisha Torrey: I started in my blog in January of 2007 when I realized I had far more to say and comment about than I could possibly fit into my bi-weekly newspaper column.  Blogging seemed like the perfect outlet to turn current health information, which mostly revolved around how the professionals viewed it, into something relevant to patients.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Trisha Torrey: I have a different voice – the voice of a healthcare consumer or a patient needing safe, effective care.  There are plenty of blogs about people’s experience with specific diseases, or complaints about healthcare, but there are very few that focus on using specific experiences, or even current events, and making them into something patients can learn from.  That’s what my blog does.

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success?

Trisha Torrey: I spent 20+ years working in marketing before I ever began doing patient empowerment and advocacy work.  As a marketer, I know about promoting and seeking opportunities.  I make sure my blog is listed and linked from everything I do, from the signature in my email, to my book, to my websites and my Twitter bio.  In addition, I keep it current and relevant, and I’m not afraid of a little controversy either. Readers find useful information, so they return.

Newstex: What are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

Trisha Torrey: Three tips:  First, blog regularly and keep up with it.  if you want to blog once a week, or five times a week, or even just once a month, just be regular so that you meet the expectations of the people who want to read what you have to say.  Second, fill your blog with key words and phrases that your target readers will use.  That way the search engines will present your blog as a result when someone searches on those keywords and phrases – and they will find you.  Third, write the way you speak.  Don’t try to be formal;  be friendly.  Don’t worry so much about grammar, instead try to be more conversational.  Put yourself into your blog so that readers will be able to see the person behind it.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

Trisha Torrey: I probably owe my entire new career to my blogging.  I am working in a field I never anticipated, certainly never trained for, and honestly, didn’t really exist until I started doing it – that is – providing patients with non-medical tools to help them improve their healthcare, despite the fact that our healthcare system is so dysfunctional.  Blogging took me to the top of the search engines, and helped me let the world know I was out here to help.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

Trisha Torrey: Feedback.  I get thank yous.  I get fights.  I get people who tell me I’ve saved their lives.  And I get people who would punch me if we were in the same room. I also hear from people who need help, and I can help them make connections to others who can provide that help.  I love it all.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

Trisha Torrey: I enjoy blogs that present different points of view about healthcare.  I read blogs written by other patients, by medical providers, and by industry professionals.  I also enjoy blogs written about the use of social media in general which helps me continue to build my following. Blogs about book publishing round out my interests.

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

Trisha Torrey: Blogging has changed the face of traditional media all together.  Newstex has even made a contribution to that.  Probably the biggest impact has been on print media that went online one way in the “old” days, with websites only.  Now the ones that are surviving have encouraged their best journalists (the ones who are still employed) to blog, twitter, have facebook pages and more.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why?

Trisha Torrey: Syndicating with Newstex was a nobrainer.  I’ve been syndicated for almost two years now, and it’s been a great relationship.  The marketer in me knew instantly that a relationship with Newstex would expand my readership – and it has.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

Trisha Torrey: My new book is coming out February 2010 – and my blog will begin to take on aspects of my book.  Called “You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes” this book will give me, and my readers, much more fodder for exploration.

The January 2010 Blogger in the Spotlight is Sheila Scarborough who writes the Family Travel Logue blog for the BootxnAll Travel Network.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with Sheila Scarborough who is a writer and speaker specializing in travel, tourism, the social Web and NHRA drag racing. She is the co-founder of Tourism Currents, an online learning community site that teaches tourism professionals how to use social media in their destination marketing.  She’s been blogging since February 2006 and can be found blogging for the BootsnAll Family Travel Guide and Tourism Currents as well as on her personal blog, Sheila’s Guide,  where she writes about tourism, tech and social media.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

Sheila Scarborough: I retired from the US Navy in early 2006 after 22+ years, and launched a new career as a travel writer.  A long-time friend and journalist told me, “If you’re going to be a writer, you need to have a blog.”  Knowing that a general travel blog would probably just get buried in the online noise, I chose to focus on the family travel niche since I have two kids. The BootsnAll Travel Network offers free blogs for travelers, so I started mine there to have a built-in audience.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Sheila Scarborough: My blog is based on my own travel experiences with my family, so I don’t do that many product/site/service reviews or travel news posts.  As my kids have gotten older, I find that I do a lot of posts featuring ideas and places that are good for preteens or teens.  There are other blogs that do a better job of covering travel with babies and toddlers, although I do occasionally still write about that because I haven’t forgotten how to wrestle with a diaper in a strange place!

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success?

Sheila Scarborough: Persistence and useful information.  When I left the Navy, I didn’t know any travel bloggers and had no idea what I was doing, but I hung in there, built a network, responded to my readers and their comments, and met other bloggers in person at tech conferences.  BootsnAll has also been very supportive over the years with design changes and support.

Newstex: What are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

Sheila Scarborough: One.  Decide ahead of time what your blog is about; don’t wander in saying, “I’ll write about anything on my mind.”  I mean, sure, you can do that, but no one but your Mom will read it.  Focus, focus, then keep that focus over the long haul.  If you find yourself talking about your gardening a lot on your business blog, then start another blog just for the gardening. People come to your blog expecting certain types of content; they’ll certainly forgive occasional wanderings but will dump you if you can’t keep focus.

Two:  Do your homework and learn your craft – there are a ton of blogs out there to help you, so read them. Go to a couple of blogging conferences or workshops. Read great stuff on sites like Copyblogger.com and ProBlogger.net, then try some of the recommendations.  Put in the effort over an extended period of time (at least six months.)  Don’t start whining at Week 3 that no one’s reading your blog, and then quit.

Three:  Grow your blog OFF your blog.  Solid, useful content published regularly is a given. If you can’t do that, forget it.  If you can do that, then do it, but remember that people also have to be able to FIND your content.  Make it easier by doing a little self-promotion and marketing: put your blog URL on your business cards and in your email signature.  Make sure it’s in your Twitter profile, LinkedIn profile, Facebook profile, YouTube channel, Flickr photo-sharing account, etc. Let people know about some of your best posts (if you squawk about every one, you’ll just be annoying.)  Learn about SEO (search engine optimization) so that you can craft content with the keywords that people use to search for information on that topic.  Link freely to other great content, and say “thanks” when possible to those who link to you.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

Sheila Scarborough: I’ve become a geek in time for the next iteration of the Internet Age.  When I started blogging in February 2006, I thought I was late to the online party, but now I see that my timing was just right.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

Sheila Scarborough: Nowhere else can I have such complete control over my content and how it is presented.  My kids are getting older so finding good family travel blog post angles is getting more challenging, but I write for another (multi-author) travel blog plus have a new blog and business tied to social media and tourism, so I’m never lacking for creative outlets.  If a subject doesn’t fit any of my own blogs, I try guest posting on someone else’s blog where the subject would make sense for its readership.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

Sheila Scarborough:

• Parenting blogs The Pioneer Woman and dooce.com, for gorgeous design and screamingly funny writing.

• Nerd’s Eye View (by Pam Mandel) for beautiful photography and terrific yet very conversational travel writing.

• ChrisBrogan.com and Liz Strauss’ Successful Blog, for thoughtful analysis and communications ideas in the digital space.

• My business partner Becky McCray’s Small Biz Survival for super-useful business ideas and insights.

• Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist for scathingly honest posts about business, entrepreneurship and life.

• Mashable for the best, most useful and current information on social media

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

Sheila Scarborough:

Sheila Scarborough: I syndicated a few years ago as another way to promote my blog OFF of my blog, as I described above.  Newstex seemed to target some researchers and information professionals who might not otherwise discover online content without a little focused assistance.

Newstex: What do you think are the benefits of syndicating your blog through Newstex?

Sheila Scarborough: Beyond increased readership, I do like the fact that I am paid by Newstex; it’s not a lot, because my blog is not highly-trafficked enough, but even the small monetary compensation for my content is appreciated.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

Sheila Scarborough: My daughter heads to college soon but my son still has more years with us, so I’ll keep writing the Family Travel Guide based on what I learn from my own experiences.  At some point I’d like to work with BootsnAll to turn the blog over to another parent, but I’ll always keep writing about travel in some way.  I like to keep moving and trying new things too much to let my passport get dusty!

The November 2009 Blogger in the Spotlight is David Harlow from HealthBlawg.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with David Harlow, the Principal of The Harlow Group LLC, a Boston-based health care law and consulting firm.  David’s public and private sector experience over the past twenty years – including stints as a state regulator and as a downtown Boston law firm partner — affords him a unique perspective on legal, policy and business issues facing the health care community.  In projects ranging from facilities development to joint ventures to Medicare demonstration projects to HIPAA and Stark and fraud and abuse compliance initiatives and beyond, health care providers, vendors and payors of all shapes and sizes rely on him to help them navigate these issues on a daily basis, and to structure transactions and relationships in order to maximize the realization of organizational goals in a highly-regulated environment.  David emphasizes the practice of preventive law, anticipating potential flashpoints early in the course of a project, and working to avoid litigation or regulatory enforcement actions whenever possible.  David’s blog, HealthBlawg, is a nationally-recognized health care law and policy blog.  You should follow him on Twitter.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

David Harlow: When I left my partnership at a downtown law firm to strike out on my own as a health care lawyer and consultant, I knew I needed something to replace the marketing staff at my old firm.  Since everyone lives on the internet these days, I decided to focus my efforts on developing an online presence through blogging.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

David Harlow: Aside from the subject matter, which has niche, rather than broad, appeal, I’ve been told that a number of factors combine to make my blog appealing both to my regular readers and to those who come across it via links or online searches:  My perspective, informed by over twenty years’ experience in both the private and public sectors; and my writing style, which I strive to keep legalese-free and accessible, even though I am often dealing with complicated issues in health care law and policy.  At the same time, I usually assume a certain baseline familiarity with the issues.  I also integrate other forms of media into my blogging, such as podcast interviews with leaders in the health care field.

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success, and what are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

David Harlow: Focus on a niche, and consistency in terms of both frequency of posting and perspective. Also, begin by listening: read other blogs that are relevant to your area of interest, and join in the conversation there and on Twitter as well.  Your blog is not a walled garden; you need to get into the conversations happening in your particular space.  Finally, another way of doing that is participating in blog carnivals (topical anthologies hosted by different bloggers in rotation).  I host Blawg Review, Health Wonk Review and Grand Rounds from time to time; each encompasses a different community.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

David Harlow: It’s very satisfying for me to be able to clarify my thinking on issues through the exercise of writing about them.  It’s even more satisfying when I hear from others that they appreciate my perspective on the issues.  It is also rewarding when clients retain me as a result of finding me online through my blog.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

David Harlow: It’s both the sense of community and the marketing benefits that flow from blogging — or, in my case, blawgging.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

David Harlow: I enjoy reading the perspectives of other folks interested in the same issues as I am who come at them from different angles, including physicians, health care executives, and other lawyers and consultants.  A few examples: Bob Wachter, Paul Levy, Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, Bob Coffield, the “usual suspects” who participate in the Health Wonk Review and Grand Rounds blog carnivals, the medbloggers at Better Health and the many folks whose writing ends up on The Health Care Blog.

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

David Harlow: Umm, blogging has already had a tremendous impact on “MSM.”  I am not necessarily an unapologetic fan of citizen journalism, because there are certain things that I think can be done best by someone with more subject matter or reporting technique expertise.  However, that person does not necessarily get extra points in my book just because of an affiliation with MSM.  The public at large has become less reliant on print and broadcast media (and their online outlets) and more open to other sources of information.  MSM has responded in some ways, by incorporating participatory features into their online properties.  Again, in news — as in law and medicine — the quality of all of those sources of information are variable, and it makes it harder, in a sense, for us to filter all the information coming at us from the proverbial firehose.

Blogging and other social media (I am also active on Twitter, Linked In, Facebook – with a personal page and a firm fan page as well) serve to enable community building in a different way than was previously possible.  I have connected with colleagues, referral sources, clients, and reporters from MSM and otherwise, all via my online presence, many of whom I never would have encountered without these tools.  The effect is already here: the legal profession is now divided by blawgging – those who do it, those who do it well, those who will do it in the future, and those who never will.  As more and more of all aspects of our lives move online, it is critical for lawyers — as well as for health care providers, for that matter –to have an online presence that is consistent with current standards of online practices.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why?

David Harlow: Pretty early on in my blogging career (which began about three years ago) I realized that it would be important to leverage as many distribution channels as possible for my blog.  Syndication has led to blog posts of mine appearing on MSM websites and broader reach to specialized health care and legal markets as well.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

David Harlow: A lot of folks have predicted that Twitter will be the death of blogging.  I don’t see it that way.  I use different social media channels for different purposes, and they interact with each other and with what I do IRL (in real life).  My blog continues to be the channel for my observations and analysis on health care law and policy developments, trends and issues, and I will continue to use other channels in a way that play off of and promote the blog.

The October 2009 Blogger in the Spotlight is Mark S. Ament from SportsBiz.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with Mark S. Ament, an attorney who combines his expertise in business, law and sports to publish a highly interesting, insightful and authoritative niche blog – SportsBiz.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

Mark S. Ament: At the time I began writing, I was still a practicing attorney and a significant portion of my practice involved the representation of sports industry client. Among these clients, I served as the outside general counsel to a major Division I university’s athletic department for which, among other assignments, I negotiated its multi-million dollar football and basketball coaches’ contracts, including one that, at that time, was among the largest ever done for an NCAA coach.  In addition, I represented the university throughout the process of financing and constructing new football and baseball stadiums and the licensing of media rights which are among the largest collegiate media rights contracts in the country.

As with many bloggers, I decided to start the blog as a way for me to keep up with what was new within the business while informing my clients at the same time.  I have since retired from the active practice of law and am now consulting in the sports business, primarily in the areas of marketing and financing.  I have continued writing because I have found it invaluable in keeping in touch and up to date and, frankly, I’ve become somewhat addicted.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Mark S. Ament: When I started SportsBiz, it was one of the first, if not the first, blog to cover the business side of sports.  There were business blogs, investing blogs and sports blogs, (which were usually fan blogs).  However, there was little that spoke to the people working in the industry and, with a legal and business background, I thought I could help fill the void.

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success?

Mark S. Ament: As I mentioned above, there were few blogs dealing with any aspect of the business of sports when I started, so I was able to get first mover advantage.  Of course, that only works if you can continue to produce content that is good enough to keep that advantage. I’d like to think that the reason I’m still around is that I’m filling a niche my readers think is important.

Newstex: What are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

Mark S. Ament: Network, network, network; write, write, write.  Okay, so those are really six tips.  Still, blogging is a social medium and it’s important to interact with other bloggers in your chosen field.  Visit those blogs, see what interests people, comment on those blogs and become a member of the community.  Then, and only then, write about what you know and write on a consistent basis, so readers will be in the habit of checking your blog.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

Mark S. Ament: Without doubt, it is the opportunity to meet (mostly virtual, but meeting nonetheless) an incredible number of interesting people who I would not have ever met without it.  It’s one of the driving forces that keeps writing.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

Mark S. Ament: Not to be too repetitive, but the community of people I have met is a major reason I continue to blog.  I have also discovered that after spending more years than I care to count writing dry, dull legalese contracts and other legal documents, once given the opportunity to write creatively, I actually quite enjoy writing.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

Mark S. Ament: There are so many -  I have about 75 in my feed reader this week -  but I’ll mention a few that I never miss checking: for business, investing and economic news The Big Picture and   Abnormal Returns, for sports business, CNBC’s sports business reporter, Darren Rovell’s very originally named blog, Sports Biz and The Sports Economist, written by several academic economists, oddly enough, and for general sports and entertainment – The Big Lead.

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

Mark S. Ament: Sports, along with politics, may be the two industries in which the general public has seen and will continue to see the influence of blogs the quickest and most profoundly.  As print journalism, and newspapers in particular, are forced to cut back coverage due to the economy, the blogging community is picking up the slack, often with the same journalists that formerly were writing for the local paper.  Blogging, at least in these industries, is not so slowly transforming itself into the medium of first choice for the news consumer.  While I am not so sure that having a blog network of staff writers from ESPN is necessarily a good thing, it is not inherently more negative than those same writers working for the local newspaper, as they did before joining ESPN.  Whether the corporate behemoths co-opt and/or drown out independent bloggers is probably the great challenge of the next five years.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why?

Mark S. Ament: When I was approached by Newstex, I decided right away to syndicate.  The ability to extend my reach into audiences that I knew I would not be able to reach on my own was simply too good an opportunity to pass up.  It was definitely about growing my audience and extending my brand and not about money, which would be nice but was not, and still isn’t, the driver.  Newstex also offers the independent blogger the opportunity to have the same reach as an in-house blogger at a larger media outlet, such as ESPN or a major newspaper, might have.  There is probably no better way to attempt to level the playing field.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

Mark S. Ament: Continue writing and trying to grow my audience.  Become a bit more active with Twitter than I have been, as I think it is a great communication tool if used properly.  Twitter is another social communication medium and should be used as such.  It can attract readers if you use it correctly but turn people off quickly if all you do it tout your own glory.  How long the bloom stays on the Twitter rose is hard to say, but all bloggers should ride as long as it remains there.  Also, I’m going to try to become a bit more adept with video to add that to the blog on a more regular basis as I think it would be both popular and of value. If my audience continues to enjoy the content of the blog, hopefully, my audience will continue to grow and both Newstex and I will be happy.

The September 2009 Blogger in the Spotlight is Maddie Grant from SocialFish.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with Maddie Grant, CAE who is an association industry blogger based in Washington, DC.  She is chief social media strategist for SocialFish, a consulting firm that helps organizations build community on the social web. Maddie has written articles for a number of publications and speaks frequently. Maddie writes for the popular “SocialFishing…” blog, covering the intersection between social media and association management. You can find Maddie at www.socialfish.org.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

Maddie Grant: I was working as COO of a small membership association and decided to start a personal (yet professional) blog where I could explore issues relevant to associations.  I found that it quickly became part of me, something I had to do, and eventually I built my consulting firm around it.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Social media is a hot topic and represents a fundamental change in how people communicate, collaborate, and work.  Blogs are social media, and there are many great blogs about blogging, and blogs about social media, but mine was one of the first to tackle how the association industry specifically is being transformed because of it, and how building community is at the heart of why associations exist.

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success?

I was lucky to start blogging when the association blogosphere was still tiny.  In only a few short years, it has truly blossomed, and I had an advantage of being in the first wave of bloggers.  It didn’t take long to make a name for myself as a blogger – in our industry, everyone knows everyone, and even much faster and easier now though social media!  Blogging is so interactive, I have great relationships with technology bloggers and nonprofit bloggers too, and we’re all learning from each other.

Newstex: What are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

First, that you need a personal voice.  You need to find your own rhythm and personality in your writing.  There are no rules except to be yourself – and that’s especially important if you’re blogging for an organization.  No one wants to read corporate messages devoid of personality.  Second, that a blog is about linking – otherwise it’s just static content.  Read more than you write, and link to other blogs and other posts.  And third, that as a blogger you have a responsibility to build relationships by, for example, commenting on others’ blogs.  They will return the favor and bring readers to you.  It’s give and take, and it’s conversation.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

This is the million dollar question for me!  I started my social media consulting firm with Lindy Dreyer, my business partner, as a direct result of people asking me for strategic advice based on the things I was exploring in my blog.  My blog has changed my life and it’s the best thing I ever did.  It enabled me to truly find my purpose in life.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

I’m one of those fanatical bloggers that writes at least 5 posts a week and has a permanent list in draft.  I’m interested in so much stuff, I read a lot and I continuously find ideas to explore or to share.  Social media as a topic is very fast moving, of course, and I see my role as someone who can stay ahead of the curve and filter all of this barrage of information and distill it down to what’s important for my audience.  So blogging at a fast and furious pace is part of what gives my blog value, I think, because of the subject matter.  There’s just so much to learn, all the time.  I love it.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

I have so many – but I’ll mention a few non-obvious ones.  For technology – Bub.blicio.us has good stuff on social media tools, and Bokardo is an amazing blog on social web design.  For thoughtful marketing posts – Online Marketer Blog.  And for associations, Jamie Notter is a phenomenal writer on strategy, leadership, diversity and generations (at Get Me Jamie Notter); Thanks for Playing (by an association marketing director) and Mizz Information (by an association community manager) are both written by smart women who have an irreverent side, like I do. All these blogs are smart and push my thinking.

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

I think traditional media will learn to adapt.  I already know that the lines are being blurred between traditional journalists and bloggers, and I know that journalists scour the real-time web (in places like Twitter) to hear the news first.  But I still like to read my paper with my morning coffee; I think there will always be a place for that as long as newspapers and other forms of traditional media start to truly understand the changing habits of their readers.   For the association industry, social media in general is changing everything and some won’t survive.  Almost all associations want to be the “thought leaders” for their particular field or industry – and in my opinion that is impossible without a blog.  The traditional peer review system for vetting authors and publications will stick around a while, but the speed of availability of new information is just too important – and blogs, not annual journals, are the way to get that information out there.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why?

Actually I was approached by Newstex pretty early on!  It was the first sign for me that I really had an audience outside my niche – so I jumped at the chance to be syndicated.

Newstex: What do you think are the benefits of syndicating your blog through Newstex?

Like I mentioned earlier, blogging is all about linking and building relationships.  Being syndicated extends the reach of my blog and therefore potentially gives me access to more people in  general and more bloggers specifically – which can only be a good thing.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

This is just the start!  I’m building a team of guest bloggers from the really awesome people I work with, who will enable me to focus the blog more deeply at times on certain specific areas (such as technology, or social media policies and risk management)  that are helpful to my audience.  I want the blog to be a really useful resource as organizations start experimenting with social technologies – at the same time as I want to retain my personal voice.  So far so good — we’re all about sharing the love, and that’s what I believe blogging is really about!

The August 2009 Blogger in the Spotlight is Jay from MarketFolly.com.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with Jay, the author of Market Folly.  Jay has experience at a long/short equity hedge fund focused on intensive fundamental research.  Using his expertise in the area, he tracks hedge funds extensively on his blog.  He has degrees in both Economics and Communications and has been involved in financial markets for just under a decade.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

Jay: I have been tracking hedge fund portfolios for many years and figured there were other people out there interested in the topic and decided to start posting up my findings.  It was an easy place to keep all my research and aggregate a nice timeline, so it was really convenient.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Jay: I believe MarketFolly.com is unique because it fills a specific niche in the financial blogosphere.  We track 40+ hedge fund portfolios in-depth every single day and try to bridge the gap that is often present with the secrecy surrounding the hedge fund industry.

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success?

Jay: I think it is a combination of a couple things.  Firstly, a lot of people have complimented our content and I’m a big believer in the notion that if there is good content out there, people will spread it around.  Secondly, I think it can also be attributed to working hard to generate material on a daily basis.  I always ask myself, “would I want to read this today?”  It’s cliche but hard work is the key here.

Newstex: What are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

Jay: First, pick a niche topic and become an expert on the subject.  Make sure it is something you like or are passionate about so you enjoy what you’re doing.  Secondly, pump out content on a daily basis.  It doesn’t matter how many posts you have, just as long as you’re doing something daily.  Thirdly, spread your content like wildfire.  Send it to friends and colleagues.  Post it on forums, comment on other blogs on your topic, etc.  Become visible and interact in order to spread the word.  Rinse and repeat.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

Jay: I’ve met and interacted with some great people as a result of the blog.  Without the work I’ve done, I doubt I would have met or come across any of the people I’ve been able to forge relationships with.  It has been invaluable and a true delight.  One of those connections is with the guys over at Alphaclone where we’ve been able to create a hedge fund-esque MarketFolly custom portfolio that is seeing 25.8% annualized returns.  Their software ties directly into the portfolio tracking we do on our blog and the collaboration has been awesome.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

Jay: Our hedge fund portfolio tracking series has gained such a big following that I can’t help but want to continue it.  I like being able to provide a resource that others find valuable.  It obviously helps that it’s a topic I’m passionate about and I’m constantly striving to be an expert in my niche.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

Jay: I love a variety of blogs covering different topics in finance.  AbnormalReturns.com is a great compilation of daily finance links, Pragcap.com covers market analysis, Footnoted.org covers SEC filings in-depth like us, and ZeroHedge.com because they put out good content on a consistent basis.  There’s too many to list as my RSS reader is full of great reads.

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

Jay: I think it has forced traditional media to step up their game in terms of content.  There are so many blogs out there on so many different topics that it’s easy to find exactly what you are looking for.  Attention spans are short these days and people know what they want to read.  Traditional media has to always adapt and evolve to stay relevant and ‘mainstream’ with all the shifts in technology and the focus on real-time information.  Focusing just on finance, I think blogs have filled a niche by delivering true analytical content.  They’ve uncovered great stories and provided insightful commentary, especially during the crisis.  The authors know what readers want because they were (and are) a reader themselves.  Typically, they’re analysts or portfolio managers looking to present useful information whereas often times in traditional media it is journalists trying to masquerade as analysts.  There’s a difference in mindset there.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why?

Jay: I decided to syndicate MarketFolly with Newstex many months ago as I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to put my content in front of more people.  And specifically, in front of people who had never seen or heard of my site before.  I’m always looking to grow my audience and expand my reach.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

Jay: I’m just going to keep pumping out consistent content on a daily basis.  I’m in the middle of our hedge fund portfolio tracking series right now and we run that four times a year.  I’m also going to start focusing more on some of our hedge fund manager profiles as well as some more analytical pieces too.  I’d like to expand our coverage to detail more hedge funds and hopefully we can continue to give our readers content they find resourceful.

Thanks very much for the opportunity to do the interview!  Hope everyone enjoyed it and make sure to check us out at MarketFolly.com where we track hedge funds on a daily basis.

The July 2009 Blogger in the Spotlight is Esther J. Cepeda of 600 Words.

Blogger in the Spotlight is a monthly series where Newstex turns the spotlight on our publishers with in-depth interviews that give you a glimpse into the stories, tips and secrets of successful bloggers and content producers.

This month’s interview is with Esther J. Cepeda who is an opinion journalist and expert on the issues of U.S. Hispanics/Latinos. She writes about that and much, much more on www.600words.com.

Newstex: How did you get started writing your current blog?

Esther J. Cepeda: I was a columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times when the print media industry started to melt down because of the migration of advertising dollars to the internet.

When the newspaper had its second round of mass layoffs I was let go and the city lost the only metro columnist who regularly wrote about Hispanic and Latino issues, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from reporting and opining on news, sports, and culture. So instead of mourning the loss of my printed perch, I decided to keep writing on-line where all the action is anyway.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Esther J. Cepeda: “600 Words” is unique because its foundation is laid on first-hand reporting of stories that are unique and relevant to a mainstream audience – news, politics, sports – yet also focused on Chicago and on Hispanics, who comprise such a large share of the internet traffic these days.

My readers – who write to me from all over the country and are young, old, black, white, Hispanic, male and female – honor me with comments such as “you tell it like it is,” “you’re never boring,” and “why isn’t everyone talking about this?”

Newstex: To what do you attribute your blog’s success?

Esther J. Cepeda: Recently, the Chicago Community Trust commissioned the Community Media Workshop to rank local on-line news publications (exclusive of the web sites of major mainstream media outlets) and named “600 Words” number 19 on a list of 60 Chicago-based news, information, and opinion providers.

“600 Words” has enjoyed such success in a relatively short timeframe. People read me because I’m a trusted journalist and media personality who delivers unique, compelling and entertaining content that many times is completely ignored in the mainstream media.

Also, I stay visible by promoting each blog post through various social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook, and by sending out a weekly email to approximately 7,000 media types, community organizations, and fans.

Newstex: What are the top 3 tips you can give to bloggers looking to develop successful blogs?

Esther J. Cepeda: Developing a successful blog requires a long-term commitment of passion, time, and financial resources.

1. You have to be inspired and pour your passion out in your content frequently and on a schedule your readers can learn and then rely on year in and year out.
2. You have to put the time into really researching your content, making it engaging, and then polishing it by letting others edit or react to it before publishing it live. This level of professionalism requires a sizeable time commitment and the responsibility to never cut corners.
3. To make a blog look and feel professional, invest in paid professionals who can help you attain a unique design for your site while still using common blogging software, and professionals who can help you with both aligning your visual brand to other social media tools and executing search engine optimization for your blog posts.

Newstex: What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your work on your blog?

Esther J. Cepeda: I’ve been on TV, on the radio, featured in magazine and newspaper articles, had my columns reprinted and re-posted across the country, been offered speaking engagements and had publishers express interest in me writing a book.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

Esther J. Cepeda: My inspiration comes from the satisfaction I get when I tell a person’s story, or throw light on an otherwise ignored subject, and the subject subsequently gets the attention it deserves in the mainstream media.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

Esther J. Cepeda: I love Chicago’s “Beachwood Reporter” because of the biting media analysis the editor Steve Rhodes delivers daily.

I love “Taking a Second Look” by Jack Spatafora because of the homespun, folksy observations.

And I love “Back Garage” (“a virtual museum dedicated to all things beautiful on a budget”) because of the gorgeously curated garage sale finds.

Newstex: What effects do you think blogging will have on traditional media?  How about on your industry?

Esther J. Cepeda: Blogging has already changed traditional media by forcing reporters to write in more engaging and reader-centric styles, and to be accountable to readers by providing them with a forum to react to their stories.

Blogs will continue to change media by raising the bar on content written by true experts in their fields, rather than content provided by someone whose professional training is in the reporting of information. This is not to say that the solid foundation of journalism is not a requirement of good news, but we are entering an era of authors who bring authentic expertise to their content.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why?

Esther J. Cepeda: I decided to syndicate “600 Words” with Newstex immediately after launch because it was important to me that my content be vetted and that I could differentiate my work as professional journalism. I also wanted to ensure that my work could be indexed to news databases and also distributed to news websites across the country.

I feel the Newstex credential has really given me a stamp of approval as a trusted news source to those who might not have known me from my previous work at the Chicago Sun-Times.

Newstex: What’s next for you and your blog?

Esther J. Cepeda: In the next year I’d like to see “600 Words” be featured in more print publications. On-line, I’d like to add more audio and video features to the content. Off-line, I’d love for a book deal to come through. No matter what, I’m going to continue bringing passion and fun to all I do.

Esther J. Cepeda’s Bio:

With a diverse background in journalism, education, and marketing Esther J. Cepeda is one of Chicago’s most prominent and thought-provoking media personalities, as well as an esteemed public figure within the Hispanic community. After joining the Chicago Sun-Times in 2006, Ms. Cepeda became Chicago’s first Latino metro columnist where she covered news, politics and sports. Prior to this, she reported on political and social issues at a local and national level, for various Illinois newspapers and magazines across the country. Currently serving as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Cepeda writes the ‘600 Words’ column (www.600words.com), which is distributed nationally through NewsTex, a news content provider, and syndicated on HuffingtonPost.com, as well as translated and posted on the “Migrantes” blog of El Universal, Mexico’s national newspaper. Ms. Cepeda has been a frequent radio and television contributor on local and national outlets including Fox News Channel, The O’Reilly Factor, CNN Headline News, Chicago Public Radio, the nationally syndicated Jerry Doyle Show, Chicago Tonight, Telemundo and has been published as a guest op-ed columnist in newspapers across the country, including the Sacramento Bee, the Orlando Sentinel and the Chicago Tribune.