The blogosphere is by its very nature a truly global phenomenon. Anyone with an Internet connection can, in theory, access your blog, no matter where they are in the world. But that doesn’t mean they will. To blog for an international audience, you need to make sure your content is appealing and accessible across cultural and linguistic divides.

Target your blog

Christian Arno

On the day The Huffington Post launched its French edition, founder Arianna Huffington said, “While we will be importing the platform, technology, and tools from across the pond, Le Huffington Post will be rooted in French culture and will reflect France’s own unique personality, rich culture, and diversity of voices.”

As with the preceding Canadian and UK versions, the news giant has tailored its French content to appeal to a specific international audience. We can’t all have the resources of Technorati’s current top-rated blog, but we can focus our efforts on markets that are likely to pay dividends.

The exact nature of your blog will help determine where you should start. A blog about soccer will have a wide potential appeal throughout much of the world but may have a more select, niche appeal within the USA. Concentrating on the Major Soccer League (MSL) could help reach that niche audience while in-depth coverage of leagues based in South America or Europe could give you inroads into those markets.

Beppe Grille has proved that a relatively narrow topic does not necessarily rule out an international audience. The Italian activist blogs largely about politics in his homeland but his blog – available in Italian, English and Japanese – has gained a huge international following.

Use simple words

Unless you’re writing a blog on the joys of circumlocution (that’s general wordiness for the non-enthusiasts) it’s a good rule of thumb to keep the language relatively simple and accessible. This is even more important if you’re aiming for an international audience. English is still the single most widely used language online according to Internet World Stats. An English-only blog may attract a limited number of foreign visitors. But if they speak English as a second language, simple words and structures will make things easier to follow.

While English is the most widely used language on the ‘net, it still represents only around a quarter of total usage. To successfully cross over to international audiences you will also need to translate your blog. Using simple language in your original posts will help make this easier.

Consider your translation options

Once you’ve decided which markets to target, you need to decide how to translate your blog There are many automatic translation programs available that offer a quick, free solution. The drawback is that even the best machine translation is prone to contextual errors. They don’t deal well with slang, abbreviations, acronyms and other cultural and linguistic variations. All this can leave parts of your blog looking stilted and amateurish or may even change the meaning entirely.

Enlisting the help of native speaking translators is a better option by far. This will help ensure an accurate translation, retain meaning and nuance and avoid any embarrassing cultural faux pas. Of course, it is more expensive, so you’ll want to choose your languages carefully. You could test the water by translating some of your best posts into a few selected languages. If you find you’re attracting interest, you can go ahead and translate more.

When to post a blog

The best time to update your content is in the morning. This can give your blog an up-to-date feel but can also present a problem when crossing international boundaries and time zones. It makes sense to stagger the times when you publish your international content. Make a schedule based on the relevant time zones and publish your content as the sun comes up all around the globe.

Make use of social media

Social media is an ideal platform for promoting your blog. All the big hitters like Facebook and Twitter have international audiences and settings but it’s worth remembering that local competitors can be every bit as important within their own spheres of influence.

The home-grown Mixi is a massively popular social network in Japan for example, while Russian-based Vkontakte (commonly known as VK) claims to be the largest European social network with more than 100 million active users. In addition, there may be local specialist sites, forums and social networks that are worth checking out depending on the theme of your blog.

Create separate (but linked) profiles on all the relevant social networks. Keep them up to date and be proactive. Don’t just put links to your blog and hope for the best; write guest posts, leave comments and join in the online conversation.

Taking your blog to an international audience can be a lot of time and forward planning. Given the huge potential audiences you can reach, it can be worth every bit of effort you put in in building new relationships and driving potential business.

Christian Arno is the founder of US translation agency Lingo24. Launched in 2001, Lingo24 now has over 170 employees spanning three continents and clients in over sixty countries. In the past twelve months, they have translated over forty million words for businesses in every industry sector, including the likes of MTV and World Bank. Follow Lingo24 on Twitter: @Lingo24.

I decided to ask designer and blogging buddy, Dennis Salvatier, this question — having worked with many designers over the years. Here is our conversation.

Jeannette: I’ve worked with many graphic designers over the years. These are designers whose work I’ve really admired. Strangely, though, when working on a project, some designers do not seem to grasp that the objective of the work is usually to sell a product or service. Sometimes, they fall in love with a design and try to sell it to the client even if doesn’t work.

By the way, I love my company logo design and masthead. A designer with whom I’ve worked on other projects created it. And I love your work, Dennis. But why is there this disconnect between design studios and their clients?

Dennis being playful

Dennis: Thanks, Jeannette. The biggest problem with the client/designer relationship is that there is rarely a conversation about the relationship itself. Roles need to be defined before any work is done and that is the responsibility of the designer.

A good designer starts the conversation, but a great designer provides a design brief. This is a short questionnaire that includes questions about the brand, competitors, target market, budget and goals.

Because many people devalue the work of a designer (due to the common misconception that all we do is push buttons on a computer) it’s important for the designer to provide a “terms and agreement” contract that states the designer’s role, the work being done, target date for completion, payment schedule and all the deliverables owed to the client.

These actions show the client that the designer is running a business and is not just a hired hand. He or she brings value to their investment by providing knowledge, skill and consultation. It’s the job of the client to recognize this and respect the terms.

Setting up the relationship in this way would avoid common problems like the client wanting to bypass the designer’s advice and instead wants it done their way, or better yet, consults their spouse because they’re an “expert in design.”

If you hired a designer why the hell do you want to do their job? A designer’s task is to design an effective communication piece based on a brand strategy, not the client’s personal preferences or own personal glory. That’s where the headaches begin.

Dennis' restaurant logo

Jeannette:  This is sound advice. I agree the roles need to be defined. But despite having defined the client/designer relationship, there can be grounds for legitimate disagreement. This is where things can get a little hairy. No offense, but a designer can make the greatest case in the world for a particular design — how it supports the brand, target market, competitors, etc. — but the client doesn’t agree.

Let’s face it. Even designers have their personal biases. The client may feel the design is too “consumer-y” if he works for a B2B company, or — this is going to kill you — he doesn’t believe the colors represent the brand and sincerely believes it. Does the designer fight the client for his design or the colors in the true belief they will work best? How have you handled this kind of issue?

Dennis: The creative process is never without discussion or disagreement. Most clients can’t cut the umbilical cord from their idea. It’s their baby. I get it. But do you want the best for your baby or to instill your ideals and preferences on it?

The way I look at it, you’re paying me to provide a service. My job is to do my job at the best of my ability, keeping your brand’s goals as my priority. I should know, based on the brief, who this is targeted to: B2B or consumers. If my work is hitting the mark and the client still disagrees with me, he or she can call me biased or anything else they like, but I remind the client of the goal and ask why she’s changed her mind.

This happened to me very recently actually, and when I asked that question the client answered, “Well, I was thinking of something different.”

At that point, I asked her if she would like for me to stop providing advice and simply design, based on her preferences, which I would be happy to do. I don’t need to fight clients who are already fighting themselves. I get paid either way.

What I do in those instances is never show that work on my website. All fighting the client does is give him a chance to badmouth me to his network. I’d rather they be happy with work I will never claim and get more referral business.

But I turn the question back to you, Jeannette. You’ve been on both sides of the fence – creatively and as the client. What do you tell the designer when he explains his reasoning for your design and you still don’t like it? Could it be possible that you simply want your way?

Jeannette: That’s a perfectly legitimate question, Dennis. And I do think that a lot of clients have a “God Complex.” They think they know everything and they will make a change simply to show who is boss. I’ve sat on both sides of the table — as a client and a consultant and seen it. (I hope I never did it).

I agree that if the client insists then you have to follow the Golden Rule: “He that has the gold makes the rules.” But it doesn’t serve the client well, as you point out.

Dennis' snowboard design

Not too long ago I was asked to create new copy for a website. Based on our discussion, I submitted a Creative Platform — similar to your questionnaire. We agreed on their brand positioning and I investigated the key words to use. It turns out they wanted to create a new title for the person who manages electronic records in physician offices because they were offering training for that position.

Only problem is no one used that title. No one. Not one search. I couldn’t convince them that they didn’t exist if no one could find them. But they insisted. You know the rest of the story.

So I guess we’re in agreement that the final decision is the client’s. But it still begs the question — how can client and designer meet on some common ground? What are your thoughts on the role of personal chemistry?

Dennis: I think finding common ground, when there’s a difference of opinion, comes down to respect; respect for the designer and their work, and respect for the client as the representative of the brand or company.

I’ve found that my favorite clients to work for are the ones who respect and trust me. They understand that I want to do great work for them, but also know that the work represents me and I would never give them something I wasn’t proud of.

The creative process is all about communication, and my favorite clients are the ones that constantly keep me in the loop and give me a heads up when things on their end will affect our work together. For example, I have a term in my contract that states that if I do not hear back from you within three business days, I have the right to terminate the project and keep the deposit.

Seems harsh, right? Well, I’ve had past clients who went off the radar for months without explanation and kept me from taking on new business because I was still taking care of theirs. When they reappeared after a long time, they demanded the work be completed immediately with a complete disregard of my current clients. It’s not fair to leave a designer hanging when earning their fee depends on your feedback and approval, so I had to include that clause to avoid these problems.

Luckily, I have some really considerate clients who call me when something comes up like a vacation, emergency or any other reason that prevents them from moving forward at that moment. They notify me and I make arrangements with them. If there isn’t honest communication between both parties, there will be problems. Wouldn’t you agree?

Jeannette:  I think the operative words here are “respect” and “trust.” There has to be mutual respect and trust that the designer will do his best work, within the goals of a campaign. In turn, the designer needs to respect that the client is constantly adding new information based on the dynamics of his company’s business.

In the agency business there is a saying, “We have to know the client’s business as well as he does.” That’s impossible. You can hang up the phone with the designer, and five minutes later the client could learn about some new development that will impact a campaign and its design.

Volkswagen Think Small Ad

There needs to be what I call a constant “communication loop,” circling the designer and client. If there is a breakdown in that loop then things will start going wrong. I’m glad that you see it in the same way. I think we’re beginning to get somewhere! One last question: how should designers and copywriters work together? What makes for a successful, collaborative relationship?

Dennis: Agree that things can change, but for the most part, the client should be prepared with copy and any special images for the designer to begin working. Copy can change, and it will, but it’s necessary to have something semi-finalized in order for the designer to create a layout that can be worked with.

But to answer your last question, I think copywriters and designers have the same goal: a successful and clear message. Of course, egos can get in the way, but it’s very important to have a brainstorming session where both sides can be heard and a partnership can be created. Idea after idea will be thrown around and some will be good and some will be awful, but a successful collaboration will start with (again) respect and working together.

Back in the 60′s, Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) was the first ad agency that realized that designers and copywriters needed to be in one creative department. The result was more finely tuned work. Their “Think Small” campaign for Volkswagen single-handedly cemented that brand into the American consciousness, and it’s all due to designers and copywriters working together. Mad Men on AMC is a great example of this kind of teamwork.

Jeannette: Final word — as a writer I’ve often deferred to the designer to create the basic concept and layout first. I know it’s sort of chicken and egg — which comes first. But, as you say, if the designer and writer are in the same room, depending on the campaign’s objective, they may decide that the website, ad or brochure should be copy heavy or design heavy.

Referring to your (DDB) example, you may recall that the “Think Small” campaign featured an image of a Volkswagen with barely any copy. The design and image were key. On the other hand, John Caples’ iconic ad “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano, but When I Started To Play!” definitively showed that consumers will read very long copy if it’s compelling and they are interested in the subject.

John Caples' iconic long-copy ad

We’ve covered a lot of ground here, Dennis. But I think we’ve both answered my question of how to solve the problem of any disconnect between designer and client. The relationship must be built on respect and trust. Why is that not surprising?!

Dennis Salvatier is an award winning graphic designer and illustrator for Salvatier Studios, an independent creative services studio that specializes in brand identity design and illustration in Los Angeles, CA. In his spare time he blogs, illustrates, collects comic books and spends time with his wife.

A few posts ago I wrote about an infographic from copyblogger that listed 20 ways to find inspiration for your next blog post when you don’t have a clue what to write. I don’t ordinarily publish a blog late on a Saturday night. But I’d like to add a 21st idea that I’ll reveal momentarily.

The weather has been gorgeous in New York and those of us who live here have heaved a sigh of relief that we had such a mild winter compared to last year’s piles of snow and freezing temperatures. I took a long walk and when I entered my apartment lobby I was enchanted by the vase of flowers — they are changed every week. I took out my iPhone and snapped a photo. Of course, if I lived in the ‘burbs the image would be of a flower bed in my back yard. But this bouquet is inspiration enough for me.

So tip number 21: blog about something that makes you happy.

If you’re a blogger then you probably know about Brian Clark, founder of the popular copyblogger blog.

Brian Clark

He’s also a successful entrepreneuer, creator of two WordPress themes, and Scribe, the SEO plugin. He also gives courses on internet marketing. He’s no doubt raking in megabucks. Good for him.

He just posted his first infographic and kindly gave his readers the code to embed. It’s called “22 ways to create compelling content.” You can see it when you scroll down this post.

Rising Star Danny Iny

He based the infographic on a post that Danny Iny wrote for copyblogger. I’ve watched Danny over the past year and his meteoric rise in the social media space — have you noticed his blog posts are everywhere?

He’s written a book, which I reviewed, and he wrote a post for Write Speak Sell. He kindly reciprocated and I wrote a post for his blog Firepole Marketing: Are you engaging brand advocates to market your business.” Danny never seems to be at a loss for something to write about.

You can read through the infographic for his tips on how to get the inspiration for your next post. But it may be easier to read in narrative form. It first appeared as a post on copyblogger: 21 ways to create compelling content when you don’t have a clue (Brian Clark added #22 which is recyle your old posts into something new).

How do you become inspired to write new posts? Let me know in the comments box and happy blogging!

Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.

Related articles

• 8 Simple Ways To Skyrocket Your Blog Traffic (probloggingsuccess.com)

With everyone’s email box overflowing, how do you get someone’s attention to read yours? Baydin, the company that helps you manage your email inbox, analyzed five million emails and discovered the subject lines that got the most responses and those that did not. I read about this in Tech Journal and you can visit the site to see the complete infographic with all the information that Baydin collected.

But I was most interested in the best words to use in email titles — and the ones to avoid. Five million emails seem like a pretty definitive sample to me. I’ve copied the part of the infographic with the best and worst words. Best words: apply, opportunity, demo, connect, payments, conference, cancellation. Worst words: confirm, join, assistance, speaker, press, social, invite.

Funny about the word “invite.” I tend to read those emails. You know, the opportunity for free food and drinks. But maybe that’s only me.

They will write blogs, not term papers

The words “term paper” strike fear into the hearts of students, followed closely by “essay.”  I remember those dark days of burning the candle to finish a term paper in college. It usually wasn’t fun if you had been assigned a specific topic.

I was lucky that my English professor, Dr. Edward Chalfant, didn’t require term papers, but simply asked us to write what we felt about an American novel or a Shakespearean play.

He was ahead of his time and foretold the coming of the blog, an informal style of writing that can enable a more personal connection between students and professors and between companies and customers in the business world.

Blogging for Grades

The New York Times weighed in on this topic recently, quoting educators who advocate trashing the old-fashioned term paper and those who still preach that students need the discipline of the format: make a point, defend it, repeat it.

Championing the blog as a legitimate and more modern style of writing is Cathy N. Davidson, an English professor at Duke, who has written extensively about learning in the digital age. She wants to replace the term paper with the blog and says, “This mechanistic writing is a real disincentive to creative but untrained writers.”

Instead of term papers, she assigns her students to publish 500-1,500 word entries on an internal class blog as essays for public consumption. Many professors at other institutions are following her lead

The New Way of Writing

There is no doubt that writing has become informal with the advent of the Internet and social media. But don’t blame the Internet for everything. The trend towards a more conversational style started long ago when television entered almost every home. We’ve become accustomed to receiving information in “sound bites.”

Let’s face it: we want to be entertained. Fox News leads the audience ratings because the network understands this new paradigm.

Training students to write term papers and dissertations that no one will ever read again is not training students for the workplace. Yes, students must learn the basic rules of grammar. People won’t read poorly written blog posts just as professors will downgrade poorly written essays.

Out With the Old, In With the New

But the format for writing has changed:

Old

• Make a point
• Defend it
• Repeat it
• Summarize

New

• Grab attention
• Make your point
• Support with evidence
• Persuade to your point of view
• Call to action

Communication Preferences

Students who enter the workforce will soon learn the rules. How do their managers want to receive information: verbally, by email, in a written document? They sure don’t want something that reads like a term paper.

The most important element to any communication – written or verbal – is the call to action.

During our entire work lives we will be required to persuade others to our points of view. That’s how we assume more responsibility and authority. It isn’t good if no one pays attention to you.

George H. W. Bush famously insisted that his staff prepare one-page summaries on important issues. The President had the power to start conflicts, appoint Supreme Court Justices and approve or veto legislation. Yet, he wanted his information in short takes and felt that was enough to make a decision.

Blogging is the New Term Paper

Kudos to those professors who understand that the way we communicate has changed forever. Holding onto to old communications vehicles – like the term paper – is self-defeating. Worse, it doesn’t prepare students for the real world.

I was in a new business meeting the other day and suggested that starting a company blog had the potential to increase visitors to the company’s website. We all know (don’t we?) that Google rewards dynamic content so posting regularly will eventually boost your rankings.

Why Blogs are Abandoned

The designer I was with said “Oh, no” that won’t work. I couldn’t blame him. He had designed websites and blogs for a number of clients and within a short time the blogs had been abandoned.

It’s a commitment to write a weekly or twice-weekly blog. Who will write the blog – someone inside the company or will we outsource it? What will we write about? Where will our ideas come from?

These are legitimate questions, but I believe it is a lack of will and commitment from top management that is behind the failures.There isn’t a plan in place to keep the blog going and building momentum.

Tips for Bloggers

So, if you, or your company, have abandoned your blog here are some steps to take:

• Make a commitment. Decide that you want to increase traffic to your website by x% within six months, or whatever benchmark you want to establish. A blog will help you do that. Static websites don’t cut it.
• Choose categories, or “buckets” of stories. Suppose you’re an accounting firm. You could decide to write about how to finance your retirement, tips for cutting taxes, and estate planning. Over time you could add more buckets.
• Assign responsibilities. Like any other marketing activity, you’ve got to allocate the necessary human and financial resources. Identify content experts in the company as sources for information the writer will need. Think carefully about assigning revenue-producing employees to write. They will usually find an excuse not to do it – I have a client calling, or I need to go to a new business pitch, etc. Better that they supply the writer with the facts she needs. Let accountants be accountants. Let writers be writers.
• Build an inventory of posts. Set a launch date for your blog and then prepare a schedule of posts for the first three months. Write your launch post and at least four other posts from different categories before you begin publishing. The first day, have a launch post that introduces your blog and why you are writing it. At the same time, publish the first four (or more) posts. Why? Because a single post will look like an orphan all by itself. The posts will contain great content and encourage readers to subscribe.
• Offer an incentive. Give readers a reason to subscribe, such as a special report, or something free that would otherwise cost them.
• Solicit guest posts. Ask clients and other experts to write guest posts. You will get backlinks to their sites (another SEO boost) and provide your readers with differing points of view.
• Post to social networks. Now that you have a blog you can automatically distribute new posts to social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+. You will be reaching new audiences who may visit your website and decide you’re a company they would like to do business with.
• Repurpose the content. Turn your blog posts into articles, slide shows and electronic brochures. You will be leveraging your investment and distributing your content through other communications channels.

Beat the Competition

It’s true that many companies have abandoned their blogs. Shame on them. They are missing out on a great opportunity to establish the company’s authority on topics of interest to clients and prospects.

Most people still get their information about a company from its website. Your blog will serve as a sort of Pied Piper, luring in readers searching for valuable information to improve themselves and their businesses.

Why not have them come to you and not a competitor?

Related articles

• The benefits of business blogging: Part 1 (marketing.yell.com)
• 12 Business Blogging Shortcuts for Time-Crunched Marketers (hubspot.com)

Have you noticed that infographics have become the rage?

According to that trusty source, Wikipedia, information graphics, or infographics, are graphic visual representations of information…that present complex information quickly and clearly.”

A lot of infographics are useful, like this Washington, D.C., subway map that helps you to figure out the correct train to reach your destination.

Source: Wikipedia

But I’ve become bleary-eyed trying to figure out most infographics. Arrows and winding paths through mounds of graphic designs leave me dizzy and confused. I get lost in the maze of information most of the time.

Entire websites are devoted to them. I’d love someone to help me figure this one out.  It’s only one small piece of a diagram about the use of social media by airline passengers:

Source: Cool Infographics

Or this one that diagrams money wasters:

Source: Killer Infographics

What happened to narrative and bullet points? Death by PowerPoint is looking good.

Do you think these infographics clarify or mystify the information presented and do you have a favorite infographic? Thanks for your help

[tweetmeme]I subscribe to quite a few blogs, including social media experts such as Darren Rouse at ProBlogger and Michael Steltzner at Social Media Examiner. Or, I’ll stumble on a website when I’m doing a Google search. If I have something I’d like to add to the discussion I leave a comment. The problem is — I often can’t easily locate where to do that. So, please make it easier for me to comment.

Image via Wikipedia

Most blogs enable you to scroll to the bottom where there is a box for comments. But there may be dozens of comments before yours — your scroll wheel gets a real workout and I, and others, may lose interest before getting there. I just copied this from a popular site –

Showing 98 comments

Ugh! I guess I should ask myself why would I want to comment there, anyway.

As a result of this informal research, I added “Leave a comment” right next to my byline at the top of my post. So if someone is so inclined, s/he can click and leave a comment without scrolling down. Or, there is still the comment box at the end of the post. Two easy choices.

What ARE Those Letters?

Also, is it necessary to make people type in a jumble of letters to prove you’re a real human being and not a robot? Captcha is the biggest pain in the neck. Sometimes I have to go through the process two or three times before I can actually read the darn letters. That might discourage a lot of people from submitting their comments. I don’t use Captcha and I rarely have spammers – my spam filter seems to be doing a good job.

Anyway, enough griping. I need time to go leave some comments.

[tweetmeme]As you know, if you’re a subscriber or frequent visitor, I’m passionate about blogging. I believe a blog can be the centerpiece of a company’s social media strategy.

But writing a blog post is different from writing, say, an ad or product flyer. A blog is an informal conversation with your readers. You’ve got to put your personality into a blog. Visitors want to know what you stand for and your honest opinions about things – both good and bad.

Stick Your Neck Out

When writing a blog, stick your neck out

You’ve got to stick your neck out a little and risk offending. You don’t want to be hurtful, but as an example, in my post about Home Depot, I wanted the company to know that the needs of Manhattan residents without cars are different from folks who live in the ‘burbs with big minivans to haul things away from the store. I guess they’ll never hire me to write a blog for them, but that’s the chance I took.

In social media, you hear the term “authenticity” all the time. You’ve got to be authentic in everything you write and every connection you make. There’s just too much information out there about you to get away with half-truths or exaggerations.

Informal Rules of the Road

So what would a blog post be without a list? Here’s mine about writing a blog:

1. Be authentic. Say what you mean and mean what you say. You’re building relationships and you want them to last.

 

2. Write in the first person. Remember when you were a kid, your parents taught you that humility is a virtue and don’t use the “I” word too often. In journalism school, you were taught to write objectivity. Leave yourself out of it. Blogging turns that rule on its head. Whether editorializing is correct in a news organization’s reporting is a story for another post.

 

3. Respect your readers. Don’t talk down to them. Try to understand and respond to their information needs. Ask for their feedback. You’ll learn a lot that way.

 

4. Respond to comments. If someone is nice enough to comment, send a thank-you note either via a reply in the post, or with a quick email.

 

5. Don’t stuff your post with key words. You want readers to find your posts – if no one reads a story, does it exist? So naturally you use key words to attract visitors. But if you’re writing about social media, don’t use the term in every sentence. That’s called keyword stuffing and readers are smart enough to know it and tune you out – maybe forever.
6. Make it readable.  Break up copy into short takes with headlines. Make it easy for your readers to get through your copy. I read a ton of blogs and when I get to a site and all I see are long paragraphs of dense, small type with no sub-heads, bold face or graphics, I don’t stay long.

 

7. Write with emotion. This may sound strange. But really enjoy what you’re writing about. Put yourself into it with gusto. Laugh a little if you’re writing a post primarily to entertain. Feel the pain if you’re writing about a serious subject like the misery of the people displaced by the tsunami in Japan. It’s called empathy and your readers will embrace you for it.

 

Thanks for visiting. I really appreciate it.