10 questions to consider before starting a group blog

Posted by Ben on August 19, 2009 | Permalink | Hits: 775 
Tags: group blog, multiple authors, working together, networking, leadership, writing style, communication

< 10 sites I no longer use - and why I stopped using them | Networking | 10 tips for transforming your blog into a community >

If you're looking to set up a group blog, there are a number of questions you need to consider before you get started. You need to be aware of how to hit the ground running, while also being prepared for the drawbacks. Here are 10 questions to go over before you begin.

(Today's image is by Bryan Bruchman.)

1. Why are you running a group blog?

This is a similar question to Why do you want to blog? Beyond that, why do you want to create a group blog rather than an individual blog? There are pros and cons with each approach - make sure you're clear on why you'd like to work with other bloggers. If your answer is "so other people can post for me" then perhaps you should be asking whether you have time to blog at all.

2. Will it always be a group blog or is it just to get started?

Some bloggers get very impatient when their blog doesn't take off immediately. These things take time. Posting frequently is suggested by many as a good option, but I'd say it's better not to post too frequently.

Will a group blog allow you to get a lot of posts up very early on, then you'll just run it on your own afterwards? Are the other members there to help you think up the ideas so you can work on your own in the long-term?

3. Will you use a new domain or an existing one?

You'll need to think of where to run the blog anyway, whether it's a group blog or not. If someone already has a domain, that might be one option - but not if the domain has their name attached to it. Don't run a group blog on a domain named after one group member - it makes it look like everyone else is just a guest poster.

4. Who is "in charge"?

From time to time, it may help to have someone who's responsible for the team as a whole. You're all in it together, but who's the best person to contact with queries? Who will deal with payments? Who will lead discussions or review other people's posts?

Some of these tasks can be split between the group, but you may find that it's good to have one member who "manages" the team - so long as they help people by keeping things organised, rather than going around telling them what to do.

5. Will everyone have something to do?

If most people write content, that's fine - but everyone needs to have a place in the team. If you have a large team of writers who each publish content fairly infrequently, it reduces the risk of relying on one or two people too heavily - but spreading things so thinly can lead to a lack of coherence from one team member to the next.

Don't hire more people than you need - start small, and build the team as the site grows. It'll be much easier to manage the team and their workload, keep on top of internal queries and requests, and identify any possible risks before they become serious issues.

6. Does everyone's writing style fit with the type of blog you want to run?

Have you read a range of example posts from each member of the team before signing them up? Each writer will have their own style and voice, but some writers just won't be suitable for your site. Make sure you know what each writer is capable of before you approach them for a position.

7. How many posts would you expect to publish in a typical week?

Posting frequency might seem less of an issue with more writers to publish posts, but it's even more of a reason to set up a consistent posting schedule. How much can each person commit to? Which days are best for them?

8. Will the site make any money?

Do you plan to make money from the site so you can pay for hosting bills and advertising? Are you planning to pay the writers? Be up front - you're unlikely to make money from day 1, but that's a good reason not to hire too many people at once. Hire as many as you can afford to pay if things take off.

9. How will you communicate with the team members?

Email? Forums? Instant messengers? Twitter? Chat rooms? Telephone/Skype? Face to face? Unless you're running a regional blog or you want to keep all the writers to a specific location, timezones can cause problems with having regular meetings. Forums are a good way to keep discussions organised and are my preferred method. I'd much prefer face to face meetings if everyone I knew online lived locally, though.

10. What will you do if half the team can't help out after the first few weeks or months?

This is a pretty crucial point to consider. Don't sweep it under the carpet - put it at the front of your mind and give it some serious thought. Ask the team members where they expect to be within the next few months. Try to reduce the risk of departures appearing out of the blue. Keep everyone in the loop, keep them motivated, keep them happy. Perhaps if someone has to leave, they might be able to recommend a replacement.

What do you think? Do you run a group blog? Have you considered setting one up? Is there anything else you'd add to this list?

Want to read more posts like this? Subscribe!

Comments on 10 questions to consider before starting a group blog

2

Ben | August 20, 2009 | 207 comments

With careful planning and organisation, group blogging doesn't need to be difficult, but it still requires plenty of time. If you're short on time, you may struggle to get it up and running. Do you think you have the time to run a group blog?