The Virginia GOP Caucus has had a blog pop up recently that attempts to promote the Virginia House Republican Caucus and hold Democrats accountable in ways that Dems have been targeting the VA GOP for a while now: video, insider thoughts and the like. Waldo Jaquith has taken them to task for it, branding it as rendering their previous stance as “bullshit”. While I don’t agree with Waldo assessment, I do see problems with what the VA GOP Caucus is doing and offer the following advice:
1) Actually pay for a blog: While “This blog is paid for and authorized by the Virginia House Republican Caucus” might sound neat, you’re using a Blogpress blog, for cripes sake. Cheap hosting is available everywhere you look. I recommend MJZHosting with plans starting under $19 a year. This will give you a bit more flexibility in what you can do with your site like…
2) Use WordPress or another content management system that actually allows you to log who’s commenting on your site. IPs are very important to keep yourself from being harassed and allowing you to…
3) Limit anonymous commenters: If you’re the official blog of anything you need to provide yourself a bit of a shield. By either banning or simply limiting anonymous commenters by tracking IPs, you grant yourself a greater level of control over your very own soapbox. Because that’s what this blog is, YOUR soapbox. Don’t let it get hijacked by others.
4) Fully utilize and understand blogging: Just tossing up a blog and posting once in a while isn’t going to cut it. If you’re not going to engage your commenters, why allow comments? Also, you have to…
5) Use the site to inform or update people as to the happenings of the GOP Caucus: Don’t make it a one note blog. Hitting at the Dem Caucus is all well and good, but try and do a bit more cheerleading for the GOP side or a bit more informing the public as to what’s going on.
6) Transparency is key: Who’s blogging? If it’s a legislative assistant, that’s fine, but if you’re going to have Delegates blog once in a while (which they should), you should have their name on it. And have a means for people to e-mail you because folks might want to say something or ask a question or just reach you to say hello and spam ya. And last but not least…
7) Use the Republican blogosphere: Announcing things once in a while is all well and good. But if you’re not going to link to other blogs or let others know what’s happening, who really cares? There’s a big ol’ Republican Virginia blogosphere out here waiting to be engaged and offering some great insights that you can push around. There are also plenty of brains to pick as to how to really use that blog to its fullest.
Just a few thoughts from a guy who’s been doing this for a while.
