Time for another interview in the Newstex Publisher 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 Robert Farley who writes about politics and culture on Lawyers, Guns, and Money with several of his friends and former classmates from University of Washington. Watch the video interview below to learn more about Lawyers, Guns, and Money and what makes it unique and authoritative.

Visit the Newstex YouTube Channel to watch more videos in the Newstex Publisher in the Spotlight Video Series. Be sure to check out the Newstex Publisher in the Spotlight Playlist, and keep your eyes open for new video interviews coming soon!

Time for another Publisher in the Spotlight interview! Publisher in the Spotlight is a 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 Lorier of Californiality.

Mark Lorier is known as The California Blogger and has lived in the Golden State for more than forty years. He is the publisher of Californiality.com, a popular blog about California culture, society, business and politics.

Mark has vast experience in strategic, behind-the-scenes roles in publishing, entertainment, television, radio, public service, politics, religion, government and law, and he is a trusted counselor to influential leaders in several nations.

As a young child, Mark accompanied his parents on civil rights marches in the South with Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Jesse Jackson.  During his childhood in California, Mark and his parents were the guests of Rev. Jesse Jackson at Wattstax, the 1972 Los Angeles black music festival. Mark met Cesar Chavez, Governor Ronald Reagan and Governor Jerry Brown during his youth which inspired him to stay informed and involved in public issues throughout life.

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

Mark Lorier: After helping many bloggers build, launch and optimize their blogs, influential colleagues urged me to start my own.  As a longtime writer, I found it challenging to decide on one primary niche.  Eventually, I narrowed my choices down to two; International Relations or California.  What made me decide to become the California Blogger was my own reaction to public California-bashing by profiteering corporate media outlets.

Newstex: What makes your blog unique?

Mark Lorier: Californiality is a mix of California politics, music, news, spiritual perspective, humor and outspoken editorials; a difficult balancing act.  The blog provokes many to emotion, thought and action.  The blog was extremely influential in the most recent California governor’s race and is already starting to dominate the next race.

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

Mark Lorier: All Californiality content is 100-percent original and fearless, and Newstex syndication brings readers who are leaders of corporations, universities and government agencies to the blog.  Like in the game of bowling, there is really no need to strike every pin; the kingpin can strategically touch all others for you.  Newstex gives my blog leverage by marketing my blog’s content to powerful decision makers who, in turn, circulate my content among their colleagues.

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

Mark Lorier: First, write what you know and become an authority.  Next, devote a lot of time and attention to writing original content for humans and search engine robots.  Finally, make sure your blog features stuff that personally turns you on, otherwise you will get bored and
burn-out.  Careful research and planning can create the perfect blog.

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

Mark Lorier: I have received several speaking invitations before political groups, unforgettable media interviews, and invitations to spectacular events which I never would have attended otherwise.  I have personally met thousands of great people through publishing Californiality.  Many of my most memorable invitations came from organizations who read my content via Newstex syndication.

Newstex: What inspires you to keep blogging?

Mark Lorier: Informing the public, having influence in the minds of leaders, and communicating my thoughts and feelings are things that make me feel alive and effective.  A partnership with a great syndication company like Newstex ensures that a blogger’s passionate perspective
reaches an audience of intelligent readers of quality.

Newstex: What are your favorite blogs and why?

Mark Lorier: Any blog which dares to put a fearlessly honest perspective into the blogosphere is a favorite of mine.

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

Mark Lorier: Blogging is all about constantly updated content.  Traditional media has infamously lagged behind new media.  I appreciate traditional media giants like The New York Times linking to my authoritative content, but there’s the point — bloggers can beat the Big Boys to
publication.  Conventional media outlets are forced to hire bloggers to make a profit today.

Newstex: At what point did you decide to syndicate your blog with Newstex and why? What are the benefits for you and your blog?

Mark Lorier: When I originally considered syndication contracts, I discovered something important.  While the other two “major” syndication companies continue with their declining business model, Newstex seeks out original, authoritative content from New Media sources more
aggressively than the others.  As a serious blogger, I prefer to ride a tide which is rising.  Newstex President Larry Schwartz is a timely business leader.

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

Mark Lorier: Since the recent Huffington Post purchase by AOL, Californiality is being approached with offers from companies wanting to acquire the California blog, with some wanting to influence the 2014 California Election.  The Newstex contract has been acknowledged as an asset of the blog.  I’m not sure I want to let go of an internet property which has earned some prominence, but I am definitely interested in renewing my Newstex syndication contract.

Time for another interview in the Newstex Publisher 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 Alfred Poor who writes about technology, specifically HDTVs, at HDTV Almanac. Watch the video interview below to learn more about Alfred’s blog and what makes it unique and authoritative.

Visit the Newstex YouTube Channel to watch more videos in the Newstex Publisher in the Spotlight Video Series. Be sure to check out the Newstex Publisher in the Spotlight Playlist, and keep your eyes open for new video interviews coming soon!

Welcome to the first video interview of 2011 in the Newstex Publisher 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 Braden Kelley who writes about business and marketing innovation at Blogging Innovation.  Watch the video interview below to learn more about Braden’s blog and what makes it unique and authoritative.

Visit the Newstex YouTube Channel to watch more videos in the Newstex Publisher in the Spotlight Video Series.  Be sure to check out the Newstex Publisher in the Spotlight Playlist, and keep your eyes open for new video interviews coming soon!

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!

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.