Blawgers Discussion Issues

I’m helping to organize a roundtable discussion for blawgers (scheduled for March 28, 6-8pm at SCU–please email me if you’re interested in coming). This got me thinking about topics I’d like to explore with other blawgers. My list:

General

* why do you blog?

* who is your intended audience?

* what is your favorite/most memorable blogging experience?

* how did you get into blogging?

* who are your favorite bloggers?

* what would do with your blog if you had more time?

* how would you characterize your blog voice/style?

Blogging Mechanics

* how are you dealing with comment/referral spam?

* what do you do to promote your blog?

* what are you using as a stats package?

* any luck with tools like Feedburner or a service that converts blog posts into an email alert?

* what’s your philosophy for building/managing your blogroll?

* are there better ways to generate revenue than Google AdSense? Are you concerned about generating revenues from the blog?

* what are your experiences with podcasting and video?

* do you have any special tricks to sourcing content for your blog?

Risk Management

* are you getting any good business/referrals from the blog? How do you respond to requests for legal input from blog readers?

* how are you dealing with emails from litigants in the cases you blog about? (many of these emails want to relitigate the case via the blog)

* what are you doing to manage legal risk for comments, guest bloggers, joint bloggers? (recognizing that 47 USC 230 and other legal doctrines may limit liability here)

* what is your policy about taking down user comments? Accepting trackbacks?

* are you registering your copyrights? Should you? Have you registered as an OSP under 17 USC 512? Should you?

* how much research do you do before blogging on a topic? How much should you do?

* do you have insurance that covers your blogging? Does your malpractice insurance carrier care if you’re blogging?

Professional Responsibilities

* what are law firm policies about attorney blogging? How do clients feel about blogging? Has a blog post been cited against you?

* what are the rules for company employees blogging, and are the rules different for in-house counsel (and should they be?)?

* are you concerned that blawging will be regulated as legal marketing?

* what disclosures do you make about your allegiances? What disclosures should be made?

If you have any other thoughts of topics you’d like to discuss, please email me.