Twitter Chat with @RuudHein on High-Profile Blog Management #VCBuzz

twchat-ruudThis week we have one of my oldest friends to welcome at #VCBuzz, welcome @RuudHein!

**To join the Twitter chat please sign in here -> Twchat.com/hashtag/vcbuzz

About Ruud

@RuudHein is editor for Search Engine People blog. With over a decade of web building experience, including building web properties such as a Newsweek-acclaimed positive news site, Ruud Hein grew into the role of SEO consultant naturally.

As editor-in-chief he oversees the publication of Canada’s largest and most prominent SEO blog.

You can also check Ruud’s blog here and circle him at Google Plus.

Questions we discussed

Q1 [Something we usually ask everyone] How did you get into SEO?

I setup a family site in 1998 when I had moved to Canada & my wife was pregnant. The site was to share with family and with parents. Soon I wanted traffic, but how? I learned about keywords. That worked like magic. What else could I do? I ended up @Cre8asiteforums. Learned tons, became moderator; not long after I was contracted by @senginepeople

I’ve been there 10+ years now. Love the work and the company morale is solid. Incidentally: @jquipp & I have never met.

Q2 Your social media streams always stand out with some rare original videos, pictures and news. Where do you get your inspiration?

I post what I like. These days I share the very things that interest *me*. Before I filtered for work links only… Everything I (want to) read goes through @Pocket. Google+, @Feedly, and my brother are my main sources. I then file things in Evernote & star what I want to share. I use @FriendsPlusMe to post to other networks.

PS: solid recommendation for @FriendsPlusMe. It’s *THE* social media tool of the year for me!

PPS: I also post less to social media. I post manually so I need to have time myself + want to add value, not noise

Q3 Please describe your @senginepeople blog management routine. How much time does it take? What does it involve?

We work with 8-12 weeks publication cycles. I’ve task for each week in @nozbe. I move through Notify, Confirm, Reminder, Post In. Reminding/follow-up is *the* most important task… Editing, linking, prettifying, & scheduling are next. I do that in batches. I handpick writers & invite them to post. If it works, I ask them to become regular contributors. Ongoing process: upcoming marketers & writers get good authority building this way and are established in 1-2 years.

Q4 There’s no perfect way to tell the blog contributor his/her blog post is no good… What’s your way?

For unrequested submissions: a standard “thanks but not for us” email template. GOOD writers will get back & ask why. Some of those become great posts & solid writers… <– and new careers (see Q3). The test is: is it actionable? What’s the “so what?” An opinion piece can be good yet still not for @senginepeople

Sometimes post doesn’t match audience, sometimes it’s bad; response is the same. Again, GOOD writers will want to know “why? What can I change?” Most ppl never write back

Our reader’s time/attention is very valuable. We HAVE to make their work easier, better, informed. If not, we failed.

Q5 Any favorite blog management tools and plugins you’d like to share?

Windows Live Writer, without a doubt. Desktop blogging tool by Microsoft: their best software… The visual Editorial Calendar helps tremendously. I also use Edit Flow but only the part to set custom post statuses (our custom workflow).

And Nozbe, as said. Or use Google Calendar + a spreadsheet.

Q6 If a contributor lets you down, how do you fill the gap in the editorial calendar? Any last-minute tips?

Contributors never let us down. It happens their life/work takes precedence: that is natural and the correct order posting at @senginepeople can be an extension of work but should never be *work*. I do my best to be 2 weeks ahead of schedule. If a post falls through it’s not today; it’s for 2-4 weeks later. Usually someone else submits in that time. Hardest periods are vacations + Christmas.

PS: MUCH thanks to our contributors + alumni. At times I call on them to help fill schedule gaps; they’re super kind.

Q7 As the one spending lots of time online, what’s your work-family balancing strategy?

Thanks to @jquipp’s tremendous support and @senginepeople’s amazing company spirit I get to work from home. I have clear hours but give back to the company when needed; *we* are @senginepeople. In my home office headphones keep me at work. Besides that, we’re a modern cozy family. Tech brings us closer. We iPad together, read ebooks in the same room, send each other funny stuff, etc.

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