Today, Srinivas Rao, talks about the benefits he has enjoyed by interviewing bloggers for his own site, BlogCastFM. Want to write for us too?
One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is the minimal usage of multimedia content by bloggers. As the host and co-founder of BlogcastFM, a podcast for bloggers, it should come as no surprise that I’m a huge fan of doing audio interviews. I’ve benefited tremendously from conducting interviews and they are starting to feel like the gift that keeps on giving.
I feel like the industry is lacking in real quality, that I want to send a message to bloggers out there. I want you to really understand that interviews hold tremendous value in them, you just have to go out and actually do them.
After conducting so many interviews over time and improving my interviewing process, I like to think I have experienced the real benefits of them. I want to share with you six of the most important things I have discovered as a result of conducting interviews on my own blog.
1. Relationships
First and foremost, interviews a great way to expand your network. At the end of the day, relationships are going to play an integral role in the growth of your blog.
Interviews give you a great opportunity to connect with somebody and learn about them beyond their digital persona that you interact with. My business partner, Sid Savara made an interesting observation about the relationships interviews create:
People who might not normally respond to you are much more likely to talk to you and connect with you for an interview.
I’ve seen bloggers who have only been around for a month or two connect with people who are much more established by using an interview. We’re still human, even if we interact with each other primarily in the digital world. We have a need to connect and tell our stories.
2. Collaboration
Interviews provide you with a great opportunity to collaborate with bloggers on other potential projects. Do you want to know how I know this? The podcast I am currently involved in is a byproduct of me interviewing my business partner.
I’ve also come up with tons of new ideas for collaborative projects because of something somebody tells me during an interview. While you might not figure out some amazing joint venture right away, you’ll be planting the seeds for a future opportunity.
3. Great Content Value to your Readers
Interviews provide excellent content for your blog. They enable your readers to discover someone new, and even follow along with their blog as well. It’s like having a guest speaker come to talk to a class where you are the teacher.
But realize, students need to hear different perspectives. When you get an interview up on your blog you are questioning the beliefs and values of a totally new person. Some people in your community may never even have heard of them, and already they are being introduced to a new person and learning new things from a different perspective.
4. Enhanced Knowledge
You will learn so much more by interviewing bloggers than you will by just reading through the step-by-step course you purchase. It’s like you are meeting with an expert one-on-one for free and picking their brain for content to share with readers.
If I were to go through all of the interviews I’ve conducted and find one thing that I’ve learned — I could probably stretch that idea out so much and write a book about it.
Turns out, I have written a book from some of the best interviews I have done. It’s called Blogger Gems and it’s yours free (no email address or anything else required). You always learn something from everybody you talk to, and you have a lot to learn from the book.
5. Differentiation
The the current rate new blogs are launching at, it’s important for you to find the thing that makes you unique. Some people do this through their writing style, some use humor, and some even create videos to get their content out.
Because interviews are basically Q&A sessions, the content is almost guaranteed to be unique. The information that is covered in the interview will all be personal thoughts from one individual. If you were to go to the next step and record those thoughts in audio — you have unique content and unique presentation. Two things that just aren’t as common as they should be in the blogosphere.
6. Discovering new bloggers
This is hands down my favorite thing about interviewing others. In any interview I have ever conducted, my interviewees have told me about a blogger that they know of. I may know who they are talking about, but I also may have never heard of them.
I can’t tell you how many bloggers I have discovered through the people I have talked to for my podcast. Come to think of it, I may have found Blogussion through an interview I conducted not too long ago. Now I’m writing a guest post for them. Isn’t it cool how things work out?
Impact on Community Building
We hear over and over again how important building a community is for our blog. Interviews enable you to develop a really great community because you form an individual relationship with every single person you interview.
Is this approach time-consuming? Yes. Would it be faster to write as many guest posts as possible? Probably. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to real relationships. 10 people who read your blog every day will trump 1,000 one hit wonders in the long run.
Interviews may not be for everybody. It definitely helps if you are an extrovert. But, it’s worth a shot regardless. Like anything else, it’s a skill that can be developed. Just get out there and give it you best.
What are your thoughts on interviews? Do you agree that they are great sources of unique content, or do you think otherwise?
21 Discussions
One more thing friendship
I agree. Interviews are a great way to connect to other people. They are also a great opportunity to get people to know about your blog. It’s free exposure.
Great article by the way, it makes me think whether I should start interviewing other bloggers
@Julius:
Thanks. It’s been something I’ve become very fond of over the last several months. I hope you’ll swing by BlogcastFM and check out some of the stuff we’re doing there in terms of interviews.
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..Robb Sutton on the importance of diversified income streams
Interesting. It’s important to offer something new and fresh to the blogging community and inetrview is one of the best way to widen your audience reach. What do you use to record these interviews if I may ask? Thanks.
Andi | WebMarketerDepot´s last blog ..How to Beat the Top Blogs: A Contemplation
Hi Andi, not sure what Srinivas is using, however skype offers a free call recorder called PAMELA.
@Andi: I use a simple tool called Skype call recorder. It basically records my skype conversation and then I drop into Garage band and edit it. I think for PC users you can use audacity to do the editing, but the same Skype tool for recording.
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..Robb Sutton on the importance of diversified income streams
It is also a great way to build good relationship with fellow bloggers.
Agent Deepak´s last blog ..Best Advice Ever – Term Planning
That’s exactly how it is! I cannot agree more. It’s like inspiration pouring in bit by bit and within hours of contemplation or meditation – you have a solid idea.
I think that interviews are not only a source of great content, relations and buzz but also it is a great source of inspiration for all those who participate, actively or passively.
Thanks for taking time to talk to us on Blogussion. I really appreciated the effort you’ve put in to share the new ideas. Thanks a ton Srinirao, looking forward to connect to you.
King Sidharth´s last blog ..How to Judge a Brilliant or Bad Idea? A Bulletproof Way!
@King Sidarth: It’s my pleasure. As I mentioned in the post the idea for BlogcastFM was purely the result of doing interviews. The collaboration component is huge. Also, every single time I interview somebody, they give me one idea to take my blog up to the next level.
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..Robb Sutton on the importance of diversified income streams
So true! In fact I’ve a upcoming post about interviews too.Keep an eye out
Btw, you can click the reply button under comments to reply to the comments. You know that, right?
King Sidharth´s last blog ..How to Judge a Brilliant or Bad Idea? A Bulletproof Way!
Great write up Srinivas!
I think for me the biggest value is definitely collaboration opportunities. Like you and I were discussing a few nights ago, there are a lot of bloggers out there – but the ones who are working on it and really building up their blogs and growing their audience quickly is a very small share of that, and many of them are open to meeting other bloggers and collaborating with them to grow audiences, develop products – and launch other blogs
Sid Savara´s last blog ..7 Common Procrastination Excuses
I strongly believe that interviews provide good and unique content. I agree that interviews provide your readers a different look at the main topic you have in your blog. Also, even if the interviewee provides ideas similar to yours, it will always have something unique and different which your readers will find out for themselves.
Julius´s last blog ..Closed-Circuit Televisions
Thank you Srinivas. I can’t say what, but you’ve given me a fresh idea for a unique concept and I think I just coined a new term.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Meet CJ – My Awesome New Designer!
Try to interviews a failed blogger, like me.
Reza Winandar´s last blog ..This is blog is now Do Follow
When you do interviews, do you just send the questions to the person and they email you back? If so, do you always use all of the questions/answers and or do you pick and choose just the best?
Thanks for the other tips as well.
John@MormonCult´s last undefined ..Response cached until Mon 15 @ 21:39 GMT (Refreshes in 23.95 Hours)
@John: I actually don’t do interviews via email. My interviews are all audio-based so I don’t do anything prescripted. I have a general outline of questions that I ask, but it’s more like a conversation than an interview. Without a natural flow, it kind of ruins IMO. If you want to listen to how I do an interview, just visit the podcast and you can hear how I structure it. If you want to chat, feel free to email me as well.
Can you tell us what tools/equipment you use?
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..48hr Downtime – Lots Done-LOTS More To-Do!
@Dennis: I just use skype and a tool called skype recorder. I edit all the podcasts in Garage Band.
I’ve never heard of garage band, but I do know many praise Skype for these capabilities.
Thanks.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Theme Customization Part 3 – Banner Advertising NOT for Sale!
I have been toying with the idea of interviewing bloggers and successful online entrepreneurs for some time, however have never been sure of how to approach it.
Do you write up the interview after the recording, or is it just an audio file Srinivas?
What are your thoughts on video interviews if the opportunity presents itself?
Cemil´s last blog ..Finding Topics To Write About
Interesting article. As someone who is just starting out in the blogging world (at least in terms of trying to monetize it), this is quite helpful and has some great information. Thanks a ton!!
3 trackbacks