Frequently Asked Questions: Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2011 Writing Project

Here is a compilation of questions asked about the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2011 Writing Project and their answers.

Question #1: What is the intent of the writing project?

Answer: To help promote new blogs/bloggers and put the spotlight on them. These blogs are gradually gaining a considerable amount of readership, following, influence and fascinating the reader in various ways. The bloggers behind them established the blog for various reasons such as expression of thoughts, sharing of knowledge and insight, building a movement, events reporting or coverage, and some for profit.

I hope the writing project, as it introduces new blogs, will give blog newbies the chance to shine and grow.

At the end of it, we celebrate and give recognition to those that were favored by writing project participants.

Question #2: How can we nominate a blog?

Answer: You just make a blog post citing the blogs that you believe are emerging and influential. The blog must be created anytime within the date range - anytime from April 2010 to the present. The writing project page is where you'll be able to submit your blog post link up to September 7.

Question #3: What do you consider as legitimate blogs that can be used to submit an entry to this writing project?

Answer: For as long as the identity of the blog owner can be identified, it is considered as a valid blog and can be used to submit an entry for the writing project. Although for this year, we are requiring a 3 months blog age (based on the date of post url submission) as minimum requirement.

Question #4: Are there restrictions on campaigning?

Answer: None.

Question #5: Are the writing project entries visible to everyone?

Answer: Yes. All submissions are made in the comments section of join the writing project page that anyone can view, check, and make their own tally.

Question #6: I created a blog early this year, but I imported blog posts from an older blog of mine. Does it qualify?

Answer: If that is a continuation of your older blog, then it will not be qualified. However, if you only imported it for repository purpose, you can make a declaration in your blog citing that your blog started only a particular date (covered by the writing project minimum date).

Question #7: Can Tumblr blogs, Multiply blogs, Facebook Notes, and the likes be used to submit an entry?

Answer: Yes for as long as they are publicly viewable (not private pages where friends can only see it).

Question #8: How do you make sure that all bloggers joining this writing project are real people?

Answer: Since the writing project started in 2007, all writing project entries considered and got included in the final count are made by real persons. I check on their blogger profiles, valid email address, and also do phone or social networking profile verification as necessary.

Question #9: Can a blogger nominate his or her own blog?

Answer: Yes.

Question #10: Can I update my entry even after inclusion in the weekly count?

Answer: Yes. Entries can be updated on or before September 7. However, they will only be included in the weekly count once to recognize lodging of writing project entry. Any subsequent updates will be noted in our tally.

Question #11: You charge US$250 sponsorship fee for this writing project. What can prospective sponsors get out of it?

Answer: Writing project participants who will mention the sponsors in their blog post can be included in the raffle. There will be ten winners who will get US$100 each. In addition, we also have a recognition event to recognize the winners. The sponsor's website link will be included in the list to be mentioned.

Any sponsorship fee received shall be used to cover this cost. If there are no enough sponsors for the writing project, I cover all other items that needs to be paid for.

Question #12: If I use my 10 blogs to vote, will all my votes be counted? Are they gonna count the votes by how many blogs voted for them or by how many bloggers who voted for them?

Answer: We only accept one blog post entry per blogger. Therefore a blogger's mention in their blog post is equivalent to one recognition (vote).

Question #13: Does it mean that if I made a new blog today and it became influential (due to the number of people who thought it is) until the cut-off (September 7),  it will qualify?

Answer: Yes.

Question #14: Do the top 10 blogs win $100 each?

Answer: The blogs regarded as Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2011 does not have a cash prize. Only those who joined the writing project can be qualified for the cash prize.

Question #15: Can 2 different blogs owned by the same blogger be nominated in a single blog post?

Answer: Yes.

Question #16: What tips can you give to those who wants their blogs recognized in the writing project and avoid being dominated by an active few?

Answer: The writing project is an opportunity to demonstrate and put a blogger's influence to the test. Some suggestions and ideas to ponder will include:
  • Produce great content. Those who will experience an early lead can only hold up from the 10th to 13th week if they have something really great to offer in their site.
  • Be early in creating a writing project entry. If you want to influence the choices others will make, participate early on by making an entry. If your blog got cited, return the favor by making your own writing project entry and recognize blogs that are worthy.
  • Don't hesitate to suggest other blogs to those who joined. Oftentimes, a blogger's writing project entry is limited to the blogs they get to read or blogger friends who asked for favors. But suggesting other blogs whom you found to be worthy will certainly be appreciated. Concurrently, build relationships with the bloggers you reach out to. On your site, make sure you have content that will interest them.
Question #17: I've been doing a campaign encouraging my friends in Tumblr to join. Can a reblog qualify as a writing project entry?

Answer: No. A writing project entry must be unique. That means even if your friends decide to support the ones in your list, each of them must explain how those blogs have influenced them. That is also to prove that they made time to visit and evaluate whether those blogs are indeed worthy of being considered as an emerging influential blog.

I will update this as we get to receive more questions and able to answer them.

Feel free to post questions about the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2011 in the comment section and will reply as I update this post. If your question does not appear right away, it is likely that the disqus commenting system has hold it for approval or your identity is not verifiable.

Thank you everyone!

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