Week 9: Pt. 2 Categories

In the few blogs that I currently read, categories are extremely helpful as an easy way to find past blogs or explore unseen content. This would be especially true for my business, especially given that we are providing information and services instead of products.

In the interest of have a clean look and easy navigation I would start off with just a few categories, as described below.

Study Skills and Tips

If we were to incorporate a blog in our department, I believe that this would be the category containing the majority of information. Our office is a little like the library reference desk of the college in that we need to know a little about everything, or have the tools and resources to be able to find information. We are constantly referring students to other departments for the specific services that they require, and our counselors themselves teach classes on college success. We would want students to be able to find a tip they may have read about months ago, but can't remember exact keywords. This category would be a great way to find this.

Deadlines

This information would not be as relevant, as it becomes obsolete fairly quickly. If the deadline to drop a class was on July 1st last year, it most likely wouldn't be the same this year. However, students occasionally ask us for past dates and this category would have everything neatly organized.

Transfer Information

As community colleges continue to transfer students to four-year universities, there is a definite need for this valuable information. As policies and guidelines change, students want to stay apprised of the information, and it would be useful for them to be able to refer back to what might be considered outdated information. The reason for this is that as long as students are continually enrolled and working toward a goal, they are held to the standards of what they started with, rather than the changes. This applies to our college's policies for earning Associate Degrees and certificates.

Student Stories

These posts would be our testimonial page. Students would have an opportunity to tell their journey that of coming to MiraCosta for academic, personal, or professional growth. In a way, this could take the place of guest posts, and they could be used to fill space when time doesn't allow for a post.

Personality in Blogging

I came across some excellent thoughts from Marilyn K., Audra N., Angela T., and Pat T. on when to add personality in a blog. In reading posts from some of our other classmates, I saw that there was some confusion in the distinction between adding personality and making it personal. I may have misunderstood the blog topic, but I feel like a blog must have style and demonstrate the writers voice, which I also call personality. On the other hand, making a business blog personal may achieve some goals, but overall could drive readers away or alienate others. I think it would be best to avoid making a business blog personal and instead, start a personal blog.