Best Debate 2008
I've just stumbled on yet another blog covering the issue of UK Accountants being slower than most to get into blogging. I've seen more of these than I have actual accountant blogs!
So far I can count the Accountant Blogs I've seen through natural internet use on my fingers and toes... and wonder why is this so?
What is the reason you don't, or won't blog?
Is it the possible time involved?
Is it not knowing what to write about?
I know many accountants want to grow their business, build visitors to their websites (if they have one), develop a strong professional image... and bearing this in mind I really am struggling to understand why more accountants in the UK don't blog and prefer other 'marketing and advertising methods'.
I've no intention of convincing anyone to have a blog, nor do I care a great deal... but I am very curious why it is actually like this.
David Toohey
The Accountants Circle
Replies (17)
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Tips for writing a blog post
Thanks for the mention of the ICAEW's IT Counts. It's designed to be a comfortable place to starting blogging as part of a community.
Here are some simple tips for writing a blog post which I hope you'll find useful, particularly if you've not used an online community before:-
The shorter the better
You don't need to write much, it's the subject that matters.
Keep it to one point per post
It helps to keep it simple, as people generally don't spend a long time reading online.
Ask questions
Often the best post which gets the most response is one which asks a practical question, for example on how to achieve a specific task with MS Excel.
Getting free advice
Use you post on online communities like IT Counts to get advice on issues.
If you want to get some further help and advice on blog posting please email me at [email protected].
Best wishes,
Stuart Hall
ICAEW IT Counts
Online Communities Manager
David Terrar
Would you think the Q & A blog of Mr Philip Turnbull effective?
Try posting questions of two types in AIA CEO's website - one that is supportive of Philip's crusade for proctecting 'accountant' and the other criticising him very much for what's done and not since AIA got its much deserved RQB status from the DTI.
We are constructive people, full of enthusiasm and creativity that leads only to a positive good good world to live in.
Blogging - take a serious look at it
I only just spotted this conversation, from Emily Coltman's post about it over on ICAEW's IT Counts. Actually I find it a little depressing that there isn't more positive commentary here, and more of an argument being made for the benefits of a blog to the practice. I really don't think we need to be reminded about the "accountants are boring" stereotype. The typical accountant in practice in the UK tends not to be very marketing savvy, but from my experience usually has plenty to say. A blog can be an ideal way of talking about those accounting and business issues, and connecting with your target customers in the particular geography or sector you are working with. The typical accountant's website isn't that inspiring, and usually very static. It probably hasn't had any new material added for a while - that's bad news in terms of Search Engine Optimisation. Adding a blog means regular, new content, and by its very nature it's Search Engine friendly with lots of relevant words (key words) that will help you be found by Google. Look at the job that Stuart Jones (one of my customers) does up in the Lake District. Look at the job Jason Holden (one of my competitors) does.
Goodman Jones, another of my customers, won the Accountancy Age Award for the Best use of the Internet by an Accounting Practice in 2006 and 2007. One of the key components (apart from online accounting, a well designed website and use of online collaboration tools) was the small business blog written by Philip Woodgate. A lot more accountants ought to be taking this way of communicating with their customers and prospective customers more seriously.
Back in 2005 Dennis Howlett inspired me to starting a blog for my business, and I haven't looked back. At that stage he was an expert, because he had been doing it for a whole 3 months. He's listed the benefits that the influence of his blog has brought him. I've got the same sort of story. I've made connections and got involved in new businesses opportunities that just wouldn't have happened without it. Use of blog, wiki and social networking technology has now become a significant part of my business - my company provides the technology that supports the ICAEW's IT Counts community. That wouldn't have happened if I hadn't started my own. It's a time commitment, and there are periods when I don't write as much as I would like, but you should recognize that it's part of a shift in marketing and business development from old style advertising towards community. You should take the topic seriously and investigate it. Contact me if you want some free advice or suggestions on how you might start tomorrow.
David Terrar
Business Two Zero and Twinfield and WordFrame
Let's see now
As the first UK blogger for professionals I can safely say that it's done me no harm at all. I focus on innovation (IT) and ethics issues. I don't talk too much about marketing because the blog is my marketing tool. Where has it taken/taking me?
I have regular meetings with the executive boards of the most important software companies likely to impact our profession to the point where I can't fit them all in.
I've been a significant part (along with Simon Hurst) of IT Counts which is going very nicely and have helped shape ICAEW's online strategy. That's a real privilege.
This week I will be part of a global policy group on sustainability assurance audit in Boston. From there I go to Orlando and will be part of a panel that include Black and Decker, Intel and others looking at how social software can help improve computerized business processes. While there I will meet with the head of innovation for a major bank.
It got me a wee stake in a software company doing incredibly interesting things for the freelancer, access to some of the brightest minds in software development in Silicon Valley, opportunities to meet with some of the most successful UK professionals who understand the value of technology, consulting on several extremely interesting community projects and the chance to help at least one practice win a national award, two years' on the trot. I am part of a group who are all ex-Big Four, Gartner, SAP types. Incredibly bright people thinking about technology issues that impact buyers.
Later today it gets me exclusive access to something that should be of interest to professionals in business who are considering on-demand financial solutions.
Next month I will be in Lausanne giving a talk to startups and freelancers on - of all things - how to use technology as a way of helping them manage their finances. I never thought I'd do that!!
I have 5 paid blog gigs and over 1,200 people following me on Twitter. Goodness knows what they all find so interesting.
In other words, I have an incredibly interesting life while managing to promote what I think are some of the most interesting things going on around the profession.
I think Richard Murphy, who I encouraged to get into blogging would say the same. Stuart Jones has done great work supporting his local community. Philip Woodgate has done fine work with SMEs.
As to why professionals don't blog? I can't speak for others but a good place to start is to look at blogging as a way of engaging with the community you serve. Especially if you're in practice. But that's only the start. Someone mentioned Facebook - yep - good if you can make it work for you. Other social computing tools are coming along that will make it a lot more apparent there's more to this thing than blogging. But that's for another day.
Write Something Interesting!!
There is no need to create a claustrophobic world in which any output is directly related to the career you embrace. The act of writing something can be both liberating and cathartic.
Why write about accountancy? It would seem to me that the one subject on earth that I would never wish to write anything about is accountancy. David's question was about lack of accountants' blogs, so what does that tell us?
If any members of Aweb want to write, I would suggest that it be totally unrelated to accountancy! Then, you may secure a level of satisfaction and fulfilment from an entirely different discipline. Your creative juices may come alive!!
This aim is essential in our profession, as we are often perceived to be insular boring people. Outside (non-accountancy) activities broaden our horizons and permit us to find greater overall satisfaction.
A few months back I followed a blog from an accountant a few of us may know. But it did not wet my appetite at all! Now if that blog was about music, I'd track it constantly!
Too Much Time On Your Hands Perhaps?
Then again it can also smell a bit like loneliness........Very self mockingly unprofessional. ;-)
Or finally a cure for insomiac clients.
I have a blog! A client, (who could be bothered to look) more or less made all of the foregoing out. However it was all a dawdle and no time at all, (because borrowing the attitude of the hard working students of today), it was simply plaguirised technical stuff cut and pasted from elsewhere on the 'net then suitably edited by moi.
Stick to the chargeable hours, business cards etc I say. Watch out for the client who ponces trying to trick you into 'some free advice' in the guise of something like the real time blog that MSN Messenger is for example. If the avant garde is for you then a website and email does the job just as well. Its the only way to get their respect. Anyway most of your visitors will be the nerds from the local tax office and the competition. So a blog would only serve them in their psychological profiling of the accountant in question.
I'm feeling red faced now! Possibly even black-balled from the accountants circle? Like Gordon Brown we Accountants are headcases when it comes to being media savvy.
David Toohey
You are wrong, David, absolutely wrong.
In fact, accountants make this correct, correct mistakes, correct people but sadly to say, some of them can't correct their CEOs.
This is to be blame for some corporate collapses.
Accountants role is so important that a module of finance is found in a Far East country's listed companies requirement's directors' course.
Hello ......
I like (Wanting) to write and also (wanting) to being read what I write.
But sometimes, you do get the frustration out of writing because people do read what you write.
To QUOTE "ICAEW Puts Commercial Interest Before The Public
https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=180462".
I am thinking of MOVIES right now. Perhaps, that's a better way of reflecting (or expressing) your moves, your thoughts, your actions, your words, your deeds. Just how often is Harry Porter's books read? or rather How often is Harry Porter's movies seen?
I will sleep well after some reading but would enjoy watching the legendary Steve Irwin without a 'wink'.
Case is Seen vs Write. Which ONE?
I think VIDEO is more effective, isn't it? Some blogs are append with pictures or movies in action. How great technology entertains us all.
Wanting to write v. wanting to being read?
Perhaps a tad harsh on writers, Naomi? We all crave recognition!
I agree with other comments that you need lots of time and you also need a lot of passion to keep your blog interesting. Most people tend to say to me that they do not have the time, but that has to be shorthand for also meaning that they don't have the inclination.
My obsession with writing (and being read) has landed me with the role of tax editor of good old Aweb. I don't blog at the moment because this site allows you to make a comment when ever you feel like it and so that lets you get things off your chest. I think part of blogging is just that - getting whatever it is off your chest.
In passing, I would love to receive more short blogs from Aweb members for the blogs and diaries section of this site. Why not send me a test blog? If you make it relevant to tax I will feature it in the tax news wire.
No blogs -we're Britsh?
All the blogs I've seen so far have been written by people who want to write rather than people who want to be read .
Alternatives
I did have a Blog, but the truth is that accountancy is a terminally dull subject and it only ever featured obliquely in the blog, which was more politics, music, films and life stuff.
What I am using to reasonably good effect is Facebook as a means of semi-blogging, keeping in touch and to send and receive messages for clients who wouldn't normally read our letters or respond to emails. This does have the interesting side-effect of both humanising us and it enables me to see the misbehaviour of some of the clients!
And.......
In our neck of the woods, the clients are far more interesting than the accountants......
I was seriously thinking recently of starting a BLOB BLOG!
Don't really possess a sufficiently inflated ego for it though!
My young son says more interesting things than accounting bloggers.
We blogs
The lack of blogs amongst accountants - the blogs I've seen tend to be ramblings by people who HAVE to think of something, otherwise it looks rather sparse - and then it's a bit like looking through someone else's diary.
I had pondered a blog (it seemed to be the thing a year or so ago), but unless you've got the time to put interesting stuff in there consistently, it can make you sound, well, pretty sad. Perhaps most accountants don't have ego's that think that everyone MUST be interested in their ramblings?
Keep up the good work David, your self publicity will surely pay off one day.