Written for Forward! The Conservative Way Forward magazine.
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Blogging has reached a tipping point in this country. Several blogs have broken major stories over the past few months which have influenced the media and political agenda. Blogging is something the Conservative Party itself would do well to embrace. It is simply inmcrecible to me that my meager little blog gets far more hits than the official Conservative Party website. Why is this? Because it gives people what they want and enables them to interact in s small but perfectly formed community. The Conservative Pary website, in common with those of the other main parties, is static. It doesn’t involve people. It doesn’t speak to them and engage in a conversation. It talks AT them.
Francis Maude is one of the few politicians to ‘get’ blogging. He understands its dangers and risks but more importantly he understands the benefits. He knows that with blogging you have to take the rough with the smooth. Why does he continue to interact with ConservativeHome even after the site has called CCHQ ‘incompetent’? It’s because he knows that ConservativeHome readers are important opinion formers within their own constituencies. I’m sure the odd comment on my own blog has forced him to grimace, but he knows that I am reaching a political audience the Party itself may struggle to.
Very few politicians write blogs. In some ways I understand why, because it can be a risky business. But in politics we can’t play safe all the time. We need to take some risks and if speaking your mind is nowadays considered to be a risk, it’s a reflection on the state of our political discourse in this country. To be sure, I try not to indulge in gratuitous attacks on people or policies of my party, but when I do speak out, it carries more weight because of that.
Ed Vaizey has recently started a blog. He’s grasped, along with others of our generation, that we can’t communicate entirely through the traditional media. People under the age of thirty no longer get all their news information through newspapers or TV news. The internet is a prime source. And the great advantage of a blog is that it is unedited, unfiltered and raw. It can carry raw emotion as well as thoughtful analysis. I received an email recently from a reader of my blog, which explains why I blog…
“I don't buy this line that 'young people are not interested in politics' We are, although it has to be presented in a manner in which young people who have grown up with the internet feel is relevant to them. A young person is more likely to access something on youtube than watch the TV, we don't sit about and accept the status quo. We decide for ourselves how we access information, it's very much on our terms. We don't watch the 6 News on BBC1, we have the RSS feeds of numerous websites/blogs in our RSS readers.
I find it refreshing that a man such as yourself grasps this instinctively, if the Tory party 'get' this concept and harness it, they will be well on their way to mobilising a significant number of young people to vote in their favour. I find it mind-boggling that Labour are so far behind on this concept!”
So to all those aspirant MPs reading this I would encourage you all to consider starting your own blog. It doesn’t have to be racy or gossipy, but you can use it as a free means of communicating with your electorate without the filter of the media. Where else could you find that opportunity?
Blogging is here to say and we Conservatives need to maintain the lead we have built up in the British political blogosphere. If you want to start your own blog you can do it for free and within ten minutes of reading this article. Go to www.blogger.com, www.wordpress.com or www.typepad.com. It really is as simple as that. And if you do start a blog make sure you let me know and I’ll publicise it. How about that for an offer you cannot refuse?!
Iain Dale is a former Conservative PPC and Chief Anchor of a new political internet TV channel, 18DoughtyStreet.com
Iain Dale’s Top Ten Tips for a Successful Blog
1. Write something every day
2. Don’t write an essay. Be short and snappy
3. Interact with your readers who make comments
4. Don’t try to copy another blog. Make yours unique to you
5. Choose a blog name that is easy to remember and not too long
6. Don’t pander to what you think people want to hear
7. Be controversial, but not for the sake of it
8. Don’t be afraid to offend or be offended
9. Link to your favourite blogs and ask them to link to you
10. Sign up to a Stat Counter which can track how many hits you get is in front of your computer
