For Expat Bloggers: Thoughts about Expat-Blog.com from its Founder

It's important for both expat professionals and entrepreneurs to recognize that prospective employers and clients are making hiring and purchasing decisions based on what they find about people online. Because of this, working to generate large amounts of content online that reflects your unique promise of value is an important component of any successful career or business strategy.

Blogs are an excellent way to quickly and effectively generate highly relevant information online that showcases your expertise, experience and personal brand - and hence can help you not only be found, but engage those you are looking to connect with most.



I believe that blogs are such a powerful tool for building one's personal brand online that a branded blog is usually part of my clients' overall brand communications plan. (Though not as a rule of course - if a person hates to write, or their target audience could be better reached by other means, for example, blogging wouldn't necessarily be part of their strategy.)

Given the importance that blogs have on the online reputation and careers and businesses of thousands of expatriates around the globe, I sought out someone who clearly is passionate about expat blogs to share his views on the subject: Julien Faliu, founder of www.expat-blog.com.




(For those who weren't following my blog back then, I originally posted about expat-blog.com back in 2006. But I thought it was time for another look at this valueable resource - particulary given the number of expat blogs that are a part of this online community in 2009!)

So Julien, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to create expat-blog.com?



I always wanted to travel abroad when I was a child and I left my home country of France when I completed my studies. In 2003 I started thinking that it was high time for me to spend a few months in the UK in order to improve my English, which was absolutely necessary to lead an international career.  So I then moved to London and spent a couple of years there. I began to develop a great interest in blogs written by expatriates when I left the UK for Spain in 2005.

At that time I was looking for information online about Madrid and noticed that I could find a lot of useful information through blogs held by expatriates. What I discovered was genuine life, true experiences, great anecdotes and real discoveries. Expat blogs then quickly became a passion! 

I therefore started thinking that it would be really interesting and useful to gather all the blogs by expatriates from all around the world. As a result, I founded expat-blog.com in March 2005. 



What is expat-blog.com and why should an expat join?



Expat-blog.com is an exchange network designed for people wishing to or currently living abroad. It's a place to get information and benefit from the unique experience of those who already are settled overseas. 



People who are considering settling abroad are constantly looking for information on the Internet. Most often, the reading of a blog by an expatriate is the first step forward to find out what life abroad is like. By registering at expat-blog.com, anyone can learn about true overseas experiences. Whether good or bad, it is somewhat engrossing and very useful.



People who are already settled abroad often like to share their experience and enjoy meeting other expatriates who are going through the same experiences. Registering at expat-blog.com enables them to help and advise people about living abroad, share their own expat experiences and eventually make new friends online.



What are the most popular features of the site?



The expat blog directory is of course our most popular feature. More than 5,000 blogs by expatriates from more than 200 countries are registered. Blogs written by expatriates are very useful if you intend to move abroad, if you prepare a trip abroad, or if you just want to keep up with the latest news of a particular country outside of traditional media. You will find genuine experiences of expatriates and the reality of expatriation, from happiness to hard times. You will see that discovering a foreign culture is, above all, always a great experience in life.



We also recently released our expat social network. We think this feature will also soon become very popular for expatriates and people on the go. 




How can expats network with each other on the expat-blog.com site?



By joining expat-blog.com, you have the possibility to directly contact expatriates anywhere in the world through our new expat social network. You can choose a network by country or nationality-there are quite a lot of possibilities. For instance, you can contact expatriates in the USA, Canadian expatriates all around the world, or Australian expatriates in New Zealand. 




Are there new features we should be aware of, or upcoming features to keep a look out for?



As just mentioned, we've just released our expat social network. We've got another upcoming big feature this summer, but it's too early to talk about it! 



Why do you think an expatriate should have a blog?



The first two reasons are to keep in touch with his/her family and friends, and to keep record of his/her experience abroad. 

However, having a blog can mean so much more than this. I personally think that a blog is a fantastic tool to communicate about your personality, experience and international career. It is the perfect tool to sculpt your personal brand. 



What do you think are the most important elements of a successful blog?



Be yourself. 
Write informative posts. Document your articles. Illustrate your articles.
 Interact with your readers.
 Read other blogs.
 And most important of all: enjoy it! 



What do you think are the biggest mistakes bloggers can make in their blog design or strategy?



Don't be too spontaneous, think it over before posting anything. 
Don’t disappoint your audience too often - otherwise consider renewing your readership!
 Don't insert huge ad sense blocks everywhere on your blog - you will certainly not become rich by using such a distressing technique. 
Don't focus on traffic activity too much, particularly if you are new to blogging. It would be better to focus on your editorial line and on your personal style.  And don't forget to have fun in what you're doing!



I know there are thousands to choose from, but what are your favorite blogs on expat-blog.com and why?



Big question! A while ago I used to read dozens and dozens of articles everyday. Unfortunately, I had to drastically reduce this number as it took me several hours per day to read them. I now prefer devoting myself to the development and management of the expat blog community. I basically read blogs written by my friends all around the world, a few "web techie" blogs, and, of course, the expat blog of the month!   



Any last words of wisdom for the aspiring or seasoned expat blogger?



What makes expats write about their experience abroad? Definitely the country they are living in. 

Discovering a new country, new people, a new culture and a new way of life is absolutely engrossing. Expat bloggers are mostly fascinated by their new country, that’s why they want to share their enthusiasm for it. We, readers, love it. Keep making us dream!



Thanks Megan for the interview!

Many thanks Julien for taking the time and sharing your thoughts - and for creating such a fantastic resource for all expatriates!

YOUR EXPAT SUCCESS TIP: Considering moving to a new country or already arrived? Consider starting a blog to both enhance your personal brand online and share your own experiences of living overseas. Once you've created your blog, be sure to register at www.expat-blog.com so you can connect with fellow expat bloggers that are sure to be a source of valueable information as well as a source of inspiration and support.