Saturday, August 9th, 2008...10:35 am
Why visiting blogs?
I had an intense debate this week with some bloggers about the reason that lead someone to blog.
Here are the two positions :
- First bloggers, like Steve McGrath, aiming at rankings, visits picks, in one word competition more about writing “how to” posts, publishing “rankings” of anykind, broadcasting “rare or new video” about a celebrity (here the word naked might boost your post)… They are aiming at getting an audience to build a media.
- Others, like Meg or barberousse, that writes for pleasure, to drop their ideas on lines, or just to find a place to debate that are more about expressing their own’s point of view and talking about their passion. They are aiming at getting comments to build a community.
The discussion is all about why writing a blog? I would like turn the debate in “why visiting blogs?”
I must confess I sometimes read “how to” posts, however it is not the kind of blogs I prefer. I think those posts are popular because the first use of the web is still dominate by “information search”. And I feel reading ranking or how-to posts that I satisfy an old media need. In fact, if the Internet had not existed I would have bough an how-to book.
When I read personnal posts of someone that share his passion, someone that catches my attention with a simple life story episode, I have the great feeling that Internet is making the world a litte town. That would have been impossible before.
This kind of reason to read is not dominant for now, but I think it will be. Anyone need to express his own world and the web and blogs able this. Through this way, people meet each others and experience a new social link. That has nothing to do with, rankings, competition, how to… their are just an old way to behave.
PS : I do realize that blogs are to be visited and not to be read.
6 Comments
August 9th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Even subconsciously, you want traffic by linking to my post or you would had just link to my blog or not at all.
My blog does not generate that much money even if I would like that. So, even if I write “how-to”, post funny video(rare) or product reviews/services, I do it because I still like blogging. No, it’s not a personal blog but I do share my experiences so it’s more of a “sharing” blog. The time I spend on it does not compensate for the money I earn from it at the end of the month.
Remember that most bloggers only last 3 months before stopping(personal or not).
In your case, you are a rare minority since you don’t even have ads and it’s okay too considering your background. I don’t have a problem with that. But in the end, you still “share” on your blog otherwise an old fashioned diary would had been fine.
So, why visiting blogs?
Because the main subject or a single post does attract the reader that search for information or have a common passion.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
@Steve : Yes I do want traffic to get any chance to discuss with someone. I put your link on this post because I was hoping you would come here to continue or discussion (thanks for that by the way
)
I am not against the idea of earning money with blogs, I think people are free to put some ads or not. I have worked in an ad agency and I love ads so that is not my point.
My point is the Internet, which blogs are part of, works in a different way than traditional media. Traditional media works like a pyramid, few people broadcast and the bulk read, listen, watch…
On the Internet everybody broadcast and everybody is reading, watching, listenning. So there are symetrical relationships between people. That means Internet activity are more about giving life to a community dialogue than managing to get a high number of visitor.
The interesting point would be that advertising should be indexed not on the number of visitors but on the activity of the community. But all the ad industry still lives on traditionnal media system.
August 9th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Nice Bait!
“but on the activity of the community.”
It’s being done with very, very niche blogs. An advertiser, if they know their market, will know that their product/service is not for the masses thus will factor that fact. You may have 10 buying readers(very niche blogs) vs 1000s non buying readers(general blog)
Btw, readers will register to high RSS feed so it’s not only advertiser that’s doing it. That’s why I show my small RSS feed. I’m going against the norm on my blog. I started that with 30 RSS.
Tip: You should had the Subscribe to Thread plugin so that commenters know that you responded. Otherwise, they might forget they commented on you blog.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:20 am
@Steve : may be we could call this discussion a de-bait.
I agree with you all the point is in what we call general and what we call a niche. For example techcrunch could be seen as general because of its large audience, or as a niche because of its start-up focus line…
As I see things Techcrunch is a niche with a strong and large community. There are many interactions between readers and writers, comments, events, etc.
And I agree with you on the RSS feed point… it does not activate an active reading.
PS : I’ll think about the “subscribe to thread” plugin
August 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
This is a very interesting debate you have going here. I think both types of blogs are important, and I enjoy writing “how to” posts so I can help others, but I also love writing personal accounts that show how I’ve learned or grown or experienced something. When it comes to visiting blogs, it completely depends on what I’m looking for at that point in time… whether it’s information or a story.
Take care!
August 10th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
@Meg : Thanks, for your peacefull synthesis. You’re certainely right. Hope to see you soon by there.
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