It seems to me that successful blogs are focused and organized - you should blog about a subject that you're passionate about, I think. Focus on what you know, perhaps? My thoughts tend to take a shotgun approach - I'm not sure how to garner all the things I want to learn or express into something cohesive. Clearly, researching this subject has been overwhelming with the sheer number of blogs and endless topics out there. It's exciting and exhausting at the same time.
I tend to enjoy the blogs that have an original design - and allow for some breathing room on the monitor. Some of them hit me in the eyes like visual buckshot. TMI! They must be easy to navigate, which is always the golden rule of a website, I think. And adding little sticky links to other social network sites (Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Linkedin, etc.) is clearly the trend.
Does the blog inspire its readers? If the blog is about graphic design, for example, - has the reader been inspired to try that new technique in Photoshop? If the content prompts an action by the reader, clearly that person is going to remember that blog the next time they need a little inspiration. Respect grows when the information shared is credible, useful and maybe a little fun, too. If time and thought is put into the content of the blog, I think the readers will come.
Of course, the most obvious essential element is consistent posting. That demands a big time commitment for most of us. Does the blog need to be posted to daily? Weekly? The reader will expect new, original and helpful content provided in a consistent manner. Or else why go back?
Wearables and More
9 years ago
Good questions. In my experience the best blogs I have seen post something that I am expecting and do it weekly. I personally like that because that lets me not have information overload and because of the nature of blogs, I can go back in time and get any content I missed or have forgotten whenever I need. That is, as long as I remember the site after I have reformatted my computer because I still haven't used social bookmarking to its fullest potential... darn. I had some good ones too.
ReplyDeleteCute fish by the way. your site has totally changed since this morning. Is Leif your son? He is darling.
I think you covered it pretty well. It definitely needs to be consistent. Some blogs I like post daily, but I don't read daily so I have to go back and catch up. Some post weekly or approximately weekly. Personally, I try to post 2-3 times a week, but sometimes it turns out to be only once. The one thing I always notice about blogs I read though is that they MUST be well written. I just don't care to go back and read poorly written blogs.
ReplyDeleteBloggers are a unique group of people. Just as newspaper editors are. I think a certain personality it drawn to blogging. Does not mean that all blogs will be 'useful' to everyone just as we don't all read the same newspapers, journals or magazines. I think they should be unique to you. We are not forced to read them so I think your blog site should reflect what interest you-I think this is the point. BTW nice blog site Denise
ReplyDeleteAirin,
ReplyDeleteLeif is my grandson - from about six months ago, I think. He's pretty special - sweet and very stubborn!