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Lavender Room
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what makes a good blog?
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kittycat
Jun 29, 08 7:13
Post #1 of 31 (484 views)
what makes a good blog?
Can't Post
hi ya'll.
when you read blogs, what do you like or not like?
what keeps you going back?
what are some of your favorite blogs?
(yes, i'm taking a stab at mine, but i find the entire phenom fascinating. maybe this post will be enriching for many of us)
peace,
kitty
Moa Artisan
slowbern
Jun 29, 08 7:47
Post #2 of 31 (474 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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I am totally not into the whole blogging thing. That said:
The person. I would have to have something in common with the blogger...and it would help if I knew the blogger in some fashion.
Pictures...pictures....pictures/ with captions.
Regular updates-not 2 weeks, then 3 days, then a month in between.
Just my thoughts.
Bernie
_______________
"Hold on one second, sweetie."-Barack Obama
dirtrunr
Jun 29, 08 8:05
Post #3 of 31 (472 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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echo what was stated above. most important are regular updates and good pictures (dont wanna see your kids, family, etc.; pictures of locations and adventures are good).
for me, writing style is what keeps me coming back on a regular basis. humor (in your own way) and personal stylistic attributes that you may have to your writing is CRITICAL to the few blogs that i check daily. the reader doesnt need to know that you had 100 customers in your store and found it hard to run 4 miles after work today. the reader would rather hear that business is good, and then the story of the customer who made you laugh; and then that you found a sweet new coffee mug on the side of the road during your run.
also, challenge the reader philosophically. use your individual experiences and insights in life to open up potential new insights and ways thinking for your reader.
the first two attributes are what immediately kill a blog (unless the creation of a blog was just for a handful of family and friends anyways, then nobody else really cares). the last two attributes are what make a blog great and help to develop a regular "following" (probably will help your internet business in the long run).
bear4bbc
Jun 29, 08 8:22
Post #4 of 31 (465 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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Regular updates.
No music that automatically runs on the site please.
Keeps posts short, we don't want to read novels.
Mr. Tibbs
Jun 29, 08 9:20
Post #5 of 31 (458 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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Pictures of you in skimpy race kit.
jenhs
Jun 29, 08 9:44
Post #6 of 31 (452 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [Mr. Tibbs]
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Boys....sheesh...
I mostly read blogs of friends because I like to keep track of them since I likely don't see them as often as I want. I'm interested in what they think about things that happen to them. I'm not interested in political rants, I can read the news sites if I want that. I like to hear what makes them unique and their view of the world around them.
I agree, pics or it didn't happen. I need to be better about that on my own blog.
I love Rachel's blog. She writes well and has a great sense of humor.
http://rachelrosshawaii.blogspot.com/
I also read a bunch of other athlete's blogs because I'm always interested in what they are up to:
Jonnyo on occasion
Erika is cool to see what she is up to day to day:
http://rachelrosshawaii.blogspot.com/
cuds because she is a lot like me:
http://whatheironman.blogspot.com/
I have another friend who is a great photographer and I love to check out what she is up to because there are always great pictures. She even takes great pics of her cats.
http://gailatlarge.com/blog/2008/03/31/3703
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Jenhs
mr
Jun 29, 08 10:15
Post #7 of 31 (440 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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people actually read blogs?
mcdoublee
Jun 29, 08 10:51
Post #8 of 31 (431 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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1. Content
2. Content
3. Content
I subscribe to 19 blogs now spanning many different topics. The two things they have in common; 1. the writing is generally good and 2. I'm interested in the subject. Regular updation does not matter as I subscribe to them on my google reader - I don't have to go check the blogs every day, the posts come to me whenever they are posted.
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MC Double E
slowguy
Jun 29, 08 10:58
Post #9 of 31 (429 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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I thought about starting a blog. I began by trying to think about what's so interesting about my life, or what was so interesting about what I have to say that someone would want to read about it on the internet.
That's about when I stopped trying to start a blog.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
slowbern
Jun 29, 08 12:04
Post #10 of 31 (415 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [mr]
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people actually read blogs?
No, not really. There are something like 1.00000381 readers/blog. But that doesn't make it an unworthy endeavor. Kittycat would probably utilize it in some creative way to outreach with her customer base for Wear Moa. At least that should be her goal (how am I doing so far?).
Bernie
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"Hold on one second, sweetie."-Barack Obama
dave_w
Jun 29, 08 12:42
Post #11 of 31 (406 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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Sadly, most are exercises in self aggrandizement.
The few I've found that I like have something of the following:
1. interesting pov on politics or life
2. Informative
3. Enthusiasm for whatever it is the person is into.
4. Good pics with associated stories
"It's all about self-esteem"
Jagerstar
Jun 29, 08 13:41
Post #12 of 31 (389 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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the person, I only read triathlon blogs of pro triathletes. I like to see what makes em click.
Also I read some personal finance blogs, being a recent college grad, it helps to be a bit money-wise
last tri in 83
Jun 29, 08 14:13
Post #13 of 31 (380 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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I can tell you what makes them bad. Too much information (details).
_____________________________________________
Atilla the Hun could rise from the dead and endorse Obama and it wouldn't faze me in the least.
--MattinSF
Jodi
Jun 29, 08 14:21
Post #14 of 31 (377 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [last tri in 83]
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I agree on the details thing. I absolutely cannot read a 5000 word play-by-play of a 5k. Most any blog entries that I need to scroll to finish are a little long for my attention span...
:-)
Jodi
http://www.clevetriclub.com
http://joditris.blogspot.com
slowbern
Jun 29, 08 17:14
Post #15 of 31 (344 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [Jodi]
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I absolutely cannot read a 5000 word play-by-play of a 5k.
Probably one of the best race reports I have ever read here on ST was a guy (he may have been deployed in Iraq, I can't remember) who did a timed mile. This post was about 3 years ago. I think he was trying to break 5 minutes. Anyhow, it was so compelling and actually pretty long. He must have been a good writer because I was drawn to every step of that race.
I don't know if a 5k could be that exciting to have such a long race report.
THere was that woman who linked to her blog with her 10 chapter Triple T race report last year that was actually pretty funny. But I admit that I pretty much scrolled through to the pictures and read what they were about.
I check out Jodi's blog anytime I need the pumpkin and black bean soup recipe!!!. I also liked your breakdown of the different medicine personalities. It was personally funny to my wife because she is a nurse manager on an orthopedic floor.
Bernie
_______________
"Hold on one second, sweetie."-Barack Obama
kittycat
Jun 29, 08 19:27
Post #16 of 31 (314 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [slowbern]
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oh, i have a hard time reading super long entries too, especially race reports. i'm just more "big picture", some people relish the details though.
i like a sense of humor too and good writing. there are a few i follow, and even though i haven't met these people i feel like i know them. kind of strange in a way, but kind of not.
Moa Artisan
ashayk
Jun 29, 08 20:54
Post #17 of 31 (291 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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The only blogs I read are ones where I learn something. Could care less about the person's daily activities, but if they're in an industry I'm interested in and have insights there, if they have a political point of view I appreciate and are saving me some time by putting info together for me, that kind of stuff. Note that it's a huge loser money wise when you factor in your time and the pennies you make from adverts so that alone is not really a good reason to do it.
If you have a niche specialization that other people are interested in, then I think you will get some readership.
My $.02.
Tridiot
Jun 30, 08 13:07
Post #18 of 31 (236 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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As you are probably seeing, different things make a blog "good" to different people.
I think it mostly depends on what type of a blog. If you are doing a personal one, then people want to learn about you (whatever that means; either what you are doing, what you are thinking, where you are, what you have done, etc). If it is about a company or product, then they want to know what is going on in the company, what decisions you have made, what products/services you are coming.
If you are going to be in the dissemination of information business, they want to hear your analysis, observations, what trends you are noticing, etc.
I can come up with a list of good company or information blogs if you so wish.
dreaming~big
Jun 30, 08 13:10
Post #19 of 31 (235 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [slowguy]
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>>
I thought about starting a blog. I began by trying to think about what's so interesting about my life, or what was so interesting about what I have to say that someone would want to read about it on the internet.
That's about when I stopped trying to start a blog. <<
... and started spewing in the lavender room.
(This post was
edited
by dreaming~big on Jun 30, 08 13:13)
Katy
Jun 30, 08 14:30
Post #20 of 31 (207 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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Writing style. The voice of the blogger makes or breaks it. People who are funny in person and that I enjoy talking are the ones that write the blogs that I like. And updating, which I have not done in about 2 months. I really need to get on that. I'm always surprised when someone says something to me about my blog when I didn't even realize they read it. I figure mostly its family in Hawaii and some of my friends scattered around the world.
CTodd was my favorite, but he's gone minalmalist lately. Here is one of his todcasts (videoblog) from last year:
http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related
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http://web.mac.com/kjossy
Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax
If Katy wants it that way, then that's the way Katy gets it.-big kahuna
kittycat
Jun 30, 08 15:38
Post #21 of 31 (192 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [Tridiot]
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i think you're right. if it's about a company or product, maybe just stick to that and while personal, readers don't necessarily want to know that you're getting a divorce and your house caught on fire. or maybe i'm wrong.
Moa Artisan
lilpups
Jun 30, 08 15:54
Post #22 of 31 (187 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [kittycat]
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My belief is that if you're doing one for your business you have to remember that the blog is an extension of your marketing campaign and your brand identity. For example, what I know about Moa is that it's a highend product with a focus on artisan, handmade, and unique so anything that goes into the business blog should portray that image...be it information about new products you're coming out with, company information, or even a link to an article that perhaps you found in the NYTimes that you think your customers would enjoy. Stuff about your personal life doesn't belong in the business blog except when it can be brought back around to the brand identity of the company. For example, perhaps you end up working with a local nonprofit to help provide handknit sweaters to under-priveldeged kids, teach cancer patients how to knit so they can do that during chemo treatments, etc, then that would be something you'd want to add because it shows you're invested in the greater "industry" community.
(the link to my blog below is NOT the link to my actual business blog lest someone accuse me of saying one thing and doing another...it's my version of cheap therapy and I don't for a minute think others really find it interesting)
The real life of a small-time entrepreneur:
http://enrepreneurrollercoaster.blogspot.com/
slowbern
Jun 30, 08 16:28
Post #23 of 31 (180 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [dreaming~big]
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... and started spewing in the lavender room
.
Nice. Who pissed in your Cheerios?
Bernie
_______________
"Hold on one second, sweetie."-Barack Obama
slowguy
Jun 30, 08 17:37
Post #24 of 31 (167 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [slowbern]
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"Nice. Who pissed in your Cheerios? "
She's probably a dedicated blogger.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
slowbern
Jun 30, 08 18:48
Post #25 of 31 (156 views)
Re: what makes a good blog? [slowguy]
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Can't Post
She's probably a dedicated blogger.
Maybe. I stumbled on another similar sort of post from her on another thread. Whatever.
Bernie
_______________
"Hold on one second, sweetie."-Barack Obama
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