What are your motivations for writing? Are you driven to be recognized? Are you hoping to be understood? Are you compelled to write?
I cannot be as forthright when I blog. That is obvious. I cannot share my thoughts in an uncensored manner. To do so would be careless and inconsiderate. But the urge to write is so strong. I have fragmented myself across so many avenues in an attempt to draw readers that I have watered down my message beyond hope.
No one will search for this particular blog. Not many, anyhow. But we as people are judgmental. If I share my thoughts on one subject on a different blog, I risk losing the people who are only interested in a niche.
I have no ultimate solution just yet. But for the record, writing to the public sucks.
It’s been extremely frustrating for me to see the rise and growing popularity of linkbait over the past two years. Only a small percentage of these exploitative or list-based posts contain content worth reading. But they strike a chord with the public. What do people really get out of reading linkbait?
Most often, they get a list of ways to improve their lives in some way, shape, or form. Everyone’s on the fast track to retirement and big money, and we’ve become addicted to lists and tips and tricks as we fantasize about reaching the American dream.
I’ve turned down several opportunities to make good money writing linkbait. Not all were based on my latent snobbery… but most were. In the end, I see fluff for what it is, and I despise myself for having participated in it at all. We’re building one big hype machine with all the linkbait floating around on Digg, Reddit, Propeller, Mixx, and Stumble Upon. We’re building something we can’t maintain forever. This too shall pass.
There are only so many ways you can give tips for marketing or blogging success. Eventually, you face the same problem every blog faces: repetition is the kiss of death. Once each blog has covered the quality content they envisioned, they move on to linkbait. Once the linkbait machine has given up the death gurgle, expect little more than repetitive news coverage. News is the one constant thing that will give us information we haven’t already covered. Of course, once we get to the point where most blogs are rehashed news reports, you’ll realize that you can get more professional coverage on CNN, ESPN, or somewhere that’s been doing this for a lot longer than you, and you’ll have to decide if continuing on is really worth it.
Every fad has a shelf life. Every fad reaches a tipping point, and eventually finds itself replaced by something more relevant, exciting, or hyperfocused. What will take the place of blogs? Who can say? Probably some sort of live vidcasting where you can see paparazzi literally chasing Britney Spears down the street. Why settle for a written account when you can hang out with the vermin who monetize celebrity mishaps? It’s coming. Just wait. You’ll probably think it normal by then, too.
Do you believe that faith is a personal thing? So personal that you can’t or won’t discuss it with other people? I don’t. I’m sorry, I just don’t.
My #1 concern with owning a blog under my own name is that it will likely be the first place someone looks to find out more about me. So what face should I put forward? The politically correct one that never says anything negative? Or the realistically human one that has both positive and negative opinions and is chalk full of bias?
Your words will be used against you if you make them public. It is the inevitable downside to blogging and social networking. You can apologize for offending and explain yourself, but you can never retract your words. And whereas people are likely to forget your spoken words over time, your written words last forever for all to see.
So each of us has a decision to make. Do we compartmentalize ourselves and reveal only the parts that are hire worthy? Or do we go for the gusto? In my opinion, you should say what you want and accept the consequences of doing so. Then again, I say that but I’m not excited about having my opinions aired for everyone to see. It’s a catch-22. Maybe I should go back to keeping a journal.
Over the past three years, I’ve set up 15 blogs in addition to providing SEO, Reputation Management, and Copywriting. They go hand in hand most of the time, and blogs are something traditional business owners / managers aren’t very familiar with. Whether it’s adding a blog to an existing corporate site or creating a new domain, there are at least a few little things you need to know to set up a blog to get optimal results.
If you think your company or organization needs a blog, but you’re not sure where to start or how to make it happen, feel free to contact me. I love blogging, and it’s rewarding to help other people get the most out of blogging too.
Ask me about how a blog can increase traffic to your site and help establish you as a thought leader in your industry.
There are days when I’m literally riding the high of owning and operating blogs. Then there are days like today when I look at the time I spend reading and writing blogs, and I regret missing out on more time spent journaling and writing that first book. The book has been on hold for a couple years now, and I routinely face the question: do I really even want to write a book?
It’s a question that must be asked, yet the answer ever changes. Do I really want to write a book? Or do I just want to be an author? One is a passion for writing; the other is a passion for identity. Following advice is rarely easy. “Write because you have to” sounds great, but almost all advice ends up sounding lame when you feel tired and used up.
Give me a tropical island and wireless internet, and I’ll probably still gravitate toward blogs and social networking. Social networking is both a drug and a micro-manager. It requires your time and attention constantly. It doesn’t take long to become forgotten and irrelevant. Immediacy. That’s what it’s all about these days.
Posted on: November 21st, 2007
I’ve heard that question asked a few times, and it deserves an answer. The truth is, I started off writing on just one blog for more than a year - CultureFeast.com - which to this day has yet to successfully find a niche and faithfully stick to it. I used CultureFeast as my everyday blog. It included my prose, introspective thoughts, and commentaries on pop culture, sports, local news, etc.
As I’ve developed my online marketing skills, I realized the obvious benefit of running niche blogs. You can build regular readership more easily that way, because your readers know what to expect. Once you establish that standard, you will build repeat readership.
I have many interests, so I began new blogs to cover specific topics. Some of my friends were visiting CultureFeast and were getting tired of reading about search marketing, so I realized that a search marketing blog was called for. Essentially, what I’ve done is taken a few of my favorite categories from CultureFeast and turned them into unique, individual blogs.
I am looking for some cool folks to jump in and contribute one blog a week so that my readers don’t have to wait on me to get back around to each site. Blogging daily on all my sites isn’t really an option, but I do the best I can. If you know someone who might like to show off their knowledge or writing style online once a week, hit me up. I’m really hoping to make more of those connections.
