I’ve been blogging for two years – you might not know that when first visiting this blog – I have visited quite a few blogs in my day. In fact, by running a blogroll I have become acquainted with more blogs than I can possibly read on a daily, weekly, even monthly basis.
When someone requests that they be added to the blogroll, my first step is always to visit the blog and make sure that the content truly is family-friendly. Now that the rules are the blogroll should be displayed in the sidebar prior to contacting me, I also look to make sure that it is.
In that first visit I usually make a quick assessment as to the viability of the blog. I don’t do it on purpose, I can’t help it. I look at the blog and imediately know whether it will become popular. The content is obviously important but it’s not the only thing that is critical to popularity. There will always be a segment of the population in the blogging world that will read you no matter from what perspective you write.
What’s even more important than content is your design. If people don’t like your look they usually won’t stick around to find out what you have to say. You need to pick a design and colors that are pleasing to the eye. At least to the eye of the type of people to whom you write. If you’re Goth, by all means choose black and red as your color scheme. But a white background and dark type proves to be, in most polls, the preferred choice of readers. Use this information, it will help gain readership.
Another problem I see is the use of free blogging sites that fill the top of your page with their own advertisements. It’s annoying for a reader, especially if it makes navigation confusing. If you must use a free service choose wisely. And make sure the free service allows comments without registering for an account. Also try to use a service that allows javascript so that you can join blogrolls and promote your blog.
One more thing about the free blogging services, no one who is promoting a business or attempting to start a business should use these free services. From a customer stand point – and I’ve heard this said more than once – it’s tacky. If you don’t believe in your business enough to invest $9.00 a month to run your own blog/website no one else will either. At the very, very least, you must begin with purchasing your own domain name. Many have found that after spending hours upon countless hours building recognition and links that they have to start over when they finally decide to purchase their own name.
We like to think that in life, looks don’t matter. The thing is that they do and people make a snap judgement based on looks even more so in Bloggityville. So take a look around your blog today and see if a little sprucing up might be in order.
Like my kids always say, “You’re cleaning? Who’s coming over?”
Because in bloggityville, company is always stopping by.
I’ve succumbed to pressure
Thursday, August 30th, 2007I received an email yesterday that turned into a bit of a back and forth debate. It wasn’t a heated debate, mind you, just a friendly discussion about my decision to turn off the comments on this blog.
Apparently, although this blogging peer has never chosen to comment here they took offense to the the fact that as of last week they were no longer allowed. Proving that absence does make the heart grow founder, I suppose.
Anyway, because I have frequently used the words, “social media” and “interactive marketing” with clients, I was called on the carpet for having negated even the chance of my blog being either by shutting off comments. I have to admit, I agree. I was wrong and I will correct my error by changing this blog back to comment-abled status as of this post.
I have been quite busy lately and I suppose my reasoning – that I didn’t want to the neglect commenters here – really wasn’t completely logical. First, it obviously hasn’t been a problem yet. Secondly, well does there even have to be a second reason. I mean, duh. I didn’t need to solve a problem that I didn’t even have.
The thing about blogs that are an appendage of a business blog is that each us is an expert in our own little way. We have knowledge to offer that we may not even realize is valuable to others. I’ve always told clients that they need to make themselves as accessible as possible though, yet I wasn’t following my own advice. I had turned this blog into a monalogue rather than a discussion. I apologize.
See I can admit when I’m wrong. I guess there’s a first time for everything.
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