Thoughts on blogging
I've been blogging for some time now, (well over a year, if not 2), and have been following many blogs for that amount of time also. I've noticed that after about a year some bloggers either stop blogging, or the amount of posts decrease from daily, to weekly, to monthly, then no posts for months.
Why does this occur? Do we get bored with blogging? Do we run out of things to say or write about?
I guess if one has a background in writing, a blogger could potentially continue to find topics about which to write about.
I find it curious, to me at least, why some folks stop blogging, especially if their followers are increasing, and their readers are increasing. I've noticed this in a couple of blogs that I followed.
What I see that seems to work for some, is a repeated weekly post on some topic or the other. For example, some have specific days that they: run a contest, do a tutorial, have group topics to post on (blog carnivals), interview other artisans, post recipes, or book reviews.
I like this type of posting; I think it gives the reader something to look forward to and to come back to read each week.
I also think posting personal photos, or letting other's get to know you through somewhat personal posts is a good thing. Especially if you are in business for yourself, and have products or services to offer. I think personal posts let's the reader feel closer, and make a connection with the blogger.
Although, note be taken- I don't think bloggers should get too personal. It's a scary world out there sometimes, and we must be careful. Not only that, employers, or potential employers can google one's name, and they might find something that you've shared with the world to be detrimental to one's reputation. I guess using your best judgement is my best advice.
As I sit here writing this, more questions come to mind. How personal do you get on your blogs? Do you get personal at all or keep it strictly business? How often do you blog? What is a good time frame to post, in order to keep people interested in reading your blog? Do folks want to see eye candy (photos) all the time, or read topics in depth?
I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with these thoughts, and hope to see some comments referring to the questions I've posted.
Happy thinking, and blogging!
Why does this occur? Do we get bored with blogging? Do we run out of things to say or write about?
I guess if one has a background in writing, a blogger could potentially continue to find topics about which to write about.
I find it curious, to me at least, why some folks stop blogging, especially if their followers are increasing, and their readers are increasing. I've noticed this in a couple of blogs that I followed.
What I see that seems to work for some, is a repeated weekly post on some topic or the other. For example, some have specific days that they: run a contest, do a tutorial, have group topics to post on (blog carnivals), interview other artisans, post recipes, or book reviews.
I like this type of posting; I think it gives the reader something to look forward to and to come back to read each week.
I also think posting personal photos, or letting other's get to know you through somewhat personal posts is a good thing. Especially if you are in business for yourself, and have products or services to offer. I think personal posts let's the reader feel closer, and make a connection with the blogger.
Although, note be taken- I don't think bloggers should get too personal. It's a scary world out there sometimes, and we must be careful. Not only that, employers, or potential employers can google one's name, and they might find something that you've shared with the world to be detrimental to one's reputation. I guess using your best judgement is my best advice.
As I sit here writing this, more questions come to mind. How personal do you get on your blogs? Do you get personal at all or keep it strictly business? How often do you blog? What is a good time frame to post, in order to keep people interested in reading your blog? Do folks want to see eye candy (photos) all the time, or read topics in depth?
I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with these thoughts, and hope to see some comments referring to the questions I've posted.
Happy thinking, and blogging!
Comments
I, too, have noticed bloggers who quit right as they were gaining steady followers. In some cases it had to do with a re-evaluation of priorities —family and friends come first, etc. I think we agree blogging can be time consuming!
I know I have been guilty of lessening posts...for me it's more because of a new job than boredom...I do want to get back into the groove though.
As for the personal...I guess it depends on the person. But for everyone (except possibly medical blogs) - if you are talking about an illness...we don't need to know the color of the pus :P But I do love the personal peeks into their lives.
I agree with making your blog at least a bit personal if you are selling something online. Personal can mean sharing information that is not about yourself, but allows your readers to learn what you care about.
I've made the decision to always have a photo, and to make my posts mostly short. I think there are many blogs out there vying for our time. If a subject really captivates me, I'll read a long post. (If I'm involved in a meme, then I must read.)
That brings me to memes. These are great to participate in. They help with ideas and are usually posted on a specific day. Here's my current favorite:
Alphabe-Thursday
Here is a site with a plethora of memes for every day of the week!
meme-aholics
I will mention that I've blogged less this year because of time constraints. However, blogging gives me a chance to be creative and to interact with many people from all over the world. I enjoy the camaraderie!
I like seeing photos on every post :) I'm a visual person.