Comments on: The Art Of Blogging http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/ SEO and Internet Marketing Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:11:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Erica http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16046 Erica Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:44:11 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16046 <p>What about blogging as a way to just create content for your website? It's a very painless way to do it, increases the chance of a niche query finding you, and the search engines REALLY seem to like it (at least that's been my experience). I don't really care how big an audience I have, I'm a specialist so I know it won't be huge. But it has sure helped our rankings and makes our site that much more informative. </p> What about blogging as a way to just create content for your website? It’s a very painless way to do it, increases the chance of a niche query finding you, and the search engines REALLY seem to like it (at least that’s been my experience). I don’t really care how big an audience I have, I’m a specialist so I know it won’t be huge. But it has sure helped our rankings and makes our site that much more informative.

]]> By: collis http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16045 collis Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:34:06 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16045 I loved this line the most: "you can try to break into these areas, but realize it's you and about 10,000 other people trying to fit through the same narrow door." It is a wonderful analogy and visualises for me perfectly. I've been paying attention to why some blogs don't seem to make it and I think a large contributor to weeding out about half of all blogs is simply them not realising quite how difficult a task they are facing. Great post, and great post from Rand too. I loved this line the most: “you can try to break into these areas, but realize it’s you and about 10,000 other people trying to fit through the same narrow door.”
It is a wonderful analogy and visualises for me perfectly. I’ve been paying attention to why some blogs don’t seem to make it and I think a large contributor to weeding out about half of all blogs is simply them not realising quite how difficult a task they are facing.
Great post, and great post from Rand too.

]]> By: John Wesley http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16044 John Wesley Thu, 08 Mar 2007 16:46:10 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16044 <p>This article makes some good points. Entering any of the big time markets (politics, tech, celebrity, etc.) is probably a mistake unless you have big time credibility. I'll refer my Mom to this post next time she tells me I need to blog about the news.</p> <p>I think the biggest key to building an audience is patience and dedication. Most blogs lose hope and die within a year. If you can keep pushing on and providing quality content over a number of years, your chance of build a large readership skyrockets. </p> This article makes some good points. Entering any of the big time markets (politics, tech, celebrity, etc.) is probably a mistake unless you have big time credibility. I’ll refer my Mom to this post next time she tells me I need to blog about the news.

I think the biggest key to building an audience is patience and dedication. Most blogs lose hope and die within a year. If you can keep pushing on and providing quality content over a number of years, your chance of build a large readership skyrockets.

]]> By: Jordan McCollum http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16043 Jordan McCollum Thu, 08 Mar 2007 16:33:25 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16043 Gasp! The Lisa said my name!! *faints* I knew I'd be rewarded by saving this choice-looking post for reading in the morning. Thank you for your kind words and for this excellent post! Gasp! The Lisa said my name!! *faints*
I knew I’d be rewarded by saving this choice-looking post for reading in the morning.
Thank you for your kind words and for this excellent post!

]]> By: Lisa http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16042 Lisa Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:48:16 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16042 <p>Xensen - The thing that bugs me about blogs who don't pay attention to basic grammar is that you spend so much time correcting the wording in your head that it distracts you from the message they're trying to convey. Which, a lot of times, is pretty worthwhile!<br /><br />Graywolf -- No, that's only you. ;)<br /><br />Ashok -- Great question, probably worth of its own entry. The quick answer is it depends what your goal for that blog is. If it's to "build an audience", you have to give it at least 6-9 months (maybe more) of solid blogging and forming relationships with other bloggers. Readers will find you through links on the other blogs they're reading. Being part of the community helps build those links, which then builds the community. If you're past the one year mark and haven't been able to form those connections or that readership...it may not be time to "quit", but it may be time to rethink your strategy.<br /><br />Simon - Hush, you. :) and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! </p> Xensen – The thing that bugs me about blogs who don’t pay attention to basic grammar is that you spend so much time correcting the wording in your head that it distracts you from the message they’re trying to convey. Which, a lot of times, is pretty worthwhile!

Graywolf — No, that’s only you. ;)

Ashok — Great question, probably worth of its own entry. The quick answer is it depends what your goal for that blog is. If it’s to “build an audience”, you have to give it at least 6-9 months (maybe more) of solid blogging and forming relationships with other bloggers. Readers will find you through links on the other blogs they’re reading. Being part of the community helps build those links, which then builds the community. If you’re past the one year mark and haven’t been able to form those connections or that readership…it may not be time to “quit”, but it may be time to rethink your strategy.

Simon – Hush, you. :) and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

]]> By: Simon Heseltine http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16041 Simon Heseltine Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:07:50 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16041 "Sorry, folks, the chances of you inspiring a Cuttlet-type fan club are very, very slim" What about the chances of inspiring a clothing line? :p “Sorry, folks, the chances of you inspiring a Cuttlet-type fan club are very, very slim”
What about the chances of inspiring a clothing line? :p

]]> By: ashok http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16040 ashok Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:37:32 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16040 <p>Rand's argument is really, really good - he talks about becoming the leader in a niche, but more importantly, uses the phrase "build an audience."</p> <p>That phrase is so, so significant. There are ready-made audiences, but as a blogger, I feel I don't really want them. The reason why is that they're gonna use your articles and your thoughts, but never quite try to engage what you're aiming at as a whole. Given the fact that new blogs emerge every second, every field, niche or not, is crowded, and one really needs to have a concept of just how large a task is involved: "build an audience" gets right to the heart of it. If it feels like it is taking months to get serious readers, it probably is: they're learning to like the blog.</p> <p>What I would like to hear is a more sustained critique of when it is absolutely a waste of time to blog. My blog has never gotten a sustained readership, except for a few friends (some of whom I made online), and I wonder: Are there objective criteria I should pay attention to, that would tell me "give up?"</p> <p> </p> Rand’s argument is really, really good – he talks about becoming the leader in a niche, but more importantly, uses the phrase “build an audience.”

That phrase is so, so significant. There are ready-made audiences, but as a blogger, I feel I don’t really want them. The reason why is that they’re gonna use your articles and your thoughts, but never quite try to engage what you’re aiming at as a whole. Given the fact that new blogs emerge every second, every field, niche or not, is crowded, and one really needs to have a concept of just how large a task is involved: “build an audience” gets right to the heart of it. If it feels like it is taking months to get serious readers, it probably is: they’re learning to like the blog.

What I would like to hear is a more sustained critique of when it is absolutely a waste of time to blog. My blog has never gotten a sustained readership, except for a few friends (some of whom I made online), and I wonder: Are there objective criteria I should pay attention to, that would tell me “give up?”

]]> By: graywolf http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16039 graywolf Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:50:22 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16039 You could also start blogging so you can meet new people to stalk ;-) You could also start blogging so you can meet new people to stalk ;-)

]]> By: xensen http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16038 xensen Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:41:54 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2007/03/the-art-of-blogging/#comment-16038 <p>I would certainly second the bit about bloggers murdering the English language. I subscribe to some SEO-related feeds, and every day misspellings and grammatical mistakes in many of those blogs make me cringe. (How hard is it to least learn the distinction between "its" and "it's," for example?) Writers like Rand who can construct a sentence really stand out as a result. </p> I would certainly second the bit about bloggers murdering the English language. I subscribe to some SEO-related feeds, and every day misspellings and grammatical mistakes in many of those blogs make me cringe. (How hard is it to least learn the distinction between “its” and “it’s,” for example?) Writers like Rand who can construct a sentence really stand out as a result.

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