Comments on: What’s the one most important thing about blogging?

By: Guest post: what are the key five principles of blogging? « These Digital Times

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:05:07 +0000

[...] order to cement the five principles I

By: Phil Clark

Phil Clark — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:52:00 +0000

Why thank you one and all. I will be quoting from you profusely at my session later today. All points are pertinent but William’s one is particularly so for my audience.

By: William Shaw

William Shaw — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:29:37 +0000

I think the best thing to say to new bloggers – especially when they’re journalists – is that blogs are very different from print. A blog is an experiment… a try-out of a half-formed thought. That’s why it’s such a wonderful form. It’s a thought you try out on your readers.

Journalists make the mistake of thinking they’re like a rolling op-ed page… that they’re writing the last thought on something, whereas really a blog is about your third or fourth pass at an idea.

By: Jim McHale

Jim McHale — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:01:09 +0000

Good thought provoking content.

There is a lot of noise out there now but if you’ve got something interesting to say I still believe people will listen.

By: Casey Cole

Casey Cole — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:12:51 +0000

I think it’s most important to write about what’s important to you (within the constraints of the theme of the blog). The blogs I most enjoy reading are those that are passionate and well-informed.

Not too fussed about whether they post regularly. I agree with Mark on this. That’s what RSS readers are for.

Also I’m not sure about worrying too much about targeting the readership. I suppose it’s a relationship that develops over time but I think passion trumps marketing.

By: martin broown

martin broown — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:09:09 +0000

Phil – blogging to me is all around sharing, learning and inspiring, which I try to do through my blog. It is very much a reciprocal thing as I learn more and get more inspiration from blogs (and I would include micro blogging here such as twitter) than many other sources.

The difference between blogs and websites? websites should give fact and information, blogs give opinion as to what people/organisations really think and allow engagement – which is why organisations need both – or a combo.

Also concur with other views here – be yourself.

By: mel starrs

mel starrs — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:35:15 +0000

Allowing yourself to be wrong, thinking aloud without worrying about being ‘caught out’, searching for answers and consolidating theories. All things important to me when blogging.

Also, not blogging whilst drinking red wine ;o)

By: Cathy Debenham

Cathy Debenham — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:44:25 +0000

I’d say that most important is being clear about who your readership is and regularly giving them stuff that’s useful or interesting or, ideally, both.

By: Mark Brinkley

Mark Brinkley — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:18:37 +0000

I don’t think there are any rules. I follow about 30 blogs on my RSS feeder, and some are manic (Tim Worstall?) some almost dormant, but the beauty of an RSS feed is that you don’t have to worry about frequency. I find that the ones I enjoy reading are the ones that are not only knowledgeable, but written well. And laid out with a certain feel for the reader staring at a screen. Lots of white space is good.

If you want an example of someone who blogs badly, look at Jonathan Porrit. He’s a very knowledable guy who can’t write very well, and he has no idea how to set out his text on a page.

By: MikeC

MikeC — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:10:17 +0000

RE: ‘Blog regularly’ – Mike Willoughby’s blog being a case in point!