yin and yang. balance is essential. what makes me ditch your feed was so…yesterday.
today, a more positive spin: three reasons blogs end up in my google reader. but a confession? most new blogs go into a “just testing” folder…i am totally afraid of commitment.
anyway…on to the list!
3. you had me at hello. if i can skim over whatever is on the front page of your blog, read about you, and maybe even put a face with a name in under a minute, more than likely, i’ll spend a couple more minutes exploring. but those first few seconds are essential. what kind of vibe does your blog give off? i’m not saying you have to be a professional graphic designer or writer, but you know what its like to feel something and connect to it.
2. one of these things is not like the other. do you have conservative political views? are you an atheist? are you gay? have kids? it’s easy to find people who think like me, who write like me, or work at churches. i lived in a blogging bubble long enough. i love finding people who have nothing in common with me because i simply want to see what it’s like to live in somebody else’s shoes.1. interact. again. i can’t stress how important this is. if i leave a comment or email you, will you respond? how do you treat other people who comment on your blog? how do you write about others — when you hat tip someone or disagree?
respectfully? often?
good.
Comments
27 responses to “three reasons i’ll fancy your feed”
:-)
I like the…more POSITIVE Anne!
I haven’t had much time to think about this myself, but your list is good.
Your pizza and brownies must have done wonders for your health!
I also like people that are regularly conversational and non-apologetic. No need to be! For some reason the hairs on my neck bristle when I read a post that starts off with, “I’m sorry that I haven’t posted in a while…”. Pet peeve of mine, I’m not sure why.
Also, I prefer more than just a personal journal. When somebody does three posts in a row centering around what their kids did over the weekend I tend to get turned off. Give me something I can sink my teeth in to. Talk about your job and how you do it as well as you do, or challenge me theologically. Give me something!
What turns me off about blogs…
– People that more or less post forwarded e-mails. It is like blog spam. I really just get tired of it.
– People that put little graphics all over their blog. Seriously. I don’t need some little spinning thing. I cam to read. Not to have my attention taken away by some crazy little critter.
– People that put music that automatically starts when you open their page. If you want to add it, fine. But give me the option of turning it on or off.
What I like…
– I’m with you. I like people that think different. I want to see where they are coming from.
– That being said, I do like reading from people who sorta think and believe like me. They open my eyes to new ways of seeing things. And that is refreshing.
– I love going to graphic designers pages. It is like eye candy and I can never get enough of it.
– People that interact with their readers. I love reading people that get a lot of people that comment as well. I love discussion.
– I also like people that comment on your page when you comment on theirs. I enjoy feeling like I am part of a community of people.
I’m totally the same way. Every new blog goes into my “blogs-general” folder. then you either become “blog friends” or “blog community”.
Sites that keep my attention definitely challenge my thinking and have topics that have practical and everyday value. Blogs that aren’t afraid to tackle difficult issues, along with those who step outside the box in ways that impact others will usually keep me wanting to read more. Interactions and comments are great–isn’t that what blogging is all about?!
I have just launched a new site that takes a different approach to blogging. The goal is to address those issues that everyone tends to shy away from, yet are so real. It is set up to be very interactive, with posts written by me or by any site user! It’s a place where people can be real, feel safe, and discuss those things we hide behind masks.
Here’s a personal invite…just click on my name above! Hope you’ll join in—another way for “Sharing Burdens…” while “Experiencing the Journey…” (had to get the names of the blogs in there of course ;) )
Long, rambling posts that say nothing are the sole reason I didn’t blog until 2004!
I have conservative political views. But, I am also quite disenchanted with politics and politicians, so, I never talk about them.
I don’t use an RSS reader, I’m old school.
I link to blogs. And I have to admit. I don’t RSS either. I just go to the page.
I would agree with you on this! If you post often, I am more than likely going to check out your blog more often. You know, keep me coming back. Like your negatives though, if you post too often and to long, you just can’t get to it all.
I personally like finding blogs that are somewhat like me. Take your blog for instance. We are both in Texas, both work for a large church and are both graphic designers. I have to know that other people like me are out there that struggle with the same stuff I do like burn out, no creative jucies sometimes, and people that just love what they do. (Although not all the time!) I do use a reader, but I have to come to the blog from time to time too!
I liked your Do’s and Don’ts. I just started my blog a few weeks ago and am not sure where to go from here. I enjoy reading others and admire their creativity and humor and hope to join in. Any advice? My blog is at http://findingthebalance.typepad.com
Also, I hope to meet you sometime. Matt Mungle and I are going to start a movie group at IBC in the next month or so in the Alcove. He may have mentioned it to you.
I personally love blogs with great headers.
I also usually blogroll sites with authors who shamelessly self-promote on other blogs.
But that’s just me.
I like content that helps me. I also like random content like ragamuffin gives.
For me it really is about the connection thing. I have several people in my reader for several reasons.
Personal Friends who I want to know what is going on with them. People with great inspiring content. People that help me grow in my profession. People whom I have met and interact with me through each others blogs.
For me, my choice of a blog to read is a lot like my choice of a book to read.
The cover: First impressions definitely make a difference. Is the site at least marginally well put-together? Does it look interesting and attractive?
The author: One of the first things I do with an unfamiliar book is turn it over, look at the picture, and read the bio on the back. I like to know who’s writing what I’m reading.
And of course, the content: Is it well-written, interesting, and at least somewhat pithy?
Connections: This is more related to blogosphere, but I am more likely to read blogs that are linked by blogs I already read.
Popularity: I try not to judge blogs solely on comment number, because just like some of my favorite books, sometimes the best blogs aren’t the most popular. However, a large number of people reading is a good sign that there’s at least something appealing about the blog!
I think that’s it! Good posts. :)
Thanks so much for the good and the bad. It’s nice to know the proper etiquette for the blogosphere since I just entered it a few weeks ago.
a good title for an individual post gets me every time. if the title is something like “my day at the park” then chances are i won’t read it. but a title like “i like big butts gets saved” or “rohpatem” (metaphor spelled backwards) or something artsy-fartsy will get me every time.
I also judge the blog by its first post. if you dont get me the first time i normally will check back once or twice, but if you dont get me i wont read.
You have to write about something i like. Even if i read your feed if you dont get me in the title or even the first line i probably wont read on.
i haven’t yet started using the rss feed. but this summer when i have some time i’m thinking about digging in and making it a part of my day.
i like bloggers who keep it real. you know, if they are going to throw up challenging topics that they’re willing to dig into the topic and be challenged as well.
i also like funny posts. sometimes i just need a laugh. and music, i always like to read about music.
oh, and i suck at blogging so your previous post was hilarious to read.
You did those things for me – good list, high standards and they should be. Would like to add that you post just enough to make it interesting, not so much that I’m making excuses about my gassiness in order to push you as a guest out the door.
I just wanted to use “gassy” in a comment.
I was a blogger for a while before I realized it. I have been using xanga to keep up with family and friends and blowing off bit of creative steam in the process. I really appreciate your dos and don’ts and will keep them in mind if I decide to become a bona fide blogger. Now if I could just figure out what a feed is…
Saralee-
A feed is something that pretty much all blogs have which you put in something called a feed reader (I use google reader…. google.com/reader) – that way you can watch all the blogs and news articles you like in one place, instead of having to click through to a bunch of different areas.
Think back to the xanga days…remember subscriptions? It’s kind of like that, but totally universal.
Hope that helps!
Anne
interaction
For me I love connecting with people in the Body of Christ. Outside of this, I generally read technology and photography blogs. However, I always come back to the people that I know care about me because of Christ. He is the reason we remain connected.
And I am with you on the interaction. I LOVE interaction, because it tells me and/or my visitors, which ever the case may be, that we are valuable and that our time spent on your site means something to you.
anyone who is a left wing lesbian parent of seven with strong athesiest tendancies :)
Now I’m SURE you don’t like me. I’m a little insecure. But funny-I got that goin’ for me. Which is nice.
Totally looking at these two posts like four months after being written..
but totally agree! Since my blog is fairly new/unpopular.. I need to find the difference between copying other peoples blogs to get attention and providing people with what I can tell them that they need to hear.
I used to have a blog myself, but I finally took it down after realizing in blogworld people can be as clique-ish as they are in the real world…in many ways it’s even worse since you’ll notice that people would put some other people’s blog as ‘friends’ but not yours…or they would comment on each other’s blog, but not yours.
I’m very artsy in a different way, but not very good at expressing myself online for many reasons..one, as fluent as I am with English language, It is not my first language, although it is a very close second. Also, visually my blog definitely not as interesting as Anne’s or some people’s blog here, but then again, as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t consider myself talented either in the visual or verbal area (then again I’ve pretty much come up with a couple paragraph so far).
So now, I just take down my blog and share my .02 on people’s blogs instead :)
(don’t mind me this is my ranting at 1:16AM in the morning…blame the sugar in the pecan pie I had earlier… :) )
Forgot to add:
Even sometimes I feel my comments are not as eloquent as others, so other posters may subconciously pass on my comments since it’s not as articulate or interesting.
I’d like to mention also though…as busy as Anne is with her other projects, she was kind enough to email me a couple times on other topics….thanks Anne :)