A Weblog Dedicated to the Discussion of the Christian Faith and 21st Century Life

A Weblog Dedicated to the Discussion of the Christian Faith and 21st Century Life
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I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe, –that unless I believed, I should not understand.-- St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Six Ways to Make Sure No One Reads Your Blog

From Michael Hyatt's blog:

1. Your titles make me yawn. Look, I am scanning a couple hundred blog posts and news items a day. If your title doesn't pull me into the content, what will? You need to spend as much time on the headline as you do the article. Don't be cute; tempt me.

2. Your posts are boring. I have tried to be interested. Really, I have. But you don't use any stories, illustrations, or metaphors. Your prose is preachy and didactic. And dry as dust. You’re making my eyes glaze over.

3. Your posts are too infrequent. You haven't posted in weeks. Or months. Like so many would-be bloggers, you started well, but you quit too early. I'm sure you have legitimate reasons, but I am tired of waiting. Nobody cares. Post or perish.

4. Your posts are too long. I know you want to do the topic justice. Prove your point. Consider every aspect. Answer the critics. And leave no stone unturned. But, honestly, you are wearing me out. If I want to read a book, I'll buy one. You're supposed to be writing a blog. A good rule of thumb? No more that 500 words.

5. Your posts are too unfocused. One day you're are blogging on this. The next day you are blogging on that. What is your blog about? Please remind me, because I am lost in the forrest of your eclectic interests. You're not a renaissance man (or woman). You are undisciplined.

6. You don't participate in the conversation. You either don't allow comments or don't participate in them. You're posts are hit-and-run. You come into the room, make your little speech, and leave the building. I'm sorry, but that is so last-century. You're not that important.
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You can read the entire post, "Why I Stopped Reading Your Blog," here.

2 comments:

Dan said...

What a great post. I used to frequent a blog hosted by a prof at a school in the Chicago area but he would do the "hit-and-run" post. He'd comment once and maybe twice if he felt someone was violating some rule of etiquette for the blog but that's it. There was hardly any interaction with the blog's host and so I quit visiting.

I suppose another reason some of us stop visiting is that the blog post and responses are too one-sided. Nothing kills a conversation like a good old fashioned pile-on.

It is interesting to read an actual list of why I stop visiting certain blogs.

Allan R. Bevere said...

Dan,

Thanks for your thoughts. As a blogger the dilemma I face is responding and being part of the conversation, but not sucking the air out of a comment thread.

It is important that I be part of the discussion, but I also need to allow the discussion to happen without a heavy hand.