During AIS class this week, one topic that we discussed was the weekly blog posts that we would be writing throughout the school year. There are many guidelines to writing our blogs in this class. Many of these guidelines are perfectly understandable and valid. However, I always thought that the reason people wrote blogs was so they could voice their opinion without being held back by anyone. To find out more about what is really important in writing a blog, I did what any new, confused blogger would do: search the internet for tips on writing blogs.
After looking at several links, I determined that the one I would be using was http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/07/13/how-to-write-excellent-blog-content-what-we-wish-we-knew/. This website has many useful tips on writing a successful blog, emphasis on “successful”. My issue with this website is that it tells bloggers how to write blogs that will become popular, and keep pulling readers back in. In my opinion, the popularity of one’s blog is just a small factor to be considered when writing a post. The blogger should write about something that has meaning to them, something that they care about. If the blogger doesn’t really care about a certain popular issue, then they shouldn’t blog about it just for the sake of attracting more followers. One issue that the website discusses is the power of a good title. They say that it should be something that would show up in a Google search. Yet this is just another tool to attract more attention to the blog. Another device that many websites suggest is having many links, so people can more easily access your blog. Nearly all of the blogs I read had links to twitter, which I view as unoriginal, yet it may attract attention. All in all, I think that all of these links are tacky and excessive. I feel that even the most kind-hearted of readers will get bored and annoyed when every blog they read has an image like the one below.
I certainly feel that talking about something you are passionate about is more important than talking about something that internet users view as important. Maybe I have that opinion because I am a new blogger, but still, is it better to write a blog that you care about, or to write a blog that readers will care about?
I agree with you in the sense that blogging about what is most important to your is paramount over the reader's possible interests. When you blog about a modern issue or topic that you wholeheartedly care about, it enables you to present a viewpoint that you passionately agree with. On the other hand, if you blog about something that would appease the readers, your angle would not be as true and as meaningful as if it were a topic that interests you. In short, your stance would be false.
ReplyDeleteIt is imperative that you continue to use blogging as a tool to state your own personal and unique position on a topic that you find fascinating. That, technically, is what blogging is all about. Although a small part, certain readers will follow you and your blog if your interests are similar to theirs.