Lately, I've been asking myself: What makes blogs successful? Some of the blogs I follow have long entries, some have short entries,. And some have a hyper focused topic, and so forth.
It's hard to determine what resonates in the blogosphere, and what sits on the page like tripe sandwich with mayonnaise with garlic pickles.
So, I thought I'd ask you some questions. Your mission....should you choose to accept it, is to answer what you like, or don't like about blogs. It's not scientific, so don't go all beaker and safety glasses on me, it's just a simple unvalidated survey.
I'll keep the survey short so if you choose to participate, you simply copy the questions below, paste them into the comment section along with your answers.
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
10 What do you want to be when you grow up? OK, I'm jacking you around on this one, but I'd be interested in what you have to say about the other questions.
It's hard to determine what resonates in the blogosphere, and what sits on the page like tripe sandwich with mayonnaise with garlic pickles.
So, I thought I'd ask you some questions. Your mission....should you choose to accept it, is to answer what you like, or don't like about blogs. It's not scientific, so don't go all beaker and safety glasses on me, it's just a simple unvalidated survey.
I'll keep the survey short so if you choose to participate, you simply copy the questions below, paste them into the comment section along with your answers.
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
10 What do you want to be when you grow up? OK, I'm jacking you around on this one, but I'd be interested in what you have to say about the other questions.
I personally aim for 400-800 words
ReplyDeleteskim if the beginning does not grab me
Some posts seem like they are aimed only at family or very close friends/also sponsored posts
Pictures can be good
I follow about 75 blogs probably 30 post frequently. I read every one I follow.
no, but sometimes it is fun
Theme is not particularly important
No number
A professional baseball player
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: It depends on the topic and writing skills. I try to keep my posts under 500 words. If more is needed I divide the piece and post the conclusion next time. But I only do this if I think there’s enough interest in the subject matter.
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
Answer: I skim, unless really captivated.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
Answer: Technical, too much SciFi or just boring. I also don’t enjoy posts about the weather or what people ate last night, unless it’s reeeeaaaally interesting. And I usually find posts talking about the craft of writing or hyping a self-published book very boring.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
Answer: Funny, poignant or well-written. I tend to like posts that entertain or make me think.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
Answer: Yes, but they should be kept to a minimum, not more than four or five. I sometimes post more, especially with travel pieces, but I try to keep the number low.
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
Answer: It just isn’t practical if you receive a lot of comments, and I seldom go back to see if a blogger responded to my comment. On my own blog, if I receive multiple comments asking the same question I’ll post a clarifying response in the comment section for all to read. Lately, I’ve trimmed my blog roll to about 75, down from 150, but that’s still a lot of reading, especially for blogs that publish everyday.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
Answer: Three to four hours.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
Answer: My blog, Chubby Chatterbox, focuses on Art, Humor and Nostalgia, but I also write at length about my travels. I think I’d get tired of a blog that always focused on the same thing, like politics or food or sewing, but I don’t think any writer should put themselves in a creative straight-jacket.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
Answer: Three. I post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I like to think what I lack in quantity I make up for in quality. That’s my hope, anyway. I know of few bloggers who can turn out interesting pieces while posting more frequently.
10 What do you want to be when you grow up? OK, I'm jacking you around on this one, but I'd be interested in what you have to say about the other questions.
Answer: I don’t intend to ever grow up.
ReplyDelete1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
--Depends on subject, writing style, need for detail. Posts on travel, history or oddities might go delightfully long. Otherwise, short and succinct is refreshing.
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
--If I find myself skimming, I usually stop reading. But some of the longer posts are among my favorites.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
--overuse of profanity, hateful or irrational rants, insincerity.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
--Good writing, well-considered thoughts, good humor or justified criticism --the confident feeling that I'm in the presence of a good mind.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
--Yes, and on walls, sides of buses. I also like blogs that can get silly.
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
--Yes, it makes me feel I've been acknowledged, but I know there's not time to reply to everyone. So I don't feel bad if there's no reply. One comments because one is moved to --that's enough for me. I run 3 blogs, and would love to reply to all comments but simply can't.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
--Probably an average of 2 hours. On rainy or hot days I don't keep track.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
--Any theme that propels a blogger onto an inquiry into existence is of interest to me,
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
--So long as they leave some letters and bits of punctuation over for the rest of us, any number is fine by me.
10 What do you want to be when you grow up?
--A fabulously wealthy celebrity. I just haven't figured out which one yet.
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on the type of post, if the writer is incredibly good, I don't care how long the post is... Most times I prefer it to be under 500.
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
This again is really subjective to who the writer is, on the whole though, I definitely tend to read the whole post as I comment and I don't like putting a flip comment down, I want to be able to say something so that the writer knows I took the time to read their words.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
Boring to me writing, overly preachy... usually I don't go back to those blogs unless they comment and I check them out to see if they have changed.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
Good writing and how much thought was put into the post. I can usually tell from the first paragraph.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
I like pictures on posts, it breaks it up for me, so that the words don't take over the whole page.
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
On the most, it matters... I have a few favorites that never comment back and I will ALWAYS read their posts and comment. It depends on how much I like the posts too. I connect with people on different media and most of the people that don't don't comment have reached out in other ways to tell me how much my comments mean to them. Some people are not capable of reciprocating and I understand. Saying all this, I do not expect a comment for a comment in anyway.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
Probably and hour and a half to two hours, broken up through out the day. I love to read and most of my time commenting is while I am on the bus going back and forth to work which takes me about 90 minutes each way.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
I love blogs from the heart, that shows who the person is inside without hiding themselves. I also follow many other types and love them too.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
My ideal number is once a week... haha... since I follow so many blogs but most times I read people who post daily and I only comment a couple of times per week.
1. I don't count words, I read them... Length doesn't matter to me as long as the author can hold my interest.
ReplyDelete2. My faithful followers are not boring me so I read the longer posts in it's entirety. My post tends to be long with lots of photos as I don't post very often.
3. I despise reading posts with no paragraphs so I usually bail out. I usually loose my place because it's hard to follow.
4. My bloggers are like my friends, I don't ignore my friends. I want to know what they have to say and how they are.
5. I love to see good pictures that tells a story relating to the blog. Clear natural,
undistorted pictures.
6. I love my followers to leave comments that comes from the heart and not empty comments. I realize that not all followers will relate to a particular post but I'm still grateful that they leave comments. (lots of followers are choosing to send me comments through email) but I like to count my comments, like most bloggers. hehe...
7. I don't keep track of the amount of time I spend reading blogs as I do it in snippets of time throughout the day or night but I try to always reciprocate on those who comment on my blog.
8. I don't look for theme but I look for common interest mostly.
9. Since I don't have lots of spare time, the ideal number of post per week would be about three.
10. When I grow up I want to be retired.
Sorry, my MacBook Pro won't let me cut and paste on blogs for some reason. I'll have to check this out with my son in-law.
JB
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
ReplyDeleteI prefer 300 words, but of course will read if something ‘holds’ me. I try to get mine down to that but they hang in at 400-500 words and it irritates me. I make that same comment on my Blog, and folks say it doesn’t matter, I am sure some mean it and some are being nice saying inside “You are too wordy!”
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
1600-2000 words I tend to skim.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
I cannot explain that, There is one blogger I truly like, but at times I bale, do not know why, but the post is always 1800-2300 words, about a chapter (smile)
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
The content, the author and at times the blog layout. But blog layouts are way down the ladder.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
YES.
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
NO, but it is nice. Normally my wife will tell me if there is a reply, as a matter of fact she pointed out a nice return yesterday.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
TOO much, but I like it. Probably an hour to an hour and an hour and a half. I seldom take part in a ‘survey’ such as this, but this one I want answers too also. Most of the questions I have wanted answered, I am looking forward to reading the comments on this.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
With so much variety, to me the theme doesn’t matter, but it definitely is not a turn off. It might be if the theme was on a science I had NO interest in.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
I think I like daily, more of a daily friend, but I think ideally three would be good to try to keep new and fresh ideas, But I like daily contact for some reason, I do not know why. I probably would not like a 2000 word daily entry.
10 What do you want to be when you grow up? OK, I'm jacking you around on this one, but I'd be interested in what you have to say about the other questions.
I wish I knew, but at 76 I am running out of options. (But I would like to be an author, a real one!)
Now to comment on this post. I like it. Now if I can figure how to pack all this into that little window! (smile)
Me again, not that I have read the comments I do want to say, a special thanks for this one. Gives me a little more insight!!!
ReplyDelete1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
ReplyDeleteI don’t care, as long as they’re interesting.
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
I will continue to read as long as I’m interested.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
Boredom.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
See #1.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
Absolutely—pictures & cartoons!!
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
I like a reply, but it’s not necessary.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
A couple of hours.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
Not important, but I do enjoy funny posts & posts from the heart.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
I don’t care as long as their last post leaves me wanting to read another.
10 What do you want to be when you grow up?
Alive!!
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
ReplyDeleteI prefer an interesting post. If it captures my attention length doesn't matter.
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
Because I am an avid reader I tend to read in paragraphs rather than words. Some peole may think this is skimming but I know what I read when I finish.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
Advertising. I understand the need to have money but I can go to commercial websites to be sold to.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
Good subject, interesting writing, and sense of humor.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
It depends on the post. Some need a picture while others can stand on their own merits.
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
A reply is not necessary each time but it nice to know that the blogger is actually reading the comments and that the comments matter. There are those who simply count how many and that is not a measure of quality.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
Usually no more than an hour or so.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
Again it depends. Themed blogs can be informative if not too dry. Most blogs have a looser theme of relating personal experiences in one way or another.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
I write two posts each week because I cannot keep up with more. Each blogger is different but when it becomes a job you should cut back.
10 What do you want to be when you grow up? OK, I'm jacking you around on this one, but I'd be interested in what you have to say about the other questions.
I wanted to be a mother. I have done that so I think I am fulfilled.
1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely short. I have a huge blog roll and longs posts lose me. It might also have something to do with my short attention span..
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
You caught me. Unless exceptionally interested in the subject matter, I'll skim. Or just move on.
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
A few things. Anything too political, religious or too personal. I tend to avoid commenting on those aspects of a post and in the few instances where I've responded anyway, I usually regret it. And if a post is more than a few sentences, one which lacks paragraph breaks is very frustrating to read.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
I have my regulars who rarely fail to please. Humour is important to me. Kindness. Interesting subject matter. Creativity. Written like you're right there with them. Kind of what makes a good relationship of any kind.
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
Only on mine. ;) Kidding.. Of course I do.
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
No. I used to respond to each and every comment in the comments section but found it to be taking far too much time, in addition to the blogging and blog visiting. I'll respond to folks who have questions or comments which need a response by email, these days. If I'm interested in what response my comment might garner on another blog, I'll click the "Notify me" and get further comments by email.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
Far too much. It probably averages two to three hours a day, each week.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
No, I prefer to read/see whatever the blogger wants to share.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
Two or three.
10 What do you want to be when you grow up?
That's unfair. Why must I grow up?
1) Most of the blogs I follow seem to keep the posts short to medium in length...perfect.
ReplyDelete2) I don't skim..I'm afraid I'll miss something!
3) Profanity or meanness
4) I enjoy the bloggers I've chosen to follow so I want to read what they have to say
5) I love photos on blogs. I like seeing how the world looks in someone else's neighborhood.
6) If I get an email from a blogger, that's great. But everyone is busy so I'm not looking for a reply.
7) Bbetween 30-60 minutes.
8) I like blogs that are not themed...just everyday life and thoughts that are important to the blogger.
9) 3 is a nice round number. (However, I do enjoy a few blogs that post daily..hint, hint) Lately I can't seem to make one a week!
10) I'm a work in progress.
I appreciate the comments on this survey. I normally don't do surveys, but in a quest for improvement, I thought feedback on your approach to blogging and ideas about other blogs would be helpful....and I was right.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
1. It depends on the subject and how interesting it is.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear. It's late, and I can't concentrate enough to answer all the questions. I like a photo or drawing with a blog. I especially like fishducky's cartoon. It doesn't matter much to me how often people blog. I find that my followers drift away if I don't blog Monday - Friday. The amount of time I spend reading blogs varies. Occasionally, I have a day when I don't turn on the computer at all. Other times, I might spend one or two hours reading blogs. I don't care if people have a specific theme. I enjoy some humorous blogs a great deal, but I also like some blogs that are soothing. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up because I don't think I'll grow up.
Love,
Janie
ReplyDelete1. Do you prefer long posts (500+ words) or short posts (100 to 499 words)?
Generally short but I'll read a longer one when it appears.
2. On longer posts, do you read or skim?
I read every word!
3. What makes you bale out on a blog post?
A distasteful subject.
4. What makes you want to read the entire post?
Good writing, or an interesting story
5. Do you like pictures on posts?
I think they're a nice addition but not necessary
6. Does it matter whether or not, the blogger replies to your comments on each post?
Not to me.
7. How much time do you spend per day reading blogs?
For me it's maybe an hour a week.
8. How important is theme? (Do you prefer blogs with specific themes? For example, fashion, food, technology, or fly fishing.
I like blogs about every day life.
9. What is your ideal number of posts per week for a blogger?
I think every day is nice, but one a week minimum, although I fall far short of that myself!
10 What do you want to be when you grow up? OK, I'm jacking you around on this one, but I'd be interested in what you have to say about the other questions.
Haha! Wise instead of a wise-guy(gal).