They care about you. Therefore, if they don't know you, they don't care about what you've written. Well, this is just a theory based entirely on my personal experience, so bear with me.
Unless I'm searching for a specific topic of which you are the expert, I will not be reading anything you've written unless you are my friend. Or enemy (keep them closer, right?)
Chances are, if you've commented on my blog, chat with me on Twitter or Facebook, you've gotten my attention, and you will earn my readership. (Unless you spam me or ask me to join umpteen Facebook clubs.) I can't promise a 100% consumption rate on my part, I'm only human. But if your name flashes on my screen or I catch your post in my Twitter feed, I'm there.
Someone recently said (and if it's you, tell me so I can give you the credit) they no longer read the news because if it is important enough, it will find them. This is so true. I barely hit up my Google reader lately, because I figure if I'm supposed to read your blog post, it will find me. I wonder if other people feel the same? If so, that's bad news for the untouchable bloggers who post and run, and you never know what they are up to until their next post. Yawn.
I hate to be all "Darren Rowse is such a good example of a blogger...yadda...yadda..." but come on, it's indisputable. He's blowing up Twitter all day long. And not in an annoying way that's all about him either. Another great example is Dan Schawbel. (Though I always want to say Schwabel...anyway) You are assured some relevant info and links from him daily. I don't use myself as a great example, because my idea of a good Tweet is quoting James Brown. But if you are into that, welcome to my world.
Bottom line: Tweet it, Facebook it, get it up on a blog network like Brazen Careerist, or get my husband or mother to email it to me. (I appreciate the personal touch.)
But I think that the days of blogging without relationships are gone. Even if your writing is fantastic, it is hard to get excited about someone I can't email or Tweet with my thoughts. You feel so cold, so distant.
Come undone. Connect.
photo by meggerss
19 Comments:
Good thoughts! I too find that I no longer consume the same feeds I was in newsgator just a few short months ago because I trust those I follow on twitter to provide me with interesting reading. It's the human powered syndication system. I can probably count on one hand the number of blogs that I now regularly consume via their rss feed.
Plus, to further evidence your point, this is the first time I've read your blog and it's because I follow you on twitter and you posted the link there. I probably never would have ended up here otherwise.
This is a great post! I feel the same way -- I love blogging and reading blogs, but I always feel so much more compelled to read someone's writing, and comment, if I know them personally. My blog doesn't really have much of a following, but I suspect it's because I don't really make full use of all the social media out there. I'm not the best twitter-er either, and I probably should try to make personal connections with people more, but I find it hard to do so in my "field" so to speak.
Blogging is about conversations, and it's not just a one-way street. I think there's much more to it than just writing something compelling.
@turbobrown - interesting, so you concur with my "findings"? I don't know if things just evolve that way for me, since I still consider myself a newbie to life on the 'net. I am usually the last to hear about something.
Great that you found me through Twitter! See you there. : )
@Akhila - I think you hit the nail on the head re: social media. The other thing w/ social media is that it can seem so much like an "all or nothing" proposition. Either you are on Twitter all day, or you are behind the crowd. Monica O'Brien of Twenty Set (@monicaobrien) recently wrote about how to Tweet effectively 5 minutes a day. I thought it was a great post and a great idea -showing you can still have a Twitter presence and make connections even if you have little time to do it.
Interesting post Milena, and definitely some solid points.
I know for me, I always enjoy reading more of the blogs that I feel have that personal connection. Interestingly enough, it doesn't always require that the blogger be an open blogger, people can still be personal while writing under a pseudonym.
On a tangent, I never actually noticed that I was misreading Dan's last name until you mentioned that you wanted to read/pronounce it Schwabel. I totally always read it that way anyhow. :) Thanks Milena, and sorry Dan if you're reading this :)
Cheers,
Adam
Milena,
Great post, and I couldn't agree more. Like turbobrown, I rely heavily on Twitter and a few news sources for information, and while I've subscribed to a few blogs, I rarely open my reader (I cringe now at the thought of all those "unreads"!), but rather prefer to catch up on my favorite blogs directly through their site, finding new ones through links and Twitter. If I like what they have to say, if they provide good content, and if I've formed a relationship with them, I'll keep checking back.
The whole idea around social media (and blogging, perhaps as an extension) is about connecting and forming relationships with others. If you take it out of the digital world, you can put it into context with your own outside life. Who are the people you *want* to call, have lunch with, chat with? You're invested in their lives, want to hear from them, because those are people with whom you've formed a relationship.
As Akhila said, it's about conversation, plain and simple. At the end of the day, you might be a thousand miles away, but I still want to feel like I'd want to have coffee with you.
Great post!
Cool. I was referred to your blog via Monica O'Brien's Twenty Set blog.
I actually ended up reading the wrong post, but, nevertheless - it was a more than pleasant surprise. Now that you have my attention, I'll be checking back periodically to see what else you have in store.
I agree with your points about making connections instead of unconciously consuming readership. It's actually a lot more fun that way...I think.
I read that personal blogs were dying - a thing of the past. But, really...I don't think they are. Ok, part of me does and part of me doesn't. I don't really want to read about someone's cat all the time...they still need to bring good, relevant and interesting content. Throwing in your cat stories every once and awhile is ok...makes you human. I think there has to be the right balance. Plus, communicating back to your readers is important. Great post!
I find I spend a lot less time reading news websites (I used to read NYT every day) now that I'm on Twitter. I generally follow links that my friends post, but don't seek out a lot of news on my own.
Despite my lackluster approach to the news, I often find that I'm still more informed than a lot of my non internet-savvy friends. The news I do get has already been screened by peers with similar interests and intellects and is therefore usually much more relevant and interesting than things I just stumble over while wandering through the news.
Unless my mom sends it to me. Then you can be sure it's completely irreverent, and often irrelevant. :)
Hm, I actually partially disagree with you. I think that some people will follow a blog out of personal interest for the blogger. I certainly get some of that. I do think that many people follow specific content though.
I think the running conversation on Twitter helps develop some of those relationships (I am not a great twitterer though) and certainly interaction in comment sections and between blogs helps. But ultimately what drives interest for me is topical, not personal.
I am admittedly old school though. I love my feed reader.
@Adam Miller - I agree. Obviously. There is a woman who writes for a blog, and she's pretty famous, an english professor, published author. She took the time to write me a comment on my blog once. I'm a devotee.
@Susan - thanks. I like your point about "these are the people you'd want to meet." I think Tweetups are the perfect marriage of social media and real socializing. I love meeting the Twitter peeps in the real world.
@Raven - welcome! I try to get to know my readers/followers. Like you say, it's more fun.
@please sir - Interesting. I wonder if personal blogs are dying too. I dunno. Like you say - you have to offer something extra besides what Mr. Snuffles is up to.
@Nicole - LOL re: mom emails. Why are mom emails so hilarious? Is it because they are new to the internet? Or still trying to teach us lessons? My mom is awesome though. I don't know what my days would be without her quirky emails.
@Lance - I did mention that I'll read bloggers that are topic-oriented, but didn't focus on that. To be sure, I'm searching for niche blogs all the time, in particular with the research I do for school. Academic blogs and professor blogs are some of my faves for targeted, hard-to-find info. So - we don't disagree after all!
@Everyone - that Moncia O'Brien post I was talking about earlier was actually a guest post on Dan Schawbel's sit. Go figure, huh? Here's the link: http://personalbrandingblog.com/30-minute-brand-building-for-twitter/
Milena -- I found your blog because we were both on Modite's Top 8 list.
I'm loving this post up here, because it's honest. You are right. I certainly pay more attention to the people who have commented on my blog or who @ or DM me on Twitter.
It seems to be human nature.
I like people that like me and vice versa. =)
I look forward to reading more of your posts!
This is important and stuff I knew, but is becoming even more apparent as I blog for Alice and start to build relationships and enter into communities that I'm not naturally apart of (mom bloggers, hi!). It's crazy, but so much fun. I just wish I could meet everyone in person :)
I agree in principle with you, but I have to say that I'm a sucker for a good headline. And that's a good thing actually, for me at least, because I find myself reading blogs that I might not have otherwise visited. Some I like and continue to read, most not. Good post.
I just found you through Brazen Careerist ... and I have to say this post really resonated with me. Unless it's someone who regularly posts interesting thoughts, I rarely care what you had for lunch.
Thanks for posting this.
@Jamie - nice, I've been seeing a lot more of you lately too - you do a good job of putting yourself out there.
@Rebecca - we should chat re: start-up blogs. Maybe we can lean on each other.
@Dennis - I will concede to you and Lance on that point. There are a few rare bloggers I will check up on, just in *hopes* they've posted.
@Megan - thanks! I'm glad it resonated with you, it's nice to know I'm not the only one ignoring my feed reader. : )
Hi Milena, I found this post through Grace Boyle's blog. I love your post. As I was reading it, I kept thinking to myself, "yes! that's why I haven't been checking my Google Reader for so long!" That is also the reason why I didn't see this post until now. I always feel so "behind" trying to catch up!
@Susan - I also cringe at the thought of all the unreads. And I really like your idea of "wanting to have coffee even if you might be a thousand miles away".
Recently I'm finally understanding the value of Twitter and how those relationships makes me feel that I'm actually part of a community instead of being a lonely blogger sitting in front of my laptop feeling all isolated.
Thanks for the post!
Well said. When it comes down to it, isn't it almost always about relationships? I mean, to be a good networker means you know how to build solid relationships, not just 'look at me'.
Whether it's sales, blogging, or selling girl scout cookies...the people that have the most success are often the ones who have build a strong network of friends and followers over time.
@Dave - I think so. I'm more likely to work with someone I feel gives me personal attention, or that they like me. It's psychology!
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