What You Don’t Publish, Defines Your Site
I didn’t write any articles in the last few days on Dosh Dosh because I didn’t feel that I had anything interesting to say. It’s not entirely self-censorship: I just don’t like to write when there’s no way to inject a new perspective on any topic.
Many will publish content regularly because they feel a necessity to generate pageviews and maintain site freshness. Some fear that their subscribers will go away if they don’t update their site.
They don’t mind repeating the ideas of others and writing variations of the same topic again and again. Some will tirelessly create resource lists every week for links.
I’m sure some readers will find such sites to be useful. I’m not disputing their value. After all content quality is relative and ultimately influenced by the audience’s specific needs or interests. Know one thing for sure: what you put on your site allows visitors to form judgments about your personal and business brand.
And conversely so, this leads to an important point often neglected: What you do not publish will define your site. The absence of specific content positions your site against another competitor and allows it to develop an identity among others.
I’ve decided a few months ago that Dosh Dosh isn’t a news blog. I’m not concerned with pumping out posts on the latest blogging widget or ad network, posts filled with affiliate links. I don’t care if there’s a new version of Wordpress. I don’t bother with the latest blog spats/gossip. And I have never done any paid reviews at all.
Image Credit: CNV00003
I am not going to spin you an incarnation of ways to get more blog comments nor am I going to give you 100 tips to get more traffic. These generic articles are generally boring, because they only re-circulate or promote ideas that are already firmly established. Status quo meta-blogging is banal and insipid to me.
You’ve read these type of content many times on other sites. What value do you have if you read it on Dosh Dosh? Not much. And so I’ve decided to focus on theoretical articles which make you think. It’s all about giving you new ideas to use as catalysts towards action. Theory is incredibly important but so often overlooked.
Conscientious publishing is not about being unique. It is impossible to be extremely original in every article; every good blogger repeats himself or herself. It’s a natural extension of how minds remember and work with ideas. But by controlling what is published, you can influence how you want to be perceived.
If you are an online publisher, take a look at your site today.
- What information are you sharing? What does that say about your site?
- What content topics or types do you not publish on your site?
- How does your content currently define your personal or blog brand?
- What are your peers and competitors publishing (and not publishing)?
Examine your reputation goals and learn to refrain from publishing specific content. This goes a long way when you want to carve out a distinct identity in your niche.
For more branding strategies, subscribe to Dosh Dosh today.
And that is why we read your blog.
You’re right Maki. There is too much of the same old stuff getting churned out. It’s nice to know where we can come for some original ideas.
interesting reflection and well said about unpublished content defines your site. Writing for writing sake so you can beef up your site isn’t always going to add value for readers, stop for a while isn’t all too bad!
Hmm, I like your reason for not posting these past few days better than mine. Nothing to say is much more fun than miserably sick.
I’ve always found originality to be the hardest part of blogging. I don’t mind getting inspiration from elsewhere, but finding something to say on a topic that not everyone else is saying is challenging.
You know, I was thinking along similar lines recently. I don’t want to be the blogger everyone reads. I want to be the blogger the really smart people read.
Like you, I don’t have the time, interest or inclination to follow every bobble and weave going on among the searcherati.
And it’s not just what you don’t publish on your own blog. It’s the conversations and comments you opt out of elsewhere, like Sphinn.
You’re building a strong personal brand. Stick with your instincts.
Reader loyalty even when posting is less frequent may be a good measure of true value. There have been periods extending into weeks when I didn’t post on my primary blog. Readership didn’t decline in spite of my absence. That’s a benefit of a niche which is evergreen and in short supply. If I died today, That blog would probably still be read by significant numbers of people for at least the next year or so. Can’t say the same of my other blogs though.
I wish more bloggers thought like you. At the least, it would save my finger some wear and tear when I scroll past these posts in my feed reader.
Trying to avoid platitudes and bromide posts like the ones you mentioned really helped crystallize what I wanted my blog to be about and gave me some interesting perspectives into how to approach certain topics, making for a more helpful resource for readers.
Excellent and advice I wish more bloggers would take to heart I know I always try but I’m not always successful doing.
Thanks for the good advice.
I breathed a sigh of relief while I read this. I’ve been complaining of the same “same old” lately, and it’s good to see I’m not the only one who is a little fed up with what’s considered old hat.
And I like thinking posts, so I’m looking forward to what you’ll have to come. Thanks for taking this angle with your work.
großartiges blog!
You are truly an inspiration to us all. You have proven that you don’t have to rely on lame contests, stupid gimicks, and annoying widgets to have a unique blog. You have shown that all it takes is persistance and something intelligent to say.
Thank you.
I’ve thought this way since the very start of my blog. I would try to pump out material at least twice a week, but sometimes, my music or my girl take lead over marketing.
Fantastic post.
I read Seth Godin every day!
In 100 words or less, Seth can communicate a message that would take other bloggers thousands of keystrokes to accomplish
I think there is something very powerful in your post about simplicity and a clear, relevant message.
Is Seth worried about SEO and keywords or making others think?
Great points Maki. Writing for the sake of writing with no regard to how “bland” or repetitive your content can be, will be more of a detriment rather than an advantage. “Quality over Quantity” is definitely relevant in this context. I’m sure you’re aware of people that tell you to post daily…and whenever someone suggests that, it makes me a little uneasy. Why? Because they are focusing on the wrong thing. Besides being judged on what you don’t write, when do however, you are being judged on what you can “bring to the table”.
One should instead think about writing a quality piece than worrying more about quantity. This is derived from the theory that in most circumstances, when you write in higher frequencies with such short time intervals, the quality will tend to suffer. Of course there are exceptions. Some can write great content constantly and frequently. In this regard, one should consider the following:
1)Is your content of interest?
2)Are you being repetitive & if so, is it a “good” repetitiveness?
3)Are you genuinely trying to take the lead, or are you just following the crowd?
Good read, we often get lost as to “what” & “why” we should write. (Sorry for the long comment
)
I also agree when you said that some stuff is just about standard. We’re in about the 4th (at least) solid year of the blogging phenomenon. I suggested to a newb that if he wants to get started at this blogging stuff, bookmark the top 51-100 blogs and put the 1st 50 in your reader.
When I blog and suddenly have the urge to namedrop any of the famous bloggers and talk about something they said, I stop and ask myself if it’s really necessary to link to them AGAIN, esp. when 75% of my audience already read that same article in their readers. I would rather talk about a blogger who wrote his first post yesterday because at least it’s something new.
You’re refreshing to me because you write original and interesting material and you give really great tips that are useful. Another good, thought provoking post, Maki.
Bravo! When I want to know about a topic I usually go to the search engines first unless I know a favorite blogger may have covered it. I find the article I want, then probably never revisit that site (well 8 out of 10 times). The blogs I visit all the time I visit because of the blog. Not knowing what the topic will be, it’s the blogger that I’m interested in, and what they have to say.
Maki, that’s the value of your blog. I think the first thing I read here was your t-shirt money-making post off a long tail search to help a friend. Imagine if you’d woken up that day and decided how to write about article marketing or boosting traffic with blogging 8-S.
When I was in grade school and we had essays to write, I’d ask the other kids what topic they were doing so that I could do a different one. It made being original a whole lot easier. Still true today, it seems.
On a related note, when you don’t respond to comments, that also defines your site. While many of the comments here are congratulatory, at least a couple were interesting enough to warrant a response, imho. What do you think?
This is very true. I once wrote a post specifically stating what you will NOT find on my blog as a way to stand out.
@ Stephan, Patricia, Jeff
Aww… thanks for the kind words y’all!
@ Stephanie
Hope you’re feeling much better now
@ KatFrench
Writing for a select audience is a little tricky. I know Dosh Dosh’s audience is quite varied and I have to take that into account when I’m writing articles… I can’t really geek out and go in depth on social media stuff (especially on advanced SMM) because not many are familiar with how it works.
So I have to start with a beginners series, which I’ve done. In the end I think you need to have cornerstones and big reference articles you can point newbies to… before you start to focus on the more advanced stuff. Things would have been different if I started out as a pure social media blog, but I evolved along the way….so my audience is a little mixed.
@ Sylvie
Definitely. Reader loyalty is a good measure of true value…this is something I’ve noticed myself when I started publishing a lot less late less year. I was initially worried that my subscribers would plummet but was reassured that it didn’t. This kind gave me more leeway to explore other topics and take my time to craft a more substantial/unique article.
@ Mike
I think your blog is a pretty good resource for the topic you’re covering. Like you said, being helpful is a surefire way to become essential for readers.
@ James Chartrand
You’re welcome! I think one part of the problem is that we tend to stick to the same RSS reading circle and so we tend to see ideas being repeated so often by bloggers who don’t really think beyond pageviews, subscriber figures or income.
@ Gary
Seth is remarkably good at packing value into a concise post….. it’s a way of writing that is efficient as well, considering how much time he spends on writing each article. To achieve that level of insight, I do think you need to have a certain level of talent, knowledge or experience.
@ Giun
Great questions. ‘Good repetitiveness’ ……hmmm I’m wondering what kind of articles fall within that mold. Taking the lead is easy by writing against the flow (being a contrarian) but ultimately you need to have a cohesive understanding of where you’re going and have the persuasive skills to make others believe that you’re worth following too..
@ Mr.StanSmift
The thought of linking out to new bloggers more often is something I’m trying to do on Dosh Dosh. I guess the general idea to follow is this: link to content which illustrates your point, continues a conversation or provides insight into parallel or new ideas/concepts. If you learn how to link to the right people, it’ll make your articles look so much better as well… not to mention that you’re adding an incredible amount of additional value for your readers.
@ Terry
Good point about the blogger’s unique personality/focus being an important factor in repeat visitors. Thanks for coming back to Dosh Dosh again and again!
@ Gab
Dude… cut me some slack. I published the post a few hours ago and I took a break away from the computer. I also like to let the comments seep in more (usually 12 hours+) before answering them all in one roundup comment post… I am interested in responding and having a conversation with my readers, I’m just doing it the way that’s more efficient for me.
It is difficult to handle so many comments, as you’ll probably realize yourself when your blog becomes more popular.
@ Everyone else
Thanks for commenting and sharing your thoughts!
If I could somehow leave a comment that said nothing, might that define me as a commentator too?
db
Maki,
Don’t worry one bit about taking breaks from the computer (thus not responding immediately to comments). There’s no doubt your blog wouldn’t be as successful if you didn’t take regular time away from it.
When I first started blogging, I had this idea that “I must keep the date fresh by posting, if possible, every day.” Kind of ridiculous looking back, but that’s the value of hindsight.
Two old phrases come to mind:
Less is more.
It’s the quality, not quantity.
Maki you have the power to anticipate what your readers think and you share that power with Seth Godin. Now that is a hell of a compliment.
This post is my favorite….so far
thanks for the tips
Wow! Excellent Maki, this is the best post I can find during my blog walking just because you said this:
“I just don’t like to write when there’s no way to inject a new perspective on any topic.”
Taking a break is mandatory I think, it will bring the freshness back.
We’re not a machine and we’re not a slave, we have life other than to post daily article on the blog
Love it
I stepped away from the computer for a week because of illness and my numbers went through the roof! Coming back to publish, I hesitated charging right in. I instead am really trying to analyse why my site is having the success that it is having this week. Your article (as so many others) is giving me the brain grease I need to see things clearly. Thanks!
“Theory is incredibly important but so often overlooked”
This sentence struck me and I definitely agree. Most people are out there looking for practical ways to accomplish tasks but fail to recognize the reason why such practices actually work. By understanding the basic principles to these strategies, you instill within yourself the necessary tool to create your own unique ways to achieve your site goals.
Great post. I’ve def thought about what you’re saying before, which is why I’ve geared my blog more toward the lists and news items. In my niche (online journalism) there’s plenty of people talking about theory, but few people talking about what tools can get the job done for their jobs and things that are commonly covered by social marketing and blogging blogs are not often read by people in my niche. I do sprinkle in some theory stuff, but it doesn’t always go over as well as my traditional posts. Thanks for this post, gives me something to think about
LOL Maki… check out my last article… I didn’t even write it! I feel the same as you, don’t publish just for the sake of it… publish when you have something interesting to say.
Maki,
You definitlely made me think and reflect.
It seems to me that most bloggers, especially in the “marketing” or “make money” niches are just that, marketers and not writers per se.
Here I define “writer” in the context of your post – being original and thought-provoking. This will be difficult for the many bloggers who use their blogs as a marketing tool as opposed to branding themselves by developing loyal readers due to their unique insights.
“You’ve read these type of content many times on other sites. What value do you have if you read it on Dosh Dosh? Not much.”
I have to disagree. You’re making the assumption that people have been exposed to a concept before, when some people haven’t. Some people are just starting out in blogging, and for those people this “same old” information is totally new to them. They won’t find it on search engines because they don’t know to search for it in the first place.
So I’d have to say that dismissing the value of information simply because it has been “said before elsewhere” makes a certain limiting presumption about the audience that might not necessarily be true. I think we tend to make the presumption that other people visit all the same blogs we do. But that’s not necessarily true. That “recycled content” may be boring to some, but game-changing for others.
That said … I still value the fact that when I come to doshdosh, I *know* that what I’ll find is going to be original and incredibly valuable information that I’m pretty sure I won’t have found elsewhere first. “Catalysts towards action,” as you say.
Keep up the phenomenal work, Maki.
@ Mark – I agree. There are so many of the same repetitive sites out there with nothing much to offer but the latest trick and gadget review. It’s kind of sad, really, because the Web can be so much more than it is.
We’ve found that many of our readers prefer what you like: thought-provoking content. Advice, tips, lessons, whatever you want to call it, doesn’t have to be bland or not very insightful.
Everyone is unique with something original to offer. I wished many bloggers took the same perspective as Maki and others like myself try to adopt.
@ Maki – I think you pegged the problem well. Bloggers tend to run in cliques and circles, which creates a tendency to blog about the same sort of content each other would like. Thanks for responding to a wide range of readers in the way that you do.
@ Dave
That “recycled content” may be boring to some, but game-changing for others.
Then instead of recycling, why not be even more efficient with our words and point to that content instead of creating something new with something old? Save Web space. Spare the planet
I think Dave does have a point. Often it is the novel interpretation and insights that a particular blogger can offer on a piece of news or item, not just the facts of the news that readers are after. They don’t necessarily mind seeing the same news facts in places other than the original news source so long as there is some added value.
db
Maki,
Did you feel the kiss coming at you from Canada?
I’ll be sending today’s post to my clients – as so many women entrepreneurs want to be everything to EVERYONE which of course, is a safe, easy and fast way to go broke and not make a difference in the world.
This Sales Diva thinks you rock!
Kim
Another great article. I subscribe to your feed and read posts via google reader rather than on your site most of the time. I’ve noticed recently 2 links at the bottom of the feed:
This is an article from Dosh Dosh
Article Name
which is great as if I do want to head here I can click on the link instead of scrolling back up to the post title – but how do you put them there? I’d like to add a similar feature to my feed.
@ Dave Navarro
Thanks for your comment! You have some great points but I don’t think I am really dismissing the value of information for readers .
This article is not about being incredibly unique all the time. It’s not saying that recycled or already-published content cannot be valuable for users. If you’ve read dosh dosh, you would probably be aware that I know readers have different informational needs. I’ve already mentioned this in the fourth paragraph in this article.
After all, how can I really understand how tens of thousands of readers value content here? How can I know what they want to or prefer to read?
I could do a poll but even then it’s still a snapshot of an evolving reality I cannot fully comprehend. This is something I’m acutely aware of. I know readers don’t visit the same blogs because I’m tracking click ratios for my outbound links. Because they all send me emails with all sorts of questions ranging from the most mundane to the most advanced.
All I’m saying in this article is that content can be used as a way to frame your website and influence how you want users to think about your brand.
Most people just talk about how content can be used to get links, traffic and subscribers. I’m talking about the overall identity or reputation that can be strategically created by carefully monitoring what you publish (or not).
How would you think of Dosh Dosh if I simply rewrote what Darren Rowse and Brian Clark wrote everyday? What if I held contests, did paid reviews every so often and published short news-posts which just echoed what has already been said?
I’m sure you’ll think of this site differently. But even if I did this… I’m sure that some people will still find the information on Dosh Dosh to be valuable. I’m not disputing that. It’s all relative, as I’ve said.
But it’s the overall image I’m creating that I’m concerned with. By not publishing specific content that is already well elaborated by others, by striving to inject new perspectives, ideas and analysis whenever possible, you’re not only adding value… you’re quite clearly trying to distinguish yourself from the rest.
How many ways can you rewrite ‘tips to get more blog comments’ or ‘methods to get more adsense income’? Not many. And I emphasize on ‘rewriting’ because these topics are already beaten to death.
I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t do these articles. They can be useful as a lead-in for future pieces which go more in depth than other sites in the niche.
I’ve done some beginners guides because I wanted my readers to grow with me. This allows me to tackle more advanced material later on. Even then your beginner guides should include your personal opinion or some research of your own. Something different will make you an edge in value. That’s the key point to note here.
I’ve seen far too many blogs in the internet marketing niche who keep on covering the same topics mentioned by others again and again, mostly by linking to A-listers and not providing any new insights on the topic. Sad to say, but they don’t and won’t grow to be a popular blog. Their chances are slim because their content lacks a Unique Selling Proposition.
Most people can and will continue writing these sorts of repetitive content because they believe that a certain population of readers will find it useful…certainly, that is the model for ad-driven news blogs. That’s fine if you want to go that route.
But my experience with growing Dosh Dosh from nothing to its current form tells me that that isn’t really a way to blow up fast. It’s not a good way to become an authority. At the very least, remix the old and reframe it to position yourself as a thought-leader. Coin a few new terms/concepts to make people rethink the topic.
By all means, write about topics already published elsewhere but I honestly think there is not much value (for you) if you don’t use it as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from the thousands of other blogs out there.
The bottomline is how you approach these topics. If you’re just putting out cookie-cutter solutions found elsewhere, readers will know. They aren’t stupid. And whatever ‘value’ you give them will quickly be outlived when they discover how you’re just creating noise.
Well said
Hiya Maki! I agree with most of what you’ve said here.
Even though topics such as “how to get more comments” or “how to get more subscribers” have been covered umpteen million times, there’s always going to be newer bloggers who can and will appreciate a fresh look at it.
One “newer” blogger commented today on my latest post “How to make your blog posts SCREAM for attention” that she learned some things not known before and that she was printing off my post, and it got stumbled by Caroline Middlebrook.
I believe there are ways to repeat what WE have learned in such a way that benefits and helps those that haven’t learned what we’ve learned. Just my two cents.
There is a very good and wise Book that says, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
Yup, look on Technorati and you’ll see that every blog is writing about the SAME THING in tech news. It’s boring!
Dara, not all blogs are writing the same thing. While there appears to be many just copying ideas, there are some niche sites using the same topics but the writers present new views. The challenge is finding these sites over the noise found on Digg, TechMeme, Technorati, etc.
I feel that for all that Irony has to offer us, this post will be linked to and commented about in many blogs..
anyway, personally this is something I have often thought about. I think a proper decision on what to post is possible only when we are completely aware of what our brand image should/want/need to be.
For some it is a simple and easy image to carve, there are others who are still seeeking it because of the conflcit in their mind about what they want to do and what they think is expected out of them. Then again there are others who don’t quite bother about it, and blog what problogger has to say..(though darren always screams about having one’s voice..)
So what’s the point about people knowing their brand and this post?
To my mind, branding isn’t just an idea in the mind that you ned to execute. It is a process, and needs to be cultivated based on and for the readers/customers that you cater to. Branding is a tool for the readers to relate with a blog.
And this feeling of “I can relate to it” is what makes most bloggers write the same thing over and over again in their respective blogs.
For over the last year “better blogging blogs” have been on the move a lot. So what we find are bloggers who blog about blogging, who are readers of other blogs about blogging. And so perhaps at a certain level we tend to write on what we read; reading forms the base for most ideas after all. And what we see is a brazen fact that Maki eplains in this post.
This would mean that branding is in someway defined by the readers, and since readers of most blogs are the same, most blogs echo a similar brand thought, which may or may not have their own USP.
This leads us two paths towards blogging. One that is based on catering to known set of readers (known doesn’t mean you need to personally know all of your readers) and the second building up a resourceful blog community which thinks beyond the known readership and whose goal extends beyond increasing readership (which is of course a very important and perhaps appropriate goal for blogs in general)
The latter to my mind is focussed on building value through what they write. They want to a build a community with different schools of thought within. Their success is not necessarily getting a lot of comments or having a lotof readership. Instead it is the susteinance of the blog that is the testimony to its success. Here the readers want to know “What”
The former is looking at building an active community who talk a lot. They don’t restrict the viewpoint about a certain topic limited to one blog. They discuss it betweent hemesleves through comments, links and references. At such instances, some of them don’t add value, while some does put a unique twist. The readers then are just interested in what their blogger yhinks. Does he think Maki is right, or does he think he is wrong? Here they are looking for “Why”..
The difference perhaps is about leadership or having a leader like attitude. Some decide their path, others choose to follow a set one. The way Robert Frost (I presume) said about chossing paths in a wood..
Is there an “Uh-huh??” feeling right now?
The point is , Maki has a problem with the kind of image a blogger portrays, he has a problem with a blogger being a ’sheep’. Dave says that even sheeps give out wool.. and in my opinion sheeps make a shepherd – a shepherd, we need them both. Sheeps have to behave like sheeps to be accepted by other sheeps, and shepherds in turn need to understand sheeps.. to be and stay shepherds…
phew.. sorry maki for mutiliating what was an excellent view point from you, I dont’ know if I went wayward to the point that it became gibberish..
I guess what you say on “others” blogs also portray you in a certain way..
Hi Maki
There are so many sites out there about GPT programs, but not one of them told me what I wanted to hear, and that was ‘what was it REALLY like for you?, tell me the ins and outs of your personal experience on the program.’
And so, taking a leaf out of Ghandi’s book, I became the change I wanted to see. I set up a blog to do a bit of ‘GPT journalism’ myself
I probably should update the blog a bit more regularly, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I won’t lose any brownie points in the afterlife if I don’t.
I’ve always felt you’re unique, Maki, which is why I keep on passing through your site and have done for the past 9 months or so.
You, my friend, are inspirational.
Have a beautyFULL weekend.
I’m still waiting for the 25 Reasons Picking your Feet Helps with Social Media Marketing, post.
@Maki
You were wondering what articles fit in “good repetitiveness”, to quote yourself
“I’ve done some beginners guides because I wanted my readers to grow with me. This allows me to tackle more advanced material later on. Even then your beginner guides should include your personal opinion or some research of your own. Something different will make you an edge in value. That’s the key point to note here.”
That’s one type of article that fits in “good repetitiveness”. Like you said, you can’t be unique EVERY time and you will eventually step on some subjects already discussed. The key point is to add on something new (your views, different views, additional information, etc.).
Another good post from DoshDosh..^^..Thanks again for always sharing!
This is a good idea. That’s exactly why I have decided to try stop publishing space fillers on my blog. Currently, don’t have very many readers or subscribers but hopefully as the audience gets bigger, it would help to remember these good ideas.
I don’t know. I see the same readers and the same names commenting on the same blogs throughout the blogosphere. These readers all have blogs and when you go back to their blogs you see the same names commenting on the same blogs.
I wish some of you would pick up the phone and call each other. You want to know why you have all these readers who don’t comment? You can’t get a word in. Especially the “marketing chick/mommy chick”-type blogs. And for the guys that get into it, you know who you are, it’s very effeminate and very boring.
Keep rockin Maki.
I guess my previous post was eaten by the browser.
Anyway, this is a really good point. I have also been thinking of not using space fillers in the blog just to have an update.
@ Daniel
Yes, taking a break is actually an excellent way to get some inspiration for future blog posts. I do highly recommend it if you’re not doing a news blog.
@ Suzie
You’re welcome!
@ Fitz
You’re right. Theory gives you a rough blueprint and sometimes, inspiration about how to go about creating a customized solution to solve your own problems.
@ shawn smith
I just subscribed to your blog… I like blogs about journalism… and am always seeking to learn more about it. I guess if you most people are talking theory, you’ll stand out if you focus more on the practical issues… especially the ‘common-sense’ topics that most people seem to overlook.
@ Buzzing with Ange
Hey… haven’t talked to you for some time… how ya been?
@Mark McCullagh
Thanks for the link! I think most internet marketers are simply using their site as a platform to generate income. That’s perfectly fine but I think it also means that you have to be a little less radical when you are writing content or promoting your site. I’m sure there are some thought provoking blogs out there in the make money niches but not many, it seems.
I think these bloggers are writers as well but perhaps the profit motive keeps them from exploring topics that would be unpopular with audiences.
.@ James
You’re welcome! I think there are ways to work around the usual cliques and circles and I think the solution is to take time away from the blog to perform research, read social news and books. I know this definitely helps for me. Sometimes I feel saturated just by reading the usual blogs in my feedreader so I stop monitoring them for a few days.
I really should write an article about keeping a fresh mind…. maybe next week.
@ David Bradley
Yes, 50% of it is the spin the blogger puts on the topic…and 50% is the topic itself. But not many bother to spin….
@ Kim Duke
Gotcha kiss…… aww… thanks!
@ Mrs S
I am using a Wordpress plugin to create the links. You can find it here: http://www.joostdevalk.nl/make-the-scrapers-work-for-you/
Hope this helps!
@ Lin
Definitely, no arguments there. Content will always be useful to some people, its really impossible to tell how many but yes… there will always been a google searcher or blog hopper who’ll come across an article and find it interesting.
@ maneesh
That was a long comment… worthy of a stand-alone blog post! I don’t really have a problem with bloggers being sheep…. as I’ve said, regurgitating content you read is what most news bloggers do… and they do make money and/or have a community of readers who find them useful.
Repeating the words of others can be useful because not everyone reads the same sites…. however if you take the time to carefully monitor what you publish (or don’t publish), you can quite easily distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack. It gives you a USP and that is increasingly important in a world where reader attention spans are short and time is a valuable asset.
@ 2ThePoint
I like your style… no honest, straight forward blogging on GPT is always useful for everyone. I think a lot of GPT bloggers just write short blog posts in order to drop their affiliate links… that’s OK but wouldn’t it be better if you could really help someone while doing so?
@ Lyndon
It’s coming, dude! I will make it so.
@ Giun Sun
Looks like I answered my own question. Heh.
@ Mr. StanSmif
Well you’re always welcome to comment over here… come back soon.
@ The Cubicle Guy
Thanks… and good luck with your blog!
@ Everyone else
Cheers… and have a good weekend!
@Maki – thanks I’ll go check it out
I really enjoy your thoughts and theoretical posts. It is important to bring value to your readers and I find that researching and reading outside of my niche brings about new ideas and keeps me out of a rut. I keep tabs on my peers to ensure I am not posting the same content, however, if their content is relevant to my readers, I may share a link.
Thanks for making me think. And I still need to keep thinking about that. it’s also nice how the comments here really flesh out this topic even further.
“The absence of specific content positions your site against another competitor and allows it to develop an identity among others.” well said.
What a corny piece of garbage. Thanks very much.
Re-reading this post has solved a problem I had – I was considering whether or not to add general articles to http://www.Hatchthat.com while I currently only have interviews. It could be good for traffic and a few other things, but I decided to stick to the reason the blog is unique – it doesn’t publish anything but interviews.
Thanks Maki
I find that I normally always have something to write about since my site is about several things.
Thanks for this post. I am new to your blog and I can see that you have an honest and transparent approach to the way you write. That’s hard to come by these days.
It’s funny how you mention “And so I’ve decided to focus on theoretical articles which make you think” because I think I had a proposal I think you’d be interested in.
Jay
I couldn’t agree with you more! Posting just to post is silly and a waste of everyone’s time!
Hi,
I thought I was the only one who felt that way.
It’s refreshing to know other people don’t post just for the sake of posting or writting.I find so many articles online that look like the person who wrote it did it just because.
Keep up the good work and looking forward to more.
Scott
This is the first time I’ve encountered Dosh-Dosh, but I like what I see so far. My own site follows the same publishing philosophy: it’s better to hold oneself to a high standard than to put out a new page every X days. I’d rather be known as the photographer who always publishes something worth seeing … and not just who always publishes something.
Wow, that’s one hell of a post. I’m still a newbie in the blogosphere and your post has enlightened me on many things.
You blog like you mean it and that’s what keeps people coming back for (yet another) inspiring read.
This is great. Being a new blogger I’ve been struggling feeling like I need to put something up every day, but don’t want to post anything that I’m not proud of. Thanks for the perspective!
The reason many people post pointles dvivel is in the hopes that the magic search engine spider will grant them hier SERP!
Very enlightening post! Being new to blogging, this is all extremely helpful to me! So thankyou guys! Truly appreciated!
Best wishes to you all
Lewis
Well, I’ve NOT published many, many interesting things. Does this make my blog interesting?
Once again, great content. Thanks for the tips Maki.
this is the right way. thank you for tipps
Maki,
Your approach for better content and not merely writing for imressions attitude is binding us to stay here. Keep up the good work.
A very simple, hearty “Thank You!” I stopped blogging for months, second, third and fourth guessing myself out of existence. How did I find this post? I was googling to find a quote, “you don’t have to believe your thoughts” and your post came up #1.
Full RSS feed
Fatal error: Call to undefined function akst_share_form() in /nfs/c01/h15/mnt/36436/domains/doshdosh.com/html/wp-content/themes/DoshDosh4/footer.php on line 10