I Still Rather Like Blogging

Engadget is one of my main ways I get tech news. I was sad to hear they disabled commenting. Comments on a blog are at least 50% of what makes for good content. I’m going to give them a few days and maybe check out Gizmodo if Engadget’s comments aren’t back up. I can imagine the cost of dealing with the spam they must be getting. I don’t know what the answer could be but maybe require registration to leave comments? In a post explaining their comment situation, Engadget stated that a very small amount of readers actually comment. The thing is, it’s impossible to measure the number of people who read comments but never post any. I have a feeling that is a very large percentage of readers and disabling comments would adversely affect them.

smart lipo

There's still room for bloggers, and a place for blogs at the "media table". The hysteria of 2006 and 2007 have died down, and you're left with blogs that are informative and less confrontational. When I search for something in google, specifically technical (PHP) related questions, I'd rather end up on a blog than on a forum or a website. Blogs are usually more informative, and the comments - like this thread - lead to better solutions

"make meaningful media alongside making immediate media. "

Nicely put sir! :-)

I think that authors would earn more from their blogs in the long term if they were to view them as simply their own personal network (i.e. their central hub); a place where people could come and express their views and discuss with others.

A blog should not be a place where you discourage people with a display of your goods and/or services - and certainly not Adsense

I totally agree. Immediacy has a great value (and is much less time-consuming!!), but depth (reflection, analysis, add what you like here) is much needed, both for the blogger and for his/her readers.
Loved your image of meal vs snack comparison, although let me point out that many tweets with bright comments and interesting links that also provide delicacies and good nourishment:))
@innova

I agree, Chris. The social web has a lot of applications, each one for a peculiar porpouse. Blogging is the perfect way to share our skills, experiences and ideas with other users, not the same with microblogging, I mean. Sorry for my English... ;-)

I'm with you. I don't feel blogging is passe. Blogging is probably my favorite social activity. And Disqus has contributed to that. Comments sections are microblogging.

Chris,

Here is something I find kind of amazing;

Your topics on social media are relevant and spot on.

Why does Google give your blog a Google Rank of 6?

The Franchise King
Joel Libava

Meaningful media will always win out. Twitter can link, direct, and comment, but the depth still has to somewhere. In fact, with the demise of newspapers, blogs will be elevated (perhaps merged) with traditional media and become even MORE meaningful.

Mark Schaefer
@markwschaefer

My name is Pete Steege, and I am a Blogger.

I have unique opinions that are worth more when shared, discussed and refined.

I may use different vehicles from time to time to get my word out (like Twitter), but that doesn't change my basic motivation and value.

My methods may change, but my mission will not.

Chris, I totally agree with you, but for some reason I have the feeling you're preaching now against your previous post "The audience is king".
Doesn't it sound to you that content is king???

Not at all. Rather, I serve my audience better by giving them meals instead of content.

And that other post were the opinions of Sang Kim. : )

Thanks for clarifying Chris.

There is a saying in french that says as follow: "Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you who you are." (though you'll find it now in most cultures).

I think your analogy is interesting, not only because you serve meals rather than snacks, but also because you can create new menus based on the feedback your receive, and you've got a lot. This means that content evolves based on the contact with your audience. It's something I've noticed around. When comments are more than just "thank you's" it helps the blogger find a direction for his blog and helps shaping his communication/writing style.
The same way a speaker learns to adapt to his audience or a teacher to his class. (for older blogs).

What if there was a way for you to know to what kind of restaurant you look. If your readers could tell you you're more like french gastronomy, chinese fondue or sushi? (where each meal is like a portrait)
I would love to be perceived as spareribs!

Absolutely agree that there is room for, and a NEED for, both--- Blogging requires me to really sit and ponder what is important, makes me dig deeper into myself, and fosters my creativity in a way that re-tweeting certainly does not and can not. I love the relationship building of FB, immediacy of Twitter, and the thought provoking nature of blogging for myself. I do admit, that I have to work a bit harder on fnding the time for blogging now.

There is still a huge place for blogs, and I think that there always will be.

I would rather grab a meal than a snack. I like how you put that.

A good blogger is like a good lover -- after the encounter you feel both nourished and satisfied. But good bloggers and good lovers are rare finds. And when you do, you tend to want to keep them in your life.

A status update will never be anything more than a quickie -- sometimes they are fun; most times they are simply expedient.

The analogy of "meals" vs. "snacks" reminds me of the behavior exhibited by individuals who do weight training.

Some would resort to eating several smaller portions of healthy food through out the day in order to nourish the bodies while recovering between workouts.

I suppose a disciplined individual who communicates via the social media channels could so the same whether blogging or tweeting.

Serve healthy doses in either case to the community.

It's unfortunate that we humans tend to force choice in nearly every situation. Everything in moderation is a good healthy eating mantra (since Chris talked about getting flabby) and we use a "Marketing mix" pursuant to similar logic.

It doesn't have to be Twitter vs. Blog. They are complimentary and each have their role in a well executed social media plan.

I agree with you.
Twitter is fantastic but in the end you are sharing links and ideas. So there needs to be a landing post to remember you by.

To me, the real-time web is like a handshake or swapping business cards. I do come find lots of great people on Twitter and the real-time web does provide me the initial intro. However, I really get to decide if I want to keep in touch with the person or not by learning more about them by visiting their blogs etc.

I like the blog!
I don't have the time to watch the conversation every minute in order to catch a good morsel.

The best experiences in life take time to develop. The blog experience is the perfect way to get my fill of a good meal without being overfed by a million bites.

Snack vs. meal is a great analogy, Chris. Each serves a purpose, depending on needs. Like thinking out loud vs. thinking in depth before talking...both valuable when done at appropriate times. Businesses should take advantage of various styles of thoughtful communication.

Couldn't agree more! There will always a place for the well-considered thought (something you do time after time). Most great thoughts require more than 140 characters to develop and benefit from the longer shelf life of a blog. There is no perfect tool--hammers are great when pounding nails, not great for driving screws. Thanks for the conversation.

"statusphere" that clever Rubel... Blogging is the main course of a healthy social media presence framework but most would agree that as soon as they start twittering, their blogging frequency takes a hit.

I fear a concentration on tools vs. shiny objects. We will go where the people are (if we want people). the Twitter vs. Blogging debate is a non-debate for me, as they are two widely-divergent types of content. Twitter's not killing anything-- it is exposing a lot of nerve-endings and sending people to lots of places they might not otherwise go-- especially blogs, but also videos, newspapers (online), photos, etc. It's the best hub ever.

Meaningful media and immediate media are both important. It would be unwise to consider blog posts as outdated, since many of them provide information, support, and connections (often with excellent illustrations).

The same holds true for ezines, for example. I write my two ezines in .txt format and send them to my subscribers via email. At the same time, I upload them, coded and illustrated, to my business and Webgrammar sites where they're available for many more people to read. And I will tweet about publishing them.

I also blog a great deal for the disabled community, and often tweet about these posts. I consider them vital.

How exciting to have so many communication tools at hand to get the same message out in varying formats to meet the varying needs of readers.

You severely handicap yourself when you limit your output to someone else's user-generated content. You should spend more time on blogging as a way to deliver substantial value in conjunction with realtime microcontent.

Chris, is it helps... I liked your snack analogy. ;-)

Each has a place online. Steve Rubel can get away with promoting himself through the "Statusphere", I can't. I haven't necessarily earned the right to yet. I have to flesh out my thinking and expertise in order to be taken seriously within the space. It's interesting...because I originally was more involved in Twitter then blogging but now view my blogging as far more important.

People have been predicting the death/decline of blogging for about 3 years now. Yet every study/projection shows continued growth. Sure, the growth has slowed over 2005 and 2006 levels, but it has no where to go but down from there. In a few months Twitter will 'slow' down from its current massive growth levels, and the same people will be talking about how Twitter is going away.

I think the problem that many early adopters of social media have, is they assume everyone is just like them, and uses these tools in the same way. Power users are very different animals, and use social media differently than the other 99% of the population.

Immediate communication is never going to kill long-form communication. I was having 'real-time' online communications with people 20 years ago on BBSes. All this did was increase my 'long-form' output, as it helped me crystallize my thoughts for later.

Blogs aren't going anywhere, just like in this age of Twitter, we still want to read books. I love your tweets, but what I'm really excited about is Trust Agents. A book, and moreso than 'real-time' communications.

Each tool works differently and has a different purpose. The growth of one doesn't necessarily come at the expense of the other.

I think there's a time and place for everything. I love media snacking but there's nothing like reading a good thoughtful blog post for depth on a topic and to find out an influencer's insight and perspective. I agree with you and I'm glad that you will continue with your posts!

I agree – instant info has its place, but a blog post is probably the minimum for an expression of a thought… I read an article on Twitter future… posted a comment… then thought about it and wrote a blog post. Discussing Twitter (that sometimes claims to replace blogs) still require more “space” than an instant communication http://interactivesnack.wordpress.com/2009/06/2...

Clearly both have their place and purpose. I am not sure why there should even be a debate regarding one over the other.

Interesting discussion. Chris, you have great readers!
I like the meal/snack analogy, but also think that a preview/feature analogy works well here ...

For me, twitter is like a preview of a person's (or company's) personality and ideas. It's a combination of water cooler talk (the personal touch - just for fun as well as immediate dialog) and a preview of what I'll find if click through to the blog ... where the feature presentation is taking place.

Although I enjoy the immediacy of twitter, I think it can also become a handicap in that the perceived demand for immediate response can't help but shorten our time to chew ideas and come up with, as you put it, "well-considered" thoughts.

In a world that's already moving too fast, I think that the "slower" medium of blogging has a lot to offer.

My readers are bloggers and thinkers gracing me with their thoughts. Other people have readers. I have an active community.

Twitter, to your point, is the "director's commentary" to my blog. It lets me be human around the edges of my blog.

I stand corrected - "community" is much more apt than readers. ;)
Love the "director's commentary" analogy, but I have to say that I think it lets you be MORE human around the edges of your blog. One of the reasons I enjoy your blog so much is that I feel you are always "real" and "human."

Your "human around the edges" insight here is a profound piece of the Twitter equation. Blogs are the casual side of traditional media; enter Twitter, which out-casuals blogging.

I think any well-rounded personality needs their serious side, their human side, and their shades in between. Twitter is showing us a new side to people we thought we knew; that's why we love it.

What is real-time status reporting without the thoughtful commentary to flesh it out? Simply telling me it's hot outside means little without some reference as to why it matters. Conversely, what's commentary without the original impetus for comment? Again, it comes down to this: tell me why it matters.

Debate over which is more important is silly - akin to chickens and eggs. Fact is, each would cease to exist without the other, and arguing over which is more important misses the point entirely.

What's more compelling (at least to me) is whether or not individualized media (blogging and Twitter) will/have replace/d the media conglomerates of the past twenty-five years. No longer do we need an oligarchy of talking heads to give us news and opinion - we can generate it ourselves instead. Pretty fascinating.

I don't see why we have to have one or the other.

Twitter is a great aperitif; the cheese plate, if you will. Blogging is the filet. I'm a total writing geek, so blogging will always be where my heart lies. I find, though, that Tweeting can be satisfying, as well, as it's a totally differently type of writing. Brevity has never been my strong suit, it's a great exercise for me to economize verbally.

I think that the two platforms play off one another quite well; I employ both and, while they're used differently, they are two means to the same end.

Chris:

I would have to agree with your take on this and disagree with Steve Rubel. I understand that blogging is not the hottest new thing anymore, but I think it is a better representation of you as a brand than Twitter is. Maybe Steve is still enjoying the "new car smell" of Twitter? Whatever the case, I think Twitter is a great complement to a blog.

Clearly both have their place and purpose. I am not sure why there should even be a debate regarding one over the other.

Chris,

Absolutely agree with you. Twitter is for linking, blogging is for thinking. I explain more in this post: http://chriskoch.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/why-t....

I agree with Chris. having worked in publishing for many years, I understand the need for "instant" books and taking advantage of the immediacy of the news. However, sometimes we need a more in-depth analysis that only stepping back from the event can provide. There is nothing wrong with long, thorough and well researched analysis.

Too true Chris. I think it really depends on what you use the internet for.

If I am looking for a quick answer to an easy question I will tweet about it to see what my tweeps think or know. If I need a little bit of meat on a subject then I will google it to find a post or article or paper (or whatever) that can provide me with more information. If I need to learn about something in great detail, I go get a book.

But that's just me.

What TraffiicBlogger said. I have learned virtually everything I know about social media through blogs. Twitter is great at directing me to relevant posts, but no way could it have imparted the same knowledge on its own.

And like Mike McCready--I blog because I love writing and would do it (actually, mostly do do it!) even if nobody reads. And I suspect the same is true of you, Chris--if I remember correctly you were a journaler before blogs existed, right? If you're the kind of person who has to write, Twitter is never going to be enough to satisfy that creative urge.

One point people immersed in social media quite often forget, is that they are the leading edge. Although we have been around and doing it for years so many people are not there yet, don't even understand it, let alone the nuances discussed here. These are tools, no more no less. Tools of communication. It is oh so sweet to be able to reach out and connect with people in other villages when they feel like connecting. You can be of value and list reasons why it is important and how to do it. (Chris has built his system using and sharing these non secrets), but in the end it is about communications. Sharing ideas. Some people read, although not as many any more. Some people only troll for video, some want white papers and some are just flat out stuck looking for ROI. The fact is as long as you are communicating and sharing someone out there will listen and respond. It makes no mind how you do it, or when you start. It does matter what you say and how you share. Sending direct mail may not be as successful as it once was, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work. The point here is whatever you do, do it with knowledge of your subject and conviction. In the end that is all that is important, no one wants to listen to some blowhard tooting their own horn, or sharing incorrect information.

I couldn't agree with you more, Chris. Blogging is all about taking a topic or interest and exploring it in more depth; communicating via language, imagery, storytelling, emotion. I often use Twitter to draw attention to an issue I just blogged about (social media and philanthropy) or to RT others who share my view and passion.

Let us not let contemplative thinking and writing (blogging) go the way of letter writing. We only find what was truly valuable after it is gone.

Jeff Pedone
www.jeffpedone.com

I think Twitter v. Blogging as the difference between:

-One of the many cable news networks chattering and repeating headlines, which gives you subconscious trendlines

vs.

- Sitting down with the Wall Street Journal or Economist understanding, "Why all the chatter?"

I think both are valuable and necessary - work together nicely.

If we assume blogging is dead we are in serious trouble. Without serious depth or content the micro blogging format would consume itself in direction less statements with no meaning.

@ michelle toivonen has hit the nail on the head in my book.

I liked this! I find it easier to do the microblogging than the ordinary blogging, but I wish I sat down and tried to express myself a little more in a blogg more often. We both need the instant and the deeper thoughtful parts both in real life and in virtual life.

Chris, you nailed this. And I agree thoroughly. Here's 19 reasons why.

I'd agree with you on this one. While Twitter, et. al., are great for getting snippets of news or getting discussions started, you can't really express a complicated idea or anything overly meaningful in 140 characters.

There's also things that you can do with a proper blog (e.g. Live Blogging) which becomes monumentally annoying via Twitter (vs. Live Tweeting).

I think the future is in video blogging and eventually video Tweeting. People just don't read anymore. Of course, I am a video blogger, so I am bias.

There's a place for comic books, magazines, newspapers, books, and notes in class. This won't change in the on-line world. Some trains of thought (and discussions) simply cannot occur in disconnected snippets.

I grew up in journalism. We had something like twitter. We called them headlines. We also had something like blogs. We called them articles. If the headline attracted readers, they read the article. Keep Blogging!

i think that blogging is better then twitter or others,
In blogging we are free in every way no word limit and blogging helps in alot of ways of expressing your feelings ,reviewing things and lot more

Well put Chris, I couldn't agree more. Far to many people are spouting the death of 'traditional' blogging in the face of microblogging facilities such as Twitter.

In a business context there is a place for both with summary info on Twitter and more in-depth stuff on the blog.

disagreeing with @chrisbrogan 's analogy of blogging (making a meal) to microblogging (making a snack)

Noted. Were you going to follow up, or just register your disagreement?

:)

Internet has many strengths. Speed is only one of them. But it is also perfect for building knowledge and share complex insights. It's origin is in the world of science where people sometimes work decades on the solution of a problem, constantly communicating between each other sharing thei valueable wisdom. The internet still is perfect also for this type of kommunication and will ever be.

Did you mean to be ironic by making the case for "well-considered blog posts" in what was essentially an extended tweet?

As someone relatively new to the blogosphere, I am amazed at how many of the blogs I read are little more than diary entries that wouldn't know a second draft if it jumped up and bit them on the widget.

Did I just date myself by using the word "blogosphere"? Is that like my dad going "surfing" on the "Interwebs"?

Let's say that the point wasn't lost on me. I rarely write what one would consider to be feature-style pieces, but I do issue posts wth more effort than a tweet

second drafts are what again? :)

Blogging will never die, I expect it to just keep growing and getting more and more profitable. Social networks are really just places to share media, and blogging is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create high quality media.

I don't see any medium that replaces the in-depth picture of someone that you can get from a well-established blog. I agree with Chris that it's still the anchor, and other platforms are outposts.

It's ironic that so much of print media considers blogs sloppy, rushed and lightweights dominated by bulletized info (compared to print,) yet the folks here see blogs as the "heavy" and one even called them "long form." It's all in one's cultural perspective....

Great point. Blogs being called the 'in-depth' reporting is strange at best. No wonder the relevance of my favorite paper, the LA Times, is suffering. Ouch.

If I want lightweight content, I'll watch Tom and Jerry.

If I want depth and emotion, I'll watch Schindler's List.

Guess what movie blogging is.

I agree.

No matter how much I organize my TweetDeck I still miss a lot of tweets throughout the day. The only way I know that something was truly "trending" or that something that I caught on Twitter has more legs and perspectives to it is blogs. Hey, they don't call Twitter a MICROblogging service for nothing right? The "micro" must mean that it has there is a "macro" somewhere...

I think a lot of people got into blogging and realized they didn't have that much to say or contemplate. Twitter works better for them. Let the true bloggers like yourself shine through now. Less noise, more content :-)

I agree with you Chris. I actually really like blogging. I don't blog so much for others to read it (although I get excited when I know people are) but I blog for a personal reflection of thoughts, trends, ideas, etc. I also think that the immediacy of micro-blogging is important. But each has its place and I personally don't see blogging going anywhere any time soon. I do however think we will see a closer connection between blogging and micro-blogging. We've already seen this as between Twitter and blog posts.

This is a good discussion to have- one that the fragmented nature of Twitter would make it impossible to do.

I think that the "optimal" answer sits in between blogging and status updates. I would like to see the feature set Posterous and Friendfeed merge so that I can manage all my inflows and outflows from one interface but have it go everywhere.

That said, I still think about the future of long form content in an attention-starved world.

In this ADHD world, you have a point Steve. It's amazing to me that the faster technology gets, the less time we seem to have. Shouldn't the inverse be true?

Agreed. For one reason or another I haven't been blogging lately except for clients. Just recently I started blogging again. Like you Chris I have to admit I really enjoy it. Perhaps the is room in the world for a "Slow Blogging Movement" to parallel the "Slow Food Movement". It's nice to take a bit more time and space to tease out a thought rather than pumping out fast food.

Exactly, Chris. People have been telling us that blogging has been dead for a while now - but the truth is sites like Twitter are great at serving quick snapshots - and also great at providing precursors to the greater discussion that can occur on a blog or elsewhere. One of the values I see in Steve Rubel's 'statusphere' is that it can lead us (via links) to deeper discussions. They are complementary, not contradictory, approaches.