May 7, 2012 97 Comments

Nobody Reads Agency Blogs- Or Why You Need Skin in the Game

Dimbie and I

Thanks to Jason Falls, I just read this post about how many marketing agencies are closing down their blogs and tweeting and Facebooking instead.

“Nobody reads agency blogs, and there are so many out there it’s impossible for people to keep up anyway,” said Sam Weston, director of communications at digital agency Huge.

Nobody Reads ANY Blogs- If They’re Boring

I’ll tell you without even having to look why nobody reads a blog: because it’s boring. Because it’s poorly written. Because it’s utterly self-referential.

Nobody has time to read junk. Why would you? There’s so much great material out there.

What Should An Agency (or YOU!) Blog About?

An agency should blog about the space it serves, in some regards, but along with that, an agency (and YOU!!!!) should blog about those things you’re passionate about. My dad is passionate about poker. My mom is passionate about proving you can do it if you try. I’m passionate about keeping “human” in the digital business channel.

Write about passion, but write it in service to others.

If you did only this, you’d get more attention, more readers, more connections via your blog. What people want is to feel lit up, to feel like you and they are on the same page, like they can run with what you’ve shared, or they can add to it, or they can bask in it and feel it.

Mom blogs are so successful because there are billions of moms (actual number) who can commiserate when their kid will only eat beige and orange foods. Tech blogs are successful because nerds and aspiring nerds always want more ideas and information and new shiny things to touch and/or covet. The blogs that stay lit up, people like Mitch and Julien and Chris and C.C. and others, are based on working from a core of passion.

Keep At It

It took me 8 years to get my first 100 readers. I have several friends in this space who remember me from the way old days, even if their “way old days” starts back about halfway into that (around say, 2005). They saw me transition from someone writing about myself to someone writing ideas that would equip people around me to be successful. That was the nugget. That’s when things started taking off. That’s when I realized that I could write almost every day and have something to say, because people are always noodling over some part of the problem.

You want 5 quick things to make your blogging better?

  1. Brevity. Cut posts to sub-500 words.
  2. Structure. Write something others can USE.
  3. Simplicity. Big words are pretty. Help people understand the point, instead.
  4. Positivity. Writing angrily only works if you want to attract angry people.
  5. Outward-facing. Write more about others than you ever do about yourself.

If you did just those five things, I bet your blogging results would improve after a few months. This isn’t how to get seen. How to get seen requires another whole other set of skills.

Want to learn more about blogging? Here’s a whole huge best advice about blogging post for you.

Stay writing. Don’t abandon your blogs. Get better at it. This kind of media can change your world, if you work to change the worlds of others.

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  • http://freshtightdesigns.com freshtight

    Yes, in this day of instant gratification (or at least, the expectation of such) writers/bloggers/producers will all do best if they speak directly to their audience. I’m surprised at the amount of agency blogs that still don’t understand this (seemingly) simple step to success. Do you think it’s just a lack of realization? or do some bloggers/agencies just think they can preach about their products and readers will be engaged?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      I think the folks writing agency blogs are often “forced” to do so. 

      • http://freshtightdesigns.com freshtight

        That’s a good point. It’s unfortunate that these agencies (who are, arguably, supposed to provide a service or product of value to their customers) end up losing focus of what fuels their finances (people). Today, businesses can only survive if they work for the people (or the people elements of business i.e. “Human Business Works”)

  • http://www.marsdorian.com/ Mars Dorian

    I’m normally reluctant to read blog post about blogging, but you have a way of putting passion and good energy into right every thing you do.

    “Write about passion, but write it in service to others.”

    Amen.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      BLogging about blogging is like talking about sex. ; ) 

  • http://sevenroots.com/ Tiyo Kamtiyono

    Give more value and try to solve problems on the community, that was the key, right?

    Thanks for your writing tips Chris, I find them all in this post :)

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      You’ve got it. : ) 

  • http://yoursalesplaybook.com paulcastain

    When I stop to think about the blogs that I really enjoy, they all seem to have the qualities you mention with a big, bold, all caps emphasis on PASSION for their craft.

    Thank you for this post today Chris!

    Respectfully,
    Paul Castain

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Thanks, Paul. I agree. Well, obviously I agree. : ) 

  • David Hitt

    Nice post, Chris. Several years into the Social Media era, I personally sense a change in the Zeitgeist. Besides mere oversaturation people are tired of  not-just-boring but completely insincere “content” that was obviously just created to fulfill some “social media strategy blueprint.” Because I work in the more technical side of marketing (internet marketing and website development) I tend to favor two types of posts:
    1)Snarky, from-the-hip observations on my world from guys like Ian Lurie and2)Well-researched insights or “how-to’s” on new tools. What’s interesting to me is that brevity vs depth is really not an issue for me personally. I’ll read a 2500 word post if I’m learning something and I’m reasonably patient with long posts because, after all, “the sh*t we do for a living is dang complicated…” But brief, revelatory posts written by smart folks who pull no punches also get my attention…

    dave

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Heya Dave– I think that SOME folks love a 2500 word post plenty, but if you did the math, it’d be like 1% or fewer. Just the nature of the consumption beast. Ian Lurie is great, isn’t he? 

      • David Hitt

        Wow; I don’t use Disqus much… yes, Ian is awesome…

  • JPTaboada

    Chris, when I write for my blog I do it for myself (practice writing) and I do it for others to learn from. I’m trying to create an experience that I think many will find useful. Take my day-to-day experiences that I’m quite certain a great deal of people share and express them in words. I wouldn’t say that my writing is there to promote myself or sell something to anyone, I do it for YOU, I do it for US as I try to find and establish a tribe or become part of one. I talk about MY experiences and MY thoughts that are not unique to me…many of us share them. Where is this fine line between writing for and about others, and oneself?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Well said. Glad you took the time to swing by. : ) 

  • http://michaelschechter.me MSchechter

    It’s too true, especially when you commit to what you’re doing. I just recently finished blogging five days a week for a year. While I still hit on “me”, trying to figure how that factors into helping others has gone a long way. I started blogging in late 2008, and it wasn’t until May of last year when I really committed to the site that the it showed any sign of improvement. Don’t get me wrong, the results are meager compared to most, but having spent three years getting to 38 subscribers and then growing to over 1000 in the span of a year (mainly by focusing efforts on the things I know and care about) shows it’s still possible to start grow an audience.

    When I started blogging, it was something I wanted to learn, not something I necessarily wanted to do. Now, the less I try to learn what I should be doing and actually do what feels right, the more things seem to be heading in the right direction. That holds true personally and professionally. When it comes to business blogs (this problem is way bigger than agencies), if they feel they should be blogging, rather than wanting to blog, it will fall flat every time. If they say what they think they’re supposed to say, rather than sharing what they believe, it will never hit home. 

    Hell, when it comes to blogs from businesses, you have rare examples like Mitch Joel contrasted with a lot of phoned in crap. And who wants to read phoned in crap?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      What have you distilled from the experience? 

  • http://twitter.com/LDpartners Louis D.

    Nobody reads Agency blogs because there is no value in them. No one pays attention to agency Strategists  and “thinkers” because it’s the same old blather about social media and “amplifying” the human connection-which is a mostly a lot of flowery, theoretical horse shit. When the agency world decides to take itself less seriously and starts thinking of ways it can conjure up less unneeded consumption demand and more value, maybe, just maybe we will pay attention to it’s blogs.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Hey wait. I’m amplifying and people read me. Huh? : ) 

  • http://blog.paulgailey.com/ Paul Gailey

    What happens, or should happen, when the employee leaves the agency?
    I see uncool examples of agencies preserving the content but changing the authorship, even to pseudonyms. 

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      I think that’s the stupidest thing ever, Paul. I think that’s the WORST example of how to handle it. And yes, I”ve seen it, too. 

  • http://www.jeff-peters.com/ jpeters1221

    I disagree with the strategy of closing up a blog and heading over to social media only, at least generally, and especially for agencies. The issue I find is that most agencies don’t offer any expertise or actual opinions. Much of it is a rehash of what’s already been said elsewhere, or touting their owns products or services.

    Blogging (and podcasts) are now seen as old by many, but I think there’s still an opportunity to explode. You don’t want to simply seclude yourself to only a blog, or only Facebook/twitter/google+. You need to be fluid and see who is where, how the conversation flows, and how that fits into your strategy. A blog is more longer (but not too much longer) formed ideas. I think there is a place, and I think it can be highly valued.

    I am currently working on a blog with my agency (if you want to check it out, tweet me @jpeters1221 and I’ll direct you, I won’t post it here). We’re working to create value and hopefully be a little more interesting than what’s already out there.

    If you provide value, people will see value.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Blogs are definitely a valuable property. I can barely think of a reason why NOT to keep one, but then, that’s my media-focused self. 

  • http://twitter.com/sbones Sam Weston

    Great post, Chris. We’re essentially saying the same thing. If you are able to do the things it takes to make your blog necessary for an audience that matters to your business, then it’s a big asset. If not, there may be better places to invest your time. 

  • http://twitter.com/rakacreative Raka

    Thanks for the rebuttal a lot of people were probably thinking when they read that digiday post. You summed it up succinctly and made it a positive message.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Positive is the goal. 

  • http://www.monazu.com/blog Rishi Patel

    Spot on, Chris. 

    It’s impossible to consistently come up with reader-worthy content if you don’t feel the passion.

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  • http://www.marcensign.com/blog Marc Ensign

    Of course people aren’t going to read your blog if there is no value in it. Guess what? They’re not going to read your Tweets or posts either if you continue down the path of just adding more and more noise in the name of bringing in new clients. 

    If the purpose of your blog is to act as a fishing pole in order to catch more fish your content is going to lack value and put people to sleep. With so many good bloggers out there why should I waste my time reading some lousy agency blog that adds nothing to my day? It then gets spun into something else because that’s what agencies do…nobody reads blogs anymore so we’re going to a different medium. Last I checked Mitch Joel was still president of an agency and that blog is killing it!!!!!

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      True that about Mitch. When I listed him, I hadn’t even THOUGHT of him as an agency blog. Isn’t that the gold hope? 

  • http://socialmediaexplorer.com JasonFalls

    Glad to be useful, my friend. And most of the blogs I read are technically agency blogs (Lee Odden, CRT Tanaka, Altimeter Group, WCG, etc.) If the agencies would only realize how to make the damn things interesting, they’d see skads more benefit. Thanks for flipping their ear a bit.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Interesting. You’re right that those are “technically” agency blogs, but in almost all cases, they’re the new breed. Hmmmm. : ) 

  • Devon Artis

    Thanks for this post I barely ever read agency blog as they are normally not meant to talk to the masses. I really don’t think they really want a readership.

  • Dan Hill

    Ah, I remember you in those 2005 days, Chris. It’s great to see what you have done since.

    Blogs still have to be done, that’s ultimately what you are driven to. The major networks are mostly for the snippets, the nudges , the enticement and keeping visible.
    But the end destination should always entering the home (website/blog) not just witness our advert (Facebook page).

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      One would think, Dan. Most don’t seem to be in the right game. 

  • Pingback: Brogan’s 5 tips to make our blogging better | Sindelar Social Marketing

  • http://www.tommartin.typepad.com Tom Martin

    Chris,

    Surprises me that agencies could be so short sighted. After all they’re in the knowledge business… you’d think they’d love the low cost, low friction option of blogging.

    Oh well… guess that’s just more clients for the rest of us to scoop up while those non-blogging agencies are busy prepping for those fun RFPs and agency pitches!
      @TomMartin:disqus  

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Lord only knows. I’m thinking that it’s a tricky thing. 

  • http://twitter.com/alanweinkrantz Alan Weinkrantz

    The best way to brand myself is to write.  If my customers to be like what I write, what I have to say, and how I help them, work flows in.  Writing also shows discipline, especially when it’s original and does not over speak the obvious.  

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      And you are a great writer! 

  • http://raulcolon.net Raul Colon

    I have gotten a few juicy contracts thanks to our blogging efforts. I can’t say the same for using social outposts. 

    I have to agree most blogs end up being a copy paste to a press release. 

    Once you engage with your audience or at least provide them information that is helpful it opens the doors to business opportunities. 

    If you are blogging about how great you are that also does not help with starting or continuing the conversation. 

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      My blog pays me. Twitter? Well, not as much. 

      • http://raulcolon.net Raul Colon

        I agree! 

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  • http://twitter.com/seventhman Shaleen Shah

    I love that you added ‘if they’re boring’ and sure, we do encounter lots of ‘me-too’ blogs that sound like something reworded.  Then, there are those that are plain eye sore, written for the sake of SEO.  I guess, the greatest challenge of them all is how to keep things ‘human’ as this takes more than just writing… and into the art of storytelling.. in less than 500 words?  That takes some genius to achieve..

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      SEO blogs. I wonder how often they actually really add value. 

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  • http://www.shortcutblogging.com/ Dave Young

    Chris, you’re spot on, as usual. I know a few ways to ensure boring. Have the new guy write the blog. Hire a freelance article writer. Have an intern write. Sigh.

    The best content will come from the people with the best stories. Some of them don’t have time to write. Heck, some of them don’t have the skills to write with confidence….but they are still the best story tellers in the company.

    If you can put a mic in front of them, and have an above-average interviewer pull the story out, you’ve got content you can work with.

    Transcribe it and then have it re-written the way that story-teller would have done it if he/she had the time.

    Or, hire us.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      You’re right, Dave. I think that it’s almost easy and simple to find where junk comes from. 

      I love your soft pitch and your practical advice. BOTH worth checking out. : ) 

  • http://twitter.com/IMNorthSE IMNorth

    Hats off to you Chris on a perfectly executed article. A fun fact is that while I was reading this, I thought to myself, “He does just what he writes”. And by that I mean, you do share great content with your readers and you know how to create it. 

    I think a lot of business blogs deserve a poor destiny if they don’t put time into creating their content. It’s a definite copy+paste on those 5 pointers you listed. Going straight to the printer. 

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Thanks! I do my best. It’s fun to try and exemplify my advice IN the same post. : ) 

  • http://roborr.net Rob Orr

    My favorite line in the whole post, “Don’t abandon your blogs. Get better at it.” That’s awesome advice. 

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Story of most things, I suppose. : ) 

  • http://chasinggoodness.com/ Robyn

    Chris, your post is so timely on many levels. I have always appreciated
    your passion in person, your book and your blog. I see this post as an
    encouragement – especially in my case  thank you!
     

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Glad to hear it, Robyn. : ) Hope you’re well. 

  • johnPGISelfDirected

    Chris, I think most people these days see blogging as an instant way to make money and not as a form of creatively using words to inspire, entertain and help people. What do you think?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      I think people who think they make money blogging are very few. Most try and then go broke for a whlie. 

  • Prguyonline

    Right on! I think too many agency blogs focus on writing about new client acquisitions and awards. The best agency blogs focus on sharing  marketing ideas and advice. 

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      boooooooriiiiiing. 

  • NewClientsEachMonth

    Thanks Jason, the 5 Tips to make your blog better are great!  Provide value, build relationship, be positive, sounds like a mantra : )

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Who’s Jason? 

      • NewClientsEachMonth

        Sorry Chris, I mis-read the sub-title!  I thought is was a guest post by Jason Falls, my apologies!  Thanks for the Tips Chris!

  • Mary Ulrich

    Chris, I checked out the links and rejoined Julian’s blog, but here’s the challenge: How about featuring some females and people over 40? There must be at least a couple. Getting Better is where it’s at, right?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      I just pointed out people’s blogs I read regularly. You might read those regularly. 

      Barefoot Executive
      Marsha Collier
      um… 

  • http://www.commstrategies.com/ Joel Don

    Chris, the widely reported University of Massachusetts study on Fortune 500 companies did show a decline in corporate blogging. Then Digiday writer Jack Marshall reported on several agencies:  two groups are dropping their blogs, one agency is experimenting with Instagram as a portal and two firms apparently are still big on blogging. Without further support in terms of the total number of agencies surveyed by Digiday, how can the online publication proclaim, in reference to the UMass research, “there’s a similar trend among agencies”?  There may be truth that agencies are cutting back; certainly some writers in recent months have talked about reducing blog frequency (including you).  But the Digiday article lacked basic proof of a trend in agency blogging; it’s basically conjecture sprinkled with anecdotes, not science.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Okay. And then my reply is a polite “who cares?” My premise (for MY POST) still sticks. If you write a boring blog, you won’t attract the business results you want. 

      Agree with your analysis of their methods. Just… who cares? : ) 

      • http://www.commstrategies.com/ Joel Don

        I agree, your post stands on its own legs.  There is a trend, however. In addition to your post and a few others on the subject of shifting views on the value of business blogging, I had also recently researched the topic for my own post.  Interesting timing.

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  • http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelahdean Pamela Dean

    This is helpful advice for any sort of PR writing, whether  it is a blog or not. I find so many mistakes in PR material posted on the web. Brevity, Simplicity, Structure. So important to remember. It’s also good to hear it took 8 years for your blog to evolve. Just like wine, perfection takes time . . .

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Well, unlike wine, it’s more like I had a lemonade stand selling just lemon juice. : ) 

  • http://twitter.com/Belinda_Pollard Belinda Pollard

    I’m a simple soul, and I don’t like to do the same work twice if I can help it. So if I discover something one of my publishing clients wants to know, I write about that and stick it on my blog. I know it will save me time in some future situation with another client, when I can flick them a link instead of writing a long email. 

    And logic tells me they are not the only person in the world who wants to know this thing, so perhaps others will drop by as well, and who knows, perhaps a community will evolve…

    I’ll let you know in eight years’ time whether or not this worked. ;-)

  • http://www.digitalmarketingcompanyinindia.com/blog Arnab

    Thanks.Very informative.

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  • http://www.twistimage.com/blog Mitch Joel – Twist Image

    Six Pixels is an agency blog and we thought long and hard about this, oh… about… 10 years ago. If your blog isn’t relevant, you won’t have much of anything. Period. These agency blogs are mostly self-serving free PR platforms for themselves about themselves. Who does that provide value to?

  • Ozio Media

    There will always be people that are looking for valuable information and will be interested in reading articles that offer them solutions or insights. The problem that a lot of business blogs have in general is that writing the blog posts isn’t the core activity of the business. So it becomes a chore rather than a passion and the result is tired and dull.

  • Catherine W McKinney

    Love the 5 quick tips to make your blogging better. Outward facing is the key, and the key to being interesting.
    Best advice “don’t abandon your blogs.” Some conversations are worth the effort.

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  • http://creativefrappe.com/ Lenny

    I agree that no one will ever read a boring post. So lets make our blog pleasant, simple yet informative.   

  • http://www.lockhart-meyer.co.uk/blog Alice

    Tip 3 Simplicity really struck a cord with me.  Too many agency blogs use jargon to impress other agencies instead of writing for their real audience. Plus Blogs need passion and effort to succeed whilst social media can seem an easier option.

    Great post – thanks again.

  • http://about.me/syednomanali Syed Noman Ali

    Yeah Exactly Chris you are almost right agencies wants to 
    70%   self promote with their blog but i think this ration should be cut down to 10% and rest of the part should be latest update of your niche or some kind of useful information and tips so that will help you to go your blog viral juts like :)

  • http://www.incredibleadventure.nl Frank Meeuwsen

    I’m afraid this will reflect on the agencies’ advice on ‘this social media thing’ for their clients. Since they don’t blog or self-publish it may not be interesting for their clients as well. And in their social media outreach programs, bloggers will be replaced by Instagrammers and Pinteresters. Any thoughts on that Chris?

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  • http://josephratliff.com/blog JosephRatliff

    This post is spot on Chris.  I wrote about the subject as well on my blog.

    I like “Simplicity”… keeping the language toned down so people can read a blog.  If I remember correctly, on average people read at the 8th grade level… so writing college level material will bore people to death.

  • http://oldmankit.com/ Kit Johnson

    You know what, I’ve been at this blogging game for about a year, and I’ve come to the point where I have just about realised those five quick things. You just summarised and crystalised them really well.

    I think of this as learning process as ‘finding my voice’, writing not from my little, angry perspective about my life and why you should be interested in it, but writing positive and helpful things that make people’s hearts light-up.

    BTW, it’s just awesome of you to put that 100 readers-8 years thing in there. Thank you.

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