Blog BLOGS! question

[SixToe]

Don't throw rocks.

When you blog, do you write short items with links or longer items almost like a mini-column?

 

[Moderator1]

Both. Mix it up. Keep 'em short for the most part but mix in a longer one now and then.

 

[SixToe]

Why short for the most part?

One of the benefits of this Internets thing is not having a space limitation. Shouldn't you take advantage of that, within reason?

 

[Moderator1]

You want quick hits, updated frequently. Sure, there is no space issue. But there's a time issue and most people hit the 'net like they hit everything else. 3-4 graph updates a couple of times a day and a longer piece every 2-3 days.

 

[Riddick]

yeah, gotta agree with Moddy. short and sweet with tons of updates

 

[Some Guy]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "tons" of updates. We've got a guy who, during big events, will blog literally 20 times in a day. They are all short, some of them one paragraph or two. But I think that's too much.

People aren't going to read 20 items, no matter how short they are. He'd blog something and then, and hour and a half later, it was off the front page of his blog -- because he'd already posted six more items in those 90 minutes.

Optimally, I say one semi-substantial item in the morning, and another in the afternoon should cut it. You can have more updates in times of intense breaking news.

 

[ChrisLittmann]

I think it all depends what you're blogging about, too. Are we talking about a general sports grab-bag? A team beat?

 

[TheMethod]

I try to update it every day, although that doesn't always happen. I've decided to just be myself on my blog, meaning that if I have a thought about something, I write it until I've exhausted the thought. Could be 100 words, could be 700.

For the most part, I don't break news on my blog, although with some really minor things I've done that, especially with recruiting. I'm trying to find the right balance between information and personality. How much should the blog be about me, and how much should it be about the beat? I think it has to be both, but I'm still figuring out how much of each.

I seek to make my blog a place where I and the readers can just bat thoughts around and have a good time, while also ingesting useful info. I have no idea how to make it that way.