“Content is king” has long been attributed to Bill Gates. I’m not sure if he said it but I’m convinced that it’s true. We all have our own ideas about what the best blogs are but it seems they all share some of the same characteristics:
Passion - It seems simple enough but it’s so crucial. It’s evident to a reader when you are excited about the topic. It comes across clearly in the tone of your writing. This became so apparent to me during March Madness in the blogosphere. BlogBurst is lucky to have an abundance of good sports blogs. But, the ones from the “hometown” guy, who labored through the tournament seed process, analyzed the match-ups in excruciating detail, refuting ref’s calls and lamenting the missed layups, kept me spellbound for a month. Why? Because they cared and it came across in their writing. Because they cared¦ so did I.
Credibility - You better know your stuff. I know you’ve got an opinion (don’t we all?) but do you have the knowledge to back it up? You should have experience with, and knowledge about, the topic you’re blogging on. With so many good blogs competing for readers’ time and attention, make sure that you’ve provided original content and unique insight and opinion.
Consistency - If you want a regular readership, you’ve got to deliver well-written, topical posts on a frequent basis. It may not be fair but I consider bloggers experts in certain fields and if they go hop-scotching into another one, I’m turned off. It’s not want I want from you but rather what I expect from you. It’s like going to Martha Stewart for tips on whipping up a souffe and seeing a long-winded rant about military spending.
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