I don’t know why anyone reads blogs,” the editor in chief of a large magazine once said to me. “It’s like listening to the crazy guy on the subway rant.” I had generated a substantial part of my income in the previous three years from professional blogging and wasn’t inclined to bash blogs categorically, but I conceded that in some cases she was right. There are countless blogs that are filled with inarticulate vituperative screeds that appear to have been published by people whose mental facilities are not fully intact. I’ll even confess to having written a few posts that undoubtedly fit that description.
That said, a blog is just a format for content. It’s a way of presenting information in a linear fashion, in reverse chronological order. Ultimately, the blog is only as good as the information presented.
Of the various blogs I’ve written or produced, the ones that worked best — the ones that had the biggest and most loyal readerships — always had a few consistent qualities. They were topically focused, often in niche areas. They published regularly and frequently, typically during office hours and several times a day. They published content that was original or difficult to find, from breaking news to proprietary photographs to obscure links that readers are unlikely to find on their own. They were usually well-written, which has its own intrinsic appeal for anyone who prefers to enjoy what they’re reading. And lastly, they engaged their readership by soliciting feedback and responding to it, in the form of asking for tips, allowing comments or otherwise demonstrating some level of interest in their audience’s preferences.
Most blogs are personal diaries and don’t fit those criteria, even in part. But the success of the various blogs that do choose to follow the aforementioned formula indicates that it’s possible to create commercially viable media products for niche audiences. Even more important for traditional media, blogs are an inexpensive way to test new editorial concepts with an engaged audience whose behavior and preferences are more directly measurable than in any other medium. This alone should be of interest to any pragmatic editor.
