This time Sweetness sent me What the heck is this?, a blog post that is worth a read and so much more. I'm going to write about the social aspects of this blogging event so if that doesn't interest you, just follow the above link, read the posts in that blog and you'll get a good hoot.
NextStage has been doing some research into blogs, blogging and bloggers for a while now. We're figuring out if there's some aspects of how bloggers interact with their audience that can be tested for. If so, you'll know such things as
- Which people will make good bloggers for specific audiences
- Which people will make good promoters (influencers) for products or brands you want to promote
- Which people will have huge followings but few comments
- Which people will be heavily commented but have small followings
- ...
I get comments in my blog (thanks, by the way) and I get lots more emails about my blogs than I get comments. This is a demonstration that people feel safe corresponding with me (thanks again! I'm flattered) and perhaps not so safe commenting directly on the blog where others might see it (Oh, go ahead. If I feel safe enough writing the darn thing, you can feel safe enough commenting on it). But what I rarely post is something that's "irrelevant". Most every thing I post is related to NextStage's clients, research, what I've written elsewhere. I tend to document my work so heavily that my other editors have called me "link happy". Roger and Mario confided to me that there's usually a pool in their office entitled "Guess how many links Joseph will have in his next column."
Many readers, I know, will only consider one or maybe two of my references and that's fine. I also know that my link happiness can be intimidating (please don't let it be. Better yet, email me or post a comment and let's talk about it).
But the fact is, there is a space (if you will) in which some blogs dwell and some don't, and that space is defined as "irrelevance" or "safety". If you've ever studied Semantic Information Mechanics, social dynamics or aikido, read through that post and its comments and you'll know exactly what I mean.
The other option is to take one of NextStage's "Know How Someone is Thinking in 10 Seconds or Less" trainings and experience what's going on in that blog -- how to achieve that safety space in your blog -- first hand.
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