I started writing on a new personal blog today on the blogging platform, Posterous. Check it out at My Life Be Like… dot com
There are a few ups and downs to managing more than one blog. Let me break it down sweet and simple with some pros and cons. Here are my thoughts…
Pros
- Community
One of the cool things about running more than one blog is that you can use different blogging platforms. This means that you can form multiple communities and break through to different audiences. Who knows, you may get a cult following some day… But realistically, you get a few followers who really enjoy your writing across different mediums. So as a WordPress user, my blog may not even be exposed to anybody from Posterous or Blogger. Opening up more than one blog gives you access to the community. Of course you always want to focus on running quality blogs. When it comes down to it people are just looking for quality content.
- Testing The Waters
You can really get a good feel for different Web 2.0 sites. By learning the quirks of various blogging platforms like Typepad and Tumblr you can find out which website you prefer. This can help you make a better decision as to where you might want to host your blog. Also, it just pays to be aware of other types of blogging venues. For me, I think it’s more about experimenting and the rush and excitement that i get out of starting new projects. Also, it keeps me busy and allows me to write more often across all lines about different topics.
- Separating Spaces
Another big pro for me was the ability to diversify my blogging portfolio and categorize different ideas. If I wanted to write about my life adventures, I could probably get away with it on True[Phresh], but by creating a whole new blog for it, I get to give that topic more attention and more importantly, it’s own niche. Because I have so many ideas about what I want to write for this particular topic, I decided it would be better just to brand it differently and let it grow into its own blob/monster/conglomerate. Namely, My Life Be Like…
- Writing Voice
Developing a writing voice is hard to say the least. Maybe it’s easier for others, but for me, it’s pretty damn hard. How do you create something successful out of nothing while juggling so many different goals and tasks and not seeming pretentious at the same time? Keeping your target audience in mind, but still writing genuine content that matches your personality is tough. Some would say: “just forget about who’s reading and write!” My conscious often whispers that to me. I think that’s the advice I need to follow, but it’s definitely easier said than done my friends. It will take a while for me to develop my writing voice. And until then, I can try out different styles of writing by tackling different blogging ambitions on various platforms.
Cons
- Clutter
With too many blogs to write on, it can get pretty messy. That’s why you need to focus on something you really enjoy writing about, otherwise it may just become a shit-storm.
- Quality
Your content will suffer and lack quality if you don’t give enough time and attention to each blog. I think if you have like 4 or 5 blogs (you know who you are), this is something you need to pay attention to. There are people with multiple blogs because they feel like they can generate multiple streams of revenue. This isn’t always the case because your content will suck and people won’t stick around for the long haul.
- Time
If you have more than one blog, you’re dividing your time and your time is probably the most valuable asset you have, other than your bosom, if you’re a girl. If you’re a guy, I suggest running on a treadmill sometime (don’t worry I am too).
So you can probably guess that I am in favor of having more than one blog, mainly because after today, I do have more than one blog. I have two!
But! and thats a big BUTT (girl got a donk), If you don’t think you can write on the topic extensively, I don’t think you should be starting up a whole entire blog for a small inclination. Just make it a category on your existing blog.
However, if you would like to separate spaces and experiment on different platforms then by all means go right ahead! It’s always fun to try out new things and to know what’s out there. You’re only going to learn if you jump into the water. So jump!- cannonball preferably so you don’t get too worried about the water temperature. Although I guess it is a good idea to always check, right?
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* Post picture from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi
I’ve just read several of your posts about blogging – multiple blogs, is it journalism, who is your audience, etc and found them thoughtful and illuminating. I’ve been blogging since January, mainly for the freedom to write angle and in the hope of gaining a readership. The latter has been tricky for me – how do you really gain a following when, like me, you blog on a range of eclectic topics and aren’t in a niche area? I’d value some feedback or ideas. Here is my site – http://jactherat.wordpress.com/. I don’t tweet, what else is useful in developing a readership?
thanks – Jac
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Hello!
Hey Jac, you recently commented on one of my posts about blogging at my personal blog. You raise some interesting questions. By no means do I know the exact answer to these inquiries. (Questions like: How you gain a readership when you’re writing is not really defined by any specific niche?)
I am; however, happy to discuss some of the things that I found have helped me at least gain some kind of average readership.
Focusing on the content seems to be an important concept. I’ve read some of your blog posts, and while I think you are a talented writer, many of the posts are personal experiences or musings. This is good; however, it is easy to get lost in these experiences. You must find a way to offer readers value from your writing. Some ways to do this through your writing is to…
- Write about experiences where you lead by example.
- Suggest new ways of doing things
- Make productive lists
- Provide inspiration through outright encouragement
Also, most of my best readers are my friends and other bloggers. Don’t be afraid to talk about your blog. It’s hard to force people to read your stuff, that’s why you’ve got to sneak it in every now and then and keep mentioning that it’s important to you. If it’s important to you, it’ll be important to your friends.
I think this is where Social Networking sites such as Facebook come into play. Sharing on Twitter and Facebook promote your site. By no means will it happen over night. However, by consistently making it a habit to post on these sites, someone will eventually notice.
And lastly, never stop writing. Keep writing stuff that you love to write about and don’t give up on your blog. Keep it alive with fresh, quality content because when readers come, and they will, they’ll want to know if you’re a consistent blogger.
This is actually a great idea for a blog post, so I’ll address some of these concepts in my next blog post. So I hope you keep reading!
Lastly, I’m also always on the lookout to improve my blog and increase my readership. Do you have any suggestions for me? (just blogger to blogger)
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