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Blog Commenters Pray on Thin Skin

Andrew G.R. — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:46:17 +0000

Thin skin? Then don’t even think about becoming a successful blogger.

I’m not sure if this is a true story or not, but somewhere along the way I picked it up and have remembered it ever since…

Baseball player Jeff Kent was once mired in a dreadful slump while on the New York Mets. Fans, who can be relentless when players don’t perform up to their standards, decided to share their displeasure with Kent. How? They got personal. After getting wind that Kent’s dog Gunnar has passed away they broke into a sing-songy chant. “Gun-nar…”

Ouch.

Kent might be a millionaire and part of a fraternity of several thousand professional baseball players, but he’s human. And not deaf.

Shortly after the cruel chant, Kent was traded away, vowing to never play for a New York team again.

It’s easy to be super-critical of public figures. After all, we expect great things from them since they make great money. The misconception that they are immune to criticism is foolish. They might be more used to it than us ‘regular folks,’ but that doesn’t mean the daggers don’t hurt.

And speaking of us, the same goes for blog writers and blog commenters. The more I blog, the more I realize that blog commenters are more likely to leave a comment if they disagree or take issue with something you write. That’s cool. But there’s no need to get personal.

Before you pull the trigger on that comment asking ‘who the heck I think I am’ – let me tell you. I’m a hard working, regular guy who likes to blog as a therapeutic outlet. I enjoy writing and need the few extra dollars (literally) that this hobby affords me. Slicing and dicing my writing style, pointing out typos or arguing with my angle on something just for the sake of arguing sucks. Comments make blogs great – just don’t get personal. Think before you post.

Dear Audience, Please Shut Up

Andrew G.R. — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:33:45 +0000

When I plop down my hard-earned cash to attend a concert, I do so in order to hear the glorious band and the soaring voice of the vocalist. I do not attend to hear YOU sing. That’s right, I’m talking to you, fellow concert attendees.

There’s an alarming trend that is taking place at venues around the globe: massive audience sing-a-longs that drown out the real thing.

There is a similar movement within the blogosphere. Your favorite blogger begins to drift off into the distance, as “guest” bloggers start to fill the space. Before you know it, you rarely hear from the person who was your entire reason for reading in the first place.

Building an ensemble cast is nice, but if your favorite character goes away, you might not be as inclined to read or watch. Imagine LOST without Jack. You would probably still watch, but if he was your favorite character, you might lose interest.

A blog is an even more personal experience. Writers build bonds with their audience, and should be very careful when phasing themselves out of the equation.

I’m not fooling myself, I realize every blogger is replaceable. But keep in mind that your visitors are there to hear you sing – not the audience. Before you pass the mic to another performer, make sure you’re not damaging your overall product.

New Website. No Content. Go Away!

Andrew G.R. — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:49:57 +0000

I’m tired of Websites that rely on user-generated content, yet make the foolish decision to launch before they stock up.

You know the kind I’m talking about. They’re the ones that promise to show you what other people earn; what their house is worth; how clean restaurants are; how they feel about their boss, etc. You show up at the front door expecting to find a wealth of information waiting with open arms. Instead, you input your search criteria and are met with zip, zilch and their good friend zero.

That’s why this blog entry should serve as a reminder to anyone who is planning to launch a new Website. Cool your jets until you have the goods.

It’s not OK to launch thinking that you will grow content along the way. You only have one chance to impress your visitor. Blow that and you’ll likely never win them back. And why should they ever return? Far too many of these Websites are eventually abandonded by their owners, leaving limited data behind. With so much to do and see on the Web, you only have one chance. No content, no visitors.

I’m a busy guy. I don’t have time to waste on your incomplete repository of information. At the very least consider hanging a shingle for your front door alerting visitors that there’s a good chance that you will not find what you are looking for. Sure, they’ll probably still bail – but at least they won’t be as angry.

The NY Mets Need a Blog

Andrew G.R. — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:15:11 +0000

As a New York resident, the news that Willie Randolph was axed as the manger of the Mets, created a media firestorm. In fact, the move has landed the baseball club on the front and back page of every New York daily.

Despite employed PR experts, media mavens and so-called ‘baseball minds,’ the team managed to botch the firing so bad, that they turned Public Enemy No. 1 into a sympathetic figure.

First, they allowed Randolph to make the trip to the West coast. Then, they allowed him to finish a game (which the team won). The ax fell at around 3:12am ET. Lame.

Yesterday, at a team press conference, General Manager Omar Minaya, who claims the decision was his and his alone, tried to confidently work his way out of this mess.

He failed. In fact, his verbal communication skills were quite weak, bordering on offensive. Apparently Minaya has attended the school of ‘repeat it and they will believe it.’

So what’s missing for the equation?

A BLOG.

I could be simply missing it, but I was unable to dig up a team blog. One that could address Randolph’s dismissal and the thinking behind it. One that could have addressed the news in the middle of the night. This is , after all, the Internet Age – and we have a 24/7 news cycle that can’t be ignored. You can’t run and hide from it. Not even at 3am on another coast.

Major League Baseball does allow team’s fans set up personal blogs thanks to MLBlog. But in cases like this, I am looking for a blog that comes from the top down, offering the type of transparency that makes criminals shutter.

Forget the new stadium. Forget the new manager. The New York Mets need a blog. It certainly couldn’t make them look any worse and it’ll cost a whole lot less.

Books on Blogging Don’t Excite Me

Andrew G.R. — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:09:47 +0000

I love books. I love learning. But I’d also like to remind bloggers who aspire to great heights the importance of beating to their own drum and ‘arriving’ on their own path.

The self-help aisle at the local book store chain grows everyday. Is anyone really getting better at anything?

How-to blogging guides can be useful in giving you a fundamental understanding of the conventional ways one could achieve success. SEO basics, monetization, the power of headlines, etc. – all good stuff. But I’m willing to bet that the blogosphere has become so saturated, that the next big thing – and I mean REALLY big thing – will be someone who breaks all the rules.

The path to success has more roads then we can imagine. Why not dream up a new one?

I also think there’s something wickedly ironic about the recent glut of bloggers inking book deals. Sure, I’d sign one in a heartbeat. But at some point, recycled content is just getting recycled once again, no?

The announcement of ProBlogger the book is sure to get people’s attention, and will undoubtedly make a ton of money. And I respect the authors immensely. I know you WILL learn from the book! I’m merely suggesting that you ask yourself if you’re playing the game by yours – or somebody else’s rules. I don’t want to keep up with the pack – I want to take the lead.

I have not seen or previewed the book. And am admittedly speaking in generalities. But let me ask you this:

What would you expect to read in a book on blogging that you haven’t already read on a “pro” blogging Website?

Just a thought.