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2.21.2013

{on blogging: what i read}

I'm a firm believer that there is room in the blogging community for anyone who wants to blog. That being said, I don't necessarily believe that everyone can build their blog up to be something big (which is definitely not a bad thing). We all have the things that we like, and those things that we look for in new blogs to read. Not everyone is going to like you, which is perfectly alright. They don't have to read! And nobody should expect everyone to love their blog or what they have to say. That's why niches are so important, and figuring out exactly why you blog and to whom.

There are thousands of blogs in the world, and I so wish I could read all of them! But I can't, and neither can you. So, what do I look for in a blog? What is it about those blogs that I do read that makes them so special to me?
Good Design

This is a really big one for me. If I land on your blog, and the design is just not appealing to me, I'll leave without even reading. I know it sounds terrible, but I'm such a visual person, and design is such an integral part of my life. If a blog isn't aesthetically pleasing, I just can't get over the fact that we won't have a lot in common! It's also really hard for me to read blogs that don't have a good layout, or that are difficult to navigate.


Community Engagement

For the most part, I read blogs so that I can interact with the blogger and the community that they've created. If you aren't active on social media (mainly Twitter), that's kind of a deal breaker for me! I want to be able to communicate with you, and to get to know you as a person. If you ignore your readers, that's just not cool and I won't stick around for long.


Original Content

Everyone is different when it comes to the type of content produced, but I much prefer reading blogs where the majority of content is original (rather than just curated). I do enjoy a good round up post or collage every once in a while, but I want to see those content creators, you know, the people whose  images you actually Pin on Pinterest. I've tried to move away from curated content myself, and I'm not saying it's easy at all. Personally, however, I much prefer producing things that I can call my own. This doesn't necessarily have to be photos or images, but writing and ideas too! It's really easy to jump on a bandwagon when something becomes popular in the blogging world, but it's a lot more rewarding to be a trendsetter. 


Pretty Pictures

While original pictures aren't always necessary for me, having posts that are at least visually appealing are important. I don't care if you use stock photos (though please give credit appropriately), as long as you are adding your own spin to things. It's all about the pictures though, and they're really what pull me into a post. It's the actual content within the post (sometimes the images, sometimes the writing), that make me stay. 


Advice and Inspiration

I'm a sucker for self-improvement posts and books and articles. I LOVE reading posts where the blogger shares their expertise on something, even if it isn't something that I'm typically interested in. And bloggers who share their own personal story, along with tips on how they've overcome something they've struggled with, are always my favorite!

Favorites :: Elembee // Be Up & Doing // Katelyn Brooke Blog

What do you look for in a blog? Do you agree with my list?

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I did a double, no... triple take. I even clicked on the Trial By Sapphire link to see if you really did link to my blog. Holy smokes, Joelle! Thank you so, so much. (I feel like a fraud being amongst those wonderful blogs.) We clicked from the beginning, and I love coming back to Something Charming day after day. :) You are wonderful, Joelle!

Unknown said...

Oh I love this, Joelle! It's so true. Lately I've been coming to the conclusion that I simply can't read every single blog every single day. (Except yours, duh, because I'm nearing stalker status when it comes to your blog ;) And, I shouldn't feel bad about that. I shouldn't be made to feel bad that you read my blog, and I don't read yours - or that I don't connect with your content - or whatever the reason is, I get to choose what content I let into my mental/creative space. I read most of the blogs you linked to but I'm excited to go check out the others. xoxo! Eliza

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for including my blog, among such good company!!

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing these blogs! I'm the same way as you: if I'm not visually interested, I just can't read a blog. I totally know what you mean! Your blog definitely has to be one of my favorites and it would definitely make my list!

Unknown said...

I love this post! I just discovered your blog today and it's wonderful! i just started blogging recently and this post was great to read, it's given me other great bloggers to check out and advice to improve my own blog. I'm glad to be following you now!

http://somethingwinnderful.wordpress.com



P.S. Happy birthday week!

Unknown said...

You are too funny Eliza :) I think we all come to the point eventually when we realize that it's just impossible to read every blog there is out there! You shouldn't feel bad about that, you're right. It's about community, for sure, but it isn't about reciprocity, necessarily :) xoxo

Unknown said...

You're so welcome Lisa! Your blog truly is one of my favorites :) xoxo

Unknown said...

You're welcome Whitney! And thank you so much for the sweet words about my blog :) xoxo

Unknown said...

Thank you so much! I hope you like some of these blogs that I've mentioned. They're some of my favorites! xoxo

Unknown said...

So very true, girl! I agree x1000. There are so many kinds of bloggers out there, and it's hard to keep up with everyone as well as get noticed. However, I find I try to keep in touch with bloggers who I think would be really cool in person even if their content isn't my favorite. Some of my best friends in life haven't a clue about design, so I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. I like watching people grow, because I know I had no clue what I was doing the first year of blogging! We're all here to learn and get inspired by each other - that's what I love about this online world.

Unknown said...

I absolutely agree. I don't know that there is any secret formula for having a blog that I love, but it's all about just meshing with their personality, you know??? I obviously don't follow just wedding blogs, but I do love to be inspired by different types of people!

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for the shout out friend! You were my first daily read and I continue to look forward to your posts on a daily basis :) I agree that good design, original content, and pretty photos are some of the most important elements of a good blog.


xxx
Jenna