Pradeep C
Internet Entrepreneur with 9+ Years of hands-on Online Marketing Experience
Are you a blogger? Did you reach your 100th post milestone?
I've been blogging since last 18 months on a non-profit initiative (OM Careers - http://www.omcareers.org/blog). Somehow I survived the first year & only recently I reached the milestone of 100th post (including my blog posts at other blogs). I was wondering how much % of the bloggers reach this milestone. I don't think it will be more than 1%. What do you say? I read somewhere that there are over 200 million blogs in total. Also, in your opinion, what (passion, discipline...?) does it take on a blogger's part to reach this critical milestone?
Also, let me know if you would like to occasionally blog at OM Careers and contribute to the careers of current & budding online marketing professionals.
Good Answers (7)
Jon B
Sr Emerging Channels Strategist at Digitas
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (2), Public Relations (1), E-Commerce (1)
I've been blogging publicly for over year now and am well past the 100 post mark (currently somewhere between 300 and 400).
I think the challenge most fresh bloggers face is one of perspective. Many "fresh faces" try to be something more than themselves, speaking to their professional ambitions rather than their real passions. As a result, blogging becomes like a punishment assignment or chore rather than an outlet for a sociable passion. Blogging shouldn't be like a grade school assignment - write a ten page essay on why we don't throw paper airplanes. Blogging should be like sitting down with a good friend to talk about your passions.
Blogging should come from the heart. It has to be real and social. The measure of success for a blog should be the level of value you are getting from your publication, not the number of times you post. I measure my blog success by traffic, links, RSS subscription numbers, comments, community feedback and the intangible perspective it adds to my day to day life. The number of posts is almost immaterial, so long as you're posting at least (roughly) once a week and more importantly, so long as every post is inspired.
Passions ignite interest. A truly passionate person brings an energy to the table, to the room, to the community. Everyone around them feeds off their passion, dreaming up new worlds and possibilities.
Blogging is more than publishing. It is more than informative, it is real in a truly human sense. With the right perspective, anyone with an opinion and a passion can blog successfully. It's a matter of finding your niche and gauging your performance accordingly.
If you need any additional help or advice, or just a friendly push or post, please feel free to be in touch.
My blog Pampelmoose.com has been up and running for two years and I currently have 1,605 posts, 23 pages, 5 drafts, contained within 52 categories and 896 tags. It garners more than 120,000+ uniques a month. My social media blog, Social-Cache.com is only a few months old but has gone through the 100 posts mark with 219 posts, 6 pages, 9 drafts, contained within 36 categories and 736 tags.
Blogs take commitment and require a voice, authority on subjects, should be run by an influencer and should include original content. And you should post regularly if you want to build an audience that comes back regularly. Posting every day 7 days a week is a good idea.
Links:
Rick J
Creative Marketer, Idea Generator, Brander, Web and Social Media Veteran, and quite possibly Canada's first Blogger.
I crossed 3,000 entries on my blog this month, but I've been doing it since 1996 so I've got a valid excuse. It does take commitment and focus to keep at it, and you're right that a lot of bloggers - especially in the corporate space - seem to grow tired pretty quickly and leave things sitting dry. You touched on passion, and that's what it's all about. If you're not passionate about your blog topic you're going to have no desire to keep it going, nor will your content drive people to return.
Gregory N
Creative Director, Direct Marketer, Blogger, Elvis Impersonator
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (1), Viral Marketing (1)
To reach this milestone, it takes focus and commitment. But I wouldn't consider the quantity of posts a milestone. It is more about staying consistent to your overall vision, spreading good karma (blogrolling, commenting, and visiting other sites), and regular posting that makes a blog successful.
That being said, In my previous gig as Chief Blogger at www.iphonematters.com I had 668 posts in the first year. In some cases I was blogging 6 times a day.
In my blog, www.noodad.com, where we write fuller articles rather than short blog posts we have over 300 posts in 2 1/2 years.
In my marketing blog, Getcontagio.us, I just reached the 100th blog post last month after blogging for about 18 months.
Links:
Paul O
VP Marketing at Outright
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (3), E-Commerce (3), Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Events Marketing (1), Public Relations (1), Professional Networking (1), Starting Up (1)
Far harder than it sounds isn't it! Other great milestones; 1000 readers and your first ad sold. I think it took me a couple years to get to that milestone but, it gets easier from there.
Passion? Yes. Sticking with it is hard.
Discipline? No. I've neglected it for long periods of time and my audience hasn't left. But, I think that's because the other skill required is a unique perspective that still appeals to the masses.
Don't rehash other material, rethink it. Bring new ideas to the table. Share what you know. Throw a few stones! controversy is good PR and there is no need to cross a line; if you disagree, point it out! Have an enjoyable voice; if readers are going to stick with you, you have to have more than interesting topics: be interesting!
Links:
I think the requirements are or should be the same that are used for journalists / writers and such who have the subject knowledge and expertise, extended sphere of influence, are diligent with fact checking and have a constant supply of material / topics to write, are professional writers.
Here's how it is being (mis)used : as a potential requirement for a job - if I want a social media and/or Internet or online marketing position, I should be a blogger right? - random thoughts that one wants to share with the whole wide world (www),etc.
And I think the 80-20 rule works here too. Meaning 80% waste! I have as a copywriter/marcom person worked in many companies where we would launch a newsletter with all the enthusiasm and soon find we are out of really useful (for customers and internal audience) material. I mean, we ran out of useful material for even coffee talks (informal info to employees)..
We can talk about quality and quantity ad nauseam but the reality is only 20% of the bloggers (blogs) would stand the test of time.
Andy
There are currently 2,391 posts and 9,729 comments in Simple Thoughts - http://blog.taragana.com
So I am looking towards my 2500th post.
Reaching 100 post isn't difficult, reaching the first thousand is.
> Also, in your opinion, what (passion, discipline...?) does it take on a blogger's part to reach this critical milestone?
I think the most important part is blogging something that you really care about. If blogging is a compulsion then every milestone becomes harder and harder. As for discipline, not much unless you want to be pro-blogger. I only blog when I feel like it even though I earn probably more than many so-called pro-bloggers :)
> Also, let me know if you would like to occasionally blog at OM Careers and contribute to the careers of current & budding online marketing professionals.
Not my speciality, so no thanks.
Links:
Clarification added 9 months ago:
One small tip about blogging - not all posts need to an essay, though some should be. Just write what you feel like and when you feel like and then it will start to become fun again.
More Answers (22)
well, am averaging over a 100 a month on the new blog - www.medianama.com ...but that's because I'm blogging professionally. It's been around two and a half months, and am at 255 posts
what does it take? in one word - obsession :)
there have been days when one didn't really feel like blogging, but then something interesting catches your eye, and grips your imagination and you feel you must write about it. Also, a fairly large reader base helps - you know they're waiting for your next post, and might call or email you about it. or just leave a comment. But a large reader base helps as well.
have been blogging for 5.5 years now, of which 2.5 have been as a professional.
I too average around 100 posts each month. I have been blogging for just over a year now. Every now and then I find I don't have anything to post, but I do try to do at least one a day. But it is kind of easy since my blog is a bout anything and everything. http://superhappyfuntimeblog.blogspot.com
Links:
Serena H
Direct Marketing, CRM Strategy, Customer Profiling
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (1), Business Development (1), Lead Generation (1), Blogging (1), Computers and Software (1)
Do you believe that it should be a matter of quantity or quality? There are many blogs that I read that don't even come close to 100+ posts/month, but the knowledge of their industry experience garnered from what they write is an invaluable online asset.
Dan B
Web Development, Usability/UI Design, Search Engine Optimization and Streaming Media
Best Answers in: Web Development (2)
I blog, just passed my 200th I noticed, though I don't really count...as something pops in to my head, or I solve some odd issue in a project I blog it for later reference...or to maybe help somebody else that has had the same problem.
That said, I can't say I have any regularity in how often I post, or when I post, just as the thoughts and comments come to me.
I started my blog in May and post almost every day. It was therefore quite easy to reach the 100th post.
What drives me to post everyday is that I crave sharing information. I love reading about a fact and presenting my opinion along with the fact to my friends and family. What helps me keep current is that I can pre-post, so when I have some free time, I write a bunch of posts and the blog just works itself.
Links:
Good question, many blogs die off due to competing time priorities. I've been blogging on several blogs for a number of years. My work blog has hit 3 years running and 266 posts in that time. I want to keep it going because it is a big part of my identity online and I'm really passionate about my topic so while I forget to post from time to time I do like keeping it up. The more passion about the topic the more likely you will keep it up even when you are busy.
Links:
I've been blogging since April and have about 250 posts. My blog started when I joined a start-up company - NewTunes. We're launching a music search engine in the next few weeks, and my blog has been acting as the placeholder.
It's about music, marketing and our company. Since I'm interested in and enjoy all three things, the blog has been pretty easy to maintain. Though I have hit what appeared to be burnout from time to time. But looking back, I think it was really more that I went a few days in which nothing struck me as worth writing about. I guess I learned not to force it and write when I didn't have anything.
Links:
Thank you Pradeep for posting this question.
I am not a blogger.. and I really should be. still confused about the whole blogging space...
The answer here have help me understand how often one needs to blog.
Thank you to everyone that answered.
amy
I'm at about 6 years of blogging at www.joshgreene.com - and coming up on 400 posts.
I am not sure that 100 posts should even be a milestone. Some individuals are pretty good at coming up with great but not so significant ideas/words to put down so can reach your target in less than a week!!
A better metric is perhaps the number of visits and the number of comments on your posts - even if it's just one post.
100th Blog is really great! In my opinion it has to become an habbit and integral part of your working style. Also basically you should love 'communication'. Best wishes and keep blogging....
100th blog, a good milestone, but as they say, milestone only tell you the distance...:)
Well, obsession, commitment, interest in the subject are some basic things required for a blogger!
I'v recently started my blog on WEB 2.0 activities to help startups and emerging companies leverage WEB 2.0, http://WEBtpo.wordpress.com
Sure, contributing to OMlogic's blog would be good! Lets share, collborate and grow!
Best,
Thomas B
Senior Systems Engineer / SEO (LION)
Best Answers in: Enterprise Software (2), Organizational Development (1), Career Management (1)
I actually have had 3 blogs that reached the 100th post, but all are now closed. So that milestone is not really that big of an issue. What should matter is the number of people you have that read your blog.
When I reached a point arbitrarily picked for each of the blogs and the interest was not there then I just shut the blog down. I had one that had over 15k readers but still though it had run it's course.
Kapil B
Direct Channels Marketing Mngr @ HSBC, EChannel Specialist, Digital Marketer,Blogger, SST Expert, Mobile Tech Enthusiast
Hi Pradeep,
I started blogging only last Nov. I am yet to reach the 100th post milestone but being Digital Marketer I am proud to be a part of the blogging world. My blog focusses on Dubai and Digital MKT. May I know what's the deal about writing for OM Careers ? Please feel free to get in touch on kapilbhatia81@yahoo.com
Links:
It's taken me a while but yes I have reached past the 100th post milestone. Checkout my blog (link below). And I would say that it takes more than just patience, it takes a lot of writing, thinking and a commitment to write to get past this milestone!
Links:
Hi Pradeep! Thanks for your mail. I am myself a heavy blogger on my professional and personal blog. If I do agree for blogging on your blog, what's in it for me?
Thanks.
Vishal
Ivan S
Managing Director at Portal.ie (EmployIreland.com & eRecruit.ie) http://twitter.com/IrishRecruiter
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (2), Job Search (1), Resume Writing (1), Staffing and Recruiting (1)
You are quite right. A very few blogs, that have the original content have over 100 posts. But then again, I think one should only call himself a blogger when he passes the 100 job posts mark! :)
Links:
I have only just started blogging and I agree with many others that 100 posts if you are passionate about your topice is no sweat. My blog, Service Dogs: A Way of Life has been up and runnig full time now for three months and has nearly 50 posts already. I use many tools to inspire post topics including Google News Alerts, relevant Internet chat and email boards, books, newspapers, my own experiences, and the eperiences of people I know. I view my blog as a tool for reflection, education and networking;though, I do try not to exhaust all of my more inspired post topics in one month.
Links:
Siddharth P
National Head - Brand Solutions - Tyroo Media Pvt. Ltd ( Yahoo! - SITG group)
Best Answers in: Advertising (1), Business Analytics (1), Telecommunications (1)
Pradeep really reaching 100 blog posts doesnt require any different effort from reaching 50 or 100 its all about passion for writing or documenting ones thoughts. I use my blog to archive my thoughts on business models which i would like to revisit or to get feedback from people on things which might be incomplete in my mind .
Lately i have seen increase in frequency of blogs reaching 100 posts + due to decrease in analysis blogging to short para news items or info achiving style of blogging.
Though toughest part is to continue momentum on same idea or theme past 100+ posts as one start to get bored by same ideas and tend to wander out to explore newer dimensions of the medium,industry,thoughts
Cheers
Siddharth
Links:
Hi Pradeep
I am a blogger, yes. I do however wonder what in us makes us wish to share our views and thoughts so openly with total strangers. I, for one, do share my views, but not my thoughts. What I certainly can't figure out is why people wish to speak of their aches and pains and problems on their blogs.
Marilyn
Leslie-Anne M
"Google Girl" - PPC Professional that Produces Real Results with ReachLocal
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (3), Search Marketing (1), Small Business (1)
I've been blogging since early 2004. Actually, I juggle three different blogs (two professional and one personal) and update each of them at least three times a week.
It's become a habit for me. And I get to a point with my 'personal' blog that I completely forget to tell friends about significant stuff in my life because I've blogged it.
You meant the milestone of reaching 100 posts in over a year? Contrary to your opinion I think there would be many such bloggers. As for me, though I started in May 2003, my total posts (given that I blog in English as well as Hindi and also write for my webzine Nirantar.org) must be more than 600. But I could have written much more having won over my habit of procrastination.
