Author Topic: What makes you keep reading a blog?  (Read 3364 times)

lifejoy

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What makes you keep reading a blog?
« on: April 18, 2017, 06:14:43 PM »
This is something I think about a lot. I try to pay attention to what writers/websites are doing well. I know there are a lot of bloggers on here, so maybe we will all learn something valuable and applicable!

Here are the things that keep me interested:

- pictures
- personal stories
- regular updates
- value (usually this means I'm learning something)

What about you?

Wise Virgin

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2017, 07:24:58 PM »
The personality of the blogger.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2017, 07:36:25 PM »
Nothing, as much as I enjoy some blogs, after awhile.......they just fade into memory.

Vertical Mode

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2017, 07:43:03 PM »
I guess the attraction varies from one blog to another. Sometimes, it's unclear why, I just enjoy the writing. Raptitude falls into that category, I think David Cain's writing is just fantastic.

With FI blogs in particular, I like them to be full of actionable content I can relate to and/or real-world examples, demonstrations, or experiments. Bonus points if they happen to be centered near the area I live in.

With MMM, I came for the awesome articles and stayed for the community here on the forum. As many have said, this is the one place on the internet that I won't just read the comment section, I LOOK FORWARD to it. So much shared wisdom and information here.

shelivesthedream

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2017, 05:35:51 AM »
A few minor things:
- Easily navigable layout
- Loads quickly
- Readable on my phone

Bigger things:
- Personal stories/examples (either from readers or the blogger)
- Thought-provoking topics (even if I don't agree with them)
- Step-by-steps through projects (I'm a sucker for a before-and-after!)

The biggest thing:
Being at the right stage of experience to interest me. I want someone who's one or two steps up from me on the scale (be it personal finance or pretty paint colours). Usually the reason I stop reading a blog is because I've outgrown it - for example, how I started on The Simple Dollar and ended up on ERE (then took a step down and washed up here!).

ElleFiji

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2017, 06:00:19 AM »
Personality and a positive attitude.

And, like shelivesthedream I want things to be aspirational, but not out of reach. A lot of bloggers stagnate, and I outpace them, grown in a different direction than my interests, and I check in occasionally, or go from achievable to outlier and detached, and I detach. Others focus on an aspect I can relate to, and I stay hooked

For example, MMM has gone from a middle class life and maintaining a down to earth lifestyle, to making obscene amounts, odd spending calculations, and in character but non financial strong personal opinions. There is an occasional post I can relate to or aspire to, but I mainly ignore the blog. Apartment therapy switched to an unreadable format, with very few diy or low cost apartments to admire, and more giant houses. Still a great site, but I don't think it's written for me. Wellness mama and bikini body mommy seem to have profited nicely from their work, and occasionally post stuff I'm not into, but because they focus on the relatable, universal mom experience, I still value their new content, even though I'm not a mom

Johnez

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2017, 10:05:48 PM »
Deep original thought. There is so much derivative work online it's annoying.

Lack of ulterior motive. Once the endorsements roll in, I roll out.

Info dense. I hate it when blogs are "fluffed" up with declarative statements or slogans. Give me useful, actionable info.


Dicey

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2017, 02:55:52 AM »
Deep original thought. There is so much derivative work online it's annoying.

Lack of ulterior motive. Once the endorsements roll in, I roll out.

Info dense. I hate it when blogs are "fluffed" up with declarative statements or slogans. Give me useful, actionable info.
Johnez's list nails ět for me, too.

I'll add that poor language skills are a big turn off.

Also, I don't GAF how much Pete earns being MMM. I don't even mind the cult shtick. His passion, deep thought, originality and writing skills keep me interested, particularly because they spawned the magic that is this forum community. The glaring exception would be B'ment. Ugh. So wrong for so many acolytes, especially newbie investors who have zero need for, or understanding of, tax-loss harvesting.

shelivesthedream

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2017, 03:22:18 AM »
Quote from: Dicey link=topic=72214.msg1521138#msg1521138

Also, I don't GAF how much Pete earns being MMM. I don't even mind the cult shtick. His passion, deep thought, originality and writing skills keep me interested, particularly because they spawned the magic that is this forum community. The glaring exception would be B'ment. Ugh. So wrong for so many acolytes, especially newbie investors who have zero need for, or understanding of, tax-loss harvesting.

I've been slightly turned off lately by his creative accounting. He has a ton of money - whatever. He decides to spend some of it buying toys (souped-up electric bike, man shed, etc) - whatever. But I don't like this "Oh, that's a business expense so it doesn't count as MMM family spending" thing. It makes me wonder what else "doesn't count" that he's fudging. I'd be happy for him to post a three-tier spending analysis: core spending, luxury spending (holidays, fancy groceries, whatever - the stuff he usually includes in his "fancypants life for 24k/yr" claim) and ridiculous spending (man shed etc). I'd also be happy if he never talked about his family's annual expenditure - a man's allowed to have some secrets from the world! But the way it is at the moment makes me not trust that we're getting the whole story.

That said, the actual FIRE advice is still solid, I still re-read some of the early posts from time to time and I appreciate the mind-expanding things he's written about recently (Happy City book, for example).

iris lily

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2017, 04:02:26 PM »
I don't read blogs. Most of the bloggers I have some interest in are now mostly
Instagram posters, their blogs are seldom updated.


Lis

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2017, 09:46:13 AM »
The only blog I read regularly (every day) is Ask A Manager. For me, it's a good mix of information relevant to me (updates on wages and salary laws, resume/cover letter/interviewing tips, work place norms) and funny/entertaining stories (some of them can be quite sad, too). It also helps that my best friend reads it religiously, so at least once a week we have a conversation like "did you see Tuesday's article about...?" One of my favorite things about it are the semi-regular updates - someone writes in with a question or story, Alison answers, and then that's it. But sometimes the writer will write back and say "I took your advice, then this happened." I LOVE updates, those are my favorites.

She's experimenting with different ads and the like, and at one point it got so bad that it would freeze my browser, play random sounds/music without my permission, etc., that I almost stopped visiting the site, but she was very receptive and wanted to know what was working and what didn't.

BlueHouse

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2017, 11:00:04 AM »
I like the comments. 

shelivesthedream

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2017, 01:54:44 PM »
Pop up ads (usually t sign up for an email list as I do have adblocker) and instant playing videos are two JUST NO things for me. I leave instantly and never go back.

calimom

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2017, 10:08:43 AM »
Deep original thought. There is so much derivative work online it's annoying.

Lack of ulterior motive. Once the endorsements roll in, I roll out.

Info dense. I hate it when blogs are "fluffed" up with declarative statements or slogans. Give me useful, actionable info.

The only blogs I have ever really followed were written to amuse or convey other feeling. I find Mommy Blogs loathsome. Usually she has an adorable name like"Mrs. Mommy' and her hapless spouse is of course "Mr. Mommy". The two kids are Rock and Hardplace. Because kids will be kids and all! And then if she is remotely successful (most are not alas) the pop up ads pushing processed food or a meal kit service start and that's it for me.

Johnez

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2017, 11:26:43 AM »
I like the comments.

Forgot this. Very annoying when bloggers decide to move comments to Facebook or make it hard to read them. Art of Manliness did this with the Facebook thing. A lot of times the discussion in comments is better than the actual blog.

pbkmaine

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Re: What makes you keep reading a blog?
« Reply #15 on: May 13, 2017, 11:32:05 AM »
Consistency. This is one of my favorite frugality blogs. Ilona posts most days about her favorite subjects: inexpensive vegetarian meals, creative reuse of materials, animals, and walking. She does not take long breaks between postings.

http://meanqueen-lifeaftermoney.blogspot.com