Blogging Tip of the Day: Vol. 9

Today's Blogging Tip: Ever ask a question at the end of your blog? I don't do this very often anymore, but back in the day, (old moment) I used to always end my blog with a question. It would always get the conversation going, and then you never knew where the conversation was going to take you. Some days it was such a silly conversation going on, that people just showed up to watch the ever expanding conversation among lunatics. Of course I want to warn you that this is still something you have to micro-manage, and why I stopped doing it, or for the most part do it when I have a good reason to do it.

Having large comment threads that have very little to do with your blog is also very self defeating. Somewhere along the line, if you let it go to your head (and trust me ten years ago I let it go to MY head) you stop actually writing quality things and start working on your shtick. Shtick is for stand up comedians and not for writers who would like to be taken seriously. Now of course shtick in your writing is perfectly fair game and adds to your brand, just not when the shtick in your comments are all people show up for. Somewhere along the lines you end up relying on someone else's brand to carry your brand, and you don't want to go there.

Now of course if you need a little more participation in your blogs, try adding some questions to inspire comments, just remember that you want to write. Well unless you keep a blog to enhance your stand up comedy or your psychology site, or I guess in some cases your bar. With that I am going to ask a question here and see how it goes. It also will help me to see who is readying and why.

What is the most important thing you look for when you are reading other people's blogs?