January 28, 2009

I am not a blogger, and neither are you

NOTE: This post is old, and is probably on different subject matter than my current writing. It is possible the information is outdated or my opinions have changed. -- Josh Klein, May 28, 2012

Please don’t call me a blogger.

In December, Forbes released a list of the billionaire bloggers. I’m not on it. Still, the article isn’t entirely bad. There are some insights into how these powerful individuals use blogs.

My beef is with the article’s title. “Billionaire blogger” is deceptive in a dangerous way. When it comes to blogging, there seems to be an epidemic of optimism in the popular media — and even more in the blogosphere — that is undeserved.

Yes, they are billionaires who blog, but they are not billionaire bloggers. Mark Cuban throws a nice jump shot, but he is not a billionaire basketball player. I bet he’s cooked before; is he a billionaire chef?

It’s intellectually dishonest to suggest that you could be a millionaire blogger, let alone billionaire blogger.

Unless they’re written strictly as a hobby, blogs are one component of something larger. For instance, some “bloggers” make money selling ads, but that really makes them publishers and ad salesman, not bloggers.

If you think of yourself as a blogger, you’re focusing on the wrong thing.

Create a strategy around how to leverage a blog, not just how to build it. You don’t have to execute tactically on every part of the strategy before you start blogging, but the plan should be in place (even if it changes later).

I’ve talked about why I blog before:

To spread the idea that people should stop making crappy websites (blogs included).
To learn and test my ideas.
To create a media channel that stakes a claim in the attention goldrush.
To gain the evidence and authority of walking the talk.
To be a resume and legacy.

I get paid to help people make websites and use the web to grow their business, not to blog. Blogging is a part of the puzzle, but not the most important.

So please, don’t call me a blogger.

--- Josh Klein

http://www.bradleyrobb.net Knownhuman

You're correct, blogging is not the title it was back in the cowboy heydays of 2004. Today, running a blog is just one necessary facet of any strategy. While static pages provide the canon content of any online endevour, a blog provides the fast and human – thoughts too large for twitter, and too open for Facebook. Blogging today is simply part of a larger strategy. Gone are the ends, here are the means.
http://OnlineMarketerBlog.com Ulysses1

I think I get what you're saying – basically that a blog is a tactic, not a strategy, right? Nor should it be the center of whatever you do – it should be the platform that allows you to do it.

I feel this way as a marketer. When I'm trying to explain to my family what it is I do (and I know you know how difficult that is!), I usually just say I'm a writer. But that's not really true. Sure, I use words to do stuff, but so do a lot of people.

I like that you outline *what it is you do.* That's something I do all too infrequently. It would serve all people with blogs to have a list like that taped to their desk.
http://www.joshklein.net joshklein

And forget the “build it and they will come” of 2004. You're going to have to work your tail off if you want a successful blog, so unless you're getting a kick out of the hobby, you need to figure out how you're going to reap the rewards of putting in that effort.

I like the idea of placing a blog between Twitter (too short) and Facebook (too closed), and I think there's also something to figuring out where it fits in your BUSINESS model, not just COMMUNICATION model.
Steve

You are arguing semantics…
http://www.joshklein.net joshklein

That's certainly part of it; a blog is a tactic (actually, probably a whole bunch of tactics). It could be a fundamental tactic, something core to your business, but you nail it on the head with calling it “the platform”.

If you like writing, why limit yourself to blogs? If you like publishing, why a blog and not a paper magazine?

There can be good answers to these questions, the important part is just in trying to answer them. To do so, you need a strategy: what am I in the business of?

I sure hope it's not “blogging”. For most people we consider bloggers, it's probably that example I mention: they're ad salesman.

Maybe along with that outline of what it is you do, you should also have a list of the things you DON'T do, but find yourself spending time on anyway.
http://www.joshklein.net joshklein

You're right, but I'm doing so to bring up a point. Blogging isn't the core activity of blogging. There's nothing magical about it, yet people get excitable when they hear the term. If you blog, and your not a blogger, what are you? What is your core activity?

That's what I think people need to spend some time on figuring out. Go ahead and concentrate on tactical necessities like hitting the publish button, but carve out time to think strategy and answer: WHY?
http://www.bradleyrobb.net Knownhuman

The phrase blogger has had a lot of things associated with it, not least of which are associated with the pajama-clad insurrection lead against the fourth estate. As a former member of said fourth estate, I can tell you it's not a word always spoken with sunshine.

However, it's also lost a lot of that meaning. But people are still willing to hang some sense of importance on it. I think it's less a label that needs to be affixed, or a hat that needs to be worn, and as you point out, just one of many tactics.
http://www.joshklein.net joshklein

Interesting. I hadn't considered the word's baggage from the bloody battleground of journalists versus post-media pajama monsters. I wonder; has the Twitter microblogging craze overtaken that issue?
http://www.bradleyrobb.net/ P. Bradley Robb

You're correct, blogging is not the title it was back in the cowboy heydays of 2004. Today, running a blog is just one necessary facet of any strategy. While static pages provide the canon content of any online endevour, a blog provides the fast and human – thoughts too large for twitter, and too open for Facebook. Blogging today is simply part of a larger strategy. Gone are the ends, here are the means.
- http://www.joshklein.net joshklein
  
  And forget the “build it and they will come” of 2004. You're going to have to work your tail off if you want a successful blog, so unless you're getting a kick out of the hobby, you need to figure out how you're going to reap the rewards of putting in that effort.
  
  I like the idea of placing a blog between Twitter (too short) and Facebook (too closed), and I think there's also something to figuring out where it fits in your BUSINESS model, not just COMMUNICATION model.
- webpersona
  
  Thanks for the information
http://OnlineMarketerBlog.com Ulysses1

I think I get what you're saying – basically that a blog is a tactic, not a strategy, right? Nor should it be the center of whatever you do – it should be the platform that allows you to do it.

I feel this way as a marketer. When I'm trying to explain to my family what it is I do (and I know you know how difficult that is!), I usually just say I'm a writer. But that's not really true. Sure, I use words to do stuff, but so do a lot of people.

I like that you outline *what it is you do.* That's something I do all too infrequently. It would serve all people with blogs to have a list like that taped to their desk.
- http://www.joshklein.net joshklein
  
  That's certainly part of it; a blog is a tactic (actually, probably a whole bunch of tactics). It could be a fundamental tactic, something core to your business, but you nail it on the head with calling it “the platform”.
  
  If you like writing, why limit yourself to blogs? If you like publishing, why a blog and not a paper magazine?
  
  There can be good answers to these questions, the important part is just in trying to answer them. To do so, you need a strategy: what am I in the business of?
  
  I sure hope it's not “blogging”. For most people we consider bloggers, it's probably that example I mention: they're ad salesman.
  
  Maybe along with that outline of what it is you do, you should also have a list of the things you DON'T do, but find yourself spending time on anyway.
Steve

You are arguing semantics…
- http://www.joshklein.net joshklein
  
  You're right, but I'm doing so to bring up a point. Blogging isn't the core activity of blogging. There's nothing magical about a blog, yet people get excited when they hear it. If you blog, and you're not a blogger, what are you? What is your core activity?
  
  That's what I think people need to spend some time on figuring out. Go ahead and concentrate on tactical necessities like hitting the publish button, but carve out time to think strategy and answer: WHY?
  - http://www.bradleyrobb.net/ P. Bradley Robb
    
    The phrase blogger has had a lot of things associated with it, not least of which are associated with the pajama-clad insurrection lead against the fourth estate. As a former member of said fourth estate, I can tell you it's not a word always spoken with sunshine.
    
    However, it's also lost a lot of that meaning. But people are still willing to hang some sense of importance on it. I think it's less a label that needs to be affixed, or a hat that needs to be worn, and as you point out, just one of many tactics.
  - http://www.joshklein.net joshklein
    
    Interesting. I hadn't considered the word's baggage from the bloody battleground of journalists versus post-media pajama monsters. I wonder; has the Twitter microblogging craze overtaken that issue?
http://www.tumblemoose.com tumblemoose

Semantics or not, it's still a good point. Myself, It does not matter to me so much what people call me. I mean, yes I blog. I have several sites that I blog at.

Here is the litmus test: When someone asks you what you do, what do you say?

For me, I say I'm a writer – I can't even imagine saying, “I'm a blogger.”

George
http://www.joshklein.net joshklein

Thanks George. The self-identification idea is smart — it lets you know which part is the most important.
http://www.ratracetrap.com/ Stephen

This is really good. Thank you. To me it would be: 1) To spread the idea that ____ and 2) To learn and test my ideas.
http://www.joshklein.net joshklein

I've always found it funny that the hardest part is to figure out what you want to convince people of. If you could change a person's mind about something, what would it be? If you can come up with something, that's certainly a fine reason to blog :)
http://www.tumblemoose.com tumblemoose

Semantics or not, it's still a good point. Myself, It does not matter to me so much what people call me. I mean, yes I blog. I have several sites that I blog at.

Here is the litmus test: When someone asks you what you do, what do you say?

For me, I say I'm a writer – I can't even imagine saying, “I'm a blogger.”

George
- http://www.joshklein.net joshklein
  
  Thanks George. The self-identification idea is smart — it lets you know which part is the most important.
http://www.ratracetrap.com/ Stephen

This is really good. Thank you. To me it would be: 1) To spread the idea that ____ and 2) To learn and test my ideas.
- http://www.joshklein.net joshklein
  
  I've always found it funny that the hardest part is to figure out what you want to convince people of. If you could change a person's mind about something, what would it be? If you can come up with something, that's certainly a fine reason to blog :)
webpersona

Thanks for the information

I am not a blogger, and neither are you

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