Blogs & Articles

[Britopian]

If I am writing articles that are being published on the Internet, is it wise to also publish the same articles on my blog?

I was told by a good friend Garrett French who writes for Searchenginelowdown.com that my blog post should be relatively short; and if my articles are being published online somewhere, that it is better to write a blog post (perhaps a summary) about why I wrote the article and then link to it wherever it is postedonline

Any thoughts on this?

[Andy]

Sounds like good advice. I like quick blog posts, personally. But it doesn't seem to matter much, one way or the other. If you can do some split testing or ask your specific audience what they prefer. If you're writing to a crowd that will find you through search engines mainly (that's where I get most my readership) then writing a review of an article will put one more step between a user that is likely not to stay long and the material you'd like them to review. But if you're writing to a regular readership the quick summary would seem more ideal.

[Yaro]

Hi Britopian - first up I suggest that you don't publish articles on your blog that you have already published elsewhere, or at least only do it for no more than 5-10% of your overall blog content. You want to be careful about duplicate content.

When I was doing article marketing I would write huge articles for my blog and then shrink them down to circulate at article directories, however I don't think I would do that again. Now I would use original articles not already published online and keep my blog content separate from my article marketing content.

In terms of what size blog articles you should write - there are no rules and the best way is the way that works for you as the author and that your readers enjoy.

I write big articles on my blog, but only about 3 a week. Others write small news posts multiple times per day. Some mix it up.

Ultimately what matters is that your traffic grows and you find a style that you can keep up. If you can't write long articles on a regular basis that is not the style for you.

It's all about providing value. If your readers get value from an article it doesn't matter how long it is.

[Jan]

Keeping in mind I'm very new to all this.....I think the idea of mixing it up serves both the audiences that are pressed for time and the ones who aren't, the ones who need a snack and the ones who are there for the full course. Another way to satisfy multiple needs is to have the heart of the article at the beginning of a post and the details afterwards. If someone doesn't have the time available or wants more, they can choose. If they have to move on, hopefully they got enough of the post to be satisfied.

I jsut started writing a few articles here and there. I had one that was to go for a site that the owner put on the back burner. I was all set to do the summary and link post, but the article wasn't published, so I communicated with him and posted it full length in my blog. I do some research and writing, but its not related to my blog topic, so don't worry about it re: my blog

[Lyndoman]

Why would anyone take the time to read a long article on the web?

When we are only seconds from an avalanche of human experience and knowledge, why stay on one website taking making minutes to read one article?

Trust.


I regularly visit blogs and websites where I trust the author to deliver the goods. Yaro is one, Darren Rowse at Problogger is another. If trust is there, then I will invest the time it takes to read it as I know I will earn a nugget of useful knowledge at the end.

Also, if the subject is something you absolutely must have knowledge on then you will probably read a longish post. I made a long post about giving up coke, but if you have no interest in giving it up you will click on by, if however you are desperate to give up the fizzy, sugary stuff, then you will probably read it.

You must know your audience, and when you know them you will know what to give them

[Yaro]

Good point Lyndon - trust (or as I like to call it - rapport) is very important for successful blogging.

[Lyndoman]

Good point Lyndon - trust (or as I like to call it - rapport) is very important for successful blogging.
[/b]

...and rapport builds trust. You probably can't have trust if you don't have rapport.

It's strange, because when I read a good blog, you think that they are writing to you. I think that is a sign of a great blog.

Reaching out to the individual, treating the readers as distinct, unique human beings rather than anonymous cash cows that are going to help the author buy a new Massarati.

Blogging is not writing, it's a conversation.