Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

There are two types of blogs. There are community blogs, where readers leave lots of comments and the discussion in the comments can be as interesting and informative as the actual blog itself. Then, there are information blogs, where the destination is about the information. Community blogs have lots of comments. The discussion is often happening between those leaving comments rather than with the author. Fred Wilson and Chris Brogan are excellent examples of community blogs. Information blogs are destination blogs, where people visit for the content. They read, they leave. They rarely leave comments and there is little dialog happening on the site.

I like community blogs better. I love the interaction. I dig the dissent and conversation. Community blogs do just that, they create community. Community blogs improve the content and promote interaction through the dialogue. Community is what makes blogs better.

I was talking to a reader of this blog today, and asked him why he doesn’t leave a comment. He couldn’t tell me why. He wasn’t sure. He said he shares the information with his non blogosphere network, but he doesn’t leave comments and he didn’t know why. He committed to think about it and get back to me. I’ll update this post with his thoughts when I hear back from him. Or, maybe he’ll leave them in the comments.

What do you think? What makes a community blog a community blog? What happens, that turns an information blog into a community blog? When do you comment and when don’t you? Why? I’d love your thoughts, you can leave them in the comments.

The Community Blog vs. The Information Blog

September 1, 2009

By Keenan

Categories : Web 2.0/Social Networking, What I Think!
Tags: Blog Comments, Blogging, Chris Brogan, Fred Wilson

southwellj

Okay, you're going actually make me respond to this. I did give this some thought. I think that the difference is that when I talk to my non-blogoshpere I have a better understanding of the context and community. Community allows me to understand those that I'm talking with and who they are. Context allows me to better understand their perspective, as I have a relationship with them and understand who they are, their motivations, their personal bias…etc.

One could say that as you become a more active participant on blog, you gain that community and context. However, we now find ourselves looking at the third leg of the stool, Time. I don't have enough time to tend to my existing personal relationships today. Trying to foster and nuture a new community is difficult.

What I can do is lurk. I can lurk on blogs that interest me and even read other people's posts. However, taking the step to actually reply is an investment in time and energy. If I'm going to expend that time, I'm more likely to reach out to the existing community as opposed to building a new one.

This takes me to my last point. Another difference may be how a user/reader values relationships. I value a small pool of friends with very deep relationships. Others, my wife included, value a very broad pool of friends with “shallow” relationships. I don't think either is “right” it's just how people are wired.

There you go Keenan, I replied to a post. Are you happy now?
http://asalesguy.com Keenan

Good points, the time investment is a big one for many. Especially if
you don't have the existing context. I think you hit on some good
points. Now that you have actually commented on a blog, maybe it will
be addictive. Nah, probably not.
southwellj

Okay, you're going actually make me respond to this. I did give this some thought. I think that the difference is that when I talk to my non-blogoshpere I have a better understanding of the context and community. Community allows me to understand those that I'm talking with and who they are. Context allows me to better understand their perspective, as I have a relationship with them and understand who they are, their motivations, their personal bias…etc.

One could say that as you become a more active participant on blog, you gain that community and context. However, we now find ourselves looking at the third leg of the stool, Time. I don't have enough time to tend to my existing personal relationships today. Trying to foster and nuture a new community is difficult.

What I can do is lurk. I can lurk on blogs that interest me and even read other people's posts. However, taking the step to actually reply is an investment in time and energy. If I'm going to expend that time, I'm more likely to reach out to the existing community as opposed to building a new one.

This takes me to my last point. Another difference may be how a user/reader values relationships. I value a small pool of friends with very deep relationships. Others, my wife included, value a very broad pool of friends with “shallow” relationships. I don't think either is “right” it's just how people are wired.

There you go Keenan, I replied to a post. Are you happy now?
http://asalesguy.com Keenan

Good points, the time investment is a big one for many. Especially if
you don't have the existing context. I think you hit on some good
points. Now that you have actually commented on a blog, maybe it will
be addictive. Nah, probably not.

The Community Blog vs. The Information Blog

Keenan 411

Get My Newsletter

Polls

Polls

Archives

Categories

Translation