I’ve had this conversation going about how best to write for both new and non bloggers while still writing for my blog-based target audience.
One of the most intriguing posts that came out of this was John Wesley’s ‘Blog’ is a Hideous Word. He writes:
Blog is a hideous word. I cringe every time I read it. And I'm a blogger. No wonder regular people don't take blogs seriously.
Blah, blah, blog.
Blog = irrelevant nonsense to the layman. Why? Because thats what it sounds like.
The worst part — this miserable word diminishes the power of the platform. Weblogs enable individuals to reach a global audience at minimal cost. We haven't even scratched the surface of this.
I agree with John, but maybe for different reasons. I think that the word blog, for better or worse, has a stigma attached to it of personal diaries and political pandering. Many people outside the blogosphere don’t take blogging serious. Yet, I agree with John that blogs have enourmous potential that we haven’t fully tapped yet.
What do you think? What if we stopped using the word ‘blog?’ What then? And what would we use?
That is funny that you BLAGHED about this… my brother who owns his own construction business always makes fun of me when I mention anything about my BLAGH. It’s just one of those things I guess… Commonly my response to this when people ask is that it’s the Internet. There are weird words and weird terms.
Look at YouTube… what the heck is a You Tube???
Look at Yahoo! … by definition, doesn’t that mean foolish or hyper person???
Look at GoDaddy! … LOL, that is like a famous porn saying, “Who’s your daddy! Who’s your daddy!” Go Daddy… Go Daddy! LOL!!!
There are a million sites out there… successful ones, with stupid, stupid names! Names that people back in the days would think they are nuts for naming their business these names!
But… it’s the Internet, and these names work, and they rock…. likewise for blogs. I would have to work my tail off to get my link out back in the mid 90’s. Today all I have to do is contribute on other publisher’s sites… doing what I like to do in the first place, Write! and my link is out!
How difficult is that. Blogs are great, and most blog software are natural search engine magnets. With a few tweaks and something interesting to talk about, you have yourself a money maker and a successful site.
Sorry for my absence, I will try to continue to visit often. But that too is another great thing about blogs… come and visit when you can! If you don’t catch you in a month… no big deal!
Garry
The word Blog is a mess… for real. I agree totally. Because of the reactions I get from people I talk to, I have many sites that I run and maintain. I am a web site designer or developer. I tend to stay away from the word Blog. I mean think about it… say the word, Blog. It just sounds nasty. Like something stuck in your throat, or a sound a frog makes. LOL!!!
I can see how some people would be hesitant to investigate… a Blog could mean some kind of computer virus!
I would never use the word blog with a layperson. To them it is a website, plain and simple.
Gary,
Yeah, I know. But blogs seem to bring one of three responses to nonbloggers – either intrigue, confusion or hesitation.
Either they’re intrigued by what this ‘blogging thing is all about.’
Or they are confused because they think blogs are just for geeks and teens who want to write their personal diaries. Few think of blogs as business and marketing.
Or they’re hesitant because they really don’t know what a blog is or how to interact with it. Few seem to know that a blog is simply a website. And what I call, ‘A website with special powers.’ Now doesn’t that sound more interesting than “blog.”
No worries on your absence. I think we both have been busy these past few weeks. No worries. I’m sure we’ll finally connect soon.
Andrew
That’s becoming my approach as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Garry,
SO true. I take a lot of time to educate my clients, potential clients and referral sources. It’s often an uphill battle. But when I show how quickly a good blog can drive traffic, get search engine rankings and create community, etc, I always win them over. I’d love to show more with less.
I agree with Andrew- laypeople understand “website”, and don’t really see the reason for the different classification. I think that in a couple of years, a majority of sites will be blogs or at least contain one, so the line will blur even more.
Interesting topic.
A great graphic design site I visit is that of Mark Boulton. He labels his blog directory using the term ‘journal’. I’ve seen others use ‘notebook’.
For me, I wanted to keep the directory name as short as possible, so opted for blog. Sometimes I wonder if journal might have been the better option, but in a few years time I think the question will be redundant.
Randa,
I, too, think that social media forms like blogs will take over for most static websites. Will it be a straight blog – I’m not so sure. I’ve been creating hybrids for a year or so now with quite good results.
How do you see the lines blurring?
David,
Dan Cederholm uses notebook, I believe. The key, I think, is that whatever the title, it makes sense to your target audience. Blog could be good, but may not be. What do you think?
I had a blog, which died for lack of time of mine. When I needed to tell someone I had a site in the Internet, I didn’t mention “blog”, I mention “website”, because take it more seriously just because you changed the term you used.
The lines are blurred in my two monetized sites for example. They run on WordPress and I post new content to them regularly, and they look like blogs, but are they “blogs”? (printables4scrapbooking.com & freestuff4kids.net) What does that word mean- where is the line between “blog” and “site”?
Joao,
Sorry to hear about your blog. I think you’ve got the right approach. Who cares what it’s called. The fact is it’s on the web – so it’s ultimately a website.
Randa,
Great question. I think blog applies to a type of website. But is it important to define yourself as having a blog? What do you think?
My site is definitely a blog, and a photoblog. Photoblog seems to be more widely accepted than blog, but I don’t know why.
I used to call the blog section of my site – perspectives, but now I don’t call it anything. It is just labelled Read my thoughts.
In the early days, all websites were static, one way communication devices – a company publishes information and the user reads it. We are now to the point where we can make our websites a place for two way communication.
I don’t really refer to my blogs as blogs. They have a combination of static (pages) and interactive features.
They are interactive websites.
A rose is a rose is a rose 😉
I agree with most of what is said, but also know that changing something that is already embedded/engraved? is vey hard to change.
A weblog is on the world wide web, as so many other websites are.
My 2p in this discussion would be to suggest calling it (trying to, not sure if it will turn into a ‘meme’ – and what a word is that?) blog-site.
Makes it IMHO clear to bloggers that it is a active/reactive site and to non-bloggers it indicates it is soemthing they can find on the web.
Who knows?
I like Char’s description- “interactive website”.
I really think that the word for blog will not change, it will just become redundant. If you have a web site, people will assume there is some sort of blogging going on there, even if the non-webbies don’t know to call it “blogging”. Actually, give it another generation, and there won’t really be many non-webbies anyway.
Andrew,
I’m sensed the same thing. Isn’t that odd?
I have a client that used discussions instead of blog.
Char,
Yes…that’s why I find blogs/social media so powerful – it’s the two-way conversation. Ultimately, it’s the community conversation. That’s what I talk about with my clients.
By the way, I love the phrase ‘interactive websites.’
Karin H.,
Interesting idea. I have no doubts about the effectiveness of blogs for small businesses. I’ve just seen the resistance some people have to blogging simply beause they misunderstand it.
Randa,
I do too.
I think you’re right on. The term blog is here to stay – at least until the next thing replaces it. I know blogs are still early in their development and people are figuring out better and better ways to use them. I look forward to the next few years as we stretch their capabilities – especially in my niche market where interactive websites can completely change how small business owners and service professionals market their business.
I’ve had trouble with “blog.” I suggested to a client, who is an older gentleman, that if he wanted to compete in his handicraft business he should focus on something besides lowering his prices to stand out.
I suggested I could set up a blog for him. He thought that “blog” referred to a graphical banner announcing a special.
I tried to explain the concept to him, but I think he was too spooked from trying to set up his own website before meeting me…it would be nice if we had a less techie-sounding word for it. I’d say the same for “RSS”…
Amy,
I still like the idea of calling it simply a website. Then you can explain that websites can take on different forms and have different capabilities. I usually just explain all the benefits to blogging and I usually have clients begging me to build them one.
It’s like solving a problem instead of selling a solution. Same result, different approach.
What type of clients do you work with?