Facibus On Blogging

I’ve come across some other people that run multiple blogs on the Aussie Bloggers Forum - we’ve even had a discussion on the madness that is blog collecting.

First step - the definitional adventure
The talk on the forum got me thinking about what the cool kids called someone who runs multiple blogs (apart from “nuts!”)

I thought initially that this might be called polyblogging (as opposed to blogging on a single blog, which might be called monoblogging to match). So I googled on “polyblogging” and got results that inferred the following alternative definitions - that polyblogging is:

• writing on multiple blogs,
• writing on multiple topics within the one blog, or
• blogging about polyamory.

Of these, I favour the first - and when I think about it, this is mainly because it fits my own preconceived ideas of what polyblogging might be. I don’t begrudge anyone any other use of the term. I just felt the need for a term that encompasses blogging on multiple blogs.

Let’s pretend for now that it means what I want it to mean
…and run with that one for now.

You may be wondering why anyone in their right mind would try to keep up with multiple blogs when most people hardly manage one. Good question. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of writing for multiple blogs.

Advantages of polyblogging
The advantages - to me at least - are:

• Multiple niche blogging: When I feel the need to write on information architecture, I can write for HumaneIA. When I come across a recipe that I like, I can put it on Faux Cuisine. If I want to write on metablogging (that is, blogging about blogging), then I can put it here on Facibus On Blogging or over at On Blogging Australia. Each of these blogs has a niche, and by keeping multiple blogs I can write content that will be posted amongst similarly appealing material - and this helps increase page views for first-time and serendipitous visitors.
• One person blog network: By writing for multiple blogs, I can reframe material from one and make it suitable for another. Events and news in one niche help to inform the others, with legitimate and frequent cross-linking. With the best of intentions in the world to share the link love, and making an effort to read widely, I’m still more likely to remember my own writing (and link to it). This is great for inbound links (but there is a potential downside listed below).

Disadvantages of polyblogging
There are also several downsides to writing for more than one blog. Again, speaking from personal experience they are:

• Split attention: There are only so many hours in the day, and with a heavy consulting workload, I find it hard to write more than a couple of posts a day. This has to be spread over the dozen-or-so possible blogs that they could go on (that is, blogs that I own that are even semi-regular recipients of fresh material).
• Organisational overhead: Organising posting schedules, regular research (such as email newsletters, RSS feeds and books) in multiple niches, contributing to multiple forums - all takes time and brainspace that may be in fairly short supply.
• System overhead: When Wordpress releases a new version, believe me, I know about it Keeping up with the latest plugins also takes time - there is a minimum necessary administrative overhead for any Wordpress blog - multiply that by several blogs and it soon adds up.
• Cost: Even though I’ve polyblogged on the cheap (having a hosting plan that allows multiple domains and buying them from myself via my Godaddy.com reseller account) it still adds up.
• Reduction in sharing that link love: I mentioned this as an advantage above, but it is also a disadvantage. I have to guard against being my own echo chamber, and linking to my own stuff at the exclusion of deserving others.

Monoblogging vs Polyblogging: is there a right answer?
No.

There may be a right answer for you at this stage of your blogging career - for me, I write for multiple blogs because I enjoy it, regardless of how sensible it is or otherwise.

Your mileage may vary, depending on the range of your interests and your available time (not to mention your ability to organisation and self-motivation).

How about you?
How many blogs do you write for? Are you a monoblogger or a polyblogger? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages I’ve missed?

Lani is trying to decide how much of her personal self that she wants to put into her new blog:

If I use my own name for the new site, do I need to keep my other identity completely separate from that in order to maintain a professional appearance, or do I need to be open about what I do in order to show my commitment to blogging?

While this partially comes back to the different personas for different blogs thing, there is a deeper issue: how much of ourselves should we disclose in order to show commitment to our readers?

A few questions
First up, I have a few questions that will lead to the larger answer:

• Is showing commitment necessary to be a successful blogger?
• Does disclosure show commitment?
• Are there any other factors that influence the desirability of disclosure in blogging?

Is showing commitment necessary to be a successful blogger?
I think that the commitment type and level depends on your blog. Discussing musers vs reporters, Glen Stansberry wrote:

Musers- Musers like to take information and extrapolate. Or abstract ideas. Or nothing related at all. But that’s ok… their readers know and expect this whimsical style from the writer. (Think Kottke, SvN, Seth Godin.)

Reporters- Information junkies that think structurally. Information is currency, and these bloggers are stinking rich. (With information, that is.) Reporters typically don’t deviate too much from the facts, and like to be the first to spread the word. And boy are they regular. They’re like prune juice of the blogosphere. (Think Techcrunch, Micropersuasion, GigaOM.)

My guess is that readers of reporting blogs want accuracy and currency - that is, they want what they want when they want it. Commitment is shown by the reporter/blogger by providing timely accurate information.

Musers - people who interpret and reframe the world around them - are more likely to have an ongoing two-way conversation with their readers. If this holds, Muser commitment is shown by entering into and maintaining this conversational relationship. Given that most people seek relationships to fulfil a need to belong, I believe that showing commitment is important to Muser-bloggers also.

Does disclosure show commitment?
My guess is that reporter blog readers are only vaguely curious about the reporter’s personal life - that is, anything that might get in the way of the transfer of that timely and accurate information.

Musers, on the other hand, interpret the world through their own unique lens - and a little disclosure goes a long way toward appearing more human.

Are there any other factors that influence the desirability of disclosure in blogging?
I can think of a few:

• where disclosure is out-of-niche - for example, if you’re running a bargain reporting blog, then an ode to your well loved but now sadly departed pet cat may surprise your readers.
• where disclosure leads to social ostracism - for example, if you are going to come out of the closet as a latex fetishist, it may get in the way of your professional life if you work in an area where alternative lifestyles are not the norm. I’m of the opinion that whatever goes on between two or more consenting adults should never be a factor in working life, but others are not so broad-minded.
• where any kind of exposure is undesirable - for example, if you are in the scam-baiting business or any other field of human endevour where people may wish to harm you, giving clues to where you live could be hazardous to your health.

My vertict is…
…that if you’re a Muser, then at least some disclosure is a good thing, so long as you keep in mind the consequences of your writing. My advice is that whatever you do chose to disclose, keep it consistent throughout the life of your blog, because people have a long memory for touching personal details (so you don’t want to disappoint your longterm readers) and once something is disclosed, it is hard to cover it up again.