Absolutely nothing. Unless it's a professional blog for a news site or something related.
Personal blogs are for putting thoughts into words, while most professional blogs are used to distribute specific information.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
What Do Bloggers Owe Their Audience?
Ultimately I don't think that Bloggers owe their readers anything. Nobody is paying for a subscription to someone's blog so what is the Blogger getting out of this deal? It's just a way for them to express their opinion. Having an audience that wants to control what is being written kind of defeats the purpose of it being the blogger's opinion. I think that if you want news or help on something personal and you're too cheap to buy a newspaper or a book then you shouldn't really be demanding something from a person that's volunteering to put their opinion out there.
What do Bloggers Owe their audience?
Hey, Mindy here.
I definitely think that the type of blog being written and how they present it to the net defines what the blogger owes their audience.
If a blog has a purpose, like a goal to help users learn how to control their spending or nail biting, I think the blogger owes it to their audience to stay on topic. It is unreasonable to draw attention to your blog as the ultimate "dinosaur" blog, only to suddenly have a huge rant about why your wife/husband left you, or on the meaning of life. If it does not relate to what you are marketing to your audience, it does not belong there. This is especially true if the bloggers takes advantage of getting paid for advertising on their blog.
If the blog is just blog without a suggested "purpose" besides this, I think they have the right to write whatever they please without any thought to anyone else. Sure, they may like to talk about a certain topic often, but as long as the are not advertising themselves as a certain type of blog that would lead people to believe that the blog will always stay on this topic, they have no obligation to their readers.
I definitely think that the type of blog being written and how they present it to the net defines what the blogger owes their audience.
If a blog has a purpose, like a goal to help users learn how to control their spending or nail biting, I think the blogger owes it to their audience to stay on topic. It is unreasonable to draw attention to your blog as the ultimate "dinosaur" blog, only to suddenly have a huge rant about why your wife/husband left you, or on the meaning of life. If it does not relate to what you are marketing to your audience, it does not belong there. This is especially true if the bloggers takes advantage of getting paid for advertising on their blog.
If the blog is just
Monday, May 12, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Blogging Notes: Wave 3
Some blogging notes;
First Study: September 2006 (wave 1)
Second Study: June 2007 (wave 2)
Third Study: March 2008 (wave 3)
- More movement towards participation
- More demand for on-demand media (video clips/podcasts)
- Asian markets are leading in participatory terms
- 57% [of people] have joined a social network, skyrocketing it to the number one platform for content creation/sharing
- Blogs have become a mainstream media world-wide
- 36% [of people] think more positively about companies that have blogs
- If you're not using the internet regularly, you're not blogging (horse hockey!)
- Over time, all users increase the regularity of usage
- Vast majority of users are 16 - 54 years of age
- 77% [of users] read blogs - up 11% from wave 2
- Blogs have a 70% weekly reach
- 31% [of users] feel that blogging is an important way to socialise with friends.
- Blogs have become an essential reputation building tool that give the appearance of honesty to companies
- Blogs have become a great outlet for advertising, not only for money that it brings to the blogger, but as means to increase interest in a product
- 31% to 82% global reach seen in all markets for video sharing
- Very high frequency medium (video sharing), with 71% weekly reach
- Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a key in technology in social media, allowing users to reproduce and share content with ease
- Social Medias can be used to create a dialogue with consumers
- Embracing social platforms as a part of your communications mix; blogs, networks, video/photo sharing, etc
Doop-doop-doopa-shoop.
First Study: September 2006 (wave 1)
Second Study: June 2007 (wave 2)
Third Study: March 2008 (wave 3)
- More movement towards participation
- More demand for on-demand media (video clips/podcasts)
- Asian markets are leading in participatory terms
- 57% [of people] have joined a social network, skyrocketing it to the number one platform for content creation/sharing
- Blogs have become a mainstream media world-wide
- 36% [of people] think more positively about companies that have blogs
- If you're not using the internet regularly, you're not blogging (horse hockey!)
- Over time, all users increase the regularity of usage
- Vast majority of users are 16 - 54 years of age
- 77% [of users] read blogs - up 11% from wave 2
- Blogs have a 70% weekly reach
- 31% [of users] feel that blogging is an important way to socialise with friends.
- Blogs have become an essential reputation building tool that give the appearance of honesty to companies
- Blogs have become a great outlet for advertising, not only for money that it brings to the blogger, but as means to increase interest in a product
- 31% to 82% global reach seen in all markets for video sharing
- Very high frequency medium (video sharing), with 71% weekly reach
- Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a key in technology in social media, allowing users to reproduce and share content with ease
- Social Medias can be used to create a dialogue with consumers
- Embracing social platforms as a part of your communications mix; blogs, networks, video/photo sharing, etc
Doop-doop-doopa-shoop.
UM Wave 3 Survey
Important information:
-Big change of media from wave 1 to wave 3 Watching Video clips online is more popular than blogs, social networks, and podcast.
-Personal blogs are the number one destination for reading; more than news or celebrities.
-China is the biggest blogging market in the world.
-How MySpace is more popular around the world than Facebook.
-Interesting how the foreign countries for most had the highest percentage for most social media.
-That companies and brands consider using blogging to create an honest relationship between the customer and the company.
-74% of users message their friends through a social network for managing peer to peer relationships.
Trends 2008 & Beyond
-In Wave 3 atleast 82.9% of people watch videos online and I think that, that number will continue to increase and soon all television will be viewed online.
-Social networking has evolved greatly and will continue to be the bases of our internet needs.
-Big change of media from wave 1 to wave 3 Watching Video clips online is more popular than blogs, social networks, and podcast.
-Personal blogs are the number one destination for reading; more than news or celebrities.
-China is the biggest blogging market in the world.
-How MySpace is more popular around the world than Facebook.
-Interesting how the foreign countries for most had the highest percentage for most social media.
-That companies and brands consider using blogging to create an honest relationship between the customer and the company.
-74% of users message their friends through a social network for managing peer to peer relationships.
Trends 2008 & Beyond
-In Wave 3 atleast 82.9% of people watch videos online and I think that, that number will continue to increase and soon all television will be viewed online.
-Social networking has evolved greatly and will continue to be the bases of our internet needs.
UM Wave 3 Survey
Some notes:
- Nearly twice as many countries are included in Wave 3, compared to Wave 1
- There are more than double the amount of active internet users included in Wave 3, compared to Wave 1
- "If you are online you are using social media"
- China likes to blog. A lot.
- Most users have watched online video clips or have read a blog.
- Watching videos online has increased the most from Wave 1 to Wave 3.
- The amount of users leaving comments on news sites has remained relatively unchanged.
- Reading and writing personal blogs are what most active users are doing with blogs.
- Blogs are frequently used for posting pictures.
- Social Networks are mostly used for messaging friends and posting pictures.
- Brazil really likes Social Networks.
- Canada prefers Facebook
- USA prefers MySpace
- There will never be a time when only a single Social Network site exists.
- Japan doesn't like posting pictures
- RSS has been slow to reach widespread use.
- Everyone will start using the internet in the same way that everyone has a television and watches it everyday.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Writing for the Web Guidelines (Courtesy of Hot Text)
- Users read 25% slower from a computer as compared to paper
- Solution? Write 50% less text
- Fewer words means less reading, therefore, less frustration
- Users tend to use the text in the page title, headings and introductory sentences to discover what the web page is about
- Using web page text is like using signs – use it to direct the user to your ultimate goal
- If you want to be sure someone will read what you write on the web, write less
- Less text means less strain on a users’ ability to concentrate, less material to juggle in short-term memory and a faster rush to meaning (of the web sites contents)
- Edit your text again and again and again
- When looking for text to delete – consider:
• words included to emphasize sincerity IE. Really and Truly
• words that don’t add anything to what you have already said
• unnecessary details
• phrases that tell the reader something that they already learned earlier
• pompous b.s.
• corporate speak
-short paragraphs help skimming
• use two to three sentences per paragraph
• use short words
- Use sidebars to sum up the article – highlight key points
- If you want to compare data, move it out of the text into a chart or a graph
- When cutting your text preserve the meaning. If you drop a key fact or supporting idea, you’ve gone too far. Being concise does not mean saying less – just using fewer words
The Rule of 7’s (+/- 2)
• Don’t have more then 7 things going occurring on your page IE. Tabs, Links, etc
Make sections navigable – provide information on every page:
• Where they are
• Where they’ve been
• Where they’re going
• How to get home
Don’t make your user stop and think – provide clear departure information – instead of archiving chat transcripts as chats 1 – 5, archive them by chat title
Put yourself into the mindset of your user – think, talk, organize as they would… help the user avoid errors – consider possible navigation errors and attempt to resolve them before they occur.
- Solution? Write 50% less text
- Fewer words means less reading, therefore, less frustration
- Users tend to use the text in the page title, headings and introductory sentences to discover what the web page is about
- Using web page text is like using signs – use it to direct the user to your ultimate goal
- If you want to be sure someone will read what you write on the web, write less
- Less text means less strain on a users’ ability to concentrate, less material to juggle in short-term memory and a faster rush to meaning (of the web sites contents)
- Edit your text again and again and again
- When looking for text to delete – consider:
• words included to emphasize sincerity IE. Really and Truly
• words that don’t add anything to what you have already said
• unnecessary details
• phrases that tell the reader something that they already learned earlier
• pompous b.s.
• corporate speak
-short paragraphs help skimming
• use two to three sentences per paragraph
• use short words
- Use sidebars to sum up the article – highlight key points
- If you want to compare data, move it out of the text into a chart or a graph
- When cutting your text preserve the meaning. If you drop a key fact or supporting idea, you’ve gone too far. Being concise does not mean saying less – just using fewer words
The Rule of 7’s (+/- 2)
• Don’t have more then 7 things going occurring on your page IE. Tabs, Links, etc
Make sections navigable – provide information on every page:
• Where they are
• Where they’ve been
• Where they’re going
• How to get home
Don’t make your user stop and think – provide clear departure information – instead of archiving chat transcripts as chats 1 – 5, archive them by chat title
Put yourself into the mindset of your user – think, talk, organize as they would… help the user avoid errors – consider possible navigation errors and attempt to resolve them before they occur.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Frequently Visited Sites
Three of the sites I visit regularly:
Digg (http://digg.com/)
A large variety of subjects located in one area.
Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/)
News about gadgetry and the like.
Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/)
News about video games and related content.
Digg (http://digg.com/)
A large variety of subjects located in one area.
Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/)
News about gadgetry and the like.
Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/)
News about video games and related content.
Websites I use almost everyday:
Hotmail.com
I use this to check my email.
Facebook.com
I use this to look at pictures, play games, talk to friends and post my own pictures.
MSNBC.com
I use this to check out headlines and things that are going on in the world.
I use this to check my email.
Facebook.com
I use this to look at pictures, play games, talk to friends and post my own pictures.
MSNBC.com
I use this to check out headlines and things that are going on in the world.
Three sites I visit often.
www.facebook.com
I use facebook everyday to check and see what is new with my family and friends. The photos, comments and additional games on Facebook also attract me to visiting it everyday.
www.gmail.com
I check Gmail everyday to see if i get new emails for jobs and bills.
www.alluc.org
I use alluc occasionally to watch old or new television shows. I also check out the movies that have been recently uploaded.
I use facebook everyday to check and see what is new with my family and friends. The photos, comments and additional games on Facebook also attract me to visiting it everyday.
www.gmail.com
I check Gmail everyday to see if i get new emails for jobs and bills.
www.alluc.org
I use alluc occasionally to watch old or new television shows. I also check out the movies that have been recently uploaded.
What site I visit
I go to Hotmail.com just to check email, Quizzila.com to read stories that users have created and Facebook.com to communicate with family members and old friends.
Websites, eh? These ones in particular make my scruffs tingle!
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.leasticoulddo.com
http://www.deviantart.com
Suuuuure why not?
http://www.leasticoulddo.com
http://www.deviantart.com
Suuuuure why not?
Three Websites I Visit Daily
1. CNN.com - a quick resource of news stories with succinct headlines and a good mixture of hard and soft news.
2. Canoe.ca - a Canadian news source with attributes similar to CNN.com.
3. Damnhellasskings.com - a collection of blogs from all walks of life.
2. Canoe.ca - a Canadian news source with attributes similar to CNN.com.
3. Damnhellasskings.com - a collection of blogs from all walks of life.
3 Sites I Visit
IGN.com - News posts on new PC and console games, also tv and movie news.
Eve-Online.com - Official website for game that I play regularly. News updates etc. pertaining to the game.
Google.com - Searching for random stuff. Anytime I have a question Google answers it.
Eve-Online.com - Official website for game that I play regularly. News updates etc. pertaining to the game.
Google.com - Searching for random stuff. Anytime I have a question Google answers it.
My 3 websites that I like
3 websites that I commonly go to are:
1. Facebook- It's a good way to keep in contact with friends and relatives. When I am bored and don't really have much to do it keeps you busy checking out what everyone has been up to that weekend.
2. Hotmail- Although Facebook is being used more and more everyday for contacting each other, I still have to go on hotmail and see mostly what my relatives are up to. Some of the people that I need to talk to are not on Facebook, but pretty much everybody has a email address.
3. Google- If I need to know any information, names, pictures, pretty much anything then google is the place you will find me for that.
1. Facebook- It's a good way to keep in contact with friends and relatives. When I am bored and don't really have much to do it keeps you busy checking out what everyone has been up to that weekend.
2. Hotmail- Although Facebook is being used more and more everyday for contacting each other, I still have to go on hotmail and see mostly what my relatives are up to. Some of the people that I need to talk to are not on Facebook, but pretty much everybody has a email address.
3. Google- If I need to know any information, names, pictures, pretty much anything then google is the place you will find me for that.
Sites visited
I look at facebook when I am bored which is often. I use this site because It is interesting and I basically have no life outside of facebook jk. I also have to check my school email all the time with webmail so I know when the next list of projects is due. The third site is the newwebdesigners site because It has all the information for the projects. I don't really use the web for much more than that other than downloading the fifty million updates Microsoft sends for vista. I'm far too busy working to sit on a computer all day. Also I despise blogs!!!
Websites I look at far to much.
Facebook, I look at this site about 6 times a day. It's really just a time filler. It emails me about updates about people I really don't care about, which is nice, I guess. Which leads to my second most viewed site ...
Hotmail, The only reason I go Hotmail is to clean out my inbox, because of all the crap facebook sends me, and to see what updates facebook has sent.
Youtube, I get bored. Therefore I go on Youtube and watch something. If I cannot think of anything to watch you can always watch the most popular videos of the day, which always seems to be something about American idol ... lame. But if you know what your looking for it is great and I REALLY do enjoy reading the video comments, which adds just a little interactivity to the site. Thus I am not bored after Youtube.
Hotmail, The only reason I go Hotmail is to clean out my inbox, because of all the crap facebook sends me, and to see what updates facebook has sent.
Youtube, I get bored. Therefore I go on Youtube and watch something. If I cannot think of anything to watch you can always watch the most popular videos of the day, which always seems to be something about American idol ... lame. But if you know what your looking for it is great and I REALLY do enjoy reading the video comments, which adds just a little interactivity to the site. Thus I am not bored after Youtube.
Why I visit 3 websites
Usually at least once a day I find myself on facebook looking at Stacy's latest notes and picture posts.
Karmaloop is probably the best urban wear online store. I'm constantly checking it to see what's new, I can usually name what people on TMZ are wearing because of this. Also I need new shoes.
Every Monday night you can find me on mtv.ca watching the Hills.
Karmaloop is probably the best urban wear online store. I'm constantly checking it to see what's new, I can usually name what people on TMZ are wearing because of this. Also I need new shoes.
Every Monday night you can find me on mtv.ca watching the Hills.
Welcome!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Interactive Media Writing 2! In this blog I'll post questions for you to consider (and respond to) and all sorts of links that pertain to this course. Feel free to comment on this page or on your own blog. Don't have a blog?? Well, you'll need one. Head on over to http://www.blogger.com and register!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)