Most of you found the my blog because you either saw a link to it on another blog or you saw one of my comments on another blog. That is encouraging. It means that my comments have been appreciated and created interest.
Politics, News and Current Affairs came out as popular topics, followed by humour. 93% said Politics News and Current Affairs were part of their interests in a multi-choice field. Humour came out slightly less at 80% most of the other interests were cited enough to confirm my own suspicions.
Commenting has a broad spread but it is not surprising that respondents declared they visit blogs and comment "often" and "once in a while".
Then I asked: Of Blogs in general, please describe what you dislike or like about them, giving examples. Please include if you can what prompts you to go back again.
There was a distinct aversion of left-wing bloggery and long-winded posts. People liked independence of thought and word. One respondent wrote:
I like blogs that have an original thought on a topic. A lot of blogs just highlight a topic from The Daily Mail etc then rehash it with sweary words, but nothing interesting to add to the story.
A sentiment with which we can all mostly agree. People don't like blogs that are up themselves: "Your Weasel has been tipped off about..." And they don't like "wacky text colours". (I have experimented with display and for ease of loading and clarity have settled on this one for the time being.)
Commenters came under scrutiny for being too tribalistic. Certainly it is boring to see, over and over again, "it's all shite" or even worse, "I really agree".
Nobody who visits here much likes the MSM blogs that exist merely as vanity vehicles for their starlets, and they really don't like Orwellian sounding blogs like "Have Your Say" or "Comment is Free", when everybody knows it is not free and that it is heavily censored. The Guardian and the BBC simply bin anything coherent from the right and leave only the loonies in order to be able to hide behind a veneer of "balance".
There were no surprises about what other blogs you read but I was reminded that Political Betting is great for analysis, even if you don't bet.
When it came to what you read I was flattered and impressed how well read you all are. 22% even admitted (in the strictest confidence) that you read the Guardian! Some were also Huff readers and quite a few Scots readers, even though strictly speaking this is not a "Scottish" blog. (Newbies, I live in Scotland).
The rest of your comments confirmed I am probably on the right track. People want an alternative to the MSM with proper analysis with proper grown up writing. They don't want to be fed the same old drivel and they want to see new insight into current issues, devoid of an agenda or self-censorship.
Thanks to those who said the blog had good news values, analysis, writing quality and entertainment. Quite a few even acknowledged it surprised them from time to time.
What I have done is read every response, thought about it and acted upon it, or not. It has been for me an incredible source of support and direction.
3 comments:
Most of your readers are, I suggest, of conservative preferences. The only blog makeover that I've seen recently that was definitely improvement is Brian's. Brian now uses traditional materials in his blog design.
The design of this blog should convey the muted but opulent Victorian spendour of the smoking room at one of London's finer clubs. You should feel that the finest brandy is to hand. Mind you, I have often had occasion to reach for the cheapest brandy and throw away the ******* screwtop reading stuff here.
As it is at the moment it glares with the bluish fluorescent light of the slicing dicing room in a mortuary.
Yes it does. Bugger. But the punters like that sort of thing; like wearing a suit on the telly.
Jim, Many thanks for your kind comments about my vanity makeover.
I must own up that I nicked the wood out of the skip on the sublime Skip Licker blog. Reading that work of genius is a daily pleasure.
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