Log In | Register
Bloggers face increasing challenges which amount exponentially as the number of new blogs grow. Each niche has its small sect of popular contributors which lead the pack in the producing content which will amass the most amount of readers. Of course at the same time new bloggers are making a name for themselves with creative and unique posts. However, there are distinctive advantages of microblogging which can allow your blog to be a better competitor in your niche.
Advantages of microblogging
The Microblogging Precedent
A precedent has already been set that it is alright to have a blog solely focused on microblogging. As seen by the successes of sites like Daring Fireball and Kottke.org, both having a strong reader base of people interested solely in short commentary of the happenings of the world. Additionally, research suggests that even if your blog delivers heavy content, taking time to do some "speed linking" can be an affective way to keep readers interested when time is short and you simply cannot write an in depth post.
Time and Stress
Microblogging can also take away the the time and stress limitations which plague bloggers. Obviously it will be tough to find interesting new content from around the web, but someone who is diligent in news gathering should have little trouble with this. Also, with helpful tools like delicious and scanning the dungeons of social news aggregation websites this feet can be easier than it seems.
Acquiring Readership
Recent trends point to the fact that many are slimming down their feeds because of content overload and the blogs which don't make the cut are usually the ones which have a low posting rate. If readers do not feel that they are getting the most out of keeping your blog around on their feed readers you will likely see the results of their downsizing. However, by posting several short posts a day you win the battle on two fronts. One, your readers receive interesting information which they are probably not getting anywhere else. Two, throughout the day as readers finish pouring over other, more lengthy posts, your blog can shine during that down time and keep readers interested.
Flexibility
Having a microblog also gives the author a tremendous amount of flexibility. Nothing is stopping a microblogger from weighing in with a more substantial post from time to time. If you really feel the need to explore a subject in depth then you have the liberty of doing so. This is not the case for blogs which have established themselves as traditionally posting longer content. Those bloggers do not have the same freedom to posts a short micropost, instead their readers expect a more focused and thus longer analysis. Truly, microbloggers have the best of both worlds.
Being Quick and Easy
Finally, microbloggers can give readers something that traditional bloggers cannot--time. There is almost an unwritten rule within the blogosphere that one should keep their posts short and to the point. I believe this stems from some sort of journalistic expectations. Typically news stories and even features do no run over 1200 words. However, no matter the why, it is certain that readers typically want short, concise posts which they can scan or read through quickly and walk away well informed with little effort. Microblogging is the best means by which to deliver short content that will keep readers interested and not take up too much of their valuable time.
