Why do some liberal blogs become popular while others don't? nt

[Eric J in MN]

nt

[kliljedahl]

1. Because some are good & some aren't

Keith’s Barbeque Central

[benburch]

2. Only partially.

Some really good blogs do not become popular.

Like Natural Selection; It is 10% fitness and 90% chance.

[Pithlet]

3. I think a lot of it has to do with when you started the blog

About three years ago, blogs were still a relatively new thing. It was easier then to start a blog and get it established. Most of the big blogs that get the traffic started then. There are so many new blogs now that lots of good ones get lost in the crowd.

[brainshrub]

4. If I knew that, I'd have a popular blog.

Right now I'm only getting about 60 unique hits a day. As far as I can tell, I'm doing everything right: I'm on the Dmoz, I use Drupal's taxonomy, the content is updated regularly, Google ranks my site as a "5" and I ping all the aggregators.

While my site isn't as big as DU, I have a lot of fun maintaining it... so it's worth it.

[Eric J in MN]

6. I think you should try changing the font arrangement.

Bigger headlines.

Quote not in bold.

Your commentary in black italics instead of green italics.

[brainshrub]

8. Hmm. What do you think now?

The top headline has your suggestions. What do you think? (Any DUer, please jump in here. Input is appreciated.)

I made the headline two fonts heavier and the rest of the text one font heavier. I also removed the bold format from the story summary. Do you think that without the bold format, it's harder to read?

I like the green for the commentary because it clearly marks where the story starts and the opinion begins.

[Eric J in MN]

9. I like that better.

The commentary for the top post isn't showing up as green on my computer. It's black.

I think you can choose green or italics for the commentary, but it doesn't have to be both green-and-italics.

[brainshrub]

10. I kept it black for you, so you could see the difference.

What shows up better on your screen, the black commentary on top, or the green in the second headline?

[Eric J in MN]

13. I like the formatting of the second post the best. nt

nt

[orpupilofnature57]

14. N/T ?

[brainshrub]

16. Whatdoes "nt" mean?

[enigmatic]

7. Hey, I just read your blog

This is great stuff; pm me and I'll be glad to link to it on my station website..

[Todd B]

5. I think you need to offer a valid, well written commentary

I think you need to offer a valid, well written commentary on events rather then just linking to a newspaper clipping and enabling comments.

"Blogs" are a dime a dozen on the Internet in these days; if you really want to build an audience, give the user something unique to keep them coming back for more.

Just my .06, anywho. <Damn inflation!>

[AnnInLa]

11. Don't know about "popularity" but

the reason I visit certain blogs everyday is because those blogs validate my opinions. When I see in writing the same things that I have been thinking, then I feel not so alone in this bizarro world... or, the best ones further expand my basic thoughts about a subject. Some blogs (like Juan Cole) I visit because I am not, in any way, knowledgeable about things "Iraq" or "middle east," and he explains the why of things. Yes, the more I think of it, the reason I like blogs like Kos, mydd, josh marshall is because they explain the "why" of things.

Of course, I also like wonkette, so don't listen to me.

[orpupilofnature57]

12. Some can be understood, expanded upon, others are Dogmatic

I want to be talked with, not pitted against without a reason.

[Eric J in MN]

15. Can you give an example of each type of blog? nt

nt

[orpupilofnature57]

17. The white rose society, as opposed to so many "progressive" dispensers

Does nt mean no time?

[Eric J in MN]

18. "NT" means "No Text" in the message box (nt)

NT

[orpupilofnature57]

19. Anyway, blogs that inform, not reform.