Thanks for this post!
I am new to blogging and get overwhelmed with all the choices and then realize that I have not posted regularly: Blog Constipation comes to mind I agree with you on being regular and found that some/all the top blogs are posting very consistently.
Thanks again, and please check out my blog and leave a comment/suggestion. http://www.johncharlesmorgan.blogspot.com
John Morgan

We use a blogging platform that does not allow ads, we blog anonymously, and we address ourselves in the plural form. That points to a heightened sense of vanity, don’t you think?

As for the lunch, thanks for the offer, we’ll email you privately.

You have a well-thought-out (am I supposed to hyphenate that?) idea here. Certainly convicting. I do write for money, so I guess blog for money AND vanity now. I’m cool with that. I wouldn’t mind more of either.

4 Things –

1. I like that you don’t gloss over the human condition. Indeed, even with the most altruistic of motive, a blogger is searching for some form of validation through his altruism. Therefore, it is a still self-centered in nature. I guess there is no escaping this state of affairs. A bit bleak, but I can’t really argue. It has been true for me.

2. You didn’t tell me why you blog. Which one are you? Just inquiring.

3. When you post, I feel like I am reading a message from the Borg (sp?). While you are one, you are many. Therefore, you get to use “we” as a pronoun. We, meaning Jeremy, may start doing this as well, there are many voices in here.

4. I believe you all, A Friend, have won the lunch. Unfortunately, I don’t know how many to purchase with so many of you out there. Please send your address to jeremy@sbmon.com and I will send along the gift certificates. Claim your prize. Think of me when you have your future calorie intake.

- Jeremy and the voices in his head.

Writing a monetized blog is obviously for money, but we can also argue that anyone who writes blogs related to their professions do it to further promote themselves, so they also do it for money. Writing is your profession, so while you claim vanity, there’s probably some indirect financial reward for you in this as well.

People who do not monetize their blogs and who write about random things (we loosely define this as anything outside of their professions) do it for fun, interest, boredom, and whatever else. But there’s another reason, often left unsaid: for readership; and thus, for vanity. We submit that blogs that don’t get the required readership numbers to stoke the blogger’s ego won’t last very long.

@Justin – Wow. I am the journalist. I am supposed to be asking the questions, dammit.

You bring up some valid points. Here is the best I can do.

“How do you go about content creation?”
Conversations with business leaders, pastors, rabbis, random people, etc. Life is full of inspiration for content. You have to be looking for it.

“How much time do you spend in a given week?”
I know very little for certain when it comes to blogging. What I do know for sure is that blogging is different for each person who has a blog. Some people are on it all the time while others are like me and have a work, kids, community stuff, etc. If you are disciplined (I am laughing at myself for writing that) about your approach, then 15 to 30 minutes early in the morning or in the evening is really enough time to do a great amount of blogging and conceptualizing new ideas for blogs. Creating an editorial calendar (topics or regular formats) helps you to spend time wisely. Also, that helps your readers to know what to expect.

Here are some questions that you can ask yourself or your colleagues/superiors:
– What would be the point of your blog?
– Who do you want to read it and what do they want?
– What expertise do you guys have that most don’t understand but want desperately to understand?
– To what extent are you willing to help other people with no expectation of immediate return?
Note: I am not saying that you will have no immediate return. Just know that there may not be ROI in 6 months…or a year. The blog world is where you give. You should give until they want more and more and more. Then, your readers turn to you for more insight. They knock your door down to get what you have.
– What makes your company unique?
– How willing are you to write stuff that is not self-serving? (Scott Ginsberg and Seth Godin share the opinion that people really don’t care about you…they care what you are passionate about and how your experiences can help them.)

If you want more insight on blogging and what is involved, go here: http://www.hellomynameisblog.com
http://www.swissmoneyblog.com

These guys are local, do it right and are infinitely smarter than me. Or, shoot me an email: jeremy@sbmon.com. I usually can point directions to more resources.

Hope that helps.

Sorry about asking so many questions, but I think blogging is great and am having trouble justifying creating a company blog.