Should A Blogger Reveal Their Weaknesses To The World?
October 16, 2006 – 1:58 pmby Darren
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This is a bit of a followup from yesterday, when I asked how personal do bloggers need to be? Let’s assume that being personal is a good thing, and you decide to put a lot of yourself into your posts. Then we can take that example a step further and ask ourselves, how honest should our assessment be? I’m pretty sure the answer to this question is going to depend a lot on what the goals of the blog and the blogger are in the first place.
If you’re trying to sell a product or service online, it’s probably foolhardy to show a flawed image to the world at large.
When you plan on purchasing a product online, would you consider it a plus to know that the person behind that product was suffering from a crisis of confidence? Would you be interested to know that he was an alcoholic, and only recently defeated a lengthy addiction to crack cocaine? I’m not so sure that would enhance my decision-making process. I think I’d be more impressed to know that the person had a “can-do attitude“, and if he didn’t, he had the good sense to shut up about it until his spirits improved.
Familiarity breeds contempt
But I’ve been wondering more and more about this issue because I see a number of blogs that really do go into some unflattering details about the site owners. I’m not sure why the information is there, but I will be honest that it makes me feel uneasy. As they said in Fight Club: “That kind of honesty from a stranger makes me go a big rubbery one“.
So this is the question I put out to you today. Do you blog with complete and total honesty? Do you tell your readers that it’s painful to blog today because you have a big hairy wart on your ass, or do you just suck it up and take it like a man? Myself, I like to think of myself as the strong and not very silent type. I have a great deal of fun blogging, but to me it’s all part of an online business. Since I started running a business in 1991, I’ve always maintained a certain amount of professionalism (hopefully), especially as it regards my communications with the public. So my blogging probably reflects an extension of that thinking.
Do you blog with total honesty and do you expose yourself, naked, to an uncaring internet?
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7 Responses to “Should A Blogger Reveal Their Weaknesses To The World?”
Smack bang spot on, Darren - I’m right with you on this one (although that wart reference made me take a break from my lunch for a few minutes).
I also take the professional approach to blogging and see it as an online business … or just another marketing tool - so while I do add the occassional personal tidbit to add some flavour I try to keep it professional. That’s just my background, but I know that these days you have to add some character into blogging.
It’s a fine line I guess and as you said depends on what you want from your blog.
I have a personal blog and one for my business - the personal blog gives way more insight into me wheras my business blog is 95% strictly a business marketing and communication tool.
By Martin on Oct 17, 2006
Good question and answers. My answer to the question in your post title: It depends on the weaknesses and on the relationship between the blogger and his or her “world” (audience). Many times I have erased post drafts and started from scratch because my initial content was too self-deprecating or verbose.
In short, “pobody’s nerfect,” so it’s okay to confess weakness sometimes, but it can also harm your relationship with your audience if you’re too revealing about your personal shortcomings.
By Easton Ellsworth on Oct 17, 2006
I am absolutely me in my blog - completely honest and openly opinionated - but do limit how MUCH of me is out there for the world to see. I have discussed the basic details of my depression, anorexia, polyamory, and bisexuality in the current and former blog and even briefly the pain of divorce; but the dirty laundry within these topics remains my own.
By Gina on Oct 17, 2006
I think we need to blog with honesty, but with tact too. Everybody’s human, admitting to weaknesses can sometimes build the best rapport with your readers - at least they know they are conversing with a human on the other end!
Of course, talking about this, we don’t have to tell the whole world about every teeny weeny little shortcoming we have. If I’m blogging about racing cars for example, you needn’t tell people that I suck at making apple pies or baking cakes.
By Kian Ann on Oct 18, 2006
Great responses, everyone.
I think a balance has to be struck. But I guess I was really talking about certain blogs I visit where the posts “put the author in a bad light”, despite the fact you might commend them for honesty.
By Darren on Oct 18, 2006
Darren:
Got any examples? Without being too specific, of course?
G
By Gina on Oct 18, 2006
Gina,
The examples I’m thinking of are too obvious
I may have to follow up on this one with some real-world examples.
By Darren on Oct 19, 2006