If you're visiting my blog today, and especially if you're leaving a comment, you are a participant in an interaction, the kind of exchange that builds blog relationships and establishes a line of communication from which we could potentially learn something. And if I know that you have stopped by to visit--that is by leaving a comment--I will more than likely be by your blog eventually and leave my comment there. If I don't then shame on me and I apologize.
The way I see it blogging is a two way street--an exchange of ideas. You show me your support and I'll make an effort to support you. If I come visit your online space then I'd like for you to show me some attention too. Reciprocity is the name of the blogging game and most of my readers know that already.
You probably know who I'm talking about.
It's not the blogging superstars who have valuable content that can't be missed. Everybody is visiting them and those big time bloggers not only might not be able to make reciprocal visits to bloggers who leave comments on their sites, but they might not even be able to respond to all of the comments they receive.
And I'm not talking the mega-best-selling authors or celebrity bloggers who will get adulation from their fans no matter what. It's unlikely that I would leave a comment to get lost in the hundreds of comments they receive and those who do probably aren't expecting any acknowledgement to any comment they might leave.
Who I'm talking about is the bloggers with relatively small followings. These bloggers might be posting excerpts of their works or expounding ideas from behind their bloggy podiums thinking they have tons of readers waiting for their next words. I say to those bloggers: Look at your comment section. Do you have any? And if so are you responding to them?
Many times I have come upon a blogger who seems interesting and who has decent content on a blog that seems to be consistently published. I will often leave a comment in order to engage with that blogger and receive either no response or a fairly inadequate brush-off. Then I'll note that they often have very little in the way of followers or comments on any posts. I understand why.
Some bloggers have busy schedules--I realize that. But still that's a rather lame excuse since many interactive bloggers also are busy. Some may be shy or may not understand how blog operation works. I would imagine there are bloggers with that handicap and I hope they are working on that. I'll be glad to offer help if they would like.
However, there remain those bloggers who maintain an arrogance that suggests that they think they are more important than other bloggers. Well, I'm here to tell you that you are not a center of the blogosphere. It's not all about you. You most likely have very few adulating fans, if any at all, who anxiously await your next utterance of pure genius.
That's what I want to tell you. But I'm sure you're not listening.
Have you come upon any self-centered bloggers? Do you ever try to offer suggestions in comments to help bloggers who may not know how to blog properly? Why do you think some bloggers consistently offer fairly decent content, but have no interactions with others?
And now for something lighter. Another video entry came in before closing. This one is from Jocelyn Rish.
Thank you Jocelyn and all of the other entrants. Be watching for the voting poll in the next few days.
