I've been getting a lot of feedback about SEOmoz's blog shying away from many of the most mainstream and oft-discussed topics in the field. Everything from who's sueing Google to stock earnings to acquisitions and bannings gets written about at sites like SERoundtable, Threadwatch & SEW, but Rand never mentions it... why?
The answer is that I don't think it's worth providing additional coverage of those topics. If they relate to something we're writing about or we can add a completely new angle, that's great, but in general posts like the on I made on Censearchip last week (which was emailed to me and every other blogger in the search space) or the coverage of the Dotster domain name promo are my least favorite.
I like posts that are:
- Unique in content, scope or approach
- Related to search/SEO only in as much as they appeal to folks in those fields
- Won't be found in coverage at 10 other blogs that most of SEOmoz's readers subscribe to
- Add value or increase knowledge/awareness of issues
As SEOmoz has grown in popularity, however, I feel that we have some readers that turn to us as a "one-stop" news source. Sadly, that's something I don't think we'll ever provide. I therefore highly recommend that you add one of the above sources as a secondary search/SEO blog news source to SEOmoz. It's all part of this complete SEO breakfast.
Complaints? Comments? Please indulge...
Thank goodness that you don't report on the same things. When I saw a post appear in my RSS reader about Google Finance, I thought to myself "Oh great, now I'll have to see 10's of posts today all reporting on the same thing." Thank goodness I don't have to see that here as well.
I emailed the post about CenSearchip last week. When I came across the tool I realized that it had not gotten much attention and I felt that the information engineers had probably worked very hard putting it together. I emailed it out to 5 people in the hopes that somebody with more exposure than myself may be able to help spread the word. Frankly, I thought it would be lucky if one of the five threw it on their blog. When 3 out of 5 posted, I wished I had sent it out to only one.
Nonetheless, you should appreciate the fact that your readers come to you with the latest news and information. It is a compliment and should be considered as such. My sole intention in sending that over was create a little exposure for some people that worked very hard on a worthwhile project.
Anyway, I love the blog and enjoy the fact that we don't have to read the same posts here as everywhere else. Keep it up!
Rand, I was going through that list of top blogs yesterday and was really disappointed to see how much duplicate content filtered through them. SOEmoz is great. Don't worry about what "they" do, just do what you do best.
Just one more vote for covering what *you* think you'd like to cover. I visit fairly often to read the unique information posted here, and I enjoy the cozy feel.
Although "cover-it-all" sites have their benefits, they become duplicative pretty fast.
I stopped reading some of the popular bloggers because so much of their "content" was just a rehash of the same news item everyone else had too. I appreciate that not happening here.
I just miss the good ole days when you used to be a very active forum participant because your commentary on the current issues you mention was great! But the direction that you have taken SEOmoz is superb.
The topics on SEOmoz are entertaining. Stay the course, skipper.
Please keep on your current line. That is what make Seomoz great.
I think one of the reasons I visit seomoz daily and not any other SEO blog, is that the information here is different. The last thing you want to do is duplicate what everyone else is already doing. Stay with what you are currently doing.
I agree. Nobody needsto hear an echo.
It's like that old adage...except it's "if you don't have aything unique/important to say, why say anything?"
some people will just regurgitate the hot story of the day so they can say they posted that day. but you will eventually detract from the reputation of your blog. It's not worth it to lower you standards.
In the long run you will not only enjoy blogging more but your readers will understand and appreciate you more, as well.