Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.
~J.R.R. Tolkien
From time to time, you’ll see articles like this one recently in the New York Times and feel a little pang of doubt in your heart. You feel concerned because you bought into the whole “blogging thing” and now this gigantic authoritative entity is declaring the death of blogging (again). What should you do? Forget about blogging and concentrate on Facebook and Twitter?
Hell, no.
See, here’s the thing, and I really want to make sure you get this, so I’m gonna bust out the Caps Lock and I want you to imagine I’m shouting this in my best Gandalf you-shall-not-pass voice:
BUSINESS BLOGGING IS DIFFERENT.
I know it’s easy to see stuff online about “blogging” and just assume it applies to you. But you know what? Often it doesn’t. You’re not a “problogger” nor are you a personal blogger. You’re a business blogger. You’re a coach, consultant or freelancer. If you check out that NY Times article, you’ll notice they’re talking about personal communications and sharing between friends & family… not between freelancer and client or buyer and seller.
And it’s true: for purely personal communications, having an entire freakin’ blog is kinda overkill when you can just post something quick on your Facebook wall. That’s fine, nothing wrong with that at all. I see it as a good thing because it means your business blog will have less search competition.
Let me ask you a question: when was the last time you searched for the solution to a problem and got a Facebook page as the top result?
Exactly.
Just remember in Lord of the Rings, things looked pretty bad for ol’ Gandalf, there (by the way, true confession time: when I first saw that scene in the movie, when the Fellowship escaped from Moria, I cried my damn eyes out, and if you didn’t also at least shed a tear, you are dead to me). The Balrog yanked him down into the abyss and the only way Gandalf won was by reaching deep down into the magic inside himself and transforming into something else entirely. He was no longer Gandalf the Grey. He became reborn as Gandalf the White.
And that’s when he really started kicking major ass.
Yeah, I know, it’s a crappy analogy, but I’m having fun, here. And I hope you’re getting my point, because in spite of the tongue-in-cheek humor, it’s a very important one.
You’ve got your course plotted out, you’ve got your treasure map where X marks the spot. Along the way you’ll be distracted by “news” and “pragmatism” and other slippery ideas. Don’t listen to that crap. Most of the time it’s wrong. But more importantly: stay true to your heart and continue on the journey you were meant to take: you’ve got something the world needs, and people find you, connect with you, come to know & trust you because of your business blog.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Emory Rowland, Phil Lusted. Phil Lusted said: Why Business Blogging Will Never Die (or, Blog like Gandalf the White) – http://bit.ly/gPcR0E (via @remarkablogger) [...]
you are the consumate blogger.. rock on
Downtown Hotels LA
Thanks for the kind words, man.
I read a lot of stories and articles online, especially about Microsoft, Google, Vista, Ubuntu, and others. It's kinda like a hobby. I've read articles and comments from people who still use DOS, or a very old version of Windows, like 3.1! The truth is, some people are smart enough to not fall for the line that they simply MUST have the *NEW* Windows OS. They use what works for them,so blogging is the best option
I think what we're seeing is the separation of the meta blog and the product blog, and as I was just talking to a friend about, there's a difference between an ebook and an iPad or a piece of software, or perhaps a book on Amazon.
Good point throughout. And Gandalf is awesomesauce.
Yeah, I realize it's an effort to try and get entrepreneurs to not just
assume that because some information says “blog” on the label, that it's a
good fit for them. You're right about the separation: business blogging is
growing up and striking out on its own.
*giggles!* This is not a crappy analogy…it's f'n awesome! But you might've guessed I'd love it.
It's also a reminder that is very timely in my opinion. Biz blogging has never been more robust thanks to social media outlets…synergy rather than replacement. I feel so very lucky to be in this industry right now, the interwebs are more amazing than ever.
Thank you Michael the White!
Thanks, Jenny. I love your point about synergy, rather than replacement.
Exactly!
I didn't cry. But then I first read the books when I was about 9. When we've already read the end of the book there's no need to cry.
And yes. Blogging is far from dead. Services like Twitter and Facebook have just strengthened the effectiveness of blogging by getting all the lazy people out of the way so the rest of us can shine all the brighter. But then you already said that too.
I'll let it slide this time, but next time, you cry like a man or else.
What's funny is if you ever see it again, you'll probably just bust out
laughing instead because you'll remember you were supposed to cry. And then
everyone will look at you all weird and it'll be really awkward, and trying
to explain it will just make everything worse.
ANYWAY, I love your point about that Twitter & Facebook STRENGTHEN blogging.
They absolutely do, you are dead on about that. A Facebook post or a tweet
is the new edge of the sales funnel.
Remarkablogger (that's you!) has been great for me. I'm a non-business blogger who feels tickled to have such awesome input to point me out the labyrinth of irrelevant minutia and push me towards why I started in the first place. The NYT article reports the decline of those lost in the labyrinth, not those moving towards meaning, relevance, and excellence. Thanks for pointing the way with humor and insight.
Andrea, that's a great point: blogging has the potential to be deeper and
more meaningful than the short & shallow social media tools allow for.
I don’t think it’s a crappy analogy at all. Transformation in order to achieve a goal has been a reality of the human condition for as long as we’ve recorded history. It’s foundational to the human experience — why wouldn’t it apply to blogging?
Also, I bawl my eyes out *every* time I watch that scene. ; )