I read an amazing article the other day that reflects my thoughts on the blogging world to a tee. Famous author and blogger Doc Searls distinguishes the difference between blogging and flogging. It all comes back to the short attention span of bloggers and the high output of thoughtless posting.
Almost every blog has a blogroll. It is the notable list of links to other blogs that the author finds interesting and/or valuable. Most bloggers find it easy to add blogs to the list. But for some political reason, many find it hard to delete such links as they want to steer clear of potential tension created with the affected party.
Here’s a thought for all the serial entrepreneurs out there: next time you’re looking for “the next big thing”, look no further than “the current mediocre thing”. I’ve come to the conclusion that rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with a completely new business model, it is easier to modify a recently-adapted idea. This will likely yield greater potential success and minimum downside.
The current state of the blogosphere is in turmoil. Productive discussions and conversations are being overshadowed by politics and hidden agendas. Instead of propagating new ideas, too many blogs are focused on branding and corporate initiatives. The quintessential purposes of a blog are to inform and educate. That in mind, this leads me to my ultimate vision for the blogosphere.
Without even testing Flickr video yet, I can tell you why YouTube shouldn’t be worried about the industry’s newest entrant. When you think YouTube, you think video. When you think Flickr, you think photo. These well-known associations are embedded in the minds of users. A huge change in perception would be needed and I just don’t see this happening.
Aidan Henry is an Internet strategy consultant, designer, and web entrepreneur.
aidanhenry (@) hotmail.com
