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32 Comments to “Perfect Blogs, 404 Errors, and Humanity”

1. January 13th, 2009 at 11:02 am
   James D Kirk said

   As soon as I remember that whatever the blog/CMS project I’m working on is going to be used by, and for people, I’m usually able to get out of the code and into the content. Too often, I’ll spend precious time iterating (is that a word!?) over the layout, look and feel, etc. and less on what will help the visitors of that site. While I enjoy the exactness of being picky and wanting it right, as soon as I do think about that “human connection” I let go and start the more important job of interacting with them!

2. January 13th, 2009 at 11:20 am
   Richard Reeve said

   The sleekest design can be counter-productive. Like teflon, it can cause folks to slip right out of the pan.

   Relationship is mutual. Learning from this space, I go out and participate to cultivate relationship.

3. January 13th, 2009 at 11:28 am
   Zoe said

   Allowing vulnerability shows humanity.

   The first time I showed vulnerability on my blog (as far as I remember): I was sick with a fever one night, and decided to pull my laptop into bed to write a post about the time I became delirious with fever. A wacky little tale about demons and dictionaries — but it pulled people in because it was honest and quirky.

4. January 13th, 2009 at 11:36 am
   Christa M. Miller said

   This is a question I am seeking to answer as I begin my work on a blog for an audience that is used to - and more comfortable with - being talked AT.

   If a blog is more “female,” nurturing relationships and conversation, can it do this AND appeal to alpha male readers who are used to taking/giving orders and simply getting information?

5. January 13th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
   Yael K. Miller said

   The quote goes: “Fear is the mind killer” but so is “perfection.” Nothing freezes the creative mind more than the quest for perfection. I do this all the time to myself when I write. I’m slowing trying to break myself of the habit — just throw something on the page, d it!

   Interestingly enough, I don’t have the same block when I’m putting up basic websites. I can acknowledge that I don’t know everything (not even close) and that everything doesn’t have to be perfect right now.

   Of course, this probably has to do with the fact that I think of myself as a writer and have for a majority of my life, therefore, I must be perfect. Bad, Yael.

6. January 13th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
   Colored Opinions said

   First of all you write your blog for yourself. Even if no one reads what you write, it still is usefull to you. As a diary, to give your opinion, to collection some links. To post beautiful pictures, lovely music.Often it’s the context that makes certain blogs more relevant then others.

7. January 13th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
   Dan said

   I am not a intellectual (smart) as most of those who comment but I just try to write a blog post like as if I was writing a letter to a friend. Except I do try to catch and fix words that aren’t spelled correctly. Grammar is another issue because it might be spelled correctly but the wrong word.

   My best posts are those when I imagine I am having a conversation with my mom who is computer and internet challenged to say the least.

   So if there are words not spelled correctly or there is bad grammar in this post then it’s simply because there is not spell check. Hey, don’t blame me. LOLOL

   But this is a good post simply because it also made me realize that my “style” is not necessarily the best style of writing.

   If my blog was for business professionals then maybe I would attempt to be more formal in my blog.
   Dan

8. January 13th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
   Lorraine Bal said

   Good advice. My blog has become much more interesting as I added a bit of my personality to my posts.

   I used to have a separate blog: lorraineball.com for the more personal stuff, but now I find, that adding those little rants from time to time, or the bits of humor are what keep people coming back, feeling they are getting to know me.

   And since my business, really begins with me, the more personal the blog, the more effective a tool it has become

9. January 13th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
   Mary McRae said

   Awesome post Liz - points out that I really need to get over this perfectionist problem I have. My friends love me - flaws and all (that is, if I had any - flaws that is and just *do* something! Maybe tonight’s the night?!

10. January 13th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
    David Rosen said

    Thanks for the great advice. I will be taking it to heart.

    Dave

11. January 13th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
    Glenn Smith said

    I agree Liz,

    All any of us are looking for, from the senior exec down to the lowly man on the street, is a sense of connection.

    On my blog all I attempt to do is write something that will touch the reader in some way.

    Glenn Smith Author of Lotus Petal, A Parable To Help You To Overcome The Fear Of Death

12. January 13th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
    Kim H said

    Ah the perfect blog.. I suppose that every blog has its perfections and its shortcomings - I like to think of everything, from web sites to blogs, as a work-in-progress; if it were perfect, it wouldn’t need more work!

    I used to have about 5 different blogs, especially when Vox came out. A few were personal blogs because some friend used that service, but the one connected to my web site has slowly become my realm of thought; I haven’t yet made many personal posts, as I began it as just a design blog, but it is definitely something I am overcoming and working in

13. January 13th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
    Kevin said

    Good navigation, easy to do tasks like subscribing and focused message are most important from what I can see.

    My weak point is networking. I’m working on developing more community connections. These relationships take time and focus to develop… so one step at a time.

    Kevin

14. January 13th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
    Kelly said

    Liz,

    Your “customer” description comes the closest to perfect for me. And of course, making connections, just as you say.

    How do I bring connections to my blog? Easy.

    Write like I’m talking to one person, not like I’m teaching (even if I am) and definitely not like I’m lecturing;

    Allow the comments to go where the wind blows them, within reason, so we all feel more human with each other;

    Try to learn as much as I teach;

    Show genuine enjoyment and appreciation of every person who stops what they were doing to discuss their perspective.

    I let my keyboard wear a big smile, when writing the post and when hanging out in the comments at MCE. That’s about it.

    

    Regards,

    Kelly

15. January 13th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
    Kathy @ Virtual Impax said

    I can’t imagine a better way to derail a blog launch than to insist upon “perfection” from the start.

    I can’t imagine a better way to “stifle” a blog’s development than to insist upon perfection.

    I tell clients to EMBRACE the inevitable “errors” on their website - because sometimes those “errors” will encourage someone to reach out and connect - and isn’t that what blogging is all about in the first place?

16. January 13th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
    Easton Ellsworth said

    One way is to try to get people to come out of the blog post and into an offline or external conversation with you. Phone, IM, live in-person meeting … some other way to converse that’s more fluid and personal.

17. January 13th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
    Michele said

    Hi, Liz!

    I share my heart on my blog(s). I share that I’m a survivor of domestic violence and that I’ve battled illness surgeries, obesity. I try to inspire my readers with my words and encourage them and let them know they’re not alone. I show them that I genuinely care about them and value their opinions. I don’t know everything and I don’t try to act like I do. I love to learn and I’ve learned some fantabulous stuff from folks who read my blog(s) and share their beautiful wisdom in the comments - or with guest posts.

    *smiles*
    Michele

    P.S. I’m becoming addicted to this blog!

18. January 13th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
    --Deb said

    I think you nailed it. I don’t care how accurate, professional, or even newsworthy a blog is, if there’s no feeling of a person behind it, what’s the point??

    (And, it took me a while to actually focus on this post because I was so busy chuckling at the illustration–which was perfect.)

19. January 13th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Look at this …
    Something we all seem to agree on. It’s the people who make a blog work.

    Yeah, James, things can get gorgeously flat when we leave out the people. It’s the heat that’s missing.

    Oh Richard, I love this The sleekest design can be counter-productive. Like teflon, it can cause folks to slip right out of the pan. I so agree.

    Zoe,
    I bet that story was compelling. We like to know who’s behind the blogs that we read.

    Christa,
    You might be overthinking. Do you have male and female friends. It’s about being who you are … and what you bring to the information. It’s your point of view and experience that attracts them to you.

20. January 13th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Yael!
    A beginner’s mind loses lots of that fear — of failure and perfection — and is open to creativity and learning. I’m with you.

    Hi Colored Opinions,
    So right. We have to be the first judge of value we’re offering. I think so too.

    Hey, Dan,
    What you say makes so much sense. I said today on Twitter to someone saying something similar that what matters most is whether I can understand your message. Is the message sent the same as the one recevied. If so, success!

21. January 13th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Lorraine,
    I don’t put my personal life on this blog, but I sure have my heart here. I think it’s improtant to do that so people can see my values and to inspire trust. Seems you’re finding that too.

    Hey Mary,
    Sometimes it’s outright fun to say, “Screw ‘em if they can’t take a joke.”

    Thanks, David.

    Yeah, Glenn,
    No one wants to feel we’re walking this planet of people alone.

22. January 13th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Kim,
    I think we sometimes do that as people … try on different versions of ourselves, but we always end up back to whomever we really are. Keeping it real and together …

    Hi Kevin,
    I think navigation is so important, but navigation means nothing if no one comes. That’s why being able to connect with people is possibly the biggest part. The people will forgive and help improve the navigation. It won’t the other way around.

    Kelly,
    I think you should turn that comment #14 into a post for your blog.
    Great advice every bit of it.

    Kathy,
    EMBRACE the errors!! Wonder what kind of wonderful blog could have that for a tagline. Bet I’d read it.

23. January 13th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Easton,
    Great point, reaching beyond your blog can make conversation in the comment box so much richer and insightful.

    Michele, you do the first and most important thing … you show up.

    Yeah, Deb, I want to know a person this and something about the person who did. I found the pix after I wrote this. My husband I both laughed.

24. January 13th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
    Kaye Dennan said

    Great post. I write blogs for myself and professionally for others. All of them are to catch, entertain and engage the reader. Trouble is I get so wound up in trying to give out info I forget about the entertain part more than anything else. I have a great sense of humor, but it does not come across in my writing enough.

    Anyrate, what I was getting at was that when you are writing blogs the benefit of them is that you can write in various styles to attract the female, the male, the stay at home mum, the construction work, the banker and the exec. All that is just part of the beauty of blogging.

    One thing I have learnt is that it is a never ending skill to learn - but I only bother to because it is my work.

    Cheers to all, keep blogging through 2009 as we all like to read those little tittle tattle tales.

25. January 13th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
    Kelly said

    Liz,

    Thanks! Oh, I do toss out advice like that now and then at MCE…

    http://maximumcustomerexperience.com/2008/04/24/chapter-the-next-wherein-the-author-gets-fan-mail/

    … but in general, it fits better here. That’s why I love coming by here!

    Until later,

    Kelly

26. January 13th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
    Steven Sentosa said

    Liz,

    Thanks for the reminder. Perfection is a process. I have been interested in blogging since last year, but I have never been really serious about it until just recently. When I started my blog, I soon began to lose my “appetite” in blogging, because there was no visitors, no comments, and no interaction.

    Now, I began to communicate with other blogger. Get to know them better through their blog and following them in Twitter. As I began to do that, I start receiving traffic to my blog and getting comments to my post here and there. Since my blog is a personal blog, I included also my life in my blog, along with my main interests, such as social networking, internet marketing, and technology.

    Thanks for your postings. They are great. I subscribed already to your RSS. Looking forward for your next post.

27. January 13th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
    LisaNewton said

    Connection is what my blog is all about; connecting to each other through our “real” neighborhoods.

    My method of making connections, other than the usual conversations, is via photos.

    And the funny thing is that while sharing photos with my blog’s community, I’m finding myself.

28. January 15th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
    My Internet Corner » Blog Archive » Blogging 101 - Know Yourself said

    [...] and so on. The fact is ….They are not going to happen in 1-2 days. Liz Strauss in her article Perfect Blogs, 404 Errors, and Humanity explains this concept pretty clear. Nobody will not get something perfect at the first try. If [...]

29. January 16th, 2009 at 1:30 am
    The Audacious Guide to Starting a New Blog | Confident Writing said

    [...] Perfect Blogs, 404 Errors and Humanity by Liz Strauss [...]

30. January 16th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
    Blog/Social Media Strategy Links: Week 3 | Blog Consulting by Visionary Blogging said

    [...] Perfect Blogs, 404 Errors, and Humanity by Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Liz points out that a blog, like a person, isn’t supposed to be flawless. You’ll accomplish far more in blogging when you give up insisting on creating only complete, error-free posts. [...]

31. January 17th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
    Donna Chmura said

    My goal is to overcome all the laywer jokes out there by having an online presence and hopefully building relationships online. I try to provide helpful content to my target market — business owners and C-level employees– in a conversational and useful manner.

32. January 20th, 2009 at 6:00 am
    Goodness Gracious, Great Blogs of Fire! » The Buzz Bin said

    [...] Strauss at Successful Blog tackles the tough question of how to define a successful organizational blog. It is Liz’s experience that different people and departments within an organization often have [...]