An Examination of Blogging

 It’s no secret that blogs are extremely popular but it takes skill to make one standout. This week I’ll go over 5 different blogs and determine what makes them successful or unsuccessful. A few of the points I’ll go over include:

1. What type of blog is it?
2. What is its purpose?
3. What makes it unique?
4. How does it reflect the brand?
5. What drives the traffic to the blog? High on search engine? IMC? Website links? What gets people to read?
6. Is it a successful blog?
7. What’s missing on the blog?
8. Are there advertisers? If not, who are some potential advertisers?

FBPPC

1. FBPPC is a group blog.
2. The blog keeps readers up-to-date on the latest Facebook advertising news. It also gives great marketing insights to spark creativity.
3. FBPPC is unique because the contributors come from many different industries and this provides diverse views about Facebook advertising. The mix of views and industries is great for out-of-the-box ideas.
4. FBPPC is owned by a recently rebranded digital marketing agency called 3QDigital. The FBPPC blog does not have any 3Q Digital branding. The blog stands alone and this may be problem. The blog may receive more brand recognition if they branded it more in-line with their parent brand.
5. I did a few broad searches for Facebook advertising terms on Google and FBPPC did not show up. When I searched for more specific advertising terms like “Facebook geo-targeting” and “Facebook unpublished page post,” articles on FBPPC were on the first page of Google. Additionally, FBPPC sets up Google Authorship for each of the posts. I’m sure this helps increase theclick-through-rate from Google. Overall, their social media probably doesn’t drive a lot of traffic because they do not have large followings; however, their posts get shared pretty frequently which should bring additional traffic.
6. The blog is successful for many reasons. New content is posted every weekday. The website has social media integration for easy sharing and links to all of their social media websites are promptly placed at the top of the page.
7. There are a few unsuccessful things on the website. The blog does not have an email signup. They do have an RSS feed available, but they should consider sending out a weekly newsletter with access to all of the newest stories. It would keep readers engaged and encourage those who have forgotten about the site to head back. Additionally, as Pamela Vaughan points out, blog posts should have engaging pictures. I believe better pictures could bring the individual articles more traffic.
8. The blog does not have any advertisers. 3Q Digital doesn’t even advertise on their own blog, which I find odd. They do have a link to download a whitepaper, but nothing else. A well-placed infographic could easily compliment the content on FBPPC and be disguised as a new article. Additionally, it seems like a no-brainer for Facebook to have some type of ad on the website. They could offer new users a free ad credit to get them started. It would encourage new business adoption.

9to5Mac

1. 9to5Mac is a news blog.
2. The blog reports the newest information about Apple products. In addition, they also post how-tos and product reviews.
3. There are dozens of Apple blogs on the Internet. 9to5Mac stands out against the crowd because their news is very current and they sometimes break stories first.
4. The 9to5Mac brand is held throughout the blog and their social media profiles. They have a nice “techie” theme without being too complicated and it’s an easy read for an everyday user.
5. 9to5Mac is popular because they break stories quickly. The blog is often quoted by major news companies including Forbes, Fortune, and NBC. That is how I first discovered them. The website also ranks on the first page of Google for both “Apple news” and “Apple rumors.”
6. I believe 9to5Mac is successful. Their posts are up-to-date and interesting. The amount of social sharing and comments is a direct reflection of their relevancy. In addition, the blog has social integrations, social sharing, and an email newsletter signup.
7. 9to5Mac has a lot of advertising space. Most of the advertisers are selling Apple products, which is a great place for it.

The Verge

1. The Verge is a news blog.
2. The Verge reports the newest products, trends, and events in technology.
3. Just like 9to5Mac, The Verge is a technology blog in a crowded space. I like The Verge because they are honest in their technology reviews. They’re not afraid to tell you something is waste of money. Others, like Engadget, tend to be under-critical of the products. In a recent review of the Motorola Droid Ultra, The Verge said, “No one should ever buy this phone.” It’s opinionated and blunt. When I’m buying an electronic device, I need someone to be honest with me and I appreciate that from The Verge.
4. The Verge maintains their brand throughout the website. For having so many authors on their blog, they all sound like they come from the same voice. It’s nice and doesn’t dilute the experience. The visual format of the blog is very forward-thinking and modern.
5. I did a search for "iPhone 5s review" on Google and The Verge review was the second hit. Additionally, The Verge promotes their stories on their social accounts including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. All of the accounts have a fairly strong following.
6. The Verge is successful for many reasons. They post multiple stories every day of the week and have strong social integration. Additionally, their posts get a lot of comments and social interactions.
7. One of the unsuccessful things about the blog is that it can be confusing to find stories. The set-up is similar to Pinterest with three columns. I find it a little too modern. The single column format is easier to read. Additionally, their social icons are in the footer of their website. As Heidi Cohen points out, it's important to have the social icons above the fold. From their homepage, it takes a lot of scrolling to get all the way down there. Finally, when you click their social icons, the websites open in the current window instead of a new window. Having those social icons above the fold and opening in a new window would not only increase their social following, but also increase the amount of time a visitor is on their website.
8. The Verge has plenty of advertising space. Most of the ads are for technology. When I visited the site I saw an ads from LG and Sprint.

WWE

1. The WWE is a news blog. 
2. The blog updates readers on the latest WWE happenings. Article topics include match results, slideshows, story pieces, and more.
3. What makes the WWE blog unique is the fact that it is theirs. They have unique access to a huge amount of content including exclusive interviews and photographs. You’ll find content here you won’t find anywhere else.
4. The WWE blog is housed on their website. They maintain the brand image throughout their blog. The language and photographs help immerse you in the experience.
5. The WWE has their blog in a prominent spot at the top of their website. Additionally, they typically post their articles on social media to bring traffic to their website.
6. For what it is, I believe the blog is successful. Only die-hard wrestling fans will read the content or find it interesting. I’m not sure how they could make the content appeal to a larger audience. The WWE blog stays true to itself and its readers appreciate that.
7. One unsuccessful feature is the inability to search by author. You can see who wrote the article, but their name is not clickable. Furthermore, I tried searching an author’s name and still could not find all of that author’s work. Additionally, like The Verge, the links to WWE’s social media websites are buried at the bottom in the footer.
8. The WWE has some advertising on their website. From what I can tell, it is primarily retargeting ad space.

BuzzFeed

1. BuzzFeed is both a news and a group blog.
2. BuzzFeed is there for entertainment. Though they are most known for their lists, they also post relevant and up-to-date stories about current events, entertainment, technology, and more.
3. BuzzFeed is unique because the authors are very creative and there is content for everyone. Their posts are entertaining and usually worth a read.
4. Each BuzzFeed article is quirky and has a unique identity. The writing style and sarcastic, well-intentioned captions always compliment the pictures well.
5. BuzzFeed articles are extremely popular. I always see my social media friends sharing articles from BuzzFeed and I’ve shared quite a few articles myself. Recently, BuzzFeed got in trouble for violating copyright laws. It just shows how large the audience is that someone would go so far as to take them to court.
6. The blog is successful for a number of different reasons. As previously mentioned, they have the social sharing aspect down well. Additionally, BuzzFeed shares their more popular stories on their main social media accounts including Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. 
7. Something BuzzFeed does unsuccessfully is utilizing their category social media accounts. For example, I went to an article about the new iPhone. On the right there was a link to the BuzzFeed Tech Facebook page. Upon arriving to the page, I noticed that it hadn't been updated in nearly two months. A dead page on social media is a big problem.
8. BuzzFeed does have advertisements; however, it is very unique in the way they do it. Businesses often have "Featured Posts." Geico and Lenovo are two examples of companies who participate. It's a great way to integrate an advertisement without being intrusive.

What's your favorite blog? What makes it so successful and are their any areas for improvement?