I understand this topic should probably be categorised under Bloggie Wednesdays, but humour me this weekend because I’m curious. It’s a question I have for you.
What attracts you to your favourite blogs?
I’m not going to be presumptious and ask what draws you to my blog (aww thanks anyway :)), but what draws you to a blog? What is it about the blogs that you enjoy reading that attracted you to them? Is it the writing? The pictures? The I’m-not-really-interested-but-the-blogger-is-part-of-my-blogging-circle-of-friends-so-I-read-it-anyway? Trust me, the last one is not uncommon. I call it guilt reading. But I’ll leave that for another post.
As for me, there are two simple factors. Number 1 (and this is more important) – the writing. Blogs with good writing and witty personalities always suck me in. Blogs that make me laugh out loud. Blogs that make me cry. Blogs that make me gasp “oh no you didn’t!“. These blogs are there to stay on my Google Reader.
The next one is something I’ve come to appreciate the last few years, and that is good photography. There are so many blogs to read these days, and being the busy bees that we are, we don’t have the time to read every single word on every single blog. A picture speaks a thousand words. Many a time, pretty pictures are enough for me to subscribe to a blog.
What about you? What do you look for in a blog? What attracts you to one?
I am at the same as you, witty writing and pretty pictures. Possibly because I have to work very hard to have either, so I like to try and gain inspiration from others 🙂
Tegan @ Teganias Thoughts recently posted..Summer Dreaming
Tegan: My sentiments exactly. It’s how I gain my inspiration for my blog too 🙂
For me, it’s a multiprong approach. For sure, the writing and photography plays a big part in it – if the writing is terrible, there had better be other things that make me want to read it!
I also take into consideration the products written about. I personally prefer to see a mix of products that were freebies and products the blogger has purchased themselves (be they old favourites or new discoveries). I have read a blog that is mostly glowing review after glowing review of freebie products. It does leave me wondering if there’s any products that aren’t as good, or if the author has favourites that they purchase themselves.
Another thing I take into account is the personality of the blog author. This is a big thing for me also – I am sometimes willing to read a blog with less than top notch photos or writing because the personality offered by the author (posts and information shared) is unique when compared to other blogs in the genre.
Issy: Excellent point, Issy, especially when you mentioned the part about overly-glowing reviews. That’s why I’m not very keen on blogs who don’t have anything bad to say about all of the products they’ve used. I understand that for a lot of bloggers, they prefer to write only about the good things they’ve used. Fair enough. But surely there must be something that’s not that good? Oh I don’t know. It’s like, I get where they’re coming from, but would still like more. Not easily satisfied, me 😛
Bingo on the personality. It must shine through the blog.
I totally understand where you’re coming from too: I can understand a blogger not posting negative reviews, be it in an effort to be generally positive, or in an effort to ensure bridges with PR companies and the like aren’t singed!
What I don’t understand is when a blogger never points out anything that may detract from a product (eg – great colour, I love the finish, but the wear time for me was sub par: 2-3 hours). I consider that being realistic in your reviews. Some people are willing to overlook the ‘flaw’, others may not see it as a flaw, and yet others may be glad you pointed it out because it’s something they value highly in a product.
It’s such a personal opinion though… I think everyone has their own views on review style!
Issy: I know what you mean. It’s such a personal thing; there’s no such thing as the perfect review. Everyone has their own way of doing things.
But. No flaws? Really? 😛 😛
I am a more task-oriented person. I look out for spread of topics/products/brands. If I don’t like the things the blogger uses, it’s very hard to continue reading because I know that no matter what he/she blogs about, I am almost never going to get it myself.
Then it’s the layout/organization and pictures, then the writing. I am not so much looking for witty writing, but organisation, paragraph structure, sentence structure, proper English that I don’t have to spend more precious time deciphering.
Apparently, I think your blog fits the above! =)
Jyoan recently posted..BellaBox Singapore July
Jyoan: Good point, Jyoan. Why go for blogs that feature products, topics, etc that doesn’t fit you?
PS: Aww bless you 😛
Hi Tine. I agree with you on the quality of writing and photography factor. Both of these blog qualities shows the effort, time and commitment shown by the blogger. I personally love writing so I appreciate a well written blog. We’re visual creatures so a blog with good photos is an eye candy. But there are more intrinsic attraction which I cannot really put words to it – sometimes you can just so relate with the blogger, a blog that somehow makes you feel right lol…errr, blog-o-chemistry? 🙂 I reckon it could be the personality of the blog which is of course again, the person behind the blog. Almost always, we won’t get to know the actual person, but one with character, personality and to some extent, “class”, all these aura just permeates through the blog.
Other factors that attracts me to the blog would be:
1. Frequency of posts – again it shows the dedication and commitment of the blogger to her readers
2. Topics/subjects – the creativity and variety are plus points (I love the what’s in my bag post so that I can peek into your bag lol:)
3. Quality of review – not just another all 101% positive “I love everything that was sent to me for review” blog
4. Blog layout – sensible layout with just nice number of advertorial but God forbid pop-up ads, post categories, search function, label etc
5. Interaction – I love blogs where the blogger takes time to read through every comment and respond.
Sometimes it’s also nice to know a bit of personal details of the blogger, for e.g. the post where your mummy was featured.
Jennifer: Well put, Jennifer. I’m with you on all points too. Especially like the bit about interaction. I made such a big mistake not replying comments for the first three years of blogging. It’s not that I don’t want to reply, but that I was too lazy too. It’s amazing how I still had readers then >.< Things improved drastically when I started to reply comments, even more when I have the ReplyMe plugin (ie when I reply a comment, the comment is emailed to the commenter, letting him/her know). It made a big difference. So happy to know you liked the post about my mum. She was so nervous when I posted it, so worried people won't like it! Aww mum 😛
I’ll go pseudo-academic and say that there are various levels at which I get attracted to a blog. It’s mainly because I rarely feel the urge to follow blog. Mostly, I just go blog-hopping, read and forget.
My usual routine is to visit the very few blogs I genuinely follow (probably at the most 3), read through the comments and spot some interesting new names or comments made by other people. I’ll usually click through 5 names and open them in different tabs. That’s the first level of attraction. ‘Tine’ is an interesting name. :p
Second level of attraction is what would take for me NOT to close the tab once the link . This involves mostly visual factors like layout, colors and photos. I work in a design company and although I’m not particularly skilled in executing designs (not a graphic artist), my job involves being a design critic so a good blog design definitely catches my attention.
Third level involves the blog theme– my core interest in beauty is very specific. I love reading about natural/organic beauty. So if the blog happens to have an “ok” design–not necessarily extraordinary but at least pleasing and not confusing–and writes about natural/organic beauty, then that would attract me to spend time browsing through the blog to hopefully spot some nice new tips and new products.
Fourth level depends on the writing style and length of articles. No matter how informative the blog is, if the writing is unbearable (boring, too self-righteous, really awful grammar, longer than my thesis paper, etc..), the blog gets the X button. This level would prompt me to probably visit the blog again.
I’ll probably bulk the last two elements in 1 last level — personality and content. This is the last and deepest level of attraction for me. If I find the blogger’s personality really charming and the content is consistently good, fresh and unique, and post feels like there’s a lot of soul put into writing it, the blog and the blogger both become a keeper for me.
…talking about all those “levels of attraction”, I can’t help thinking about dating and marriage.
Vivi recently posted..DIY: Match that lemony yogurt lightening facial mask with Matcha!
Vivi: Very interesting points, Vivi. Most of the blogs I read go through the levels you mentioned too. It’s so interesting to see how other people gauge other blogs and to find out what makes them stay with a blog. The consensus is still personality and content 🙂
Well, with dating comes all these levels as well. One has to be absolutely sure by analysing the partner through many levels before she can make that ultimate decision.
Okay, I’m rambling now 😛
Firstly, thank you for including my blog in your collage. I was very surprised & super thrilled to see it 🙂
Secondly, to answer your question what attracts me to a blog is threefold:-
1. Writing – I can only read in English so the English has to be good. Witty writing is a given. The blog could be about nothing I’m interested in, but if the writing is good, I’m all over it.
2. Personality – There are some very big, good blogs out there that I don’t subscribe to or that don’t attract me because I don’t sense the personality behind the blog. I guess I carried over my personal blogging reads preferences over to my beauty blogging reads because I look for a blog that not only talks about the subject matter at hand but also about a variety of topics in their own style. Personality can’t be copied.
3. Photographs – Good photographs will always get me, nevermind that I may not be all that interested in the product/subject matter.
Other things like layout is also a big consideration but as I do most of my blog reading in a blog reader, layout will matter less to me than the 3 things above. That said, most bloggers who do fulfil my 3 criteria tend to have good, easy to navigate layouts anyway so its not really a point for me to consider. Oh and I hear ya on the blogs-that-you-read-because-they-are-your-friends. Erm… yeah 😛 Present company exempted
Paris B recently posted..Insta-Updates: Childhood Memories are made of these
Paris B: Well duh. It’s not right if I didn’t include yours 😉
I’m really into blogs with heaps of photos and few words these days. I guess with the high number of blogs I follow, sometimes I just want to be visually stimulated without being drowned by the words. They have to be good photos, mind you 🙂
By the way, what are your thoughts on bilingual blogs? I’ve noticed a few coming up lately (a fashion blogger I follow recently started writing Chinese words below her English paragraphs).
I don’t read many bilingual blogs although I used to follow a Swedish blog that was written in Swedish but with a small English summary at the bottom. I appreciated that because it helped me understand it, even though I could of course run it through Google Translate.
I’ve also come across some in Spanish/English and Italian/English which I also appreciate because I don’t read any other language. So I guess if the Chinese will make it appeal to a wider audience I don’t see anything wrong with it although I personally prefer if the whole translation (into English or a different language) was kept separate, or kept as a summary, not sandwiched in between because it then looks a bit messy.
Paris B recently posted..Affordably priced gem! The Revlon Photoready Primer will leave you primed and photo ready
As for me, I am attracted to a blog due to the following factors:
1. Writing of the blog
2. Simple blog design
3. Nice photography
Have a nice day!! =D
Michelle: Check, check and CHECK! 😀
For me these are the factors I look for:
1. Good, interesting writing. Catchy phrases, and blog titles and stories that can keep me transfixed on the screen. If the blog can make me laugh or make me go, “Oh yeah, that’s so true!” I’m going back again.
2. Great pictures of course!
3. Blogs with great advice, e.g. skincare advice and tips, tutorials on homemade products that are easy to follow.
giddy tigress recently posted..Me-Time Luxuries: The Oil Cleansing Method
Giddy Tigress: I’m so with you on the part where the blogs make us laugh. I remembered following a particular personal blog for many years. It was one of the few blogs that actually make me laugh out loud when I read it. There are no pictures. The blog design was a premade template that came with Blogger. But the writing, oh it was so good.
When the blogger finally decided to stop blogging and closed the blog, I was devastated. He didn’t even leave the blog there, but deleted the entire thing. Sigh.
How interesting it is when a really good blog can affect us like that, huh? 🙂
Good writing, interesting topics, and good photos (an area I’m desperately trying to improve in!). If the personality that comes through the blog is engaging, I keep returning to read that particular blog. 🙂
Sarah recently posted..5 minute review: KINK lip lustre in Pom Pom
Sarah: Looks like the consensus here is personality. How very true! 🙂
Aside from the subject matter (I tend to follow beauty blog with a heavy focus on skincare rather than makeup), articulate and elegant writing will always be my number one reason for choosing blogs.
Emy: Me too, Emy. I do like good photos, but at the end of the day, if the good photos come with bad writing, it turns me off and I never come back again.
Hm; I think there are quite a few things I like to look for in a blog. In no particular order:
1) I generally prefer Asian bloggers, because the reviews will give me a better idea of what might or might not suit my skin tone etc.
2) Details. I really like detailed reviews. =D
3) Pictures are love; I like to see stuff in action before I trot out for some fun.
4) Tutorials aren’t *as* necessary, but are loved; if it weren’t for tutorials my blush/bronzer application skills would be a looooot worse.
Margy: Haha I hear you on #4. I can’t do tutorials, but I highly appreciate and admire those who take their time out to do comprehensive ones (especially if they aren’t done in videos, but the ones that write them down with pictures point for point). Without them, I won’t be able to get my liquid eyeliner application right at all.
One that doesn’t just do reviews, reviews, and MORE reviews.
One where you can connect with the blogger on a deeper level, where you’re not just another number on her/his statistics board. Meaning, the blogger bothers to reply and engage.
One which shows the beauty blogger’s life outside of makeup and beauty. In Singapore, most bloggers are ‘lifestyle bloggers’, meaning they don’t have a particular niche, they just blog about their lives in general. So when I do chance upon one that falls into the beauty niche (*ahem* like Yours Truly), I feel happy that I found it, but also I’d want to know there’s more to the blogger than just reviews and more reviews on makeup products.
I love blogs with great photos as well. http://kellehampton.com/ is probably my favorite non-beauty blog to read coz she writes so beautifully and her pictures are blow-me-away gorgeous.
Bun Bun Makeup Tips recently posted..For Asian Hooded Lids: Vertical Gradient Method Of Eyeshadow Application
Eh? Did my comment get through??
Bun Bun Makeup Tips recently posted..For Asian Hooded Lids: Vertical Gradient Method Of Eyeshadow Application
=.=
So my previous comment didn’t get through…. but I’m willing to type everything out again.
As I was saying, the blog that makes me stay is:
1. One that doesn’t only does reviews, reviews, and more reviews
2. One where the blogger shares about her/his life, other than only talking about a particular genre. In Singapore, most bloggers are ‘lifestyle bloggers’, meaning they write mostly about their lives in general. So when I do chance upon a fellow beauty blog, I’d want to see if the blogger only does makeup product reviews or blogs about other aspects of her/his life as well.
3. One where the blogger makes the effort to read and reply to comments, and engage with readers. But that’s negligible coz I’ve seen some blogs where the blogger NEVER replies yet people still leave comments coz the content is so good.
4. One with great photos. http://kellehampton.com/ is my fav non-beauty blog coz she writes beautifully and her pictures are blow-my-mind gorgeous.
5. One with distinct personality. You can copy all the photos in the world but personality is non-copy-able.
/let’s Cmd+C this whole chunk of text first before clicking Submit
Bun Bun Makeup Tips recently posted..For Asian Hooded Lids: Vertical Gradient Method Of Eyeshadow Application
=.=
So my previous comment didn’t get through…. but I’m willing to type everything out again.
As I was saying, the blog that makes me stay is:
1. One that doesn’t only does reviews, reviews, and more reviews
2. One where the blogger shares about her/his life, other than only talking about a particular genre. In Singapore, most bloggers are ‘lifestyle bloggers’, meaning they write mostly about their lives in general. So when I do chance upon a fellow beauty blog, I’d want to see if the blogger only does makeup product reviews or blogs about other aspects of her/his life as well.
3. One where the blogger makes the effort to read and reply to comments, and engage with readers. But that’s negligible coz I’ve seen some blogs where the blogger NEVER replies yet people still leave comments coz the content is so good.
4. One with great photos. kellehampton.com is prob my fav non-beauty blog coz she writes beautifully and her pictures are blow-my-mind gorgeous.
5. One with distinct personality. You can copy all the photos in the world but personality is non-copy-able.
/let’s Cmd+C this whole chunk of text first before clicking Submit
Bun Bun Makeup Tips recently posted..For Asian Hooded Lids: Vertical Gradient Method Of Eyeshadow Application
Bun Bun: Aww thanks heaps for typing everything out again. I hate it when I’ve typed a long comment and don’t know where it goes. So for the long ones, I usually Copy the text first, just in case 😛
I used to do #3. Too lazy to reply comments >.< How the hell did I even keep my readers , I don't understand (really appreciate they stayed on though). It made a whole lot of difference when I finally got off my lazy arse and started replying to every comment. I enjoyed the interaction, especially when readers reply my reply 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check out kellehampton.com now 🙂
Tine the Question Queen! (haha)
Great topic, it was really fascinating to read everyone else’s replies. As much as we are all looking for the same thing, we all have our own criteria. At first I thought, oh this is easy… I like A, B, C…
But then when I thought about it more, there really is a lot of things that attract me. And what I never realised is I put the blogs I’m interested in into groups… inspiration-for-my-blog-blogs, i’m-a-huge-fan-because-your-just-awesome blogs, support-the-newbie blogs… its endless!
1. Design & photos. I’m a real sucker for these because its what I strive for. But at the same time, I wont judge a blog for not having these because I know what it’s like!
2. Content. This is a must! It doesnt have to be necessarily one type or another (mixed, beauty only, etc), it just has to be interesting, unique and true to themselves.
3. The blog author. This again isn’t a must, but I’m more drawn to a blog where I can see who writes it, maybe includes things about their life or just does FOTD. Its nice to put a face to a blog. Also, if their friendly…
At the same time, these are not hard and fast rules. I bend them all the time, and often am happy to just blog hop. You, of course, are a favourite of mine. Hehe. 😀
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Aww thanks Kaye. Chuffed to know I’m a favourite of yours 😀
You’re absolutely right about putting the blogs you’re interested in in groups. I do that too, and I think a lot of people do as well. We don’t just read blogs because they’re pretty; we go for them for inspiration, for advice, to support the new ones, etc. I especially like the latter. A lot of people don’t see it, but when a bigger blogger supports a much newer blogger, it makes one heck of a difference to the newbie. It helps them to grow. I wonder if any of the big guns do it these days, or do they just visit the blogs of equally big or bigger guns? 😛
Ooooh! Thank you SO MUCH for putting us in your photo collage! SO thrilled! =D
What draws me to a blog? Hmm..
1. Good English. Good writing.
2. Good photos.
3. Nice layout that’s easy on the eyes.
4. Personality.
That about sums it up. =)
Syen: Well, that’s because I love how you three ladies write! 🙂
Amen to good English!
All of the above plus a full RSS/Atom feed for offline reading 🙂
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Jos: +100000000000 for this comment 😛
Hi Tine,
Wow this is really great info and feedback! I found your blog by seaching ‘thirty something beauty blogs 🙂
I have to say the first thing that draws me in to reading a new blog are the photos, but the writing keeps me coming back. Also I like blogs that share a bit of personality and lifestyle, and offer helpful tips in their niche. The layout is always a bonus for me; when it’s pleasing I enjoy that aspect but it’s not a determining factor in whether or not I remain a reader.
Do you or your readers offer blog critiques? I’ve been writing mine for two months now and would love to hear feedback!
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Thanks Barbara 🙂
I don’t offer blog critiques mainly because I stupidly submitted mine to a very popular (now defunct) website to critique once many years ago and had my blog torn to shreds. There were a few people running that website and although it’s always those people reviewing blogs (which I’m okay with), my blog happened to fall on the hands of one of their guest reviewers, who was a guy. He obviously wasn’t my target audience and he ripped my blog apart saying it was stupid. I was (still am) very proud of my blog and what I’ve done; all I wanted was a proper critique and not just be simply told that my blog was stupid. It tore at my confidence and I wasn’t able to blog for a while.
That’s why I don’t offer my blog for blog critique anymore nor do I critique anyone’s. Everyone’s blog is special to them and it’s their hard work. Anyway I went to yours and I think it’s beautifully done. 🙂