An Aug. 2 article in the blog e-editor correctly observed, “Wary blogging is not the best blogging.” Sadly, that article then goes on to explain why that blog intends to be more “circumspect.” (Read: they’re shying away from citing real-world examples of web content flaws. The implication is that they’ve annoyed some influential organizations.)
I don’t know who e-editor offended and what the consequences were, but I understand and respect that decision. Still, it saddens me.
In the field of online content, I think we need MORE open discussion of specific sites’ content flaws, not less. Sure, no organization wants to be highlighted as a bad example of anything. However, open criticism and analysis is an integral and inescapable part of the net. Really – if you are not willing to bear any public criticism then don’t post anything online, ever.
As I reported in Part 8 of my 2004 reader survey results, some CONTENTIOUS readers suggested that they’d like to see me publish more examples of good and bad online content.
I used to do a lot of that. When I first started CONTENTIOUS in 1998, case studies (which I called fluff & contenders) were a mainstay of this publication. In fact, the very first CONTENTIOUS article I ever published was Cut the Fluff – a piece that attracted widespread interest and acclaim specifically because I cited real examples from the web.
Gradually I burned out on writing case studies. More accurately, I got bored with it because I was doing it too often, and the format felt too repetitive and limiting. However, seeing the e-editor article (combined with the survey comments) has reminded me that many of my readers value real examples and case studies. So in the future I’ll deliver more examples of good and bad content. Publishers of inept content, beware!
I’ve got some other items I want to clear off my plate first before I get to that. But in the meantime, if you’d like to suggest a blog, site, newsletter, feed, etc. that you think offers particularly good or bad content, comment below or e-mail me. I may end up following up on your suggestion in this blog.
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