For readers who have been subscribed to Blogtrepreneur for a while, and there are a lot of you, you know that some changes come along with moving from a blog with just one author to a blog with a few different writers. Adnan built a very strong community here by providing interesting, insightful, and relevant content over a period of time. Now, as you have read, Adnan doesn’t have the option to continue posting at that frequency and he’s brought on a few other writers, me included, to help Blogtrepreneur to achieve the goals that he has set.
Inevitably some things will change, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to look at the subject in a little more detail. I know most of you read a number of other blogs, some with one author and some with many. I’m interested to hear your perspective on the differences that you see in these blogs and if you prefer one to the other.
Single-Author Blogs:
Personal Connection – I believe a blog that is written by just one person is able to capitalize on the personal connection between the reader and the blogger. This, in my opinion, is a big factor. Most of us read blogs because we can relate to the person writing, so a loss of this connection can hurt.
Readers Know What to Expect – If you read a blog everyday or a few times a week, you have a good idea of the blogger’s style, what topics are usually going to be covered, the quality of the information and the writing, the general approach to blogging, and more. This is something that most of us as readers take for granted.
Posted May be Limited Because of Time – As we saw a few months ago here on Blogtrepreneur, a single-author blog is completely dependant upon the availability of that one person, and when his or her schedule doesn’t allow time for blogging, the readers don’t get as much information. Even those that have plenty of time for blogging are still unable to post as frequently as many multi-author blogs. Frequent posting can be good or bad, but it is just a reality of blogging that it will be more limited for most single-author blogs.
Unlikely to be Able to Produce a News Blog – There are a growing number of blogs that serve readers by publish news as it occurs. This really isn’t possible with just one writer. The single-author blog has to compete with a different strategy.
Limited to the View of One Author – Naturally, the writing will come from one opinion. You’ll get what that blogger knows, and nothing more. The experience of the blogger will also have a huge impact on the quality of the content. They can’t write about what they don’t know. Again, I don’t think this is necessarily good or bad. Some single-author blogs are great because that blogger has an incredible perspective and tons of insight.
Multi-Author Blogs:
Variety of Topics – As you’re going to see here at Blogtrepreneur, a diverse staff of writers means that readers will get quality information on a wider range of topics. Each writer is able to focus on his or her strengths.
Variety in Styles – Each writer will have a unique style and perspective to bring to the table. Two bloggers covering the same topic can do so in completely different ways. While we don’t want to repeat information, it is nice to know that different perspectives will be presented.
Quality May be Uneven – I subscribe to a few multi-author blogs where there is a drastic difference in quality from one writer to the next. With a single-author blog you have a better idea of what you’ll get, but the more writers you throw in the mix, the more variety you will get.
Posting Consistency Does Not Depend on One Person – With multiple writers, if one suddenly doesn’t have time to post the blog doesn’t go bare.
Readers May Not Get Connected to the Writers – This is a real challenge for some multi-author blogs. Building a relationship with readers is critical. Hopefully the writers at least respond to comments, but actually getting to know the readers is important too. I hope that while writing for Blogtrepreneur I can do a good job in this area.
Conclusions:
While there are certainly pros and cons of each approach, I think you’ll see improved overall quality and quantity here as a result of a diverse team of writers. Posting will certainly be more frequent than it had been for a while, and I’d much prefer this approach than seeing Adnan sell the blog right now because of his schedule. I think we’ll all benefit from the different perspectives and talents that each writer brings to the table.
Ok, now it’s your turn to share your thoughts. Do you have a preference when it comes to the number of writers on a blog? How does it affect you as a reader? Do you have suggestions for us as a team of writers?