What Do You Think of Weekly/Monthly Roundups, Themes, and Link Love Posts?
December 1, 2007 by Lillie
As I read blogs, I notice an increasing trend in certain kinds of posts.
Some blogs have a weekly or monthly roundup drawing attention to some of the posts on their blog. I look at the headline and click away from these posts. If the topic interested me, I read the post when it first appeared. If I didn’t read it then, I’m not going to read it now just because it’s listed in a roundup of posts. Of course, I realize new readers find blogs all the time, and these roundup posts might be helpful to them. What do you think about writing a post at the end of the week or the month linking to earlier posts on your own blog?
Other bloggers post roundups with links to posts on other blogs they found interesting. Lisa Gates at Design Your Writing Life and Liz Lewis at My year of getting published have recently linked to a post on this blog, and Matt Keegan at The Article Writer regularly publishes link love posts. I enjoy link posts that include a few links related to a particular subject, especially if there is information about why the link is worthwhile instead of just a list. I’m less apt to pay attention to a long list of links, especially if the links don’t seem to be related in any way.
Some bloggers make it point to thank everyone who commented on their blogs in the past month. Sharon Hurley Hall at Get Paid to Write Online and Jeanne Dininni at Writer’s Notes are among those who thank their commenters. This is a nice gesture, and I want those who take the time to time to comment here to know how much I appreciate them. However, I don’t want to just copy someone else’s good post idea.
Then there are themes and regular features. Joanna Young follows a monthly theme at Confident Writing. Yvonne Russell hosts the Weekend Writers Cafe at Grow Your Writing Business. Mig at Pamil Vision’s eWritings posts on Blogs to Read, a group of blogs related to a specific topic. Laura Spencer at Writing Thoughts features a different blog “Of Note” each week. I don’t think posting a feature on a regular schedule is how I want to blog, though I enjoy all of these as a reader.
I would like to post one series each month. I enjoy focusing on a particular topic - such as self-publishing, POD, news releases, e-books, and others I’ve done in the past - and covering it in more depth over several days. I’d like to know what readers would find interesting. What topics related to writing, editing, and publishing would you like to learn more about?
Share what kinds of posts you like by making a comment.
[tags]blogging[/tags]
Lillie,
When I do a roundup of posts on my own blog, I do so because certain posts which I believe are especially helpful (i.e., those containing links to online tools and resources) have become buried in my archives and I want to move them up where they can be readily and easily accessed by my readers. I don’t do these on any sort of weekly or monthly schedule, however–only every so often when I feel it would be a good idea.
As for the link love posts I write on the first of each month in recognition of those who’ve commented on my blog during the previous month, I “stole” that idea from Mark at ProBloggers Matrix back in August. It seemed to me a good tradition to carry on, and I’m sure Mark didn’t mind at all.
I think it would be great if every blogger wrote this kind of post recognizing the previous month’s commenters at the beginning of each month. I don’t think anyone should worry about the fact that someone else has used the idea first. After all, isn’t that one of the best things about the blogging community: we pass on so many valuable ideas to one another, and in the process, we all learn so much! I think that process helps to make us better bloggers. Yet every blogger is different, and not every one will feel “called” to write the same kind of posts. (Though, if you’d like to write a link love post, I’d say, “Go for it!”)
A monthly series sounds like a great idea, and I think you’re just the one to write it. You’ve written other excellent series’ before; so I’m sure any new ones you wrote would be wonderful. I’d have to give a bit of thought to what topic I’d like to see a series on. Can’t think of anything right at the moment.
Take care–and thanks for the link to Writer’s Notes!
Jeanne
Lillie, you have such a wicked sense of humour. Wondering aloud about whether to write a link post and doing just that!
I think it all depends on what you enjoy and why you blog. I moved to a themed approach in the summer when I hit a “what’s the point of it all” moment. I worked out the values or ingredients that underpinned my writing philosophy and then decided to write about them month by month. To be honest I do it mainly for my own benefit – to generate a sense of purpose and value, to provide a hook for my writing, to learn more about the things that are important to me.
I often do a round up sometime after the turn of the month to reflect on what I’ve learned, and will try and highlight the contributions from those who commented or wrote guest posts. This inevitably takes me to a monthly ‘link love’ post…
This month I posted the thanks post within a few hours of my ‘why do you invite my comments’ piece – this was totally unplanned on my part, but it meant a lot of readers came over because of the link and then commented on the other piece, which has led to a most interesting conversation.
On links posts in general – I try to write ‘slow links’ posts with 5 links, a theme that links them together, and some explanation of why chosen. I do it because I prefer to read this type of link post – but it is most definitely slow not speed-linking… I’m going to experiment with something a little quicker during the week – will see how it goes
Thanks for the thought provoking questions – as ever
Joanna
Well, I actually like the idea of roundups and link love. It shows our readers how much we value their input and it shows our fellow bloggers respect and consideration.
Each blogger is free to choose how to do this, there are no real rules on “how to.” The positive impact is that such techniques increase readership, readers’ response, and even get some link love in return. But their purpose should be more genuine and not focused on a certain “win.”
The win is a fortunate “side-effect.”
For example, every time you post some recommended links in your entries I try to follow as many as I can. I am sure you’ll lead me to something of value – your experience makes me trust any recommendation you give. And you never disappointed me so far.
So linking to valuable resources brings more than rankings. It brings trust and rapport. And for the sites we link to, maybe more readers? A win-win situation for all, despite google!
Nice links post, Lillie
Even though I often post long lists of links on my blog, it’s mainly because I’ve been so bad at remembering to post them, and then need to catch up. When I can, I like to do posts with about 3-5 links and a quick summary of why I feel each post is worth reading. With long lists of links, people will probably only stop at the ones that catch their attention, but I still think it’s worth recording that I found some posts interesting.
The popular posts roundup is something I’ve only started recently, and it’s grown out of following advice from Darren Rowse of Problogger, about highlighting existing content for new readers. I always find that sort of list interesting on others’ blogs, too, especially if I haven’t been reading them for long.
In terms of planning blog content, I try to aim for a couple of reasonably well thought out posts a week, as well as posts that fit in with my main themes. For the rest, I’m happy to link to good posts found out there in Blogland. I’d be really interested to read posts in a monthly series on your blog.
Hi Lillie
I think every blogger has to be true to themselves and what works at their blog.
Your series are outstanding. They are a fantastic resource, both when first posted and as a reference.
Professional blogging does have some slightly different elements to consider. I may do a post on that.
Thanks for the inspiration and for getting us thinking, as always.
Lillie, great question. I rarely do link posts, but ironically I’ve done a couple in just the last week. I am more apt to find one post and rave about it when it hits a chord. The key for me is to notice the themes that connect my blogging relationships and my readers at the same time.
Hi Lillie,
Great post. Thanks for including me. I like the way you have summed up the different way bloggers share their knowledge and links…it’s great that we don’t all do it the same way and variety makes for more interesting things to read.
I’ve been doing a weekly ’5 top blog posts for writers’ since I started my blog over a year ago. I started this for purely selfish reasons – as a place to store links to posts that I found interesting and relevant. I figured by posting them weekly I’d always know where to find them. Along the way, I discovered that many of my readers also liked checking out the weekly list of posts. I used to write a little about each post but time constraints and the fact that the headings speak for themselves has resulted in just providing the posts. And it seems to work…
I have a long, long list of RSS feeds and I have a habit of clicking on anything that catches my eye…it’s amazing what you find that way.
Cheers,
liz
I like the idea of round-ups, theme days, carnivals and such. It’s a fun way to interact with other bloggers. Also, if you do a round-up of posts on your own blog, it helps your readers focus on particular topics…or learn about posts they may have missed.
My round-ups seem to fall at unexpected times, as Lillie and Sharon mention…probably because I’m not so well organized in my long range post planning. Also, I like to take advantage of events that pop up in my life and in the news. Sometimes it simply seems like a fun whim.
I try to respond to each comment on any of my blogs because my readers’ thoughts and willingness to share are important to me.
I’d personally like to know more about editing. Particularly whether it’s better to take a course in editing, or just buy a style book and study it.
Interesting post! You’ve generated quite a conversation here. (Thanks for linking to me.)
I think that regular features help the reader know what to expect. For example, some readers just come by on the weekends to see whose blog I’ve picked to be “of note.”
As a blogger having regular features also sometimes gives me that extra incentive that I need to post. For example, it’s Wednesday and I don’t feel much look posting – but I know it’s time to do a “WAHM Wednesday” post at Writing Thoughts.
Doing any updates or rounding up every week would make a blog more inviting and could bait any visitors to see some interesting resource you’ve got.
Cheers,
Panama
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I like the round-ups because I don’t make it to every blog, every day. But, I also like going back into archives to find interesting discussions like this one.
I like round up as well. Its nice having a summary that tells you what you have missed and where you should look further.
.-= Panama Guide´s last blog ..Panama Canal Cruise =-.
Panama (if you wrote YourName@Keywords, I could address you as a real person, and you would still get your keyword link),
Thanks for your input.
I responded to every comment when it was made. However, when I moved my blog, nested comments, which included my replies, disappeared into cyberspace.
Thanks, Jeanne. I guess the main reason I hesitate to write a link love post on my commenters is that I read all my feeds at once, and it seems a number of bloggers are posting the same kind of thing at the end of the month or on Friday or whatever. Guess I just like to be different.
Joanna,
I like your “slow links” approach. I usually follow the links because you give me a reason to want to read the posts. I also like your themed approach, but I’m not organized enough in my blog to do that. My blog is purely fun for me, so on one hand, I like to be spontaneous. On the other hand, I do like to intersperse the spontaneity with some organized series posts – not very consistent, but never boring.
Mig,
I, too, like link posts that offer value to the reader … as do yours and all those I mentioned. The only ones I really ignore are the link roundups to the blogger’s own posts. In most cases, it strikes me as rather arrogant to think that your posts are so important readers need to be reminded to read them – a little too much in-my-face for me. However, as Jeanne said, when she does it, she links to posts of resources that new readers might have missed in the archives. That is offering something of value to the reader … not saying my stuff is so good, you just have to read it.
On the other hand, blogging isn’t a business for me, so I don’t really pay attention to stats. I might be more aggressive if I intended to make money from this blog, and I certainly respect bloggers that do make money from blogging.
Sharon,
All your posts are well thought out. I understand the value of popular post roundups for new readers. I guess my objection is just that so many people seem to be doing them, especially at the end of the week, that sometimes it seems like I’m just seeing rehash after rehash after rehash. I subscribe to more than 100 blogs, and I like to read new content, not the same thing over and over again. Obviously with that many feeds, I’m selective in which posts I read – I can’t afford the time to read them all thoroughly. But I just click off the feeds that don’t capture my attention right away and look for something more interesting at the beginning of the new week.
I suppose it would be better for existing readers if those posts were spaced out, Lillie. It’s something to consider, because there’s no reason why one couldn’t do a roundup of the previous month in the middle of the month.
I think that would be much better – do your roundup at an unexpected time so it’s not competing with every other blogger’s roundup.
Yvonne,
I think a post on the differences between professional blogging and amateur/hobby blogging would be interesting. Some of the very things that I don’t like are probably the things that make bloggers money.
Lisa,
I like your focus on themes that connect bloggers and readers. Sometimes that does result in a link post; other times a focus on a single post works best.
Liz,
Your weekly top five posts are helpful because you’re offering good resources to your readers, and with only 5 posts, it doesn’t take all day to check them out.
Mary Emma,
I prefer random posting of link posts rather than those are done simply because it’s Friday and Friday is “popular posts” day.
Thanks for the suggestion, wordvixen. I’ll come up with a series on editing.
Laura,
I was surprised at the great conversation this post generated. It was a spur-of-the moment post because I had been reading my feeds, and it seemed like everything I read was a roundup – and I’d already read many of the posts listed in all the roundups. So I felt that I had wasted a lot of time and didn’t get anything new. I was just curious if other people had the same reaction to popular posts roundups.
But after I started writing, I thought about the different kinds of roundup and theme posts that bloggers use and expanded beyond the original subject of popular posts roundups.
I always look forward to your “Of Note” feature because it’s something new every week and has introduced me to several new blogs.
The only thing I personally don’t appreciate is roundups of popular posts on the bloggers’ own blogs. However, it seems lots of other people like them, and I know it’s helpful for new readers. If folks would spread them out instead of everybody doing the same thing on Friday, I wouldn’t have any objections.
Ace,
It seems like I’m in the minority on not liking popular posts roundups. I do like to link to previous posts when they relate to the topic of the current posts. I’m not opposed to bloggers drawing attention to earlier posts – I just personally don’t like to read blog after blog on Friday and find post after post that are just lists of links to posts I’ve already read – and in most cases that same week or month. I’d rather see a roundup of all the posts on a particular topic – that would give some unity to the post and would include older posts I might have missed. But a roundup of popular posts from the current week or month doesn’t add any value to me as a regular reader. Though it may be helpful for a new reader, it seems that a post highlighting posts on a particular topic over a longer period of time would be even more useful to new readers.
A lot of people seem to agree with you, Jason. I don’t mind them in general … sometimes, it just seems like every blog I go to is doing a roundup post, and I’m looking for something new.