The 25 Basic Styles of Blogging ... And When To Use Each One
Many bloggers who have been posting for some time have intuitively figured out that different types of blog posts typically generate certain responses from readers. It's not secret that "top ten list posts" are highly popular and that blogging can also help you fulfill your ambitions. We often classify blogs into genres, such as a tech blog or a mom blog. Blogging styles are not about genres, they are about types of blog posts. Any blogger at any time could use a different style that might not ordinarily be considered part of their genre. The most proficient bloggers use many styles through the course of posting - but there hasn't been a definitive list. For more than two months now, I have been collecting a list of blog styles based on what I have found from the blogs I read. A few weeks ago, Guy Kawasaki's post about the World's Best Presentation Contest gave me the idea of turning this list into a presentation to enter into the contest. Thanks to some design help from my colleague Jesse, I just uploaded the presentation into the contest on Slideshare.net and it looks great. Check it out here and if you like it, please add your vote:
Download Presentation PDF (right click to "Save As")
Update (04/18/07): The presentation features many examples of each type of blogging, but several folks have asked to include links in the post so they can more easily get to each link. Here they are for your viewing pleasure ...
Insight Blogging
http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000932.html
http://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/future-social-web-experience.cfm
Ambition Blogging
http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com
http://www.snakesonablog.com/2006/01/12/snakes-on-a-blog/
Meme Blogging
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/12/fiveish_things_.html
http://www.okdork.com/grand-opening-carnival-of-marketing/
Piggyback Blogging
http://www.technorati.com/search/habitaquo
http://www.technorati.com/search/twitter
Life Blogging
http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily/11_19_2004.html
Brand Blogging
http://www.buzzmachine.com/archives/cat_dell.html
http://rocketking.blogspot.com/2006/12/things-i-hate-about-panera.html
Announcement Blogging
http://www.sifry.com/stateoftheliveweb/
Link Blogging
http://www.micropersuasion.com/2007/04/links_for_20070_8.html
http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/02/12/list-of-white-label-social-networking-platforms/
Video Blogging
http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/weblog/2007/01/chalkvertising_.html
Photo Blogging
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/the_amateur_gourmet/2006/11/chutzpah_truffl.html
Review Blogging
http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2007/02/09/beyond_newsmastering_yahoo_pipes_is.htm
http://shoeblogs.com/wordpress/2007/04/04/giuseppe-zanotti-at-the-bluefly/
Evangelist Blogging
http://brand.blogs.com/mantra/2006/03/cancer_mosaic.html
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/celebrating-earth-day.html
List Blogging
http://www.10e20.com/2006/12/27/101-biggest-stories-in-search-2006/
Survey Blogging
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/01/romance_survey.html
http://mariosundar.wordpress.com/2007/04/08/are-we-bloggers-journalists/
Feature Blogging
http://johnbell.typepad.com/weblog/the_idea_bar/index.html
http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com/
Repost Blogging
Taking a post or article from another location and reposting
a significant part of it as a blog post with limited original commentary.
Guest Blogging
http://www.intelchallenge.com/category/blog/
http://www.acsblog.org/cat-guest-bloggers.html
Interview Blogging
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/ten_questions/index.html
Event Blogging
http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/weblog/2007/02/10_secrets_of_s.html
http://mashable.com/2007/03/23/under-the-radar/
Live Blogging
http://gawker.com/news/james-frey/james-frey-on-oprah-liveblogging-the-live-feed-150872.php
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/live-from-macworld-2007-steve-jobs-keynote/
Bridge Blogging
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org
Classified Blogging
http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/04/10/now-hiring-web-content-editor/
Response Blogging
http://www.jetblue.com/about/ourcompany/flightlog/archive_february2007.html
http://searchengineland.com/070208-110711.php
Contact Blogging
http://clooneyproject.livejournal.com/
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/11/18/meet_a_92yearold_blo.html
it is the hotness
Posted by: Jesse Thomas | Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 01:25 PM
I just started with blogging, and this information would really heps me a lot.
Thank you.
Posted by: Gilbert Traifalgar | Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 04:52 AM
Please visit my site at http://www.searchenginemarketingpro.biz/
to craete traffic on your blogs.
Posted by: Gilbert Traifalgar | Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 04:55 AM
Thanks for giving me one more thing to figure out where I fit. I have never thought about different blog posts: I just write what I'm feeling that day.
Well, maybe I need a blog peer-counselor to tell me what my maladies are based on my blogging style. I expect in a few more years we'll have special counselors for blogging addiction, and alas, I may have a new career.
And isn't your list longer than 25? Thanks for the ideas!!
Posted by: Joybringer | Wednesday, August 08, 2007 at 03:55 PM
Thanks for this interesting collection, I have included the style list into my SMO lecture,
Manfred Leisenberg
Posted by: Leisenberg | Monday, January 14, 2008 at 09:57 AM