Bloggers and engagement: an exercise

I kinda figured this would come before my Southern Unionist post, so… pardon the slight alteration in path…

Could it have been approached in a more effective and rewarding way? Perhaps.

Allow me to approach this from a different angle. The intent remains the same and it is nothing to be taken personally… I mean it.

Approach to blogging is a matter of preference, but, at the heart, “what makes the blog tick and why might the gadgets be different”? Those who feel, personally, that they have spent enough time observing blogs and reactions to form an opinion… even different theories… as to how things appear to function in blogging, feel free to make some observations with these in mind…

1) There are Civil War blogs that are both confrontational and provide content. Some are heavier in one direction than another, and some provide equal amounts of both.

2) In confrontational posts, the controversy is obvious.

3) In content blogs, content may be controversial… or it may not.

4) Consider the various forms… confrontational, controversial, or straight out content… and any combination of all of the above… “forms of engagement”, established by a blogger to reach out to and/or stimulate the reader. Various forms of engagement (all listed above… maybe even more than what I’m considering) exist in the blogosphere.

5) Different forms of engagement draw different forms of response.

6) The manner of engagement is at the choice of the respective bloggers. 

7) Observations of the end result(s) using the different forms of engagment can be made as a matter of scientific observation, with possible theories established.

8) Are there long-range and short-range impacts of the various preferred methods of engagement.

9) Is one type more effective for short-term? What about long-term? OR What types of engagement do you believe might be best for short-term and long-term? Why?

10) What do you believe might be the negative aspects of the various forms? What about the positive features? (some answers here might have already come out in the answer for #9)

11) What compels one blogger to practice engagement in one form, while another might prefer another method? Is it simply personal preference, and is personal preference geared to get a more immediate response (not necessarily a reaction, but perhaps delivery of a point, or content), or is preference a matter of establishing something enduring? What methods are better (keeping in mind this is personal preference) in making certain points? Why?

Many of the questions at the top can be answered by most as a matter of “true” or “false”. Some will feel a need to explain. As the questions come closer to the bottom, there will likely be a need for more lengthy explanations.

Did I miss any questions that might have been worth asking, that might have provided something worthy of our consideration, as bloggers?

This is a discussion… nothing more; and don’t feel obligated to answer each and every item above. A summary might be just as effective.  Keep in mind, our focus, as bloggers, remains on the subject matter that evolves primarily around the American Civil War. I think this is necessary or we might go too far off course in the discussion.

Please feel free to participate if you wish, but be civil… please.  

If you choose not to participate, that’s fine too… but the more the better… I think.

Tagged: American Civil War, blogging

Posted in: American Civil War, blogging