How to improve traffic to your blog.

I'm very impressed by the new wave of blog reporting which is taking place online. It seems that the key to success in writing a popular blog is to find something topical (eg the credit crunch) to write about, mix in a few age old controversial issues (eg sexism in the workplace, greed and old boy's network) and stir the pot. Et voila, you get people commenting furiously about every aspect of the blog article.

The example I'm referring to is Robert Preston's blog on the BBC website. You can find it here:

Why Men Are to Blame for the Credit Crunch

It seems to be a fairly solid recipe for success based on the hundreds and growing comments on that particular blog. Don't say anything useful or even positive. No, that would make it something serious and possibly be considered journalism. Better just to throw a mix of negative ideas out there and get the readers to react.

I have to hand it to Mr Preston. People are still throwing the mud at the bankers, politicians and anyone else who stands in the way so why not hop on board? The BBC is a fairly decent soap box to stand on and he obviously has a following. I wonder if the people who are writing the comments recognise that they are being played? Unlikely, because they continue to read his articles and more importantly, respond to them.

So if you do want to create a popular blog this is certainly one way to do it. It may be short lived once people recognise that you don't really have anything of value to offer. Perhaps that won't be as important as the brief rise to success you will experience. Oh wait, that sounds just like the very people who caused the credit crunch.