Mommy blogs are all the rage, according to Sue Shellenbarger's "Work & Family" column in yesterday's Wall Street Journal.
As evidence, she cited dooce.com, penned by a 32-year-old Salt Lake City mom named Heather Armstrong.
Here's the shocker: The blog reportedly attracts FOUR MILLION page views every month. making it No. 59 on Technorati's ranking of the Web's top 100 blogs. Are those insane numbers legit?
So what's all the fuss about? I thought I'd find out, so I stopped by and discovered an inane post recounting the blogger's recent conversation with a friend on the compelling subject of Culture Club.
Just prior to that is a post concerning the blogger's "pancake buttock" and a friend's reaction to said body part.
Clever, huh? Darn intriguing. Insightful.
I'm happy to see a "writer" succeed on her own terms, in terms of starting her own business, conducting it the way she wants and achieving phenomenal results.
But I'm absolutely astonished that this kind of mundane drivel attracts such a gargantuan audience. Sorry if that's too harsh but, you know, her posts are little more than unfocused, unpolished snapshots from a rather average, uninteresting life.
Why, do you think, this type of content appeals to so many readers? Are they really lacking in ways to waste time?
Guess I need to think less and ignore away my "internal editor" next time I post something.
Or maybe I'll write about last week's bicycle ride with the kids. Overnight ... success!
Note to Heather: I realize that criticism drives you nuts (you need a thicker skin, babe), so feel free to print out my post and run over it with your car, the approach you apparently take when receiving "nasty emails."
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5 comments:
I was interested to see the comment you received in response to this post, as I am one of the mindless sots who is entertained by the writing style of dooce.com. So, I'll admit it! I was highly amused that the first comment I saw on your blog was computer-generated. Sorry! If you're upset my mundane drivel, then don't even bother clicking my link. You'd be bored silly.
Rachel - Thanks much for visiting, and for commenting. I'll be sure to check out your blog.
I'm not "upset" by dooce.com. I'm just shocked, and a bit amused, that content as pointless as what's on her blog attracts millions of readers.
It's all mundane stuff - about buying a hat or dealing with pets -that you could just as easily hear by eavesdropping on a neighbor's not-very-exciting phone conversation.
There's nothing insightful or informative about any of it.
Go figure!
By the way, that first comment was deleted because, as Rachel noted, it was generated by a computer, not by a real person.
Phillip, its not that I'm truly amazed by Heather's writing, but more that I see her and many others as very viable in upcoming days/months/years in the eyes of marketers at least. These "mommy blogs" have HUGE purchasing power and HUGE influence on what companies do with their advertising and how they market their products. Is some of it mindless drivel? yes. But, in the grand scheme of things..just like you and I the niche has its place and right now, marketing experts have placed it in a powerful standing.
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