If Your Blog Is REALLY Your Home, Then:
Everyone know’s Chris Brogan‘s famous analogy of a blog being like your home, where you invite people back to, and your Social Media profiles being like outposts where you meet those people in the first place.
But if your blog is REALLY your home, then the implications are deeper than just bringing them to a place where you can show off your content in order to get your ego stroked.
Chris recently pointed out a few ideas when discussing “Rethink Your Web Presence” – which I’ve taken and extended to what I think are the deeper implications is your blog is your home. Consider that:
1. When people go to a diner party, they ask “who here is like me?” It is a safety thing. When we design our church experiences, we are always aware that when people enter a church room (or networking room, or any room where there are unknowns), they immediately ask “who here is like me?” – it is a safety thing. Faces are a great way to virtually show that people here are like you – to grant Social Authority – which is what Facebook’s social plugins are doing.
2. People want to know, “why am I here?” You need to show/tell them what is happening and what is next, as any good host does. Sign post me – lead me – guide me. Again, this is safety, because I can relax if I know you are taking care of things. If you bring me to your blog and you say upfront it is about selling then I’m cool with that if I know it upfront. But don’t trick me.
3. People want to talk to you. You don’t invite someone to your house and then don’t entertain them when they talk to you. This is why I can’t stand people who ask “What do you think” and then don’t reply to their comments, as I discuss here. Being a good host is about drawing conversation out of people – for help with this, read Sy Taylor’s view and Robin Dickinsons’s view.
4. People want it to be about US, not them or you. A good home and a good dinner party is social (if you don’t know what that means, read this excellent peice by my latest intern.) You don’t go to someone’s home in order to stroke their ego, hear all about how wonderful they are, and then be ignored when you want to talk to them. I don’t want to be sold when I go to your house, either.
5. Diaries. When are you coming over next? If you’ve provided a good experience, how are we taking it further?
In reality, I wonder if most blogs are actually more like a restaurant, or to be honest, just a sales front.
Beautiful home photo courtesy of solitaire-mladjenovic_n
I agree. Blog posts SHOULD be exactly like having people round to your house.
They accepted the invite because they may trust and like you, they may have heard that your food is amazing; been recommended or perhaps seen through the window that everyone seems to be fulfilled.
You will share experiences with them, and if all goes well then they will feel special.
Some people won't get as much attention as others but no one will notice that because it may have just been a little thing you did for them or a small takeaway that they'll remember from the experience.
They may not have the best night but as long as they don't feel cheated, ignored or alone then the likelihood is that they'll come back again.
My blog house is built on strong foundations. There are a lot of familiar faces there, but it's also a great place to meet new people and share new experiences and thoughts. Sometimes the conversation may provoke deep thought, other times it's just about a good place to come and have something to takeaway.
A lot of thoughts on blogs may not be to everyone's tastes but as long as you take something from it and feel that the owner engaged and is willing to collaborate and share with you – again and again – then you'll go back.
With those you really connect and share with its right to make sure you both know when you'll be seeing each other again.
Love this post.
Great analogy and provocative question. If your blog is really your home: then…
Do you hide things in closets so others can't see them?
Do you allow people to see who you really are, even at your worst, especially when you wake up in the morning and you've not done your grooming?
Do you give them the refrigerator rights?
In my home, you're a guest the first time your visit. We show you around, tell you that we'll wait on you the first time and instruct you to help yourself to whatever we have. “Mi casa su casa,” is definitely a motto we live by. And then, we give you refrigerator rights…you have the right to walk into our home and check to see what's in our frig and help yourself.
I thought about that for a while and wondered how that would apply to a blog. Perhaps it's that we give those that enter our blog the right to go back and read what's posted and help themselves. If they want to warm up last night's dish, help yourself. If they want to know how to cook a dish that's in the back of the refrigerator that we forgot to toss, we'll share the recipe. If they want to thaw a frozen topic and reinvent it, so be it.
At least, that's how I would approach my refrigerator rights philosophy and apply to a blog.
I think, Chris, that Twitter is like a cocktail party, but a blog is like a dinner party.
Everyone has way more Twitter followers than blog subscribers – meaning the audiences and engagement must be different.
Like you say, a blog should be an experience sharing place. The case then is understanding what your experience is!!!
I don't know why people use this “Home” analogy without thinking it through. If you come to my house, it's way more than just checking out my content.
And to be honest, I think most people's content, if compared to food, is probably just candy floss anyway!
Thanks fo this Chris – you've given me some great ideas to extend the idea.
Man, that's good.
Refrigerator rights, for me, mean you take anything we discuss and use it for yourself – as well as having the right to disagree. I believe you earn the right to speak into my life.
Certainly, I also strive to be myself and not hide things in the closet – although I made a conscious brand decision to be everything online that I am offline.
These ideas Jeff are just so good. They take this to a whole new level – one that people just aren't thinking about when it comes to participation. Sadly, the broadcast mindset is still so strong – in events and online.
Speaking of which, I was doing planning today for Like Minds Helsinki. We are crafting a good dose of time where the participants (attendees) discuss what they just heard after each keynote – and then change places after a short break so they can discuss the next keynote with a new set of people.
What do you think?
Love the strategy you're taking for Like Minds Helsinki. I was speaking with a conference organizer yesterday and they do something similar.They call it Ted-Style Exchange Cafes. Let a thought leader keynote for about 20-30 mins and then let the attendees digest it in discussions in small groups.
It's a great Peer2Peer Strategy for today's relationship, networked driven culture!
Thanks Jeff – glad it sits well. Will let you know how it goes!
Then it's onto DC, and finally meeting!
There are people who, when given refrigerator rights, will pull out the food and still expect you to cook it for them and serve it to them (and that's just fine if you're my 4 year-old).
Otherwise, If you have refrigerator rights, you automatically also get stove rights, fry pan rights, cupboard rights, sink scrubby rights and towel rights.
Thats' the flip side.
When I talk about my Social Sales Funnels, I have a Sales Team. These are people that promote me – and I in return promote then. UNless they do their side, and pitch in with cleaning the dishes, cleaning the stove, makes the calls and doing the admin to get the work, then they don't get the refrigerator rights.
Sure, there are also kids who need help. So I help them, while they are kids – because I am investing into them to take on the family business.
Righto, Scott. It is all about balancing blessing with responsibility. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required.
Isn't that what Spiderman said?
I think another superhero said it first.
Forgot to include *chuckles* before my last comment. Spiderman – that was funny.
Dude, you're quick.
You know it is funny how many Christians read this blog and connect with me. Awesome. Love it.