David Jackson

Can Blogs Beat CNET?

The NY Times article which Ralph points to in the previous comment on this article is worth reading. Some quick thoughts:

-- As the volume of content on the Internet rockets, the key issue for bloggers who want to build a business around blogging is whether or not they can become a "category killer", ie. the must-go-to site on that topic. Both Michael and Rafat have achieved that -- Michael for coverage of Web 2.0 companies and Rafat for coverage of the media industry for insiders.

-- Other than the benefits of pooling tech and business resources, I'm not sure that Michael's idea of grouping together top bloggers will lead to greater success, as it would probably result in a product that is less focused (ie. less obviously a "category killer").

-- In the NYT article, Michael and Rafat disagree about how "edgy" the writing should be. I personally think there's room for different styles; the key issue is whether you're good enough to be a category killer, using whatever style comes naturally to you.

-- As a tech blogger, Michael competes with CNET. In the NYT article, Rafat says he competes with trade publications. My gut feeling is that Rafat's market is easier to compete in, because there are so many established sites and blogs about tech. (That, btw, is testimony to how talented Michael is - that he's stood out in such a crowded field.)

-- Building a business from blogs isn't easy, because there's so much more free content on the Internet now versus five years ago. (Look at the newspaper stocks, and ask yourself if you really want to become a journalist!) Most of the contributors to Seeking Alpha are writing in addition to their full time jobs because they enjoy it and they want to participate in a discussion with more exposure, and their articles have the effect of promoting their careers and their businesses. They're not trying to move into journalism as a livelihood.

-- Even the "category killer blog" model won't necessarily generate most of its revenue from advertising, because the audiences are extremely focused and valuable but of limited size. So it's not surprising that Michael and Rafat both have jobs boards and make money from conferences. I think we'll see the leading blogs move even more into those sorts of revenue generators in future.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this.
David