Taxonomy of Blogs – A Media Perspective Narayanan Madhavan

Twinkle, twinkle little blog How I wonder what you hog Blogs are like stars, abundant – and often look vague from a distance Classifying them is a challenge, but it helps you organise the universe If you are trying to make sense of it all, it pays to identify a type

Blogs are like stars, abundant – and often look vague from a distance

Classifying them is a challenge, but it helps you organise the universe

If you are trying to make sense of it all, it pays to identify a type

Sanity blogs: “I love talking to myself” They help the blogger make sense of inner confusion Serve as online personal diaries Makes little difference to the community or world

They help the blogger make sense of inner confusion

Serve as online personal diaries

Makes little difference to the community or world

Identity blogs: “I blog, therefore I am” Lets you find a way out of boredom or humdrum life, engage the world Done for self-fulfillment, fun and appreciation Who am I, anyway?

Lets you find a way out of boredom or humdrum life, engage the world

Done for self-fulfillment, fun and appreciation

Vanity blogs: “Mirror, mirror on the wall …” Individuals love to talk about themselves Unless they are darned good (and lucky!), they are losers!

Individuals love to talk about themselves

Unless they are darned good (and lucky!), they are losers!

Humanity blogs: “I want you to help” Social commitment and causes are promoted by blogs blog.blanknoise.org unwantedgirlchild.blogspot.com

Social commitment and causes are promoted by blogs

blog.blanknoise.org

unwantedgirlchild.blogspot.com

Theme blogs: “This is what it is all about ” Bloggers take a topic and create value by focusing on a theme http://tamizhpenn.blogspot.com http://eoid.wordpress.com

Bloggers take a topic and create value by focusing on a theme

http://tamizhpenn.blogspot.com

http://eoid.wordpress.com

Professional blogs: “Keep in touch with me, OK?” Help engage community and shape thoughts Subtle promotion of personality brand Ideal for lawyers, doctors,authors, consultants www.tompeters.com mediascribbles.blogspot.com www.scobelizer.com www.chitradivakaruni.com

Help engage community and shape thoughts

Subtle promotion of personality brand

Ideal for lawyers, doctors,authors, consultants

www.tompeters.com

mediascribbles.blogspot.com

www.scobelizer.com

www.chitradivakaruni.com

Corporate blogs: “We are reaching out…” Blogs may be by individuals but promote corporate missions and objectives Hosted on company sites Engage employees, customers, partners, media and community Google, Microsoft, blah, blah

Blogs may be by individuals but promote corporate missions and objectives

Hosted on company sites

Engage employees, customers, partners, media and community

Google, Microsoft, blah, blah

Project blogs: “We have this thing going.. ” Help promote books, projects, events Collaboration and co-creation of experiences Often have limited shelf-life www.newageofinnovation.com Khayaldarpan.blogspot.com

Help promote books, projects, events

Collaboration and co-creation of experiences

Often have limited shelf-life

www.newageofinnovation.com

Khayaldarpan.blogspot.com

Blogs can overlap, evolve, change Collablogs are created by groups Blogrolls, social networks create patterns Blogs meant for one purpose can serve another Blogs blur distinction between individuals, corporates

Collablogs are created by groups

Blogrolls, social networks create patterns

Blogs meant for one purpose can serve another

Blogs blur distinction between individuals, corporates

Media blogs: “We think we get this, but…” Publishers, media companies, columnists, writers, journalists engage readers and viewers through official media Websites

Publishers, media companies, columnists, writers, journalists engage readers and viewers through official media Websites

Media-plus blogs: “Come on in, dude…” Popular bloggers get co-opted by media houses www.freakonomics.com is with NYT allthingsd is with WSJ Sulekha.com turns bloggers into authors

Popular bloggers get co-opted by media houses

www.freakonomics.com is with NYT

allthingsd is with WSJ

Sulekha.com turns bloggers into authors

New Media blogs: “We think we have a business here” Media blogs try to make money by creating readership/viewership Venture funding and corporatisation are real www.gigaom.com www.contentsutra.com They serve as community platforms, news services, with value additions Revenue from advertising, events…and then?

Media blogs try to make money by creating readership/viewership

Venture funding and corporatisation are real

www.gigaom.com

www.contentsutra.com

They serve as community platforms, news services, with value additions

Revenue from advertising, events…and then?

Neo-media Blogs: Nanopublishing Blog-like media sites that run like community news services A new kind of publishing: focus is key, costs can be low www.alleyinsider.com www.gawker.com www.bombaybitch.com Positioning, digital ad metrics critical for future growth

Blog-like media sites that run like community news services

A new kind of publishing: focus is key, costs can be low

www.alleyinsider.com

www.gawker.com

www.bombaybitch.com

Positioning, digital ad metrics critical for future growth

Watch out for a powershift In the first phase of blogging (Web 2.0), freebies dominate unknown universe. As the landscape changes, a shakeout will begin. Value does not go out of fashion; attention, fame money will chase the right bloggers End of Loser Generated Content?

In the first phase of blogging (Web 2.0), freebies dominate unknown universe. As the landscape changes, a shakeout will begin.

Value does not go out of fashion; attention, fame money will chase the right bloggers

Thank You! madhavan.n @gmail.com

madhavan.n @gmail.com