Blogger's summertime blues

When stepping away means a drop in traffic, bloggers struggle with what to do about vacation. Elizabeth Holmes discusses the problem in today's Wall Street Journal: No Day at the Beach

In the height of summer-holiday season, bloggers face the inevitable question: to blog on break or put the blog on a break? Fearing a decline in readership, some writers opt not to take vacations. Others keep posting while on location, to the chagrin of their families. Those brave enough to detach themselves from their keyboards for a few days must choose between leaving the site dormant or having someone blog-sit.

To be sure, most bloggers don't agonize over this decision. Of the 12 million bloggers on the Internet, only about 13% post daily, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Even fewer -- 10% -- spend 10 or more hours a week on their blogs.

Yet for the sliver of people whose livelihood depends on the blog -- whether they are conservative, liberal or don't care -- stepping away from the keyboard can be difficult. Unlike other jobs, where co-workers can fill in for an absent employee, blogs are usually a one-person show. A blogger's personality carries the site. When the host isn't there, readers tend to stray. August is a slow time for all blogs, but having an absent host makes the problem worse. Lose enough readers, and advertisers are sure to join the exodus.

...Some bloggers thrive on the manic pace. Getaways for Jim Romenesko, host of the popular media blog bearing his name, consist of a Friday afternoon drive every month or so from his home in the Chicago suburbs to visit friends in Milwaukee. The 85-mile trip should last around 90 minutes. For Mr. Romenesko, it takes nearly four hours -- because he stops at eight different Starbucks on the way to update his site.

The longest Mr. Romenesko has refrained from posting on his site, which gets about 70,000 hits a day, was for one week three years ago on the insistence of site owner, the Poynter Institute. He hasn't taken a vacation in seven years. "The column's called Romenesko," he says. "I just feel it should be Romenesko" who writes it.

While it may seem like a chore to outsiders, many bloggers enjoy the compulsion. Mark Lisanti, who runs the entertainment gossip blog Defamer, is much like Mr. Romenesko in his no-vacation tendencies. Although he gets three weeks off each year from Gawker Media, which owns the site, he rarely takes a day. Not because he can't, he just doesn't want to. "My plan is to die face down on the desk in the middle of a post," Mr. Lisanti jokes.

...Kevin Drum, author of Washington Monthly's blog Political Animal, says he used to have that kind of proprietary attitude. At some point, Mr. Drum says, "You just have to let go."

Stepping away often means accepting a decline in readership. While Mr. Drum was on vacation for two days last week, his site averaged 45,000 hits, about 10,000 fewer than the previous weeks, according to Site Meter.

Mr. Drum turned to guest bloggers. Choosing temporary replacements is a great way to expose your audience to new voices, says Lauren Gelman, associate director of Stanford University Law School's Center for Internet and Society and a sometimes guest blogger at legal sites.

But, as in Mr. Weigel's case at the Daily Dish, it's not easy. Much like a guest host on a late-night talk show, people have specific expectations for a proven brand. A new contributor needs to maintain the tone of the site and not alienate its readers.

At the same time, the guest blogger can't follow a script or act like a substitute teacher who regurgitates the lesson, says Ms. Gelman. Without some creativity or flavor from the new writer, postings sound stale. "Not all voices are created equal," notes Aaron Adams, an information technology consultant from Missouri who reads nearly 20 blogs a day. "Some guest bloggers don't do much more than just keep the light on. They're not as interesting or as stimulating."

...Glenn Reynolds, a law professor at the University of Tennessee, experienced a ..blow this month when he took a weeklong break from his site, the popular political blog InstaPundit. Unique visitors fell to 115,000 from around 150,000, according to Site Meter. Even so, Mr. Reynolds is glad he took the week off. "I need a vacation more than I care about the traffic," he says.

I was lucky enough to have the excellent Mark Thoma step in during my recent break. But not everyone has such support.

Comments

[Paul Elford]

This strikes me as being somewhat up your own backside. I came upon your site by chance and in the main i think it has a lot to offer. I am new to the blogging scenario and am probably not too qualified for serious comment. I have however, observed how corporations (appear) to be embracing the blog world. Probably for their own designs. I remain dubious!
cheers
Can I really get someone to sponser a blog?

[Air Jordan shoes]

Things are encounterable, yet unseekable.when i first pay my attention to here i know it deserves my time to read it. Good day ,for my sincere wishes.