What can we do to make financial blogs relevant?

Let's face it for most people blogging about personal financial issues puts people to sleep. Here are some quotes about financial bloggers.

"There should be a separate level of hell for "personal finance blogs", which on average are the most boring sort of web narcissism imaginable."   READ MORE >>

"Most personal finance blogs leave me a bit cold. Either they seem commercial, or sploggy or dry and boring." READ MORE >>

"Some are good. Some are funny. Some are boring and some, by comparison, make the stock tables in the back of the newspaper read like poetry."  READ MORE >>

The truth is there are times when I am bored to tears when reading financial blogs. While there are some people who read blogs in order to be educated about a subject, many blog readers want to be entertained and read something different. I realize that financial bloggers need to maintain a certain level credibility, but I challenge myself and other bloggers to dare to be different, dare to experiment, and if you are going to share your financial journey, share the good, bad, and the ugly.

Comments

[Philip]

I think you're right, this should be a challenge to all of us. You know, I only read this stuff because I am more interested about learning then entertainment; mixing the two is extremeley difficult (how many people find money funny? The blantantly rich.)

Being a writer by trade, I feel somewhat qualified to say this medium is not very friendly to anything deep - it needs only soundbites. Maybe it is time to rethink the strategy. Great post.

[Leigh Ann]

I don't think mine is very boring. Yours isn't either!

[Paula]

I think if you are real in your approach to what you are doing to change your habits regarding money, people will read your blog.

[Douglas Cootey]

"If you build it they will come" is highly overrated. There are many excellent blogs out there that are being ignored. This one for example, and dare I be vain, mine. ;) First of all, summer is bad for blogs in general but for B-listers and C-listers it can feel like death. Second of all, blogs like this aren't fluffy and light. They can't be skimmed. Thirdly, people associate finances with pain and torture. I'm sure you're a fun guy, but you mention budgets and bills and most people run screaming. Lastly, there's simply too much noise out there and financial blogs just don't get people excited the way tech blogs, political blogs, and entertainment blogs do.

All that being said, I think you do an admirable job and should keep it up. Maybe you could throw "Finances of the Stars" in the mix every once in a while. There's plenty the stars do that are a perfect example of how not to spend our money. :) Throw in a dig at Bush (it's very blogue) whenever discussing budgets, or use other political buzzwords. That'll bring the politicos in. LOL

[John MacKenzie]

Doug

I read your blog and you do a great job. Based on the number of quality comments that you get I don't think people are ignoring your blog. The problem is that there is a limited audience for blogs like yours and mine. I think summer is a good time to experiment. I really like your finances of the stars idea.