Everyone seems to be in a race to publish a story or news report first, and while there is something to be said for being the first to get information online, it isn’t always the smartest way to blog.

I have seen big blogs like TechCrunch and others publish an article before getting confirmation in hopes of getting the news out first. Sometimes the information they have is wrong, or untrue, and in my opinion, if it were any other blog, that type of publishing would damage the brand.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your blog is to let an idea, or post simmer in your mind for a while. This also lets you build up a real article, rather than a small punchy story.

I have watched as some of the bloggers I know take a story that has had its run online, take in all the facts, add their own thoughts and opinions and publish articles that become some of the best resources about the topic they were covering.

I think that more bloggers need to take the time to make helpful, amazing, and useful resources for their readers rather than trying to be the first to publish in hopes of getting lots of social media traffic.

One of the blogs I run gets ten times the traffic from search engines just because the writer takes the time to make each article a resource in her field. It is amazing what happens when time and energy are used to create an amazing post, rather than a sensational one.

Give your ideas and thoughts their due consideration before just slapping them on the web and you will be creating something that lasts.

Originally posted on May 28, 2008 @ 9:03 pm