Undated Posts and Blogs that love them

Tonite on Oprah . . . no, just kidding.

Blog posts are typically dated, but do they have to be? Of course not! Blogs are just a business tool, and we can use them however we like.

I also blog at The Ted Rap, and just removed the dates from my posts. "WHY?" you ask?

At least during the launch of What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting, I'm going to be posting primarily here. It's a question of available time.

I considered temporarily leaving The Ted Rap dormant, perhaps with a "Back In A Couple Of Months Message," but I do occasionally have something to say that simply doesn't fit in here.

Posting only once a week or so using traditional dated posts means that some visitors will judge my blog, at least in part, by how often I post. "He hasn't posted in 10 days -- this blog must be unimportant," I imagine some people saying.

Now instead, people can say "It's not a real blog -- the posts aren't dated." Of course that's nonsense, and I won't listen to the "Blog Nazis" who insist they can define what is and isn't a blog!

Actually I owe this idea to Dave Taylor - thanks Dave!

Comments

[Oprah Winfrey]

That's a splendid idea for a show, Ted! I'll have my booking person give your agent a call.

-- O

[ Alright, just kidding. It's Dave T. Thanks for the tip o' the hat! :-) ]

[Ben Yoskovitz]

The date issue is an interesting one.

Removing the dates certainly helps cover up the fact that a blog isn't as active, but ultimately, I think blog readers expect frequent updates or they lose interest. And they'll know whether something is updated whether there are dates or not.

Ted -- did you remove the dates from comments too? Because I could see people looking at the discussions and seeing the "dated-ness" there. Just curious.

When I see a blog with an old date, it's hard to want to stay there - so I think removing the dates can help, but I wonder if it's effective enough at keeping people's attention?

As for whether it's a blog or not with or without dates; I think that's ultimately a silly semantic argument. If the content is good, the content is good, and people will want to read it. Of course if the content is really good, people will want more...so infrequent posting makes it tougher...

Thanks for pushing the discussion Ted!

[Ted Demopoulos, Blogging for Business]

Hi Dave,

In some ways you remind me of Oprah! Hmmm, lemme count the ways: you're well known, popular, and -- uhhh, some other things. Think of me when you get your TV show :)

Hi Ben,

Just removed the dates from the posts, not comments. Of course the content is most important.

I see removing the date as having one primary effect -- casual visitors will be less likely to prejudge the comment if it's not very recent.

[nettie hartsock]

I love this idea and hope it catches on! If the content is valuable in a post on a blog, why should it be judged by the serious or casual reader by a date stamp? It's not like milk that sours, it's more like a great wine that gets even better with age!

Bravo!
Nettie

[Ted Demopoulos, Blogging for Business]

Nettie,

I like that: a fine post is like a fine wine, it improves with age :)