Sunday, 17 May 2009

  • Power of Questions

    In case you've never noticed this, take a look at a few blogs featured on ish sites. What do they have in common? Okay, that was rhetorical unless you really want to go look. I'll just tell you: They tend to end with a question for the readers. That's not a coincidence; it's effective marketing. The idea behind a question is that it solicits a response. For the Xanga team, featuring those questions promotes more feedback on the front page, and it helps their case with advertisers and such; the same idea is behind Featured Questions.

    I could have stopped writing this post after that first paragraph, and I would have gotten a few comments. Most of them would have said something to the effect of "Good job," or "I agree;" there'd probably be one guy who was just dying to rant about ish sites who would comment accordingly and perhaps someone just looking to disagree or to invite me to be a Jehovah's Witness, but you get the idea.

    You've probably all written something that you thought was awesome and informative or persuasive only to be disappointed that no one seems to care. Most of the time it's because you've given them little to work with. I've often read good blogs and come to the end not knowing what to say in response. Do I merely say that I agree and leave the writer to wonder whether I copied and pasted that other guy's response? Do I rant unsolicited about my take on the matter? Do I play the devil's advocate? Do I *gasp* leave eProps with no comment? Do I *double gasp* correct the writer's mechanical errors in spelling, usage, grammar, etc? I don't know; none of them seems like it would be very satisfying to the writer.

    Some people will just move on without commenting, quite a few people in fact. So don't put your readers in such a moral dilemma; throw us a bone; ask us a question when you can. We all like to talk about what we think; otherwise we wouldn't have blogs; all we need is a starting point.

    Considering the content above, I would be remiss not to ask you anything (to tell the truth, I really just wanted to ask the questions in the first place, and the rest is more of an afterthought, but don't tell anyone; it'll be our little secret), so I'll leave you with two questions.

    1: If you wanted to get to know someone and could only ask them one question, what would it be?

    2: What's your idea of a perfect date?

    PS: 2 is my answer to 1, and I'll answer 2 in the comments later.

Comments (25)

  • TornadoChaser@momaroo

    Effective.  


    1. I would ask them to describe their biggest life defining moment. 
    2. Any date where there's a babysitter involved. $15 an hour is so worth it to go out sans children. 
  • trunthepaige

    One needs to draw in your readers, to make things interactive. That is if you want them to make comments and tell you what they are thinking

    in answer to your questions

    #1 What's your idea of a perfect date?

    #2 Medjool

  • The44thHour

    And yet, at the end of this, I don't know what to say. :P

    My answer for #1 would be #1. Because there is so much you can understand from one answer. It's not justthe words that come into play, but how they say it, how they react ect. And if I like the question the posed, maybe I'll use it next time. haha

    The perfect date is 4/4/44. ;D Oh, you mean going out with a person?

    A perfect date really depends on the person you are going out with. To me, it shouldn't too much where y'all are and what y'all are doing. Of course, this would also depend on whether it was a first date or not.
    You see, in a first date you would want the other person to feel as comfortable as possible. Therefore you'd pick a rather simple activity (such as eating) and a place that subtly lets them know a little about you. So I might take her out to an Italian restaurant. During that date (of maybe before y'all began dating) you would find out more about her and could therefore know of (or guess) other places and activities that suit her (hopefully y'alls) interests. Like going hiking and have a pick nick along the way, or go out to a lake and bring a pick nick, or go wandering through the city, cameras in hand and bring a pick nick. (Its always important to bring food.)

    Well, I guess I found something to say after all. So what have you found out about me from these answers?

  • Ritzypuffles

    Hehehehheehe......
  • happyworld_ofharibo

    I agree.

    LOL. I'm funny.
    I have this difficulty, I hate when people just say I agree but I also know what its like to come to the end of a post and not exactly know how to comment. So I have taken to occasionally putting those big bold questions at the bottom. Yesterday however I wrote a blog to do with racism and a political party in England, and then I submitted it to be featured (just because I felt like it, not because I expect it) and I knew I should write a question at the bottom but the only one I could think of was "Are YOU racist?" which just didnt seem right. So I left it.

  • happyworld_ofharibo

    Oh and I dont really have answers to those questions, they are too generalistic for me. It would depend on who the other person was, what I already knew about them, how I was feeling at that paticular moment and other such things.
  • DanishDoll

    I often end my blog with a question, but it is more like a challenge to the reader, or something to make them think once more about what they have read. I never realized it was "effective marketing!"
  • NoPenniesHere

    1:  If your house was on fire and you could only rescue one thing, what would it be?


    2:  There is no one place or thing to do for a perfect date.  The perfect date is being with someone you care about & having a great time no matter what you do.
  • XxRainyxMondayxX

    The one time I ended my blog with a question, it was a rhetorical question and everyone answered anyway... kinda pissed me off to be honest.  lol.

    1.  Do you truly love yourself? 
    2.  Just walking around, holding hands and kissing under the stars :)
  • AnamcharaConcepts

    hmmm, answer or leave 2 eprops and move on......


    #1. What 5 things about you do you think I don't already.


    #2 The perfect date is when 2 people don't want the time to end.
  • randaness

    If I really don't know what to say, I usually do just leave eProps.

    1: What is the one thing you love most about yourself?

    2: My perfect date would be some sort of dinner and conversation, an hour of perusing a book shop, and ending the day with cake batter flavoured ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery. At least, that sounds appealing right now. It varies with my mood, however.
  • TastyAnonymity

    1. Cake or death?

    2. That's a tough one. I would have to say April 25th. Because it's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.
  • echois23

    1.) Can you complete this survey for me please.....


    2.) A long walk in the woods
  • mycontinuity

    I'd ask if all their friends were on a sinking ship and they could only save one, who would that be and why. I could see what they value in a friendship through that choice, and what binds them to certain types of people.


    A perfect date wouldn't so much be the date itself, but finding a guy who is right for me and knowing he feels the same. Being on a fabulously expensive and romantic date with the wrong person isn't a great date to me.
  • blanket_attack

    1: "What's your happiest memory?"

    2: Oh man. Perfect date questions are hard. I like simple, cheap dates...like going to a park and playing on the playground. That's always fun.

    I end my posts with questions because I suck at conclusions. It's just easier to ask a question than to spend 20 minutes coming up with a good ending.
  • maniacsicko

    1. I'm hungry. You?


    2. it's perfect
  • LadyLibellule

    I don't feel like answering those particular questions, but I just thought I'd let you know that I actually read this post.  
  • Xx_Kittt_xX

    hmm...i understand WHY people ask questions after a blog post but it just seems very unnatural to me. i'd much rather read a blog solely about THAT person and the experience or thoughts the blog is referring to. cuz your posts aren't about everyone else. they may like to comment or agree or disagree or whatever it may be but i don't think people should constantly bring others into the post by questions.

    as for your questions...
    1- i'd ask them what their biggest/strongest/most intense passion in the entire world is
    2- tough question. i honestly hate "dating". it just feels unnatural to me. i like the time before that and after that but the whole dating/getting to know each other thing is always a weird time. i agree with a lot of the people here who say it depends on the person. the perfect date to me would be one in which neither people even realize they are on a "date". where its not a date....its just living your life with someone to share that time with. although i've always wanted to just go to church and then spend the day at the lake/park with someone. i hate going places like the movies/dinner/concert/coffeehouse etcc. i prefer anything laid back/free.
  • buckeyegirl31

    Good advice-and I noticed that after I started asking questions after I write a post, I get more answers then when I don't ask one. To answer your questions:


    1. What has been your proudest moment?


    2. A walk on the beach, but since I live no where near a beach, I'd have to say dinner/movie. Or just discovering a new resturant. I love little hole in the wall places.
  • wynnw

    You know, I've tried this and the weird thing it I didn't get very many responses. And out of the comments that I did get, only the question was answered but the reader didn't mention anything else in my blog. I was frustrated because it seemed like they didn't read anything I had to say and only wanted to jump at a chance to talk about themselves.


    Maybe I thought about it too much? haha.
  • xx_brokendreamer_xx

    Interesting.

    1 - How are you?
    2 - Perfect.
  • stefinini

    @TastyAnonymity - I don't think anybody noticed your answer to question 2...haha. Or maybe I'm the only loser who's seen that movie.   : )


    1) I have no idea.


    2) For me, going to concerts with my boyfriend are the absolute best dates. We have the same taste in music and we can go and have fun together and do our own thing for a bit. Plus, I always have someone I know to give me a lift to crowd surf. Hehe.
  • Discovering_Michi

    1.  Wanna come over to my house tomorrow and hang out?

    2.  Long walks late at night in no particular direction, talking until we run out of things to talk about, walking until we run out of places to go, and then basking in that moment at the end of the world in perfect silence.
  • onlyjustbegun

    1. How would you define love?

    2. A long walk on a warm summer night, enjoying each other's company and getting to know one another... plus dessert afterwards. OR... a trip to Disneyland, the happiest place on earth!

  • joyfulmoolady

    @DanishDoll - Momma Mae, this is the guy I was telling you about. He's awesome. :)

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