Sun 3 Sep 2006
Blogging books: what category do they belong to?
Posted by Mark White, Blog Consultant in Blogging News , Corporate Blogging
I love bookshops, always have. There’s something about them which attracts me - I love browsing and just flicking through the books, picking out pieces that interest me - I guess that’s a little what I do when browsing blogs as well, dipping in and dipping out of ones that looking interesting and returning to them time and again. Clearly, having an RSS reader makes the job a lot simpler online!
Anyway, during a visit to one of my favourite bookshops yesterday, I decided to check out what books on blogging were currently available here in London. My first challenge, however, was to find them. My own take on Blogs is that they are first and foremost a communications tool so the Marketing section seemed like a good starting point; but then they are also an excellent Business Development Tool, so maybe the Sales section would be more likely; alternatively, I use mine partly as a networking aid so would that be the best section to start with?
Well, as it happened, none of them showed any sign of a blogging book. So, where did I finally find them? Well, there were two in Web Design, two in Internet for Beginners and a solitary book (Blog Marketing by Jeremy Wright) in the eCommerce section nestled among all of the books about how to make your fortune on eBay!
I suppose that that shouldn’t really have come as a surprise. Most people’s first reaction is to view blogs simply from a technical perspective when they first come across them. The challenge is getting beyond that and being able to focus on the business applications, which is where blogs really come into their own - unfortunately, I find that many people are still stymied by the word “Blog” and their perceptions of what it means to them.
Anyway, while still enjoyable, my trip to the bookshop didn’t yield any new purchases on this occasion. It did, however, remind me that there is still work to be done to show businesses where the real value of blogs lie and plenty of opportunities for those who catch on quickest.
September 5th, 2006 at 6:15 am
I was in Waterstone’s Picadilly the other day and they had a table display devoted to blogging/web publishing, I think it was hovering between the computing and business sections. I had a browse and my impression was there wasn’t much that would be news for readers of sites like this - but I suppose that’s not the point, the books are there for people who don’t already know about blogging. So was interesting to see this little ‘island’ afloat between the technical manuals and management ‘how to’ books - I wonder how big the table will be in 5 years? Or whether the information will just be common knowledge in the business section?
September 5th, 2006 at 11:39 am
Mark - good to hear that they were highlighting blogging in that way, though still in conjunction with web publishing which, as I mention in the post, is only natural at the moment. I think that the table will continue to grow but that in 5 years time the landscape in terms of blogs will be very different as will the subjects being covered.
From a technical level, I see websites and blogs converging more with the functionality being common to both. Let’s face it blogs are already websites and websites can be blogs. All very confusing! Ultimately, it’s how you use them which differentiates the two and the potential uses of blogs are just going to keep expanding .. so watch this space!
September 5th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
My blogging book - or soon to be books - are in the marketing section of the bookstore.
My publisher made a decision to ensure the books are not too technical so they don’t end up in the “computer section” (”Ted, don’t make it technical, we want it in the business section”).
In the US at least, most are in the business/marketing section, although some (e.g. “Blogging for Dummies”) are in the computer section.
And thanks for your contributions to my next book Mark!
September 5th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
Ted - that’s great to hear and hopefully that is the way that the UK market will go as well. At the moment, we are still behind the US in understanding just how influential they can be from a marketing/business perspective so I guess that is why they get left in the Computing section.
I’m afraid that your 1st book (Blogging for Business - for anyone who hasn’t yet read it, and shame on you!), wasn’t in the bookshop I visited.
Luckily, I have my own well thumbed copy at home though!
I hope that when your next book arrives on the shelves over here, that we will be at a stage when I can confidently go to the Business/Marketing section, safe in the knowldedge that I will find it there!!
All the best, Mark