You asked what I meant by “just the facts blogs” — I was referring to the type of blog that offers updates or reports on a subject, without any sense of personality at all, and yes, I think they are often specialized niche blogs, though they don’t have to be.

For these blogs, the authors can change, but as a reader, I’d never notice. These blogs have to stay very focused on their topic, or they’ll lose me. With no personal interest in the blogger themselves, no sense of a relationship, the minute it stops being useful, I’m gone.

The comments about testimonials were interesting — For me, very few of them register on my radar, and I often suspect they’re “not real” since new products often crop up with 50 glowing testimonials… meaning they are either forged, from beta testers, from friends, etc. A personal recommendation from one blogger I trust goes a lot further than 100 testimonials from strangers.

Many reviews are indeed sponsored, or are written by people who are intending to show why a product is good, and thus there may be a high chance that they may push only the strong good points onto the public. Good point again.

I really think that phrase is interesting. Thank you again.

Vivien-inspirationbit, thanks for sharing. That is how one of the ways to look at this, in my view, should be: to give everyone a fair chance and then decide whether or not something is worth our time and attention.

That is a good way to measure things, to see whether we have more personal or more non-personal blogs in our readers, bookmarks and other places. That can also help us understand why we may like something, yet our actions may say things a bit differently. It sure will help me.

Answer: a resounding “I don’t know”.

To be honest, I don’t trust testimonials unless I know the person giving the testament. If you didn’t know me and saw an advertisement with an endorsement from “Carolyn Manning, Pennsylvania” what in the world would induce you to believe it? Without personal knowledge, you don’t even know if there’s a person by that name living in Pennsylvania.

A public review is an alternative, but that isn’t without it’s jade, either. Many reviews are sponsored, therefore we’re back to “believe it or not”.

If I’m close to being right, that leaves us with the phrase you like so much: a personal flavor using the writer’s natural flair.

“A personal flavor using the writer’s natural flair” - very interesting wording.

Yep, that’s where I was going: a personal flavor using the writer’s natural flair.

True, it can be nice to fully express your feelings on a topic, or most of them, so that one can cover all the bases. However, many bloggers working for some corporations tend to be biased in their personal opinions, since they want to promote their company and also because they do not want to upset their employers. What do you think about many corporations not preferring employees to talk negatively about their products?

Carolyn Manning, thank you for commenting. Sure, corporate and news blogs can add a personal touch on a little bit formal level, though I usually notice that the ones already doing that are biased because they promote their work and products.

A good next question should be: should a personal injection be balanced, or can it be biased since it still adds a personal opinion to things? Would being biased in one’s writing to promote his or her company, even if it is personal writing, be the same as a corporate writing ot an advertising since they are tend and aim to promote a certain brand and product?

MT of MindTweaks, thanks for the comment too. I also keep up with some friends through their personal journals.

By just the facts blogs, do you mean very blogs with very specialized niches talking about something very specific?

Your comment is a good example of how the title and the opening content can help both personal and non-personal blogging articles and posts.

Yes, I think see what you mean. Thank you.

: ) (personality) —>(point)

See what I mean?

Short answer: a bit of personal injection is preferable.

BeachBum