Top Twelve Blogger Lies

Given the interest around the “Top 10 VC Lies” stuff, I thought I might try my hand at a top ten list. Or twelve, for a change. How about, Top 12 Blogger Lies? This was exciting. A new idea, and sure to be skads of fun.

What did I do first? Google the phrase, as any good blogger would do, to be sure they were adding something unique (or at least incremental) to the blog universe. Lo and behold, some smarty pants has already done a list like this called Top Ten Blogger Lies. In January 2006, right after he read Guy Kawasaki’s blog on Top 10 VC Lies. And he even cited Kawasaki’s piece as his inspiration.

So, with the full knowledge that there will undoubtedly be crossover with other lists out there on the same theme, and giving credit to David Letterman (who started this Top 10 stuff back when I was in highschool), here are my Top Twelve Blogger Lies, based upon less than a year of watching people in this petri dish:

12. I never lazily post comments about things I’ve read in the New York Times or The Wall Street Journal, or similar dead tree media outlets.

11. I could care less if established media outlets, such as CNBC, Barron’s or The Globe & Mail quote from my blog.

10. I’m surprised how seriously other bloggers take themselves.

9. I’ve never been jealous of another site’s widgets.

8. Michael Arrington? Never heard of him.

7. I rarely check for links from other sites.

6. When another blog links to my site, I’m usually too busy to follow it back to see which of my pithy, insightful remarks warranted the “shout out”.

5. When I post comments on other sites, I do so as the spirit moves me, and not to get traffic back from the url I deftly left behind.

4. I’ve never read Copyblogger or Daily Blog Tips, looking for ideas.

3. I never comment on controversial topics, solely to generate traffic.

2. My Techorati ranking? Don’t know. Never checked.

1. I spend just 20 minutes a day on the blog.

MRM