Spin It and Bite: The Importance of Blogging in Earnest

SpinIt and Bite, otherwise known as Spivak and Bice, had an interesting post today that featured some of Elliot's thoughts about the Cheddarsphere.

I found their comments to be written in the usual Spin It and Bite style: condescending in nature. Take this, for example, "We expect this may offend a few bloggers, particularly those who think the world is breathlessly awaiting their thoughts about everything from the Iraq War to their favorite breakfast cereal."

I hate to break it to them, but I think that last statement is, perhaps, more telling of their own egos than of any blogger's that I know.

I also found it interesting that they neglected to quote what may have been the most important point in Elliot's post:

Does all this mean i hate blogging or think it has no value?

Nope.

I like it quite a bit.

Just having the opportunity to publicly dispute Eugene Kane and Dave Berkman is worth my monthly hosting fee.

And isn't that the heart of the matter? Whether 100 people or 100,000 people read a particular blog, what blogging gives to everyone is the opportunity to have a say. I don't know about the rest of you bloggers, but it's the opportunity that keeps me coming back for more.

So, Spivak and Bice can laugh at me all they want. Except now they have to do so knowing that I can laugh right back.

And if Charlie, or Jessica, or Elliot links to my laughter, then that's a tribute to the power that is word of mouth marketing. Because, Elliot, blogging is exponential.

And yes, there really is a Santa Clause: He's a mathematician. The fact that 100 people read my blog does not mean that the same 100 people read your blog. And across the 50 or so active blogs that are mentioned in Elliot's post, there are probably 1000's of readers that access them on a daily basis.

For what it's worth, though, I don't blog because I expect someone will read it. I blog because I've got something to say. Now, I've got somewhere to say it.