Does The Way You Look Affect Your Blog?
Its something that hasn’t been really talked about but do readers really care about how you look? I mean, think about it, there are some bloggers that use a picture of an attractive female as their MyBlogLog avatar and I wonder if it affects them. The following question is directed first to the males in my reading audience. Be honest, which one of these avatars would you most likely click on if you saw them on your blog:
Girl 2What about my female audience, which one of the following avatars would you click on if you saw them?
Guy 2Well, its not that bloggers are shallow individuals but its just human nature that we are more tempted to click on a bloggers avatar if they are good looking. The idea of this post is that there are good looking bloggers out there and maybe they’re getting attention because of their looks. I’m trying not to be critical or anything but there was talk about Jane May not really being a real person since that was the only picture we saw of her. I’m not disagreeing that she had great content but do you think she would be as popular if she wasn’t easy on the eyes? I’m not saying that looks is all that matters, and I’m sure that great content is also a reason why some of them are successful but if you think about it, wouldn’t you feel a bit short changed if you found out that your favorite blogger was really someone else? I guess I would.
Truth to be told though, the males are more affected by this than the females are. We may be more tempted to click on an avatar in a long list of threaded comments just because the picture appeals to us. Its not that we’re shallow, its just the way it is. There are some bloggers who have realized that this happens and have changed their avatar images to include an attractive female and I wonder if it really brings in more traffic.
The Low Down: What it all boils down to is that how you portray your blog or your avatar, can really affect your traffic. This means anything from your logo to your Technorati, Twitter or MyBlogLog avatar. It doesn’t even have to be someone attractive of the opposite sex. It could just be a really interesting logo or ad that says “I made $245,535 in 2 days” and that could be more tempting than the ad that says “The Lazy Blogger” or something of that sort.
I just wanted to get your viewpoint on this as it is something that I have not seen mentioned before. Its really not about how successful your image makes you but how tempted you might be to actually check it out. I’d also like to see your response to the image choices given up above. Those images are made small for a reason and that reason is to replicate MyBlogLog avatars! Anyway, waiting to see your responses! Happy Blogging!
First of all Great topic. I do wonder however if your assumption is correct.I’d love it if you took a poll. I think most people on the internet know that people put up fake avatars. Plus some of the top female bloggers are just normal looking yet they do really well.
Good read though and I’d love to see someone explore this idea further.
I think I’ll have to do a follow up on this after a few personal tests
I’d really like to see how this develops myself.
I guess you’re right, looks do matter in the online and offline world
Well yeah, generally people are superficial regardless of whether its offline or online.
I dont know why I would need to use anyone else’s picture. I am too damn good looking
lol
It is very true that good looking pictures attract alot more hits. About 4 years from now I ran some myspace campaigns to have the highest friend count accounts, and I had one with over 20k friends. I had a picture of a female model and that was it.
Hahaha. I would expect that first line from you. I have noticed the myspace trend of one picture of some good looking girl having 5000 friends and that may not even be a real myspace page!
I would say yes.. You stress it, it’s just human nature… Im pretty getting great traffic on blogcatalog not because I look good but because I use good looking pictures…
I checked out blogcatalog and I think you have the right idea there. A good looking picture is also one way to go specially one with bright colors as they tend to stand out more.
Very good question, often wondered about this too myself. And I would have to agree with everyone else here and say Yes, it does affect your blog.
I have to admit, I will keep an interest in blogs who i find attractive. I know that sounds horrible but its just the way things are. I guess its also like high school where all the good looking kids were the popular ones. LOL
Maybe I should change all my picts and avatars to some model and get more traffic! Nah, I totally wouldnt do that, whatcha see is whatcha get. LOL
I laughed out loud about the comment about good looking kids being popular in high school! I think thats hilarious but I have to go with you on that one. I try to check up on MyBlogLog but some avatars are a bit tempting than others!
Great topic mate! Very unique.
In my opinion a beautiful avatar will definitely get you new visitors but after that content and design is all that matters.
However I like to use my logos instead of my pic coz I know I don’t look as good as you!
Hahaha.. Thanks Angad. I think Logos as avatars are a good way of branding so that works well too. I noticed you switched up logos and it looks good! I also agree with you about content.
I’m not picky…I click ‘em all
On a more serious note, I do agree that people can be superficial when it comes to things like that. Although, it all comes back to content because you might get them there once, but that won’t help unless you can get them to keep coming back.
In this world where people are becoming more and more suspicious of online things, I think the best advice would be to “keep it real”
I agree. I think people are superficial but as I mentioned, content also makes a difference. Although, Keeping It Real is great advice!
hahaha I wrote a post like this a while ago. I found that it does in fact attract people, especially guys if it’s a hot girl.
I’ll definitely be checking out your post. I think guys are more easily tempted!
agree with it but wud also agree with wat Nick said too
content is the thing which gets visitors come back to our site/blog and not only the pic
cool topic to b discussed … many users add frds on myspace or other SB sites first by having look on the profile pic
I know people do that with social networking, but I would think not so much in the blogosphere because there is the element of reading what the other is writing and actually trying to have meaningful discussion….pictures/looks aren’t everything and I think that the blogosphere is more likely to expose that fact than other forms of social networking.
Honestly, I would click Guy 2. Guy 1 is obviously fake, and I admire honesty much more than looks. Besides, I don’t think Guy 2 is that bad looking…
It just depends on person to person and all that means is that youre not superficial. Its a good thing so I’m glad to see that!
I have to confess, but yes!
I think , content is all that matters.
You also may be right.
For example consider John Chow,
First when i visited his blog, I thought that some Japanese or some Chinese person is blogging. I din’t concentrate much on his blog. This happened first.
Then after some days, I was redirected through google to his blog for some query, then I read some contest.
Then I understood that he is a good blogger.