Building a Credible Blog

The current trend of marketing through social media and blogs makes readers rely heavily on blogs for the latest information and happenings. This applies especially to blogs which served as tutorial to the readers, as a news platform and corporate blogs. Therefore, blogs need to be credible to its users.

A credible blog in the minds of readers

Readers of blogs are clever users and they have their own definition of a reliable and credible blog. Readers thinks that the blogs are credible when :

1. they felt that the bloggers have expertise in the area in which they are writing about (Taylor 2006, p.32).

2. "interactive elements are put on a site" (Sundar cited in Finn & Zuniga 2011, p.3)

3. "online information are authored by males than by females" (Armstrong & McAdam cited in Finn & Zuniga 2011, p.3).

How to identify a credible blog

Moreover, Waldeck, Kearney & Plax (2012, p.153) has come out with a table teaching readers to identify a credible blog. According to them, readers should trust the site when:

1. "the website is maintained by government agencies, professional organizations and established news organizations".

A blog by Airasia.

The blog by Airasia above is a credible blog as it is maintained by a well-known organization. Recognizing an organization maintained blog is easy as there is a huge organization logo or brand name at the top part of the webpage such as the 'AIRASIA' logo and pictures on top of the blog. 

2. "when the website is updated frequently"

The side bar of Airasia's blog

Looking at the Airasia's blog under 'Archives' above, the blog has been updated a few times every month and this shows that the blog is well maintained. By looking at the numerous updates from the blog, it confirms that the blog is reliable besides being governed by a well known organization.


3. "authors or sponsors who [does not] have a financial interest in a topic [may]... provide unbiased information about that topic" 

The links to Write a Blog Post on Airasia's blog

Referring to the blog post on Airasia's blog, although it does post information which is of Airasia's interest such as promotion and reviews of places to visit by Airasia; it does not provide a bias information as the blog post is also posted up by Airasia's customers on their travel feedback. For instance, the latest blog post review on travel experience is posted by 'Gerald' with the post entitled 'A Repeat Journey to Malaysia, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia'.

To post a blog post on Airasia's blog, customers have to register an account on Airasia's blog and click the 'Write a Blog Post' icon at the top part of the page near the 'Home' button as shown above. 

4.  "information on the website is validated by multiple sources"

When the link to that particular website is found through other sources, then that particular website is likely to be credible. 

Guide to create a credible blog:

From the reader's perspective above, bloggers need to meet reader's expectation of a credible blog by fulfilling all the criteria that readers will perceive a blog as credible. Therefore, blogs need to:

1. be updated as frequently as possible with good information. 

This is also supported by Meyerson (2010, p.172) where bloggers need to "consistently write fresh content two to three times a week that educate, entertains, engages and enriches their readers".


2.  "disclose any information if the blogs are paid to endorse the products by the manufacturer" (Felder 2012, p.148).

Disclaimer at the bottom of Le3nuts.shopper's blog

An example of 'disclaimer' on Sinfully Delicious's blog

Any reviews on products or places should disclose any benefits received by bloggers to avoid any bias information obtained by readers. Bloggers could put a 'Disclaimer' mentioning that the information posted is based on own judgement at the end of every reviews posted or highlight it in the blog layout as shown in Le3nuts.shopper's blog above or even put a link on the blog to link to a new page showing the 'Disclaimer' with details as shown on Sinfully Delicious's blog above.



3.  "have trackback, blogrolls, and links allow for visible demonstration of networked credibility" (Marlow cited in Finn & Zuniga 2011, p.4).

An example of a blogroll on Table For 2's blog

Bloggers should put credible links and widgets on the sidebar as well as top bar of the blog to show that bloggers are passionately involving themselves in the blogging world and therefore unlikely to give untrue information.

Bloggers could put a 'blogroll' on their blog to show the online events and activities which they had participated in. For instance, the Foodie BlogRoll on Table For 2's blog shows that the blogger had participated in The Green Leaf's and Bananas promotion together with other communities in the Foodie BlogRoll which is also joined by other 14760 blogs. Therefore, it also shows that the blog is linked by others blog to ensure the credibility of the blog.


Besides that, bloggers could also join some blog advertising community such as Nuffnang and Advertlets which is famous in Malaysia.

An example of a blog advertising community link on Four Feet Nine's blog.

A Carlsberg advertisement by Nuffnang on Emily's blog.

By joining these blogging community, bloggers would be able to place well known organization's advertisement on their blog to further assure that it is a credible blog besides being linked to many bloggers in the blogging community.

Furthermore, bloggers could also gain access to product launches and movie preview through these blog advertising communities which helped them to be able to serve as a news provider in terms of new product reviews to the others. This further improves blog credibility besides increasing a blog's followers.

A snapshot of comments replied (the comments in light blue box with pictures icon)by the owner of the blog KampungBoyCityGirl

Bloggers need to engage with the readers by replying to their comments so that readers feel the presence of the bloggers besides answering any reader's doubt. For instance, the owner of the blog KampungBoyCityGirl which is a Malaysia food and travel blog replies to its readers very often as shown in the snapshot above in terms of any queries regarding the places they travel to and how to travel there.

Snapshot of A Whiff of Lemongraff's blog on the 'About this blog' section and the 'recent comments' section.

Moreover, a column of 'Recent Comments' on the sidebar of the blog could also encourage readers to comment as it shows that the comments are acknowledged by the blogger of the blog. As shown on the snapshot of A Whiff of Lemongrass blog above, the comments by readers and replies by the blog owner are clearly visible and it adds credibility to the blog. It also shows professionalism of the blog owner.



5. "include a short bio and add [precise] information in the 'About' section" (Felder 2012, p.149).

the 'About' section on CC Food Travel's blog.

Having a precision in the 'About' section of the blog will ensure readers know what is the topic of discussion of the blog and who are the contributors as well as the owner of the blog. This will ensure readers that they had found the right blog for information and knowing the contributors means that the information on the blog is credible as the owners reviewing themselves to give a feeling of responsibility over the content posted on the blog.

Furthermore, the snapshot of 'A Whiff of Lemongrass' above shows a good way of displaying the 'About the blog' section where a short and precise information about the blog is stated right at the homepage of the blog.


It is important for both readers and bloggers to know the elements of a credible blog to ensure mutual benefits of both parties.


Here are some blogs which are credible and reliable in the contents posted.

Enjoy...

Kenny Sia.

The Kenny Sia blog had won 'The Best Micro-Blog' and also a finalist in the 'Best Travel Blog' category in Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011. The blog had a mixture of product and places reviews as well as posting on sensational news.

Big Boys Oven.

The Big Boys Oven blog features restaurants review and creation of designer cakes by one of the blog owner, Sunny Yau. This blog had appeared numerous times in newspapers and magazines due to the unique designer cakes creation. As Sunny Yau's desserts often appear in the corporate functions, the blog is well known by most professional in the corporate organizations.

KampungBoyCityGirl

The blog KampungBoyCityGirl features useful travel guide for self-organized overseas travel trips. I personally had used their Hong Kong travel guide when I organized my own trip to Hong Kong where all information posted is reliable and can lead us to our destination. Also, they replied to any queries very frequent that we can ask them anything about the guide if we don't understand.  


Hope those recomended websites are useful!

References:

Felder, L 2012, Writing for the Web: creating compelling web content using words, pictures and sounds, New Rides, United States of America.

Finn, J & Zuniga, HG 2011, Online Credibility and Community among blog users, ASIST, United States of America, viewed 18 September 2012, < http://www.asis.org/asist2011/proceedings/submissions/110_FINAL_SUBMISSION.pdf>.

Meyerson, M 2010, Success Secrets of Social Media Marketing Superstars, Jere L.Calmes, Canada.  

Taylor, H 2006, The Executive Blog as a Communication Tool, ProQuest, United States of America.  

Waldeck, J, Kearney, P & Plax, T 2012, Business and Professional Communication in a Digital Age, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Canada. 

# Warning: The description in this blog may contained information which may not applicable to all users. The owner of the blog is not responsible for any loss cause by any misinterpretation of the content posted.