Stuart and i have been talking of blog innovations.  He asks the question Where is Blog Innovation Today ? and raises many issues :

"What's happened to Blog Innovation? Are blogs and their formats "mature"? If so why, or if not why not? ..... What do others think? What are the most innovative new functionalities appearing in blogs today? Then really do the majority of blogger really care? Would changing the blog format too much upset them? .......What new blog genre is required if we are to reinvigorate the category? Is it something with additional photo or audio input? Something else?"  

Raises more questions / issues to me.

The blog itself is a publishing innovation - and is now caught between gaining critical mass through standardization and the need to retain flexibility, versatility and allow innovations.  Here's an interesting survey of 10 websites through elements of their layout, conducted by Francois Briatte that suggests "75% of web design is normative, the rest is merely color and pictures".  And Dave Shea says 'Everything Looks Like a Blog' - a neat discussion at this post with 33 comments - i am singling this one out :

"Ö But I often stuggle with defining ó and then choosing between ó what is intuitive and natural for the user and what is simply learned and comfortable.  Going with what you know an audience has been trained to expect *is* good design, but itís also conservative and it will inevitably make a site look similar to many others. Thatís ok ó some arbitrary standardization in design is worthwhile in any class of product, whether a chainsaw or a web page (saves toes and mouse clicks too). Designing as if the audience should discard what it has learned elsewhere is foolishly arrogant.

But on the other hand, designing to encourage new ways of interacting ó ways that inform rather than negate other experiences ó is brilliantly arrogantÖ Challenging the audience can bring an unexpected delight in the moment, and it can lead to new (though maybe arbitrary) design standards too ó which makes things more interesting over time, if nothing else. And Iíd like to think it is sometimes something else: an evolution towards what is more intuitive rather than just expected......... Ed T "

Which leads me to another point - audiences.  I don't really have good enough statistics to define my audience or really understand their needs.  I'd love to know what percentage reads my blog through news readers, how many visit the blog page regularly, how many visit occasionally, how many come here through searches on a certain topic, how many visit to 'hangout', etc. 

Amy Gahran has done a survey among 132 readers of her blog CONTENTIOUS and finds :

"Speaking of webfeeds, only 30% of respondents subscribe to the CONTENTIOUS webfeed. 45% receive this blog's e-mail alerts. 11% of respondents receive both types of announcements, and 17% receive neither."

This sort of data would have implications on innovations at my blog.  For instance if i find the largest number of readers rarely visit my blog page, i am less motivated to focus on innovations and more on content.  Or if a large number comes in from search engines - i wonder if they just locate content and exit - or are compelled to stay and leave a note at my guestboard or sign my guestmap. 

Some have their music up there too - i wonder how many people actually listen.  Others have tried additional photo or audio inputs - do these work ?

And, for each of these segments i'd love to try and understand what their relationship with my blog is, what needs does it fulfil for them, what are their expectations and delights on reading my blog.

Am wondering if anyone has any information on any survey done on these issues, among readers and bloggers.  Is it time to do a more formal survey ?

Meanwhile, i'd love to ask readers and other bloggers, what is the one innovation you'd like to see most in blogs ?

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