Comments on: Getting Stronger By Getting Smaller

By: chartreuse (BETA) » Blog Archive » Sometimes Your Girlfriend Isn’t Really Dead:The Future Of Blog Networks

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 16:45:15 +0000

[...] Scrivs at Fine Fools realized that small is the new big, and cut the fat off of his network. A wise move. [...]

By: Martin

Martin — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 02:40:12 +0000

love the Gawker model more simply because the brand is so strong behind it

Gotta agree with you 100% with this one, Scrivs. I’d rather have 5-10 strongly-branded blogs tied together than 30,40 50+ “cookie-cutter”-style blogs.

You know when you get it when all the talk is about the blog and not the blog network that owns it.

It also has that “quality over quantity” angle – I’d rather focus on making 5 great blogs than 50 mediocre ones.

By: SYNTAGMA » Blog Archive » Scrivs Shrinks Fine Fools Network

SYNTAGMA » Blog Archive » Scrivs Shrinks Fine Fools Network — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 13:51:19 +0000

[...] We’re getting used to introspective head-bangings from all over the Paul Scrivens collection (I forget how many networks and how many companies are involved). Now Scrivs has reduced Fine Fools to only four blogs. Writing on the Work Boxers blog he admits: [...]

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 16:40:30 +0000

You’ve “upgraded” me to 9rules even before the hullaballo but I am still at a loss why Escape is still with 9rules but not with finefools anymore. You said something about focusing on the blogs left. Hmmm… what about us? *whines*

By: adam

adam — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 04:25:24 +0000

I believe it is a strong move in the right direction. I am waiting to see what comes next. I like to see you getting refocused on what is important.

By: chartreuse

chartreuse — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:21:15 +0000

I think it was a very wise move on your part.
This is not the age of ABC and NBC. This is the age of Comedy Central and Discover.

By: Scrivs

Scrivs — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 14:42:22 +0000

Mary-Ann: I think a big problem is that it is just too easy to get blogs up and running. I always though TooNoisy was a sports network so including a Science blog might not be good for the science blog. One of the purposes of a Network is to help pass traffic around and it’s hard to do so when you have 9 sports blog (made up number) and 1 science blog.

By: Scrivs

Scrivs — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 14:40:22 +0000

Both 9rules and Instablogs have the advantage of numbers and therefore. Why would I take the numbers approach with FF if I have already done so with 9r? Running 9r is a job by itself and so making FF the best I think I can make it I had to make it small enough that I can still guide its direction.

Don’t know if that answered your question at all.

Derek: You got mail.

By: ZMAng

ZMAng — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:12:40 +0000

Sorry, but I realised I needed to clarify my question a little.

I understand that having a wide range of topics would make branding a more difficult process. I also presume that this problem can be averted through a distinctive characteristic like the 9rules or Instablogs communities.

But how does the wide range of topics on Fine Fools become the primary reason for a lack of a distinctive brand?

By: ZMAng

ZMAng — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:04:04 +0000

Hehe, I’m going to look stupid, but I’ll ask this anyway.

What I had was about 10 great blogs with 10 writers who were doing an excellent job of writing content, but every topic was different. The 9rules brand (in my eyes) is quality content and helping readers find it, but I had no idea what the Fine Fools brand was because every site was so different.

What does the lack of Fine Fools’ brand have to do with the wide range of topics its bloggers write on?