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Whether it’s business blogging, micro blogging or political blogging, it seems that everyone has jumped in the “blogging wagon”.  However, not all blogs are created equal. That being said, here are some questions to keep in mind when you’re surfing around the web checking out blogs.

10 Questions to Keep in Mind When Examining a Blog

1. What is the main theme? Every blog you read should have a point or a main theme.  For example, a business blog might offer advice or tips while a political blog might offer up the latest political news on a particular subject.
2. What sorts of blogs is this person reading? Most bloggers are quick to put up a blogroll of some sort.  A blogroll is nothing more than a list of blogs that they like to read, and they might even label it as such.  It would behoove you to click through their blogroll to see what sorts of things they’re reading as it will reflect upon them.
3. What is the layout like? It only takes a split second for someone to click on another person’s blog and realize that they don’t like what they see.  That being said, readers should pay attention to the layout- is the information that you want difficult to find?  Is the color scheme annoying?
4. Is the content drawing you in? Content is and always will be king in the blogosphere.  If you have nothing to say, people will pick up on that pretty quickly.
5. Who would read this blog on a regular basis? Why? What is it about the blog that draws you in?  Is there a connection?
6. How could you utilize this blog for your own business endeavors? Think of ways that reading other people’s blogs can help you in your own business endeavors.  Make sure to always credit those whose ideas you would like to borrow!
7. Is there something that you can add to the conversation? Do any of the blog posts strike a chord with you?  Is there something else that you feel you could add?
8. How many people are commenting on posts? Comments are sometimes (not always) a great indicator for how many devoted readers are following the blog.
9. How long are the blog posts? If posts are too long, you might run the risk of losing readers- especially if you’re dragging out something that could be said in 100 words. Sometimes it is best to break up a blog posts that is too long, simply letting readers know that you will complete the blog post in “parts”.
10. Does the blog have an “About Me” page or mission statement? One of the first things many readers look for is an “About Me” page- especially if they like what they’re reading.  People want to feel that they can connect with other people that they share something in common with.  Having an “About Me” page or even a mission statement will let readers know who you are as well as what your intentions are for the blog- not to mention the fact that it will make you look a heck of a lot more credible as an author!

Here are the noteworthy blogs/sites for this week:

1. All Things Digital- From Facebook to global information technology, this blog covers it all.  Managed by a talented team of editors and staff, this web site is dedicated to news, analysis and opinions as it relates to technology.
2. IP Democracy- Written by Cynthia Brumfield, IP Democracy serves to analyze the intersection between technology and policy.  It also functions as a forum for the discussion of other topics related to publishing, communication and wireless technology.
3. Cable Tech Talk- Backed by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, this blog deals with technology news as well as telecommunications policy.
4. Neal Wiser- This is the personal blog of Neal Wiser in which he covers such topics as: interactive marketing, technology and the web, business, entertainment, ethics, project management and more.  You can also follow him on Twitter here.
5. Matt Herzberger-is a web designer originally from Iowa.  His site deals with various topics ranging from web design to web 2.0.  You can follow him on Twitter here.