Are You A Blogging Addict? Take This Test To See!

NOTE: I originally published this post back in 2010 and the response was amazing! I recently took some time to update it and thought I would republish it with updated info and questions. I hope you enjoy it!

–Sean

There are 2 types of cat people in this world. Those that own cats and those that are really “cat-people”.

You know, the ones with cat pictures on their cube walls, who drive around with their cats in their cars and knit cute little sweaters for them so they don’t get cold in the winter.

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While these cat addicts are fun and friendly in small doses, getting trapped in an elevator with one for more than 15 minutes may cause you to swear off felines forever.

Recognizing A Blog-Owner VS. A Blogger

Interestingly enough, there are also 2 types of bloggers. Those that own blogs and those that are truly “bloggers”.

The first category, those that own blogs, write occasionally so they can write an occasional rant, share a tip here or there, and maybe post some photos of a conference that they are attending.

And then there are the hardcore, zealous, addicted bloggers who are consistently irritating their fellow employees with statements like “oooh…that’s a great blog topic” and “have you checked out my latest article?”.

Yeah…you know them. THEY CAN’T STOP BLOGGING!

They are always working on new posts. They surround themselves with every gadget, book, and resource they can leverage to improve their content, enhance their writing skills, and even make more money.

They worry about terms like:

• monetizing content for a blog
• coming up with new ideas for blog posts
• researching their audience to find the best time to blog
• increasing RPM for each blog post
• optimizing paragraph length for SEO
• finding the right title to capture reader attention
• getting ranked quickly in Google and other search engines

There’s nothing wrong with either type.

They’re just different and they probably have significantly different goals. The occasional blogger likes to have a place for a creative outlet where they can share their experiences.

The hardcore blogger often wants to make money, be perceived as a thought leader, find ways to attract new customers, or maybe just hit some very targeted number like “average daily visitors” or “email subscribers”.

The question is, which type of blogger are you and which type of blogger do you want to be?

Identifying Your Blogger Type

In the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy’s famous (or maybe infamous) style of “You Might Be A Redneck…”,  I thought I would put together a list that might help you determine where you lie in the realm of blogging addition.

Feel free to answer the questions below, keeping score as you go, and see how you stack up. You get one point for each answer, unless it indicates a bonus point is available.

Also, be sure to leave your score in a comment so the entire world can know the depth of your addiction 😉

The Test: You Might Be A Hardcore Blogger If…

• You send yourself 5-10 emails each day with ideas for new blog posts. (1 point possible)

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• Your significant other has started wearing one of these as a means of foreplay. (1 point possible)
• You have stood in front of a magazine rack at the supermarket trying to determine how you would repackage the titles of magazines into new blog posts. (1 point possible)
• You are constantly tweaking your blog layout, working to improve your page speed, trying new plug-ins, or cross-linking articles. (1 point possible)
• You have ever blogged from the toilet. Yes…you know who you are. (1 point possible)

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• You have ever blogged from an airport tarmac, even though the flight attendant has told you to turn off your electronic devices. (1 point possible)
• You have ever written a blog article from above 10,000 feet. Bonus if you have ever published an article from above 10,000 feet…the blogging equivalent of the mile-high club. (2 point possible)

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• You have ever interrupted a colleague mid-sentence to write down a blog post idea so you don’t forget it. Bonus point if you actually posted the article before resuming the conversation. (2 points possible)
• You spend more than 30 minutes each day slicing and dicing Google Analytics so you can figure out how to tweak your existing content to meet incoming search terms. (1 point possible)
• You read other people’s blog posts and immediately think “I agree and I should write a blog response” or “I disagree and I should write a blog response”. (1 point possible)

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• You immediately stop what you are doing in order to respond to a blog comment notification. (1 point possible)
• You have ever had a spirited argument over the merits of Disqus vs. Akismet to block comment spam. (1 point possible)
• You have ever pulled your car over to the side of the road to email yourself a potential blog topic so you won’t forget. (1 point possible)
• You spend as much time reading through your Flipboard, RSS feeds, Tailwind Tribes, or any other content source for blog topic ideas as you do talking to people in real life each day. (1 point possible)

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• You have thought of setting up a blog for your spouse or children so you can create a series of backlinks to help your SEO. (1 point possible)
• You have a crush or man-crush on Darren Rowse, Pam Moore, Brian Clark, Joanna Goddard, Mack Collier, or any other popular blogger. (1 point possible for each crush)If you have a professional crush on the likes of @problogger, @pammktgnut, @copyblogger, @joannagoddard, or @mackcollier you might be a blogging addict. Check out the other signs. Click To Tweet
• You have woken up realizing that you were actually dreaming of a blog post or dreaming of a way to enhance your SEO. (1 point possible)
• You have had spirited arguments with others over the benefits of platforms like WordPress.com, WordPress.org, Tumblr, or TypePad. (1 point possible)
• Your co-workers whisper “that’s the blog guy/gal” as you pass them in the halls. (1 point possible)

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• You are able to make an intelligent argument of the merits of the Yoast SEO plugin,  All-In-One SEO pack vs. the Platinum SEO pack for WordPress. (1 point possible)
• Your priest, pastor, or minister asked you to set up a blog for their church or ministry because they heard you were “the guy/gal”. (1 point possible)
• Your boss ducks into a conference room when they see you coming so they don’t have to hear you preach to them why the company needs a blog. Bonus points if the conference room was being used for a meeting when they ducked in. (2 point possible)

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• You feel guilty if you miss #blogchat on Sunday nights on Twitter. (1 point possible)
• You have published a blog post at 2am, knowing that no one was likely going to read it until the next day. (1 point possible)
• People know you and have referred to you by your blog name. (e.g. “OH!! You’re SocMedSean!). (1 point possible)

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• Your friends are complaining that you’re not active enough on Steam, the Playstation Network, or XBox Live because your spending more time blogging and not enough time gaming. (1 point possible)
• You have posted three blog articles or more in a single day. (1 point possible)

Tallying Up The Results…Are You A Blogging Addict?

So, count your points and here’s the scale:

0-10 points – You’re okay and your blogging habits are healthy. No need to consult a physician.

11-20 points – You’re a borderline blogaholic. You consider your blog a hobby.

21-25 points – You’ve gone over the edge. It’s possible that your family and friends are scheduling an intervention.

25+ points – You’re a lost cause and are probably making money, bringing in new customers, selling your eBooks, and considered a thought leader in your area of expertise. Congrats!

Have others that should be added? I’d LOVE to hear them.

Keep the list growing with your signs of blogging addiction!

BTW…I scored 24 and I’m positive that the intervention is being scheduled.

Looking forward to seeing your scores!

–Sean

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