Okay...so the ones that will actually read this are probably not the guilty parties but I have to stand on my soapbox for a minute. I have noticed a number of folks who are posting simple questions or two sentence paragraphs as their blog. Is this some new phenomenon here? I know that not every post needs to be long but this is ridiculous. I read three in a matter of 5 minutes that were nothing more than a couple of sentences strung together.

There is also quite a bit of advertising going on here in the rain, most of which is unwarranted. Again, I encourage people to have their own voice but please do not make Active Rain your platform for pay per click sales or quick mortgage schemes.  

Here's a newsflash......you are not showcasing your ability or knowledge in a three sentence paragraph. My 6 year old daughter can do that. If you are blogging to get points, here's a thought: Actually write about something interesting. Write about a topic of controversy or something worth discussion and you might just get featured. If racking up the points is what you're after, there are a number of ways to do it. Work on your profile, invite others, post to localism, take photos of your area, join contests, comment on member posts and get involved here on AR. By doing any of these things, you will also gain the respect of your peers, your public and most of all, PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS.

That is what most of us are trying to do, reach our client. Do you really think a client is going to choose you after reading the two sentences you managed to think up? Come on. You will get much more respect if you blog about something you know, make it interesting, add some pictures (not too many) and spend more than 3 minutes on it. Also, spellcheck your work. Nothing says I-D-I-O-T like poor spelling. The little check mark with ABC above it is your friend. Use it. 

There are many, many great writers and bloggers here on the Rain. Mike Mueller has started a group called Practice Here that can really help those of you just starting to blog. Check it out. Active Rain Newbies is also an excellent resource for first time bloggers and new Active Rainers.

As professionals, we all want to maintain the integrity of this site to our respective businesses. Please do your part to produce quality content and not just blog for points.