Blogging 101: Learn From Howard Stern

Posted by Rick

June 26, 2008

Howard Stern is not afraid to speak his mind. That’s why his show is so successful. It’s why Sirius decided to put him at the helm of their ship. There’s also good reason for his popularity and the controversy that surrounds him.

He’s honest.

So? Why is that so special?

It’s special because he is brutally honest. Take a peek at some of the most popular blogs out there in the blogosphere (try Technorati’s Top 100 list). One thing that they have in common is that they provide useful, honest, and entertaining content. I like to point to Zenhabits when I showcase a successful blog. There’s also Copyblogger, and even Perez Hilton’s blog. People go there for news or entertainment because they trust the source and they do three things:

They tell it like it is
They tell it often
They tell it in their own words (and often by their own rules)

If you breakdown Howard’s show you can visualize it as being a series of blog posts. There’s what he did the night before, Artie’s latest woes/successes, crazy stories about crazy characters, celebrity (and not-so-celebrity) interviews, and honest talk (sometimes colorful and not for young ears). The talking is what makes the show so special. Be it politics, business, or who would win in a fight - Iron Man or the Hulk (my vote goes to the Hulk). Howard’s show’s segments are a lesson in knowing one’s audience, tapping into them, and having them come back. Take a lesson from Howard’s book. Allow your heart to spill across the page.