Comments on Blawg bleakness : 'Blog' generates 25 times more Google searches than 'Blawg' | Real Lawyers Have Blogs

mark@avvo.com (Mark Britton) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:10:05 -0800

Great point Kevin. I get asked in the non-legal world all the time what "Blawgs" are. If non-lawyers are confused, you can bet the Google bot will be confused and your "blawg" will suffer bc of it.

Mark Britton
CEO, Avvo
www.avvo.com

mikesplaw@mac.com (Charon QC) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:24:32 -0800

Kevin... I do agree.... I use the term in a post-ironic way.... not, as some have suggested, because I had drunk too much when I did the header.

kevin@lexblog.com (Kevin OKeefe) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:25:23 -0800

And everyone knows that Blawg refers to the Huskie Dawg Blawg covering the UW football team - or lack of football team based on the 0-2 start.

sbriddle@mindspring.com (Scott Riddle) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:56:59 -0800

UW - Still better than Duke!

doncrusetoo@gmail.com (Don Cruse) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:50:14 -0800

I couldn't help but look this up:

Domain Name: LEXBLAWG.COM
Created on: 09-Feb-06
Expires on: 09-Feb-09
Last Updated on: 09-Feb-08

Administrative Contact:
O'Keefe, Kevin

* * * *

Too bad it points to a landing page now instead of being redirected to your main site.

Frankly, I wonder if we should be calling our blogs "blogs" at all. However proud we may be, blogging is still looked down upon by many in the profession (and not just those still using dictaphones).

pljcbsn@gmail.com (Paul Jacobson) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:29:03 -0800

In fairness to newer law bloggers, some of the more experienced law bloggers did come up with the term "blawg" in the first place and used it to describe their blogs.

adamse@staff.abanet.org (Ed Adams) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:17:46 -0800

Please. This is much ado about nothing. You can use both terms, calling it a blog if you buy search advertising, and a blawg when you're talking to other members of the profession.

It's like how lawyers speak in jargon when they're arguing a motion, and in plain English when they're talking to a jury. Lawyers know how to talk to different audiences.

And I say that as the proud publisher of the ABA Journal Blawg 100: http://www.abajournal.com/blawgs/blawg100

kevin@lexblog.com (Kevin OKeefe) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:49:41 -0800

Ed, the ABA has done some good stuff including with the ABA law blog directory.

But promoting legaleze, as opposed to the language that everyday people use, may be part of the reason the ABA has had little effect in improving the image of our profession.

Highest compliment I got from jurors and clients was that I didn't sound like other lawyers. Lawyers should want to be more like everyday people in our society, not more like other lawyers - at least I would think so.

I don't begrudge lawyers who called their law blogs 'blawgs.' Heck, I learned a ton following them and have the utmost respect for them.

I'm just saying for lawyers new to blogging, I would not get caught up in the mistake of labeling their blog, a word widely known by the public, as a 'blawg.'

kreich@scmlaw.com (Ken Reich) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:28:36 -0800

Good points on the 'blog' v. 'blawg' difference, however, is there a stigma attached to either form? I'm in the process of starting a blog/blawg/website and I have consciously steered clear of both terms out of a perception that lawyers are less interested in a 'blog' or 'blawg'. We'll see how it goes.

kevin@lexblog.com (Kevin OKeefe) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:13:48 -0800

Probably does not matter what you call your blog, I just would not call it a blawg because of the risk of confusion to non-lawyers.

A very succesful blog may not be called a blog at all. Look at the Climate Law Update by Thelen Reid. The term 'blog' is no where in the name.

But through effective blogging - good content, referencing third party publishers, subscribing to RSS feeds by source and subject, and the use of social media, the blog is very successful.