Lately a lot of the Trader Network action has migrated to the forums and away from blogging. Just curious: why?

I imagine it’s because forums put you in the middle of an ongoing conversation, whereas starting your own blog feels, initially at least, like shouting with a megaphone into an open field.

What I like about blogging, though, is that over time you’re building something that’s your own, but draws others into conversations just as surely as forum discussions do. As a CEO, I can look back on my blog as a diary of my evolving reaction to the markets’ doings and TradeKing’s place in the investing world. It’s also a record of personal milestones, like our annual wine-making, and fun things I’ve read or found online.

The big contradiction to this trend is in Trade Notes, which are essentially mini-blog-posts attached to executed trades by TK clients. Trade Notes are boomingly popular, so clearly a “trader’s diary” attached to specific trading decisions is a model that makes sense to lots of Trader Network participants.

So, what’s the scoop? Do you guys just lack the time or inclination to blog, or are your “trader’s diary” needs met by writing Trade Notes? Or is there something you’d like us to improve about our blogging platform? Do you blog about stocks somewhere else and wish you could suck your external blog into our Trader Network automatically? Or am I missing your reason entirely here?

Talk to us; we’re curious!


[image: Oklahoma Blogger by Wesley Fryer on Flickr]

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Hello Mr. Big:

BigDog,

I think our communications are getting shorter and faster. Look at the growth of Facebook and Twitter. 140 characters seem to be all some folks need. (149 characters so far…oh how my fingers hurt from all the typing!! ;-)

bigdog,

I used to blog, but was turned off by the "professional" bloggers trying to sell stock advice. I complained to Tradeking, but to no avail.

So I moved to the forums where I found a community of traders with various styles willing to share ideas.Not once has anyone tried to sell me information.

I have been wondering about the same thing bigdog. Doing a blog is a new thing to me and with answering e-mails and texts from my clients,family and friends time is sometime an issue. However I like the way you guys have set things up for us to blog.  I have noticed that sometimes 400 people or more will visit the blog I post, but only a few comment. That's okay with me.............I do the same thing.

When I started with TK (4/06) I did write a few blogs, but it became apparent that it was largely a medium for beating your chest, particularly for members (not so much staff).  The forums were for conversation where ideas could be hashed out.  (I am not talking here about absolutes, just the tendencies of the two mediums.) 

I also think that the people who write on the forums use a little less care for the English language than those who write blogs, and this is a shame, but understandable with the time constraints that many of us have.  I wish not to appear to be an ‘English prig’ but at some point the lack of rereading what you wrote before publishing, lapses into intelligibility. 

Finally, I myself, engage here because I hope to learn something and perhaps become a better trader.  Although I do appreciate the nice things that on occasion have been said about my writings, I am not writing to hear the sound of my voice, like singing in the shower.  I get a lot more from OF pointing out the errors of my ways, than all the kudos I might receive.

Hey BD...The blog comes across as a more 'professional' posting method than a venue for conversation. The trade notes and forums are, as was pointed out by Montana above, a more immediate way to get a response to a thought.

I should also say that while I appreciate the opinions of the newsletter guys, it seems out of place in the general blog and moves away from the whole user-driven 'ordinary joe' platform you have going on here. There is still valuable information in their posts, but perhaps they should have their own section?

I read the forums, but really don't have the time required to commit to posting in the forums so usually don't, but do try to blog once in a while when something tweaks my interest that others could benefit from.

Overall the platform is working well in my opinion.

I just dont feel like I have enough experience or knowledge about trading to start a blog. Dont want to embarass myself too much. I dont mind replying to a blog, but for some reason Im just timid about writing one. Which is a little unusual for my personality. Im unsually anything goes. But I have been considering posting some observation or theory that may expose my trading lunacy, just so some vets can set me straight.

Guys, thanks so much for weighing in here. I should've mentioned at the outset that we don't have any vested interest in whether you blog or post to the forums at TradeKing. All that matters to us is that we can continue providing a home for brisk, constructive and fun discussion in whatever format.

Still, since we do offer blogging and forums it's enlightening to hear how uses for both tools have evolved. If I'm hearing you correctly, forums are a faster, more immediately interactive place for discussion, while blogs offer a way to think through an idea in a more nuanced way in a public setting.

Incidentally, since you do find blogs a good platform for education, let us know of any financial bloggers you think we should be signing on as All-Stars. We're always looking to expand this roster to keep your trading skills moving forward and new ideas flowin'.  

Buydow and Corbinb2, we're trying to collaborate with our AutoTrade partners and All-Stars to make sure the content they provide is a meaningful, useful contribution and not just an advertisement for themselves. There've been a few bumps, but I think we've struck that balance. Let me know if you have specific beefs (beeves?) on that front, and we'll see how we can improve.

Corbinb2, we are knee-deep in a redesigned Trader Network home page that will provide better content organization in the way you describe. Stay tuned - we'll be eager for your input on that!

Dan,
with all due respect - you know the answer,
TK was told many times, what was suppose to happen - happened.
Shameless, .meaningless, promotional plugs flooded this place without having benefited to community (not even bothering answering a SINGLE QUESTION ever) - this place has become one big billboard and billboards meant to be ignored.

All "locals" who had something to say or wanted to talk were just driven away by sheer lunacy of sales people here.

Sincerely
DavidDT

P.S. As for rediculious comment that "communications became faster" - if you have something important to say and it fits into 140 characters - you better STHU.

DavidDT: I’m sorry you feel that way. We did have one or two incidents in the past where content partners blogged in a way we found too self-promotional, but we put a stop to that immediately.
 
Our AutoTrade partners do want clients to sign up for their paid trade-signal newsletters; many All-Stars also run newsletters or mentoring services. But we’ve worked hard to ensure quality. Unlike some of our competitors who truly do make their communities Billboard City, we want to keep the level of self-advertisement extremely low, and our partners’ contributions useful and actionable – and, judging from what Trader Network participants tell us in public comments and other feedback, we’ve achieved that.
 
Of course, if you don’t agree with the premise of All-Stars or AutoTrade bloggers, you’re welcome to ignore it entirely. But that also doesn’t preclude any member from blogging themselves; that was my initial question.   
 
Don

Too many midterms and stuff for me to go blogging.

I wanted to say something about the rise of the Baltic Dry Index a few weeks ago. At the same time that week prices of shipping stocks had dropped and the whole s&p index dropped. I noticed this and picked up some stocks in PRGN and DSX.

I still think shipping stocks are still at a discount to the baltic dry index, business have picked up for the shippers and the share prices have not risen up enough yet.