Somewhat inspired by Tyson’s post on comparing blogging to having a baby, here are three ways that having a blog is like having a girlfriend. Keep in mind that while there is some truth to this, it is also meant to be somewhat humorous. I hope nobody gets offended by this, and in most cases you can probably substitute girlfriend with boyfriend, wife, or husband to better fit your situation.

1. Both take up your time.

In a relationship, you have to spend time with your significant other and give them the attention that they deserve. A blog is no different. You need to give your blog attention too. This doesn’t include just the time you are with it (or them) but the time when you are not as well. Almost any blogger will tell you that they think about their blog even when they are nowhere near a computer. Usually they are coming up with their next brilliant post idea or pondering how they can improve the site. This is the same as thinking about your significant other and your relationship and pondering what you can do to make him or her happy or to improve the relationship.

2. Both need quality, not just quantity.

Spending time on your blog is not enough. You need to have quality content to make it successful. The same is true in relationships, they say that it is not just about the quantity of time you spend together, but the quality time that makes a difference. Not having quality content is like the “conversation” you have while reading the paper and watching the ballgame on TV. The one where one person is talking and the other just responds with mmhm and yeah without really paying attention to what is being said. A little bit of this is ok (as is a little bit of content at not such a high quality) but too much of it is a bad thing.

3. Measuring success is difficult in both situations.

It would seem that with a blog, measuring success would be easier. After all, there are ratings and rankings that give numbers to tell a blogger how well his or her site is doing as well as the monthly income reports that most bloggers offer. This is in contrast to a relationship where the only measure of success is the inferences you get from the other party. However, measuring success can be difficult in both situations. Is the relationship going where you want it to go? Are you happy? Are they happy? Are there major clashes of opinion? As for the blog, which number is most important? Should you watch the Alexa ranking, the Technorati authority, Google PageRank, amount of money generated, number of visitors, number of RSS subscribers? There is no clear cut way to determine if the blog is being successful or just merely hanging out waiting to see what happens and waiting for the break-up? Also, in both cases, the success is not entirely up to you. A blogger can add content and promote the blog, but it is up to the general population to become loyal to the site and improve the numbers. An individual can try to make a relationship work, but the other party still has the ability to make it end.

There you have it. Three ways that having a blog is like having a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife and why both can be difficult. Next, watch for reasons that having a blog is better than having a woman.