100 Days Of Blogitude.
Given that there are allegedly 45 million blogs, shouldn't there be better guidance out there?
I know it seems like longer (and you wish it were shorter) but this is the hundredth day of my blathering. Lacking Guy Kawasaki's email address book, I reach the centenary not in the technorati top 100, feel suitably chastened and am not going to pronounce to the blogosphere on the moment of this moment.
Seriously, though, I reach this point increasingly aware of my own ignorance and the lack of simple "how to blog" resources. Are people reading? How do I monitor this? What is wrong with the technical aspects of the blog? How do I improve this? So tell me what's wrong and what are the simple fixes? Be brutal, be helpful and maybe I'll get enough insight to turn into a Squidoo lens that will help others out there.
After all, it's the words and pictures that count and if blogging truly is to be egalitarian, the geek requirement should be minimised.
posted by john dodds @ 4:29 AM
9 Comments:
I hear you, brother....good post.
I wrote a piece a few weeks ago about "blogging lies"...and first and foremost is a sense that you need the geek gene to truly join the conversation. I'll be reading what you find here....
i enjoy your blog... sincerely.
in the morning, after i shower. i brush my hair and read, before i shake off enough of the morning mumbles/clumsiness to run down and get my paper...
if it is any boost to your confidence that i have your new posts nestled into my daily ritual of morning news & etc... even if i originally wound up here because you thought i was a boy...
i like the imbalance of 70% business 30% personal. it is all very...focused, but you've got a casual demeanor that makes it more conversational than lecture. like you are actually writing what you are considering, not just writing what you can concoct. i appreciate that...
Thanks for the boost echoalias but what I'm really looking for are critiques of the appearance and usability of the blog and guidance as to the technical aspects (along the lines of registering with technorati) that might increase the reach of my words.
P.S. My recollection is that it was you who suspected that a third party was a male.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ps-
i dig the vertical stacking of 'make marketing history'..
John -
I too love your blog and read it regularly. I'm so happy you fixed the side bar (the creative commons text used to run into the main column).
You might want to tag your posts and show the categories on the sidebar. Another thing (I haven't done yet) is add a Blogroll - a list of other blogs that you read and enjoy or that you might think your readers might like.
Do you have a statistics package? StatCounter has a free version and it would help you to see who's reading, where they're coming from, who's referring traffic to your blog, etc. I have it and I find it very useful.
http://statcounter.com/
All in all I think us "new blogger" - I just hit 6 months last week - need some kind of support group! It's hard when you feel you're in this alone.
You're getting comments - that's a great sign!
Good Luck!
Ann
John -- Love the new wallpaper. (I should say, I love what you've done with place!)
I agree with both of Ann's ideas. If you have space, another good idea is to include a "Most Active" or "Top Posts" -- posts from the archives that continue to attract attention (or that you want to continue to highlight after they've left the main page).
Best of luck.
Thanks Ann - I'll see if I can work out how to do that in Blogger. I currently try to keep things active by linking back to them but must remember that readers don't all approach a blog in the way I do.
John,
Now, you know I'm not geeky and not privy to computer lingo. What I do know is I like reading about my field of work (marketing is a big chunk).
What makes your blog appealing (to me) is it’s short and to the point. The way you pose questions & thoughts provokes me to think outside my box.
So, how does one reach a broader mass? I know know, but I like your words. If you build it, they will come.
- Julie -
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