Sunday, June 10, 2007

Post # 100: Ten Things I have Learned about Blogging

This is my one hundredth post since I impulsively created this blog a bit over six months ago. I've learned many interesting things about this medium, blogging, and here are 10 of them:
1) I love blogging! The instant gratification of writing a piece and putting it up online, right then and there, is delicious.
2) I have had no trouble finding a topic or focus on a daily basis; in fact, I've had to limit myself to one topic a day. I seem to like blogging way more than the day job....
3) I really like the aesthetics of this particular blog - figuring out the daily layout and photographic image. Thanks to the blogger from whom I lifted this image from his 100th entry, by the way.
4) I love using MoneyChangesThings to keep track of resources. In a way it's my own personal filing system of great resources I want to keep track of, and am delighted to share and publicize.
5) When writing for print media (I write a monthly column for The Shuttle, the newspaper from my local food coop), once that piece is written, it's done. In a blog, a topical piece lives forever, since it becomes accessible through search engines or other links. I can also go back and rewrite a section of an old post, or update a post with new information. Cool! Someone might leave a thoughtful comment on a an old piece, since it's new to them.
6) I didn't know exactly what directions blogging would take me in, and have found the Label function to be a great way to cross-index my eclectic set of interests. I love how when a reader - or just me - clicks on one of my labels, all relevant posts appear. Magic!
7) I hadn't realized how few people write comments, since I am a huge blabbermouth on other people's blogs. So thanks to those who have shared ideas and/or responded to my questions. Please share more!
8) I have been looking around since the beginning for like-minded blogs and come up quite short. I was thrilled to be discovered by another blogger just today, a great symbolic boost. I am confident the topic of using money wisely is one that will eventually find a larger audience, but it seems to be taking time.
9) I have learned that my target audience, babyboomers (because they have had time to accumulate a surplus), are largely blogophobes - friends often tell me they "don't do blogs". I am 54 years old, ancient by blogger standards!
10) Blog traffic is very gratifying. For about 6 weeks, my GreenDimes piece was linked on the GreenDimes homepage and I got hundreds of hits every day. On Earthday I got over 1000 hits! That was great, but I have learned that it's not the number of hits, but developing the right readers, that counts.

And some goals:
- I haven't figured out how to separate books, blogs, and websites in my resources section. Perhaps I will be able to figure it out soon.
- I want to consolidate some of the labels. It's a lot of work since I have to go back and redo them on individual posts. One of these days.
-I want to find more bloggers who write about money, values and social responsibility, to be part of a community talking together. Hello, are you out there?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your 100th blog posting. As a baby boomer the same age as you are, one year ago I had no idea what a blog was. For me it was the title of a 1950's horror movie (The Blog). I've read many dealing with one topic issues (politics, sports, real estate). Yours is one of the best out there because it deals with so many different subject (proper use of money, values, great vacation tips, new technology and development of new gadgets to protect the enviornment). You are also more prolific than many bloggers, which is not always an easy thing to do. Ask any newspaper columnist how they manage to create four columns a week and they will say that if they have two good ones they feel good. You seem to hit the mark with every posting. Keep up the great work!

Anonymous said...

Hi- Congrats indeed on your 100th post! Thank you for being such a loyal advocate of GreenDimes and we are thrilled that it has driven traffic to your blog. Keep up the good work and make sure you check our site from time to time and see what new ideas we are working on to help make the world a better place. Thanks again for your postings and take good care!
Best,
Kendra
www.greendimes.com

Anonymous said...

And check us out on Business Week this weekend...

http://feedroom.businessweek.com/index.jsp?fr_story=3d970e546a626ddd83ae75431a836f75331a40f7

Enjoy!

Kendra
www.greendimes.com

Anonymous said...

"want to find more bloggers who write about money, values and social responsibility"

yes, there are other's out there - though we often throw in other money posts as well. :) Of course, I find it pretty hard to separate those elements, for most choices, but it can happen.


I'm glad I found your blog from moneyandvalue's blog, I look forward to reading more.

Anonymous said...

I totally relate to the instant gratification thing. I love how easy it is to combine word and photos. And yes the ability to create a conversation AND the disappointment when no one joins are very much my experiences as well.

As others have said, it's awesome how prolific you have been, it seems like it is a part of your life "practice."

Congratulations.