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Tag Archives: Blogging 201-2
Blogging201, Blogging university, Second Edition
Blogging 201, Day Ten: Give ‘Em What They Want, II
“Blogging isn’t about publishing as much as you can: It’s about publishing as smart as you can” Jon Morrow
Blogging 201, Day Ten: Give ‘Em What They Want, II
Today’s assignment: create a poll and/or a survey to collect feedback from your readers on your site and its content.
Why do this?
– Because data deepens your understanding of what readers love (or don’t love).–
– Because data can illuminate traffic drops and boosts you might see in your blog’s stats.
First off, thank you a great many for this excellent and interesting Blogging201 event. The assignments have been of interest and even needful for myself and I really have learnt a lot and gained new blogging buddies during the process too!
That being said, regarding today’s assignment:
I have had the illusion, in which blogging can be everything and nothing. You can be either a professional blogger or a writer posting your own thoughts, images, what have yous.
As for myself, I am mainly writing for myself. As for what ever else I do, photography, videography, songs, poetry, etc, I am truly happy if anyone else enjoys what I have to offer, but, I absolutely will not change my direction, my style or the things I do if there are those who do not like them. I will always try on new things, but that usually comes from within, not by suggestion. Well, that is not entirely true, someone may suggest something and I will pick up on that, but still do it my own way. I love prompts, but I usually do not follow the guidelines exactly, rather add my own twist to them.
Of course I am interested in statistics and how many likes I get, who wouldn’t be! But then again, you cannot always please everyone every time.
To summarize my ranting, polls and surveys are not for me, not for my current blog at least.
Related posts: An Homage to Bloggers
An Homage to Bloggers
“Writing is the only way I have to explain my own life to myself” Pat Conroy
An Homage to Bloggers
The blogging day is done
And the time has come
To finally move along
Maybe, even with a song
So let’s all keep blogging
Even while jogging
Do not believe in flopping
And around the www keep popping
Blogging 201, Day Nine: The Buddy System
“All blogs have one faithful reader at least – Google bot”
Blogging 201, Day Nine: The Buddy System
| Now, we want you to think about taking a friendship to the next level, so you’ll have that support once Blogging 201 ends. We know commitment can be scary, but it’s time.
Today’s assignment: find a blogging buddy. If appropriate, plan to publish guest posts on one another’s blogs. If you don’t see guest posters as an option for your blog, that’s totally fine. You can find a buddy to lean on for feedback and support, minus the guest posting. Why do this?
Personally, I am happy to work solo for the moment. I already feel the overwhelming support and feedback given by my fellow bloggers and followers, which helps and encourages me to do even more. Ideas I have plenty of, but time, or rather lack there of, is the enemy. Working full time and running a blog as “a second job” is filling all my spare time quite nicely and then some. Therefore, concentrating on my own blog and checking out the other sites on the side will have to do for now. If and when I am ever blogging as a full time paid blogger, then I will seriously consider hosting some events and getting even more friendly with the neighbours. And maybe I also have time to do the “buddy thing”.
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Blogging 201: Day Eight: Make Your Blog a Hub
“Despite the fact that no one views or cares about my blog, I will continue to spend the majority of my life updating it” Unknown
Blogging 201: Day Eight: Make Your Blog a Hub
The internet is a big playground. If you’re serious about your development as an online publisher, you need to think about opportunities beyond your blog, with your blog as your digital homestead.
Think of your site as a space to develop your online presence and personal brand strategically, promote your work in a way that makes sense for you, and connect and share your other projects and work across the web: a hub for you, as well as a place to publish posts.
Today’s assignment: create a page or section on your blog to display links to your online presence elsewhere, and make sure your other presences reflect the brand you’re developing on your blog.
Why do this?
– Because as online publishers, our work is naturally scattered across the web — you want your readers and followers to find you. Building your personal brand means expanding your reach beyond your blog while keeping it the focus.
– Because sometimes you have material that doesn’t quite fit on your site, and you want to make this complementary work accessible.
On the main page of Rantings Of A Third Kind, the social media buttons are present in several places.
Both the Instagram and Flickr feeds are shown as widgets. What is still missing, is the widget for the 500px feed, work in progress to find and add it.
On the “About” and “Biography” pages the social media links are presented in their own sections:
Those of you who have ventured to my blog and browsed about, may have noticed these few pages also:
These pages contain links where writers can find information on writing, submissions and other connection hubs. Also my profile on the Stage32 hub and the published poetry selection on Wild Sound Festival Review.
Related posts:
Blogging 201: Day Six: Dig Deep into a Social Network
Blogging 201, Day Four: Give ‘Em What They Want
Some Social Media Bullshit
Blogging 201: Day Seven: Make the Most of Events
“When I first came out there was no such thing as Twitter or Facebook. And the blogs! Like, what is that?” Christina Aguilera
Blogging 201: Day Seven: Make the Most of Events
When it comes to building a strong community around your blog, nothing replaces steadily publishing and commenting on others’ blogs — but that doesn’t mean you can’t help yourself (and your blog) target new audiences through blogging events, both virtual and in real life.
Today’s assignment: create a recurring blogging event on your site, and/or make plans to attend a blogging conference.
Why do this?
– Because hosting a blogging event attracts visitors beyond your immediate network of blogger friends.
– Because running an event or participating in a blogging conference helps raise your profile in the community and grow your audience.
I really appreciate the hosts put their time and effort in the shows for the blogging events. Lots of work and effort are needed to keep up with the posts, updates and what ever it entails. I, myself am currently more a part taker than a caretaker. The benefits of the events are the sense of community, valuable feedback and of course, more visibility.
As for myself being a host to any such event: If and when I am ever blogging as a full time paid blogger, then I will seriously consider hosting some events.
But, until such time, feel free to invite me to your event, I am in whether writing or photography or maybe even something different!
Current events as a part taker by Rantings Of A Third Kind:
The Clinic – Photo Rehab hosted by Lucile DeGodoy
‘CAMERA LUCIDA’ hosted by Julia
Challenge by SYLVAIN LANDRY
“Selfie”
“A rotating challenge” by invitation from Lucy Danvers from Ice Coffee Couture
FREE STYLE WRITING CHALLENGE: WHAT WOULD YOU DEFINE AS THE TURNING-POINT OF YOUR LIFE?
Blogging 201: Day Six: Dig Deep into a Social Network
“The Internet destroyed most of the barriers to publication. The cost of being a publisher dropped to almost zero with two interesting immediate results: anybody can publish, and more importantly, you can publish whatever you want.” Dick Costolo
Blogging 201: Day Six: Dig Deep into a Social Network
Today’s Assignment: pick one social network you’ll use to help grow your blog. Then, outline a plan for how you’ll use it.
Why do this?
• Because blogging is about building a community, and other social networks have ready-made communities.
• Because social networks are a great place to continue tangential conversations and experiment with content. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn…where to start? A big brand might use every single one, but a big brand also has a social media department. You have the Department of You, so be selective.
I went “social media” the first day of my blog: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, 500px, LiveJournal, Tumbler, Pinterest, Google+ and LikendIn.
All the posts published are sub-posted on these sites. I am getting followers from all these sites and even feedback given through them or email. I don’t see a blog surviving without the social media, with the good and the bad which it contains. I have said it in the past and will say again: I have a love-hate relationship with the social media, but as the old adage goes: Better the Devil you know 😉
Related posts:
Blogging 201, Day Four: Give ‘Em What They Want
Some Social Media Bullshit
Blogging 201: Day Five: Make the Most of Your Archives
“Breathe. Know that the Internet has no eraser” Liz Strauss
Blogging 201: Day Five: Make the Most of Your Archives
The internet is ephemeral — you publish a post, and it sinks to the bottom of your blog before you know it. You’re competing with breaking news and dealing with short attention spans.
Readers and search engines love seeing new content on your homepage, but you can keep things even fresher by highlighting your archives: your best posts, hidden gems, and timeless content. After all, if a reader just found you, it’s all new to them.
Today’s assignment: Integrate a feature to draw traffic to your older content like a widget, related posts, or a “Best of” page.
Why do this?
• Because a go-to page compiling your best posts is the simplest way to get readers to your content — you never know which post pique someone’s interest, so make the good ones easy to find.
• Because while your About page does a great job introducing you, a curated selection of posts further illustrates your perspectives.
There are a few different ways to do this; one (or more) is bound to work for your blog.
Previously on Rantings Of A Third Kind
A page for Photography was designed
To be country specific was defined
And all the related posts to combine
The page for Daily Poem briefly existed
To pending status it was soon listed
For more than one per day a poem coexisted
And to an overwhelming task insisted
Yesterday, Throwback Thursday was introduced
Much more traffic it did produce
Not even Bruce could reduce
And it did give the creator much more juice
Gidgets, gadgets, all types of widgets
On the pages already existed
To name but a few
And give them their due
Top posts, calendar, pages and archive
Better give me the high five!
Before going live
On today’s trial
A showcase for most favourite posts
As presented by the host
Could be the thing of the week
Or maybe something else ya seek?
Related: Return to the Archives
Return to the Archives
“I think I am about 5 for 500 when it comes to successful ideas vs flops” Jeremy Schoemaker
Return to the Archives
Welcome to dig around the archives of the Rantings Of A Third Kind.
On this page you will find a monthly changing introduction to the most favourite posts of this site!
Enjoy and come again!
You can find the page on the blog : Return to the Archives
Featuring this month:
My name is Gun
I am a lot of fun
Some call me ‘Nilla
I am here to chilla
Being a Red Shirt is never easy
Wearing a red shirt
Feeling like about to get hurt
The target is painted on my back
No time for sleep or a snack
I know I am not really cherished
And quite soon to be perished
I am the Queen of Fucking Everything
Who am I?
You dare to ask me?
Or are you playing shy?
Or do you task me?
Do you not know who I am?
Throwback Thursday: 2015-07-23 2015-02-01
“Throwback Thursday: OMG: Throwback Thursday, I needa find a photo of myself from like hella long ago and post it on Facebook”
Throwback Thursday 2015-07-23
Today is time for a walk down memory lane.
I started the Rantings Of A Third Kind six months ago this is the post where it all started with a two parter introduction:
A quick trip to the supermarket
A little background on the idea and the name:
“Rantings of a Third Kind” was actually invented several years back. Initially I was planning to write a book with everyday life situation gone array with a humorous twist. Now a few years later, a blog seems a good place to be!
My original idea for the blog was a humorous “rant”, with an adage and a lessons learnt included and of course accompanied by an appropriate picture. After a while, poetry took over. Then I realized photography was a big hit. Now dabbling into the world of rap and song and who knows what the future will bring!
Now, after fifty years, two distinct careers and a partridge in a pear tree, I am once more back on the writing wagon. And with force I might add. I started writing at the ripe old age of five, dabbling a play with crayons on paper and forcing my poor family to sit down and watch the show. As I recall, the name was “Santa Claus is coming”. Ever since that time, writing has been a passion of mine and I have been writing periodically and this is actually my third attempt at public writing.
I started my second passion around my tenth birthday when I obtained my first camera. It was a Coca Cola “bribe” and the brand was Kodak. It took really nice photos and I used it for several years, snapping and developing my own black and white photos.
As to my third passion… Well I guess you can call work a passion! It was before I turned twelve. First as a part time job after school and on weekends and naturally during every possible holiday I was off from school! And now over thirty years and a few degrees later, I’m getting my twenty year marker in the world of IT next year.
So there you have it, what, why, who, how and here we are!
Enjoy this first post ever on Rantings Of A Third Kind re-run:
A quick trip to the supermarket
Rantings Of A Third Kind 