Two months ago I wrote me first blog post.
So how’s it going? Well, it falls into three categories for me – Adorations, Obsessions and Frustrations.
Adorations
- Researching and writing my posts
- Reading other blogs
- The friendly, social, virtual community I have joined
- Micro blogging on twitter, I started tweeting the same time I started my blog. I feel like I’m making friends on twitter which I find amazing when I don’t know actually know and have never met anyone I’m following or who’s following me.
- Learning new stuff every day about blogging, social media
Obsessions
- Looking at my stats way too often on google analytics and buffer. Tweeting a new blog post with a link, seeing that 8 people have clicked on that link but..no comments! I’m trying not to take it personally but self doubt creeps in. Why? Is it enough that my blog is being read, or is the fact that I’m not getting comments because the post is rubbish and not worth commenting on?
- I think about my blog all the time, I want to be working on my blog all the time. It’s TAKING OVER!
Frustrations
- Etiquette – One of the first blogs I discovered was ‘Mommy loves Vodka.’ Interestingly she is pretty much the only blog I follow that has been going longer than a year. This gal’s been blogging for eight years! She’s got to know what she’s talking about. She wrote a brilliant post – Blogging for dummies. This is what I have been using as a guideline to get me started. She says ‘if you want more comments then comment till your fingers bleed’ I have been doing exactly that. There doesn’t, as yet, appear to be an etiquette – I leave you a comment so you comment back. I am not deterred.
- Time-wasting – I see other great blogs and think I would like some of their snazzy stuff on my blog. When I try to put it on my blog it takes me an age to work out how and then it messes something else up. I need to discover the inner geek that I am sure must be there..somewhere…deep inside.. and in the meantime..just keep trying, reading, learning….
- Social Media – Twitter, I get it ..love it and totally understand the relevance of how it can drive traffic to my blog. Facebook, don’t get it at all..it drives me nuts – why ‘like’ someone? Anything I try and link it to it only works with the FB account that I have to also have for the FB page to work…Grrrr. not giving up on it yet, but don’t think it will be long. Aside from those two there’s so much more! Do I need a schedule? How much time do I actually have to spend on social media and is it more important that I concentrate on my blog and producing quality posts for now?
- Niche – I am a mum and I blog so that puts me straight in the ‘mummy blogger’ niche. I am on ‘tots 100′ and ‘mumsnet blogger network’. I’m even going to Brit Mums LIVE. I don’t really blog about family life though. So am I a fraud? Do I need to un-niche myself? There are so many things I’m into..music, theatre, art, vintage, Food, fitness, finding brilliant bargains in charity shops….I want to blog about all this stuff. I follow blogs that blog about all this stuff. Parent- ‘vintage loving’ blogs, parent – ‘music’ loving blogs….Is this what I should be looking to do? Do I need to be more niche?
- Memes – I’ve been tagged quite often. There are some I like..the photo ones mainly. The others, for the most part, I find boring to read. Some blogs I read are just one meme after the other. Blogging is a personal thing, if that’s what your into then go for it but that’s not what I want my blog to be about. I feel bad that I’m not joining in, that as a ‘newbie’ I should be up for everything?….should I?
So, clearly my frustrations are outweighing my adorations at the moment.
As of today..right now..I am going to chill out with it all (a bit) …go with the flow.
Taking heed of Auntie Becky’s advice.
[box] I am writing my blog for myself, not for others[/box]
I have now read a lot of blogs. Discovering new blogs every week. There are some blogs that I now visit regularly because they are brilliant. If you enjoy intelligent, interesting writing, beautiful design and humour then check out my newly compiled blogroll. You won’t be disappointed. More will be added as and when come across more ‘Bl#*dy brilliant blogs’
