10 Things I learned in BFB this semester

10 Things I learned in BFB this Winterim

               I was struggling whether to curate a list of technical things I’ve learned about blogging or whether to make a list of miscellaneous bits of information that I’ve picked up from peoples blogs throughout the semester. In the ever present pursuit of balance, I will do some of both. All work and no play would make Chris a very dull boy after all. So without further ado, heeeeeere's the list!

1. Blogging takes time and effort. No one has ever sat down without some thought and time spent and produced a good blog. Pictures, videos, gifs, and meme’s as well as the sidebar, layout, font, and format take almost as long as the content itself.

2. Choosing your angle, knowing your voice, and keeping true to your tone and persona are as important as sense of humor, witty quips, and charming anecdotes are. Understand your skills and your interests and allow your blog to grow from there. Publishing based on your strengths either as a storyteller, curator, teacher, or persuader sets up a natural, organic progression that is usually reflected in the quality of your content and ultimately your following. If you’re not passionate, you’re on the short road to failure in blogging. 

3. Negative Comments will happen.  In our book Born to Blog, Schaefer and Smith say negative comments should be regarded as gifts. If legitimate, you may be able to take action to correct/apologize/make right without having an uncontrolled public flow of negative information. Most of the time they just want to be acknowledged but sometimes they hate you just because they want to… To quote Taylor Swift, “Haters Gone Hate.” 

4. Post with frequency, be regular and be consistent. Like achieving excellence in anything, it takes a regular commitment. Blogs that are monthly or (god forbid) quarterly are doomed because their infrequency allows them to be out of mind. The rare exception being if you have a large following and write only a few “megaposts.” Most successful blogs post are fairly regular, be it daily or once or twice a week. Search engine optimization will begin to happen with regular posting as well as furthering the brand awareness and connection with your customers. Your blog is the best, most direct expression of your brand. 

5. Relate don’t compare. People out there in the blogosphere have bigger followings than you do, have been around longer than you have, have amassed more credentials, and have garnered more awards than you for a reason. It would serve any relative new or novice blogger to remember this and to respect other peoples’ works, perspectives, and seniority. Focus on finding your unique stance and your voice and then relate it to other posts without comparing. Finding a lesson or a similarity in their posts and relating on a parallel plane with a certain amount of deference is a good way to avoid stepping on toes. 

6. If I could have a www.TheOriginalScrapbox.com in some fashion or form in every room of my house, I would live a MUCH more organized existence. (Thanks Denise!) 

7. Being a guy with a wedding coming up in June, www.TheManRegistry.com is my new best friend. I had no idea there was a place that listed all the things about a wedding from a guys perspective that I should know but don’t. (A HUGE thank you is owed to Tessa!)

8. Being a dude that loves a good deal and a general collector/gatherer of things and resources, I strongly believe in reusing, recycling, and upcycling things. I was really excited to learn of both The Loading Dock and Second Chance. I have lived here in Baltimore my whole life, and am no stranger to hunting deals at Goodwill's and Salvation Army’s, so this is a welcome addition to the list of adventures to be. (Thanks Jen!)

9. I learned how far reaching the influence of a prolific artist such as David Bowie could be. To see people who thought they’d never encountered him come around to the realization that at various points in their lives they had crossed paths with him revealed how ubiquitous he really was. (Thanks to All!)

10. I also got a chance to reminisce and reflect warmly on growing up in the 1990’s. I saw some of the things I thought I couldn’t live without, and turns out, I’m doing just fine without my super-Nintendo, my cassette tapes, or my AOL screenname. (Thanks Jamie, TGIF comes on in 2 days!)

     Overall, this winter semester has been a great experience learning about delivering compelling content that is unique and true to your voice and personality. Learning how to sharpen that with good tone and a consistent voice has definitely made me a better blogger. Knowing about search engine optimization, metrics and analytics, as well as plugins and functionality will undoubtedly go a long way for all of us in the future.  I wish all of you well and very happy blogging!

Stay Warm out there my friends!