Category: Blogging

Last on the Card – November 2023

Carl Setzer2 Comments

Fandango posted his response to Bushboy’s blogging prompt “Last on the Card“. The basics of the prompt: post the last photo on your phone or camera’s SD card that was shot in November.

I opted to hop on my phone and see what’s there. So, I was at an event last night, a Book/Movie Discussion for Killers of the Flower Moon. We had a table there with a few resources to learn more about the Native American experience, both in the US as well as local tribes. I took a photo of two books I did not have.

Book covers: "Living Nations, Living Words" and "How To Talk With An Indian".

These are books I hope to attain. The one on the right was written by a local author, Jay Bowen, who was at the event. I spent quite some time talking with him last night, so I have a valued connection.

Quote of the Day

Carl Setzer1 Comment

My friend and fellow blogger Pooja over at Life’s Fine Whine posted this quote yesterday. I felt this is one that strikes home, and is important to embrace if you’re living focused on growth.

Speaking for myself, it’s easy to expect that enacting positive life changes will all feel like smooth joy. No, often, it starts out HARD! Whether a diet, new exercise regime, training for a new role for work…with any of these changes, we start out needing to work hard in order to overcome our life’s inertia.

So, I recommend checking our Pooja’s blog, Life’s Fine Wine.

Blogging Regrets?

Carl Setzer2 Comments
crop female freelancer using laptop at table at home

So, Fandango (I’m sure you’ve seen me write about him before) posted a few days ago about regrets he had during his blogging career (is it fair to call blogging a career?).

He, like me, started his blogging on Blogger. Now, Fandango regretted not starting on WordPress. I weighed all the options back in 2005 when I launched my blog. When Blogger was acquired by Google, I thought that this would be the BEST platform. And, well, I was wrong about that. I shifted over the WordPress years ago, and haven’t really updated my Blogger site (just a few random posts here and there). But Blogger gets far more hits than the WordPress site. Last month, Blogger got 1,008 hits while WordPress got 221. I expect the Blogger stats may be misleading, but I haven’t spent any time researching that.

Anyway, be that as it may. Stats are only so valuable. I get more engagement on WordPress, like the interface better, and find the ecosystem of plugins wonderful. So, though I don’t exactly regret my time with Blogger, I am glad I made the move to WordPress.

Being Strategic With Social Media

Carl Setzer
facebook application icon

I’ve known people whose business is dependent completely upon a single platform. YouTube is a huge one, but I also see people 100% dependent on Instagram, TikTok, or even Facebook, for their business. I’ve been thinking a lot about that recently.

A friend of mine, due to the LastPass hack, lost access to his YouTube channel. Then there’s the drama over at Twitter, with people being banned from the platform on the whim of Mr. Musk, and I can continue. So, I hope you’ll understand that I highly recommend that you DO NOT rely 100% upon a single platform where you have no control.

Social media sites are great tools for connection, but they’re best for directing people to a website. One you own, you control. Encourage folks to subscribe to a newsletter, or the website. Then, by combining your website with blog posts and newsletters, and you have a very powerful tool to stay connected with your audience even if you’re blocked from a key social channel. Also, if you have a website connected to your social platforms, your audience has a way to find and reconnect with you if you lose access to YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, whatever.

I particularly like sites built on WordPress, as it’s extremely portable. Wix, Squarespace, and the like are tied to a single provider, too. With WordPress, I can port my website to another hosting company with relative ease (related: make sure you back up your files somewhere other than on the hosting platform).

Be strategic with your digital portfolio. Be prepared for various calamities, as well as for the eventual falling out of whatever must-use platform the people abandon next. Technologies evolve. Audiences evolve. Platforms evolve. Business sustainability requires you to be thoughtful and strategic.

Insights On Blogging Insights

Carl Setzer2 Comments
blog icon information internet

Fandango, a blogger I’ve been following for a bit, posted a reply to Salted Caramel’s blogging insights prompt from Monday of last week.

As I’ve been blogging since 2005, both personally and professionally, I think I have something to add. Let’s explore, shall we?

First, let’s look at Salted Caramel’s caveats.

  1. It is also fine for your “quaint passions” to change over time.
  2. This quote applies only to personal/hobby blogging

For point 1, I actually think they should change over time. Especially for a personal blog, you want to show your evolution. Changing interests point to explorations and make for a more interesting read over time.

Point 2: I agree somewhat. Depends, ultimately, on the professional blog’s focus. If it’s for a company, sure. But if you’re a sole proprietor (say, freelancer, or real estate agent) there’s value in having a broader sampling into the person you are. My professional blogging was, mostly, focused on real estate. Real estate industry centered blogs can get…boring. I find it valuable to write about the bigger you, and the bigger community around you.

  • Why do you live where you do?
  • What do you love about it?
  • What are the challenges?

So, more than just “housing starts are up, prices are, too…”. In these cases, the client is hiring you. Why should they be interested in you?

Anyway, that’s my fast two-cents. What do you think?

Blogging Advice

Carl Setzer1 Comment
blog icon information internet

My blogger friend, Pooja, wrote this post today: “BLOGGING ADVICE YOU SHOULD IGNORE“. If your blog is important to you, check out her advice.

Here is one I want to highlight:

  • Don’t spam! Instead of feeding the engine garbage, put out the best content you can. Another way to think of this is “think long-term”.

Anyway, it’s a good post and worth reading.