Tuesday, October 5, 2010

ON BLOGGING ~ Bumbling Through Another Year...


We just celebrated our second year of blogging on October 5th! My how time has flown - it all just runs together. I couldn't even remember what things we've done in the last year versus our first year. I had to dig around in some stats and old post history to figure it out. Here's a re-cap...

A year ago we were just making the choice to stop participating in the Thursday 13 meme. This was a bold experiment. Some of our biggest traffic came from T13. I had developed a nice friendship with Janet who runs the meme. I first met many of you through T13. Why turn our back on a good thing? Because we're crazy? I dunno. I just wanted to be done with the memes - our own excluded of course. Our numbers never really recovered. But what I did discover is that although we have less visitors than we used to, we have more subscribers than we ever have. Less people visiting, more people staying. And that's what matters to us.

One of the results of not having memes to set your posting schedule is that you need to come up with fresh ideas yourself. One of those ideas was to make Fridays a place to vent about blogging which led to a way to share knowledge about how to cure the frustrations of blogging. The BlogAnon and Blog Tips features get lots of attention from new people every month. Sometimes people share links to these posts and other times new visitors are just naturally drawn to them. Makes sense. I blog. I like to learn about blogging. I like to talk to other people about it to conspire and consult and connect. And so do most other bloggers. Its a natural fit.

This led to a very new idea of installing a place for us bloggers to chat. All together. Live. I'm not sure if the Bumble Town Chats each month will develop into a strong addition to our blog or if it will fizzle out. They will only be as active and rewarding as those participating want them to be. Last month we covered how much time we spend on blogging, how many blogs we follow and why we follow them, whether we write book reviews any differently depending upon the source of the book and shared some of the blogosphere events and communities we frequent. Each month's chat participants will set the topic of discussion for the following month's chat. Our next chat is a book discussion of The Handmaid's Tale. Who knows what we'll decide to do for November.

In addition to getting to know the bloggers that visit us, we like to make sure that bloggers get to know a bit about us too. In the last year we have given Andy a spot to share his various concert reviews. We have shared our passion for all things sports - fantasy or reality. And we have tried to spotlight the things around our town that stand out to us as interesting. What we've learned is that there are some pretty cool places right under our nose that we never would have bothered with if we hadn't decided to devote a blog posting series to them.

We found a new header, lost a beloved cat, gained a beautiful niece and I even read all of War & Peace. That's the variety and roller coaster of life that makes it worth living - and blogging about. Here's to another year of making more friends and maneuvering between the worlds of online and face to face.

14 comments:

Lin said...

Wow, you've had lots of changes in your two years of blogging! Congratulations on such a big milestone! Don't you wonder what you did before blogging? I know I do.

I find that I prefer having less drop-ins and more long-term "pallies" at my blog. I love the interaction of the other bloggers! I've even come up with my own regular features--I love Hobbes Thursday is always my biggest day on the blog. Go figure--the damn cat takes over! ;)

Here's to another year....and another...and another...and....

Matty said...

I can't remember how we crossed paths, but the Thursday Thirteen may have been it. I did that meme for a short period of time around the time we met.

I've always liked your blog tips, especially when I was very new at this, and I will never forget, and will always be grateful for the help you gave me.

I hope to make a chat with you, if and when my work schedule allows.

Penny said...

:) :) :)
Busy second year!!

Love to you both ♥

Sandy Nawrot said...

2 years already??? I guess my two years is coming up at the end of the month. I made the decision to limit the memes as well. Two a week for me just so I don't beleaguer the book review. BTW, love the header! I forgot to comment on that the first time I saw it. What a cute Bumble!

For what it is worth, I think you guys have it all going on. You are always thinking of new ideas, being proactive about your blogging, and you are the highlight of my day. I wish had half the gumption and energy to focus on mine like you do yours. As evidenced by my failure to show the other night for the live chat, I am always in the weeds, chasing my kids and schedule. I really want to make it someday!!!

Kathleen said...

Congratulations on two years of blogging. Your blog is one I will always keep in my Reader. I love the eclectic nature of what you write about and the blogging tips you've given me have proven indispensable (at least the ones I have implemented).

Florinda said...

Happy Blogiversary - the new header looks great!

I've always been more concerned with subscribers than drop-ins on my blog, but my favorite people of all are the subscribers who come out of their feed readers to comment :-).

Speaking of feed readers - thank you (again) for introducing me to Feedly!

ds said...

Congratulations on two years of successful blogging!! I think you do an excellent job of balancing between positive change, and remaining true to yourselves. Well done!
Hope I'm still reading you another two years from now, and then two more, and two more...

soleil said...

i agree whole heartedly with sandy's comment.

"I think you guys have it all going on. You are always thinking of new ideas, being proactive about your blogging, and you are the highlight of my day."

your blog is one of my favorite places to visit. :)

cardiogirl said...

Congratulations, chica! (and chico -- is that masculine form of chica? Whatever, I'm talking about Andy.) Time does fly by quickly on the internet and it's fun being able to go back in time to read what was happening.

Here's to two more years of blogging success (lifts Diet Coke in the air and gives you a cyber clink.)

kayerj said...

congratulations and looking forward to another year :)

Margot said...

Happy Anniversary to The Bumbles Blog. I always love reading what you have to say. I also love your energy and the new ideas you are always coming up with. Your blog has become a favorite place to hang out for many people.

I'm looking forward to your next year. BTW, I mentioned I like your new header but did I mention I really like the eyes on your Bumble? He is looking right at me with the sweetest expression.

LJ said...

When do you find the time to blog? You whip through and review more books on Goodreads than anyone I know. LOL! I love it!!

Thorne said...

Happy belated and beloved blog anniversary, Bumbles!! I do miss blogging regularly. I'm not sure how these long absences of mine develop. Hahaha! They seem to sneak up on me and then grow and lengthen. Of course I am feeling the bloggy itch and finding so many things I want to blog about just when I'm so busy I can barely write a "To-Do" list! Kudos to you on your dedication to something you love doing and on your consistency!

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary to you and your blog! Your blog is always improving on itself and that's what keeps people coming back :)