This is a follow up to my previous post: "Why Blog? Making the Most of Your Blog"
I recently created two video tutorials on blogging. The first one is of my own personal blog, created to help my clients find their way around and get the most out of the information I put here (may also give you some ideas on how to organize your own blog).
The second video is a tutorial on how to track and organize your favorite blogs using Bloglines. I use this service because I track over 100 blogs, and I like that it helps me stay organized without being overwhelmed.
Blogging isn't just valuable to your business, it's also valuable to your personal life. A single friend of mine wrote a blog post about his recent trip to Peru and actually met and went on a date with a girl who found and read his post!! How awesome is that?? His blog was able to attact and reach out to someone who was interested in similar things, so they already knew they had a lot to talk about on their first date!
A lot of people are worried about sharing personal information online, but the reality is that most everything you DON'T want people to know, is already out there (thanks, Patriot Act). When I share personal information, it tends to be about something I DID, and not something I PLAN on doing - unless I want people to know that I'll be gone or that they should expect something of me in the future.
Keeping a blog is also a great way to keep in touch with your family and friends who don't hear from you often, or who feel like you're too busy to talk on the phone. I wish more people kept a blog in my family so that I could stay better connected with them. But... that's also because I'm a computer person and less likely to pick up the phone and just give someone a call. Why am I that way?? I think it's because I like being able to go back and look at what I've said. I so easily forget how I may have stuck my foot in my mouth when I'm just talking on the phone, but I can easily search and track my communication with others when done through email and blogs! (EEK!) Maybe that will change when I have something I'll love using, like the iPhone (or it could just be wishful thinking on my family's part). ;-)
anne, this is so incredibly true!! and gosh, i thought that i had a lot of blogs in my bloglines at 33!
ReplyDeleteit was really funny the first time i had a phone conversation with my computer-illiterate dad, and he said "yeah, i knew that, i saw it on your blog!" evidently he hates the computer, but reads my blog nearly every day. I feel so special, and he feels like I'm not 2000 miles away. :)
Blogs are so rediculously easy and beneficial...thanks for encouraging everyone and giving great insite about blogging!
Jillian - that's such a great story about your dad!!! I feel like I still have to remind my family to look at my blog from time to time. I'm probably hard to keep up with as much as I post!! ;-) I always make sure to tell them when I've talked about them on my blog... at least that way they have an opportunity to censor me if need be! HA!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the video tutorial on Bloglines. I read so many blogs a day that it was getting hard keeping up with all the posts. This is just what I needed!
ReplyDeleteWatch out Janelle!!! It's easy to get addicted! I usually dedicate a little bit of time in the evening to read them. If I let it go too long, there's just too much to read! Of course, you can always "just say no!"
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my technorati blogroll..
ReplyDeletehttp://technorati.com/faves/anneruthmann