Blogging 201 : Day Ten, Eleven, Twelve & Thriteen & Fourteen

Well, as I said in the Commons, I am the Rabbit, late on the assignments of Blogging 201. This is my way of catching up.

This is my contributions and my thoughts on the last five days of the challenge.

Enjoy reading them !

Day 10 : Invest in your community by leaving five comments, adding (or updating) a blogroll, and introducing a comment policy.

This one is about getting to know other bloggers, and sharing. Nice idea, really.

I know I have to do it, it is essential, blogging is a lot about sharing, with the reader but also with the fellow bloggers. But, I am not a « commenter ». I don’t know why, I nearly don’t comment blog posts. I like them, share them a lot, make my friends read them, re-read the ones I liked and share, but I don’t know, commenting…? To say what ? « Wow, this post was good » ? I know sometimes I’d have a lot more to say, but, I just don’t. I’m stupid for that, because heaven knows how much I like it when someone comments on my posts !

I guess, once more, I’ll have to work on that, and that « that » is myself more than something technical in my blog settings ! I promise, guys and girls out there, the next post I like, or dislike maybe, or don’t agree with, I’ll share my thoughts. Or try to. At least !

Regarding a comment policy on my blog, it is quite simple : I am reviewing every comments and approve them or not. If people say something that is insulting/trolling/spamming/BS-ing…, it is not going to be approved. The rest, even if it is to say that I’m a super boring writer, or that my post is stupid, as long as it is said with correct grammar and syntax and in a rational tone, I’ll approve.

Day 11 : Find a blogging buddy. If appropriate, plan to publish guest posts on one another’s blogs.

I have one blogging buddy in mind.

I mean, she’s a blogger but she doesn’t know by now that she’s going to be my blogging buddy. I don’t even know if this is something that is viable for both of us. But, this is the friend that designs my header, who is also part of the WP community. I think we could do something together. We have the same sense of humor, the same interests in movies, series, films… I now have to talk to her about that…! Wait a second, this is Internet, right ? I can summon any demon I want within the power of a hyperlink ? Check it out !

Miloon, will you be my blogging buddy ? Will you share some lines or thoughts with me and publish them here, on the Internets ? Will you be the writing Batman to my blogging Robin ? The Doctor to my Rose ? The Tony Stark to my Pepper Potts ?

I feel like a groom rehearsing his proposal… (Take notes, future husbands, you might get some awesome proposal ideas here !)

She’s gonna say yes, I’m sure about that.

Maybe.

No, yeah, she’ll say yes.

Yeah.

Well, just in case it doesn’t work out… anybody who wants to share a few posts with me is very welcome to contact me ! Whether you want to talk about music, parenting, work, or try something new with a writing challenge, the only thing you have to have is a lot of humor ! Come on, we’ll have fun !

Day 12 : Create a poll and/or a survey to collect feedback from your readers on your site and its content.

The idea, here, was to know exactly what drives our reader on our blog, what they like, dislike, in terms of content and form, ask for ideas…

I’m not sure I will do this now. My blog has not reach its final form, like a Pokemon ! I need a little more time to have things figured out, organized, planned and defined. What I may be able to do is adding a message on my contact page, such as « Feel free to advise me on anything regarding the blog » or something more grammatically correct !

This is a beginning !

Day 13 : Put on your blog’s CEO suit and draft a marketing and monetizing plan for your blog. Execute the first item on your list.

Well, for this one, I’ll have to read the post first. Even if I know I’m not really willing to monetize my blog. I am not « specified » enough for it (in France, it works very well for parenting bloggers and fashion bloggers, for instance) and this is not my goal to earn money with it. But, let me take a glance and tell you what. I’ll be right back !

About content promotion : I know about that, I am currently in a Community Management vocational training course, and we talked about it, a lot. It is of course very useful but not for me. Plus, I kind of don’t have an advertising budget right now…! But to answer to questions asked :

Would any fit your blog? What demographics would you target? How would you budget it?

I would definitely use the ads on LinkedIn to promote my « professional » related content, the writings that might be interesting for someone who would hire me. Their ad targeting is VERY precise and would allow me to target the recruitment managers in my field (communication, press, web…). Plus, LI ads are not that expensive. If I was a rich girl (na na na na na na na na na na na na na na), I would try with a 50€ budget and see what happens before trying with more money.

About monetizing : The donation button is actually a good idea but for the moment, I don’t think my readers would like to « fund » me. But in the future, when I’ll be a star, why not ! I didn’t know about Amazon Associates or WordAds, but I might have a look and see if this could be interesting for me.

This is a very tricky question, the monetizing aspect of a blog. There is a very thin line between trying to earn a few bucks, without polluting your blog and becoming a huge « sell-out » and disturb your audience with ads. In my opinion, a blog with too many ads, or with obvious sponsored content is not well considered by the audience. It has to be subtle, not disturbing and not going in the way of your work. For me, at the moment, this is not something I am going to do. Not enough audience on my blog, not enough « niche » content that would interest advertisers, not my way of blogging.

Day 14 : Create a recurring blogging event on your site and/or make plans to attend a blogging conference.

I’ve already told you about « Vomit Friday« , haven’t I ?

To be more serious, this is something I will maybe try to do as well (there are a lot of things I say I will try to do, I know, but I can’t do everything !), create a blogging event or a « rendez-vous » (I know you English speaking people like a little French in your sentences !), maybe monthly or something that would last a few days and happen once in a year. No idea yet. It will have to be funny, because, you may have not noticed, but I like funny stuff. Yep. No shit.

And regarding blogging conferences, I know there are some in France (one happened a few days ago in a city near mine, but I couldn’t make it, unfortunately) and the next time I see one that would interest me, I’ll try to intend ! I mean, look at all the stuff I’ve learned in this challenge, sharing with bloggers from all around the world ! Meeting some IRL must be as interesting !

This is the end…

And so this is it. The challenge is over. I am no longer a student at the Blogging U !

I have talked and discovered a lot of interesting, touching, funny, creative people from all around the globe and I wanna thank some of them.

Michelle W. our « teacher » during the challenge, thanks for all the work ! You must have spend a lot of time preparing your posts, answering our questions, checking our blogs. You’re a dedicated author and an example we all should follow. (Not kissing your ass AT ALL!)

Dan, the « frenchiest » man I have talked to during the challenge : Merci ! I may challenge you « picturally » speaking someday…I’ve read you ask for it ! A bientôt !

Jenn, you were one of the nicest person here, thanks for your early advises ! See you in Amsterdam someday !

Maria, we should always help each other keeping our calms ! Like I said, you were a great discovery for me ! Hasta luego ! (Yeah, I speak Spanish… with Google Translate’s help !)

Mara, you are funny and I like your blog ! I might apply to your Blogging Buddy ad ! Blogging polygamy is not a crime !

Amy Juicebox, you are funny too ! And god knows I love funny people. They are what makes the world more bearable.

(OMG, an idea just popped up in my head in I need to write it down : The Funny People Assembly, united to make the world more bearable one post at the time. I’m onto something, here, don’t you think ? This is going to be the name of the category for my blogging buddies guest appearance, for sure !)

To all my new followers, the Daily Post (this is not OVER ! I am going to keep on taking your challenges, you interesting blog !) and everyone I forgot out there that shared a little something of their lives with me during 201 : Thank you !

This has been a wonderful 14 days. And I hope this will last longer !