Comments on: The State of the Blog: 08/01/07 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-136 Joel Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:12:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-136 Whoa, lots of comments. Most of them are very encouraging. That's great! As Lorelle says, it's not about the numbers. I wish more churches would get that! Getting your message across to 1,000,000 uninterested people is less effective than getting your message across to 10 interested people. Reread that. It's good stuff. :) That's the whole reason that targeted advertising works (Google AdWords and similar programs) work better than blanket banner ad placement does. I have to agree that the site looks quite a bit cleaner now that I have removed some of the clutter. It does go a bit wider than 800 pixels across, but it looks like more than 90% of the visitors use resolutions that are higher than that anyway, so it's not a make or break issue for me. I love that people are commenting on here too. It's encouraging. :) Whoa, lots of comments. Most of them are very encouraging. That’s great!

As Lorelle says, it’s not about the numbers. I wish more churches would get that! Getting your message across to 1,000,000 uninterested people is less effective than getting your message across to 10 interested people. Reread that. It’s good stuff. :)

That’s the whole reason that targeted advertising works (Google AdWords and similar programs) work better than blanket banner ad placement does.

I have to agree that the site looks quite a bit cleaner now that I have removed some of the clutter. It does go a bit wider than 800 pixels across, but it looks like more than 90% of the visitors use resolutions that are higher than that anyway, so it’s not a make or break issue for me.

I love that people are commenting on here too. It’s encouraging. :)

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]]> By: ms_teacherhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-134 ms_teacher Sat, 04 Aug 2007 17:48:06 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-134 Welcome to the blogosphere! I do have a couple of ad links on my site, however, I tried snapshots and just found that for me it was an annoying widget. So, if it was annoying to me it had to annoy others' as well. I am a mentor to a second year teacher (I was her first year mentor as well) and I forwarded some of your articles on procedures. Keep up the great job and I'm going to add you to my blogroll. Welcome to the blogosphere! I do have a couple of ad links on my site, however, I tried snapshots and just found that for me it was an annoying widget. So, if it was annoying to me it had to annoy others’ as well.

I am a mentor to a second year teacher (I was her first year mentor as well) and I forwarded some of your articles on procedures. Keep up the great job and I’m going to add you to my blogroll.

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]]> By: Frumteacherhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-129 Frumteacher Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:39:46 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-129 Your blog is amazing. I found a lot of ideas already that I plan to use this coming year. The way you file all your posts by subject is amazingly practical. Thank you for investing so much time in helping out other teachers! Keep up the good work! Your blog is amazing. I found a lot of ideas already that I plan to use this coming year. The way you file all your posts by subject is amazingly practical. Thank you for investing so much time in helping out other teachers! Keep up the good work!

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]]> By: Mister Teacherhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-127 Mister Teacher Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:53:31 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-127 Hey there! I'm quite flattered to hear that mine is one of the more popular education blogs! You ought to stop by the Blogger's Choice Awards and drop a couple of votes my, and our, way! http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com Hey there!
I’m quite flattered to hear that mine is one of the more popular education blogs! You ought to stop by the Blogger’s Choice Awards and drop a couple of votes my, and our, way!
http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com

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]]> By: CaliforniaTeacherGuyhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-126 CaliforniaTeacherGuy Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:32:19 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-126 Please don't be so hard on yourself. I haven't seen any "junk" here yet. Keep writing. We are reading. Please don’t be so hard on yourself. I haven’t seen any “junk” here yet. Keep writing. We are reading.

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]]> By: SciGuyhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-124 SciGuy Thu, 02 Aug 2007 04:46:03 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-124 While not a blogger myself (I am an avid blog reader and teacher however.), I commend you on the layout and content of your blog. I can't even recall how I first came to find you, but soyouwant... has since been bookmarked and read on a regular basis. While not a blogger myself (I am an avid blog reader and teacher however.), I commend you on the layout and content of your blog. I can’t even recall how I first came to find you, but soyouwant… has since been bookmarked and read on a regular basis.

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]]> By: Repairmanhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-123 Repairman Thu, 02 Aug 2007 02:13:20 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-123 Hi Joel! Welcome aboard the Edubloggers wiki! Eric had some very nice things to say about your blog and it's purpose, which is congruent with mine as well. Looks like there's plenty of stuff to learn right here! Hi Joel! Welcome aboard the Edubloggers wiki! Eric had some very nice things to say about your blog and it’s purpose, which is congruent with mine as well.

Looks like there’s plenty of stuff to learn right here!

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]]> By: Lorellehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-122 Lorelle Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:17:44 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-122 WOW! What a lesson! And what an example you are setting for others. You are indeed brave to get rid of the ads. They don't bring in much money, typically, and they are clutter, but more than that, most web ads are ugly and can downgrade the impression of your blog's integrity and purpose. Good for you for taking the very high road on this difficult issue. And good for you for getting the point that blogging isn't about being popular. People just don't get it when I say that I blog for me, and for the one person that will benefit from my blog. If I start blogging for the 100 readers, or 1000 readers, or 5000 readers or more, or blogging for advertisers or money - for reasons that get away from blogging for me and the one person I can help, I've lost my way. It stresses me out. I feel a huge responsibility and it changes how I blog. I wish more bloggers would get that point. I keep remembering Cheryl Richardson's comment in her book, <em>Life Makeovers</em>, where she says that you need to live your life like the emergency instructions you get on the airplane. Something like "In case of an emergency, oxygen masks will drop down. Put them on yourself first, before assisting others..." You can't help others unless you take care of yourself first. As long as I stay true to what I need to keep blogging, putting the oxygen mask on me first, then I'm ready to take care of the rest of the world better. It's a weird thought, but I think you get it. In fact, it's obvious you get it. You're putting your needs first, realizing what hurts your blog hurts you, and in turn your readers. Good on you! And congrats! WOW! What a lesson! And what an example you are setting for others.

You are indeed brave to get rid of the ads. They don’t bring in much money, typically, and they are clutter, but more than that, most web ads are ugly and can downgrade the impression of your blog’s integrity and purpose. Good for you for taking the very high road on this difficult issue.

And good for you for getting the point that blogging isn’t about being popular. People just don’t get it when I say that I blog for me, and for the one person that will benefit from my blog. If I start blogging for the 100 readers, or 1000 readers, or 5000 readers or more, or blogging for advertisers or money – for reasons that get away from blogging for me and the one person I can help, I’ve lost my way. It stresses me out. I feel a huge responsibility and it changes how I blog.

I wish more bloggers would get that point. I keep remembering Cheryl Richardson’s comment in her book, Life Makeovers, where she says that you need to live your life like the emergency instructions you get on the airplane. Something like “In case of an emergency, oxygen masks will drop down. Put them on yourself first, before assisting others…” You can’t help others unless you take care of yourself first.

As long as I stay true to what I need to keep blogging, putting the oxygen mask on me first, then I’m ready to take care of the rest of the world better.

It’s a weird thought, but I think you get it. In fact, it’s obvious you get it. You’re putting your needs first, realizing what hurts your blog hurts you, and in turn your readers. Good on you!

And congrats!

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]]> By: P Moorehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-121 P Moore Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:10:49 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-121 I think your blog is fantastic. I have subscribed to your feed and feel its a must read for any new teacher and for experienced teachers also. I have followed and subscribed to many of the other blogs that you have linked. Keep up the good work!! I think your blog is fantastic. I have subscribed to your feed and feel its a must read for any new teacher and for experienced teachers also. I have followed and subscribed to many of the other blogs that you have linked. Keep up the good work!!

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]]> By: Kymberlynhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-120 Kymberlyn Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:12:09 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/08/01/the-state-of-the-blog-080107/#comment-120 I think your blog has a nice clean look. I'm sure you will see an increase in your traffic as more pages get indexed and you participate in carnivals. You're definately a step ahead of me in that department. I blogged for months without being a member of a social networking group or participating in any writing groups or carnivals. I did nothing to get noticed, and consequently I did not get noticed. Luckily, I met someone who showed me the error of my ways. Finally, I am headed in the right direction. Keep doing what you are doing. Everything else will fall into place. I think your blog has a nice clean look. I’m sure you will see an increase in your traffic as more pages get indexed and you participate in carnivals. You’re definately a step ahead of me in that department. I blogged for months without being a member of a social networking group or participating in any writing groups or carnivals. I did nothing to get noticed, and consequently I did not get noticed. Luckily, I met someone who showed me the error of my ways. Finally, I am headed in the right direction. Keep doing what you are doing. Everything else will fall into place.

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