I’m not big on navel-gazing but got my page stats yesterday and realized that I would be at 25x my first month’s page views this month. Seemed as good a time as any to jot down a few thoughts gleaned from two years at the keyboard.
- I’m nowhere and nothing without you. If you’re reading this, I owe you a big hug. Period.
- If you are going to blog, you had better LOVE your topic. If you don’t, it will show.
- Readers can spot a phony ad a mile away! You had better “buy what you are selling”. You don’t have to literally “buy” every item you sell (although Deal Dad might argue that I do!), but you better believe in it before you put fingers to keyboard!
- Ideas are easy. Documenting them? Not so much. I’m getting better and at least now keep a notebook of ideas I want to write about, but the “posts written in my head” now number over 100! It takes discipline to write day after day.
- If Ideas are NOT easy for you, see #2.
- Friends matter, even when your “job” is performed on your couch. Be nice. Help where you can, without expecting help in return. Ask questions (after doing a quick search). Participate in chats. Attend Seminars, happy hours, Dos.
- Twitter. Twitter. Twitter! (This one is for readers, too, not just bloggers. I’ve learned SO much from twitter about travel in general, and won many prizes there, including a $50 groupon gift card just two days ago!).
- Authenticity is important. Colonoscopy? TMI. When I started blogging, I tried being anonymous. It just didn’t work for me. “The Deal Mommy” and “Dia” are one and the same…to a point. After two years, that blogger/real life line is still a moving target. Some things I see shared by others are “no way!” for me. But I’m sure things I share (pics of the Deal Kids, for example) cross the line for others.
- British Airways IS that horrible. Besides “Deal Mommy”, the #1 way people find my blog is some variation is “complain to British Airways”, a full 9 months after they stranded me in the wrong country.
- Giveaways work. People love swag. In fact, I’ll do an anniversary giveaway later in the week! But I won’t do it today, because…
- No one reads your blog on Sundays. So you can do a filler post. Like this one;)
Thanks again for sticking with The Deal Mommy for the last two years, and here’s looking forward to a great future!
