what I do

what I do

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

I brake for comments!


A whole new world has opened up for me. The blogging world. Today is my first official month of blogging (not counting the first wedding post). I have spent countless hours in front of the computer, a lot of lost sleep, I have neglected the laundry, the dishes and the dog, have obsessed over stats, learned what stats even are, checked and re-checked for comments, read more design blogs then I even knew existed, have seen more ideas and have been more inspired (and challenged) and have been more motivated about design and my business than ever before. Twenty five posts in thirty days. Wow. 



But what I have really learned, besides the mechanics of blogging - headers and footers and sidebars and gadgets and posting and posting and posting - is that exchanging ideas with other people and being part of a community that I didn't even know existed a few months ago is exhilarating and challenging and wonderful and addicting. I have gained peers and mentors and friends and have connected with people all over the world.


I am learning by trial and error. My first week, I added a stat counter to my blog. It was amazing. I saw that people, lots of people were reading my blog (thanks to some wonderful referring blogs). But  then one day I found a little statistic on that counter that showed how long someone stayed on my blog. There was a little pie graph and I saw that over 50% of the people who logged on to my blog stayed on for less than 5 seconds. And that changed everything for me. It is not about the number of visitors I have - although that has helped with Google search for sure - but my goal is to see that people are returning and staying longer than a few seconds.


I want to know that I am inspiring others and making a difference with my blog, but I am also excited about how this is growing me as a person and as a designer. I risk my vulnerability and am challenged by the time commitment but I am hooked and excited to see where the next month will lead me. If you have read all of this rambling, bless you! And remember, I appreciate your comments more than you will ever know!                                       (Cartoons are by Dave Walker).

9 comments:

Robbie said...

I love looking at your blog and "yes" getting inspired. Oh, and everyday I look forward to logging in, seeing what you have to say, and staying more than 5 secs. I got a chance to explore other blogs through yours. What fun it is to see other peoples lives. I enjoyed Pamela's blog, it gives me warm fuzzy feelings. Many times in the last month your blog has put a smile on my face, warmth in my heart, and propelled me to make a difference. I have gained insights and techniques on organizing. I feel blessed to get you to help me with my house and inspire my life. Keep the blogging up your doing a great job with all your God given talents.

Prizler Photography said...

Congratulations on your month of blogging! And you are an inspiration to all. Even your two adopted sisters. Two from anotha mutha. lol Wish we had gotten your genes. Love you.

barb cabot said...

Your blog inspires me. I look forward to your posts. I'm so glad you are doing this. I walk around my house with hope and new visions and say, well I wonder how Sherri would approach this? Love your vision and your helpful tips.

Anonymous said...

I just recently "met" you but already like what I see in your blog. It is such a refreshing place to visit! A word of advice - don't be freaked out by statistics or lack of comments. :-) There was a time when when my blog was a lot smaller and I actually got a lot more comments then, but then there were a lot less blogs for every one to visit. If I let myself get wrapped up in that, it could be frustrating. Instead I just blog because I love it, knowing that there are people out there that appreciate it, even if I don't always hear from them.

Wanted to say thank you, too, for your kind comments on my blog too! Hope you have a good day...

pamela said...

Congratulations on your first month's successful postings Sherrie. I agree with everyone above! You've worked so hard on making this a super-enjoyable-inspiring and USEFUL blog - and it shows! So a big 'thank you' and keep it up!!!
pamela x

Deb said...

Ditto what patti said.... Great blog! However the fact that you stay up late and ignore the laundry makes me think we may have a common gene after all, haha.
Aloha from Hawaii where there is no such thing as a to do list.....ahhhhhhhhh :)

Unknown said...

Thank you everyone for your very kind and encouraging words!

A Perfect Gray said...

wonderful post! and so much of it reminds me of ME! I've been blogging a little short of one year and I am so thrilled to have found a group of folks who love the same things I do!

keep up the good work!

donna

Unknown said...

HI Donna, I was so excited to see you visited my blog! I LOVE your blog! Isn't it so fun to see someone who feels like 'yourself'? I like how my world has shrunk since blogging. xo