Friday, June 12, 2009

Two blog, or not two blog... THAT is the question

Let it never be said that, if there is a bad pun to be found, I will find it, chew it up and make it even worse.

Still trying to get my head around how what I write here ends up automatically elsewhere (like twitter), and also in spiffy truncated URL form.

Plus, where it doesn't.. yet... as it should... could.

In the course of discussions with the various IT gooroos helping make Junkk.com and this blog better integrated and more useful, an issue has arisen that, ironically, involves potential greater diversification.

There is a lot of debate about what a blog is, and/or should be. And as much opinion in turn on what 'people' want. Or don't. Frankly I think there are probably as many preferences as there opinions, and of those, well, at least one per reader.

However, it is clear that this blog is at the very least a tad schizophrenic.

On the one hand there are such as the growing number of, and ever-evolving Categories. Usually these are pretty factual and objective, mostly limited to the addition of a NEW url and possibly a line of my thoughts on it. I find them useful reference sources, and great at spotting trends by virtue of tracking the chronology (last posted at end, though I am thinking of reversing that as some get a tad long to scroll to the fresh meat), and hope you do, too.

Then there are the topic-specific eco-opinion pieces, usually inspired by an article. And thanks to the Labels facility on Blogger, these can easily be tied to a Category for archive research purposes.

And finally there are the more personal blogs. I've hived off onto other blogs those that have no real bearing on matters green, but these can also not really address these either, being more concerned with matters arising from things that happen in the course of running Junkk.com, and lately RE:tie, including matters of IT.

I am just wondering if, to most readers, these latter add or detract from the value of the blog. If so I'll keep on doing them; just elsewhere.

Or might it be that (as I understand it might) folk appreciate the more personal ups and and downs of running the business, written from the heart, and certainly not farmed out as just another 'aspect of the marketing mix'.

4 comments:

Mrs Green said...

if this helps at all, the comments I get from people is that they like to see the 'human' me - the mistakes, my successes, failures and everything between, rather than just reporting facts, iywkim.

At the end of the day, I guess people are interested in people - hence 'reality TV' We're herding creatures, after all!

Emma said...

It helps very much, especially coming from a a successful 'green' blogger such as yourself.

Ta very much for taking the time to offer this advice.

I do have plans afoot to link Junkk.com's info sections a lot more with the Blogger Categories, and hence keep it as a 'pure', hopefully pretty objective resource.

So... for now... it's looking like 'warts and all' are still the order of the day.

Almost Mrs Average said...

Warts are good Peter...well when it comes to blogging that is.

Yep I agree with Mrs G. It's the personal factor that helps give the edge to other more factual posts.

It's also what adds value to blogs beyond the traditional journalist appraoch.

Am looking forward to more "warts and all" :-D

Emma said...

Wow, two for two from the country's top 'green', proactive & positive bloggers.

I'm sensing a clear direction being shaped here:)

Ta for taking the time to give your input; much appreciated.

Just... be careful what you wish for; this naked soul bearing can be quite cathartic.

As you kindly offered support, I am glad to say that, after a hellish few weeks my Mum is now stabilised in hospital but it is clear she can not return to her cottage in my care any more.

Hence I am still flashing around on nursing homes and financing and seeing letting agents, etc. Sadly, while I think the new phase may be more liberating to what's left of my career, it is not going to be an easy ride financially.

And while it was 'time out' while I was home-working looking after her, that income stream has now gone and will need to be topped up.

So Junkk.com needs to pay if I am to keep up the level of input it has had to date.

Though I think I can still keep the blog perky pre-breakfast, tea breaks, evenings and weekends.