Pages

Friday, December 10, 2010

Friend Friday~Connectedness

The blogisphere is a funny place sometimes. You can build meaningful relationships or you can just be a voyeur. You can hero worship. Or solve world problems.
What do YOU want to do?



How important do you think reader connectedness is to the success of your blog?
I’m interested in talking about the particular problems women have dressing at 50 and over; connectedness with my readers is why I have my blog.  Just pretty pictures won’t do it. Connecting and creating a community to me would be the most successful way to solve problems and have some fun along the way.

What do you do to draw readers in and create that writer-reader bond?
I try to get a conversation going. Sometimes that is anticipating reader’s questions, or posing a question of my own. Right now, I am trying themed weekly dressing to create an ongoing conversation. Eventually, I hope my readers will come to my blog for inspiration or advise. Trust would be the ultimate bond.


What is one way you could improve this connection?
I don’t know specifically, but a good connection would be one of mutual trust, respect and some humor. Maybe listening, provoking thought, sharing my own, maybe offbeat ideas, and always asking what my readers think would help the connection.

Is there a blogger you think does a great job creating that writer- reader bond? Why?
Most of the blogs I visit seem to have a good writer-reader bond.  Blogging is funny—I see a lot of one-way conversations out there, and for some, it works to get conversation. Some popular blogs have hundreds of comments— I’m not sure if 100 posts of “cute outfit” is my idea of connecting.


What do you do to cultivate new readers? How do you get them to your site in the first place?
I cultivate new readers by visiting other blogs and seeing if there is a common thread, and possibly inviting them back to my site. I don’t randomly push my site~I try and establish whether or not my blog could be helpful/useful/inspirational/amusing to the reader. It may not always be a match-but I keep trying to make those connections.

5 comments:

  1. Paula, LOVE your comments! I also really agree with what you say about just visiting other sites and either leaving a genuine comment or nothing at all. The real connection is the dialogue, not the fact that a comment is left. Hey, you and I found each other! I'm sure there are so many other like minded over a certain age bloggers and/or readers. ~Serene

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paula, I am so excited to have women like you to converse with and share ideas with. I consider you ladies friends!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paula, I love your answer to the 4th question. I visit some of those blogs with the 100 responses that basically repeat what's been said before. I was thinking about this as I wrote last night and I think blogs with real conversation demonstrate that women have a THOUGHT (gasp!) in their heads.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I enjoyed all your comments. I used to get so hung up about the amount of comments and finding "perfect" pictures. Now I put in all sorts of pictures, even the funny ones because they show who I am. It is wonderful to find some more "real" people out there and not just another pretty face. Not that a pretty face is illegal or anything.

    It is also fun to read the others comments you have here and realize I know who they are! Its like I have found some great knew friends with similar ideas and it is great! Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. Serene~There are so many times I could really get into a conversation, and comments just are not enough! Its good that we continue the conversation via fb or email, no?
    Me too, Pam! It makes the whole experience so much more valuable! And we are developing a cool community.
    Terri~pretty wierd, huh? Its sort of like a hero worship type thing..there is a hierarchy in the blog world--just like in the real world, and sometimes the ones that command attention, don't necessarily have two way conversations...
    Lisa Marie, we have a thing going on here and I hope it gets bigger--glad you are part of it now too!

    ReplyDelete