What have I learned?

Just like the persistent Hamster, sometimes you might feel like you are getting nowhere with your blog, but you have to stick at it.

Okay, so I've trawled literally hundreds of blogs, I've found three of my favourite Blogger "Blogs of Note" and conducted interviews. It's been fantastic and my interviewees have provided some great advice on starting a blog, making it successful and keeping it hot.

But what have I learned? It's time to take stock and look at the top five tips I've picked up via my interviews:

1. Find something original - One thing that is common to successful blogs is their unique content. "Have a gimmick, a schtick, something original to offer," said Angie and Chantale from CinemaObsessed.com. "Truly, nobody will care what you had for lunch, or how your cat's vet visit went." And Mattson Tomlin agreed, saying, "I've actually never come across another blog like mine."
2. Read a lot of blogs - Angie and Chantale describe themselves as not only bloggers but also "huge blog readers". Mattson Tomlin advised that you should "visit the blogs of those visiting you" and Holyoke Home said, "I comment on the blogs I love - all the time." It seems that to be a good blog writer you also need to be a good blog reader.
3. Make an impact - Most successful blogs have a very definite identity and within seconds of arriving at the blog you know what it is about. Angus and Chantale from CinemaObsessed.com said, "If people scroll through the entire first page of your blog and still don't really "get" what your blog is about, you'll probably lose them."
4. Lots of pictures - one thing that seems synonymous with successful blogs is visual content (consequently I've added my first picture to this post!). Mattson Tomlin found that visual content really helped increase traffic to his blog. "If you go to the beginning of my blog, there are no pictures, and thus, no comments."
5. Stick at it - Just about all the bloggers I interviewed agreed that you need to stick at it a while before your blog will gain any momentum. "I have a full time job, so the time involved in growing Holyoke Home can be taxing," said the bloggers who run Holyoke Home, but their success proves that if you do stick at it and promote, promote, promote, eventually your blog will take off.

So that's it. Obviously there is a lot more advice that can be gleaned from the interviews that are currently on my blog and from the future interviews that I'll be putting up. I'm veering away from Blogger's "Blogs of Note" now and looking at the many other blog recommendation sites out there, some of which were mentioned in my interviews.

So far I'm enjoying my first forays into the world of blogging, I have three followers and I hope to get many more, as I build my content and get better at this blogging stuff (thanks to tips from my interviews). I've also enjoyed visiting all these fantastic blogs, who knew this Blogosphere was so vast and wonderful?

Another day, another great interview.

Following on from my great interview yesterday, today I have an interview with the people who run the blog Holyoke Home. I stumbled across this blog about a week ago, and after initial concerns that this blog wouldn't be something I'd be interested in, I am HOOKED! It deals with one couple's mission to restore their historic brick row house in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It's a fantastic blog, with regular updates and lots of fantastic pictures) that is starting to amass heaps of followers (lots of them also dealing with the trials and tribulations of renovations) and is another one of Blogger's "Blogs of Note". Thanks Holyoke Home for the interview, and all the best with your renovations.

1. Why did you start your blog?

I started my blog for two reasons. One? Holyoke weaseled its way into my heart while I wasn't looking. My city has a spark, a crackle, a 'something's coming' kind of excitement and potential that's palpable, and I wanted to document it via our experience updating an achingly beautiful historic row house. Two? I really like the sound of my own voice. I really, really like the sound of my own voice. La, la, la!

2. What does your blog offer that others don't?

How do I answer this question without sounding like a supercilious jerk? I'm not sure my blog offers anything special that others don't. But I try - TRY - to tell authentic stories about my experience living, working, and renovating/decorating a home. The most authentic posts are the posts I'm happiest with in the end. I also try to keep the visual 'look' of the blog clean and modern, while maintaining a little character - kind of like our approach to improving our row house. I hope this consistency makes Holyoke Home a blog people like to read and look at.

3. Do you promote your blog? If yes, how?

- Anytime someone comments on my blog, I always do them the respect of visiting back their blog. I'm not sure this counts as 'promoting' Holyoke Home, but it feels like the right thing to do.

- We were recently a Blogger 'Blog of Note', which was an AWESOME surprise. I tweeted @Blogger once to ask them to consider us, but never expected anything.

- I belong to a blogging group called SITS, which has really helped me grow our audience. I highly recommend SITS if you're a woman who blogs.

- Holyoke Home is on Houseblogs.net and Digg and Stumble Upon and....gosh, probably some more places!

- I comment on the blogs I love - all the time.

- I have a Holyoke Home Twitter feed and Facebook page that are both set up to post an update when a new post does up.

- I tell everyone I meet about my blog.

- I offer to write guest posts for the blogs I love.

4. What are the positive aspects of blogging?

Just like every geographic place I've ever lived, in the blogging world, there are wonderful friends to be made. I really value the people I've met and the inspiration they've provided.

5. What are the negative aspects of blogging?

I have a full time job, so the time involved in growing Holyoke Home can be taxing.

6. What are your future plans for your blog?

My current goal is to add advertisers and sponsors to Holyoke Home in the home purchasing, home renovation and home design categories. Also? I'd like to be on my favorite bloggers' blog rolls.

7. What advice can you give to first time bloggers?

Be yourself, be honest, and let your own voice shine through in your work. That's what I like to read and what keeps me coming back.

Thanks again Holyoke Home, for everyone else, here's a link to the blog:

Holyoke Home