It’s a sleety, snowy, stormy mix of precipitation for the next few days. It is not pleasant to go outside when it’s raining and 32 degrees out. And it’s too gloomy to finish framing my French door. So, we’re inside, waiting for the snow to come. The kids are hitting the books and I am hitting the blogs and thinking about the art and business of blogging.
I’m come to discover that blogging is more than just plunking down thoughts and words. Half of blogging is writing (and writing well) and designing your page, and the other half is social networking (like Facebook, etc). I’ve put some effort into joining some neat social networks, and have met some really interesting people from all around the world. I’m surprised at the variety of visitors this blog gets from all around the world. (And thanks for coming!)
This has helped my blogging and it’s helped my broadening variety of topics to blog. For example, I do a lot of blogging about our home improvements, but I also want to start blogging about my thoughts and ideas in the business of home building, construction, tools and their functions, techniques, and etc. Blogging has become an excellent discipline for me as a writer. And one of the perks is meeting people!
Another new thing I’ve learned is that I can even “market” my blog in the “real” world, and not just online. A few years ago, I had some business cards printed up for my website. Cards can be very helpful breaking the ice, or as an offering to others who are interested in social networks or blogs or the specific topic of my blog. They were good for me, because I am always promoting or discussing New York issues and home improvement, so my cards had a local interest, as well.
Business card printers, like Ooprint, are getting into the act, I see. They are promoting some of the best social networking cards I’ve seen. The graphics are vivid and aren’t your usual “Windows 3.1″ type of graphic.
Classy! The great thing is that they are offering 100 free ooprint biz cards right now. I have yet to order some for New York Renovator and New York Traveler, but it is on my list of things to do. The cards can be custom-made and they are very nice.
I think business cards for my blogs would be a great idea– because I had hand a chunk of them to my relatives and ask them to pass the word on! 
December 12, 2007 at 6:30 pm
cool! I think business cards for your blogs are a really great idea, too! Sounds like a thrifty deal. Will you post a pic of them when you get them? I wouldn’t mind seeing how they turn out!