I began this blog just over six weeks ago.
I did not really know what a blog was,
and I had no idea,
that so many others blogged.
The first few times I wrote anything,
I could not have been happier,
when I pressed “publish”.
That word alone,
“Publish!” made me feel,
as if I really was a writer.
Those first few posts,
I wrote with happy abandon,
never thinking anyone would read them.
Within a week,
I realized others were reading.
Some “liked” and others “commented”.
Initially I was a bit freaked.
I felt exposed.
However in time I began to relax,
and have come to enjoy my fellow bloggers.
Before I press a “follow” button,
on any blog,
I usually read quite a few of their posts,
or find I am visiting them regularly.
The type of blog I write,
may be worlds away from a blog I like to follow.
As I read these blogs regularly,
and sometimes comment on them,
I build up an image in my head,
of who is behind that blog.
Often bloggers will have left clues.
Their ‘about’ page is obviously a good start.
But usually it is their character,
which is contained within the blog,
that really draws me in.
Are they opinionated, knowledgeable,
unsure, unhappy, humorous, bad tempered?
How do they hook me?
If they do, are they welcoming when I visit?
Now that I’m not totally new,
I sometimes wonder,
when I visit some blogs,
Are they using me?
Do they want me to press that link,
for my own good or theirs?
I have discovered,
the world of blogging is not always what it seems.
When I write,
I just let go.
No thought goes into “key words”.
I think of a title because,
to me its quirky,
or describes my post well.
I do not choose it because google,
or a googler will like it.
As the weeks have flown by,
I have begun to read about blogging,
and tips to bloggers.
1. Write regularly.
2. Do not be boring.
3. Mind your spelling and grammar.
4. Put in photos.
5. Welcome visitors.
6. Comment back to those who take the time to comment.
Well I have no issue with any of these.
They seem like common sense to me.
My problem is that,
in all of the advice,
it is suggested that I make my blog SEO friendly.
I had to google that,
and read many articles trying to grasp it.
But even after all these weeks,
I still do not fully grasp SEO.
And worse, I do not want to.
So, sorry SEO,
I do not mean to be rude,
maybe in time we can be friends.
For now however,
I will stick to writing freely,
and creating a site,
which is friendly to fellow bloggers.
photo credit: Ed Yourdon via photopin cc
photo credit: jazzijava via photopin cc
photo credit: Sean MacEntee via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
We are watching you… there is no escape… now create and be judged!
I’m only welcoming friendly bloggers!
I am the friendliest of bloggers in this and many other universes. I am sorry if my attempt at humor has given you the wrong impression.
lol. I’m always afraid the cultural divide means other bloggers don’t get my humor! Thank goodness for bloggers like you. Just in case, I usually end sarcasm in my comments with “ha ha”. My kids groan when I do.
Really… I really am friendly… now I feel horrible… I was just playing on that part where you got freaked out when people first started to comment and read your stuff, and now… oh man… what have I done?
Heh I totally got that. My humor matches yours!! Then I too wondered… So now lets just enjoy the first two comments. Ha ha. And I still am a bit freaked that anyone reads me. So now thinking of your comment I’m freaked again! So yeh you are horrible, go feel bad!
I am way ahead of you…
🙂
…sigh…
I am pretty sure I am failing in SEO, too. Oh well… =)
Ye but hopefully we will fail spectacularly!
Indeed! =)
You may fail in SEO but you pass with First Class honours for style, content and interest 🙂
Thanks a mil Mary! Very kind of you.
Great blog, and thanks for coming by mine. 🙂
Great to see you. I really enjoyed my visit.
Good post! Until I read it and googled to learn the meaning of SEO, I had no clue what it meant. I agree with you on not worrying too much about whether the blog is SEO friendly or not….it can take away the fun and satisfaction of “writing freely and creating a site, which is friendly to fellow bloggers”, which IMHO is most important. Keep on writing excellent posts – as always, and one day it will all become SEO friendly – DEO
Thanks. I’m enjoying myself which is the very reason I began this blog. I suspect you also are enjoying your writing.
You are absoltely right. I find it quite relaxing, sometimes as stress relieving mechanism from daily routine activities. It’s a good feeling to communicate and share one’s perspectives and experiences self-lessly with various readers worldwide, many of them can be strangers from distant land whom you may never meet in life. It has surely some therapeutic value. Also while writing something that one values most, personal as it may be, the process of recapping, reviewing and reflecting while writing those makes one a better person than before IMHO….an unintended consequence perhaps, which Internet has made possible via blogging. Thanks my friend and fellow blogger from Green Emerald Isle. Have a great weekend.
Wise words. Thank you.
I’ve never managed to get my head round SEO 😳
Would like to have lots more visitors to Madhatters but SEO sounds like too much work. I prefer to just comment on those blogs I like and hope those bloggers might, in turn, take a look at madhatters and like what they see there
And if I find a blog that I like, I’ll have a look at who else likes or comments on that site – working on the premise that if they and I like the same blog we may have similar interests and I might like their blog too. It’s a slower and less ‘efficient’ way to publicise madhatters but I prefer this more natural and personal way of building an audience than trying to do so using SEO techniques. SEO kinda makes me think of entrapment – fishing for visitors with cold,calculated lures !
Nice description of SEO!
I’m right there with you! I’m all for having a “successful” blog but I’m so sick of being told I need to focus on SEO or I need to have a twitter account too or any of the other crazy things people insist you simply must do.
Agreed. It can make you rethink what your doing. I dont know if its because I dont care or am too lazy to care. Thanks for the visit and taking the time to comment.
uh… I had to google what SEO meant… and I still have no clue what it actually means…
Join the club! I have a brother with an online business and he knows these things, thats where I heard it, but am lost.
I think you’re doing a great job writing, so I suppose that’s what matters 🙂
thank you, And thank you for visiting and commenting.
I still don’t know what SEO actually means.
Theres another challenge for you.
I don’t care to look it up though, I have the general understanding of what it means. I think you are very personable and if you truly wanted you could have a strong following. At this point, your blog and direction are really what you want, you already have the knowledge and skill. This is probably stuff you know already.
Thanks a mil. I bluff well. I have no IT knowledge but I do read. ( no reference to your post yesterday. Ha Ha) My blog is really just “my thoughts on a page”. In time I may move to do other things but life is very busy and time is against me daily. Not sure if that is an excuse or a reason! I am sickeningly delighted you visited. Thanks, hope you enjoyed.
Of course, I always enjoy your posts and comments!