Thanks to my friend Michelle in Australia I realised that I have reached a new blogging milestone - 10 000 unique visitors (www.nicsnewest.blogspot.com) and another 100 too.
I used to get excited about every 100 new visitors and here I am I forgot to keep my eye on it. I've also seen what other bloggers have achieved so 10 000 doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore (!) I'm sitting here chuckling at myself over my ambivalence - shame blogspot does not do smiley faces.
The truth of the matter is that I just want to transfer this damn blog over to www.liveinsweden.se but I still have far too much work to do on the site before I am ready to do that.
What started off as a way of updating the family, my mum in particular, has turned into so much more. I love writing a blog and now realise I should have studied journalism instead of economics - oh well, such is life.
It is also fascinating to watch the stats and see how people behave on the net - seeing what people search for and how that leads to me, or who else out there is linking to me, is nothing short of totally fascinating. It is also interesting to see what links people click on and to see those who come back regularly and never click on any of the links I put up.
And it has caught me off guard a couple of times too. I found out last night my sister-in-law must pop in here from time to time, and here I was thinking it wouldn't be of interest now I am not writing as many personal posts about the family. It has also had me in trouble with my mother when the occasional post has led to phone-calls to her. I've often wondered if I should have a "don't quote me and don't ring my mother saying you read it on my blog" disclaimer, just to keep me out of trouble. After all - a blog is personal, it is my way of experiencing the world around me. But a blog also teaches you about accountability, about being conscious of what you communicate and how it can be perceived.
One of the things I really like about blogging is how it has led to other things. It is a great way to develop your writing skills - practise, practise, practise. I have also put thought into the profile we create, who are target audience is, how we attract people and keep them, the balance between personal and general information, privacy issues and what our goals are with a blog. I say WE because I have had many interesting discussions with other bloggers and I find this whole area of modern media so very fascinating. I get to apply all the theories of marketing, and relationship marketing from studies in the years gone by and yet apply them in a different way, in a new world, to a new media. Love it!
Blogging also opens up your world to a range of new people and I can't help but explore blogs in areas that interest me. I have a couple of favorites and like to read the "life in Sweden" blogs, as well as those using their blog as a professional tool.
I encourage anyone who wants to build a profile for professional reasons, or has something they want to say to the world to start blogging and to keep blogging. You will work the rest out as you go along. You can even do a blog writing course! Click on the picture above to have a look at one.
If you don't have it in you to blog - then start a Twitter account - it takes a while to get a feel for what the point is but it is a whole new world and it is here to stay. It is a whole new way of communicating with people, both privately and professionally.
Both my blog and Twitter have, without any doubt, brought me closer to my nearest and dearest. That's the best bit.
Thanks Michelle!
