Q: i want to get my blog out there more. I do it on gather but I think they aren't really my core age group... I have a bunch of addicts and followers which is cute but I need more advir... any thoughts?
A: You'll want to get one for your full name.com anyhow, since that's a good business practice. (You then can redirect any traffic to that site to your Gather.com blog, if you want; it's free to do that.) I buy my domain names through namecheap.com ($8.88 per year) or my Internet Service Provider (1and1.com, $2.99 to $5.99 for most domain names per year and about the same per month for hosting). But there’s also godaddy.com, which is running a special $1.99 on domain names if you sign up for another service like its $3.99 per month hosting.
Gather.com's audience does skew older, so if you're targeting different demographics with your writing than my recommendation is that you use Gather as your editing stop, before posting to your live blog. There's an editing group here devoted to providing feedback on privately-posted articles, so this seems like a perfect first step for you moving forward. You can subscribe here: http://www.articleediting.gather.com (add the tag “editing help” to your post for easy organization).
Let me know how it goes.
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Comments: 22
I am a paid Money Correspondent here on Gather. I received a question, via Gather mail, from another Gather blogger and asked if I could post a reply as part of my blog. She agreed.
As such, what you're seeing is her original question and my answer posted here for her and any other writers to read and address as needed.
I hope this helps!
Thank you Amylee for your comment. I purchased jennifermeacham.com many years ago, and it's well worth the nominal website name registration fee I pay at 1and1 (my server host, incidently) to keep it maintained. I made the site into my portfolio, routing traffic there to my articles found at Gather.com and other websites and publications. And I use the site as my e-mail address, jd@jennifermeacham.com. It's a nice way to stay consistent in a writer's branding process.
One great benefit to blogging that people may not consider is that when a potential art buyer is considering my work either from my online gallery, http://www.keatingart.com, or from one of the brick-and-mortar galleries that show my work in Los Angeles, they can Google my name and find pages of info about me from different sources, many of which are "self-created" hype.
My wife is a real estate investor; we are landlords, have a decent retirement plan and we have dabbled in investing in receivables, but have no experience investing in stocks or other commodities, and can always use general money management advice, so I am always combing your posts for info. I'm sorry that I don't always leave comments. Thanks for being here.
No problem Warren. Thank you for the lengthy and insightful comment on this post. Stay in touch!
And thank you Chick J. for your kind words.
If their logo weren't so cute I'd be really miffed.
I also have found that some new website/blog operators fall into the trap of subscribing to the mindset of "build it and they will come", which is far from true in most cases. In fact, some members on Gather grow weary of low comments or attention without realizing the basic elements that attract and retain readers. Thus, creating a website and obtaining a web address is just a small part of being successful on the web.
Thanks for starting this discussion!
Ron, you're a doll.
And Kevin, always the encourager. I'm getting enough of these questions that I do think a regular series is in order. Some require more research than others though, and that can hold up my posting process. Thank you so much for the additional information you provided about the web marketing process. Good words of advice.
Ahhh J, too bad about the masonry company nabbing your name. You write under several pseudonyms, so I can understand that it might be hard coming up with the name that will work for all of your efforts.
Seriously, very helpful info here.
In the next year or two, I will be re-starting a web site and live blog...I will probably wait until i have published some romance novels or shorts under my pen name...
but great to keep in mind.
Keep on keeping with the great advice.
Kathryn, I can't wait to check out your website and new live blog! Feel free to post the link here!
So glad you stopped by Jo C. I'll see you in a few!
Thank you Lavonne for calling attention to some of my past posts! This was a fun one, since it pertains to us all.
I kind of like having older people give me advice because they've been through a lot of the stuff I've gone through already.
Good tips for the questioner here Pheonix.
As to your comment ??? (Waiguoren) the Great (I apologize for inadvertently overlooking it earlier), you're obviously able to get Gather behind the wall. Why not make Gather you main blog publishing site, adding in your name URL at the same time. China does have certain censorship rules that domain hosting/search engine companies must follow. My guess is that the place were you blog now is well known and blocked under China's rules. Your own name, however, should not be. I hope this helps!