Information Saturation

I think I reached the point of brain overload today. Almost seven hours of nonstop information to help me better manage and socially integrate my blog. Along with strategies for tweets, facebook shares, and an introduction to other social media available, if you have the time to use it. Things I never heard of, like VINE. Things I have used like Foursquare.

David Hobby of Strobist was one amazing workshop leader, providing tips and strategies, whether you were a passion blogger, a small business, or what he called “suits” aka people who worked for companies, governments, or in other words, not for themselves. We are really fortunate here to have him providing his expertise, not just at the workshop, but everywhere else he pops up, like at the Conservancy, where I first met him. He really is amazing in his skill, but also in his ability to teach us what he knows.

Today he gave us so much to think about, in an easy to understand manner. Still, it was a huge amount of data to absorb. I know I came away with dozens of ideas. Can’t wait to get our package of what he presented.

I am still processing, in my feeble brain, everything available from Google Analytics, that can help me identify who reads my blog, and what they read the most. WordPress gives me a fraction of that information, including a year end summary of top posts, and other statistics. They piqued my interest in focusing my blog towards the areas I see people reading the most.

David’s examples, using one months worth of that Google Analytics data for his blog, were eye opening. Search engine optimization, for example. How can we pull visitors to our own sites?

What I realized today too, and am thankful for, is the tremendous benefit we derive by having hocoblogs as an asset for the bloggers (and readers of blogs) in Howard County.

I met people from all over the country at this workshop. I had one conversation in particular, where a business owner was impressed at the content on hocoblogs. All grouped in one site. Always up to date. A place where we have created a synergy, and where we learn from and share with one another.

Thanks to Jessie for getting David to offer this workshop. Thanks also to the local bloggers who continue to work together. To promote each other. And, to Jessie and Robin for managing hocoblogs. I don’t think we all remember to tell them how much they mean to our community of writers, and readers.

Oh, today we also saw the announcement of our next regular “get together”. What we have called our “blogtail” parties. Which we will be doing again two weeks from this Wednesday (on the 6th of November). At the Second Chance, again (we do need to find somewhere with enough space for us, on the western side of the county).

Now off to wonder what I would do if my monthly statistics told me I had 1,922,000+ visits to my blog! David, you truly are one amazing blogger.

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