OK, many of you are probably too young to remember, but there was a horrible song in the 90s called “It’s Our Anniversary” by Tony! Toni! Tone!. (All pronounced ‘Tony’.) Anyway, ever since I thought about my Blogiversary, that stupid song has been in my head.
Anyway, I cannot believe it has been one year already. I am getting old really fast. If I was a good blogger, I would have a giveaway of some sort to celebrate. However, I just didn’t have the time to think that far ahead. Therefore, no giveaway for you…
Instead, what you get is my list of ‘reflections’ about blogging over the past year. That way, everyone is a winner! 🙂
- I was laughing to myself the other night when I was thinking about my reaction to comments in the early days. Back when my traffic was under 10 visits a day, I would get the occasional comment that read something like this: “I really like your blog, I have learned a lot already”. Those comments made me so happy. Then, as I became more experienced, I realized those were spam! Oh well, they made me happy for a little while.
- You can’t blog ‘alone’. Being a part of a community is so much more fun and rewarding. I have made some blogging pals, and I love the Yakezie group that I am a part of. Go Yakezie!
- Blogging can be like a drug. I had no idea it could actually be addicting until I started writing everyday. I love the comments I get, I love writing, and I love reading other blogs. Cheaper than controlled substances, and minimal side effects if you need to take a break for a few days.
- You don’t need to be a computer programming specialist to have a blog. Of course, I am a computer programmer, but the knowledge I had going in to blogging was not helpful at all when it came to HTML and such. I muddled through like everyone else.
- I like writing. Before, I always thought of myself as mathy-sciency person. I have redefined myself through blogging. I found that I really enjoy writing, and I don’t even cringe reading my own writing anymore. Well, maybe a little…
- I could easily blog 8 hours a day as a job. When I first started I thought ‘eh, I will write posts here and there and just share all the wisdom I have when I feel like it’. However, I could easily see how you could enjoy writing and learning 8 hours a day. If only I could make really good money doing so. Then I could live anywhere in the world and just write from whatever locale I was at.
- It is ok to take a few days off. During my ‘really addicted’ phase, I felt I had to post everyday and respond to every comment in a timely manner. My recent ‘sabbatical’ taught me that you can take some time off if you need to, and your blog and loyal audience will be waiting for you when you return.
Here are some of my stats from the last year:
Visits: 45,437
Unique Visitors: 30,352
Search Engine Traffic: 40 percent
Most Popular Post: Tax Avoidance, Double Irish and Dutch Sandwiches! (3,296 visits)
Pageviews: Can’t share that number because pageviews were counted incorrectly for much of the year.
Top Referrers: (Thank you!!)
- Grumpy Rumblings of the Untenured
- Budgeting In The Fun Stuff
- Money Reasons
- Free Money Finance
- Len Penzo dot Com
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Congratulations!! Here’s a virtual toast to your success so far. Cheers!
Later on tonight, I’ll hoist another real one to yours and your family’s health and continued success.
I am joining in with 101 on the virtual toast to you! Congratulations and heres to many many more successful blogiversaries!!
Congratulations on making it a year. I look forward to many more posts.
Congratulations Kris! That is absolutely fantastic! Love reading your blog and keep writing the way you write! Here’s to your continued success! (clink!)
Awesome Kris!!!!
Thank you for blogging and for being such a great blogging buddy. I can say my life has been enriched by reading your blog and getting to know you.
Congratulations! You’ve done a great job on your blog in it’s first year, and have gotten many of us (definitely me) hooked on your thoughtful posts. You’ve been an excellent blogging buddy as well. I’m sure Year #2 will be great as well!
Congratulations! Reading your comments made me realize there are stages in blogging. I have gone through many of the ones you mentioned and perhaps one or two more. I certainly agree there is an addictive side to blogging.
WOOT!!! I can’t believe we’ve made it this far, can you?! Happy Blogoversary to my first true fellow blogging buddy!!! Here’s to another awesome year and to both of us being able to make a living at it next year. 😉
Congratulations! My Blogiversary passed me by too before I had a chance to prepare for it with a cool giveaway… Life gets busy sometimes, especially for those of us with kids!
I think I’ll have a giveway once I meet Sam’s threshold…
Love your stuff, you’re a great writer especially considering your a computer person like me 🙂
It would be funny if you programmed in dbase IV or foxpro in the past…
Happy Blogiversary!
Congratulation!
Those spam comments made me happy for a few months too. Now I have to watch the comments like a hawk…
Happy Blogiversary,
I too remember the days where I was happy to get any kind of comments on my blog. Think i received hundreds of comments saying, “thanks for sharing” with links to all kind of pornsites. Happyly there are filters for these kind of comments.
Keep up the good work.
Congrats on your blog-o-versary! It’s been great reading your posts and having you as a member of the yakezie. Here’s to continued success in the future!
Congratulations on your Year of blogging!! I’m a new blogger too and aren’t those spam comments great when they say they like your post!?
Continued success in your blogging!!
Argh! So irritating – I thought I wished you Happy Anniversary via my blackberry – apparently didn’t go through. So happy anniversary again!
Congratulations on your first year anniversary. very nice stats after one year as you can see all the hard work paying off now.
Haha, that Anniversary song from Tony, Toni, Tone was horrible! Now you have it stuck in my head! Ack. 🙂 I enjoyed reading your look back. Yeah those spam good post comments kept me going, too. Virtual toast *clink* to your continued success. Now I’m going to stick my head in an oven to get this song out of my head. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbzFHFeMG_Q
Congratulations and happy blogiversary!
Wow, you’re a computer programmer, I would have thought that would give you a big leg up!!! Congratulations, your site is great. I’m glad I’m not the only one why didn’t get a contest together for my blogoversary!!!
Happy 1 year anniversary. I wish you many more to come.
Just wanted to say thank you so much for all the congrats and well wishes!! It has been so fun writing this year.
Congrats on your 1 year anniversary! I’m impressed you can write everyday. Great job and keep it up!
Look forward to another year of good blogging!
Best, Sam
Congratulations to you! Many more years of blogging to you, as we all know it is quite the job to write daily on the internet. Keep up the good work with all the original posts as well.
Congratulations! I remember that Tony Toni Tone song
Well done!!! One year blogging is a great accomplishment!!!
Now you have lots of loyal readers and I can tell you’re happy about the experience. There’s a lot more to come, so good luck and enjoy the ride!
Happy blogiversary! It’s funny what you mention about spam. I had a spam blocker to begin with, but found it very ego boosting in those early days to review the spam file – even though I knew they were fake!
So, 40% search engine traffic, wow! I would love to hear any SEO tips you have. Mine is only about 2%.
“My recent ‘sabbatical’ taught me that you can take some time off if you need to, and your blog and loyal audience will be waiting for you when you return.”
Yep, don’t worry about it; congrats on hitting your blogversary!
Keep up the great work! I am a big fan of the sit, it is like peering into the head of Kris lol
Thanks for your article. One other thing is American states have their very own laws in which affect house owners, which makes it quite hard for the the legislature to come up with a brand new set of rules concerning home foreclosure on home owners. The problem is that a state provides own legislation which may work in an adverse manner in relation to foreclosure policies.
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