June 11, 2007
How did you become involved in the blogging phenomenon?
Well, Chili of Don’t Try This At Home, got tagged to do a blogging meme. Instead of the usual same-o, she decided to turn it into a group carnival. It’s not too late for you to join in! Just answer the following questions and then leave your link here. Don’t forget to visit the other participants. Maybe you’ll make a new blogging friend!
Here’s my story:
- How did you start blogging? My husband had bought me a Treo 650 Smartphone for Christmas 2005. I was visiting a Treo forum where I met Duke. He told me that if I blogged about the TreoAlarm, they would give me a free download. Cool! But what the heck was blogging? I did some research and decided I’d start a blog on Blogger, write the review, then delete the blog after I got the download. It’s now 2007 and I’m still going strong!
- Did you intend to be a blog w/a following? If so, how did you go about it? Nope, I really didn’t think that anyone would ever find me. I don’t even remember how I started getting visitors.
- What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals? My goals were to establish credibity and a somewhat decent following. I feel that, yes, I’ve accomplished this. What I didn’t count on was making so many great friends along the way.
- Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How? No, it’s still the same as when I started - family life, hawaii, flight attendant stories.
- What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? Don’t waste your time with Blogger and make sure you come up with a great blog name.
- Do you make money with your blog? Yes, I do. I’ve tried different ways like Review Me, Pay Per Post, Google AdSense - the one that works best for me is BlogHer Ads. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I receive their checks in the mail. I’ve also recently been approved by Ask.com to place a search engine on my blog. See it over there on the right? Check it out!
- Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why? The only people that know about my blog is my sister and my husband. However, as far as I know, they don’t read it. I guess they want to respect my privacy.
- What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger? One, be yourself. This will make blogging a lot easier and more fun. Two, if you have any questions - ask someone. You’ll be surprised at how willing other bloggers are to help out. We all had to start somewhere. I remember when I was writing my very first post, I had to ask Duke how to insert a link. He didn’t even laugh at me!
So there it is, the story of my humble beginnings. What’s your story?
22 Comments on “What’s Your Story?”
8:26 am
You’ve come a long way. I can’t believe you started blogging 2005..seems like you’ve been doing it for 10 years!!=)
I am copying this meme, if you don’t mind!
8:32 am
Gasp! I can’t open the link..probably banned here in UAE, so I can’t leave my link there…
11:03 am
I thought about blogging for a year and kept a notebook of what would make interesting posts before I started. I was afraid I would have writer’s block punishing me every day, but so far so good! I blog about living on the Big Island, and tips and links about Hawaii travel and activities for locals and visitors alike. I am proud that it is all my original content.
I started my blog as a way to get traffic to my two Hawaii gift sites, so far it is not working but that’s because I don’t have many readers yet. I am still learning about how to get traffic to my blog.
The upside is I have met really wonderful people online and we visit and comment on each other’s blogs regularly.
I don’t make any money from my blog, but hope that the people who start reading my blog regularly will remember I sell gifts, flowers, leis, papayas, etc. when they need to purchase a Hawaiian gift.
I have begged my family and friends to go read my blog and so far no one has! Or maybe they did but did not leave a comment although I explained how easy it was to do.
A hui hou, Cheryl
11:25 am
Great post. Nice to hear how you started blogging.
1:32 pm
Hey hey! I got the PERFECT word to validate! “chocolate” YES!!
I love your layout
I want to visit Hawaii someday!
3:57 pm
Okay, for someone who did not set out to gain a following, you’ve done a great job at it!! You even started your own carnival, which was the first one that I regularly participated in!
5:01 pm
Thanks for sharing Kailani! And for leading me to this meme.
5:08 pm
Ditto to what everyone has said. You’ve come a long way!
6:45 pm
I totally agree about meeting some wonderful online friends, and not wasting time with blogger!
You’ve come along way!
7:03 pm
Meeting people is one of the perks I had never considered when I started blogging. I’ve made some incredible friends in the past few years!
7:39 pm
When I first started, I thought blogger was IT! I’m hearing about a lot of other blog host sites now…but I still love my Blogger!!
7:47 pm
First time visitor here. Your blog is so cute. I lived on Guam for 6 years, so I the island motife is near and dear to my heart!
8:03 pm
Oh, it’s so fun to read people’s stories! I really want to write mine too, but I just don’t think I’m ready to for a month or so…
11:16 pm
I’m loving the design of your blog! And I totally agree about asking for help if you need it - people generally are willing to explain things!
1:55 am
You have an awesome template!!!
I agree that being yourself while blogging is very important.
4:56 am
This is the coolest looking blog I’ve ever seen, and trust me (and the naked, hungry family that gathers around me while I read and write this crazy little thing called blog), I’ve seen a few!!!
Love your answers, and I’ll be back because who couldn’t use a little time in paradise every day?
11:52 am
What a cute blog. It has a scrapbook feel. Thanks for sharing your blogging story–its how I found you.
4:18 pm
I love hearing how you started. Not friends or work - a free download. That’s totally intriguing!
You’re right about the name being a clincher. It helps to have something unusual and fun and memorable.
And so far, I’ve had a great time with Blogger. I’m sorry to hear that your experience was so traumatic! But that’s why there are so many different hosts out there - to please everyone somehow!
And if you’ve an invitation to BlogHer available, I would gladly accept it! Hey, it never hurts to ask!
6:16 am
Kailani, I’m writing an article on being a power blogger, and I think I’m going to use you as an example, if you don’t mind. You’ve gone from 0 to 60 in about 30 seconds, and that’s pretty amazing.
7:06 am
Do they REALLY not read it? My parents lie and say they don’t but my siblings tell me that they do check my blog when I’m away.
7:17 pm
I’m always late for the party.
I think my invitation must have gotten lost in the mail.
Anyway . . . I’m playing. Just posted my contribution!
1:07 am
[...] Chili of Don’t Try This At Home was tagged in conjunction with a meme so she decided to host a group carnival and I heard about it at An Island Life. [...]
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