Three Years Ago Today

Three years ago today, I started blogging. I thought I’d better share something insightful about what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown, or what’s ahead for this blog.

Sorry everyone. Maybe I’m not feeling insightful. Or, maybe this blog is simpler than that, just stories and thoughts, sometimes random.

I’m indebted to the inventor of blogging (need to find out who that is) for providing a format that’s become my favorite. A fiction writer I’m not and I gave up personal diaries after high school. And, I’m indebted to you for reading. It keeps me motivated to know someone will read.

Over the past three years, here’s the post that generated the most views: https://lynnwoolf.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/restoration-historic-stone-house-barn/

Here is one of my least read posts: https://lynnwoolf.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/butterflying/

And, here’s the post that led to the most exploration around my blog: https://lynnwoolf.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/kansas-wind-2-cattle-shed-0/

Today, my anniversary post shows one of my favorite places: Walking with Cesar along our country road. Here’s to another year of blogging.

Country walking with Cesar.

Social media as a continuum

Facebook hubs have replaced web sites. Shareable social objects have replaced lifeless content. Earned relationships have replaced marketing collateral. Relevancy and context is the communicator’s — and the consumer’s — new battle cry. So says social media experts Brian Solis (@briansolis) and Jason Falls (@JasonFalls).

They presented — or should I say, enthralled – – at yesterday’s Explore and Engage Wichita event. My to-do and to-think-about lists are overflowing in terms of social media tools and strategies.

Some sound bites from Brian:

We are all competing for relevance.
Tools don’t matter. Engagement does.
Authenticity and transparency are keys to social media success.
Businesses have been run with a top-down approach. We are introducing a bottom-up approach.
Listening and hearing provide the tools to impart relevance.
Brands are no longer destinations. We have to build bridges back to them.
One-to-one-to-many is far more effective than one to many.
Social objects (tweets, posts, photos, videos) are the future of marketing.

Beyond the soundbites is Brian’s call for research, strategy and thought leadership: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alj2xxGf5XQ.

Jason echoes this approach, offering these steps:

1. Know your audience

2. Set goals.

3. Build a content strategy.

4. Choose the right tools.

5. Implement and activate.

In his words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owBU9zlCtLU.

Brian and Jason stressed measurement of outcomes — not a new business recommendation, but one we often forget. The other challenge: Once we earn relationships and thought leadership, we must nurture this privilege. Social media is a continuum.

The tremendous opportunities ahead…

Writers on writing

“Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals.” — John Steinbeck.

Ouch. But maybe a humility check is just what this writer needs as another year of words begin? I’m not discounting that good writing matters. However, with nearly 200 million people blogging alone, the world does seem saturated with words. Enter Twitter the editor. What fun — and what a challenge — to write something meaningful in 140 characters or less. Here are some other Twitter-sized thoughts on writers and writing I found funny and inspiring:

• “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.” Oscar Wilde
• “I never knew what was meant by choice of words. It was one word or none.” Robert Frost
• “You must write every single day of your life…” Ray Bradbury
• “The idea is to get the pencil moving quickly.” Bernard Malamud
• “Use the right word and not its second cousin.” Mark Twain
• “Stick to the point.” W. Somerset Maugham

‘Nuf said. Happy writing and reading in the new year.

Story telling

It will soon be a year since I began writing stories from Sand Creek. I don’t think I have set the blogosphere on fire with my wit, veracity for writing or groundbreaking insights. I hope I have succeeded in at least one way, though — telling a good story. Eugene Cameron, a Ponca Indian story teller, reminded me that a story is told so that it will be shared. One story teller begets another. So, tell me how I’ve done. Have my stories been good enough to share?

Job title dilemma

(Guest blog post on www.lifemeetswork.com.)

I have lived the “life meets work” philosophy for almost 20 years now. It’s not because I discovered the trend early. I simply married into a farm family. Even in today’s world, farm families have an uncanny approach to integrating work and life. Case in point: New tractors still come with a “companion seat” option, for kids to ride along.

Lately, though, I struggle for an answer when a professional acquaintance asks me what I do. Read more here: http://www.lifemeetswork.com/blog/blogdetail.asp?sectionID=3&articleID=128.

Blog mania

The numbers are staggering: 22.6 million bloggers in the U.S. alone, with 77 percent of active Internet users turning to blogs for information, entertainment, and community.  These and many other interesting facts are discussed in Technorati’s latest survey, “State of the Blogosphere 2008.”

I’ve been having a great time with it, even though I’m a novice. The power is undeniable. I even find myself thinking in terms of  blog posts — hoping that I’m adding to the conversation, not just clogging up cyberspace.

So, what is my blog resolution for 2008? Just do it. Have fun. Explore ideas. Make new connections.

Let’s meet up same time next year and see how I did!