Could use some straight up honest opinions / advice | Bloggers Lair | Yakezie Forums

Post edited 8:23 pm – February 1, 2011 by Sustainable PF

This year in our 2011 blogging resolutions Mrs. SPF and I committed ourselves to writing one "Sustainable Tip" each day in 2011.  So 365 posts on short tips (100 words or less usually) where we show how re-use, sustainability, green living/purchase/habits can be smart from a personal finance perspective.

I would love to get some opinions on this idea and the endeavour … not to mention how it's gone to date.  We're 33 tips in now.

We do find producing 7 tips a week, 2 articles a week plus our, how do I say, unique? Weekend Reading is hard to keep up with – even with two of us writing.

If folks have checked out our site and have opinions/advice, or have some time to check out our site (check the Sustainability Category to see the TIPS) – I (we) would appreciate it a lot.

http://sustainablepersonalfina…..-2/page/8/

We're getting some comments, not a ton on these pieces.  Some have gotten a LOT of views (like 100+) others not so many (some under 5).

Is one tip a day too much?

Are we repetitive? or boring?

Is this a good or bad idea / approach?

Should we focus on other things? (guest posts, more focus on our Mon/Weds articles?)

Hoping to get some feedback and we're totally open to ideas, opinions and constructive criticism.  <— everyone here is so nice and polite and this is something we need some frank/honest/straight up opinion on please and thanks! If you think we're not doing a good/right/smart thing, please tell us!

Thanks,

Mr. & Mrs. SPF

Your daily tips are cool, but I haven't been able to keep up with all of them.  Also, I sometimes struggle with a MWF post schedule, I give you credit for sticking to your daily posts so far.  It's a toss up between 5 short tips or 2 or 3 longer articles.  I have to say your Alexa ranking dropped really quick, perhaps it is your daily posts?  I guess ultimately it's your call.  But I have to say if it is no longer fun, you might have to alter your post schedule.  Good Luck.

Buck Inspire said:

Your daily tips are cool, but I haven't been able to keep up with all of them.  Also, I sometimes struggle with a MWF post schedule, I give you credit for sticking to your daily posts so far.  It's a toss up between 5 short tips or 2 or 3 longer articles.  I have to say your Alexa ranking dropped really quick, perhaps it is your daily posts?  I guess ultimately it's your call.  But I have to say if it is no longer fun, you might have to alter your post schedule.  Good Luck.

Hi Buck – we got under 200,000 about 10 days into January so the tips weren't really that influential – it was the other 6.5 weeks that drove us to that goal.

We actually write (weekly):

- 7 tips

- 2 longer articles w/ much more substance

- the Weekend reading (which takes me 2-3 hours to sift through my favourite reads, do 5-7 longers paragraphs on my favs and then a uniqure statement about each of the best of the rest. 

So 10 published pieces a week (plus, SEO, adwords analysis, finding images, figuring out if I want to use an Amazon link etc etc).

LifeAndMyFinances said:

I like the idea, and if you can keep it up for a year, you'll most likely have a load of new readers! Keep it up!

I got some feedback from another blogger that the tips "were a bit much" when the topic of daily posting was being discussed so I thought i'd come here for some feedback.

I'm still very content getting some constructive (or not) criticism as well.  No offense will be taken!

I agree with Jaymus and Derek. They are quite cool and you could reference them later in other posts. I know it can be a lot to keep up with though. When I first started blogging, I was doing a post every day, 7 days a week. It got to be too much. So I announced to my readers that I would only be posted M-F and many were ok with it. In fact, I got a lot of support. I too find my own weekend readings a lot to keep up with. I think what is good to remember is that you are human and your readers know that to. If you don't post one day because you are unwell or something has come up, it's ok. People understand. Do the best you can and I think your blog will continue to be a success.

Thanks all.

@KNS – i've read that "series" are very interesting to readers and i've seen sites that do 365 days of XXXXXXXXXXX – but they tend to ONLY do that whereas we do our longer articles quite carefully and thoroughly (who knew it would take me 1400 words to detail how to install a low flow toilet !!??!!).  Mrs. SPF actually had forgotten a convo we had where I mentioned I wanted to have a queue of tips available for emergencies / time off.  She doesn't spend a lot of time on the posts (but enough!) but I then need to find a great image, work on the SEO, adwords etc etc which is more time for me on top of the longer articles I do.

@PrairieEco – thanks to our most frequent visitor / commentor / friend :)  Glad you like them!  At least their short.  I think if we can get 10-20 done ahead of time the pressure will go down.  Mrs. SPF is currently studying her butt off as the contract position she is in has been posted "permanent" and she wants to win the job in a BIG way (and likely will!).  Once that is done she will have more time and our own PF situation will be rock solid so I think we will be able to devote more time to our blogging hobby.

@JT.  Ya, we do the same 2 posts + round up, then the tips.  If you haven't checked them out, they're not extensive.  We will likely use many of them to expand on in future months/years and bring my full monetary/PF analysis to the topics.  We have been "grouping" items – we started w/ ways to save energy and on our heating bills (we've in Canada, eh!) and Mrs. SPF has since moved to "purchases".  We have plans to deal w/ the kitchen, and bathroom, our spring garden, landscaping, cottage life, buying locally / organically – TONS of ideas.  It's just a grind at the moment.  Every night I need to put more work in later than I prefer.  So we need to get a quue goin' I think.  Mrs. SPF started to write 2 a night which helps a bunch – 2 in the queue and there will be 2 more tonight, less 1 posted, so 3 … and so on and so on.

The whole home burglary thing spun us into a loop too having lost our idea spreadsheet (and our super fast Alexa tracking :( )

We'll manage! Thanks again folks!

(oh ya, the fellow who said 1 a day was a bit much suggested we split into 2 blogs – one for PF the other for green.  No way I want 2 of these things! LOL! Our whole "niche" or uniqueness in PF stems from how we live a sustainable lifestyle and can point out / prove that it makes sense financially MOST of the time! It's out "thing"!)

I am going to be the "not nice guy" here.  This is just my honest assessment, so please let me know if I'm wrong or off base.

I think you guys are finding it overwhelming to keep up with the series, particularly because life has gotten in the way for you guys lately with the whole home break-in thing.   

I think everyone agrees that your daily tips are a great resource, but I think deep down you guys might be looking for some positive reinforcement that it is ok to move away from it because you are perhaps finding it overwhelming.  If that is the case, then just do it.  We all say stuff early in our blogs and then have to change once we learn more, etc.  Your good writers and your readers will understand.

I for one would rather have you guys blogging for a good long time rather than getting burnt out churning out a series everyday that you feel you maybe feel  forced to do.  

Again, we add new content to our site everyday and it is my wife and I doing all the work, so I understand how difficult it is along with everything else to keep up that schedule.  I know you guys do a great job commenting/helping other bloggers, including me!  I appreciate it, but I think you need to do what's best for you personally.  I also think you may find blogging more fun if you get off a set routine.  We blog every day but we do not have to.  That freedom is liberating. 

Those are just my opinions, sorry if I'm misreading what's going on.  

Ok Good.  I'm glad I was mistaken about that.  I just didn't want to not say it if that was what you were thinking and maybe needed to hear.

I really like the tips. I had to pull myself away from the site. I think it is a great idea!!!! I selected one for a round up!!! KEEP IT UP!

Thanks Barb, and to all.

I hadn't told Mrs. SPF about the comment I received yesterday from, I must say, a blogging mentor of mine, who is not part of this group.  I should inquire further as to the "a bit much" comment, and will do so.  My guess is that this blogger has had great success with a number of blogs and likely sees opportunity for us to split our PF and Green/Sustainable ideas into more than one successful endeavour.  While he is likely dead on, i'm not sure we have the capacity for both.  Especially myself as I do the web

You folks have reinforced something we were confident in prior to 2k11 – do a series and stick to it.  It may be hard at times but it should pay off in terms of making our current readers happy while hopefully bringing some new readers to Sustainable Personal Finance.

We do recognize that the tips aren't our 'A' level articles, but they were never meant to be.

Thanks again for the positive feedback.  We're still open to ideas on how to improve and such, but we'll continue on with our tips!