Sunday, April 5, 2009

Calling all closet blog readers!

Blogging is a place where you can learn to write, make connections, have a dialogue, create an international online presence and push boundaries. While this blog may not change the world. I think it is a cool hobby and hopefully some of the content is useful.

Last week at the AFP Conference in New Orleans I ran into someone who I had met at a conference in Holland. He immediately told me that he was reading my blog. How flattering. He then went onto tell me about one post in particular that had travelled the world and been part of extensive discussions. I was surprised by this. I knew it was a provocative post. I wrote it to start a discussion. Apparently this post had travelled the world and yet only one person commented on it publicly. Why is that? I could have been wrong (in fact now I think maybe I was) and would have welcomed the debate.

This week the number of "followers" for this blog grew from six to seven. Every time a new "follower" signs up I smile. Here is the really puzzling thing though as of today 499 people from 39 countries have visited this blog. 70% of those come back again! (Truthfully I have no idea how those stats fit in with other blogs. I could be confessing very poor performance here. Still that is sort of cool.)


Yet only seven followers and fewer comments? So I have a favour to ask: If you end up becoming the 500th person to read this blog I would ask you that you consider becoming a "follower" and perhaps even jump into a debate with a comment or two. If you are a closet reader I want to encourage you to join us here publicly. It would be good to get to know each other better.

I welcome alternative points of view. Expressing them is how we will learn from each other.

Thank you for spending time here.

3 comments:

  1. well I can't fess up that I am one of your closet readers Kimberley. Of course I realize the importance of commenting on blogs and wish more people took the time to comment on mine. The only thing i can figure is that a) people don't want to add to the chatter if they have nothing of value to add to your post or b) that they think you are totally out to lunch but too nice to say so - burning bridges and all that. I would rather have someone (I think) tell me that I was totally clueless than not say anything at all... but like you - I think I am looking for other people's points of view, I am looking for more voices to change my two cents to a conversation. Maybe a blog isn't the best way to get that conversation - or maybe Kimberley, we should just be more controversial... more black or white with no middle ground... But I agree with your final point, at the end of the day, it's all about learning from one another. Thanks for your post Kimberley. FYI, I have now signed on as one of your followers. NOW OFFEND ME and I'll comment everytime! :)

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  2. Thank you for your comment John.
    Or maybe it is
    c) people just don't kno what is expected of them in blogosphere. We are trying to figure out this whole web 2.0 thing.

    any others?

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  3. well I didn't even know you blogged! Although my blogging is not nearly as intriguing as your blog entries are, neither are mine as well written, people never comment on there either, yet call me or mention in passing that they read it.. Personally, I like the comments!

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