Welcome back to Introductions over Coffee, where I provide some guidance and insights for new bloggers and maybe as a refresher for us all. I also introduce a new blogger to the community. Please make them feel welcome (as I know you will).
For any new bloggers who want to raise their profile, please follow the guidance in my posts. Do not spam my comments section.
Introducing our new blogger : Geneva from GLO
I’m delighted to introduce Geneva from GLO today. Geneva responded to my invitation to feature here and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to meet a new blogger.
Geneva tells me that she posts weekly on different topics, such as parenting, parenting special needs, relationship development, personal stories, witchy tips, and more. In addition to her blog, she is also a self published author, having written three books in The Tale of Mr Fix It series, and a book of love poems entitled Postcards from My Orgasms. You’ll find links to everything on her website.
Covering a wide range of topics across her writing I’m sure there will be something for everyone. I’m also sure you’ll be as impressed with the professional standard of both Geneva’s writing and her website. Pop across today to check it out.
https://genevaokelley.design.blog
Welcome to the community Geneva 😁
Beginner’s Tips
New blogger identity
One of the dilemmas I come across regularly when writing for Introductions over Coffee is how to introduce new bloggers. Today’s featured blogger made things nice and easy as I know her name, Geneva, and know how to address her. However what about a blogger who hasn’t given themselves a name, maybe just using their blog name? What do I call them?
Its so much easier to talk and engage with others if you know their name and what to call them.
What’s in a name?
This is the dilemma Sadje introduces us to in one of her recent posts. In fact, she’s so keen to have broad engagement to inspire discussion that she reposted her post. She is encouraging new bloggers to reflect on the discussion and comments after her post as they launch their blogs. I second Sadje and urge you to think about the name you use when engaging with others through your blog.
Today I’m asking you to read and comment on Sadje’s post if you haven’t already done so, but also come back and let me know what you think. Has it changed your mind about anything? Are you likely to change your name after reading Sadje’s words and the comments arising? How important is it for us to have our own identity, whether or not its our own name or one created for our blogs?
Next time, I’m going to be looking at the art of leaving meaningful comments. Thinking about the use of names and our identity on our blogs, does how we represent ourselves on our blogs impact the way we and others interact with us through the comments section?
Over to you!
It’s important to me that this series reflects the needs of the community, and new bloggers. Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to see covered in future posts.
What I’m looking for in new bloggers I feature
I review the new bloggers I come across to decide who to highlight in this post on a weekly basis, and some have been asking what I’m looking for. The following are my criteria:
- a blogger who interacts with their readers and responds to comments
- Are they posting regularly – if someone posts weekly, that’s fine, but I’d probably observe for a few weeks to see how they’re getting on
- Do they produce quality work – if its text, is it full of spelling/grammar mistakes
- is there sufficient information to encourage conversation through the comments section
- If someone regularly spams, they will not be featured. I accept that people can make mistakes at the outset, but they should learn and adapt what they do
I accept that this process is subjective, based on opinion.
If you’re a new blogger and would like to appear in Introductions over Coffee, please send me a message through the Contact Me page. Equally, if you spot an interesting new blogger, send me a message in the same way, sharing their details.
To keep up-to-date with my blog and future tips, if you haven’t done so, fill in the box below to subscribe to Curiosities, Castles and Coffee Shops.
Thank you so much for your interest in the new commer and your support. I am one of them.
You’re doing so well already 😁 but we need to support each other too
Hello This is Nithya Aravind currently staying at Canada.. I am from India. I own a blogging website . I came across your blogs. Its fantastic. I ma planning to take it up full time. So it would be helpful if i can get some help how to proceed? Thank you.. I am blogging for six months.. pl visit my blogs too. Mine is Our Travel Blog
Have a look at my other Introductions over Coffee Posts, they will give you lots of ideas. They are written for new bloggers.
I’d say keep posting, be consistent and respond to comments. Visit other bloggers, like this, and leave meaningful comments about what they’ve written.
Don’t beg people to visit your site, it’s not a good idea. Many bloggers will delete your messages or mark you as spam.
How do I address a blogger who has not given their name? It’s a tough one, Brenda, as I think any comment where you can not address the blogger by their name doesn’t come over as friendly as a comment where you can give the bloggers name. However, it does not stop me from commenting if I have something of value to add.
Not only should every blogger have an ‘about me’ page on their blog where they can introduce themselves, but they should start that page with ‘My name is——–‘ It doesn’t need to be their real name, but a name by which they’d liked to be addressed. Having a name by which you can be called goes a long way in making a blog look friendly.
However, more important are the types of comments you leave, but I know you’ll be tackling that issue next time.
Working on the comments section in the next post as we speak.
I agree about the friendliness of having a name to address people. Actually as I was writing this post I ended up headed down a rabbit hole… which has become a totally separate post raising some questions about identity more generally 🤔
That sounds interesting, Brenda. Of course, there are the spam accounts here in the blogging world, and they rarely give any first names, but I wonder what else you found down that rabbit hole?
It was more philosophical thoughts about the nature of identity rather than blogging. It really is surprising where our thoughts take us sometimes
I agree about the spam accounts, but they don’t tend to engage as much
True. And they never address you by your name, Brenda, although I do get some that start with Hi hughsviewsandnews.
Lol. Sounds like either it’s a bot or English is not their first language
Like 2 comments I’ve just marked as spam. One was a very long explanation of what their business is
The comment from CH Forex? I got their comment via email.
Yes, they had posted 3 across 2 posts
Ironically was looking for samples of spam to say don’t do this is the Comments posting 🤣
I know the ones you mean. Comments like ‘check out my blog, like, comment and follow’ and they leave a link to it without any mention of the contents of the post they’ve left it on. Or where they almost beg you to follow, like and comment.
Thats the ones
Hi Brenda! Thank you for the feature. I appreciate it immensely. I agree that it’s important to have a way to address someone in their blog. It’s awkward to not have any identifiers to go on. I think this is especially true today, given that so many people have alternate pronouns too. Without guidance, an innocent post could end up offensive.
Looking forward to more fabulous posts! Thanks again.
Geneva from GLO
#kindnessncake
Thanks Geneva. And my pleasure to feature you 😁
[…] catalyst for this post was my most recent Introductions Over Coffee #10 post. There I discuss why new bloggers should use a name. That got me thinking about the nature of […]
[…] I posted the latest Introductions over Coffee article, I didn’t expect my thoughts about identity to become so expansive. How we identify is really […]
Great intro and tips, Brenda! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Sadje’s post as well. Even if someone only goes by their initials, it’s easier to address them as “D” than it is “randomnameformyblogthattellsallaboutwhatthecontentisbutisn’treallyaname” I’m looking forward to the next installment on meaningful comments. I like to THINK I leave meaningful ones, but its evolved by what I like to receive on my own posts. I can’t wait to read more tips on how to truly improve! 💞
I think you’re doing great Dawn. It really is just about responding with enough detail to elicit a response
Thank you 💞