Two years ago on February 22, 2006, the Zo’C blog started as a personal blog and, while I’ve been working on the web for over ten years now, this was my first time blogging. The very excitement of running the blog and being a blogger designer transformed it into the professional one it is today.
Lessons learned and achievements
Two years blogging really changed my perception of the web and aside for professional opportunities I also made friends in the blogosphere. Among the best things that happened in these two years I can count:
- Friends on the blogosphere
- In Italy people say: “Le montagne stano ferme, ma gi uomini s’incontrano” (the mountains are still, but people meet) and that is completely true. You never know what can turn out from an aquaintance. And being friendly on the blogosphere had brought me friends and work opportunities like few times before.
- Guest-blogging
- I haven’t guest blogged a lot, but the three posts I wrote for Domestik Goddess (1, 2, 3) and writing for the January writing project at The Giving Hand were a door to indulge my will to write about subjects other than those of my own blog. There are so many things to write about that is a waste writing for a single blog.
- The Mediterrasian Cooking Blog
- One of my inspirations for having a blog, initially, was food. I’ve always loved to cook and one of food inspirations was mediterrasian.com. I can’t but be proud I’ve been invited to join them to create the MediterrasianCooking blog, officially launched yesterday.
- Cultural diversilty
- Thanks to my deep plunge on the blogosphere I had come to know blogs about all kinds of different subjects and their bloggers. Besides all the fun, it has been a rich cultural experience.
- Provide more value
- I think in these two years I have been too shy in submitting valuable day-by-day content and have focused too much on big discussions. I intend to add more tutorials and doable stuff. Make it a blog more result-oriented that it has been so far.
- Video and podcasting
- I had a very pleasant experience publishing my first two videos, I’m willing to do more. And I like to combine this with the previous topic: tutorials and results.
- More regular posting
- I hadn’t been very nice in being predictable. My post frequency is “about once a week”, but just looking to the archive you can see one can see that I should try it a little harder.
- More out links
- I read a lot of things on the web, really a lot. Yet, I link back in very modest amounts. This is not because I like it this way, it just happened. I want to engage this blog on a bigger discussion with other blogs and links exist for this purpose.
- More comments
- It must be something with my writing style, because despite the reasonable high number of visits and subscribers, there aren’t as much comments as I’d like. I’ll have to work out a way to make the readers more welcome to join the discussions.
- More guest blogging
- Definitely, as a blogger, writing is intransitive: You have to write! And it is a pity to be restricted at your blog’s subject. I see myself guest-writing a lot more and maybe I should open the door for some guest-posts here in Zo’C.
20 Comments
Great Job! I’m impressed to see you make this miles stone. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your projects in the future.
Congratulations on reaching this milestone, Gui. I must say that meeting you online has been one of the high points of the past year — and your contributions to the Authority Blogger Forum have been jewels beyond price! I’m looking forward to more of your podcasting, and to seeing where you take The Zo’C Blog from this point on!
@chaplainandrews – Thanks!
@Jen – Thanks Jen, Meeting you and the rest of the nice people at the Auhtority Blogger Forum was for me too a high point of the past year.
Congratulations! I’m already in love with your cooking blog, which has great recipes and astounding photos.
@Simonne –
Thanks Simonne! I’m glad you enjoyed the mediterrasian blog. It’s a promising new year starting :-)
Congratulations on the 2 years.
Personally, I like your infrequent posting schedule, because when you finally post, it’s something that is very valuable and was worth waiting for.
I also really liked the new cooking blog, it looks really good. Very excited for you and your projects!
Happy birthday to Zo’C! A blog with a great content and a fabulous design! I wish all the best in all your projects!
@Patrick – Thanks Patrick!
Don’t worry, I won’t write more at the cost of quality. The quality has to grow and if the frequency can follow, that would be nice too.
I think there is a lot of things I just don’t write because I over-think and those could also have been great posts that never came. Not daily, though :-)
@Annazuhlke – Thanks dear. You know it wouldn’t be possible without your support!
Big congratulations Gui, two years is a real milestone! All the best for the next two years — and I’m definitely looking forward to our blogging adventures on the MediterrAsian Cooking blog :)
@Ric – Thanks, Ric. I’m quite happy the MediterrAsian Cooking blog is now live and running. Its launch was a great way to celebrate two years of blogging.
Congratulation! I have been enjoying your blog all this while. Glad that you have achieved the two years milestone, and still going strong. Can I have the honor to invite you to guest blog for my Tech blog?
Congratulations, Gui! :D And cheers to many more years to come!
@Damien Oh –
Thanks Damien, It’s my honor. Contact me with details, or send me an email :)
@pelf –
Thanks Pelf!
Congratulation on reaching the two years milestone. It’s a big accomplishment.
I’d sing Happy Birthday for you, but all your guests will leave. :)
Congratulations on your first two years, and may you have many more.
Thanks Pinyo, Thanks Sue!
@Sue –
I think is more likely that they’ll join you, give it a try!
Congratulations on your 2nd birthday! Your summary is very interesting, it all sounds familiar to me. The most important thing is that is’s a learning experience, and the knowledge you take along is most valuable. We live, we learn, we grow!
Cheers to many more successful years!
@Nubloo – Thanks Nubloo. Indeed blogging, just like anything else, is all about learning and enjoying.
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