Judging from my analytics, I bet many, if not most, people who visit my blog are bloggers.
What is a blogger?
Well I could visit Wikipedia and look it up, but there’s no need for that; we all know what a blogger is, right?
But what are you, really?
Yeah yeah, I know – you’re a human being… ha ha; ok, no what I’m really talking about is have you ever stopped to think about why you’re a blogger and what your blogging purpose is?
Many of us know why we started a blog. My blog, for example, was started to:
A) Drive traffic to the WP Blog Host domain and generate brand awareness
B) Teach bloggers things I’ve learned as a blogger myself all along the way
But what does that make me? A blogger?
To me it sounds more like an online marketer.
So then I might own and run my own blog, and yes that makes me a blogger, but if I had to put a title to what I do, I’d say I’m an online marketer.
And if that’s the case, then maybe… just maybe I have gained a little more insight into what more I need to learn in order to help make my “job” a success.
True you might be an entrepreneur, but what exactly is it you do?
I once asked Darren Rowse this question: “So what exactly aside from a blogger do you consider yourself?”
His answer was “Web publisher”.
What About You?
So what’s that next level deep and more focused idea of what you are?
Because once you figure that out, you can then sail the ship in the right direction.
December 28th, 2009 at 6:28 am
I work for a company online. I love playing nintendo mario kart hehe and I love the beach.
Rian´s last blog ..Become an Online Freelance Writer – Real Internet Jobs
December 28th, 2009 at 7:12 am
Rian, I’m right there with you at the beach, bud. I’m originally from Huntington Beach, California and even though I’m not the greatest surfer in the world, I’m definitely a surfer at heart.
So you work for an online company, that’s cool and obviously you’re a blogger. Here’s a question for you… As a blogger and someone who works online, what do you consider yourself as?
December 28th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Hey John,
Long time. I am an IT guy relaxing in Costa Rica… Damn, almost my favorite thing to say as well :~D
I am blogging, like you, to get traffic to my domain in hopes that it will serve me in the future. My Page Rank 4 is helping.. Otherwise, I run an IT consulting company out of Massachusetts and work with web design and SEO on the side for fun.
And I try to blog about all of it, when time allows me. I haven’t had much time to write lately, and will be creating a brand new theme for my site (waiting for my artist friend to unique me a logo). I will put the image with link back to your site once I am done with the remodel,
I hope your Christmas was great,
~ Jim
Jim Gaudet´s last blog ..Windows Undelete Software for Free
December 28th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Hey there Jim. Costa Rica sounds really nice right about now.
So you’re blogging in hopes that it will server you some how in the future; I assume you mean monetarily.
Online-wise, how can you better define yourself?
Are you a web publisher (ebooks, articles, etc.)? Are you a teacher, marketer, tech support person, SEO strategist?
If you can narrow down what exactly it is you are online, then you can really start to focus in on what your goals should be and create a plan to get you there.
December 28th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Nah, I’m a blogger. I blog for a living so I really do consider myself a blogger.
vered | blogger for hire´s last blog ..Twitter: Where Do You Draw The Line of Privacy?
December 28th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Yeah I can see that, Vered.
Here’s a question for you though. Would you consider a blogger and web publisher to be one in the same?
December 28th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I tend to use the term “blogger” rather loosely. Blogging, tweeting, ebooking, online marketing, niche site creating…I don’t draw much of a line between them. Perhaps “web publisher” is a better generic term.
What drives me crazy is when someone calls themselves a “writer.” That could mean a lot of things! We don’t even know if they mean online or offline, and there’s a big difference right there.
Hunter Nuttall´s last blog ..Why Playing Financial Defense Is A Sucker’s Game
December 28th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I’m a writer. Online, offline… I communicate by putting words together in sentences that are sprinkled with dashes of punctuation, intelligence, humour and sensitivity; unique to me
December 28th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I’ve never been fond of the moniker of blogger, opting to call myself an author — and that works well with my blog domain at ariwriter.com. I write, I author. If I was at ariblogger.com it would be different!
Ari Herzog´s last blog ..Showcase Sunday: From Felicia Day to a Goat
December 28th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
@ Davina, what do you write? Movie scripts, plays, novels, comic books, sales copy, billboards, nasty messages in the little girl’s room, etc? I really enjoy your words (particularly on Twitter), but you don’t write anything and everything, do you?
Hunter Nuttall´s last blog ..Why Playing Financial Defense Is A Sucker’s Game
December 29th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
@Hunter; Oh you!
Isn’t writer just a word or a label; like doctor, or blogger, for example?
I write informally (on my blog). I enjoy being introspective, playing with different combinations of words and seeing where the words themselves take me. In my world, when I put those two things together, I end up writing. Some people might label my writing as Personal Development, but I suppose that can be broken down into specifics too. Bottom line?: I’m still working on my niche, but either way, when I figure that out I’ll still call myself a writer.
I think there is a blog post here for you Hunter. I can SO see you writing about this. Would make for some interesting discussion.
Davina´s last blog ..Put the Message in the Box
December 29th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
@ Davina – Re: I enjoy being introspective, playing with different combinations of words and seeing where the words themselves take me.
I hear what you’re saying. In relation, I *seemingly* like playing with WordPress until I get a database error and seeing where that takes me!
I think a writer is a general terms, kind of like Martial Artists. You might know and use Kung-Fu, but you’re still a Martial Artists.
It’s that “Kung-Fu” level my article is trying to inspire people to think about. Because once you know you’re in Kung-Fu, then you know where you need to study and what kinds of moves to learn.
True you’re a blogger, but what kind of blogger are you? Kung-Fu blogger? What kind of Kung-Fu? Ah… now you know who to target and where you need to study.
Get my point?
January 1st, 2010 at 1:18 pm
This is heavy stuff John. As we said in the 60’s… Heavy Man.
Perhaps this year, the year of the credit crunch and redundancy, I’ve learned that most of us define ourselves by our profession.
It’s also taught me that if that profession is taken away… we struggle to define ourselves.
That happened to so many people in 2009 and those people have my sympathy and thoughts of hope for 2010.
Like I said John… Heavy Man.
Keith Davis´s last blog ..Ooh la la…
January 1st, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Keith, your comment reminded me of the movie, Back To The Future. Michael J. Fox travels back to the 50’s from the 80’s and he says, “That’s heavy” a few times. A guy from the 50’s who knows his secret says, “There’s that word again, ‘heavy’. Is there something wrong with the Earth’s gravity in your time or something?”
John Hoff´s last blog ..Aside From A Blogger, What Are You Really?
January 1st, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Nice one John.
Your brain obviously has the ability to make connections with words.It’s a useful skill.
Christopher Lioyd, the actor who played the Doc in Back to the Future, also played Jim a victim of the 60’s in the US TV series “Taxi”.
I’m sure he used the phrase Heavy Man in the series.
As for the 60’s, what do they say?
“If you can remember the 60’s… you weren’t there.”
Keith Davis´s last blog ..Ooh la la…