1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your blog?
My Blog and art name is Pearl Maple. (http://www.pearlmaple.
My family calls me Mandy. My parents loved to travel, I was born in Canada but before high school we had lived and travelled around most of Europe and North America. Expat work assignments gave me more opportunities to travel. Travelling means that friends and family are scattered all over the globe and I love all the new telecommunications options we have to keep in touch.
The Pearl Maple blog started because it was a requirement to submit to creative publications and participate in international art projects. It has grown from being an on line gallery to include snippets from our travels, photos, recipes, handicrafts are my usual themes.
2. Are you a full time blogger? How did you get into blogging and why?
No, I am a career woman but find time to think about the blog most every day as my creative outlet and virtual coffee break. When something inspires me or captured my eye, I want to want to document or record it. My blog is not loaded up with advertisements, if I link to someone, it is because I genuinely like what they have going on.
Blogging has broadened by horizons and community, though other bloggers with similar mind sets or interests and those who with a different approach have given me something to think about. I do enjoy invitations to write guest blog spots for others.
Blogging has broadened by horizons and community, though other bloggers with similar mind sets or interests and those who with a different approach have given me something to think about. I do enjoy invitations to write guest blog spots for others.
3. If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest?
Visit lots of blogs. See what others are doing and decide what you like. Some blogs have a very clean presentation with a specific subject or theme; others have a variety and lots of details. Think about what you would like to talk about and talk about often because a good blog is as only as good as the last post, if you are not posting regularly it goes stale very quickly. Consider the tone of voice that other bloggers using, different people use different styles communication, what is yours.
Blogging has a strong sense of community and can be a fulfilling part of your day. Some of my new blogging friends are as "real" to me as friends who I meet up for coffee with every day.
After establishing your blog, start leaving comments as a way to connect to other people who share your interest. Comments are a wonderful way to show our appreciation for what bloggers have created or said, just like you would like others to do for your blog.
You do not need to know a lot about technology to start but you learn new things along the way.
4. How do you build a community around a blog and social media?
Building your blog can be a quick process, building your community takes time. Sharing your photos, your writing or thoughts are ways to establish your voice or presence in the internet world and connect to people who have similar interests.
Regular posts on your blog is important and gives people a reason to come back again. Taking part in the various Memes (regular theme posts) are a wonderful way to be able to establish a routine and connections with others who share your interests.
Following links or blog hopping off someone else’s blogroll list can be an interesting way to meet all kinds of new people. Comments are important. They are your calling card to let someone else find you. It is a courtesy to reply to comments. Your comments can be a nice form of appreciation to say thank you to bloggers who spent time and effort creating their post.
Add link to your blog from your FaceBook account and your email signature block.
5. What are your three favorite blogs to read?
That is the hardest question, there are so many wonderful blogs to read to narrow down my favorites. My blog roll and subscriptions are a good indication that these are the folks I do connect with at least every week.
A Beach Cottage for a mix of photography and modern creative homemaker
Mixed Media Monday a creative meme
Sky Watch because I love that idea of simply watching the show nature puts on for free that we can all share http://skyley.blogspot.com
6. Which one plugin would you suggest all bloggers to have?
I am not a big a fan of plugins when it comes to advertising. The new options to link your blog posts from your phone look pretty interesting.
There are some very good statistics or traffic feed plug ins that you can obtain for free. These tools help you understand where your traffic comes from and what words readers are finding you on from a google search.
Life is one learning adventure after another and bogging is a great way of learning about other people or places, maybe a little about yourself, technology, and all kinds of things you might never have imagined.
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