Bloging

Yesterday, I published a post about the vagaries of Internet marketing emails. It was supposed to be humourous, and ironic in tone. Many of you enjoyed it, and also commented too. For that, I am most grateful.

And within moments of the post appearing, new followers were literally flooding in. That should be good news, shouldn’t it? But sadly, with a couple of notable exceptions, all these usually welcome new followers turned out to be Internet marketers. Yes, the same people I was ridiculing in that post were rushing to follow my blog, presumably hoping to get their link online via my comments section.

Maybe they didn’t understand the nature of my article? Perhaps they misunderstood the intention of it, or failed to grasp the intended sarcasm? After reading my thoughts, could it be that they thought what I really needed was to invest in gold ingots, or to employ them to market my own blog? Or would I really like to take up the offer to become an Internet marketing wizard; working from home, by the side of my Olympic-sized pool?

This just serves to magnify my woes referenced in yesterday’s post. Do none of these so-called ‘marketing experts’ understand English? Are their skins so thick that they can glide over my scorn, returning it with yet more spurious offers? Or are they just plain stupid?

I’m going with stupid.

***Update***

Since posting this, I have had six more new followers. Care to guess what their blogs are about? It never ends… 🙂

I have had a ‘musical interlude’ this week, and have been posting about quite a few songs once again.

But I have also been thinking about blogging of course, and in particular the way it has enabled me to contact complete strangers, people I would never have met otherwise.

I receive quite a few emails asking me questions about living in Norfolk. People who are thinking of relocating here often discover my blog when researching places to consider living in. Just yesterday, I was contacted by a lady from the London area, who is hoping to move to this region in the near future. I was able to offer her some thoughts about life in a rural location, and its positives and negatives, as well as suggesting some suitable places for a non-driver to live in Norfolk. We exchanged a few emails, and she thanked me for my time and consideration. Just a small thing of course, but something that would never have happened without blogging.

On a similar theme, I received an enquiry from a couple in the north-west of England last year, also about living in Norfolk. After various emails between us, they moved here, and settled in the north of Norfolk, quite close to the coast. They then kindly invited me to come up and see them in their new home, something I plan to do in the future. Another chance contact that would never have been possible, if they had not read my blog.

Through blogging, I have not only met people from all over the world, I have also become involved in some of their lives, to varying degrees. I have reviewed their books, promoted their blogs or endeavours, and received the same favours in return. I am lucky to have been invited to visit them, and stay with them in far-flung lands or places more familiar, if I ever get the chance to do so. Many have become close friends via email, though we will probably never meet. In some cases, I know as much if not more about their lives than most people I meet physically every day in Beetley.

I often use the terms ‘blogging community’ and ‘blogging friends’. Both are very true, and real to me. This small community has endured for over five years, those friendships have developed during that time, and continue to flourish. If you are undecided about becoming a blogger, or unhappy with the way your blogging experience is turning out, then just carry on. Eventually, you might well enjoy the richness of knowing so many good people, and feeling as if you have genuine contacts, all over the world.