Sail with New Freebooters

by Mike K-H

What’s this blog about? I’ll give you the privilege of an inside view. Perhaps it will help you with your own efforts.

* * * * * *

I’m seeking attention. Writing and researching are fun, and they keep my ageing mind from atrophying - but they take time and effort. If I know lots of people are enjoying what I write, I am encouraged to write more.

The accepted rules for creating a successful blog are to define yourself a niche and work within it. But I’m a maverick - I’m taking a different approach.

During the early days, I’m creating new categories and writing a few pilot posts on subjects that I am knowledgeable, curious or passionate enough about to feel that I could go on posting new stuff for ever, then I follow up if plenty of people show an interest.

In this way, I could end up finding my niche and letting everything else wither away - but I prefer to maintain a dynamic equilibrium, always having two or three new categories in pilot mode. It should stop me getting stale and bored (or boring), and it should make me light-footed enough to keep up with the rapid rate at which the web environment is changing.

I’ve installed blog stats, and watch each day. Sometimes someone Stumbles a page, and that brings a burst of traffic - but Stumblers aren’t very sticky. What I watch is the climbing average traffic, and the popular posts.

So far, the hottest topics are:

• Viv Mackie’s Troglodyte Tour. She’ll be back one day, and will certainly take in the zoo she skipped first time around. I have plans to tell you more about the Loire Valley, such as the plans to bring it back to life as Europe’s premier salmon spawning ground.
• Belem’s Canadian tour. That’s nearly over now, but there’s plenty more to tell (and show - I’ve found a few interesting videos, some of the imbeddable). I plan to broaden the scope of the sailing ships category to include not just other tall ships, but any unusual sailing vessels, modern or replica.
• The Euro exchange rate, particularly against the pound. The whole world is in for a rough ride for several years, so that’s not a topic that will dry up.

Wish me luck. Talk to me. Above all, tell your friends - and post links to bits of this blog whenever it’s appropriate and you have the opportunity. I’ll willingly return the compliment.