Although most bloggers are concerned how they are perceived online and will ask fellow bloggers what they think of, or how they can improve their blogs, some bloggers REALLY don’t want to know.

They like their blog just as it is.

And that’s okay.

Today’s Lesson

I’ll admit, I don’t like receiving nor giving criticism. If not done correctly, it can project a negative vibe.

In fact, if you asked me what I think of your blog, I’d find something I like about it and pay you a compliment.

And, I’m not saying that just to please you.

Just like I wouldn’t come into your home and say “You need to move that picture.”, I don’t feel it’s my place to tell you how to design your own online space.

After all, your blog a reflection of YOU.

That said, I will share what I like to see on blogs.

1. What is the blog about?

Oftentimes the name of a blog does not reveal what a blog is about. That’s where the tagline comes in. A simple sentence will let readers know what our blog is about and what they can expect from us in the future.

2. Recent/favorite and/or random posts

When I land on a blog I’m not familiar with, I may want to read something other than the current article. If I can’t find older posts, I leave. I don’t have time to dig for them, nor do I want to keep hitting “previous” or “next”.

3. Where’s the “about me” page?

An “about” page doesn’t have to be long, but I like knowing a little about the blog author(s). Need help writing one? See this post on how to write an “about” page.

So there you have it, three things I look for when I land on a blog.

What about you?

Today’s Assignment

What do you look for when you land on a blog?

Would you want others to tell you how to improve your blog?

Care to share?

P.S. The same may not apply to business blogs which should look as professional as possible.

P.S.S. I’m not saying my blogs are perfect, rather they’re a work in progress – always evolving.

I like learning what makes them tick. What they’ve learned in life. What their dreams are, and those little quirks which make them unique.

Today’s Lesson

I’ve seen several blogs where the blog author has published 100 things about themselves; sort of like an “about me” page. It’s a fun read and the information shared gives readers a better idea of who’s behind the blog (even if they don’t share a photo).

The “100 Things About Me” lists are the basis for today’s lesson.

Let’s have some fun and share a tidbit or two about ourselves which others probably don’t know. I see this as a great way to not only share a little more about who we are, but possibly meet new friends in the process.

I’ll go first.

1. A hobby of mine is genealogy.

After searching for over a year, I finally found copies of the ship’s manifest showing when my Grandmother came to the United States from Finland. (Conflicting stories from relatives had sent me on a wild goose chase.)

2. In elementary school, penmanship was my favorite class.

To this day I still enjoy “hand writing’”.

3. I drove an 18-wheeler semi-truck.


When I lived in Alaska, my husband’s business was to haul freight to Prudhoe Bay and Valdez. On a return trip from Valdez, he taught me how to drive the truck so I’d know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Now it’s your turn.

Today’s Assignment

What are some tidbits about you others might not know?

Care to share?

P.S. I’ve seen blogs and Facebook pages where TOO much information is shared; information which could easily be used by identity thieves. Please do not leave personal information in your comment which could jeopardize your identity.

They may want to know, can the words be trusted? Is the author an expert of some sort? Or, what makes the person who is writing the blog, tick?

Unfortunately, for some, the “About Me” page is the hardest page to write.

Today’s Lesson

For those who have trouble writing your about page, I’d suggest starting with the five “W”s.

1. Who
   Here’s your chance to tell your readers who you are; a brief description of yourself. A place to show your personality. Your humor.
2. What
   What can a reader expect to find on your blog? Now, or in the future.
3. Why
   You could include a paragraph or two of why your started blogging. What you hope to accomplish with your blog.
4. When
   If you want to let your readers know how often you’ll be updating your blog, you could include it in your about page
5. Where
   Where else can readers find you? On Twitter? Facebook? Other blogs? Via a feed? Or updates via email? Don’t forget to include the links.

If you feel comfortable having your photo online, your about page is a great place to publish that, as well.

What I would advise NOT to include on your about page:

1. Your full birthdate
   Publishing your birthdate online could lead to identity theft, as could publishing a post stating “I turned 40 today”.
2. Your physical address
   Although some bloggers feel the need to publish an address where others can contact them, I’d suggest using a contact form or post office box instead. Publishing a physical address could lead to stalking.
3. Childrens photographs.
   I’d also advise bloggers with children or grandchildren to be careful of the photographs they publish of children online. With so many sickos frequenting the internet, one never knows what could be done with those photos or where they could end up.

For those of you who are publishing blog posts under an alias, readers still want to know “something” about you and what they can expect to find when they visit your blog.

In the guest post by Greg Blensoe of “Positive Waves Baby”, Greg mentioned how he incorporates a page titled “100 things About Me” as a way to tell his readers a little more about himself.

Today’s Assignment

What do you like to see on “About Me” pages?

What’s on yours?

Care to share?

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P.S. For earlier discussions on the about page, see the archived post “About me – The Most Important Page On Your Blog”

P.S.S. Just as I was putting the finishing touches on this post, professional blogger and social media consultant Vered, shared a link on Facebook to a post titled,”Consumer Reports: Half of Social Network Users are “Oversharing”; Endangering Privacy. It’s a great read which reiterates the necessity of self monitoring that which we share online.

One thing about buying books from Amazon is they let us “search inside the book” before we make a purchase. Often we will see the table of contents, get to read the first page or two, the back cover and they even have a “surprise me” option which takes the potential purchaser to an unknown page in the book. The process gives us enough information in order to make an informed decision to purchase or not.

The “About Me” page on a blog can be viewed as the same. When a new reader lands on our blog, they often want to know what they can expect, who the author is, and/or what the author’s credentials are. Even though the posts may be of the highest quality, if a visitor isn’t impressed with the author’s credentials, they may choose not to return.

An “About” page can either sell a blog, or sink it.

A good example of this would be a blogger claiming they’ll show their readers how to make money via blogging, but when we read their “About Me” page, we discover they are new to blogging and haven’t made a dime.

Today’s Lesson

For many bloggers, the “about me” page is often harder to write than a typical post.  We don’t like to sound like we’re bragging, but on the other hand, it is imperative we sell ourselves and our work in order to grow our blog.

So, what can we include in an “about me” page to better inform our readers who we are?

1)  Obviously, who we are. 

This is where we want to tell our readers a little about us. The “about me” page is also a great place to share personal photographs. In the event we’re protecting our true identity, than our efforts need to be directed towards enticing a reader to want to stick around.

2)  What our visitors can expect to read/see on our blog.

Whether we’re sharing articles on personal development, business, blogging, product reviews, photographs and/or a variety of topics, a statement explaining our blogging goals will tell our readers what they can expect to find when they visit.

3) Our credentials

If we’re an expert in a specific field, we can list our degrees, experience, etc.

If our blog will discuss business, we can tell our readers what our experience is. If we are a mommy/daddy blogger, we can explain we’re a working or stay at home parent with “x” number of children.  If we’re young and have little to no experience in any given field, we need to let your readers know that, as well.

4)  Why our blog is named what it is. 

Many have asked me why I named this blog “Blogging Without A Blog”. In my “about” page, I’ve included the explanation.

5) Why we are blogging. 

We can share a short story with our readers telling them what it was about blogging that attracted us, or how by blogging we feel we can help others.

6) Where else can we be found. 

If we’re on Twitter, Stumble Upon or other social networking sites, we can include a link to our profile. If we have other blogs, this is the perfect place to link to our other sites so our readers can find more of our work. If we have authored books, a link to those books would not only help to show more of our talent, but could drive sales. If we offer an additional service, this is an ideal place to plug that, as well.

7) What is our posting schedule?

By posting our publishing schedule, we can alert our visitors how often they can expect to receive updates from us. This would also be a great time to suggest they subscribe via RSS feed or email and provide the appropriate links.

Having a good “About Me” page will not only tell our readers a little about us and what they can expect when they visit our blog, but by following the steps we’ve outlined for our readers, we can stay more focused on our blog’s purpose.

Today’s Assignment

Did you have a hard time writing your “About” page?

What information do you include?

When you land on a blog, do you look for and read the “About” page?

How important do you feel an “About Me” page is?

Care to Share?

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