OK, this post is asking one question that I would like to garner as much response as possible back from you. Does thoughtsparks.net branch into two blogs?
Thoughtsparks.net has two main streams running through it. One is tech posts and the other is a more personal poetic-pros and life ruminations on ideas and experiences. Both topics stem from my passions. The question is, am I better-off to keep those two streams inter-mingled or divide in focus into two distinct sites? Or perhaps the question is as much how you would most benefit?
The first site would remain thoughtsparks.net and I would venture deeper into thought, poetry and everyday living ideas including frugal ways of doing things, spiritual thoughts, family values and my own quirky way of looking at things. I’m a strong believer in original, well-crafted content and thoughtsparks.net will always be published with that goal in mind.
The second site would be TechFires.com and would be a more straight-up tech site with attitude. That domain, which I acquired this week currently points back to this site. The concept behind techfires.com would be to develop a core group of authors who would contribute weekly with quality content. One difference from some other tech blogs would be an editorial review process to ensure that the articles are solid grammatically, clear in message, well illustrated and speak to the latest trends.
So, does the mixed-mode of the current site have the zing to grow in readership? Does it feel balanced or disjointed? What stands out to you as the strengths of this blog? What would make it better?
Doth one mind in two directions follow, bringing forth thoughts that spark the imagination in one vein while illuminating that which lights tech fires in the other? Or to this one site remain the focus of both contemplative and instructive expositions?
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Follow-up information to this post: In looking at web stats, the tech posts pageviews far out pace the more personal posts.
I may not be a great one to judge because I am so NOT a techie!
Personally I do not read much about tech stuff but LOVE your insights and thoughts and wisdom!
Either way, I’m a fan!
JJ
Jen, That’s exactly why I’m asking you and other readers. I want to get a pulse from the readership of this blog. So in your case, it’s the personal side. Wondering if some readers would be more interested in a blog that followed this vein more closely? That’s the thought process. Perhaps I have two distinct audiences or is it more of a spectrum. Thanks Jen.
personally, i get a little lost on the tech stuff. That stated, reading the tech stuff i’m actually learning a TON of stuff. This is stuff I wouldn’t search on my own. It is only b/c i come to your blog – and each time is a surprise.
My suggestion?
Keep one but ensure an equal balance on the posts – post one: tech post two: personal post three tech…
Notfearingchange, thanks for the feedback. It is both encouraging and informative. Not sure I keep that balance exactly, but not a bad guideline with the mix. So what I hear from you is that the mix is both interesting from the personal side and educational from the tech side. Often my target audience with the tech side is to help lift the understanding of those who are new or struggle with technical issues. Perhaps there is an equilibrium of sorts with the mix. Maybe the “formula” is working well and if anything, a second more strictly tech focused site would be a whole separate endeavor.
I am a Techie, and I have absolutely no problem with the content being mixed. Like any other blog, I see the title, maybe read a couple of sentences, and if it isn’t something that I am interested in, I skip it.
This is especially true of Tech Sites that aren’t real specific. For example, if I am reading the How To Geek, and he posts about a trick in Flash programming, I just skip right past it, because I don’t use flash.
I still read his blog, and as long as he keeps posting about things that I want to read about, then I’ll keep reading.
Now I am really curious as to your final decision on this. Ever since I picked up my current domain name, I was planning on launching a tech site as well. A site that focused entirely on tech topics. For now, I have decided against it, primarily because I just don’t think that I’ll have enough content to fill both sites.
Your question is about separating tech from non-tech, and one of the things I kept wondering about was how to separate the different kind of Techs. Would a regular internet reader want to read about blog platform content? Would a blogger want to read about Windows Domain Administration tricks? Would a Network Administrator want to read about making iTunes behave?
For now, I moved my blog into a “/blog” subdirectory, so that I can still use the root of the domain, sometime down the road, to make a portal site or whatever else I want to.