What do baby boomer bloggers blog about? This is not a trick question. After reading many baby boomer bloggers I have concluded that they blog about most of the things everyone blogs about. They blog about:
Entertainment
Politics
Health
Conspiracy theories
Food
Sex
Relationships
Children
Grandchildren
Caregiving
Finances
Pensions
Technology
Social media
Ok, perhaps many of those below the age of 50 are not blogging about pensions and their care giving may be with children and not parents. Yet, the general topic areas are the same. What makes the difference, in my opinion, is the expertise and experience that baby boomers bring to the table.
You are probably wondering, “What are boomer thoughts? Well, for me it is all that happens in the life of a baby boomer. Those are the things that many of us blog about.
One of the great things about blogging is that it provides a voice for many of us who sometimes feel that no one is listening in our immediate circles. Some of the thoughts include:
Caregiving
Pension
Retirement options
Retirement issues
Purpose driven work
Work to add to retirement
Grand children and related joys and issues
Children and related joys and issues
Grief from loved ones missing in our lives
Mates
Making money online and offline
Health, health, health
Collections
Music
Art
Hobbies
Dating
Life after Divorce
Oh, did I already say caregiving?
Now I did not include everything. You can add more. But are you blogging about any of these things? Please share what is on your mind that you are blogging about. I know it is one of the reasons some of you have more than one blog.
Are you planning to look at blogs about the two Superbowl giants Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers this week? If yes, I thought you would enjoy looking at some popular blogs dedicated to the teams. So I have listed five (5) blogs for each team and the current post. Perhaps it may give you ideas about doing your own fan blog.
In addition, be sure to post comments to these sites. Not only does your opinion count but it is what we baby boomer bloggers have in abundance. Right? In addition, hit that like button on Facebook, Digg it, Tweet it and all the other good social bookmarket and social network things we can do. Enjoy the game this weekend.
Did you know that a Teddy Rooselvelt Marble sold on Ebay for $4,500?
I just saw a great blog established by Ebay for collectors and buyers of collections. It is called Ebay Collectors. The blog shares collector items that have sold as well as tips for purchasing an item to add to your collection.
I was more than impressed to see that Ebay designated a blog specific for this market group. I am also excited when I read about the prices that some of the collector items have fetched.
Now, note that the site does not have the comments currently open so I cannot suggest you go and post your insights or questions. Ebay has other great resources for answering your questions. In addition you can email them your questions. But the blog is a gold mine for baby boomer collectors who are on Ebay or want to purchase a collector item from Ebay.
Notice that the header is simple with just the logo and tabs for seven (7) pages. This makes navigation pretty easy for folks not used to blogs. Also, there is currently only one social bookmark for Digg and social network interfaces for Facebook and Twitter.
However, the very fact that those three options are available makes for powerful blogging. I am certain that it will expand as Ebay goes deeper and deeper into social media.
Note also that the Twitter feed is in the sidebar and tag cloud is extensive. If you think the comments should be open then shoot them an email. But as a blogger you also know how much work is involved in maintaining a blog. For now, you can always follow them on Twitter to ask questions.
This blog is still very new and it pays to keep an eye on how it progresses. I just love it when businesses expand and use the power of blogging. I also relish the appreciation for collector items that baby boomers know so much about.
If you are not currently on Ebay but want to get started here is an excellent starter resource. Of course there are a lot of books out there on Ebay but this particular author has 35 books to her credit. It is easy to read and chuck full of information.
Many of you already know about niche blogging. It is when you decide ahead of time what you are going to blog about. Except with niche blogging it is very focused on one topic. For example, if you are going to blog about blogging that is a broad niche. But if you narrow it to blogging for money then you are blogging about that niche.
I teach folks in my blogging class to take a good amount of time deciding on the area they are going to blog about. It is much like setting a goal. You try to be as specific as possible and refer to it often to see if you are on target.
This morning I read an article about niche marketing that had a very interesting perspective. These marketing gurus felt that you should go broad then narrow when deciding on a niche. For example, if you are thinking about blogging on gardening then you would search on the word gardening with different variations. They could include “rose gardening” “winter gardening” etc.
The key point the article made was to look at the word “gardening” and start with that then go deeper. My summary “go wide then deep and decide.”
I strongly suggest using the free Google keyword tool. When you want to do more extensive searches you can pay for a tool. But right now just go to Google and in the search box key in the words “Google keyword tool”.
The other thing it shows are the keywords “tags” you can use when you produce a blog post.If you are on a WordPress platform, there is a section on the dashboard that always allows you to key in tags. That is the same thing as keywords. The more relevant they are to your post the better.
The cool thing about us baby boomers is that we have a broad area of interests based on our broad area of expertise and experience. That can make for some great blogging. What do you think?
If you want me to do a tutorial on using the free keyword tool with some pictures let me know.
This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Blog Workout
Have you ever varied your blog workout? That’s right I said workout because blogging is a mental a physical exercise. But to build our blogging muscles in different places we sometimes must use different weights or types of exercise. So, since I have been trying to do more physical exercise with my body thought I would also apply it to my blogging. Does that make sense?
Here is the first of a series of post on blogging workouts. Today I want to share the value of adding controversial blog post. It is a post that can generate a lot of comments because the topic is something that most of your readers will have an opinion about.
As I traveled from my moms after a day of work, hospital visit to a friend who had open heart surgery, several drug stores, and a modified zumba class because of my sore arm, I began to wonder what I would blog about tonight.
While I was at the drug store ,looking for an item for my mom, and while I was at the gift store at the hospital I talked to two different folks about coins. I realized that I had not given any time for many days to the pile of coins waiting for me to investigate from my pocket change.
That’s when I decided to chat for a few minutes about hobby blogging.
For the first time in my baby boomer life I have a hobby. I don’t recall ever having a hobby unless you call talking with strangers in the elevator or diners about their passion a hobby. I don’t consider my blogging, speaking or hanging out at the senior center my mom lives in a hobby.
But last year I started reading and exploring coin collecting. While my husband decided to explore the guitar. And guess what we both decide to create blogs about out new found passions.
Why?
It helps us to remember where we store our new found information , videos and audios
It reinforces our learning.
It is very niched which is great for ads
Helps us to keep on top of the hobby
A great way to meet other people in the hobby
We can submit to Blog directories like blog catalog and join groups with folks of same interest.
I can post pictures of coins give a history then bring that picture with a link to the site on Ebay or other sites If I am selling that coin.
By now you have create a floor layout of your blog with the FREE BLOG Planning Form. You choose a host, have painted the walls by choosing a theme, and you hung up a sign letting folks know that an exciting thing is going to happen in this new home.
Now it is time to call a security company to activate an alarm system. Why? Because your site is alive on the internet although you have not moved your furniture into it. You will have folks trying to break in with something call SPAM.
Activate Your Askismet Before You Move Into Your Blog Home
Here is a pretty clear video on how to activate your plugin. I was going to create one but I must admit it was faster going to YouTube.
Now time to work on the next part to this series. Did I leave anything out? Can anyone share what plugins fight spam on Typepad or other hosted blogging platforms?
Password protected posts allow you to create content that is visible to the world if they know the password you gave the post.
So How Do You Password Protect Your Blog Post?
You can locate the option to change the VISIBILITY of your blog post within the PUBLISH box on your dashboard
Click on the EDIT option to change the post to Password Protect or Private
Choose Password Protect (Private means that only Administrators or Editors on your blog team can see posts)
Key in a password
Congratulations! You have now created a Password Protected Blog Post.
What Can You Do With a Password Protected Blog Post?
I often use password protected blog posts to host PowerPoint slide shows for trainings. Now I challenge you to allow your imagination to expand. Think about a contest, or something else that your readers can enjoy.
I came across this blog post this morning because of my Google Alert on baby boomers. (Hope you set up your alerts also) I clicked on the link and read it with particular interest. But rather than share my insights thought it would be helpful to hear from you.
One thing I will say is that there is NO ABOUT page. This is always one of my biggest issues with blogs. It makes me feel that the blogger is under cover.
