10 February 2010 21:21
How useful do you find blogrings? Over the past four-plus years, I’ve met a lot of people with similar interests that way. From Foreign Film Buffs to I’m Addicted to NPR to Confessions of a Foodie, I’ve found blogrings to be a fun way to meet other Xangans.
One Xangan whom I recently met, Amanda, is new to Xanga. After years of blogging on other services and being frustrated with the attitudes and manners of people she met there, she decided to come to Xanga. Commenting on one of her first posts, I shared the names of several fellow Xangans whose writing I really enjoy. I also told her that one of my favorite things about Xanga is the sense of connection and community that I’ve found here.
In order to connect with more people, Amanda decided to start two blogrings. The first one is called AAA Blogring for Newcomers. While designed as a place for new Xangans to meet other new Xangans, you certainly don’t have to be new to Xanga to join. (Heck, I’m a member of Thai People and I’m not Thai!)
Her second blogring is called UK 50+. Targeting bloggers of a certain age who live in the United Kingdom, of course everyone is welcome. If you are wise beyond your years, a speaker of the Queen’s English, or simply think that cookies should be called biscuits (sorry, stereotypes…) you will fit in at the UK 50+ blogring very nicely!
I’ve joined both blogrings and invite you to join them, too.
Posted by christao408
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Blogging, Blogrings, Groups, xanga
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I use it mainly to identify my interests although I do browse them occasionally.
By yang1815 on 10 February 2010 at 21:33
Cool!
By notjus4ne1 on 10 February 2010 at 21:34
I thought blogrings are defunked because Xanga stop promoting them.
By Wangium on 10 February 2010 at 21:45
yeah Chris, thanks for sending her my way. I love to read her comments and her blogs. I have lived in this country for more than forty years, and my children still make fun of my “British English”. My grandson now corrects my typing when I write ‘colour’ or ‘neighbour’. He thinks I should do away with the ‘u’ in those words!! Thanks for the introduction of the new blogs.
By ZSA_MD on 10 February 2010 at 21:48
@yang1815 – Yes, I don’t browse them very much anymore as I now have a largely established network of subscriptions. Of course, there’s always room for more people as other ones fade away because of lack of writing.@Wangium – Lots of things on Xanga are defunct. Or defunked. It either case, that’s why I’m promoting them! It is now a DIY blog site…@ZSA_MD – As part of my work I have to create materials for internal operations in the UK and Canada in addition to the US. Lots of spell-checking going on!
By christao408 on 10 February 2010 at 22:01
You’re right – Xanga does feel like a DIY blog site nowadays. I glance at the blogrings from time to time but haven’t seen anything interesting lately.
By ElusiveWords on 10 February 2010 at 23:10
@ZSA_MD – It’s interesting – we interchange color and colour. I see both spellings regularly in Canada.
By ElusiveWords on 10 February 2010 at 23:12
I have subscribed to a couple of blogrings but only one is active… and I don’t know how to “bow out” of the defunct ones. So I haven’t joined any others… I will however check out Amanda’s site.
By murisopsis on 10 February 2010 at 23:26
How nice of you to promote her like this! I will check out her site for sure.
By secade on 11 February 2010 at 01:15
@ElusiveWords – It is tough after all these years to cut the apron strings, eh? =P
By christao408 on 11 February 2010 at 01:42
I like the banner promo idea you’ve done at the top.I’m supportive of this new blogring; I’m wondering though, how will it work? I can see, if new users were automatically joined to this blogring that would work well; but without formal support, I’m not sure how new users would even be aware of this blogring, nevermind joining it?
By arenadi on 11 February 2010 at 17:04
I don’t really use blogrings that much. Like Matt, I really only use them to define my interests. I think they used to be a lot more useful when they were more interactive.Thank you for sending Amanda my way!
By TheCheshireGrins on 11 February 2010 at 17:39
@arenadi – Well, it is problematic, that’s true. In fact, the more I think about it the more I think the name should include the words “New Blogger” as that’s probably what most people would search for. We’ll see how it plays out; ultimatley, there’s no cost for failure if it doesn’t attract many people.@TheCheshireGrins – Agreed. I used them a lot initially to find other bloggers to read but eventually my own network became large enough to meet new people through the network.@secade – I’m the welcome wagon!@murisopsis – There doesn’t seem to be a very effective way to get out, does there?
By christao408 on 11 February 2010 at 20:28
@arenadi – Oh, glad you like the banner. I’ll write an entry about it soon. I worked with the SF Int’l Asian American Film Festival for many years and consider the folks there to be like family. In fact, Tawn and I are going back in March specifically to be at the opening night gala.
By christao408 on 11 February 2010 at 20:29
This time I am in no blogrings. When I was loonsounds, I was in this thing called ‘blogrings for mature writers, or grown ups or something like that.” I never did get how it worked anyway. I just blog … rather randomly, I blog. What amazes me is that ppl read. that’s kewl!
By Diva_Jyoti on 11 February 2010 at 23:01
@And_I_love – Why does it amaze you that people read your blog?
By christao408 on 12 February 2010 at 04:42
Hi everyone. Thank you Chris for this advertising and to all who have shown an interest in this blogring.I must say though that I’m with arenadi on the question of how newcomers are even going to know the blogring even exists. From what I’ve seen when I’ve tried browsing them very few are active, probably because nobody can find them.As for the name – well it’s got ‘Newcomers’ in the title so that along with the description should be clear enough.We don’t even have a way of knowing if or when any new people join,if we had that, it would be a help, we would be able to contact them directly.
By Chatamanda on 14 February 2010 at 00:01
I’ve now got the blogring advertised at the top of my blog in a Module so it will remain in view permanently and can’t be missed. 🙂
By Chatamanda on 14 February 2010 at 10:33
@Chatamanda – I was thinking that people would be more likely to search for “New Bloggers” than they would be for “Newcomers”. I don’t know that for sure but was just thinking what the most probable search terms would be. In either case, it is what it is and we’ll see how it works.
By christao408 on 14 February 2010 at 10:34
Yea you could be right, but I can’t change the title now. However all is not lost, there’s a couple of way’s around it that I’m working on.Will fill in details shortly. I’m doing some investigating Lol
By Chatamanda on 14 February 2010 at 10:59
OK first of all I have added New Bloggers to the start of the description so if someone searches with that we are in the list. Not only that but we are actually now on Page 2 of only 7 pages. Also, most of the other blogrings on page 1 are not actually ‘open to all’ but are restricted to people who are in a particular country or part of the country, or who have a particular interest in a subject. There ‘are’ 2 other blogrings for new bloggers on page 1 – BUT one is nearly 5 years old with only 4 members and the other is nearly 4 years old and only has the creator as a member. We are placed 2nd on page 2 – we only just started and have 5 members, so we have the advantage on membership and the fact that we are more likely to be active (from the newbies point of view). I know which one I would I would go for. Now – if the person clicks the ‘Total Members’ option we only move to page 3 and we are the First of the ‘Open’ New Bloggers rings listed because we have 1 more member than the others. And if the person clicks ‘Start Date’ we are right at the top of Page 1.! We are not a lost cause yet ! Lol I’ve got a couple more ideas. More on these later.Incidently we are in the ‘People’ category if anyone wants to have a look.
By Chatamanda on 14 February 2010 at 11:47
Your going to be getting sick of me by now – sorry. But I just checked out the members of those other 2 Open Blogrings mentioned above. Looks like they are no longer around. Their blogs have not been posted on since 2008 and one not since 2006. I ‘am’ thinking though, should I join those blogrings ? If they come back at some point fair enough, we will see what happens then, but if they don’t, any new person who goes to them will have me there to contact. Any thoughts ? Those blogrings and their members are looking pretty much out of circulation right now.
By Chatamanda on 14 February 2010 at 12:05
@Chatamanda – Sounds like a good plan to me. There’s really no downside to joining those rings.
By christao408 on 14 February 2010 at 22:04
That’s what I was thinking. I’ve been thinking you know, perhaps the reason a lot of the blogrings don’t get going is because the creators just set them up then sit back and wait for everyone to just ‘find’ them. I’m hoping a few more current members will join and boost the membership a bit and get it listed in their blogring modules. I’ve got that advertisement at the top of my blog now too.
By Chatamanda on 14 February 2010 at 22:41