Blog Journal #1: My First Experiences Blogging
Hey, guys! If you're reading this...THANK YOU! My new blog project, in my opinion, has grown very well for only being around for a few months so far. Here, I'll talk about my initial experiences with the blog and how I go about doing what it is that I'm doing.
#1 Blog Creation:
As noted on my 'About' page, over the last few years I have really had a growing interest in realms of TV, film, and the ins-and-outs of the entertainment industry. I began subscribing to various YouTube movie talk shows, comic book movie shows, etc. and it really got me interested in creating my own space that is inspired by my favorite YouTubers and bloggers.
Finally, in March of this year, I finally decided to finally do it and began searching for the best blog hosting/creation site. I went with Wix.com, as I'd used it in the past for a work-related blog. After playing around with the page features, I created a theme and user-friendly pages that is fully-interactive and easy to navigate.
The next step took the form of social media networking. Creating platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube and Tumblr have really helped to attract new and returning readers that enjoy the content I am putting out. I also began joining Facebook groups and wound up becoming admins/contributors for a few of them. The new groups have also helped to bring in readers that are now sharing my posts on their own feeds. On average, our monthly Facebook analytics show around 10,000 reaches per month, which, to me, is insane.
Checking the website analytics, we get around 2,500 page hits and have had readers in 77 countries across the globe. Just knowing that something that I've created and pu so much effort into is being enjoyed by readers on the other side of the planet is astonishing. To all of my readers that continue to enjoy the content we're putting out, thank you.
My goal was to create a community of film and TV fans that have a passion for the things they love and love to talk about. I pride myself on reporting on news stories that have been verified by multiple reputable news sources and I am always sure to quote and cite my sources in all of my posts. I try to stay away from the 'Click bait" -type posts that have nothing to do with the actual headline. I want my own work to attract readers and to ensure they return for new and similar posts, not just get a bunch of one-and-doners.
The web/blog space has had a tremendous problem over the last few years of spreading rumors and false information on big blockbuster films and franchises and it has hurt the reputations of the sites running with the bad info. I stay away from such rumor and speculation until I can find valid citation of the stories at-hand.
#2 Some Cool Results
As noted, my posts and articles are being viewed by a respectable number of people for the 3+ months of work I've put into this. But I've also had some other opportunities present themselves.
Before the release of 'Captain America: Civil War', I had entered a contest to win 2 tickets for an advanced showing of the film in New York City, with Collider's Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub host a Q&A/meet-and-greet with diretors of the film, Joe & Anthony Russo.
After coming home from work one day (I am a teacher, by the way) I checked my e-mail and saw an invitation from Collider and 2 tickets to see the movie. I was ecstatic! I had already had tickets for the Thursday night advanced showing, but the chance to see it a night earlier and all of the cool things involved was too great to pass up. I live outside of Philadelphia, so my friend and I hopped a train and made our way. Without going into too much detail, as I already have a post on the experience up on my page (you can read it here). But the experience was incredible and I had an amazing time.
Just last week, I scored advanced tickets to see 'The Conjuring 2' a few days early. Just the premise of seeing things before everybody else is a small, enjoyable perk of my project.
I also became a sales affiliate of Entertainment Earth, a online store with all sorts of great collectibles. You can click the banner on my page to check out the shop. I also am supporting my local comic book store, Wade's Comic Madness, in Levittown, PA. The store information is on my main page. The shop owner ad I have a mutual marketing agreement that will help us both out
equally.
Coming up next week, my friend Bill (another page contributor) and I are supposed to be an a web radio 'The Lethal Dose' show, a show that focuses mainly on wrestling and hard rock music. Their show has a modest viewership and it will be a cool experience and a good way to get our brand out there. We have some cool wrestling-based topics to cover, so check us out next Wednesday (hopefully) at 6 PM/EST at The Lethal Dose Facebook Page.
I also recently began applying for social media-related jobs, as I am in the process of changing careers. I should hopefully hear back soon from the companies in which I've replied. I feel like the content of my online presence is respectable and well-put together, and I hope to see it grow. I'm not in this to make any money. I truly enjoy the fact that people want to read what I have to say, and to me, that's empowering. It makes it all worth it. And if I happen to get some cool thing along the way, that'd be OK with me.
I am always looking for new ways to add to what we're doing and welcome user feedback, If you have any kind of input or constructive criticism, please feel free to e-mail me at harrigansmovietvblog@gmail.com.
And finally, be sure to follow us and subscribe to our various social media outlets to stay up-to-date on all the latest news, reviews, and all things geekdom.
