Monday, May 9, 2016

Reflections on the April A to Z Blogging Challenge, 2016 Edition



I'm going to try to keep this post short and sweet, as I myself am exhausted from a beautiful, wonderful Mother's Day weekend.  

I like to end on a positive note, so I'll begin on the negative.  I had less interaction this year, than last year.  But I expected that going in.  My Tender Years theme about childhood memories was simple and plain.  Also, I was a minion last year and was everywhere.  This year I was not a minion and was lucky to visit my 6 list blogs a day, answer my comments and drop in on a few of the many blogs I wanted to follow through the Challenge.  All together, I had about 1200 less visits than last year.

On the plus side, in many ways, this year rocked!!!  I had a core of people who really got into my Tender Years theme and visited almost every post!  I found many new blogs to follow, who seem to be the type that I love the most:  just real people blogging about life.  To me, that is what blogging is. As the year progresses, and I see just what unfolds on these "new" to me blogs, I'll be spotlighting and sharing.  Statistics wise, even though this year did not out do last year. it did surpass any of the other three years I was in the Challenge.

So, I'm chalking this year up as a win, win.  I gained some new, looks to be faithful, followers and found some new blogs I think I can really love.  Some of you will be seeing me coming back on slow Saturdays reading A to Z posts I missed.  Some of you won't; not because I don't care, but because there just aren't enough hours in a day.  

For those not familiar yet with Caneyhead as usual, I do my own thing called "I Saw it on Facebook", where I take an image I saw on Facebook and expound upon it.  Sometimes thoughtful, sometimes humorous or tongue in cheek.  You'll also see faith posts, as I am a professing, Bible believing, born again Christian.  There are also personal posts about life in Caneyhead, post about things that matter to me, posts regarding issues I care about.  Occasionally my warped sense of humor and random train of thought take a bow here as well.  I do not have certain days for certain things.  Life doesn't work that way.  You'll likely see one to three posts a week from me.   

Thanks to our Challenge hosts, minions and helpers!  And I certainly hope I"ll see every one of you back here next year for 2017!  If you want to see some more reflections, just click the image above. 


30 comments:

  1. Seeing more blogs doesn't lead to more interactions the rest of the year. Glad you got what you wanted out of the Challenge this year.

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  2. As long as you made some really good new friends, doesn't matter how many.

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    1. That's for sure, Alex! I'd rather have ten blogs I love visiting and who love to visit me, than 100 where we are just going through the motions of blog etiquette.

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  3. I agree with your reflections! I loved your theme!

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    1. Thank you, and I'm so glad you are one who enjoyed the theme this year!

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  4. I think it sounds like this year's challenge was a real win for you especially finding some new followers who will be continuing to visit you regularly. That's a lovely outcome of the challenge :-)

    Cheers - Ellen

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    1. You are right, Ellen! That's one of the best outcomes you can have! That and finding great new blogs to follow.

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  5. It did seem successful for you :) I think you hit upon it with the challenge; the opportunity to have a lot of blogs out there that you might not have a chance to find on your own.

    What I found this year over previous years is that the return visits were down. I visited a lot of blogs and got back about 20% to 30% visits back. I also commented on blogs that were part of my duties as a minion daily until they moved down the list and didn't get return visits from them which I found interesting.

    Still debating about what to do next year, will do the challenge, will be a minion, but I think I'll go about it differently in what I do with visiting other's blogs, just haven't figured that out yet.

    I didn't visit often to you, but what I read I enjoyed.

    betty

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    1. Thank you, Betty! I felt the same way about your entries; enjoyed the ones I made it to, and sad to have missed the others.

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  6. I've always enjoyed stopping by your blog because it feels so welcoming, as if anyone could just pull up a chair and chat;-) Your theme this year further exemplified your homespun warmth :-)

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    1. Diedra, you have no idea what compliment you just paid me! That's exactly the feeling I have tried to, wanted to convey here! ;)

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    2. You hit the nail on the head, Diedre.

      Visiting Barbara's blog is like coming home. :)

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  7. Your theme was great and "numbers" don't do it justice. For me, I felt the time crunch and couldn't do as much as I did last year. Don't let that be a bad reflection on YOUR efforts!

    Lovely blog, as always.

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    1. Oh, heavens no, Cherdo! I felt the same constraints this year. Just not enough time to go around every where I wanted to.

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  8. I enjoyed your posts very much, Barbara. Your theme was a great one and plays right into my love of family history. You've also helped me with some ideas for posts on my own blog. Now, to actually get them written and posted. :)

    I look forward to continuing to visit your blog and to next year's challenge.

    It was very challenging trying to keep up with everything this year, that's for sure! I can't imagine ever being a minion or helper. I'd probably get fired the first day. haha

    Have a blessed day!

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    1. Just think how well rested and ready we'll be by the time the Challenge rolls back around!

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  9. I enjoyed your posts as well, Barbara. A lot of them made me remember things from my childhood. It was my first time participating in the A to Z and I definitely have learned some things to remember for next year. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you, Janet! I happy I was able to jog your own recollections.

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  10. Quality over quantity - that's the best way to go. I enjoyed your theme this year. I know I didnt stop by as often as I wanted to, but when I did, my visit was quite enjoyable.

    Mary
    Jingle Jangle Jungle

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  11. It was a fun challenge and I enjoyed reading your posts. Many of your posts helped me to remember times gone past as well. Once again, that is win-win in my book too. Glad you enjoyed the challenge. This was my second year doing it and my first year attempting to be a minion. For a bit, I fell behind. I'll be keeping in touch. PS- I finally posted my refelctions.

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    1. Being a minion is fun, but definitely keeps you much busier. I'm happy you enjoyed your time here.

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  12. I just wanted to let you know that I absolutely love your blog background and header. And your caterpillar profile pic makes me smile. :)

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    1. Thank you, Linda! How kind of you. I wanted something a little reminiscent of childhood for the AtoZ Challenge, since my theme revolved around early childhood memories. Several folks have remarked on it, how they enjoy it and I'm not tired of it yet, so I think I shall keep it awhile.

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  13. Barbara,

    Like most people have already mentioned, reading your blog is like pulling up a chair and visiting with you at the kitchen table. It's very homey and cozy. I enjoyed your posts about childhood and some of them did bring back many memories for me too.

    But most of all, I enjoy your style of writing and the way you say things in a no-nonsense way that all of us can relate to. I'll be visiting you as often as I can because you leave me smiling.

    Glad to have found you, but that's the best part of the A to Z - connecting people to blogs they never knew existed. And it's definitely quality over quantity. Life gets busy and there are never enough hours in a day to go everywhere you want to go on the internet.

    Sunni

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    1. How incredibly sweet of you to say! I'm humbled. When I sit down to write a post, I write, just as if I were speaking outloud to someone. I suppose that is coming through.
      It's always great to connect to good people through our blogs!

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  14. I loved your blog; so colourful and energising, felt happy to read your posts as well as your reflections. Thanks for being an inspiration today!

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    1. Why, thank you very much, Angela! I'm glad you enjoyed your time here.

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  15. You had a great theme this year! I did not get to visit very much because time would not allow. Like you, I focused mainly on visiting my commenters back and only caught a couple extra posts each day. I do enjoy your blog, even though I don't make it to every post :)

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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