It’s been quite a year for me with tons of new experiences both online and offline. Though I didn’t make it to the roll of graduating (actually graduating, not just the graduate class) students, I was able to get 7.00 on all subjects necessary so unless I find work (one that fits my newly set standards), you can brand me as a NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training).

What now?

Throughout the few months that this blog existed, I’ve made so many experiments on SEO, that I actually think I screwed everything up. In the same thought that Mcbilly had in making his Top 10 Shameless Blogging Mistakes, I present to you my list of 7 blogging sins and what to do about them.

1. What niche am I?

What indeed. I’ve been trying to focus Atma Xplorer on a more general view of technology to encompass both software, hardware AND gadgets all around it but in the end, it’s too broad a spectrum that I’m almost always lost in a decision whether I can post about something or not. As of the moment, I have plans on preventing that dilemma from happening again so read up this list down to the end.

2. Too much of me

Although the very essence of what a blog is contains is your own writing style, I usually end up putting too much of my personality instead of my opinions into my posts. It’s not really a bad thing because it gives some sort of uniqueness to everything but if I couldn’t voice out what I really want, what’s the point of it?

I won’t go into details of personalizing your posts over opinionizing (is there such a word?) them since the idea is abstract but I feel that the latter is much better and more compelling than the former.

3. Irregular schedule

I’ve managed to use WordPress’s Edit Timestamp feature for quite awhile now but it’s not really very helpful when you don’t have anything lined up to be posted. It’s nice to setup a schedule of post subjects but it’s hard to stick to it unless you have a lot of resources at hand or at easy reach so you wouldn’t be rushing all the time. Keep this in mind when setting up a schedule of your own.

4. Inconsistent writing style

I’m guilty of this most of the time but it’s usually due to my poor time management as of late. On a good day, I allow myself one or two hours to write and review a post for typos and major editing but there are times when I don’t go back to re-read what I just made and just hit the Publish button.

If you don’t have the time to review your post, find time. You won’t be making a very good impression on your readers if all you come up with are one-pass write ups.

5. Why Atma Xplorer

I’ve been asked a number of times about it and I’ve confirmed that my cooked up explaining during short stay in Japan. The atma word Atma is usually associated with belief, mysticit, etc, but it’s meaning in Hindu (wow I speak hindu now?) means self so if you translate Atma Xplorer, it will mean “Exploring me.” Getting what this post will be leading to yet?

6. Being too serious

Hmm.. this one is objective but for the purpose of this write up I’ll include it anyway. I’ll admit I was brought into the blogsphere aiming to make money out of it but as time went by, that goal matured. It’s not about making money now but making a name out there and enjoying your time. Quoting Mcbilly,

Be professional but not too formal.

7. Blogging for Social Media

After reading several SEO sites early on, I gave up on making it to the top list of SERPs since my supposed niche (or niches as is the case now) has many top blogs to compete with, I choose the next best thing. Social Media sites. The traffic brought by digg, stumbleupon and shoutwire is really good but in the end, I noticed that I was posting topics that THEIR readers like. One thing you should note is that readers directed from said social media sites rarely click ads so if you’re aiming to make money online, stick to SERPs for traffic.

As I’ve stated earlier, I think I ruined this site’s potential and it’ll be too much work to try and recover it (if you haven’t figured it out by now I hate repairing stuff, this is especially true when programming) so I’ll be launching a new blog to minimize the damage I’ve made.

What? You’re dropping this site?

In a sense, yes and no. I won’t be abandoning the site so much as shifting niches. I’ve put too much effort to let this site rot in the corners of the intraweb so I’ll be using it for the less hardcore stuff like conventions, anime, rants (no it’s not going to be a personal blog, I’ve got my multiply account for that)

A new site?

Yep. I’ll launch it after the new year festivities (that’s because it’s when banks are open). The domain name is still under wraps since I’m afraid someone might steal it again buy it out from under my nose. I’m currently choosing from two probable domain names, I’ll post it up when I’ve bought it and when the site is online. The new site will contain most of the techy posts so I’m currently listing up all the probably categories that’ll fill up it’s intended niche. Till then it’s a happy new year to everyone.

Happy New Year (advanced) to everyone.