* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Howdy, my name is Wade and I'm a traveler. For the past eight years I have been wandering this here planet. Nearly 40 countries on five continents. What follows are my impressions of the world as I travel through it-
The musings of the Wanderlust.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Custom Search

May 15, 2008

Travel Blog on Blogger

Back in the Blogger Saddle Again

After experimenting with a variety of hand made template styles and ways of publishing this travel blog on Vagabond Journey.com, I have decided to put the venture on hold and to stay on Blogger.

Blogger is good. Song of the Open Road has a page rank of 4/10 and we are getting a good deal of traffic. What can be wrong with this? If something ain't broke then don't try to fix it.

--------------
Wade from Vagabond Journey.com
in Upstate NY, USA- May 15, 2008
Travel Photos
--------------

I liked the idea of publishing my blog and website 100% on my own and without the assistance of any sort of blogging system, pre-designed template, or content management system. I want my site to look like a vagabond made it. I do not want it to be posh or perfect. But I also want it to be easily used.

I write this blog to be read.

I think that the Blogger system is more user friendly than the one that I was using on Vagabond Journey, but I am on the inside so I cannot possibly read my site from a reader's perspective. So I have opened up a new poll in the upper portion of the side bar navigation to find out what readers prefer.

Please tell me if you like Song of the Open Road better on blogger (this blog that you are reading) or on Vagabond Journey Travel Blog? Please look at both options and then vote on the upper left of this page. Thank you.

At any rate there will be some much needed changes coming to this blog, such as:

  • A better directory system to allow for easier navigation.
  • The removal of the label options in exchange for a "by world region" directory. Hundreds of label links running down the side look sloppy and cumbersome.
  • The inclusion of an author box in the middle of the posts, as I am tired of having my writing stolen without the inclusion of a back-link. This actually happens with a good deal of frequency (I shamelessly stole this idea from the Hobotraveler).
  • And a move to better integrate Song of the Open Road with Vagabond Journey.com, which will be done through linking to the main sections of VJ through the side bar, header, and footer navigation of this blog.

All for all I think this is the best move for me at this time. I tried something, realized that it may not be the best option now, and changed direction.

In travel, if you find yourself on a Road to nowhere all you have to do is stop short and take the next turn. Travel is full of starts and stops, direction changes, mistakes, blunders, and new plans.

I like changing directions.

So tell me what you think in a comment and please vote above.

* Travel Blog Directory * Vagabond Journey.com * Travel Photos *

Posted by Wade Vagabond Journey.com

Labels: , ,

4 comments:

Andy HoboTraveler.com said...

There are two main types of Travel Bloggers. - Those who go on a trip that ends, this I guess to be about 99.9 percent.

I feel you are in the other .01 percent, this I would call a writer. I feel you are searching for your stride, the pace, and your style.

I am pretty good at SEO, and I just have not found many excuses to change. I do know the labels crash the site after about 3000 poste on Blogger.com.

The site is taking a stance, and the honesty prevails.

Writing a blog is justice.
You write, and if a reader likes it they continue to read. This is not the same as a captive audience columnist in a newspaper.

They ready a blog because they like your writing. I like it, so I read it.

Andy of HoboTraveler.com

7:40 PM
Wade Vagabond Journey.com said...

Thanks Andy,

I really appreciate the encouragement. I like publishing on vagabond journey.com because it is all mine, min, all mine haha . . . but I think the Blogger system is quite a bit better for readers.

It is funny making these websites, because I can only see them from the inside. I have no real idea at how easy they are for other people to use. haha.

But I made some changes to Song of the Open Road, and when I looked at it this morning, I realized that I like it.

As you say, I am just trying to find my stride, "searching for the the word, the line, the way."

Thanks Andy,

Wade

3:21 PM
Byron J. Gaudette said...

I have tried other blogs, and for some reason I still like Blogger the best...

12:48 AM
Wade said...

Yes, I agree, Byron-

I think that Blogger is definitely the best option out there. Everyone always says "Wordpress, Wordpress, Wordpress" but I tried Wordpress and I broke the darn thing in a matter of days. Blogger is simple, straight forward, easy to use and make.

I just wish that Blogger had some of the Wordpress features, such as the option to back up the entire blog on a single file, and the ability to download the system and template to use as you will.

Thanks for the comment, man.

Wade

10:08 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)