B-O-B, aka "Blogging Obsessive Behavior"

B-O-B, aka, “Blogging Obsessive Behavior”

As, a Newbie (AR’s term, not mine), it’s been an interesting six week journey into the world of blogging. At first impression, blogging, might appear to be simply jotting down 300 to 500 words about some familiar topic. But as you progress to writing and posting more blogs, you discover it’s really about sharing knowledge, information, observations, emotions and ouch- this is a tough one - sharing YOU - often to potential strangers. That may sound awful at first, but don’t be surprised that, once you overcome the jitters of self-consciousness, you may soon find yourself with a case of B-O-B, aka, “Blogging Obsessive Behavior.”

The symptoms of B-O-B often set in after your first class or two in the AR University as you start to learn how this whole Google and SEO thing works. Not long after a class, it begins at night with visions of huge Search Engine spiders crawling through your mind. Initially horrified, you soon find yourself strangely attracted to them. Then eventually, consumed with finding the “right” fodder for their insatiable, yet somewhat finicky, appetites.  But your impulse to produce more is tempered by knowing that you don’t want to repulse your potential readers with your crazy spider feeding rituals. 

So finding the right combination of “output, but with quality” intensifies your case of  B-O-B. Suddenly every experience is perceived as a potential blogging topic.  Normally idle thoughts are infected with notions of “long tail search titles”, “key words” and “meta tag” possibilities. Which ones will the spiders find most attractive and where will you insert the necessary hyperlinks? Your mind spins as it works to calculate the 2-4% repetition formula.  Oh, and you can’t forget the photos, you must add photos!  Google is your God. SEO juice is your nectar!  Subscribers are your muse.  And so it starts to consume your every waking (and falling off to sleep) moment.

You’re probably wondering how long B-O-B lasts and if there’s a cure, or at least something to ease its symptoms?  After considerable research on this and other web sites, and observations of other bloggers, sadly, there doesn’t appear to be any long-term cure.  Once you’re infected by B-O-B there is not much you can do – you are addicted.  But there is good news of sorts.  Preliminary investigation suggests that B-O-B doesn’t hurt as much as you might think, and there is a temporary treatment for the symptoms - writing.  Yep, specifically writing 300 to 500 words a day with an eye toward sharing information and personal insights that  others find useful.  In other words, once you have a nagging case of B-O-B, aka, Blogging Obsessive Behavior, all you can do is submit to the whim.  And Blog. 

     Debb Dodges Raindrops, Blogs and Sells Real Estate in Clark County Washington