I started this blog, Bats in the Belfry, Cats in the Attic, in 2011. I began this blog as a young person shouting my voice into the void, hoping others would respond. Like many young people who find themselves interested in an alternative subculture, I wanted another space to express and explore my authentic self away from the push-back alternative kids receive in the "real world." So, this blog became that space. For that I am grateful.
Since 2011, I've graduated high school and college, moved out on my own, got married, and have a different sort of life as a young professional in the corporate world. I've spent time in and out of the goth subculture proper. My heart still beats for all things dark and weird, but I am a different person than I was in 2011.
While I've grown as a person, this blog has stayed, for the most part, stagnant. I want this blog to grow as well, and I have some plans to help it along.
I work in marketing and communications. As such, I've been thinking about the purpose of this blog and how it can add value to its readers' lives. I want it to have meaningful content. I also want the this blog to be more visually appealing and easy to navigate.
Here is what all I plan to update:
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| A throwback to 2010 in Baltimore, near Edgar Allan Poe's grave |
Since 2011, I've graduated high school and college, moved out on my own, got married, and have a different sort of life as a young professional in the corporate world. I've spent time in and out of the goth subculture proper. My heart still beats for all things dark and weird, but I am a different person than I was in 2011.
While I've grown as a person, this blog has stayed, for the most part, stagnant. I want this blog to grow as well, and I have some plans to help it along.
I work in marketing and communications. As such, I've been thinking about the purpose of this blog and how it can add value to its readers' lives. I want it to have meaningful content. I also want the this blog to be more visually appealing and easy to navigate.
Here is what all I plan to update:
- New name: Bats in the Belfry, Cats in the Attic was a good name in this blog's infancy. But don't worry, the new name won't be unfamiliar to old readers. Because of its simplicity and appeal, I've decided to re-title this blog Odd Ghoul Out after my screen name.
- New look: I want to update the banner, choose a few good fonts and a nice color scheme.
- Easy navigation: I want the new layout to make my posts more accessible to the reader. I'd like the visuals of the content to be front-and-center. I also plan to simplify my blog tags/labels and create some tabs along the top for easier navigation.
Due to my work schedule, I've been slowly chipping away at these tasks. If I hurry to make these updates, I risk the quality of this blog. For that reason, these changes will take some time. In the meantime, I've been coming up with ideas for new content.
If you've made changes/updates to your blog or website, what are some helpful tips and tricks you can offer? If you're a long-time reader (and you're still here after all these years), how do you feel about these changes?
The best thing I did to update my blog since moving on from the basic layouts of my youth was to find a layout that ticked alllll of my boxes and buy it. That way it's consistently updated by someone that isn't me, and has everything I need without the need to meet them in the middle.
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DeleteThank you for the suggestion! I love your blog's layout. I've contemplated moving my blog to another site like Wordpress, but I'm not sure yet. So I can find a reputable place to search for a new layout, can you tell me where you found yours?
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ReplyDeleteYou're not the first blogger I've run across in the past six-eight months I've heard say they miss the old days of blogging! I - personally - am too damn lazy to change everything right now on my blog - other than the header graphics, but that I actually enjoy doing. I did get rid of a few old posts that no longer had working links, but so far that's about it. I'm more worried about coming up with a suitable topic to write about now that I'm semi-committed to actually start writing again!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to whatever you share, and I will make sure that I am still following you on my Blogger feed - which I am ashamed to admit I haven't looked at in two years. Eeeep!
Part of my problem is that I'm also too damn lazy to change everything, even though I have a lot of ideas. I tend to get side-tracked as well. I've been working on another post for the new year (which I just published). I look forward to reading your blog again,whenever, and whatever, you choose to write. Cheers!
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