I’ve been informed that merely having a Myspace page is an exercise in narcissism, so apparently having a blog is the ultimate display of grandstanding and being a blow-hard. But, it’s been a year for this blog, and so far it’s been a good run.

I set up this blog for multiple reasons. I began in January 2007 starting to write posts, flirting with the idea of making the blog public. It took me months to decide what I would write about, and how. As you can see from my archives, my sense of posting was sporadic and hesitant. I was researching what makes for decent blog readership and what strategies to employ to get a blog successfully up and running.

I decided not to pursue too actively the normal route of following blog etiquette and getting the blog out there. I’m not a good blogger in the traditional sense. I post sporadically–sometimes in spurts, and sometimes not for a week or two at a time. I rarely comment on other blogs. And I have a knee-jerk, fascistic sense of over-lording the few comments received here–I’ve considered just turning comments off altogether, for example.

One lesson I learned, though, was that I originally started linking in response to what other blogs were writing about. I now tend to focus more on original content, linking only peripherally. It feels more honest and genuine to write original posts than relying on the efforts of others.

Part of the reason for this blog was my new year’s resolution going into 2007, which was not to keep my mouth shut about what I believe in personally and professionally. Similar to most other bloggers, my early dilemma was how to handle potential conflicts with blogging and my professional life. Contrary to my early days of self-publishing through most of the ’90s, this effort was to be an integrated part of me, embracing both the personal and professional, as well as my multiple personalities, online and off.

It didn’t take me long to consider that all are ultimately intertwined, and a strict separation among them, perhaps against conventional wisdom, ultimately caused me too much stress. I shouldn’t hold back about my views, especially when I feel I have something to say, but I should keep local and work-related topics to a minimum. My bosses agreed this was a sound approach. [Edit: Though, I save my fun posts about Nevada news here.]

As inspiration, some of my public figure idols are those who do and say things that often get them into trouble but who also are regarded a straight-shooters, however imperfect their aim may be at times. They get their jobs done and are incredibly effective. They are both bridge builders and bridge burners, as needed.

My current job was a key influence for this blog. After a dicey work drama that evolved over years, stepping into my new job in 2006 was a refreshing change. Having a fantastic couple of new bosses who don’t believe in rolling over when falsely accused of something is incredibly empowering and worth the trek to Carson City each day. I was in fact asked to reapply for my old job in 2007, and it was a wrenching decision.

I had to tell my former bosses, who I still have nothing but respect for, and whom I will still bend over backwards for, that by rehiring me, it would only get them into trouble in the long run. I was no longer going to keep my mouth shut about the drama that was still continuing to impact the organization. It would be a violation of my sense of openness and personal and professional ethics. Because blogs are part of an individual’s brand, the need to blog is not only recommended for somebody in this business, it’s a great way to get one’s voice out there. It also puts you on record.

The results after a year have been slow and mixed, and I’m nothing but pleased. I check my site stats almost daily and my readership went from zero to about 600-1,000 pageviews a month within a year. This with only minimal promotional efforts and deliberate attempts not to prey on local issues, which would have easily guaranteed higher readership.

As evidence, my most popular posts tend to revolve around the few local issues I have weighed in on. At the same time, my biggest sources of pride are when, occasionally, somebody outside of Nevada will take note of something posted here, as the gentleman on Huffington Post recently did, or the time a colleague commented that she liked what I had written about a situation relating to one of her agency’s clients. Far more than my site’s stats, or my most popular posts, these anecdotes mean more to me.

Nevertheless, I should acknowledge that my biggest sources of traffic, outside of direct links and searches, are:

1. Naked PR–Jen, who is smart, sassy and always makes a great point
2. Online PR, the link source for all PR sites and blogs in existence, it seems, and which graciously linked to this blog from day one
3. Conrad Communications, my business site
4. Around Carson, a great blog from my second hometown
5. My Twitter feed
6. Mrjerz, another great, local blog ran by my friend and colleague, Ryan Jerz, who also gets into his fair share of trouble
7. Mediamindshare, a fantastic pr and new media blog by Michael Tangeman
8. The Network of Public Service Communicators out of New Zealand, who were kind enough to link to me early on.

There are many others, but these are the top sources. I have 48 subscribers to my feed, which is far more than I hoped for. Even if my stats are half of what they are now, I would be pleased.

Thanks to all. It’s been a good year.