Your Thoughts On The MarlinBlog?

[MarlinNut]

[MarlinNut]

Every so often, I like to go back and re-evaluate the different features we have here at SCMO to see how I might be able to improve things. Technology changes, and visitors change, and sometimes the features need to change, as well.

That's particularly true for the features that suck up the most resources. Whether it's server space, software costs or my own personal time, the parts of the site the cost the most need to produce the most, and that's where my re-evaluation tends to focus.

Today, that focus is on one of our newer features, the MarlinBlog. More than any other feature, the MB requires a dedicated commitment of my time and creative energy - after all, a blog without entries is just a waste. I enjoy writing the MarlinBlog - it can be a very cathartic process some times - but it can also be a huge strain as I struggle to find something to write.

That's nothing new for blogs, of course - every blogger struggles to find his or her own rhythm and audience. But my audience is pretty much limited to those who already come to SCMO, and sometimes I feel like I'm simply talking to myself. I don't use access statistics at the MB, so all I can go by is the number of comments posted against the entries. Frankly, there aren't many. I post a listing of the current topics here in the Marlin Club, but I don't really know if that is bringing the traffic I want.

I think the MB, with it's wide-ranging topics and ability to cover any subject that catches my interest, is a great addition to the site. If I was a visitor to SCMO, I'd enjoy reading it. But I'm not - you are. So I'd like to get your opinion. As always, I listen and respond to the ideas and comments from our visitors, so fire away! :+

[oliver]

Stan,
I say keep up the good work.
One of the things I always find about being part of an online community such as scmo, is that you kind of feel that you get to know the members, even though you have never met them.
I think it is cool to read another persons take on life beyond the one thing that brings us together, fishing.
One comment if I may Stan, why not host the blog as a forum? It would enable users to post back rather than just make a comment. It would be easy enough to lock the forum to stop people posting, so as only you can start a thread. The only downside is you could end up with some rather entertaining views being aired! But I guess it could keep the opinions off the marlin club. ;)

[MarlinNut]

>One comment if I may Stan, why not host the blog as a forum?
>It would enable users to post back rather than just make a
>comment. It would be easy enough to lock the forum to stop
>people posting, so as only you can start a thread. The only
>downside is you could end up with some rather entertaining
>views being aired! But I guess it could keep the opinions
>off the marlin club. ;)

Actually, I did start off using a forum as a blog - it's the Stan's Take forum. After a while, though, I saw that not a lot of folks were reading it, and I really wanted to take advantage of blogging software, so I started the dedicated blog. Same topics, though - pretty much anything other than fishing ... :)

[jiminoc]

the blog would be useful if it had some industry info, insider tips, suggestions, something relating to the site. I can get my britney spears info elsewhere :)

[BigMike]

I realy like it.....sorry

[MarlinNut]

>the blog would be useful if it had some industry info, insider tips, suggestions,
>something relating to the site. I can get my britney spears info elsewhere :)

I find this to be a particularly interesting perspective, because it plays to exactly why the MB exists.

I've always said that I'm a computer guy first and a marlin fisherman second - unlike most of the visitors to the site. I probably have 20 different sites that I check out on a daily basis, and that gives me access to a lot of different pieces of information.

Frankly, I don't really think that most of our visitors - particularly the industry giants who come here - spent much time at the places I frequent. They're fishermen first, and sometimes fishermen only. While there are exceptions, the average SCMO'er isn't spending their time cruising the internet. By having the MB, I give SCMO visitors a "Cliff Notes" version of all that other stuff out in the big ol' world.

Early on in the life of the MB, it was more of a mix of fishing stuff and non-fishing stuff (you might remember a particularly memorable post regarding the Pesky last year). During the offseason, I don't really have much fishing-related stuff anyway - one reason you don't see meposting here at the MC often, frankly. Come summer and the return of the pelagics, that will probably change and the MB will be more of a mix again.

As for industry inside stuff, I'm the last guy to have that. Fortunately, we have people like Papa and Paco and Roddy and Hoose and a whole lot of others who are very free with their time and knowledge here in the Marlin Club. If I had my way, I'd convince them to post all of their really juicy stuff in the War Room forum, so just our insiders could get it. Fortunately for the rest of you, no one listens to me anyway ... :7

Besides, I know that deep down, you really want that Britney Spears info. Now you can get it shame-free ... :+

[RavellingTangler]

britney info I can get elsewhere, but if it weren't for Stan and the blog I wouldn't be aware of Marissa Miller ( excuse me while I wipe the drool away! ) ... and was it Stan who showed us a link to how demure Christina Aguilera is (nowadays) getting out of a car ?

of course if I weren't too much of a cheap bastard to buy Sports Illustrated (Swimwear Edition) I'd be aware anyway .....but maybe I can buy an Ascension Pro Jet or an Enki with the money I don't spend on S.I. ?

[MarlinNut]

I'll be the first person to say that I periodically mis-read the desires of our visitors, or what they want or don't want in a website. Frankly, I don't think this is one of those times. Sure, there's probably a portion of the visitor population that finds no interest in the MarlinBlog, and that's fine. There's certainly also a portion that finds it a useful addition to the site, and to them I send my thanks.

That leaves the large portion in the middle and to be honest, I think they're just too scared - or too lazy - to go anywhere beyond the Marlin Club. It doesn't matter if it's the MarlinBlog or some other feature. It's out of their comfort zone, so it doesn't exist. I design software user interfaces for a living, so I'm pretty much in tune with what users will and won't do and why. Usually, it's about too many clicks, or too many windows, or too much of a challenge to navigate. Not this time.

We have a user base that has a very narrow focus - they come here for the Marlin Club. MARLIN magazine said as much in their article a few years back. I keep adding content - often based on suggestions from visitors - but it goes unread. As soon as the average user realizes that it's not part of an ongoing conversation at the Marlin Club, it drops off their radar. I make it as easy to reach as possible - often a single click away from the Marlin Club. If I can't get a visitor to make a single click, the likelihood of getting them to leave their comfort zone and actually explore a new feature is pretty slim.

I said that a portion of the blame rests on laziness. How can I tell, you ask? Easy. This topic includes a poll asking your thoughts on the MarlinBlog. Everyone has an opinion, and every possible opinion is covered in the possible poll selections. But even though as of this writing, 154 people have viewed this thread, only 11 have voted - even though the act of voting only requires a single click. I'm sorry - if you take the time to read the posting and can't take the time to register your vote, that's not disinterested - that's lazy.

That's OK, though. If all you come to SCMO for is the Marlin Club, fine - you're part of the reason that I and many others consider it the best in the world. You're still welcome to stretch your limits and feel adventurous and check out the other features we have - you just might be surprised.

To the few ... the proud ... the MarlinBlog reader, I say fear not - the MB will continue. If nothing else, the outlet it provides me is saving me thousands in therapy bills. I encourage you to keep reading, keep commenting, and keep telling others about it. Someday, it just might catch on - until then, it'll remain our little secret ... :+

[oliver]

Glad to hear that Stan, and I'm glad I was one of the eleven that clicked the poll :P

Super Bowl, space ships and a fine lookin' woman - isn't that, along with fishing, the stuff of childhood dreams ;)

Ollie.

ps sent you a PM, look into for me please.