An old school friend just tracked me down through friends reunited and said he had been reading my blog. I asked which one. Surprisingly he had found me through my personal blog and hadn’t realised I had others. I quickly made it more obvious in my sidebar that it was a personal blog to avoid confusion but it was his next comment that really made me take notice.
“Why the heck do you have more than one blog?”
Personal blogs, personal home pages, family sites, journals, whatever you want to call them, what is the point?
Clearly I do believe in having a personal blog separate from my professional blog, in fact my personal blog pre-dates any of my others. Like many people, personal blogging is all I knew to begin with. While the current incarnation only dates back to when I switched to WordPress, my personal blog in fact started in 1999, and I have had a personal site of some description since I first experienced Mosaic on that 9600 baud modem.
What is the attraction?
For me having a personal blog allows me to post any old rubbish, whatever is in my head, and keep some sort of record. I post links, videos, pictures, bits of news, diary-style “what is going on in my life”, jokes, anything I want to record and share.
I like being able to look back and remember things. It can save searching through Google for stuff too. Yes I could use a social networking or bookmarking site to do many of the things I use my personal blog for but I know my data is mine and I can’t be booted off. Plus there are no restrictions on what I can do with my own setup.
Aren’t you supposed to stick to one subject?
Obviously with my professional blog I couldn’t cover such a wide variety of posts, nor should I post such trivial subject matter and expect to gain a serious readership. This would go against the good advice of having a theme-focus if you want to stand out.
That said there are many focused blogs that started out life as one category on a personal blog. It’s possible some topics could spin off into other more focused blogs. When I took up digital photography I was going to blog about it on chrisg.org but instead created a blog specifically to talk about just that.
Isn’t it a waste of time?
I only spend minutes on my personal blog. It’s not something to be uptight about, I post there when I feel like it. My personal blog readers do not have any expectations about what I post there and if they do they soon learn the error of their thinking 
Where here I have quality control, on a personal blog it is not a professional conversation, more like a casual chat with a friend. This means you can spend as much or little time as you feel like.
Are there downsides?
It can be embarrassing for stuff you write today to be found years later. I cringe at some of the stuff I have written, and there are things I would rather not remember. You have to be careful to only write what you wouldn’t mind anybody reading. This stuff can come back and bite you on the bum. Also there are some things you should never share in case angry or crazy people come stalking.
Over the years my blog has attracted some strange attention. Everything from “you suck” to sick comments. While I have grown a thick skin to this stuff it is still annoying.
Keep associates and business information confidential. Your blog should be about you, not people you know. Turning your blog into gossip central could land you in serious hot water.
Would you recommend it?
If anyone wants to blog I always suggest starting a personal blog first. In two minutes you can have a wordpress.com blog up and running. It’s a perfect way to cut your teeth in a risk-free way. Providing you keep in mind the downsides it is a fun way to write and get to know people.
You?
Do you have a personal blog and a professional blog? What do you use it for and why? Just one blog? No blog? Let me know in the comments …
Chris Garrett is here to help you and your business attract an engaged audience of people who grow to know, like and trust you.
I do have a personal blog; two in fact. The first one is ilovecode. quite often, I post about non-personal topics. It’s a hodge podge of things I am passionate about: life, music, and the web.
So why in the world would I have two personal blogs? Well, the other is for family and friends and it’s more of a family blog. For example, my last two posts were about my two sons birthdays. The people who read ilovecode really wouldn’t find that interesting. We live far away from our families and alot of our friends so we put this up to keep me out of trouble! Basically by putting all of the pictures and info in one place, I don’t get yelled at for forgetting someone on my email list. Now if they don’t know what’s going on, it is their fault not mine
Oh.. that blog is The Wandering Family
I do have a personal blog; two in fact. The first one is ilovecode. quite often, I post about non-personal topics. It’s a hodge podge of things I am passionate about: life, music, and the web.
So why in the world would I have two personal blogs? Well, the other is for family and friends and it’s more of a family blog. For example, my last two posts were about my two sons birthdays. The people who read ilovecode really wouldn’t find that interesting. We live far away from our families and alot of our friends so we put this up to keep me out of trouble! Basically by putting all of the pictures and info in one place, I don’t get yelled at for forgetting someone on my email list. Now if they don’t know what’s going on, it is their fault not mine
Oh.. that blog is The Wandering Family
That sounds a lot like my blog. I have family and extended family spread out over the globe so it is nice to have a place to post that stuff rather than email gigabytes of stuff to non-broadband-equipped relatives or talk a non-geek relative through finding a pic on flickr
That sounds a lot like my blog. I have family and extended family spread out over the globe so it is nice to have a place to post that stuff rather than email gigabytes of stuff to non-broadband-equipped relatives or talk a non-geek relative through finding a pic on flickr
I have a personal blog. It is where I can unwind and keeps my creative juices flowing. I can get as wacky as I want with the title, and put in all bits and pieces regarding any topic there.
Other two serious blogs are:
http://kalaalog.com – An art blog, heavily focused
http://www.wisetome.com/splat – Info blog (I am not satisfied with it as it is focused on 4-5 topics. I do not know what to do with it).
I have a personal blog. It is where I can unwind and keeps my creative juices flowing. I can get as wacky as I want with the title, and put in all bits and pieces regarding any topic there.
Other two serious blogs are:
http://kalaalog.com – An art blog, heavily focused
http://www.wisetome.com/splat – Info blog (I am not satisfied with it as it is focused on 4-5 topics. I do not know what to do with it).
Actually I have lots of blogs but I don’t think I have a really personal blog yet. Maybe it’s about time to have that
I am thinking of switching my static website that host my name to be my real personal blog 
Hopefully soon. Haha!
Actually I have lots of blogs but I don’t think I have a really personal blog yet. Maybe it’s about time to have that
I am thinking of switching my static website that host my name to be my real personal blog 
Hopefully soon. Haha!
I have a personal blog. Topics range from weekly trivia and humor posts, to news on TV shows and other subjects I’m interested. It’s also where I like to post my thoughts on my favorite shows. I have friends all over the U.S. who when we lived in the same city would get together and discuss our shows. Since we no longer live in the same city, this is my way of getting my thoughts to everyone at once. It’s beckymochaface.blogspot.com
I have a personal blog. Topics range from weekly trivia and humor posts, to news on TV shows and other subjects I’m interested. It’s also where I like to post my thoughts on my favorite shows. I have friends all over the U.S. who when we lived in the same city would get together and discuss our shows. Since we no longer live in the same city, this is my way of getting my thoughts to everyone at once. It’s beckymochaface.blogspot.com
I have a personal blog. Have to have it. It helps broaden my writing. Personal blog tends to be more of a diary/journal style of writing whereas my business blog is more reporting and offering advice and commentary.
Personal blog is a good thing. Should be for your own benefit.
I have a personal blog. Have to have it. It helps broaden my writing. Personal blog tends to be more of a diary/journal style of writing whereas my business blog is more reporting and offering advice and commentary.
Personal blog is a good thing. Should be for your own benefit.
I’m just not interesting enough to have a personal blog! But I do maintain a few “side blogs” to serve my other passions – beekeeping, for example – that just wouldn’t fit in with the whole Domestik Goddess thing.
I’m just not interesting enough to have a personal blog! But I do maintain a few “side blogs” to serve my other passions – beekeeping, for example – that just wouldn’t fit in with the whole Domestik Goddess thing.
I had a personal blog first, and then as I read blogs more and more, I found that there were things I wanted to write about there, that I knew those who read it would not be interested in. It was a relief when I realized all I needed to do was turn my professional design site into a blog.
I had a personal blog first, and then as I read blogs more and more, I found that there were things I wanted to write about there, that I knew those who read it would not be interested in. It was a relief when I realized all I needed to do was turn my professional design site into a blog.
@Vyoma – I find my personal blog relaxing too. It’s nice to not have to fuss over details and just say what is on your mind
@Chee – Yes do it!
@Becky – Heh I post about television too, you are right it is the kind of thing you talk to your friends about in person
My current favourite is Heroes by the way. Final episode of season one is on soon here in UK, I’m going to miss it … oops, back to the topic eh? 
@Steve – Agreed. It’s very liberating and also good training to be able to talk about *anything* on your blog
@Jen – not interesting enough then you mention … beekeeping??
@Randa – And your design site / blog works perfectly
@Vyoma – I find my personal blog relaxing too. It’s nice to not have to fuss over details and just say what is on your mind
@Chee – Yes do it!
@Becky – Heh I post about television too, you are right it is the kind of thing you talk to your friends about in person
My current favourite is Heroes by the way. Final episode of season one is on soon here in UK, I’m going to miss it … oops, back to the topic eh? 
@Steve – Agreed. It’s very liberating and also good training to be able to talk about *anything* on your blog
@Jen – not interesting enough then you mention … beekeeping??
@Randa – And your design site / blog works perfectly
I have a category for my personal posts, “Homefront”. I like sharing my personal posts on my professional blog, though. I really think I connect more with folks when I write about my personal life as well as professional.
Part of blogging is the conversation. Think about your interactions with complete business strangers – we often talk about where we grew up, our hobbies, family, vacations, etc. because they help build the connection.
I think it’s part of the transparency.
I have a category for my personal posts, “Homefront”. I like sharing my personal posts on my professional blog, though. I really think I connect more with folks when I write about my personal life as well as professional.
Part of blogging is the conversation. Think about your interactions with complete business strangers – we often talk about where we grew up, our hobbies, family, vacations, etc. because they help build the connection.
I think it’s part of the transparency.
Yes it is certainly possible to do that well, and I did think about it myself. I would suggest a 80/20 split if you are going to do it that way. In the end though separate suits me better, I have complete freedom. Of course I wouldn’t post anything on .org that would hurt .com anyway, but it just feels right to have that split.
Yes it is certainly possible to do that well, and I did think about it myself. I would suggest a 80/20 split if you are going to do it that way. In the end though separate suits me better, I have complete freedom. Of course I wouldn’t post anything on .org that would hurt .com anyway, but it just feels right to have that split.
Add another one to the “has multiple blogs” category – I’m freelance writer, so I have several business-related blogs on the different topics I write about, but I keep a personal one too. It’s partly to keep in touch with friends and family all over the world, and partly just so I can write about whatever I want.
Add another one to the “has multiple blogs” category – I’m freelance writer, so I have several business-related blogs on the different topics I write about, but I keep a personal one too. It’s partly to keep in touch with friends and family all over the world, and partly just so I can write about whatever I want.
My personal blog was my first blog. It doesn’t get the most attention, but I do enjoy posting on it. Who said blogging always has to be for business or traffic or whatever? Ok, alot of people say that and it’s flat out annoying.
Why do I have a personal blog? BECAUSE I CAN!
My personal blog was my first blog. It doesn’t get the most attention, but I do enjoy posting on it. Who said blogging always has to be for business or traffic or whatever? Ok, alot of people say that and it’s flat out annoying.
Why do I have a personal blog? BECAUSE I CAN!
Definitely a fun outlet for whatever is on your mind. I use my personal blog to just communicate with friends and family on whats going on, using Flickr to share pictures and all that good stuff. Like you said, it only takes minutes rather than having to think in depth on what others will be seeing.
Definitely a fun outlet for whatever is on your mind. I use my personal blog to just communicate with friends and family on whats going on, using Flickr to share pictures and all that good stuff. Like you said, it only takes minutes rather than having to think in depth on what others will be seeing.
Absolutely not. There is so much of me in my fashion blog that it hardly seems necessary. I do have a Titus 2 blog also, but I really don’t do much with it and that sort of grates on me a little.
The bottom line is, with me, that I’m still obsessed with the stuff I do in my main blog and I just don’t have time or energy to do more. I’d rather be talking to you guys.
Absolutely not. There is so much of me in my fashion blog that it hardly seems necessary. I do have a Titus 2 blog also, but I really don’t do much with it and that sort of grates on me a little.
The bottom line is, with me, that I’m still obsessed with the stuff I do in my main blog and I just don’t have time or energy to do more. I’d rather be talking to you guys.
I have actually started the other way around. With intention. I had more ideas for blogs and chose to start with the one where I could also plot my course and write about what I learned. The next may be the one on a parallel subject, a more personal blog or something quite different, which is also on the drawing board.
One of the reasons for not starting with a personal blog was also that I was sure about how I felt about exposing my personal life online. Of course you can post with this in mind, but for a personal blog to be personal you have to give up some privacy I think.
Eventually will my subject oriented blog(s) also demand that I get more personal I guess, but that will give me time to decide how and how much and if that feels comfortable it will probably pave the way for a personal blog as well. If I can find the time that is.
PS: My comment on you asking for branding articles links never showed although it appeared as cued for moderation. Was there a problem with it?
I have actually started the other way around. With intention. I had more ideas for blogs and chose to start with the one where I could also plot my course and write about what I learned. The next may be the one on a parallel subject, a more personal blog or something quite different, which is also on the drawing board.
One of the reasons for not starting with a personal blog was also that I was sure about how I felt about exposing my personal life online. Of course you can post with this in mind, but for a personal blog to be personal you have to give up some privacy I think.
Eventually will my subject oriented blog(s) also demand that I get more personal I guess, but that will give me time to decide how and how much and if that feels comfortable it will probably pave the way for a personal blog as well. If I can find the time that is.
PS: My comment on you asking for branding articles links never showed although it appeared as cued for moderation. Was there a problem with it?
I forgot the most important word in one of my sentences, which means you may not understand the rest:
“One of the reasons for not starting with a personal blog was also that I was NOT sure about how I felt about exposing my personal life online.”
Sorry…
I forgot the most important word in one of my sentences, which means you may not understand the rest:
“One of the reasons for not starting with a personal blog was also that I was NOT sure about how I felt about exposing my personal life online.”
Sorry…
I have three blogs. I am a Bulgarian and I have two professional blogs – one in English and one in Bulgarian. They are focused mainly on software development and project management as well as on career development but they don’t have the same content. Usually I post more things in my Bulgarian blog because I discuss there some local events or problems which I consider not interesting to the international audience and I don’t translate them to English.
I recently started a personal blog where I write my personal thoughts on any other subject I find interesting but not related to the topics of my professional blogs. I write there only in Bulgarian. I don’t know for now if it will be interesting for the world to know about my personal thought and this is the main reason for not creating a personal blog in English. The other reason is that writing is still too time-consuming for me and I wouldn’t be able to handle more blogs.
I have three blogs. I am a Bulgarian and I have two professional blogs – one in English and one in Bulgarian. They are focused mainly on software development and project management as well as on career development but they don’t have the same content. Usually I post more things in my Bulgarian blog because I discuss there some local events or problems which I consider not interesting to the international audience and I don’t translate them to English.
I recently started a personal blog where I write my personal thoughts on any other subject I find interesting but not related to the topics of my professional blogs. I write there only in Bulgarian. I don’t know for now if it will be interesting for the world to know about my personal thought and this is the main reason for not creating a personal blog in English. The other reason is that writing is still too time-consuming for me and I wouldn’t be able to handle more blogs.
@Jacqueline – I guess for a full time freelance writer it is especially nice to just let loose and write?
@Nathania – As many people though think blogs have to be personal diaries, but “because I can” is my reason for having a personal blog also
@Andre – I have found also that a lot of people check my blog first before asking what I am up to, do you find that?
@Rebecca – Heh, I guess I am torn between advising you to personal blog or encouraging you to comment here ..
@Jan – There are always problems on this blog with spam filters, especially when containing links – best to send it to me with the contact form. Do it quick as the roundup is tomorrow!
@Mike – Multi-lingual bloggers always impress me
One day I will learn another language but for now I am sooo jealous 
@Jacqueline – I guess for a full time freelance writer it is especially nice to just let loose and write?
@Nathania – As many people though think blogs have to be personal diaries, but “because I can” is my reason for having a personal blog also
@Andre – I have found also that a lot of people check my blog first before asking what I am up to, do you find that?
@Rebecca – Heh, I guess I am torn between advising you to personal blog or encouraging you to comment here ..
@Jan – There are always problems on this blog with spam filters, especially when containing links – best to send it to me with the contact form. Do it quick as the roundup is tomorrow!
@Mike – Multi-lingual bloggers always impress me
One day I will learn another language but for now I am sooo jealous 
I have continued to struggle with the split issue. I have grown into 3 blogs on different topics (investing, management and science). I also put somewhat off topic personal stuff in when I decide to
though I try to stick to the topic. I also setup a personal blog on yahoo 360 partially to test that out but I almost never post to it.
I have continued to struggle with the split issue. I have grown into 3 blogs on different topics (investing, management and science). I also put somewhat off topic personal stuff in when I decide to
though I try to stick to the topic. I also setup a personal blog on yahoo 360 partially to test that out but I almost never post to it.
In reality, the personal is the professional. If you’re making money from your personal blog, like I do at my “mommy blog” and my food/diet blog, then is it personal or professional? I call any blog I have “personal” when I’m not paid by a client to run it.
In reality, the personal is the professional. If you’re making money from your personal blog, like I do at my “mommy blog” and my food/diet blog, then is it personal or professional? I call any blog I have “personal” when I’m not paid by a client to run it.
I have a personal blog its actually a blogspot blog, sick huh. I dont know what all the fuss about blogger is, ive never had the horror stories with it. I use it like many of you do, plus to rant and rave at the world at large, you know the tin foil hat kinda stuff, the sky is falling nonsense. Good fun really. I post picts of my lil monster there. Its my form of sanity, plus it is a relaxing experience no worries about seo or marketing or what not, just off the cuff blabbering foolishness. Im not looking to build a cult from it, though be acult leader is appealing in a weird sort of way. Comon really who doesnt wanna be a cult leader, just nod your head and say yes id wanna be a cult leader. I tried buying my name “shanesworld”. Too frikken funny its taken and its a porn site, hahahaha so i dnot know when i’ll get around to my own domain name. though squeekymentalmachinery sounds good. tough to type though. HEH Im worth it
I have a personal blog its actually a blogspot blog, sick huh. I dont know what all the fuss about blogger is, ive never had the horror stories with it. I use it like many of you do, plus to rant and rave at the world at large, you know the tin foil hat kinda stuff, the sky is falling nonsense. Good fun really. I post picts of my lil monster there. Its my form of sanity, plus it is a relaxing experience no worries about seo or marketing or what not, just off the cuff blabbering foolishness. Im not looking to build a cult from it, though be acult leader is appealing in a weird sort of way. Comon really who doesnt wanna be a cult leader, just nod your head and say yes id wanna be a cult leader. I tried buying my name “shanesworld”. Too frikken funny its taken and its a porn site, hahahaha so i dnot know when i’ll get around to my own domain name. though squeekymentalmachinery sounds good. tough to type though. HEH Im worth it
I personally have one blog which has personal (general, Phantom, sport etc) and also professional stuff (web, business) on it.
I use the one because its easier to keep it all together
@ Chris – It is nice to be able to write about anything without regard to a client or assignment.
@Rebecca – I also blog at http://www.fashionablekiffen.blogspot.com and I read your blog – fancy seeing you here!
I personally have one blog which has personal (general, Phantom, sport etc) and also professional stuff (web, business) on it.
I use the one because its easier to keep it all together
@ Chris – It is nice to be able to write about anything without regard to a client or assignment.
@Rebecca – I also blog at http://www.fashionablekiffen.blogspot.com and I read your blog – fancy seeing you here!
Hi Jacqueline! *wave*
Perhaps I blend enough personal into what I do at my fashion blog …
Chris, it’s certainly nice that you have a blog community here that talks to one another.
Hi Jacqueline! *wave*
Perhaps I blend enough personal into what I do at my fashion blog …
Chris, it’s certainly nice that you have a blog community here that talks to one another.