I need some reader feedback. I mentioned a few months ago that I was thinking about redesigning the site. Nothing drastic, mostly the header and perhaps change up the categories some. I didn’t do anything with the redesign, but it hasn’t escaped my mind.
The feedback I’m looking for goes beyond that, though. Ever since starting the site back up I’ve been looking for a direction to take it. The site “redesign” is a reflection of that uncertainty. Preparedness itself offers its own direction and identity, but preparedness blogs are now a dime a dozen. When I started this site there were only a handful (maybe two handfuls) of us bloggers discussing the subject on a regular basis. Things were different then.
Perhaps why I’m still having difficulty nailing this down is because I don’t consider myself a traditional survivalist. If I try to write as one it feels false. I know the definition of a survivalist has changed, and preparedness has become more mainstream, but, for example, where many survival sites dive into political matters that readers seem to enjoy, I don’t. The reason for that is I suspect my politics differs from the politics of most of my readers. A generalization? Perhaps, but I’m a political moderate. I don’t like the extremes of either party, and traditional survivalism is largely held by people of the far right. I get along fine with far-left or far-right people, but public policy is an important issue to me, and I can get too easily fired up about the subject, so I try to avoid it, at least here.
Yet avoiding a subject that makes up so much of who I am also leaves what feels like a personal void in my writing. Politics, and ultimately public policy, is how we collectively work together to make the world a better (or worse) place. I have always had a strong social/public service ethic. In high school I had a teacher say to us that the purpose in life is to do our best to leave the world a better place than when we came into it. That line of thinking has never left me, in fact, it has guided some of my life’s major decisions – what to study in college, how to spend my time, what to do for work, etc.
Can I incorporate public policy matters into the blog without moving into the alienating, hot temper driving subject matter? I think I can, by covering more news topics with commentary, offering policy suggestions, promoting community involvement and solutions, etc. But – is that interesting? Is it more the “how do I prepare and protect my family” posts that interest people most?
Another subject is time. I have precious little of it. I’ve always been plagued (blessed?) with having far more interests than time available to pursue them. Preparedness and writing are both interests, but there are other imposing realities. I have two young children that take a lot of my time, both out of necessity and out of choice. I know that life is WAY too short NOT to spend a significant amount of time with them. I also don’t live in a travel trailer (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Blogging isn’t my livelihood. I have a mortgage and a full-time job. My wife has gone back to college taking a few night classes, which means some nights it’s just me and the kids. After doing the dinner routine, getting them to bed, cleaning up and conversing with my wife when she gets home, writing the next day’s blog post becomes less fun and more like a chore. That’s not what I want it to be.
Those of you that have written guest posts have certainly helped lighten my load, but unlike some other sites, I don’t have piles of advertisers offering up free gifts that I can give away in non-fiction writing competitions where readers get to write all the posts for me. Frankly, I’m not sure that’s the best approach even if I had free gifts to give away. I suspect people come to this site, because they’ve found something they like in my writing. If I posted others’ content all the time it might be a reason for people to stop coming. That being said, I think it is important to offer different voices once in a while (so write a guest post for me ;-)).
If you’ve read this far, you’ve done it because I’m guessing you enjoy the blog. It’s YOUR feedback I want. I must be doing something right, because traffic is slowly, but steadily growing. Not as much or as fast as I’d like, but so is life.
Here are my questions for you.
1- What are your favorite types of post I write? What are your least favorite?
2 – How frequently should this site get updated? Is 5 days a week just right, too much, or too little? If it was an every other day schedule would you be less inclined to visit?
3 – How many “survival” related sites do you visit? Is SHTF Blog one of many you read, the only one, or one of a few? If it’s the only one or one of a few – why? What makes this site worthy of your time?
Your answers to these questions would be appreciated.
– Ranger Man
14 comments
I stumble onto your site a few weeks ago and have spent some time reading you archives. I have to say your writing style is what caught my eye and keeps me coming back; and I do enjoy visiting it everyday and reading your new posts and must say it is much more enjoyable than certain blogs with guest writers sending in non-fiction posts with the free giftts. Personally, I like it the way it is, keep up the good work!
Your website is one of five survival sites I visit everyday. I enjoy your writing style and to me there is no such thing as too many posts. My favorite posts are about survival equipment, skills and real life situations. My all time favorite post is “10 best guns for shtf”. I’ve been looking at these sites since November 2008 and feel like my “survival mindedness” has been awakened from a very long sleep (since Boy Scouts). Keep up the Great Work!
If finding a topic gets too hard to think of, then I would just reduce your number of posts. Quality better than quantity. I completely understand about time being short, especially when you have young children. My wife and I enjoy our summer vacation too – school year brings in homework and afterschool projects – sometimes, extra curiculars just too much to fit in.
For me, I’d lay off the comparing one firearm with another, and just judge them one at a time. Field reports on foods, water filtering and camping are great – sometimes, its the small observations that really help.
Hope this helps – rock on Ranger Man! :^)
Freedom. Any political discussion worth having is about maintaining our freedom. Sprinkled with wit and humor, of course.
The more posts the better. Keep it up!
I read your website, survivalblog,rural revolution and paratus familia. I find your blog to be a braeth of fresh air. Like you, I consider myself to be a moderate, with liberal leanings, and the ever so often ridiculous political rants annoy me. we’re not all Evangelical Christians, Americans or in favour of homeschooling. So I’ve learned to take the good ang leave the bad.
1)i read all that you write, though my primary interest is in food storage/acquisition and related
2)i’d check it out regardless of the number of updates
3)one of the few,,i check bison too cuz i like his style…other than that i scan thru blogspot looking for articles of interest(i.e.)
p.s…don’t lose the little lady 😉
Five times a week. More than that makes it hard to keep up.
Politics are too diffuse. You are going to bore somone. There are plenty lefty survivalist: they just tend to get lumped in with the commie hippy crowd.
I like reviews. You have a reasonably adult, reasonably modest style. That is a plus.
Ranger Man, I read your site for your natural, humorous writing style and the good, practical advice. And also because you’re politically moderate and don’t preach a hardcore right-wing viewpoint like most survival sites do.
There are tons of sites that have a more in-your-face “conservative” point of view, and while they do usually have some good advice or information in there, it’s often hard to find among all the Tea Party, Obama-hating rhetoric. There’s a place for that, but that’s usually not what I’m looking for. I’m a little left-of-center and I don’t feel comfortable or welcome at those sites. I think it’s important to get a more balanced view of things, and that’s what I like about your site. (And I’m not calling you a lefty or hippy or anything; I just find your site more welcoming and comfortable.)
I like the approach you have of “one guy and his family and what we’re doing to improve our preparedness,” and the practical ideas you write about.
I think you’re doing a great job, and the best asset you have is your comfortable writing style.
I only started to read this blog a month ago. I liked it immediately and signed up for the feed. I read only two blogs: this one and MD Creedmore’s blog. I’ve looked at the others, but I don’t care for them as much. What I like about this blog is that it feels like “home” since I also live in New England. I also like the writing style and the subjects covered. I’ve gone back and read some of the older posts which I found very helpful and interesting. I’ll read more when I have the time.
I like both blogs even though they are slightly different. Frankly, I don’t want either blog to change dramatically. I also tend to be a moderate in my political views and I can see both sides. I wouldn’t want to see politics take the blog off the topic of prepping or survivalism. Otherwise, politics is discussed at the country store, too. Aye-yup.
#1 Do not get onto a burn-out track. You’re right, there are a lot of competing blogs and websites. However, you have a following that appreciates you and your work.
I get very annoyed at sites/blogs that post maybe once a month–why bother?
I think that you could cut back by one submission each week, perhaps giving yourself a regular 3-day weekend and an opportunity to recharge the batteries of your creative machine.
Quality submissions and a reasonably regular series of new postings holds my interest. It does me absolutely no good if you crank out daily articles and you get closer and closer to burn-out. I’ve been visiting many competitors and I think that many of the others really need to be culled from my list. You, however, are a keeper.
Take care of yourself and the blog will take care of itself.
I’m not sure how to advise you regarding the political piece. Our country is roughly 1/3 democrats, 1/3 independents (who usually decide the elections), and 1/3 republicans. Unfortunately, if you commit to one of those categories, you risk alienating those in the remaining 2/3.
Consider serious change very carefully; you might dilute a good thing.
Valuable feedback, all.
First and foremost, this is my favorite SHTF blog site. I hit various sites through out the web but this is the site I return to regularly for my entertainment/ informative -ness. I think that if you want to scale down to 3 posts a week, you’ll still get the word out and save your sanity. Maybe you could make one day, say every Friday, archive day and re-post one of your favorite blogs from days past. You already have guest posters, if you organized them such as one a week, that would free up more time for you as well. Quality always beats quantity and family comes first otherwise whats the point.
I think CJ makes a good suggestion of having an “archive day” when you post older posts that you find important. I would be happy with three original posts per week that were of the high quality you currently produce.
Hello, I like your site the way it is. My favorite articles are those dealing with what you’re doing to prepare, food storage etc. and appreciate the humorous posts. I am not into hunting (yet) so those are not on my top favorites. I am relate being a moderate, and I try to stay out of heavily political discussions/there are enough of those. I follow about 10 other blogs at the most, via Google Reader. 5 articles a week is great, but it should continue to be fun for you or you’ll feel burned out. Thanks for the great articles.