Three Years

Categories: RuminationsPosted on June 19th, 2009

I’m all smiles today, as I reflect on three years of blogging at web-strategist.com.

Although I’ve been blogging about web strategy previously on Blogspot, Yahoo 360 for a few years prior, things really started to get serious when I launched this domain.

Over the three years, the technorati rank of this blog has settled around the 500 range (the lower the better) and it’s unlikely it will drop lower as I’m not a news breaking site, or have a team of writers like many of the top 100.

What’s worked for me? Pay yourself first. I put in a lot of passion, and read and blog nearly every morning (It’s 3:51am right now) before I check any email (which is paying someone else), have an editorial calendar, and am slowly writing drafts (there are 413 of them right now) each day as I collect little bits of information, or get ideas. I’ve learned to integrate the blog into many of my communications as a central hub, then use the social tools to pollinate and let the blog disperse to other locations.

Perhaps the best thing is that this has become more of a collaboration between us because we as a community are learning from each other. Although I’ve written 2,292 posts in these three years, yet there have been 42,694 comments and trackbacks, nearly 20 voices to my one. I still read every single comment, and skim most blog incoming blog posts, I learn a lot –especially when you don’t agree, or put me in check.

I really look forward to the next few years, thank you for being here with me and talking and learning with me. Thanks you for making this a fun project that turned into a career for me, let’s continue to share both ways.

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December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Stuart Miniman

Congratulations Jeremiah - lots of great ideas and dialogue - thanks for letting us share the ride!
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm imabonehead

Congrats!
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Michael_techie

Thanks for helping us to learn new trends in social media
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Angela

Congrats. You are one of the most informative folks out there.
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Dimitar Tsonev

Congratulations!
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Scott Magdalein

Congrats!
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Rob Williams

Congrats dude
December 31, 1969 at 4:33 pm Donna L. Downey

Thanks for sharing your expertise and your inspiration!

Congratulations Jeremiah!

It’s been a pleasure reading your insightful and resourceful content. Keep going…

—
@Sampad

Posted by Sampad Swain on June 19th, 2009 at 4:09 am

As I am fairly young to web strategy, your posts have been of great help and am convinced they will keep doing so in the future. I was happy to read i’m not the only one storing over hundreds of drafts, and i will make sure to make some critical notes when they apply. Congrats

Posted by Tones Vadeli on June 19th, 2009 at 4:18 am

Tones

Most of those drafts will never see the light of day, and that’s ok too. I find those drafts are much like a notepad for me.

Posted by jeremiah_owyang on June 19th, 2009 at 4:20 am

Congratulations Jeremiah! Really appreciate your work here and I’m looking forward to the panel discussion next Thursday. http://www.sfama.org/events/calendar/techbloggers

Posted by Bill Sanders on June 19th, 2009 at 4:58 am

Happy birthday!
and thanks for sharing your ideas, knowledge, insights, passion with all of us!
L.

Posted by Lorenzo on June 19th, 2009 at 5:11 am

Happy Blog Anniversary Jeremiah!!

You may not be a “team of writers” blog – but none of them show up in my inbox daily. Your blog always will. I may not always get to it because I’m practicing your “pay myself first” but when I do get to it? I’m always really happy I did!!

Keep it up Jeremiah – you are really far more inspiring than you will ever know or admit to yourself.

Oh, and a huge thank you. You may think this is paying yourself first, but personally? I think we benefit from it just as much if not more!!

Posted by Lucretia Pruitt on June 19th, 2009 at 5:34 am

Congratulations! This is perhaps my first comment, but I’ve learnt a lot from reading your blog over the past year. Great going

Posted by Pranav Bhasin on June 19th, 2009 at 5:35 am

Congrats,Jeremiah!Your web strategy is great.:)

Posted by Igor Poltavskiy on June 19th, 2009 at 6:08 am

Jeremiah,

I’ve only just started following you, and digesting all your thought provoking perspectives. I’m on a steep learning curve, and it’s refreshing to read this rumination.

Have a happy third birthday – to think you’re just a toddler!

Posted by Bruce on June 19th, 2009 at 6:16 am

Congrats Jeremiah! Forget the technorati 500 — you can be super proud of yourself in terms of the ’social’ impact your blog has .

And thanks for the “What’s worked for me ..”. Great tips and worth following. I too have realized (sometimes painfully and frustratingly) that our thoughts are fleeting and our neurons not as well connected as it may seem — a brilliant thought while driving to work sometimes get lost by the next day unless it is jotted down somewhere.

Again, congrats and fantastic job with this blog.

Posted by Ned Kumar on June 19th, 2009 at 6:35 am

happy b(log) day! mazel tov! after paying yourself first, its time to give yourself a first raise.

Posted by shay on June 19th, 2009 at 6:36 am

Jeremiah, I am fortunate to know you personally and have benefitted enormously from your thoughts. Happy anniversary and congrats!

Posted by jennifer jones on June 19th, 2009 at 6:49 am

[...] celebrating the third anniversary of his blog today and posted a handy little piece of advice: “Pay yourself first.” It’s good advice and we’ve all heard it before. What I found interesting though is in how [...]

Posted by Contribution vs. Consumption on June 19th, 2009 at 6:52 am

Hey Jeremiah,

Congrats on the milestone! Your blog has become an invaluable source of information in the new media/social media realm. Even more impressive (in my mind) is how many different types of people you attract to this blog because you apply many of the topics to a wide variety of web strategist type jobs. Developers, strategists, practioners, start ups can all find valuable information here.

Keep up the great work, keep paying it forward and I look forward to three more years and beyond.

Cheers,
Michael

Posted by Michael Barber on June 19th, 2009 at 8:29 am

Hi Jeremiah, I’ve been reading your blog for 4-5 months now. I appreciate your inspiring blog post here. You give reader the fresh and insight information. Please keep up the great work!

Posted by jakrapong on June 19th, 2009 at 8:47 am

Hi Jeremiah,
Congrats and happy blog bday! As important as consistency, quality is more important and you have definitely demonstrated your contribution to the blogsphere.

We’re getting bombarded everyday with information overload and the best way is to “batch process” and prioritize. It’s great to read your posts and know that someone is filtering information for us intelligently.

Looking forward to speak to you one day, all the best!

Eric

Posted by Eric Tsai on June 19th, 2009 at 8:51 am

Thank you Jeremiah.

I think one of the best things I could have done to try and stay on top of the trends and ideas around social media was to add your column to my iGoogle home page. It is one of the first things I look at and have learned a great deal from your posts as well as others insightful comments along the way.

So thanks again to you and the others that share their ideas here.

Regards,
Patrick

Posted by Patrick O'Keeffe on June 19th, 2009 at 9:25 am

Congratulations, Jeremiah. I still don’t know how you balance this with your other day job, but please keep it up.

Cheers.
\Scott

Posted by Scott Brown on June 19th, 2009 at 9:42 am

Jeremiah: Congratulations on your blogiversary!!

Posted by Ricardo Bueno on June 19th, 2009 at 10:06 am

Congrats on your 3 yrs. I am a fairly new follower of your blog, but think your insights/writing is great and I am a regular now.

Regards,

Eric Williamson

Posted by Eric Williamson on June 19th, 2009 at 1:45 pm

Congrats on the anniversary! I’ve been reading your site since, I think, close to your beginning here, and I’ve always enjoyed our insights. I’ve also always admired your “Pay yourself first” policy and have tried to emulate that myself… but it *is* awfully tough given everything else going on. Looking forward to continuing to read your words in the time ahead.

Congrats!
Dan

Posted by Dan York on June 19th, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Well done Sir! Look forward to your thoughts on the space for years to come!

Posted by John Andrews on June 19th, 2009 at 3:05 pm

Congrats! I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading the next three years as much as I enjoyed the first three.

Posted by Cory O'Brien on June 20th, 2009 at 12:41 am

Congratulation Jeremiah !

Thanks for letting us join the conversation, and keeping it current and interesting at all times.

Dvir.

p.s – You have 400 posts in drafts?! Wow, one of these days you MUST publish a book..

Posted by Dvir Reznik on June 20th, 2009 at 2:28 am

Congratulations on your 3 year anniversary! I´m looking forward to many more posts.

Posted by Tom - Home Business Tips on June 20th, 2009 at 2:46 am

Congratulations, Jeremiah! I both enjoy & learn from your blog and impressed you can keep up with the many, many comments. Here’s to many more years of posting!

Posted by Liz on June 20th, 2009 at 6:16 am

Congratulations Jeremiah, and thank you for all that you contributed to this community and industry. Your writings and posts have not only inspired me, but have helped guide my professional direction as I learn from your teachings of successes and mistakes. A toast to you for many more years of thought leadership and bringing the human touch to the digital world.

Posted by Robert Sansom on June 20th, 2009 at 10:42 am

Congrats Jeremiah – your passion and motivation for the web are obvious, and you do us all a great service.

Look forward to the next three years and beyond!

Posted by Adam Singer on June 20th, 2009 at 11:26 am

Jeremiah,
it is an example for imitation. Your blog is similar to the interesting JOURNAL with the big edition and interesting journalists)) Good luck!

P.s. When you will reach Moscow? Would be glad to listen u alive

Posted by Karchinsky Pawel on June 21st, 2009 at 1:20 am

Love your work man. My idea of a pefect evening – kids in bed, spotify on the headphones and reading your visionary stuff This is such an exciting time in terms of the web, a far bigger wave than the e-commerce one IMO.

Keep it coming.

Best

Rooven

Posted by Rooven on June 21st, 2009 at 12:52 pm

Thanks everyone for the kind words, I’m driven by these positive comments –it fuels me, thank you.

Posted by jeremiah_owyang on June 21st, 2009 at 7:29 pm

Congratulations. Feels like it’s been a lot longer than 3 years since you’ve started, what with all the amazing insight across all the fandangled social media channels that have come out since then. If there was a social media top 500, am sure you’ll be in the top 5! Looking forward to sharing your comprehensive views for at least another 3 years.

Posted by Chris Ng on June 21st, 2009 at 11:42 pm

[...] Three Years (Web Strategy by Jeremiah) [...]

Posted by Internet Marketing, Strategy & Technology – June 22, 2009 « Sazbean on June 22nd, 2009 at 5:03 am

Thanks for the insight, inspiration and passion you have shared with so many people over the past 3 years man!

Posted by Adam Gershenbaum on June 22nd, 2009 at 8:09 pm

We extremely appreciate and notice that you involve yourself personally and deeply — no “team of writers” here — in the lives and community of your followers, students, and fellow social web “stakeholders.” Off to the future we go…!