The BenSpark- Drew

The BenSpark (A name that combines both my last name and my wife’s maiden name) is the blog I use to showcase my pet project of taking a photo-a-day. I have been taking one photograph each day for over 825 consecutive days. I was inspired to do this because of folk singer Christopher Williams. He did his own Photo-A-Day project back in 2002. By posting a photo each day I force myself to blog on a daily basis. I want my readers to have fresh content each and every day, whether that be about my life and travels or maybe a photo inspires discussion. I make it a point to respond to each comment that I receive on my blog because interaction is what makes blogging so much fun.
The BenSpark started as a blog about my trips and travels across the country. It was also a blog that I authored jointly with my girlfriend (now wife). I wanted to mainly keep my girlfriend (now my wife) informed about the things I saw and did on these trips. And we would both post about our trips so that her friends and family could read about and see what we had done lately. I also wanted family and friends to know about my adventures. Each trip I went on I took my camera and so I really wanted to share those places with my friends and family through the photographs I took.

Through the BenSpark I have met some many great people on line and have really tried to harness the power of this blog in a very positive way.

I give software demonstrations all over the country. Blogging is a hobby of mine and a great way to showcase my photography and other interests. I was told when I started my current job that I should always take a camera with me because I never know what I will see in other parts of the country. That certainly was good advice and I took that straight to heart.

I started blogging on this topic because it was a way that I could provide readers with a fresh and original image each day as well as a great way to remind me of the things I did throughout the year. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to go back to the blog to check a date on which I did something. By posting each day I have a visual reminder and memoir of all things that I have done in that past year. I even took my 1st 500 photos and made five large 16 X 20 collages with 100 photo thumbnails on each. This will hang in our home and was part of a local art exhibit. I love photography and learning all I can about it. And I love sharing my photos with everyone.

I have been working on this blog since December of 2003. It started on a blogger account and was moved to a permanent domain and switched to WordPress back in March of 2007. Also along the way I created three additional blogs. I try and update each of them on a daily basis but my major focus is The BenSpark.

There are a couple of hundred readers each day. I also have between 48 and 55 subscribers to my RSS feed. And I also have between 15 and 25 readers who subscribe to my uberfeed. I set up a feed that grabs each of my blogs, my twitter and my flicker and buzznet photos and rolls it all into one. The best way to display it is through a springwidget that I have on my three other blogs. It is a pretty cool widget to use.

My blog does have an income. I make money by posting for PayPerPost. I signed up for other services too but PayPerPost is the only one I have stuck with. I also post once in a while for the Linky Love Army and a little income trickles in there as well. I am a Soda-Club affiliate and have had people purchase Soda-Club soda makers through my blog. I even hosted a contest in conjunction with Soda-Club to give away three great prizes, that was a very successful venture, it did not bring me any additional income but it strengthened my relationship with Soda-Club and my readers. And this month I am giving away 3 XShots, a Flickr Pro account and other prizes for people who enter my latest contest.

The income that I have generated has allowed me to upgrade much of my equipment to further enhance my blogging abilities and this in turn allows me to bring better content to my readers.

I think that someone who enjoys photography would be interested in my blog. I occasionally write posts about technique as well as spotlight other photographers. And I almost always put up bonus daily photos especially when I get to go to places that warrant multiple photos.

Also people who grew up in the 80’s with Transformers and Nintendo as daily staples. I loved the 80’s and am so excited about the resurgence of interest in the 80’s and 80’s pop culture icons. So I blog about that when I get a chance.

I spend an average of 5-6 hours in total blog time. That includes researching posts, taking and editing photos and networking with other blogger. Oh yes and also writing the posts for each blog, watching podcasts and again researching and networking. On Tuesdays I write a guest column for FuelMyBlog’s blog called Tech Tuesday’s With BenSpark. That has been well received also.

You should subscribe to my blog because the content is fresh and interesting, I do not rehash posts from other bloggers, each of my posts is not an advertisement and I don’t blog about blogging. I have content that is my own and I work very hard to give my readers a reason to read my blog. That shows in the quality of the posts as well as the many photos that I post.

I would say to new bloggers as well as old bloggers to find and follow your own voice. Sure blogs can be made to just make money but eventually you are going to lose an audience or at least get many bloggers who copy your content and rehash it as their own. Strive to give your readers fresh content on a daily basis, put time and effort into your posts and be yourself. The blogs I read generally have some new and interesting information.

Also get yourself out there and network, and I don’t just mean leave random comments on many blogs with keywords that point to your own blog that are not in the context of the post on which you are commenting. That bugs me. At least read the posts and write a nice comment in which you could work in a link to your own blog, but if the blog you are commenting on is a do follow blog then just leave your URL in the url field and post your comment sans links. If you want more readers then go out and read more blogs, join social networking groups and promote your blogs, but make sure that you have something worth promoting. Make it your own and original.

This blog can be visited at http://www.benspark.com/