Changes to Work from Home Wisdom
Tell us what you’d like to see on Work from Home Wisdom
When I started the blog in 2009 I had no idea how it was going to develop. Let’s face it, I had no idea what I was doing at all! I don’t think anyone talked about social media then, did they? Facebook was around but I don’t remember it being used for business at that point.
So I would have been very surprised if I’d known how our readership of Work from Home Wisdom would grow and that I’d be blogging most weekdays, involving hundreds of contributors, and accepting ads and sponsored posts.
I started off with a brochure-style website, which I soon realised needed updating (anyone remember the orange baby?) and so A manfully took on the process of making it into a ‘proper’ blog, with posts on the home page.
I remember lots of frustrations and obstacles along the way, which he managed to find solutions for, but it was worth it in the end because a whole new business has grown out of it for him as people have seen WfHW and asked him to do the same for them. (He’s running a WordPress for Beginners workshop next week at Nicky Kriel’s Social Media Summit in Surrey).
As well as adding posts more frequently we’ve created loads of great content – with the help of endlessly creative and inspiring home workers – but we realised some time ago that it was often hard or impossible to find, and that the layout was getting increasingly cluttered.
We were thinking seriously about a redesign for Work from Home Wisdom earlier this year, but put our plans on hold due to the uncertainty about Google and the issue of sponsored posts. For a while I wondered whether there was any future for a blog like this. I’m relieved to say that after a blip, I’m again being approached by companies and digital media agencies willing to work in accordance with Google guidelines.
So the redesign is going ahead and we face the monumental task of looking at all the content, deciding what to ditch, what to re-order, where to put it so it’s easily accessible and so on. Makes my head spin to think about it, actually.
We have our own ideas, of course, but we’ll also be guided by you – what do you like and dislike about Work from Home Wisdom? Is there anything we should dispense with, any gaps we could fill, subjects we could expand on? Don’t be shy, it can’t be any worse than the criticism (all positively intended, of course!) we’ve already had from designers and experts 🙂
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Hi Judy,
I really like the content and message here. Great value, frequently updated.
If anything maybe a little less clutter in terms of ads. Definitely keep them; I like making money through blogging too…..but going wider on your post/body field, and then laying out ads in 1 single column instead of 2, farther down the page, could create a more appealing presentation.
I might make the post body field at least 600 pixels to spread things out some.
Thanks so much for sharing, and for all the value you bring to the table Judy.
Ryan
Thanks, Ryan, all useful suggestions, and very diplomatically put, if I may say so!
Hi Judy, I agree with Ryan, its a really nice website, I was just a bit overcome with add. But loving the amount of info available. thanks!
Rick.
Take your point, it definitely needs thinning out!
Hi Judy, I’ve only just stumbled on your great site and have read and enjoyed a number of your articles.
It strikes me that a forum would prove to be a great addition to workfromhomewisdom.com. They are great for opening up new discussions and great for attracting and keeping visitors on your site.
I have also found that a forum provides you as the site owner with some great ideas for future articles on your site.
Hope this helps.
Hi Judy! You were not alone when you started this whole social media thing. I was a stranger too! Funny, I realized that it’s gonna be good for a business until a client emailed me to be a writer for their company blog. So, i got that job!