A-Z Reflections

We blogged throughout the month of April for this a-z challenge. THANK YOU all who organized this challenge again this year.   And if we finished we got this

And today we post this, sweet............ we made it!!

We were suppose to visit at least 5 blogs daily and leave comments, turn off captcha's, link directly to blog posts and not use google+ pages, meet new people, keep posts fairly short, add pictures to peak interest, follow our hosts; and have fun.

This is my 2nd year doing the challenge.  I was pretty disappointed last year with the amount of work I put in vs what I felt I got in return for it.  I'm one that doesn't have much tolerance for people who don't follow the rules.  Though I enjoyed the challenge more this year, I was still surprised and disappointed by the number of people who still didn't follow the rules.

Through out the challenge there were blog posts indicating how to improve your visits with reminders about not using the captcha, not using the google+ page etc, but it seems much of that went un-noticed.

I think I had more visits and comments this year then last, and a few new followers; but I didn't painstakingly count things this year.  I also only entered 1 blog this time round vs 3 or 4 like I did last year.

My method for executing the challenge:

• Write posts ahead and schedule them to post
• Visited and commented on a hosts blog daily leaving the link to my blog post
• Visited and commented on at least 5 blogs daily, working my way down the list from where I appeared on the linky.
• Visited and commented on at least 1 blog marked as TR (Travel), plus some who hadn't marked themselves as such, but the title of blog suggested they were
• Visited everyone today who left comments yesterday on my blog.
• Whenever possible used the name and url option, and when that wasn't an option used the hyperlink with a link to the actual blog post, not just the blog, and certainly NOT my profile page.

What were the positives parts of the challenge?

• A few new followers (though I know I clicked follow far more then was returned, yes I'm one who believes visits, comments, and followers should be reciprocal).
• Added several folks to my blog log (generally after people had visited multiple times, and will be adding more as I review all the comments to see who I missed).
• Learned new things, not just about travel
• Made new friends!

Things I think need to be done to improve the experience:

• One click rule.  While it's suggested you not leave your google+ page, I think it should be mandatory that the link on the linky not go to the google+ page, not go the blogger dashboard page.  With all the helpers, it seems like as people sign up, clicking through to those that have signed up should be done, and if they have not properly added the link to their blog, they should be deleted.  Even though the google+ page is the worst, it's also frustrating to go to someone's dashboard and see a list of 2-3-4-5-6- or more blogs and wonder which one is signed up for the challenge.  Naturally most of the time it's the last one, so you've click the link on the linky, go to the profile page, click no, click nope, click again and again..  I even had situations where I clicked on the linky, got a profile page, clicked on a blog/webpage that was listed by the person's name, got to that page to find a disclaimer that they weren't blogging there anymore; but could follow this link to their blog!  Seriously what a huge time waster.  One click, I believe would eliminate a-lot of frustration, save people time which would increase the number of blogs they could visit.  This would be a HUGE improvement.
• Eliminate ALL blogs/links on the linky who have comments closed and or who's settings are such that you must join something in order to leave a comment.  Like those with disgus, or google+ where you can ONLY leave a comment if you join.  It seems clear to me that if someone has their comments closed, or next to closed....they have no intention of visiting other's blogs.  They are only wanting blog traffic through joining the linky.  
• I enjoy visiting all types of blogs, not just though similar to mine; but do wonder if visiting would be easier for folks to have separate linky's for the categories?

Already thinking about next year.  Missed the first several days this year, as I was in Spain and had to play catch up, likewise at the end of the month was out of town visiting my daughter.  Since the posts were scheduled I didn't have to play catch up with writing; but did with visits.  Looks like next years vacation will fall again in April but a larger part of it, not sure how that will work out.  But, I will have internet time even when away, which this year I really didn't.

Now since those I've visited thus far today have posted stats, I went back and counted the names I posted on 2 Sunday's thanking people for their visits, added those who've visited since the last list and come up 83 comments from different people.  Many visited more then once, THANK YOU.  I made 200 visits not counting all the visits I returned...not a great result.  I got less then 10 new followers from what I remember my number being when the challenge started.

*Jury's out about whether to try it yet again

Alex Cavanaugh
Anabel March
Angie @ Newtons Travels
Ann
Arleen Bird
ATarkabarka Holgy
betty
Bob Sanchez
Calli D
Comley Charlotte
Carolyn Branch
Cascadian Nomands Bethany
Cedar Ridge
Chris Boothman
Christine Rains
Clee McKenzie
Corinne Vail
cranthie
Crystal
Daidri Smythe
Drusilla
Fili
grammy
GSMarlene
Heather Gardner
Heather Musk
il;akshee
Jaime
Jaimie Ramsey
jenna,Mark Draddy
jennyfreedman
josephAlsarraf
Kat Writer
Kate @Another Clean Slate
Kimberly
Kirsten
Kirsten
Leslie
Leslie Melby
Lila Asnani
Linda
lindalh
Liz A
loadsofsomething
looking for a view
Mary Rack
Meandering Mind
Meghan aka Fierbonnet
Melanie
melaniegobledvm
Michelle Stanley
Millie Burns
Nancy LaRonda Jackson
Natalie Bowers
Nicky
Nilanjana Bose
ovengoodies
Paige Rion
Paula
Perry
perspective of a writer
Preethi Venugopal
Rhonda Albom
Rikaine Hernadez
rscottamsbaugh.com
sean@His And Her Hobbies
Spacer Guy
Stephanie K
Sue Kuentz
Sue McPeak
Susan leighnoble
Susan Scott
Suzanne Sapsed
Teri
thelmaz
thewayofwytch
Tina
Troy Miles
vanilla ban
Veronica Sicoe
Welcome to my World of Verse
Wendy
Zoe Byrd

**REMINDER, please leave the url to your actual blog post, NOT your google+ page, NOT your blogger profile/dashboard page. Use the name and url option, or leave a hyperlink. **After the close of April's A-Z, I plan to continue to write a post a day in the month of May using again the A-B-C's as my guide. My focus for the month of May will be Spain. (15)