Managing a Social Network
I’ve never stopped to think how much would be involved with owning and managing a social network. I simply had the idea and started to develop it. It was funny because I bought the domain name and then made the site. I knew what software I wanted I didn’t have any idea’s and for some strange reason I like the name blogengage. I would had never imagined having so much business and social responsibilities. I receive e-mails consistently regarding customer support and more. At times with the amount of spam I have to face the owning and managing a social network can be overwhelming.
I first started with blogengage back in 2007. The site was small, no semi custom template and looked like an out of the box pligg 9.9.0 beta software system. I was always a fan of phpbb so I knew if I was going to start up blogengage I also wanted to create a small support and blogging forum. I also went and created a blog directory on the same domain name a few week into the website.
For the past 2 years my only regret is not expanding on the look of my website. The Forums, The Social Network and the Blog Directory look like different planets. I have no consistency and it drives me nuts! I’m OCD like that when it comes to anything I take pride in. It must be perfect and if it’s not perfect then it must be to the best of my ability.
Customer Service
People get really picky in this environment and are easily offended. I take all e-mails with caution but come on I’m only human and I have bad days too. I try to be prompt and reply to all support cases with definitive answers.
Servers and Costs
I will admit I’m not a rich guy. I purchased a Virtual Server for blogengage and my other websites run from it as well. Eventually I will look at purchasing a dedicated server but right now my funds will not allow it. I just bought a 2009 Kia Sportage and my student loans are killing me.
Design and Functionality
I think overall I’ve managed to provide our community with some cool functions and features to build quality relationships and meet new friends while promoting and marketing their blogs. Blogengage has many features all bloggers can take advantage of. The community is Do Follow and passes all the page rank juice to it’s blogging members. We have a nice top members promotional spot in the top sidebar and I also offer a featured spot for random articles. We offer a link love program and multiple ways to promote your blog using our blog forum.
Growth and outlook
I’m 100% dedicated to blogengage and it’s members. I will Market, Design, Develop and Promote the blogengage of today and make it into the blogengage of tomorrow. With you, as members and friends we will grow.
As always don’t forget to vote for me @ blogengage and if interested you can join my social group.
Add me as a friend, bbrian017
Thanks,
Brian
Hey Brian, what do you say you become my official coach for Hiburrito? I like your story, did you read mine? I’m writing part 3 right now.
Seriously, I need some tips from you on how to grow, market, etc… What do you say?
P.S. Try to create your next polls with pictures, maybe blogengage’s logo
Yes I’ll be sure to create the polls with the blogengage image! Perhaps I will use the 1225 125 add image I have the blogengage image is not even and has no bordering.
I read part 1 so far
Just wanted to compliment you on the hard work you’ve put into your site. I’ve been recently looking to use blog engage more lately, hope to see it continue to grow!
.-= Chris´s last blog ..What is a Birth Plan? =-.
Thanks Chris hope to see you submitting your article and being active in the forums!
We can use all the bloggers we can find so if you can tell your blogging friends!
I don’t know if I could manage all that work! It sounds like you have really organized your time. I love the post as well. Maybe you could share how you manage your time! I am only a recent member to blogengage.com, but I find it a really unique place to hang out!
.-= Josh H´s last blog ..WordPress Plugins For Your Business Blog =-.
I’m really happy you decided to join the community with us bloggers Josh! I look forward to building our relationship!
Brian,
Thank you for all your work. I can’t imagine the amount of time you must have to put in to create this site. I have posted your links on my websites, but really, if there is anything I can do to help you out, let me know. You have always promptly answered my questions, and always vote for my articles. Your a great person. I hope people start participating in the site more, I know I will be.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Learning the Secret: At the cusp, and deciding to keep moving forward =-.
Hi shrimpsey,
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love blogengage as much as you and I think this is why I’ve managed to make it work. When you care about something so much you really see the difference it makes
Are you the only one working on the site, or do you have other people helping you out?
.-= jason´s last blog ..More stock market… =-.
Right now we have Jessi and Sarah helping me! They are great!
Hopefully all the hard work will payoff big for you one day. I know personally that you get a lot of emails just from me and always respond promptly with detailed info, which I appreciate.
Keep up the great job Brian!
.-= Doug Dillard´s last blog ..We Want CommentLuv… but Need YOUR Help =-.
Ho Doug, I also wish for great things when it comes to blogengage. We have had a lot of growth over the past year and I expect it will only get better and better! With the dedicated bloggers we have right now I don’t see anything stopping us!
Well done, Brian. Probably we have to pay first before we gain something. E.g. when Twitter first started, it bears all the server costs before they start to implement revenue activities in it.
Good luck
I agree! The Google ads are almost covering all my costs but not the small things like modifications, bug fixes and template changes.
So far so good but a few more clicks here and there would help tons!
Brian, Pretty impressive what you have done so far and I bet it is a lot of work keeping up with this but I what your doing. I just starting to use blogengage I like it so far.
A few things could be better but that is always the case. You need to make it more user friendly find out what you need to make the wordpress plug-in offical so you can just browser and install it.
Remember people like easy buttons.
.-= Jared P Little´s last blog ..Learn SEO in 15 Minutes Part 1 =-.
Hi Jared, after talking with you regarding the plugin I went and submitted it to the wordpress plugin directory. it was approved but I still haven’t figured out how to navigate the website.
I really appreciate your hard work, I know it’s not easy what you are doing, but keep doing good work, maybe one day it will jump to another level more higher than you think
.-= Hesham´s last blog ..How to design a T-Shirt with your Logo or Brand by Asking a Question at Mahalo Answers? =-.
With the friends I’m making lately and the dedication of us all I think we can make it work. Bloggers helping Bloggers just sounds right to me.
Asswass is this you? Why are you commenting with 2 names? Perhaps I’m confused.