You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers!

Published on by Grace

Rory had some interesting questions today concerning the “About/Bio” page. I can’t say I’ve ever given this much thought. This blog has an “About” page and it reads “The first thing you should know about me is that I’m not you. A lot more will make sense after that.”  Previous blogs never contained an ‘about/bio’ page, I just really like that statement and it says a lot in a few words.  And it should also tell you that I can be more than a little snarky.

Rory’s Questions are:  (1) How important to you is your ‘About Me/Blog Bio’ section?  I think I’ve answered that one in my first paragraph. Of no importance at all. 

The next two questions are pretty much covered under the answer to the first question,
(2) Do you place any emphasis on the updating of it? and (3) Do you actually have one or just a contact page?

(4) Is it to your knowledge viewed often? – I haven’t a clue, wouldn’t even know how to ascertain that, tho I do believe the Stats page would have the answer but then I rarely look at my stats page. 

The thing is – I never read the ‘About/Bio’ page on any blogs I read and/or subscribe to. Ok, never is a strong word. I’m sure I’ve clicked over to an ‘About/Bio’ page but I don’t make a habit of it because I don’t care and quite frankly the ones I’ve read are either boring or inconsequential – adding nothing  of import to my knowledge of the person.

What do I want to see on someone’s ‘About/Bio’ page? Where they live – not their exact address or course, but country/county/state/city/town. For some reason, even if the person doesn’t much write about where they live, this information is important to me.  I used to fantasize about road-tripping across the United States visiting all my blogging friends.

Perhaps because the internet allows us to interact with people from all over the universe, it’s important to me to know just what part of it the person comes from. (And when I say ‘Universe’ I’m somewhat serious – I’ve read blogs where I doubted the writer’s  residence on Planet Earth.)

The blogs I read on a consistent basis are personal blogs, people talking about their quotidian lives. That’s how I get to know people, not by reading their bio but by reading their blog.

Somewhere in Rory’s post it was mentioned that when coming across a new blog the about/bio would be read first to determine if they wanted to read the actual blog – that bugged me. Just read a few posts, that’s going to tell you more about them than their PR page (’cause isn’t that what an ‘about/bio’ page really is?) A person will reveal themselves more clearly and honestly  in the day to day.

All that said – Is there anything any of you want to know about me? Anything? Just ask. As with all questions, there is no guarantee I’ll answer, because some things are none of your business. But – take a chance, ask away – might be fun.

BTW – I live in: Country- United States. State – Virginia. County: Arlington. Born: Bronx, NY

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

24 thoughts on “You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers!”

  1. I liked this post Grace – as l have discussed in the comments on the post itself – l challenge myself also to is there REALLY a point to a blog bio? REALLY Because who reads them and what do they glean about us? Of course sure there is a difference l think to a personal blog in comparison to a business blog – but still l view thease in a form of stylish cynicism, the blog bio is just another cannon fodder or blog fodder post that we create.

    Can we truly create a killer blog bio? Can we? do we need to? I am challenging a lot recently about what l consider conventionals – my published content will speak more clearly to you about me than my bio will! If you want to know me – read my posts! I am thinking of simply having that on all of my blogs.

    Similiar to your quote in your About.

    Good post.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks – I so don’t care about all the machinations of blogging optimization – it all falls under ‘ask me if I care’ and sometimes it just makes me laugh with amusement and bemusement – like this whole ‘about/bio’ topic. I understand how all this might be of importance to business blogs but I don’t read those so…Ultimately it’s everyone’s individual choice, what makes them happy, it’s just all this talking about it – it does amuse me.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Well l have been debating the About sections for a while, there is some validity to them for the right blogs, but for me and in more recent times and l suppose with the rise of a generalised cynicism towards the whole society arena l am not sure if they are even truly that valid even for business. A business could have an introduction page with a mission statement followed by a list of their services.

        I never read reviews of books or film and l simply know within the first few minutes of watching a trailer if a film if going to be good and with a book l literally read the back and l’ll know if the book is right – same thing with abouts and blogs – read a post – you’ll either get it , get me, get the writing, get the jist or not.

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  3. Love your short, snarky bio! It’s perfection and puts the rest of us to shame. I have a bunch of tabs, and plan to add more, due to my own OCD type of organization. Like you, I rarely click on bios because a few posts tell me if I’m interested, or not…

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    1. I agree with you Paula – the more l look at how much time and effort goes into bios and l begin to think what difference is this really making? Seriously. My next one will be very short and more direct.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Paula – I only read your blog in the reader so I’ve never even noticed tabs, pages etc. Everybody suits themselves I hope – blogging and designing your blog to suit someone else? real or perceived? Why? I do not take any of this seriously – as you may have guessed!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. I have very rarely read the about section. Like you said I need to read the blog to tell if I like it or not. I really can’t think of a single question to ask you right now.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. My bio page is very important to me. It is who I am. Duh.
    I update it about yearly.
    I have an About Me page and a Connect With Me page. Two separate things.
    My bio page is viewed often because who wouldn’t want to know the background of the blogger they are reading? Context is everything.

    YOU DON’T READ BIO PAGES?!! This shocks me to my core. My explanation of who I am is inconsequential to you? I spend hours crafting those pages and this saddens me. I figured everyone went there when deciding who to follow and who to let slide by. My goodness.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Not really. I started blogging long before we had the opportunity to have a designated About Me Page and when they came along I thought they were a brilliant idea. Nowhere else in my life do I have a place where I can tell you who I am and then revise it when I feel I’ve changed. If someone doesn’t want to share who they are or makes a hash of their About Me Page, so be it. But I consider mine a significant part of my blog, a way to introduce myself while bringing clarity and focus to what I’ll be writing about.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I had written a longer response to your initial comment and then deleted it, it didn’t ‘sound’ right as just words on a page whereas an in-person conversation it would have been a pleasant exchange. As always, we all differ in our approaches to life, and blogging LOL and viva la difference!

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  8. I didn’t even remember I had an about page so I looked at it and it hasn’t been updated in years! We’ll see when I get to it since I don’t even post anymore anyway. I’ve looked at a few about pages but they don’t influence if I read the blog or not. As for questions, like Ann, I’m not sure what to ask!

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    1. Yes, Blogger has always had that Bio page, I’ve never filled it out and the only time I ever accessed someone elses was when I saw a comment and wanted to identify the writer – so click on their name, if they have a blogger blog then an Bio page opens and a list of their blogs shows up – IF they filled it out. That said, I never looked at your about/bio page. And as for questions – after all these years? And if you were dying to know something you have my email! LOL

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    1. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I thought that was a funny line even as it formed in my mind and I typed it – you often get the humor in my posts and for that I am grateful!

      It’s a good thing in that I can avoid them – I don’t have the patience for wing-nuts or cuckoo-birds! I prefer normal crazy funny…

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  10. An “about me” page I think does matter to me as I want to strike the best connections with people. I mean I COULD do this with a few blog posts but it wouldn’t show all my layers/things I discuss. I love connection and exploring all the ways I could connect with a person so a profile helps a bit.

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