Gauravonomics Blog

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Most bloggers find themselves falling into a blogging downward spiral at some time or the other –

- You are growing through significant changes at work/ in life and you don’t have any time or energy for blogging.
- You have taken on too many blogging commitments (multiple personal/ group blogs, collaborative blogging projects, or over-ambitious blogging series), and you feel that you aren’t doing justice to any of them.
- You feel that you are spending too much time ‘managing’ your blog and not enough time writing on your blog.
- The number of feeds in your feed-reader have proliferated and you are so intimidated by your 1000+ unread items that you don’t even try reading them anymore.
- Since you aren’t reading any feeds anymore, you have fewer ideas to blog about and, even when you have a little free time, you don’t really know what to blog about.
- Your page views, ad revenues and feed subscriptions go down, further decreasing your motivation to blog.  Read More

In the post-Sanjaya Malakar world, my Shyamali Malakar search traffic has dried up and my page views have dropped to half of what they were a month ago. As a result, my Google Adsense revenue now approximates to zero every day.

I have said before that it doesn’t make sense to use Adsense if your blog gets less than a thousand pageviews per day. I have also said before that most non-tech bloggers should focus on making money because of their blog rather than from it.

I have decided to take my own advice now and remove all advertising from my blog until I find a way to increase my pageviews to more than thousand per day.

This is also a cautionary tale for bloggers who want to make quick money off blogging. My blog is ranked within the top 17,000 on Technorati (in terms of linkbacks in the last 6 months) and about 3,00,000 on Alexa (in terms of average pageviews in the last 3 months), and still I’m not making enough money to make it worthwhile for me to use Adsense. It’s not likely to be any easier for you either.  Read More

Patrix is an urban planning doctoral student at Texas A&M, the founder of DesiPundit and a self-confessed Shyamali Malakar fan. Patrix blogs at Nerve Endings Firing Away.

I have already written about why I love Patrix’s blog -

- Patrix has an intuitive understanding of how conversations are created on blogs, and, as I try to understand the nature of online conversations myself, I find myself looking up to him as something of a guru.
- Patrix has an innate curiosity about technology and popular culture and the ability to write from an enthusiast’s perspective, something any blogger would do well to emulate.
- Patrix is one of the most generous people I have known, online or offline, and, via DesiPundit and his own blog, he has probably done more to promote desi blogging than anybody else.

Patrix belongs to the second most widely seen species of desi bloggers, the doctoral-student-blogger (the first, of course, is the journalist-blogger) and I’m sure that you’ll meet many more bloggers from this species in the ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’ interview series.

Jamshed Velayuda Rajan, or Jammy Rajan, is based in Chennai, works for an Internet major, blogs at Ouch My Toe and is one of India’s funniest bloggers.

I have already written about why I love Jammy’s blog -

- Jammy manages to do that rare thing – being personal and funny at the same time – and every post on this blog is laugh out loud funny.
- Jammy has one of the best 404 error page I have seen on a desi blog. Reminds me that I have to work on mine.
- Jammy does innovative little things to engage his readers, like offering a Best of Ouch My Toe PDF file for download, asking readers to pick a topic for him and putting subscription and archive buttons within his posts.

Jammy, I feel, is the perfect follow-up to Jai, because of the contrasts between them in terms of their backgrounds, their content and their style of writing. It will be my endeavour in ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’ to explore this diversity in desi blogging.

Q. When and why did you start blogging? Has the reason why you blog changed over time?  Read More

Jai Arjun Singh is a New Delhi-based freelance writer/ journalist/ blogger. Jai works part-time with the Business Standard newspaper, blogs at Jabberwock and is mainly known for his erudite reviews of books and movies.

I have already written about why I love Jai’s blog -

- Nobody else writes as prolifically or as beautifully about books and movies as him.
- His interviews are more personal and insightful than any other I have read on desi blogs.
- He manages to make even his rants read like literature.

Jai, I felt, was the perfect person to start off the ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’ interview series because he is the perfect example of the desi A-list blogger/ journalist, a species you’ll often come across at ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’.

Q. When and why did you start blogging? Has the reason why you blog changed over time?

A. I started in September 2004. Initially I thought I would use it mainly as an online “storehouse” for some of my published articles and reviews, for easy access and reference. But over time that function changed: I found myself increasingly writing fresh things purely for the blog, whether in the form of personal posts, general observations or notes about books, films etc.  Read More

Yesterday, I announced that ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’ was open for business –

‘Desi Blogging Cafe’ is open now! Do walk in tomorrow for (virtual) coffee and (real) conversation with your favorite bloggers!

- and mentioned my ‘eleven Desi Blogging Cafe questions’ –

Sometimes, I’ll ask them my ‘eleven Desi Blogging Cafe questions’. Sometimes, I’ll put aside these questions and ask them other questions. Sometimes, I’ll let you ask them questions. Sometimes, I’ll let them ask me questions.

If you are wondering what those ‘eleven Desi Blogging Cafe questions’ are, here we go –

- When and why did you start blogging? Has the reason why you blog changed over time?

- What do you blog about? Has the focus of your blog changed over time?

- How do you think people describe your blog to others who don’t read it? How would you like them to describe it?

- How do you think people describe you to others who don’t know you? How would you like them to describe you?

- Is your online persona different from your real self?

- How important is your blog to you? In what ways? Why?  Read More

Yesterday, I played a trick on you that TV channels all over the world have perfected –

I’m pleased to announce that I have finally found a format for the ‘Desi Blog of the Day’ series I am fully satisfied with. It’s intimate, it’s interesting, it’s insightful, and it has never been done in desi blogging before.

And now that I have your full attention, I’ll leave you precariously balanced at the edge of your chairs, until tomorrow.

Watch out for Desi Blogging Cafe!

Today, instead of teasing you more, I’ll give you – (music building up into a crescendo) Desi Blogging Cafe (loud applause)!

Have you ever wanted to know more about your favorite desi bloggers? Have you ever wished that you could ask them how they started blogging, what they have learned from blogging, even how much money they make from blogging(!)? Have you ever wondered if they are as interesting in real life as they are on their blogs?

If the answers to those three questions is ‘yes’, you would love ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’! Because, at ‘Desi Blogging Cafe’!, you’ll get to know your favorite desi bloggers like you have never known them before!  Read More

As regular readers of my blogs would know, my ‘Desi Blog of the Day’ series has had severe identity crisis issues.

First, there was ‘Desi Blog of the Day’ version 1, where I featured one desi blog everyday, gave three reasons why I loved the blog, and offered one (hopefully) helpful tip to the blogger. I did the series for about two weeks and then realized that I was not doing enough with the series.

Then, there was ‘Desi Blog of the Day’ version 2, where I included a small bio of the blogger and three of their best posts to give you a sense of who they are and why they blog, apart from the three reasons why they are included in the series and my blogging tip to them. However, after doing only two posts, I realized that I wasn’t satisfied with that either (did I mention that I’m a perfectionist?).

So, I stopped the series for almost two weeks, to fine-tune the format.

I’m pleased to announce that I have finally found a format for the ‘Desi Blog of the Day’ series I am fully satisfied with. It’s intimate, it’s interesting, it’s insightful, and it has never been done in desi blogging before.  Read More

Alistor Cameron, who calls himself a Blogologist, has put together a tongue-in-cheek compilation of must-do blogging tips offered by the million must-read blogging experts we must have on our feed readers.

My favorite, however, is #22 (or is it #1) –

You should — on a scheduled and regular basis — be standing apart (completely dispassionately) from your blogging to gain a sense of balance and perspective on your efforts, in order to be able to review and adjust your “workflow”, choice of tools, and approach. You will need to accommodate technological change, shifts in expectation of your readership, and the greater and greater need to cater to a Chinese readership, where the real money and traffic is.

Today’s Desi Blog of the Day is Saffron Trail by Nandita.

Here’s Nandita on herself –

Nandita is a medical doctor by qualification, a a nutritionist and cook by passion and a freelance writer by occupation. She writes for Men’s Health – India and Complete Wellbeing, among many others and she is one of the group bloggers at Daily Tiffin – a family and lifestyle blog. Nandita dreams of starting a little home-style restaurant someday soon and her husband has already reserved the position of CTO (Chief Tasting Officer).

Here’s Nandita on cooking –

Cooking is like meditation. When I stand in front of my wok, I just put in the ingredients instictively. My heart tells me what will taste good and what won’t. And I cook with my heart. When one does that, the results are usually good. I believe in healthy cooking – low on salt and oil, fresh ingredients and spices, simple and quick procedures that help us eat freshly cooked meals at any time of the day. I eat to live so that I may live to eat!

Here are three reasons why I love Nandita’s blog –  Read More

Today’s Desi Blog of the Day is Deep Thought by TGFI.

Here’s TGFI on herself –

TGFI is a Ph.D student, chronic procrastinator and risk-taker. Right now, her life revolves around lab, and getting that elusive Ph.D. She loves science, Bombay, people who laugh, cribbing about grad school life, arguing about women’s lib, drunken revelry and cute salsa partners.

(which reminds me that the post which had me hooked to her blog also involved a drunken night out with the girls, and much laughter, and maybe even some roadside singing. URL please Thank you, TGFI!)

Here’s TGFI on her blog –

Her blog is a personal diary with snippets about her life. Initially very skeptical about such a thing as baring your soul on the www, TGFI has gotten hooked onto blogging as a venting board and enjoys the camaraderie, sharing of thoughts and the several blog-friendships that came out of it. Her biggest nightmare is her blog being “found” by people she knows in real life and she blogs in that fear, constantly.

I’m sure all you anonymous personal bloggers have dealt with that dichotomy too – the joy of finding friends in strangers and the fear of being found by friends.  Read More

You might have noticed that I haven’t done a Desi Blog of the Day post in the last few days. That’s because I have been asking myself a few questions about the series of late.

But, first, a little background. I started my Desi Blog of the Day series because -

I found myself thinking of the joy I felt when I first discovered blogs, and realized that I still feel it when I read some blogs.

I also incorporated a BlogTipping element in the series -

by offering three compliments and one helpful tips to the featured bloggers

- because even very popular bloggers often focus exclusively on the writing part and don’t really leverage the true potential of blogging in terms of optimizing design/ usability and/ or building a community.

However, I wasn’t really satisfied with how the series was shaping up. Here are some questions I have been asking myself –

Is there any value in featuring well-known blogs all my readers are probably reading anyway?

Should I focus exclusively on new or relatively unknown blogs – ‘Must Read Desi Blogs You Probably Don’t Read’?  Read More

Diogenes at ‘Quasi Fictional Views’ asked me to contribute a piece for her ‘Fine Art of Blogging’ project. Blogging biggies like Liz Strauss and Chris Garrett have contributed to the project previously and I’m truly touched that Diogenes asked me to participate. Diogenes asked me to answer a few questions about my blogging and here’s the piece as it appears on her blog.

What is my blog to me?

At the simplest level, my blog is a repository of my thoughts and ideas. It is also a white board where I experiment with words and projects, a place where I try to find my voice as a writer, and a project that will become my purpose, my calling, or my legacy. My blog is also a medium to create new conversations with people I wouldn’t have met otherwise, and some of these conversations have already become entrenched into friendships.

Why do I blog?

I started blogging because I wanted to be a writer, to write for a living, but wasn’t sure if I had the voice or the discipline to shape it into literature. Blogging was one way to find out.  Read More

Darren Rowse wonders: what’s next in blogging?

I see more focussed, maybe even city-based, blogging networks emerging and becoming mini portals/ communities in themselves.

I’m working on one such project, and, as of now, it looks really promising. Will keep you posted on this one.

Gauravonomics is a Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blog now!

A big “Thank You!” to everybody who made it possible.

If you also want to make it to the Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blog list, please leave a comment on my Technorati Favorites Exchange which allows you to be automatically favorited and discovered by hundreds of new blogs across the world.

If you are new here, please have a look at my noteworthy posts and, if you like what you see, subscribe to my feed via your feedreader or via e-mail.

I’ll write a longer post about my Technorati Top 100 quest later, but here are some thoughts –

- Gauravonomics is the first non-tech desi blog to be on Technorati Top 100. That must mean something!
- It’s so easy to game Technorati. John Chow has made a career out of doing just that; I’m sure there are others.
- What will Technorati do now that the number of fake favorites on Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blog list is approaching double digits?
- Nothing if impossible. If you have the will you will find the way.
- There are shortcuts to everything. It might not feel as good or mean as much to get to your goals via shortcuts, but, often, that’s the only way to get there.
- Is it 1 down 29 to go on my 30 by 30 list?

63 67 71 74 84 90 101 125 people have already favorited me and I only need 61 57 53 50 40 34 23 more faves to break have broken into the Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blogs list.

A big “Thank You!” to everybody who made it possible!

If you love reading my blog, please please please add me to your Technorati Favorites now!

Quick Summary: Read about how I entered the Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blogs list.

Gauravonomics is a Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blog now!

A big “Thank You!” to everybody who made it possible.

A Little Background First: My 30 by 30 List

I made a little list sometime back – ‘Thirty Things I Want to do Before I am Thirty’ –

The interesting thing about my 30 by 30 list is that every single thing on it looks impossible today… But, if I do manage to do all thirty, what a story it will be! So, even though I know that the odds are impossible, I’m doing it anyway, because, never again in my life, will I be young enough, or foolhardy enough, to even try something as insane.

- and ‘Take Gauravonomics into the Technorati Top 100 List’ was one of the more ambitious items on my list.

My Technorati Favorites Exchange

When Dosh Dosh broke into the Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blogs list by running a Technorati Favorites exchange program I realized that –  Read More

Today’s Desi Blog of the Day is Random Thoughts of a Demented Mind by GreatBong aka Arnab.

Three reasons why I love Arnab’s blog –

- There are no sacred cows on Arnab’s blog and nobody and nothing escapes his razor sharp satire.
- Arnab’s headers are often laugh out loud funny.
- Arnab’s devotion to Mitunism is now legendary.

My tip to Arnab: How can I even presume to offer a blogging tip to the master himself? But, if I must, consider adding some navigation elements on the sidebar for your single posts.

So, why is Random Thoughts of a Demented Mind the Desi Blog of the Day? Because in the Hundred Must Read Desi Blogs list, he would define ‘Must Read’ for most desi blog readers.

PS: I just realized that Arnab has 1100+ feed subscribers; I’m not sure if another desi blog has half as many.

Also see – BlogTipping and Hundred Must Read Desi Blogs.

Maki at Dosh Dosh is becoming one of my favorite sources of blogging tips, along with Daniel at Daily Blog Tips and Darren at ProBlogger.

Inspired by Maki’s posts (experiment and results) on using Technorati WTF (Where’s The Fire?) to drive traffic to your blog, I have written my first WTF on (what else?) Sanjaya Malakar. The WTF is based on one of my better Sanjaya posts in which I argue that Sanjaya deserves to win American Idol because he has created more buzz than all the other contestants except Antonella Barba.

If you liked my post, please vote for my Technorati WTF so that it can get to the top of the Sanjaya Malakar page on Technorati. Even ten votes will be enough for this, so every vote counts!

And, yes, go write a WTF yourself!

Check out the new version of my Technorati Favorites Exchange which allows you to be automatically favorited and discovered by hundreds of new blogs across the world.

Dosh Dosh has managed to break into the Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blogs list at #31 by running a Technorati Favorites exchange program -

Create a post on your blog announcing that you are exchanging Technorati favorites. Prominently include a link to this post to indicate that there is a similar exchange going on at Dosh Dosh.

Once I’ve noticed the link via trackback or Technorati, I’ll include a link to your post on Technorati favorites in this post itself so readers here can visit your blog to participate if they want to.

While it is really difficult to break into the Technorati Top 100 Most Linked Blogs list, it is easier to break into the Technorati Top 100 Most Favorited Blogs list because you only need about 125 people to add you to their Technorati Favorites list.  Read More