When I started this site a year ago, I really didn’t know what the goal of the site was going to be. Initially I wanted to put the call out to other young, rockin’ biker women (like me!), who maybe were part of Gen X and not quite ready to be a grown up (like me!). And quite honestly, I wasn’t even sure if I could maintain posting consistently week after week (I’d be out riding in the summer and motorcycle news is scarce in the winter months-or so I thought) to make this blog worth reading. It was difficult in the beginning: I would sit in front on my keyboard, staring at the screen wondering what the hell I was going to write about.
But something weird happened: I finally found my groove, my posts started getting attention and I found not only was I enjoying the whole blogging thing, I was “meeting” a lot of other my fellow biker bloggers and people who were becoming regular readers and I was also getting great blog reviews and awards from my blogging peers.
I didn’t really know the first thing about blogging. I’d kept a personal journal but a motorcycle blog is different. How would I find people to read my blog and who would care anyway? Through some cool blog communities like BlogCatalog I met a bunch of people and learned lots of things about writing a blog. And through social networking sites like myspace and BikerWorlds I found other bikers who are interested in the same things I am.
Traffic started increasing, people were linking to the site and honestly the highlight for me last year was when Greg White and Kawasaki asked me to test ride a Vulcan 900 Custom. I mean, who the hell was I? Just some biker girl from MA who happened to start a blog a few months before…
In one year, I’ve gone from a few readers a week to tens of thousands of page views. I’m not going to make any grand claims like you see on other blogs, but I will tell you that I’m happy to see my google page rank on the rise (link to me!), my Alexa rank continues to move up and the number of people who view the site goes up almost every week. Fellow bikers in 114 different countries have checked in on the rippin-kitten.com blog. And I’ve been getting inquiries from major companies regarding advertising opportunities. Not too shabby.
Anyway, enough of boring blog stats and me marveling at my own success. Stay tuned later this week as I roll-out a new feature for Rippin-Kitten.com and share some other things that I’ve been working on.
Thanks to everyone for making my first year of blogging a great one. It’s been a great learning experience and I’ve enjoyed our many discussions. Looking forward to another year!
April 7th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I guess Happy Blog Birthday is in order. Congratulations on your success. I like to think I’m a rockin biker woman, but you lost me on the young part. I’m not old mind you, but I haven’t seen my 20’s or 30’s in a while. I’ll not say just how long a while, but a while.
I know what you mean about getting to know other bloggers. I too feel like my extended family has gotten bigger, and I enjoy communicating with my new friends and talk bikes.
Congrats again! Ride on. Lady R
April 7th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Happy Anniversary!
Ride Safe…
Joker
April 7th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Thanks Joker!
Lady R: one of the things I meant to clarify that I forgot to was that over the past year I realized it didn’t matter whether I found other “younger” female riders. Riding is riding and the ladies who ride ROCK anyway!
April 8th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Thanks Liz! They say your as young as you feel, and sometimes I feel like a newborn baby again. You know, Jay over at Road Captain USA is instigating a ride, the East Coast Blogger Brigade. He has named you and I as the start and stopping point. It’s an idea, and I am willing to do my part, how about you. Are you up for it?
April 8th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Congratulations Liz! Your blog is fun, informative, and I loved the rides you took last summer. I have wondered also if the few readers I have will increase. You give me hope. Keep it up and good things to come.
Bikerchickz
April 9th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Congrats! I love reading your blog. Keep up the good work.
And yes, BIKER CHICKS ROCK!
April 10th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Your blog is awesome. I want an RK Sticker! How do I get one? Where did you have them printed?
April 11th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Road Captain: email me your address and I’ll mail you some stickers. They’re small (great size for your helmet) and they’re here if you wanna check them out: http://www.rippin-kitten.com/2007/05/16/free-rippin-kitten-stickers/
April 12th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Liz,
Happy Anniversary! You are defnitely doing great with your blog. I can only hope that Jay and I make somewhere close to the strides that you have in your first year.
Biker women….ROCK ON!!!
April 13th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Lizzie, I love your blog! Thanks for doing what you do here and being one very cool biker chick!!
-Stephanie
May 4th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Hey girl, I am a little late to your party but I sure do wish you a happy blogoversary!! Have a blast, ride safe, and keep writing! Best wishes, Janet G.