These Ugly Beautiful Updates
Over the past few weeks, I have been able to do some work behind the scenes on the blog. I am happy to announce that I am now legally compliant! What does that mean? Have you noticed that other blog and websites, now mine, has a button that lets you know that they are using Cookies? As privacy is becoming more important and targeted advertising is getting more annoying and/or tries to influence you, it is important to know how your website usage is being tracked.
Here are links to my Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy with CCPA, and Disclaimer. In these policies, it will detail how to protect yourself, limit tracking ability, and how to keep your information private.
These are the programs I use that track your usage on my behalf.
Google Analytics
This is how I know people are reading and interacting with my blog. Google Analytics won’t tell me your name, email, or IP address. It will give me general information about how many people are looking at my blog on mobile vs desktop, which countries people are coming from, and how many times a post has been read. I can’t tell who you are because GA anonymizes your IP address. It is helpful to me to know what type of posts people are interested in, hence me writing more about food this time around.
Mailerlite
I have been told that a great way to boost engagement to your blog is by having a newsletter. I am toying around with the idea of starting one. It may be a good idea as so many people are doing social media detoxes. The way MailerLite gets my newsletter to you is by you giving them your email address for them to send it to you. Although I may have your email address, I a) won’t be selling it to anyone and b) you wouldn’t hear from me every day, maybe every other month.
Social Media
I am active, in order of most to least, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. These, like Google Analytics these outlets crunches the numbers to let me know how popular my posts are, how many viewer/subscribers/likers I have. Unfortunately, due to Facebook regulations in setting up an account, this one is the only one where I have a pretty good idea of your name and location. Unlike Facebook, I won’t use your information as a way to make money.
Other than this, I do not collect information or sell information about my readers. I haven’t decided to monetize as I am leaning toward another route, see below.
BTW thank you to all of the people who are now following my blog on Bloglovin’ it is great to see my readership grow.
I hope these new changes help you understand the information I collect or rather have collected on my behalf.
Blog Updates
Better organization
I have also been working on organizing my blog to better help people find what they are looking for. If you go to the Neighborhoods tab at the top of the blog, you will see individual neighborhoods and areas to explore. Once I post something about a certain neighborhood that post will go in this tab. That way if you know that you are going to Hollywood, you can pop up there to quickly find all of the things I recommend to do there.
Posting more often
If you have noticed, I have been consistent in posting on Tuesdays and Fridays. This is one of my blog resolutions in 2020—posting more often. This will be the only post this week because as a blogger, as it is important that you have your legal information readily available to your readers.
Read my blog in other languages
I added a translate button to my blog. You will notice an orange Translate button on the lower left-hand side of the home page and subsequent posts. Once you select this button, different countries’ flags will pop up and once you click, you can have this blog translated into any of those languages. Google is translating my pages, so sorry if the translation is awkward. I wanted to be able to share my information to readers from around the world who travel to Los Angeles. Any languages you want to see, just contact me, leave a comment, or use my handy new contact form.
Speaking of comments, I have added a line that you can post your comments as anonymous. I review all comments and replies to comments before they are posted. If it says that it is anonymous it will stay. I review the comments to make sure that no one can advertise erectile dysfunction drugs and the like or to stop trolls from being trolly.
Other updates, news, and how to blog
Itineraries and food tours
Recently I helped someone plan a team meeting and team-building retreat in Los Angeles. So excited to see to get feedback on this. I also am in the midst of planning my first foodie walking tour with some willing test subjects. I would love to plan your Los Angeles activities as a side-gig. That will be coming sometime this year.
Blogging
Finally, where did I get all of this information about how to be a blogger? I have to say that if you are thinking about starting your own blog or are struggling with yours, I strongly recommend joining the Blogging for New Bloggers–Facebook group and taking the classes around blogs and legal issues that are offered as part of this group.
This post may have dangled a toe into the TL;DR boring type of post, but I think it is good to know what happens behind the scenes in a blog.
Coming up, a week from today, I deep dive into my next neighborhood, Los Feliz.