BLOG ASSIGNMENT
INTRODUCTION
This is a blog assignment where we get to create our own blogs and use social networks to get audience to our blogs. Here I will be giving background information of my blog and what forms I used to get it out there as a marketing strategy. I will also give a brief report on the success of my blog.
My Blog named second chances is a platform for me to share my life experiences with other women and be a light to young women so they could learn from them. Life takes us through so many phases and with this blog I share and teach how we can sustain ourselves by tackling life issues using the bible. Second chances came to being because of my situation which I believe is a matter of a second chance. I thought by this name I will give hope to others that indeed God does offer second chances. This is how I introduced myself in the blog:
I am a mother, a wife and a student at University of Cape Town. I believe in second chances as I am a testimony of that. Everything that I am is through the grace of the Almighty and therefore I am humbled. I was in a stage in my life when I was about to give up but God stretched His hand over me, so now I can’t stop but sing songs of praise. With this chance provided to me I intend to be a good server of God by giving free lessons about life to my fellow christens. The blog is about my daily encounters during my journey of life, I talk about almost anything be it news, stories or lessons that needs to be told. It is about what motivates and inspired me and the setbacks I also come across. In general it’s about life and its ups and downs. And through it all knowing there is a great God who lives in us. It is about the unfailing power of our Lord Jesus on our daily lives and I just make an ordinary woman that even her daily situations can be addressed by going God’s way.
Visit my blog page at “http://babusisiwe.blogspot.com” MARKETING STRATEGY
Marketing strategy is how I use resources available to me to make my blog reach my targeted audience, my ability to identify this market and also to ensure that the content is relevant to that target. My marketing strategy revolves around the use of social networks to get my message across and improving on my design skills to ensure that my blog gets the attention I intend for it.
My primary target market is women from ages 25 to 40 who are still on the journey of learning from other’s mistakes which makes older women between the ages of 40 to 65 my secondary target market. With the aim to target mostly women from South Africa and Lesotho, I did open out a door for other people to have the ability to interact with us on this blog. I chose this group of women primarily because I talk about issues that relate to them and I use my life skills to influence other women to use the bible to tackle some of the issues they face in their daily lives. So I ensured that I talked my blog content was relevant to this group. The women I target here are Christians because I am a believer of Christ myself so bearing that in mind makes it easy for me to tell stories with the intention to influence others that we can bring about change if we can apply God’s word on tackling issues. I keep my posts simple necessarily a requirement but enough reading ability will enable me to reach even those with low qualification
I have to a certain extend been able to reach out to many of my targeted group through the use of Facebook, twitter and Google+. These forms of media have really played a crucial role in making my blog known to many. The most views that I got were as a result of Facebook advertisements on my page which led my friends interested to go visit the blog page. I also advertised my blog to friends by emails and received a positive response. With all these factors in mind I had to also try to get my audience attention during office hours as most do not have access to the internet at home. I received total views of 488, of which 129 are from South Africa followed by Lesotho and America with 65 and 62 respectively and other countries such as Germany and Serbia. The blog was favoured by many but there was a lack of skill on how to post comment from my target market and some even raised the issue that to comment they are requested to create Google account which for them was a bit time consuming. So with a little of those that were able to comment I managed to have 30 comments with a favourite topic being “It is ok to make mistakes” receiving most views and comments. I was also bearing in mind that I am accountable for my viewers comments so I always went back to check whether the comments are within the set standards.
I also used relevant pictures to draw the attention for my audience. The layout I tried to chance many time to give viewers a user friendly tabs that will enable them to navigate easily through the page. I also provided dates for posts and highlighted some words to draw the attention of viewers. The design for the blog, I tried to make it more feminine to be able to get women I targeted into not only reading the posts but enjoy the background theme as well. My picture also serves as a means to attract people to have my viewers know the person behind the blog. Also the provision of links on my website served as a strategy to get wins the loyalty of the people I target. In this way people can easily go to my Facebook page to satisfy their curiosity about the writer of the blog.
MY POST 1. IT IS OK TO MAKE MISTAKES – Readability score of 6
Ever wondered what stood in front of you from excelling, from shining? From being that person you want to become. From achieving that goal you have set yourself to achieve. Well I think I got that figured out, not that because I am smarter than you but because I went through the same shade you are going through. The same fear of being scared to be wrong. Yes the shade that made it impossible for me to shine, to be who I would love to become. The fearful, the judgemental and cynicism voice that says, don’t attempt it; rather leave it for the intelligent. Why do we become like this? Why do we continue to be so hard on ourselves? Let me tell you, it goes back a long way back to where we come from.

Growing up, when you were shouted at when you dared made a mistake or even got a hiding for being wrong on your maths paper. Getting older when you got to be ridiculed for broken grammar and knowing that the only way to please people is to be always perfect and make no mistakes. This not only has impacted on our progress negatively but also stole our self-confidence. We have come to live according to the default rather than design. We have let others determine how we live our lives. We have become so afraid to be wrong. This has not only affected us individually but affected us as a nation. We have become people who are afraid to implement changes because we think we are not good enough. We choose to sit and do nothing about it because we scared people are not going to accept our vision.

I am lucky enough to be one of those who arrived at a place where I learned that it ok to be wrong. Where you are not judged on how you pronounce English words, where you are allowed to do anything that you set your mind to. The place where it is ok to fail, where you know that making a mistake is viewed not only as a learning curve, but a stepping stone to getting to being right. This brings me back to those many times when you have been judged by others for speaking English in the way that was perceived by others as unsophisticated? Then you never dared to try to speak again publicly to shy away from the ridicule and humiliation. You are not alone; I went through the same ordeal and now am at peace in knowing that greater is He that lives in me. Knowing and believing that I have this giant wherever I go, have given me the new courage and perspective on things. You too can change your perspective by believing in the one that lives in you and know He will catch you when you fall.

I just want to urge you as parents, to please let your kids know that it is ok to be wrong. It is ok to break the English language, as long as you get what they are saying. In this way they are quickly learning. Help them restore their confidence without judging them, pat them on the shoulder for those small things achieved and try not to focus on the bad. Allow them to shine and don’t set limits for them. They are on their learning journey and the more you allow them to be as free as they can be they will ultimately fly. I like a wise man words that says “The greater barrier to success is the fear of failure” by Sven Goran Eriksson.

When fear comes knocking at my door I just remind myself that My lovely father says to me on Deuteronomy 31:16 “ Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Stay blessed!
This blog received a lot of views but with regard to comments it came second. The topic I raised here proved a lot of women like me who have gone through judgement and here I highlight how non-judgmental comments can hinder one from unleashing their full potential.

2. THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN – Readability score of 6
I don’t know how often you get to come in contact with these kids who are mostly seen around shopping complexes and are to some degree dirty, without shoes and even unhealthy smell. They call them street kids and I call them our kids and would like to know what you call them. These kids like any kids ran into the streets to find some refuge which they couldn’t find anywhere in their communities. People ask why they turn to abscond from their caring aunts and uncles. After having done a little of some research on this issue, I have come to realize the implication of this. The exercise has helped to not just look at the surface of the problem but the root or the origin of this whole issue. Some people are even offended when these kids are offered change or leftovers. They will make comments like “they will never go back home if they continue to be treated like this.” Which makes me think, when we say this, are we thinking of these kids from our own frame of reference or their own. Do we even have a slightest idea where these kids are from? Do we know why these kids are there? Do we know their story well enough to judge them?

I am saying this because I have seen these kids, have been in direct contact with them on a personal basis. And I will tell you, I feel so much lucky that as a kid I never had to go through what these kids are going through. I know we complain that by donating to them will do no good but more bad. I do agree but unless there is a major initiative implemented to curb this problem, it is far from being over. We will continue to complain, they will turn into monsters under our noses because we did nothing. We were comfortable in our own space to care. Why should we care? Why should it matter?

My bible says in Proverbs 14:31 “whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.”

And 1 John 3: 17-18 on the other hand says

“But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but indeed and in truth.”

Before we judge let’s ask how we could assist. Let us remember the word of God and take the first step in correction. Let us love and share their pain. Let us change lives to fulfill our purpose in life. Let us remember that when we eat those yummy meals from those luxurious places, there is a child outside, who would die for that small piece of chicken.

They are our children came second with views but more comments than the rest with 10 comments and 42 views. This topic was brought about by the fact that there are many young kids out there who would do with our love instead of shutting them out from the society. I think my readers here were also challenged by the truth of this matter and thought it right to comment. 3. SAD BUT TRUE ABOUT LIFE – Readability score 6
One of the things I have turned to realise is that we cannot always get what we expect from life. Sometimes we go through difficult storms in life and the next person you turn to might be your partner, your sister, your mum or even your friend. With all that is going on, the difficulty you are experiencing, you want them to share the pain with you. You forget that they can never be you or even wear your shoe size. You want their comforting words according to how you want them to respond. When this person respond to you in the way you don't want them to or in the correct way according to you, you feel somehow betrayed, let down or even crashed at times. It so sad but the thing is you went to them already with the answer to your problem; you just wanted them to confirm how true or correct you are. And guess what they do not give you that anticipated answer or support you expecting from them. These are the people you so much expect a backup from, maybe you even look up to them in a way, they are the people you are fond of. So you got the answer you were not anticipating and you just hate them for their opinion. You wish you never went to them for comfort.

Wake up and smell the coffee these people are not in your shoes so there is just no way will they see things the way you want them to see them. Now you realise you did not want their opinion, you just wanted their support, their ability to listen and their non-judgemental understanding. That is why it always feels so sad when these people respond negatively to you, you feel unhappy, sorrowful, dejection, depression, and misery and forget that these people are not you; they can never feel the pain you feel, they may love you but they did not know you wanted them for support.

Why not turn to God, He will never judge you infect when facing adversities cry to Him and He will comfort you in no way any other can.

Psalms 55:22 says “leave your troubles with the Lord, and HE will defend you; He never lets honest people be defeated.”

This post received the least of views of them all. The reason for this I assume is the fact that I did not advertise it well enough to my viewers. The post had 9 page views and only 2 comments. On this post I draw readers’ attention to not rely on an ordinary person for their problems but to rather depend on God. 4. MY SECRET – Readability score of 6
I am a true believer of Jesus Christ my Lord and saver and therefore the words I have learned in life of me being able to create my own destiny could easily be integrated into the Holy Bible. So when I say I am my own creator what does it mean according to the word of God? Yes I am my own creator but where does that leave God? I suppose for a person like me who travelled such a long journey to be where I am today, I will always be grateful to the amount of faith I have in the Almighty. To some it may seem a contradiction to say God is a creator and then say I am my own creator. Well for me it’s not, I believe since I have God in me it is possible to be my own creator. The amount of faith I have in God gives me the ability to change things and by just believing in Him gives me all the power to allow him to work wonders in my life. Nothing I got was from a silver platter but my faith in the one above makes me smile of the things not yet seen in my life but only the heart can feel.
Living by design and not by default is my principle which means no one else designs how I live but Christ who lives in me. So by that, no man has the power to steal my peace for I have so much happiness to break easily. I live according to me and not let any man dictates my fate. The Bible further says in the book of Philippians 4:13 - I can do The word all, says it all. For me the bible is all I can rely on for giving me hope for the things wished for and never doubting that He has everything in his hand. So for me to be my creator I need consistent prayer, reading the bible and meditating on His word day in day out. We all might be aware that God has it all in his palm so why is it difficult to trust in Him to give us the joy we want for ourselves, our families and our countries. When I am happy I shall call onto the Lord, when I am tired I shall call onto to Him and every adversity I endure I know he promised me in the book of Isaiah 45:7-8 - “I create both light and darkness, I bring both blessing and disaster. I the lord do all these things. I will send victory from the sky like rain; the earth will open to receive it and will blossom with freedom and justice. I the Lord will make it happen.” So when you read the word, it not only brings the joy into your life but also enables God to see how you trust in Him in every situation that you face. So don't stop praying and reading the word, you might just be like me and create your own destiny and be able to make things happen before they are seen.

This post received a better page views than the above one with a page view of 26 and no comments. The reason behind the comments I have realised that is not because people had no interest as there are a number of factors to this. One that I realised was that most women were discouraged when they were asked to create Google accounts and therefore opted to just read the post.

Conclusion

Of all these four post I was more compelled to liking the one that says “It’s ok to make mistakes” because here I was giving a background of my experience on how negative comments can do to self-confidence. This exercise has really assisted me in opening up about my life and be able to get people engaged in what I truly believe in.

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