We’re approaching the end of the year, not that you all needed reminding. The end of a year often brings a time of reflection, contemplation, and thoughts about the New Year and how to get it off to a good start, in all walks of life. It’s also a time where people think of change and renewal.
The same goes for me and this website. Don’t worry, I’m not going for a full redesign, I’ve got things just about the way I like them. Well, there might be one or two tweaks here and there.
As of the start of 2017, the DGB of old will be making a bit of a comeback.
DGB original
Just like when crisps or chocolate bars bring out an original flavours range!
I feel like the time is right for the DGB of old to start building it’s way back in to this website. When this site first began nearly 8 years ago, it ruffled feathers. It sometimes went further than ruffling feathers! But I liked to approach subject that I felt passionate about head on, and not beat about the bush in tell people what I thought was right and what I thought was wrong.
Sometimes it involved naming names, calling people and companies out for what I thought was wrong. In the main, I got a positive response and plenty of comments. I also got a few threats along the way.
Not that I intend to attract threats once again, I’m far too busy to waste time on those! But from the start of 2017, some of my content will start to follow the same tracks as it did in the early years. Confronting issues where they need confronting, without being overly polite about it. naming and shaming those who are damaging our industry. Bringing back some of the energy around wider industry issues and putting pressure on those with the power to change to enact change.
Should be fun!
Issues, page views and comments
As DGB has evolved over the years, it has become less of a shouting place and more of an informative, content-focused site. A bit like The Verge in the tech industry or a very basic version of Bloomberg from the business world. Not that DGB is anywhere near close to the quality of Bloomberg!
But it has changed very much from what it was back in the early days. Not that this is a bad thing. For sites like this to survive they have to evolve and change otherwise they would wither away and die.
However, I do feel like there has been an element of DGB that has not fought what I think is the right fight as vigorously as in the past. I know I have approached various issues that are important to us as an industry, but not in the same manner or level of energy as in the early years. From next year, I aim to put that right.
I also believe that my less aggressive stance on important issues has been one of the factors that has led to a tapering of comments in recent years on my posts. Saying that, my post about whether four or more hours is too long for a home sales rep visit has garnered 11 comments, which is the most I’ve had for a while. But generally there has been a drop in the average number of comments per post. I hope that by revisiting my more “energetic” side I can pull in a few more comments!
One other thing I hope to achieve is a rise in the number of page views. It can be hard to grow the number of page views every year. I nearly always just about manage it. In my near eight years of DGB I have only missed out on page view growth twice. Visitor and unique visitor numbers have always grown by a large percentage every year without fail, so I’m proud of that. However, I do believe that my more tempered approach to the bigger, more uncomfortable issues has been one of the reasons page view growth has sometimes struggled. So lets see how my back-to-basics approach serves me next year!
I want to be clear here though and say that although I am going to go on the offensive on a number of issues and areas, I will be careful in how I go about it. I don’t want to return to the days of legal threats or worse! Disclaimer to everyone though: nothing is off limits in 2017! Everything is up for scrutiny in the coming 12 months. I have a post planned for later on in the month where I’ll will reveal some of the targets that are in my cross hairs.
I have lots planned for 2017. I like to be honest in my approach to everything, so I will tell you…just not in this post ;-)
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I think it’s about time some of these big companies and insurance backed guarantee company had a kick up the arse to be honest with you and I’m glad your going back to the old days some extrusion and other companies should hang their heads in Shame for such poor customer service they provide for their customers when they lose their custom because of the bad service they have given. They then try and cut you off from their warranties etc the companies I’m talking about know exactly who they are Shame on you after spending millions of pounds with… Read more »