There are so many ways you can look at tagging in relation to blogging, it might be hard to know where to start. Of course true to Mystery Case form, I’m wanting to start a bit left of centre, with an almost ‘Tag you’re in!’ approach. Something that might not be for everyone, but I’m not so secretly hoping it is.
I have a {blogging} dream
You could say I have a blogging dream, only it’s in the form of a blogging jacket. As I’m a jacket girl from way back (57 jackets currently hang in my wardrobe), it’s more than apt that my blogging dream involves a jacket of sorts. Although followed closely behind my obsession with jackets is handbags and then shoes, so who really knows where this might lead but for now it’s all about the jacket.
This jacket is a bit of an oddity in my wardrobe. Like me, it’s slightly left of centre. It holds a certain charm, is more than a bit quirky and can easily be styled or adapted to fit most occasions with the potential to be a real statement jacket that would suit a variety of different looks and people.
The jacket is marked a size 8 and is from a label who shall remain nameless but I can’t honestly remember ever being a size 8 and I’m not one to be impressed or underwhelmed by brands or let a size tag deter me. A perfect example of not limiting a person’s potential (or in this case a jacket) by focusing on the labels they have been… labelled with.
The jacket, which really needs a name from this point in (can you suggest one?), has been hanging in my cupboard full of potential. Biding its time waiting for the perfect opportunity to make a mark in the world.
It was a recent online conversation with Mrs Woog (WoogsWorld), after she shared her glitter pants that started this jacket project rolling. I suggested that when Mrs Woog tires of her glitter pants, she should send them on their blogging way. I suppose along the lines of the blogging sisterhood of the travelling pants. I also mentioned that I was eventually hoping to do the same with my jacket and here we are.
So my dream is that this one jacket can connect bloggers regardless of their niche in a common blogging project. But it’s a project that is going to take time as the jacket starts its journey and exchanges hands with a variety of different bloggers across the country.
Method in my madness
The non style and fashion bloggers (like myself) are probably thinking I’m more than a bit mad and this part of the challenge definitely isn’t for them. Naturally, I would have to disagree. Not that I’m a bit mad (that’s up for debate) but that the challenge isn’t for just about everyone.
I’m actually thinking the further away your blog demographic is from style and fashion, the more interesting the approach to this one will be.
Of course a fashion blogger will want to do what they do best for this one and they might style the jacket over, adding their personal style along the way. If your field isn’t style or fashion, you just need to put your blogging spin on it and be a tad more inventive here.
I wouldn’t expect a style post from a food blogger. A food blogger might just take the jacket to dinner. The fact I’ve basically blogged about the jacket, in the form a blog challenge, is a perfect example of the potential here.
Rules
There are no real rules about how you approach this or how featured the jacket needs to be in your posts or even what type of post you need to do.
The only real rule is that you don’t make alterations to the jacket and you send the jacket on its way in a timely fashion. I’m also thinking it would be pretty fabulous if we could somehow attach our blogging business cards or sign the inside lining of the jacket.
Rather than a blog challenge, I’m wondering if this isn’t more of a blogging experiment. Sending a jacket out into the blogosphere, seeing how many bloggers across different niches might be able to incorporate the jacket into a blog post.
Getting started
The jacket will start its journey here in Perth with Vicki from The Fashionable Mum and possibly one or two other local bloggers before heading to Melbourne (Creating Contentment & Emhawkerblog), Sydney (Style on V & Kylie Purtell), with a couple of mystery bloggers in between for each state and then the rest of the country.
Before the challenge can officially begin, we need to name our jacket project and give it a dedicated hashtag.
Which brings me to the rest of our blog tagging agenda this month. This will include discussions and exercises which will mainly take place on our private Facebook group….
Hashtagging
No longer confined to twitter, hashtagging has become a handy marketing tool across most social media platforms. Throughout the month, we will be dissecting the use of hashtags and looking at different ways to incorporate hashtags into your blog campaigns.
Blog Taglines
In this oversaturated world of blogging you might only have 3 seconds to sell yourself and what better way than a creative and effective tagline or slogan in 10 words or less. This month, we will be looking at your blog tags, your elevator picture and moving on to one of the most important pages on your blog… your About Me page.
Blog Tagging
Tags are a great way to group related posts together. We will look at tags vs categories, image tagging and blog tagging best practices.
Collaborating
Our jacket challenge will run over the next few months, it’s not something I want to rush or put a time frame on. I’m really looking forward to seeing this project evolve and just how far it reaches.
Regardless of whether or not you are going to put your hand up for this one, I would encourage you to team up with a blogger (or two) slightly outside your niche and pitch a blogging collaboration with them.
Something that will create interest and add value to your blogs. You might also want to look at a micro blogging campaign. Targeted to the social media platform your blog demographic likes to spend their time but you’ve been struggling to embrace.
What comes next?
From next month, in the scheme of how Blog Exchange works, our challenge will be heading out into the big wide world of blogging, exchanging hands with a variety of bloggers who will be jumping on board to host a different blogging challenge each month.
Question time:
1. What should we call our Jacket Project?
2. Do you have suggestions for a dedicated hashtag for the project?
3. Will you be putting your hand up for this one?
4. Would now be a good time to tell you about my In The Bag series which is kicking off soon?
5. Any questions?
oh, I love jackets too raych!
you are an ideas person and you do it well!
my hand is down on all accounts!
btw … love bags and shoes too!;
all the best! love m:)X
I’m going to have to get you to come and do a guest blog post one of these days. Will have to put my thinking cap on and come up with something a little special to entice you.
thanks raych! … I’ve already declined sam’s invite for her “she’s so inspiring” section!
which I was more than chuffed to think someone thought I might be! … anyway she is first off the rank if I get courageous to do anything!
I’m like sia … I’m aloof! … actually her mother was a teacher of mine at art school! … love m:)X
Oh I love this idea! I also love jackets but I definitely am not ‘stylish’ in any sense of the word.
Although… bags and shoes are a weakness of mine.
I’ll be following this project with mucho interest! x
Thanks Lisa. I’m definitely not ‘stylish’ either but doesn’t stop me having a lot of fun. Can’t wait to see what evolves from the challenge.
Count me in! Here’s some hashtag ideas #jacketjourney #elmohasajacket #jumpingjacketflash #justajacket #jacketoride (instead of ticket to ride) #jacketnation #notjustajacket
Love those hashtags Janet. Far too many to choose from.
There is a lot of info to process in this post-your mind sure does work in wonderful ways Raych! Looking forward to discussing tagging and collaborating more in the FB group 🙂
Yes, I know but because the jacket project is going to take time to get off the ground and physically head out to bloggers, I wanted to share a snippet of the rest of the agenda for the month.
Um. I’m totally confused. But I do want to push myself out of my comfort zone, so count me in. As soon as I figure out what I’m supposed to do…
I’ve added the entire monthly agenda for tagging here because the main event aka the Jacket Project will take more than the month to get up off the ground. The mystery jacket is heading to The Fashionable Mum first, who will do a blog post on it before sending it on its way to another blogger.
The rest of the tagging discussions and exercises will take place over on our Facebook group. I had hoped to have a private group here but after having the blog hacked and losing it for an extended period, I’ve put that idea on hold.
Full Mental Jacket (Mental meaning using the little grey cells, not the unPC terminology).
The jacket is actually grey, so that just might work.
“Language fits over experience like a straight-jacket.” Golding
LOL straight jacket did spring to mind.
Trying to find positive cheesy puns were my first step – dinner jacket, sports jacket, straight jacket, varsity jacket….but none came up
I’ve only just seen the link to join the group on FB. Last time I tried and couldn’t find it. I fear I may be too stupid to take part in this but I’ll say yes anyway. What about “The Hot Potato Jacket- Pass it on Quickly” No? Oh well.
You are too hard on yourself. There is no wrong way to approach this one. Love the Hot Potato Jacket.
What a fantastic idea, I am so in.
Although #JacketIn springs to mind as a hashtag, it’s probably not reflective enough of the project! #JacketBeNimble is my second choice.
Thanks Beth. Jacket Be Nimble has potential.
I can only digest one thing at a time. So for now I’m all over the jacket and when that’s on it’s merry way, I’ll wait for directions from you. I don’t know how you find the time to think up all your genius ideas!
I know the post is rather long winded (bit of a massive brain dump) but as the Jacket project will take a long time to get off the ground and reach everyone, I wanted to share a snippet of the discussions we will be having in the Facebook group throughout the month.
I’m a simple girl, I quite like #bloggingjacket. You know, like a smoking jacket, but for blogging #Blogojacket and #BotTJ (Blogosphere of the traveling jacket) also spring to mind.
I’m in Tasmania so it would probably be a bit of a detour, but I’ll put my hand up!
For my turn with the jacket, I think I’ll pick which of my characters from Fractured Fractal (a serial Urban Fantasy I write) would style it best, then maybe take it somewhere they’d hang out.
We are eventually sending the Jacket to France, so I think a quick detour to Tasmania could also be on the cards. I love your idea for a blog post for the jacket.
Fantastic idea. I’d love a visit from the jacket. I’ll be waiting to hear more about your In the bag series. X
Have popped your name on the list.
I’m the worst hashtagger in history- constantly forget to use them…but absolutely in on the jacket & so want to know what’s in the bag.
Thanks Jo, have popped your name on the list for the mystery jacket project.
OMG YES!!! LOL. I am slow to catch up (sorry Raych) as I’ve been travelling and trying to get my next book out. But YES! I love the travelling tagging jacket idea. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Put Canberra on the map!
Definitely putting you on the map and soon. Next stop for the jacket is Melbourne.
I’m a bit behind the 8 ball with all things bloggy this month but I’d love to be included in the jacket challenge please :-). #mysteryjacket who knows where it will end up or how it will end up being styled or what mystery adventures lay ahead for it!
I’ve been a bit behind myself this month. I haven’t forgotten that you put your hand up to host a challenge and you rate a little mention on tomorrow’s post.